May 29, 2007

Berlin To Cologne

COLOGNE, GERMANY - When the ticket agent at the train station in Berlin quoted us the fare for the the 4 hour journey to Cologne as 180€, my wallet shrieked. I´d heard that trains in Germany were expensive, but this was more than I´d bargained for considering that I almost went from Beijing to Moscow for that amount.

I think it was Jon who asked if there was anything cheaper. This is how we discovered the joy of riding local trains all over Germany. For 35€, Jon and I were able to spend the entire night hoping from local train station to local train station. Not only did we save the nights accommodation in a hostel, but we had a strangely enjoyable night of adventure.

All in all, we changed trains seven times and missed only one connection. In many of the towns we had some time to wander around the centre before hoping on the next train, and for 35€ we couldn't afford not to do it.

In the end we arrived in Cologne just before 4am. We ditched our luggage and spent most of the morning wandering the city and seeing the sights while we waited for a reasonable time to check in to the hostel and pass out. Except for the odd drunk trying to find their way home, Cologne is a peaceful city at 5am on a Sunday. We had the entire Cathedral to ourselves.

May 23, 2007

Prague

BERLIN,GERMANY - I seem to be one step behind on this website now that the countries are so tiny and easily traversed. The pace I´ve set for this last few weeks is blistering. Our time in Prague was typical, which is to say very enjoyable. I now have a partner in crime (Jon) and we´ve managed to maintain a healthy mix of sightseeing and wandering by day and partying by night. The city really is beautiful once you learn to see past the throngs of tourists, in the centre it´s rare to meet a Czech person.

We´re in Berlin now, just arrived. We plan to stay for 3 or 4 days before moving on.

May 18, 2007

Krakow

KRAKOW, POLAND - The warm weather has arrived and with it comes the tourists. I'm successfully blending in to the tourist crowd as I hop around Eastern Europe. The last four days have seen me in Krakow, the only major city that wasn't destroyed in WWII, and hence the only Polish city with an intact, and original, Old Town. My days here have been spent seeing the obligatory sights in the area. The big one being the staggeringly huge and horribly efficient Nazi concentration camp and death factory, Aushchwitz. This single camp killed no less than 1.1 million people, probably more in a few short years.

On a brighter note, I did get a chance to see visit the Salt Mines of Wieliczka. They are like no other mine I've ever seen. The entire underground complex is made from salt. The tile floors, the walls, the stairs, the carvings and even the chandeliers. Yes, there are chandeliers. There are statues and even entire cathedrals in the mine all made from salt. It seemed unbelievable to me, but I confirmed it with a few strategic and inconspicuous tastes of some of the structures. For enough money you can even host a banquet or business function 130m under the ground. Strange place indeed.

Tomorrow, or rather tonight I'm getting on my 1 millionth overnight train, this time bound for Prague where I hope to squeak with enough time to meet Jon at the airport, as I assured him I would. The man behind the scenes is stepping to the fore front for a change and we'll be travelling together for rest of my time in Europe.

May 15, 2007

The Worlds Only Memorial To Frank Zappa

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - In my mind, there is nothing that better illustrates the confusion that ensued as the Soviet Union crumbled as the Frank Zappa monument in Vilnius, the Capital of Lithuania. This monument (pictured) holds the distinction of being the worlds only memorial to Frank Zappa. This wouldn't seem as strange if Frank Zappa had been born in Lithuania or even if he performed there but Frank Zappa and Lithuania have nothing in common. I'd be surprised if Frank Zappa even knew where Lithuania was.

According to the local who took me to see the monument, it was erected shortly after the USSR collapsed. As images of Lenin and Stalin or anything else representing the Soviet occupation were tumbling, new governments and councils and committees were looking to the West with enthusiasm for heroes and icons. At some point, perhaps as a joke, a proposal was put forward to the powers that be to erect a monument to Frank Zappa. The fact that it was approved, I think, says a lot about the confusion of the times.

It still stands as a quirky reminder of "those crazy times", as my new Lithuanian friends put it. Most people who mentioned it seemed slightly embarrassed; I'm certain though that I also detected more than a little pride as well.

Of course there is much more to Lithuania than the Frank Zappa monument. The four days I spent there really didn't do it justice. They are some of the friendlies people I've met and their cities are beautiful in a typically European fashion. It's a place that is changing very quickly and I would very much like to return before it becomes unrecognizable.

May 10, 2007

The Baltics

RIGA, LATVIA - With Russia behind me, and my travel arrangements all set for the Atlantic crossing, I can't help but feel that I'm on the home stretch. In just over a week I'll be meeting Jon in Prague for my last two weeks in Europe. He's finally decided to come out for a visit.

In the meantime, I've been enjoying the spring weather, long hours of daylight and the medieval charm of the Baltics - Estonia, Latvia and tomorrow Lithuania. When not actually travelling, I spend my days wandering the cities, tasting the local food and visiting the occasional museum. (I've also spent a little time dodging riots in Tallinn.) The nightlife has been great as well; provided you can find places where the hordes of British stag parties and football teams aren't.

This trip is quickly morphing from adventure into a vacation - not that I need one after a year-and-a-half without work but I'm not one to complain.

Next up: Vilnius, Lithuania.

May 04, 2007

Reality Check

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - Having arrived on Europe's doorstep, I've been dwelling on the last great obstacle between here and home; The Altantic Ocean. In my perfect world I'd waltz into the South of Spain, board a modern sailing yacht and beeline for the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. The reality of this type of sailing journey would take a slightly different form:

It'd require that I wait until the right season to make the crossing. Most yachts cross the Atlantic (East to West) in late October or early November. The reality is that if I wait until Autumn in Europe, I'll bankrupt myself.

Even if I lasted in Europe until then it'd be unlikely that I'd find one making the crossing directly to the U.S.A. Most yacht's veer South after exiting the Mediterranean. They usually dip close to the Equator before heading back North to the Caribbean. This route is much longer, but takes advantage of the warm weather and favourable trade winds. The North Atlantic would mean cold weather and constant headwinds.

My other option, the one that I'll be choosing, is to book passage on an Ocean Liner making the crossing. (The freighter ships that take passengers are all booked full for this summer.) This represents the quick and dirty way for me to complete the trip. It will cost more money than a flight, but will save me thousands in the long run as I won't be idly spending Euro's in Europe.

Of Course the only Ocean Liner that makes regular crossings of the Atlantic Ocean is the legendary RMS Queen Mary 2. It sails from South Hampton, England to New York City. I have a cabin on the June 3rd sailing.

I'm coming home. I'll be returning to New York City from the East after setting off Westward almost 80-weeks before. Around the world without flying.

The QM2 is a luxury Ocean Liner, it follows the same route and is in fact owned by the same company that ran the Titanic. Though it isn't as expensive as you might imagine I'm paying the inflated (nearly double) single occupancy rate. So if I you're not too weird, I'm happy to take along a cabin mate. It would halve the price for me. Even if I do make the crossing alone, it'll represent a significant savings when compared to the prospect of completing the journey by yacht.

Oh yes, St. Petersburg and Moscow are fantastic. This post would be far too long if I got into it. Come and see for yourself.

*No recent photos up yet but Emily, a recent travelling companion, has some of her/my trip on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Have a look here.