Three countries in eleven days
UPDATE: Good job, Sens. Way to open the season. Maybe next time, Toronto. Maybe next time...
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INSERT: HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY, MARY! My little Mary Lam. Hope you have an awesome day and that you eat lots. Wish I was there so we can go out to a buffet. I miss good food! And I miss eating with you! First day back at school, we will go for sushi. My fobby Mary, I miss you. Have a very happy birthday!
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Now, for why you’re really here.
I just came back last Saturday night from an 11-day trip to Salzburg, Vienna, Prague and London, and each city was beautiful in its own way. However, a trip wouldn’t be complete without a going-away party, so the Monday before Christina and I left, a bunch of us went to The Friary and then to Toast for one last night out.
Anne, Christina, myself and Essi at Toast for (horrible) alternative music night. Music sucked cause I didn’t know any of it, but a bunch of the other international students were there, so it was still good times.Wednesday morning, Christina and I took a train to London, where we got our flight to Salzburg from Stansted.
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salzburg.AUSTRIA wed.SEPT21/05-fri.SEPT23/05
We arrived in Salzburg at about 9:30pm, met some nice (and one not-so-nice-but-good-looking) Australians, and headed to our hostel, which was conveniently located 5 minutes outside of the old town centre. I knew it would be a good hostel and a good trip when The Sound of Music was playing in the common area as we walked into the hostel. It doesn’t get any better than that. Apparently, the hostel plays The Sound of Music every night at 8:00pm, so we watched it the next night.
On the first day, Christina and I spent the morning walking around the old town, which had small winding cobblestone streets, as you would expect, and beautiful buildings, all with white trim. When in a foreign country, you have to at least try to integrate yourself and not look too touristy, so for lunch, we had bratwurst and sauerkraut, which was alright. We were hesitant to try it at first, but this really nice gay man from the States, who’s been to and loves Ottawa by the way, encouraged us to try it, so we did. Afterwards, what better way to integrate ourselves in the culture than…
Christina’s got the coloured pictures of us all dressed up in a dirndl, the traditional Austrian costume. Mine was bright red with a green apron. I looked like a little Asian Christmas ornament. I was tempted to buy it, but that simple one I tried on, which apparently is a casual one for everyday wear, was about €650. Translation: that’s close to $1000 CDN. Do I look like I’m made of money? No, I look like I carve wooden shoes for a living.
Here’s something new I learned: “ß” means “ss.” So Schloß, which means palace, is really schloss. I’m slowly learning German.
That afternoon, we took the 4-hour Sound of Music tour, which went to various locations in Salzburg where they shot the movie, and also where the von Trapps lived in real life. We went into the Schloß Mirabell and the Mirabell Gardens, where they shot that part when they’re singing Do Re Mi; Schloß Hellbrunn, where the gazebo is; the church of Mondsee, where Maria and The Captain were married in the movie; and, my personal favourite, Schloß Leopoldskron, which was used for the back scenes of the von Trapp house.
The tour was nice cause, apart from our tour guide knowing all things Sound of Music and them playing the songs on our bus for the entire trip, we got to go up into the mountains and see the countryside. As well, there were the added bonuses of crazy toboggan rides down the mountain and yummy apfelstrudel. The only places we didn’t go to that I wish we did were the Nonnberg Abbey and Festspielhäuser, the festival house, which was that outdoor venue where they sing at the end of the movie. The festival house was closed, but I walked by it.
The other place Christina and I wanted to visit, but we didn’t have enough time, was Festung Hohensalzburg, which is the medieval fortress that sits above the centre of Salzburg and is iconic of every landscape picture of Salzburg. I have pictures of it though.
Places I visited in Salzburg:
It’s too bad I can’t put videos up here cause I took a short video clip in most of the places we visited so I can show you guys back home how it actually was (and so some of you can hear the hot London British accents).
The next day, Christina and I got up early, had some good breakfast at the hostel, and left for the train station to catch a 3-hour train to Vienna.
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vienna.AUSTRIA fri.SEPT23/05-sun.SEPT25/05
We got into Vienna early in the afternoon that Friday, and after checking into our hostel, we walked down Mariahilferstraße, which is this long, wide road just full of shops. Shocking as it may be, I did not buy anything. I did, however, spend money on food – a Caramel Frappucino from Starbucks (yes, Clubbing Buddies, you’ve got me hooked), and a puten schnitzel. One thing I really enjoy when I’m in a different city or country is trying their local foods. Opting out of the pork wiener schnitzel, the chicken version was a breaded flat piece of chicken breast, which was deep-fried. It was pretty good, but a little dry.
Also something else I spent money on was my phone. 12 minutes and 12 pounds later, I got cut off from talking to my mom while I was shopping in H&M (H&M, by the way, is not just at every corner in every European country, but there is likely to be at least 2 or 3 on every street. Not kidding. They love their H&M here). Classic example of me not ever having a cell phone, I didn’t realize that (duh) I’m in another country, so I’m on a different network, so I’m paying international calling fees. I ran out of money on my phone, but somehow, I could still send and receive some text messages. People in Canada, don’t ever take free local calls for granted. Believe me.
Going down Mariahilferstraße, we eventually hit the old town, where there were massive museums and buildings everywhere. We walked through the museum quarter, Schloß Hofburg, Rathaus (City Hall), and the parliament buildings before heading back down Mariahilferstraße towards our hostel.
The next day, we took the U-Bahn (the tube) to the beautiful Schloß Schönbrunn, an enormous baroque palace, which was the Hapsburgs’ summer palace. Besides the huge palace, the Schönbrunn had amazing gardens on three sides and a huge courtyard in the front.
So, you can’t really see the enormity of the palace from this picture, but trust me, it’s big. (And no, you can’t tell it’s big because I’m small in the picture. I’m just actually that small). This is the back of the palace in the gardens. Christina and I took the audio-guided tour of the palace, which also included access to the private garden on one side, entrance to the maze garden, and access to the Gloriette. What is the Gloriette, you ask?
Well, you still don’t know what the Gloriette is from this picture, but this is the view from the top of it. It’s this arced structure that gives a great panoramic view of the gardens, the palace and the city of Vienna.That afternoon, we went back into the old town, where Christina and I split up for a bit, and toured around on our own. I saw the Danube, Staatsoper (State Opera House), and Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), where Mozart’s funeral was held, and which lies right in the middle of the town, amidst all the shops and cafés.
Here’s a tip we got from another backpacker and from my guidebook: you can get standing tickets for the opera at the Staatsoper a few hours before the show starts for only €2.00-€3.50. So we did just that. We got the €3.50 tickets, which had a perfect view of the stage cause we were on the parterre and directly in front of the stage. It was awesome, and even more so that the show playing that night was Carmen. We were just happy that it was something we had actually heard of.
This was our exact view of the stage. Besides being subtitled on these little screens, the opera was in French, so I could at least understand a good portion of it. We would have been completely gone if it was in German. Only downside was that we were standing for almost 3 hours. To compensate though, there were bars for you to lean against and they had an intermission every hour. At least I can say I got to see an opera at Staatsoper in Vienna. I would have liked to see the Vienna Boys Choir, but the mass that they sing at that Sunday was already sold out (yes, they sell tickets to go to mass, but only cause the Vienna Boys Choir sings at it). Maybe next time…So, I’ve been away from home for about a month now, and, ironically enough, the first and only good-looking guy I’ve seen this whole time was this backpacker from Calgary named Cameron who was staying at our hostel. Go figure he’s Canadian. I might just have to come back to Canada to find a husband. Haha. Ahh.. I’m only half-kidding.
The next day, I went back to Stephensdom for the 10:15am mass. It was cool to attend mass in a different church in a different country, but the experience was less than enjoyable cause a) I can’t understand German, and b) there was a constant stream of tourists coming in and out of the church, taking pictures during mass. I was appalled and a little insulted.
Places I visited in Vienna:
Christina and I met up afterwards, got some food and took a 5-hour train to Prague.
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prague.CZECH REPUBLIC sun.SEPT25/05-wed.SEPT28/05
We got into Prague around dinner time, and after exchanging our money into Crowns and trying to do the conversions in our head (it’s approximately 20Kc for $1.00 CDN), and checking into our hostel, I spent a good chunk of the evening catching up on my emails and using up as much of the free internet at the hostel that I could. I also had to sort out my class schedule, which I only got a few days earlier, but I’ll write about that in another entry.
The next day, Christina and I took the tube to the Old Town and walked around to get ourselves familiar with the town. Prague, I noticed, was very touristy, especially in the Old Town, as every other store on the street was selling the exact same souvenirs. The town was very pretty, but it was way too touristy for me, and it didn’t live up to how great everyone said it was, although most things were relatively cheap.
That afternoon, we took a 4-hour guided walking tour around the city, which took us through Nové Mesto (New Town), Staré Mesto (Old Town), Josefov (Jewish Quarter) and Prazsky Hrad (Prague Castle). We started off at Václavské námestí (Wenceslas Square), which was right in front of the Národní Muzeum (National Museum), through Nové Mesto and into Staré Mesto, where the Old Town Square, Staromestské námestí, and the Astronomical Clock are. Just our luck, the Astronomical Clock was under construction until the end of November, so we didn’t get to see what happens on the hour. Apparently, on the hour, statues and things come out and some music chimes, kinda like a huge cuckoo clock.
On our way to Prazsky Hrad, we passed by Josefov, and onto Karluv most (Charles Bridge), which is this 14th century pedestrian bridge lined with statues that passes over the Vltava River, where at any time of the day, it’s packed with tourists, performers, vendors and artists.
This is part of the outside of St. Vitus Cathedral, which is located at Prague Castle. You can’t really tell exactly how amazing this cathedral was from this picture, but this was definitely my favourite. It had these high, high ceilings, and each stained-glass window was styled differently from the other. My pictures inside came out kinda dark, but they’re in my ImageStation if you wanna see more.Also a highlight of Prague Castle was that I am convinced that I saw Ben Affleck sitting outside on a bench reading a magazine. Christina couldn’t get a good look, but I swear it was him. Well, I’m about 95% sure cause he had sunglasses on, but I was staring at him and he was kinda looking up, like yes, I know I’m Ben Affleck, so take a picture already. I so wanted to, but I didn’t. Note to self: Never, ever pass up an opportunity to take a picture of what could have been Ben Affleck.
After the tour, Christina and I went back to the hostel to freshen up a bit, and then came back down to the Old Town and had supper at a Czech pub that served real Czech food. I got this roast duck with dumplings, cabbage and bread. Food in Prague is definitely cheap. I took a picture so you can see how big the portion was, but along with it, I had soup and bread for an appetizer and 2 drinks, and it all came up to 300Kc including tip. That’s like $15.00! It was awesome! After dinner, we walked around the Old Town Square, down Charles Bridge and then ended up at Wenceslas Square, before we headed back to the hostel.
Prague is definitely different at night. Here’s a view of Prague Castle from Charles Bridge at night. It really is a romantic and kind of gothic city at night.The following day we designated for shopping, Christina and I split up for a bit, so we could do our own shopping. I got a few souvenirs and things, but my favourite purchase, apart from the photograph of Prague that I brought, would have to be this white zip-up sweater that says CZECH on the back in blue and red. I had been looking at it in a store and the guy asked me what size I wanted cause the one I was looking at was for kids, and I told him I wanted one to fit me, and he gave me the strangest look, like these sweaters are for men, little Asian girl. Oh well. I like it.
I walked around for a bit more, seeing Národní Divadlo (National Theatre), and then met up with Christina and this Aussie Sarah from our hostel, before it started pouring.
This was also before it started pouring. The weather here in Europe is really finicky. This was taken only a couple hours before it started raining. That's Charles Bridge in the back, and you can see Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral right behind me.Since we couldn't walk around outside in the rain, Christina, Sarah and I decided to go back to the hostel and let the rain calm down and maybe come back later on that day. We ended up getting groceries and just making supper at the hostel, and meeting other backpackers from the States, Finland and mostly Australia. For the most part, the backpackers we meet at hostels are either Australians or New Zealanders.
Wednesday, we checked out of the hostel and headed down to the Old Town again to do the tour of the Jewish Quarter, which included a tour of the Pinkas Synagogue, which had the names of all the Czech Jews that died under the Nazi regime written all over the walls, as well as a collection of children’s drawings during the Holocaust. We also visited the Old Jewish Cemetery, which had the bodies of 20 000 to 80 000 Jews within a one-block area, when the Jews weren’t allowed to bury their dead outside of the ghetto. It was a really creepy place cause there were tombstones on top of each other. The other places we visited were the Spanish Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue, the Ceremonial Hall and Klausen Synagogue.
Places I visited in Prague:
We walked around a bit more and did some more shopping, going back to that Czech pub for dinner, and eventually ending up at Wenceslas Square, listening to a jazz band as it was a national holiday that day. Afterwards, we went back to the hostel to pick up our bags and headed to the airport to take our 10:00pm flight back to London.
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london.ENGLAND wed.SEPT28/05-sat.OCT01/05
We arrived at Gatwick at about 11:00pm, and after some problems with the FastTicket machine and missing my train twice, I finally arrived at Victoria Station at about 1:00am and met up with Maricris and her friend, Thomas.
On Thursday, I walked around London by myself, seeing Buckingham Palace, going through St. James’s Park, passing by Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Parliament, the London Eye, and the Thames.
This is in beautiful St. James’s Park. I walked to Trafalgar Square and saw the National Gallery, after which I walked up to Piccadilly Circus and chilled out in Leicester Square for a bit. It was a bit chilly that day, so I bought a pink Pashmina, which was only £4.00. I also got some books and talked to Mom and Jamin before heading back to Maricris’s to get ready.
For dinner, I met up with Alex at Willesden Green, which is around where he lives, and we had some good pasta and seafood, and mango sorbet. Afterwards, we walked around for a bit and he showed me his old house that they’re renovating, and then we watched tv (the first real tv I’ve watched since I got here) and talked to his mom at their place.
This is Alex and I on the top of a double decker bus on our way to Victoria. Instead of taking the tube back to Maricris’s, we took the bus for a more scenic view of London. And cause the tube stops running at 11:00pm and we missed the last one.
The next day, I was a bit lazy, so I didn’t get up til late, and Thomas and I went down to Oxford St. for some window shopping (I didn’t buy anything except more minutes for my phone and a Caramel Frappucino), and then to the Canadian High Commission to meet up with Maricris. We went down to The Red Room, which is this small pub in the basement, and had a few drinks with some of Maricris’s co-workers, before heading to Canning Town for a photo exhibit.
We headed home afterwards for some dinner, and got ready to go out. Maricris, Thomas and I went to this club called China White (yeah, go figure I’m back at China White), which is supposed to be this really exclusive club where celebrities and models go to. I didn’t see anyone famous, but the place was nice. The bigger room played dance music and the smaller room played hip-hop, but the same songs over and over again. It was fun, but we left early and walked down to Piccadilly and took some pictures.
It’s so odd but also comforting to see someone familiar when you’re in a foreign place.
Saturday, I dropped off my bags at London Euston Station, and met up with Karen, my Ate’s friend who lives in London, for lunch. Did I tell you how jealous I am that she lives here? I’m gonna move to London. Seriously. We had lunch at Fifteen, which is Jamie Oliver’s restaurant. It was really cool, cause I had seen the show and the pictures, and then I was actually there. Oddly though, it was located kinda off in this little alleyway. The food was good, and Karen and I had nice conversation.
Afterwards, we walked back to her place, and then headed down to Borough Market, which is on the other side of the Thames. On our way there, we passed by St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Millenium Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, and saw the London Bridge and Tower Bridge from afar. Karen also showed me the apartment that apparently Bridget Jones lives in, in Borough Market.
I met up again with Alex afterwards, and we walked through their little China Town and down to the embankment, where we had drinks on the top deck of this boat called El Barco Latino, which is a club at night. The weather was awesome for about half an hour, until the clouds just came over and started pouring on us. We left and walked down into the city and ducked into the first restaurant we came to. We had supper at this cute Italian restaurant, and had interesting conversations on relationships.
He also didn’t believe that I could eat him under the table, so – and you barkada boys will be proud – I proved him wrong. I had my meal, plus about a third of his. The boy’s a lightweight. I’m definitely gonna get fat while I’m here. They eat tons of potatoes and french fries here.
Places I visited in London:
Still to see/do in London:
Afterwards, I took the tube back to Euston, where I caught my train back to – not Lancaster, but Preston. They’re doing some maintenance on the tracks or something, so the train didn’t go directly to Lancaster. It stopped at Preston, the town before Lancaster and apparently Britney Spears’s baby’s name-sake, and I had to take a coach bus to Lancaster. It took about 4.5 hours to get home.
Sunday was spent in my pyjamas, unpacking, and catching up with Anne and Essi about my trip and what I missed while I was gone.
Monday, I actually started classes, and they’re going well, so far, but I’ll leave that for another entry.
Overall, I enjoyed Salzburg, but I may be biased cause of The Sound of Music, and I am totally going to move to London. I am definitely going back there a few more times before I go back to Canada cause I still have so much to see, among other things. Vienna was also very nice, much more metropolitan than Salzburg, and I think Prague is a little overrated. It was beautiful, but not like what everyone said it would be like.
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No plans for this coming w-end just yet, but the girls and I might take a day trip somewhere close by. I'm thinking of visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow next w-end, and then the w-end after that is our Dublin trip. Anne, Essi, maybe Christina and I are going to Dublin on the 22nd until the 25th, and then I will meet up with Ate probably in Barcelona, spend a few days in Spain, before we head back down to Lancaster for a few days, and Ate goes back to Canada. If I didn’t already mention it, the week of Oct24/05 is a study week, which means no classes. I don’t think they believe in classes here.
Anyways, I miss you all. Wish I could talk to everyone back home.
Rosie and Mariese; you girls are nerds. You both asked about the same thing, and no, nothing. Not yet, anyways. Haha.
I will write about school and classes in the next few days. Let’s just say that I have 8 hours of class a week, and going back to the grind that is Waterloo is gonna be a huge shocker next semester, after having been out of it for a year. It’s okay, though, I’m gonna move to London after graduation…
posted by Sarah & David @ 1:48 PM
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