Thankyou so much Dad and Mark for your posts, you guys are great! Particularly love the big daddy hug and Marks washing updates (yay for domestics!), ooo! And for the $900. Woo Hoo!!!!
So went out last night to a bar which had been told get really busy every night, even Monday nights, with live music. When we arrived, there really was NOT many people, but they insisted on seating us RIGHT in the corner. The band started at 12.30 and by then was PACKED!
And this band was AMAZING!!! They did cover versions (I dont know the word when really the song is totally different, in different style, etc), but mostly in Portugese, with a few English songs thrown in. And the girls voice was SOOO amazing! Im gonna look for their CD today! (who doesnt have their CD for sale at their gigs? Honestly!) And there was this old guy (im talking 80s I reckon!) who was just ROCKING out! Most of the songs were in quite a heavy electronic style, and he was just going nuts, the only one standing up to dance through around the tables. He was awesome, I wanted to go dance with him, except that I think he would have outdanced me in 1 minute! The whole crowd was great! SInging along and clapping and it was just a great night!
Got home about 3ish, and today is beautiful and sunny and Im headed to Sintra and yeah bad mood is well and trully dissapated. Yay!
So wishing everyone love and will post again soon.
Bye!
xoxoxoxo
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
I hate it when Im in a bad mood!
Bugger bugger BUGGER!!!
I was not in a bad mood when I woke up, despite oversleeping because I didnt realise there are complete shutters on the hostel windows (and many of you will know how Im a morning person and like to get up early), but headed over to the Egypt embassy here in Lisbon. Long story, which I wont bore you all with, but I do need an Egypt visa. Everyone else in the building was SO nice, but of course I had to deal with the witch who deals with visa issues. I honestly felt like crying by the time I got out one and a half hours later! I didnt of course, cause Im a tougher cookie now, but HONESTLY, do I look like some sort of criminal that she had to treat me like one!!!??????
And the REALLY frustrating thing is that they have to keep my passport for 4 DAYS, so I have to GO BACK THERE and see that woman AGAIN!!! And I therefore cant go to Evora, as planned, but must come back to Lisbon. BUGGER!!!!
Okay, move on Sascha.
I then went to the castle here in Lisbon, which really was very nice, but I think just that bad start put me in a shitty mood, and strangely I just havent been able to shake it. Even with icecream!
And just now, when I got back to the hostel, my found dinner for tonight had been thrown in the bin! Like, whats the point in having a fridge for hostel guests if you're just going to throw their food out, and put their coke (which I had spoilt myself in getting for the first time in months), in the free-for-all compartment?
I thought maybe Monday was the cleaning out day, and wanted to check whether if I left things in the fridge tomorrow, they would also be thrown out, but the lovely guy at the reception desk does not speak very good english, and I just got even more frustrated in trying to explain my question, and what had happened. So now I am very frustrated, and will just HAVE to wipe it away by going out tonight with some French-Canadian girls I met this morning, and having an extra drink to make up for it! Good idea Sasch! I thought so too :)
Okay, well I feel much better for this little bitch, thanks guys.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better. In fact, OF COURSE it will be better, cause Im heading to Sintra, a heritage listed town nearby which has been recommended to me THAT many times, so should be great!
I promise to be in a better mood for the next post :)
Love you all! Mwa!
I was not in a bad mood when I woke up, despite oversleeping because I didnt realise there are complete shutters on the hostel windows (and many of you will know how Im a morning person and like to get up early), but headed over to the Egypt embassy here in Lisbon. Long story, which I wont bore you all with, but I do need an Egypt visa. Everyone else in the building was SO nice, but of course I had to deal with the witch who deals with visa issues. I honestly felt like crying by the time I got out one and a half hours later! I didnt of course, cause Im a tougher cookie now, but HONESTLY, do I look like some sort of criminal that she had to treat me like one!!!??????
And the REALLY frustrating thing is that they have to keep my passport for 4 DAYS, so I have to GO BACK THERE and see that woman AGAIN!!! And I therefore cant go to Evora, as planned, but must come back to Lisbon. BUGGER!!!!
Okay, move on Sascha.
I then went to the castle here in Lisbon, which really was very nice, but I think just that bad start put me in a shitty mood, and strangely I just havent been able to shake it. Even with icecream!
And just now, when I got back to the hostel, my found dinner for tonight had been thrown in the bin! Like, whats the point in having a fridge for hostel guests if you're just going to throw their food out, and put their coke (which I had spoilt myself in getting for the first time in months), in the free-for-all compartment?
I thought maybe Monday was the cleaning out day, and wanted to check whether if I left things in the fridge tomorrow, they would also be thrown out, but the lovely guy at the reception desk does not speak very good english, and I just got even more frustrated in trying to explain my question, and what had happened. So now I am very frustrated, and will just HAVE to wipe it away by going out tonight with some French-Canadian girls I met this morning, and having an extra drink to make up for it! Good idea Sasch! I thought so too :)
Okay, well I feel much better for this little bitch, thanks guys.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better. In fact, OF COURSE it will be better, cause Im heading to Sintra, a heritage listed town nearby which has been recommended to me THAT many times, so should be great!
I promise to be in a better mood for the next post :)
Love you all! Mwa!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Ola Portugal!
Hi, sorry havent posted for a few days, but have arrived safe and without-much-sleep in Portgual. I cant upload photos at this hostel (Bugger!) but will fill you in on Portugal craziness:
Porto- So I flew into Porto and couch surfed with a fantastic girl call Catarina, who also had a guy from Argentina, Joan, couch surfing with her, but kindly agreed to have me too! OMG she was SOO nice, cooking dinner for us on the first night while Joan and I went out to the nearby pub to watch the Manchester vs Porto football match that was in Porto that night! The next day was POURING rain in the morning, but fined up in the afternoon. Went to the local fresh produce market (becoming a regular habit of mine), then walked around the town for the rest of the morning. Porto is SOOO beautiful! Think winding narrow streets climbing up the hillsides form a blue blue river and think PIRATES!!! Full on, I had these fantasies of Johnny Depp sailing in all day!
On the other side of the river are HEAPS of wine cellars, the home of Port wine, so OF COURSE I HAD to do a tour. Was great cause I checked out a few of the cellars (they all offer tours and tasting, but at different prices and different lengths), and rather than going into the first and most touristy one, I went into Ramos Pinto, which I thought was the most beautiful (with wisteria all flowering around the doorway and a vast tasting room of dark wood furniture and deep green cushions), I paid 2 euro rather than 4, and got a 45 minute tour, rather than 20 minute, which included all the original offices of the excentric founder of the company, the underground cave cellars, an explanation of how port wine is made and the different types and tastings. AWESOME!!!!
So that kindov ate up, or drank up, my day. I met Catarina, Joan and Catarina's roommate, Bruno that evening for dinner, then stayed out drinking till about 4ish, watching the freshmen at Porto university run around and around. Actually, I should probably tell that by the end of the night, I was not feeling crash hot, not from drinking cause I didnt drink THAT much, but was getting a cold :(
Guimaraes- The next day I was feeling pretty crappy, but thanked Catarina for a great time and had planned to head to Braga for the day, then Guimaraes in the evening. Was pouring rain and I managed to get lost just trying to find the station OUT of Porto, not cool, and felt rather drained from carrying my huge pack, so decided to give Braga a miss and head to Guimaraes, a small town north and inland from Porto. When I got to Guimaraes, I was very happy to find that the dorm room I booked had no one else staying in it! Yay! So after walking around the town (lovely medieval town with a 10th century castle and 16th century palace, and craft markets) I racked up the heater, threw heaps of blankets on and had an early night.
Coimbra- Felt SOOOOO much better the next day and after walking around the town a little more in the morning, headed to Coimbra. Coimbra is the original university city of Portugal, built in the late 17th century, and still has HUGE uni student lifes! Again, it was pouring rain when I got there, so with wanting to go out that night (had been told that Coimbra has among the best nightlife in Portugal), I headed straight to the hostel, where I met Hal straight away, a mid-30s guy from the US who had hired a car, and was heading to Lisboa, or Lisbon the next day, so 15 minutes after meeting him, we organised that I would get a ride with him to Lisbon and split the costs for that day. Great, and cheaper than getting the train, which are actually rather expensive here!
Very soon after, met 3 guys from Portugal, 1 from Argentina and 3 girls from Lithawania. Hal had a guitar and sang quite well and the guy from Argentina had an AWESOME voice (we're talking spanish balads, girls... Hmmm...) so we all just hung out all avo, with the rain coming down outside, passing the guitar around and singing.
We did this threw till about 2am, with dinner thrown in there somewhere, THEN headed out to Tapas Bar, which was actually this fantastic bar/nightclub, which alternated between well known dance songs and Portugese or Spanish rock songs, so got a taste of everything, which was great! Danced the night away and got home about 5,5.30ish...
This morning I got going about 9ish, walking around the lovely town of Coimbra. The old university is STUNNING, on the top of the hill with views over the town and river. I went into the Library, built in the early 18th century. Gorgeous, with intricate gold baroke decorations EVERYWHERE! One interesting thing I read about was the ways in which the books (from 16th, 17th and 18th century) are protected from decay in the library. For instance, the walls being 2.11 metres thick and the wood of the shelves giving out an odour that deters insects, but the REALLY cool bit was that there is apparently a colony of bats living in the ceiling of the library, which each night fly about INSIDE the library and eat any insects that do manage to get inside. So EVERY evening, the caretakers have to cover all the furniture and carpets and each morning they clean the WHOLE library before opening. Apparently the library alone is heritage listed, and this is apparently what you do for love of heritage listed things!
Lisbon- So this afternoon I got a lift with Hal to Lisbon, a good 3 hour drive, and now I am sitting here writing to you! So thats my stay in Portugal so far. I should say that the countryside also is STUNNING! So green! And they people particularly have been SOO nice, like oh-you-look-lost-Ill-walk-you-to-your-hostel nice!
Tomorrow am TRYING to sort out some visa stuff (Yuck yuck YUCK!), then checking out the city. For those who dint know, Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and apparently has among the BEST nightlife in all of Europe (a BIG call), so may need to check that out, but tomorrow night, cause tonight I am DEFINITELY crashing early :)
Okay all my loves, sending endless hugs and love and hope you are all well and smiley and having fun in each of your varying lives. If people get time, please write me a comment, I LOVE to read them and hear about stuff from home. Even the most simple things are lovely to read about (these days I get excited about being able to wash my clothes! So Im easily pleased).
Love Love Love Love Love Love Love!!!!!!
Porto- So I flew into Porto and couch surfed with a fantastic girl call Catarina, who also had a guy from Argentina, Joan, couch surfing with her, but kindly agreed to have me too! OMG she was SOO nice, cooking dinner for us on the first night while Joan and I went out to the nearby pub to watch the Manchester vs Porto football match that was in Porto that night! The next day was POURING rain in the morning, but fined up in the afternoon. Went to the local fresh produce market (becoming a regular habit of mine), then walked around the town for the rest of the morning. Porto is SOOO beautiful! Think winding narrow streets climbing up the hillsides form a blue blue river and think PIRATES!!! Full on, I had these fantasies of Johnny Depp sailing in all day!
On the other side of the river are HEAPS of wine cellars, the home of Port wine, so OF COURSE I HAD to do a tour. Was great cause I checked out a few of the cellars (they all offer tours and tasting, but at different prices and different lengths), and rather than going into the first and most touristy one, I went into Ramos Pinto, which I thought was the most beautiful (with wisteria all flowering around the doorway and a vast tasting room of dark wood furniture and deep green cushions), I paid 2 euro rather than 4, and got a 45 minute tour, rather than 20 minute, which included all the original offices of the excentric founder of the company, the underground cave cellars, an explanation of how port wine is made and the different types and tastings. AWESOME!!!!
So that kindov ate up, or drank up, my day. I met Catarina, Joan and Catarina's roommate, Bruno that evening for dinner, then stayed out drinking till about 4ish, watching the freshmen at Porto university run around and around. Actually, I should probably tell that by the end of the night, I was not feeling crash hot, not from drinking cause I didnt drink THAT much, but was getting a cold :(
Guimaraes- The next day I was feeling pretty crappy, but thanked Catarina for a great time and had planned to head to Braga for the day, then Guimaraes in the evening. Was pouring rain and I managed to get lost just trying to find the station OUT of Porto, not cool, and felt rather drained from carrying my huge pack, so decided to give Braga a miss and head to Guimaraes, a small town north and inland from Porto. When I got to Guimaraes, I was very happy to find that the dorm room I booked had no one else staying in it! Yay! So after walking around the town (lovely medieval town with a 10th century castle and 16th century palace, and craft markets) I racked up the heater, threw heaps of blankets on and had an early night.
Coimbra- Felt SOOOOO much better the next day and after walking around the town a little more in the morning, headed to Coimbra. Coimbra is the original university city of Portugal, built in the late 17th century, and still has HUGE uni student lifes! Again, it was pouring rain when I got there, so with wanting to go out that night (had been told that Coimbra has among the best nightlife in Portugal), I headed straight to the hostel, where I met Hal straight away, a mid-30s guy from the US who had hired a car, and was heading to Lisboa, or Lisbon the next day, so 15 minutes after meeting him, we organised that I would get a ride with him to Lisbon and split the costs for that day. Great, and cheaper than getting the train, which are actually rather expensive here!
Very soon after, met 3 guys from Portugal, 1 from Argentina and 3 girls from Lithawania. Hal had a guitar and sang quite well and the guy from Argentina had an AWESOME voice (we're talking spanish balads, girls... Hmmm...) so we all just hung out all avo, with the rain coming down outside, passing the guitar around and singing.
We did this threw till about 2am, with dinner thrown in there somewhere, THEN headed out to Tapas Bar, which was actually this fantastic bar/nightclub, which alternated between well known dance songs and Portugese or Spanish rock songs, so got a taste of everything, which was great! Danced the night away and got home about 5,5.30ish...
This morning I got going about 9ish, walking around the lovely town of Coimbra. The old university is STUNNING, on the top of the hill with views over the town and river. I went into the Library, built in the early 18th century. Gorgeous, with intricate gold baroke decorations EVERYWHERE! One interesting thing I read about was the ways in which the books (from 16th, 17th and 18th century) are protected from decay in the library. For instance, the walls being 2.11 metres thick and the wood of the shelves giving out an odour that deters insects, but the REALLY cool bit was that there is apparently a colony of bats living in the ceiling of the library, which each night fly about INSIDE the library and eat any insects that do manage to get inside. So EVERY evening, the caretakers have to cover all the furniture and carpets and each morning they clean the WHOLE library before opening. Apparently the library alone is heritage listed, and this is apparently what you do for love of heritage listed things!
Lisbon- So this afternoon I got a lift with Hal to Lisbon, a good 3 hour drive, and now I am sitting here writing to you! So thats my stay in Portugal so far. I should say that the countryside also is STUNNING! So green! And they people particularly have been SOO nice, like oh-you-look-lost-Ill-walk-you-to-your-hostel nice!
Tomorrow am TRYING to sort out some visa stuff (Yuck yuck YUCK!), then checking out the city. For those who dint know, Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and apparently has among the BEST nightlife in all of Europe (a BIG call), so may need to check that out, but tomorrow night, cause tonight I am DEFINITELY crashing early :)
Okay all my loves, sending endless hugs and love and hope you are all well and smiley and having fun in each of your varying lives. If people get time, please write me a comment, I LOVE to read them and hear about stuff from home. Even the most simple things are lovely to read about (these days I get excited about being able to wash my clothes! So Im easily pleased).
Love Love Love Love Love Love Love!!!!!!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
What a butiful day!
Wont be a very long post today, cause Im saving some stuff for show and tell for when I get back...
;)
Thatĺl get some suspence going.
But today was my last full day in Barcelona. Flying to Porto, Portugal tomorrow at 3pm. And the weather today was exquisite, as you can see from the photos. But today I was ready for it, and wore my NEW DRESS! Yay! Had to put up a photo to show it off. Its a belt wearing one, so Lollie, your lovely gift is getting a work-out :) Thankyou!
In the morning I headed to the Port/Fishing district/Beach, and was all amazing. Was like your Barcelona postcards, sun, blue blue water, topless sunbathers (sorry guys, I REFUSE to put up photos. Hehe). I walked along the whole length of the boardwalk, gazing at the sand scultures, water and MAYBE the pretty Spanish men ;)
I passed this big line of groups of old men playing dominos and stopped to watch, only to be asked to play! So I played a hand, lost terribly and handed the seat back over to the lovely man, laughing the whole time! Spainś awesome!
After the beach, I walked around the fishing district and in the fish market, then headed into the Gothic quarter, which I love, with all the tiny twisting streets, buskers, gypsy clothes stores and tapas bars. I was desparate to have paella for lunch, as I had not had it yet, but it is suprisingly expensive here! But finally found a not-TOO-bad one, and was REALLY good actually, being a daily menu and also included a fried cod main meal, fruit salad and a glass of wine! Nice!
Then shopped around... But I wont tell you about that!
Then met up with blonde Angela outside the main fresh produce market. We had planned to meet there at 6 to go in for tapas (at that place where we went Georgie. After checking out a number of places, you and I really did go to the best and the cheapest! Yay!), but everything was closing :( So instead I bought a KILO!!! of strawberries (for 90cents!), and we got icecream for dinner instead! :)
We sat and licked and chatted, then shopped a little more before parting and heading back to our hostels, and now here I am, tired and a little headachey after all day in the sun. But feeling immensely awesome about my great day.
So off to Portugal tomorrow, and trying out couchsurfing! Very brave! So I have no idea what this will be like or anything really, but will let you know asap.
Love love love love love!!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Its alive!!!
So I hear you asking, Whats alive??? Well Georgie, its your camera! Woo Hoo!!! Yay! Thank God! After a long charging session, it now seems back to normal. Will keep a close eye on it and guard it with my... Well maybe not my life, but... something. Youll get something, probably a new camera, if it is stuffed :) but seems happy now, so yay!
So I cant remember is I posted yesterday, but I went to a Easter Sunday service at the main cathedral yesterday, then went out for Tapas, and wine... and a cocktail with brunette Angela (theres 2, so I specify by hair colour). We drank and talked and ate and talked and before we know it it was almost 11pm! So then we headed back to the hostel and drank some more :) Great night!
This photo is actually from earlier in the afternoon, after I had been walking around all day, and was a little tired, so found a bench inside part of the picasso museum and decided to do as the Spanish do, and has a siesta. Was quite lovely, if not for all the American turists around me (Barcelona is full of Americans now!).
Then today I got up early and met up with blonde Angela (shes staying at a different hostel now) and we went to Montserrat, a mountain monastery about an hour and a half outside Barcelona. It was unbelievable and we had the most amazing weather! Im now just a little red, whoops!
We went into the basilica, which was awesome, then decided to do one of the hikes, which was crazy steep! But at the start we met these Croatians, or rather Angela offered to take a photo for them, and before we knew it they were jumping in our photos and inviting us to Croatia to stay with them and go on their boat!
Nuts!
So these next photos show how amazing the view was! And they definitely dont do it justice! It was like, you walk 5 meters and then the view catches your breath again and you feel you should stop to take it in. So we hikes basically all day, thankfully not getting hungry, as we each only had a banana with us :) Then got the hour and a half train ride back, then starving, and have just finished eating a nice pasta and salad meal that we whipped up. Very pleasant!
So really a fantastic day! Probably one of the best Ive had. Was so nice to spend time with each of the Angelas, who are super great!
Tomorrows my last day in Barcelona, and I hope hope hope the weather is good. Being now out of Easter holidays, Im heading over to the fishing district, which apparently has good seafood and paella, then doing a spot of shopping (SOOO not like me!), then I think Angela (blonde) and I will meet up for tapas for dinner, with brunette Angela having left today :(
So still sending continual hugs and love to you all. Thankyou so much for the posts. I really do love to hear whats happening and how youre doing, so please post if you have time. I love them!
xoxoxo
So I cant remember is I posted yesterday, but I went to a Easter Sunday service at the main cathedral yesterday, then went out for Tapas, and wine... and a cocktail with brunette Angela (theres 2, so I specify by hair colour). We drank and talked and ate and talked and before we know it it was almost 11pm! So then we headed back to the hostel and drank some more :) Great night!
This photo is actually from earlier in the afternoon, after I had been walking around all day, and was a little tired, so found a bench inside part of the picasso museum and decided to do as the Spanish do, and has a siesta. Was quite lovely, if not for all the American turists around me (Barcelona is full of Americans now!).
Then today I got up early and met up with blonde Angela (shes staying at a different hostel now) and we went to Montserrat, a mountain monastery about an hour and a half outside Barcelona. It was unbelievable and we had the most amazing weather! Im now just a little red, whoops!
We went into the basilica, which was awesome, then decided to do one of the hikes, which was crazy steep! But at the start we met these Croatians, or rather Angela offered to take a photo for them, and before we knew it they were jumping in our photos and inviting us to Croatia to stay with them and go on their boat!
Nuts!So these next photos show how amazing the view was! And they definitely dont do it justice! It was like, you walk 5 meters and then the view catches your breath again and you feel you should stop to take it in. So we hikes basically all day, thankfully not getting hungry, as we each only had a banana with us :) Then got the hour and a half train ride back, then starving, and have just finished eating a nice pasta and salad meal that we whipped up. Very pleasant!
So really a fantastic day! Probably one of the best Ive had. Was so nice to spend time with each of the Angelas, who are super great!
Tomorrows my last day in Barcelona, and I hope hope hope the weather is good. Being now out of Easter holidays, Im heading over to the fishing district, which apparently has good seafood and paella, then doing a spot of shopping (SOOO not like me!), then I think Angela (blonde) and I will meet up for tapas for dinner, with brunette Angela having left today :(
So still sending continual hugs and love to you all. Thankyou so much for the posts. I really do love to hear whats happening and how youre doing, so please post if you have time. I love them!
xoxoxo
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Last night
h
Last night I went out with the 2 Angelas that I made friends with here at the hostel. I dont have many photos, but first we went to a bar and had dinner, then went to a really fantastic flamenco dancing concert. Was really nice, and tonight we are going out for tapas and maybe a bar. Should be good.
Wishing everyone a happy easter. The weather has improved somewhat over here, but still seems to want to sway from sunshine to rain and back again.
Im having a few camera issues, where for some reason it doesnt always want to work and turns on and off. Not sure what has happened. But am now charging it full and hoping that fixes it. But dont worry Georgie, if this doesnt work Im taking it to a guys to see if we can fix it. And VERY worse case senario, Ill by another, better one, and you will get it. I promise not to leave you in the lurch my sweet.
So better get going now. Heading off to the huge olympic park today, hoping to have a quieter day. Im kindov feeling a little drained and in need of a quiet one :)
Love you all!
xoxoxo
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I have friends!
So today I met two girls staying at the hostel, also staying alone and both called Angela, very easy to remember! We spent the day together and are now just about to go out to a flamenco and salsa club, so should be awesome!
Will post embarressing photos of me trying to dance soon!
Mwa!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Ola Barcelona!
fr
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Before I go on with the preesnt news, here are a couple of photos from my final days in CZ. The first ones are of me with my Znojmo family, Pepa, Anichka and their daughter, Lenka. Theres a photo of us painting the eggs for easter. They do this every year and I love it. I know i said it last time i visited CZ, but i AM going to do it in Aus next year! Tis cool.
The next photos are of beautiful Cesky Krumlov. I have heaps more, but only put up this one. Then theres Hluboka castle and me in the grass at hluboka castle. See how awesome the weather was!?
Now Iḿ here in not-so-sunny Barcelona. What happened? Prague was supposed to be cold and Barcelona was supposed to be all summer and sunshine. Instead it is cold and rainy here and I find myself longing for Praha warmth. Got rather caught out by the cold today. I didn really dress for cold and rain (thongs are NOT appropriate), but kept saying, no, it might get better, dont make the trek back to the hostel just yet.
So the hostel Im staying at quite nice, but a bit of a trek from the main strip, about half an hour 40 minutes. But despite this I treked in and home rather than taking the metro. And felt VERY good to get exercise at last. I had planned to spend the day walking through the arty parks, being good friday and nothing open. But with the rain, I walked around the latin quarter, where there actually was some things open, but this is a BIG problem! I have become addicted to the spanish mosaic designs. They are so gorgeous with their tiny mosaics in royal blue, red, orange and white. Hard to describe, but if you know Gowdy, you know what I mean. I see all these things that Im like, ooo i want to buy that for Mum, or for Bob and Sals place, or for Ash or Lolly... then I think how i will probably murder myself later for having bought them when my back breaks from carrying them around! But well see, i didnt buy anything today, very restrained! But i did kill my budget. today was to be my cheap day, but i saw this gorgeous dress! And you know me! I just HAD to get it ;) Youll know doubt see it in photos later.
So that was my morning. I then went to a good friday procession which i had heard about on the internet. was supposed to start at 4, but I am in Spain, and 4 apparently means 5.15;) Was unbelievable though and definitely worth the wait. I was in the front row, though had this old guy behind me who apparently did NOT understand the idea of personal space. They seemed to think it necessary to have over a dozen police there, who took it very seriously. How they did this while wearing thoughs stupid hats, i dont know, but i put a photo up for your viewing pleasure. This guys in particular was VERY determined to ensure that know easter procession goers would step out of line.
The procession itself was unlike anything id ever seen. There were lots of people in these black peaked hood thingies. Then they brought out these HUGE floats. There were people crying out and one girl, not much older than me, was sobbing and could hardly stand. There were quite a number of people sobbing actually. It was very full on. The old pady in the photo did these amazing singing chants to the floats and many people were overcome with that. She really was amazing. And yes, that is a tiny peachface bird in her right hand. it is alive and she would gesture about with it and kiss it and the little thing just sat there and took it. This is the only photo I got of her, and I didnt get many of the people actually, as it did feel wrong to be taking photos of people in this important time for them.
So that was my day, and now Im pretty exhausted from all the walking. going to have an earlier night, I think, ready for a big day tomorrow. Will hopefully be nicer weather;)
I´ll try to do another post really soon, but theres these annoying kids staying at the hostel, who seem to think that UTube watching is a valid reason for taking up all the computers! Grr...
Love Love
(But not for thoughs kids!)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Leaving CZ tomorrow :(
Ahoj everyone!
So still am unable to upload photos on these crummy hostel computers. Hopefullz have better luck at the next one.
So I had a tragedy today. I'm talking the worst thing since I lost my Georgie! Or maybe since I accidently bought butter instead of cheese (and didn't realise till AFTER I had bitten into it).
That was also pretty bad.
But today's disaster was super bad! I stepped in this HUGE puddle in my NEW shoes!!!!!
Ahhhh!!!!
Bugger Bugger BUGGER!
:) Okay, so maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but my NEW shoes! Their so pretty and practical (yes, I've been sensible, Mum) and then they were wet and looked so sad for about 5 minutes, till they dried off in the super sunny sun (tis like summer here!), so I got over it in about an hour or so. :)
Firstly I'll just tell how I went to a concert with my cousin Lenka a few nights ago, before leaving Prague. Saw The Subways, UK indy rock band. They were probably more Georgie's style then mine (you would have LOVED them sweet!), but they were so full of energy, and the crowd was amazing! There was heaps of people crowd surfing and stage jumping and nuddy running. It was packed and sweaty and absolutely nuts! I loved it!
They were also supported by this new Czech band, Sunflower Caravan. Lenka couldn't figure out how to discribe them, and I really am not sure either. I guess they're KINDOV a LITTLE like Colplay, in that they had some really beautiful and emotive piano bits (the piano player was the centre and he was AMAZING) and then some really heaving and sometimes electronic bits. Quite original. But I bought their CD, so I can show you when I get home.
I'm back in Prague again after visiting Cesky Krumlov yesterday, staying there last night and today visiting Hluboka. Oh My Goodness they were unbelievable! Cesky Krumlov, for thoughs who don't know, is a medieval town in the south west of Czech, with a heritage town centre and beautiful castle. It's absolutely magical! I got there from Praha about 11am yesterday and wandered around the town centre. Then I went and did a tour of the castle, all murals and valted ceilings. I climbed up the tower, awesome photos!
By the time I finished that it was about 3pm and I was starving, so got a great pub lunch and wandered around the town some more before going to my hostel.
The hostel was fantastic actually. Was in the town centre, on the cliff with this great terrace for sitting, eating, drinking and looking out over to the castle!
Then this morning I went to Hluboka, a little town which I had heard has the most beautiful castle in CZ, or all of Europe according to my cousin, Stanja. Now I hate comparing places. When you travel around in Europe you often talk to people about different places, and there's often thoughs people who are like, yeah this place is okay, but so-en-so was SOOO much better, or my home is SOOO much better. STAY THERE THEN!!! It bugs me.
But I will say that Hluboka castle is probably the most fairy-tale-beautiful castle I have ever seen yet! And that's saying a big thing, because I've seen alot of castles now and they're all exquisite in each of their ways. Whether they are gothic, mysterious, vaulting, painted, gaudy, kitch, pearlescent... and so many other ways to describe all the different ways a castle may stand, they are all so beautiful, and I am definitely not castled-out yet.
It is so frustrating that I cannot put up photos, cause these places were awesome!
When I get to Barcelona, I will try to upload photos of these places.
And so I go to Barcelona tomorrow, around 4pm. Very respectable hour. I'm thinking tomorrow morning I will go to the Museum of Communism here in Prague. I haven't been to it yet, and people here say it is really very good. So my tomorrow morning probably wont be super smiley, but should be good.
Better go now. There's people waiting for the internet.
Thankyou so much for your posts.
Mum-definitely have to keep speaking Czech. I'm coming back here. I'll say it, I'm hooked. CZ is one of my favourite places in all the world!
Dad-I love your phonetic writing. I can just see you loling away thoughs sentences in a silly voice, with big hand gestures :) I miss you and your dad jokes and dad hugs so much! Promise me your storing me up a nice big stash of them for when I get home? Pretty gready I know, but they will be well enjoyed, I promise.
Jessie-Was so good to hear from you honey! I'm glad you sound so well now, apart from the hard work. Hopefully is cooling off now. You deserve a bit of fun and Jessie time every now and then... Actually you deserve that always!! So don't work too hard beautiful! I miss you too! Like crazy! When I get home I am coming walking with you to catch up and here Life of Jessie. I miss it!
Love you all. xoxoxoxoxoxox
So still am unable to upload photos on these crummy hostel computers. Hopefullz have better luck at the next one.
So I had a tragedy today. I'm talking the worst thing since I lost my Georgie! Or maybe since I accidently bought butter instead of cheese (and didn't realise till AFTER I had bitten into it).
That was also pretty bad.
But today's disaster was super bad! I stepped in this HUGE puddle in my NEW shoes!!!!!
Ahhhh!!!!
Bugger Bugger BUGGER!
:) Okay, so maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but my NEW shoes! Their so pretty and practical (yes, I've been sensible, Mum) and then they were wet and looked so sad for about 5 minutes, till they dried off in the super sunny sun (tis like summer here!), so I got over it in about an hour or so. :)
Firstly I'll just tell how I went to a concert with my cousin Lenka a few nights ago, before leaving Prague. Saw The Subways, UK indy rock band. They were probably more Georgie's style then mine (you would have LOVED them sweet!), but they were so full of energy, and the crowd was amazing! There was heaps of people crowd surfing and stage jumping and nuddy running. It was packed and sweaty and absolutely nuts! I loved it!
They were also supported by this new Czech band, Sunflower Caravan. Lenka couldn't figure out how to discribe them, and I really am not sure either. I guess they're KINDOV a LITTLE like Colplay, in that they had some really beautiful and emotive piano bits (the piano player was the centre and he was AMAZING) and then some really heaving and sometimes electronic bits. Quite original. But I bought their CD, so I can show you when I get home.
I'm back in Prague again after visiting Cesky Krumlov yesterday, staying there last night and today visiting Hluboka. Oh My Goodness they were unbelievable! Cesky Krumlov, for thoughs who don't know, is a medieval town in the south west of Czech, with a heritage town centre and beautiful castle. It's absolutely magical! I got there from Praha about 11am yesterday and wandered around the town centre. Then I went and did a tour of the castle, all murals and valted ceilings. I climbed up the tower, awesome photos!
By the time I finished that it was about 3pm and I was starving, so got a great pub lunch and wandered around the town some more before going to my hostel.
The hostel was fantastic actually. Was in the town centre, on the cliff with this great terrace for sitting, eating, drinking and looking out over to the castle!
Then this morning I went to Hluboka, a little town which I had heard has the most beautiful castle in CZ, or all of Europe according to my cousin, Stanja. Now I hate comparing places. When you travel around in Europe you often talk to people about different places, and there's often thoughs people who are like, yeah this place is okay, but so-en-so was SOOO much better, or my home is SOOO much better. STAY THERE THEN!!! It bugs me.
But I will say that Hluboka castle is probably the most fairy-tale-beautiful castle I have ever seen yet! And that's saying a big thing, because I've seen alot of castles now and they're all exquisite in each of their ways. Whether they are gothic, mysterious, vaulting, painted, gaudy, kitch, pearlescent... and so many other ways to describe all the different ways a castle may stand, they are all so beautiful, and I am definitely not castled-out yet.
It is so frustrating that I cannot put up photos, cause these places were awesome!
When I get to Barcelona, I will try to upload photos of these places.
And so I go to Barcelona tomorrow, around 4pm. Very respectable hour. I'm thinking tomorrow morning I will go to the Museum of Communism here in Prague. I haven't been to it yet, and people here say it is really very good. So my tomorrow morning probably wont be super smiley, but should be good.
Better go now. There's people waiting for the internet.
Thankyou so much for your posts.
Mum-definitely have to keep speaking Czech. I'm coming back here. I'll say it, I'm hooked. CZ is one of my favourite places in all the world!
Dad-I love your phonetic writing. I can just see you loling away thoughs sentences in a silly voice, with big hand gestures :) I miss you and your dad jokes and dad hugs so much! Promise me your storing me up a nice big stash of them for when I get home? Pretty gready I know, but they will be well enjoyed, I promise.
Jessie-Was so good to hear from you honey! I'm glad you sound so well now, apart from the hard work. Hopefully is cooling off now. You deserve a bit of fun and Jessie time every now and then... Actually you deserve that always!! So don't work too hard beautiful! I miss you too! Like crazy! When I get home I am coming walking with you to catch up and here Life of Jessie. I miss it!
Love you all. xoxoxoxoxoxox
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Thrown in the deep end
Ahoj rodina, kamarad a kamaradka!
Hope you are all well my beautiful people! So sorry I haven!t posted in so long. Have been visiting the family and didn't really want to use up their internet too much.
They have all been SOOOO nice to me. It's unbelievable! I'm so spoilt with my family!
So let me fill you in on where I've been.
After leaving the farm about a week ago, first I got caught out by the time change that occurred here. It's the same as our daylight savings, and I left the farm very early to get the bus, only to find I was an hour late. I went back to the farm and emailed Pavlina to let her know the new time I would be arriving in Brno. Was really not a big problem, as I just caught a later bus, only arriving in Brno a few hours later. But apparently this was a terrible thing to happen to me. Pavlina was so worried that I would be lost, she called my mum's cousins in Znojmo, who called their daughter in Prague, who had my number, who called me to check I was fine, who then called Pavlina to tell her that I was fine, who then called me to double check that I was fine... Crazy! But it was so lovely to know that if anything really bad DID occur, I had an army of family to run around and worry about me. Huge smiley face. But I WAS so worried that I had worried them. What a mess!
But then I got to Brno fine. Was going to stay with Pavlina in her very small flat with her husband and two little children, but her son, Vitek, super sweet, was sick, so I stayed at her brother's, Stanjo, who was super nice. I had SUCH a nice time, and spent most of my two days in Brno playing with Pavlina and her two children. I was a little thingy about not having a huge amount of time to explore Brno, though I did see the castle. But then it turned about to be a very good thing I spent so much time with her, because Vitek was so sick that they couldn't come to Pavlina's parent's home village with me as planned. But more of that later. Let me first tell that Martin, Pavlina's husband, works at one of the Brno theatres, and got me a ticket to the big Ballet Gala that was on. It was amazing! And I was in one of those front booth things that you always see and wonder who those people know to get such awesome seats. Smiley face. So that was amazing!
So then on Wednesday I said goodbye to Pavlina, Martin, Vitek and tiny crazy Uli, and went to Tvaronza Lhota, a little village where my Baba and Deda come from. I can't really express how it felt to be talking to the brother and sister of my Baba, grandmother, and Deda, grandfather. It didn't really occur to me when I visited 7 years ago, how brave they were to leave their whole family and country, to travel to a place they did not know, knew no one and didn't speak the language! My grandparents were incredibly strong people. It was wonderful to spend a little time there. But was also hilarious, because no one there speaks english. So all Czech for me! A very good way to improve my Czech, and I think I have improved.
Now I am in Znojmo, a bigger town on the Austrian border, with my mum's cousins Pepa and Anichka, and their English speaking, fantastic daughter, Lenka. Today we will be painting eggs in the traditional Czech way for Velikonoce, or Easter, which is HUGE here in the Czech republic.
But I really must go know, as I have been far too long on the internet and can't wait to go embarress myself further with my stumbling attempts at Czech. Smiley face.
Sorry about the lack of photos, but the computer is old and doesn't have an outlet.
I can't really express how much I have loved this last week or so with my family. I love it I love it I love it! A million times over. I am having the most amazing time!
I love you all too! And hope you are all well and smiley, and that the weather is as glorious there as it is here. 33 degrees in the sun yesterday!
Love love!
Hope you are all well my beautiful people! So sorry I haven!t posted in so long. Have been visiting the family and didn't really want to use up their internet too much.
They have all been SOOOO nice to me. It's unbelievable! I'm so spoilt with my family!
So let me fill you in on where I've been.
After leaving the farm about a week ago, first I got caught out by the time change that occurred here. It's the same as our daylight savings, and I left the farm very early to get the bus, only to find I was an hour late. I went back to the farm and emailed Pavlina to let her know the new time I would be arriving in Brno. Was really not a big problem, as I just caught a later bus, only arriving in Brno a few hours later. But apparently this was a terrible thing to happen to me. Pavlina was so worried that I would be lost, she called my mum's cousins in Znojmo, who called their daughter in Prague, who had my number, who called me to check I was fine, who then called Pavlina to tell her that I was fine, who then called me to double check that I was fine... Crazy! But it was so lovely to know that if anything really bad DID occur, I had an army of family to run around and worry about me. Huge smiley face. But I WAS so worried that I had worried them. What a mess!
But then I got to Brno fine. Was going to stay with Pavlina in her very small flat with her husband and two little children, but her son, Vitek, super sweet, was sick, so I stayed at her brother's, Stanjo, who was super nice. I had SUCH a nice time, and spent most of my two days in Brno playing with Pavlina and her two children. I was a little thingy about not having a huge amount of time to explore Brno, though I did see the castle. But then it turned about to be a very good thing I spent so much time with her, because Vitek was so sick that they couldn't come to Pavlina's parent's home village with me as planned. But more of that later. Let me first tell that Martin, Pavlina's husband, works at one of the Brno theatres, and got me a ticket to the big Ballet Gala that was on. It was amazing! And I was in one of those front booth things that you always see and wonder who those people know to get such awesome seats. Smiley face. So that was amazing!
So then on Wednesday I said goodbye to Pavlina, Martin, Vitek and tiny crazy Uli, and went to Tvaronza Lhota, a little village where my Baba and Deda come from. I can't really express how it felt to be talking to the brother and sister of my Baba, grandmother, and Deda, grandfather. It didn't really occur to me when I visited 7 years ago, how brave they were to leave their whole family and country, to travel to a place they did not know, knew no one and didn't speak the language! My grandparents were incredibly strong people. It was wonderful to spend a little time there. But was also hilarious, because no one there speaks english. So all Czech for me! A very good way to improve my Czech, and I think I have improved.
Now I am in Znojmo, a bigger town on the Austrian border, with my mum's cousins Pepa and Anichka, and their English speaking, fantastic daughter, Lenka. Today we will be painting eggs in the traditional Czech way for Velikonoce, or Easter, which is HUGE here in the Czech republic.
But I really must go know, as I have been far too long on the internet and can't wait to go embarress myself further with my stumbling attempts at Czech. Smiley face.
Sorry about the lack of photos, but the computer is old and doesn't have an outlet.
I can't really express how much I have loved this last week or so with my family. I love it I love it I love it! A million times over. I am having the most amazing time!
I love you all too! And hope you are all well and smiley, and that the weather is as glorious there as it is here. 33 degrees in the sun yesterday!
Love love!
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