Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
I was lying...One last post - July 20
K, just one last post before I definitively put this trip to bed. Upon checking into my pension on what appeared to be a sleepy Sunday in Bratislava, the place suddenly sprang to life around 10 pm with heavy traffic speeding by until the wee hours. One would have thought my pension had front row seats to a Nascar race.
Also in the process of airing out the room, the open windows had attracted all manner of flying creepy crawlies. While I managed to dispatch most of them, a few gi-frikkin-normous flying beetles were well versed in the art of concealment and kept a lo pro until lights-out. Thus the night-time Nascar rumblings were punctuated by the occasional scream of "GET THE F--- OFF MEEEEEEE!!!" as one of the beasts would alight on my cheek. What my neighbours must have thought of these outbursts, I can only imagine...
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The last hurrah - 19 July
Throughout my trip, the Danube and I have frequently parted ways only to be magnetically drawn back together again. There's something about that powerful current and wide expanse despite its dirty industrial stripes. Today I bid adieu to the mighty Danube and its touchpoints in Austrian, Slovakian and Hungarian territories.
Hungary is now a memory, having been left behind in favour of Bratislava on the Slovakian border. Brat is one of the smallest capital cities in Central Europe but it offers a kickass view of the Danube and surrounding hills from its 1000 year old castle promontory. The old town is charming with its narrow cobbled side streets and the architecturally rich Primatial Palace is something to see.
A train will shuttle me north to Prague tomorrow for a brief reunion before hopping on a jet plane bound for home. I am ready to return. While this trip has been peaceful, an architectural treasure and mostly a treat, it has also been challenging at times and lonely due to the language barrier.
My purpose was to explore some of East Europe's rich cultural heritage, taking a little distance from possessions and amenities, basically recharge my batteries. I now return to "The Colonies" with a renewed appreciation for home, human connections and chilled watermelon on demand.
Over and out.
Hungary is now a memory, having been left behind in favour of Bratislava on the Slovakian border. Brat is one of the smallest capital cities in Central Europe but it offers a kickass view of the Danube and surrounding hills from its 1000 year old castle promontory. The old town is charming with its narrow cobbled side streets and the architecturally rich Primatial Palace is something to see.
A train will shuttle me north to Prague tomorrow for a brief reunion before hopping on a jet plane bound for home. I am ready to return. While this trip has been peaceful, an architectural treasure and mostly a treat, it has also been challenging at times and lonely due to the language barrier.
My purpose was to explore some of East Europe's rich cultural heritage, taking a little distance from possessions and amenities, basically recharge my batteries. I now return to "The Colonies" with a renewed appreciation for home, human connections and chilled watermelon on demand.
Over and out.
Yo y'yo y'yo
Now you've got to figure if you hear "yo y'yo y'yo" in any language other than English, odds are pretty good it has nothing to do with rappin' homeboyz. And when the dude delivering it is a hay covered farmer in dirty overalls, that's got to be your dead giveaway. "Yo", the Hungarian word of the day translates as "good".
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The mother of all electric storms - July 18
Angle as I might for a veto on monsoons throughout my hikes, Mother Nature had something different in mind. On my last day of open space back couny strolling, the heavens put on a show I won`t soon forget.
It all began with intricate cloud layers in subtle tones creating freakish formations. Then some funky web like clouds reached for the ground as though ghostly claws raking at the soil. Next, the sky turned dark as night and the wind began to howl. The effect was so creepy, I could`t help but glance over my shoulder for fear of funnel clouds. That`s when the light show kicked in. Multiple lightning strikes split the sky and the heavens opened wide.
I dove for cover under an elevated granary and crouched in awe as the spectacle unfolded. My granary provided welcome shelter for a few hours until I reconciled to the fact that the driving rain was here to stay and like it or not, I was headed for a soaking.
During my time under the granary, I played host to a few visitors of note. First a large bird alighted on the tree next to me. Not sure, but I think it was a ring-necked pheasant. Magnificent. Then a beautiful doe timidly emerged from the bushes before me. We thoroughly startled each other and she bounced away in a frenzy.
Once the lightning was over, I emerged from my shelter and trudged on in all my soaked glory. It`s all part of the adventure, isn`t it?
It all began with intricate cloud layers in subtle tones creating freakish formations. Then some funky web like clouds reached for the ground as though ghostly claws raking at the soil. Next, the sky turned dark as night and the wind began to howl. The effect was so creepy, I could`t help but glance over my shoulder for fear of funnel clouds. That`s when the light show kicked in. Multiple lightning strikes split the sky and the heavens opened wide.
I dove for cover under an elevated granary and crouched in awe as the spectacle unfolded. My granary provided welcome shelter for a few hours until I reconciled to the fact that the driving rain was here to stay and like it or not, I was headed for a soaking.
During my time under the granary, I played host to a few visitors of note. First a large bird alighted on the tree next to me. Not sure, but I think it was a ring-necked pheasant. Magnificent. Then a beautiful doe timidly emerged from the bushes before me. We thoroughly startled each other and she bounced away in a frenzy.
Once the lightning was over, I emerged from my shelter and trudged on in all my soaked glory. It`s all part of the adventure, isn`t it?
All things being dental...
You know what`s weird? I`ve noticed that Hungarians really have a thing for teeth. Believe it or not, I have passed through villages in the middle of nowhere - we`re talking boxed in by corn and wheat fields as far as the eye can see - where there is neither a post office nor a grocery store BUT the corner place is open 6 days a week to get your smile all fixed up shiny and new. You won`t catch Borat spoofing Hungarians` bad teeth a la Austin Powers!
A shout out to Gary for setting me straight on Hungary's affinity for dental hygiene. Some countries are known globally as good spots for cheap organ transplants. Hungary has earned a reputation as a cheap destination for good dentistry. Huh, go figure...dental tourism. Had I clued in earlier, I might've gotten my pearly whites gold capped!
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