My Travels: Switzerland

In Switzerland, my tour group stayed in a chateau, in a valley, beside a river, across a bridge from the town. It was supposed to be a chance to relax and explore before driving into Italy, and it was definitely worth the stop. The weather was slightly “chilly” by European summer standards, which basically meant that a person needed to wear a sweater and socks. (I will point out, however, that this WAS in fact the first time I had worn socks since London. I didn’t care for socks very much at the time). I will write a specific blog about scenery later, but I will say now that the country is absolutely gorgeous. Switzerland looks similar to Austria, except instead of hills there are mountains and crystal clear lakes. Waterfalls dot the mountains, and a light fog settles over everything. It’s hard to describe how beautiful it really was, and unfortunately, pictures don’t do it justice.

My brother Chris and I wandered through the town, which looks similar to the town in Austria. One of the highlights of our walk was stumbling across an old cemetery. Some of the gravestones date back to the early 19th century. Each stone is different, and they all are large and impressive looking. A church and a waterfall complete the background behind the cemetery, and all of the plots are perfectly groomed. What I found to be the most impressive part of this cemetery was the fact that every single grave had a large bouquet of flowers on top of it. Not just some of them. All of them. Chris and I wondered if there was someone who did this on purpose, like a grave-keeper or caretaker or whatever you call him, or if family members actually care enough to replenish the flowers. I like to think it’s the latter, but I’ll let you decide for yourself. I took roughly 50 pictures at the cemetery, and I hope you think it’s beautiful too...

We also stopped in Lucerne, which is the most photographed city in all of Europe. After spending some time there, I understand why. The entire city looks like it could be a postcard. It doesn’t matter which direction you look, it’s beautiful everywhere. I spent a good 15 minutes just STARING, and my brother had to force me to start walking. What really stopped me in my tracks was a bridge covered with flowers. It is just sitting there, in the middle of the city, and I’m pretty sure it’s been there for a long time. As I walked across it, I felt like I was in a completely different world, and that I had crossed over into some alternate universe. Chris and I spent a good 30 minutes taking pictures, and I wish I could have spent more time in Lucerne. I will tell anyone who is planning to visit Switzerland that they must go there. On my next trip, i’m going to stay for a week.

My Travels: Austria

It was in Austria that I went on a 25 km mountain bike ride with my tour group. I honestly believed I was going to die before I finished it. To be fair, the scenery was spectacular. I felt like I was in a scene from “The Sound of Music,” just without the singing kids and Nazis. We biked through the hills, through a field dotted with farmhouses, along a river, up, up, and up some more. The cement path turned to gravel, the gravel to dirt. I couldn’t take pictures, because I needed to focus all of my attention on navigating through the wilderness. One girl passed out; another told us we were all insane, and turned back. I got one hell of sunburn, for the second time since my trip began in London. By the time we had finished and returned to the hostel, my legs and butt had turned to putty. I was still smiling, however, because I was in Austria.

We stayed in the small town of Hopfgarten, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Everything is green and lush, and every single house has window boxes complete with blooming, fragrant flowers. Most people will have seen houses like the ones in Austria before; the facades are light-coloured stucco, with boards painted in dark colours nailed in criss-cross designs along the walls. There is only one main road snaking through the town, and I’m pretty sure most people own mountain bikes as their main form of transportation. I wonder how tough their butts are...

In the afternoon, I followed Chris and another friend we had made to a nearby fishing pond. This was not, however, and ordinary fishing trip. We arrived at a manicured and stocked pond, located in a valley beside the river. There is a nominal fee, which covers the fishing rod rental and one fish. The interesting aspect of this fishing hole is what happens to the fish once it is caught. First, after catching a fish, the fisherman is expected to hit it over the head with a wooden pole that is provided. The hitting continues until the fish is dead. Second, a waiting employee collects the fish. They take it, clean it, cook it, and serve it to the fisherman in a restaurant adjoining the pond. Beer is also available, to compliment the fish and add to the overall dining experience. Talk about a strange situation! I was going to include photos of my brother beating the crap out of the fish, but I decided to hold off for two reasons. One, I don't want to turn anyone off of fish. Two, he really didn't kill it well. He kept hammering away at the head, over and over again, while screaming "why won't you just DIE." The waiting employee looked very unimpressed, and a few spectators appeared to be horrified...

I didn’t go fishing, (because the idea of beating a fish over the head and eating it freaked me out) and opted to sit, drink beer, and read a book at a shady table. I had a nice conversation with a group of Austrians about Angels and Demons, the Dan Brown novel I was reading in preparation for my visit to Rome the following week. They hadn’t heard of the book, or of Dan Brown for that matter, but wanted to know everything and anything I could tell them about Canada. It was slightly difficult, as they spoke very little English, and I even less German, yet I tried my best to oblige. One man told me that he knew he would never see Canada in person. Another woman told me (through her husband, who was translating) that I was the first Canadian girl she had ever talked to. After the conversation ended, I felt both fortunate and humble. I am able to travel the world, and see many different places. Some people aren’t as lucky, and I shouldn’t take my travel experiences for granted.

Austria was a brief stopover, but it was definitely memorable. On my next trip to Europe, I plan to spend more time there. I would love to visit the cities, especially Vienna. BUT, you couldn’t PAY ME to go on another 25 km bike ride. Never, ever again.

The Hallway

It stretches out in front of me,
Cold, dark,
Waiting to envelop me.
It represents everything I hate to be,
Hollow, alone,
Trapped and not free.

I quicken my pace and stare ahead,
Walls, pipes,
My footsteps are dead.
The silence is louder than any scream,
Piercing, dominating,
Worse than a dream.

My heart quickens with each step,
Louder, faster,
Focus on each step.
Cannot fight the feelings of dread,
Swarming, controlling,
Owning my head.

I finally reach the end of the pathway,
Bright, inviting,
The next hallway.
A new place for me to explore,
Curious, open,
Right through the door.

My Travels: Amsterdam

The two days I spent in the Netherlands were educational, to say the least. With the tour, we stayed in Amsterdam, but also visited the small town of Edam. Our hostel was in a seedy area, which was slightly frightening, but I did manage to meet many interesting people while sitting on the front steps. An above-ground tram went past the front of our hostel, and I could hear the constant dinging from my window.

Edam is truly a magical place, and I think I would have seen tiny fairies floating around if I sat in one spot long enough. Personally, I could retire there. Edam is a small, sleepy town, complete with ringing bell tower and pristine canals. Out tour group rented a fleet of “granny bikes,” (the ones where you have to push the pedals backwards to brake) and lazily pedalled up and down the cobblestone streets. The houses that line each street are small, cute, and Dutch. Most people have a boat docked in the canal in front of their home, and the town boasts more lily pads, weeping willows, and bridges than I could count. Edam is also famous for cheese, and we visited a cheese and clog factory before returning to the city. My brother was about ten seconds away from buying a pair of clogs, but we were able to talk him out of it. They are comfortable and handmade, but where would you wear them at home?

Amsterdam is basically the complete opposite of Edam. It is a large and crowded city, but it is still equally as beautiful. The streets are lined with buildings that are very tall and very old. At any given time, I was 2 blocks away from a canal. Most people own boats, and they also own bicycles. The Dutch people have more bikes per capita than any other European nation, which makes sense, considering the country is virtually flat. There is even a huge, 5-level parkade beside the main train station dedicated to bike storage only. It if would have had more time, it would have been interesting to figure out just how many bikes are housed there. I would wager it is easily somewhere in the tens of thousands.

For me, the most important part of my visit to Amsterdam was spending the afternoon in the Van Gogh Museum. Vincent Van Gogh has been my favourite painter since I was young. Being able to view so many pieces of his artwork at one time, in one location, is a privilege. I felt truly blessed as I slowly walked through the museum. Photographs and prints don`t do his work justice. When you are close to a Van Gogh painting, you can actually see each of the individual brush strokes. It is magnificent.

Other highlights in Amsterdam included a visit to the Anne Frank House (which was very moving, despite being packed in like a sardine with about 100 other people), a canal cruise, a stop at the I amsterdam sign, and various random wanderings (which took us to a flower market, a coffee shop, and the Red Light District). I can`t really comment further about my random wanderings, but I will say the Red Light District is everything it is rumoured to be and more. There really are girls in the windows, as well as shops that sell everything imaginable. Taking pictures is forbidden, and even pulling out your camera could result in it being thrown into a canal.

An experience that I will share occurred our last night in Amsterdam. Our group was hopping from one disco to the next in the Red Light District, and ended up in a small bar. The bar started filling up quickly, and before I knew it, the whole place was completely packed with people. What made this so fascinating was that EVERYONE started dancing. Back home, a lot of guys stand at the side and watch the ladies dance. Not in Europe. Everyone, and I mean everyone, participates. The part that really got me, however, was the realization that everyone was also singing the words to the songs being played by the DJ. The music was North American, and the lyrics were in English, yet the entire bar was singing along. I had an opportunity to meet some people later that evening. In that single bar, I spoke to individuals from Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Jamaica, South Africa, and Sweden. Many of them could only speak basic English, and one guy admitted he had no idea what the words to the songs actually meant. That didn`t stop him from singing along. In that bar, in Amsterdam, I felt the greatest feeling of community I have ever felt in my life. We were all from different places, different background, yet we came together, partied together, and sang and danced together. It was something I will never forget.

I probably slept for about 4 hours the entire time I was in the Netherlands, but I don’t regret the lack of sleep for a second. After 2 days, however, I was excited to move on. The next stop on the agenda was Berlin, and the history girl in me was already starting to hyperventilate.

My Travels: London

London was incredible, and was the perfect beginning to a 6 week, ten country vacation with my brother (Chris) and my mother. Anticipating we would need lots of time to explore, I booked flights for Chris and myself 3 days before we were scheduled to begin a Contiki tour. This was a very smart idea, and is my first recommendation to those planning on doing Europe guided-tour style.

Chris and I arrived at Heathrow Airport in London at 7:30 a.m., which was just after midnight in Winnipeg. With all of our flight connections and stopovers, we had been travelling for 24 hours. And, to top it off, we could not check into our hotel until 3 p.m. later that day. Therefore, we had to fight fatigue, and spend the day sightseeing. I wont go through absolutely everything Chris and I did in London, but I'll mention the highlights.

St. Paul's Cathedral is absolutely breathtaking. You can't take pictures inside, which is the only downside. Of all the churches and cathedrals Chris and I saw in Europe, his favourite is still St. Paul's. We climbed 3 levels of stairs to the dome on top, and were rewarded with the most amazing view of the city!

Westminster Abbey was old and impressive. As I walked through the passageways, and through the different rooms, I tried to picture all of the people who had walked inside. The Abbey was especially important to me because of Poet's Corner, a large section where many famous writers are buried. I stood there for a good half hour, writing down names of the deceased writers in the little notebook I carried with me all throughout Europe. Charles Dickens and Geoffrey Chaucer are buried there, to name a few. Other authors have memorials there, such as Jane Austen, 3 Bronte sisters, and my favourite author of all time, George Eliot (a.k.a Mary Ann Evans).

The Tower of London was nothing like I expected. First of all, it is not simply a tower, but a large fortress. There are many different buildings, including where the Crown Jewels are kept. My favourite building was the Beauchamp Tower, where prisoners were kept before their executions. Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, 2 of Henry VIII's 6 wives, were kept there before being beheaded. So was Jane Grey, the 9 Days Queen. Tower Green, where the scaffolding was erected, has been turned into a memorial to honour those who were killed there.

Tower Bridge was also very interesting, but there were lots of stairs to get to the top! Chris and I then crossed the bridge to the Southwark area, where both William Shakespeare and Jack the Ripper roamed during their days. We visited the Globe and Rose Theater's, walked in Jack the Ripper's footsteps, and spent a few hours in an underground bomb shelter that was converted into the Britain At War Museum.

Chris and I went on the British Airways "Eye in the Sky," and the thirty minute ride was worth the twenty euros! We also wandered around Parliament at dusk,which felt slightly magical, and slightly creepy.

Another highlight was visiting the Abbey Road crosswalk and the recording studio. Being a huge Beatles fan, I have wanted to visit there since I was a kid. We walked for about an hour to get there, and spent another hour attempting to snap the "right" photo. We also met a couple from Winnipeg at the crosswalk, which shows how small a world we really live in!

After our 3 days in London, we met up with our tour, and took a ferry from Dover to Calais. The White Cliffs of Dover are quite impressive! We drove through Belgium, and the next stop was Amsterdam.

The Classic Novel Files: Anything by Chuck Klosterman

Chuck Klosterman does not really fit into this category, as he is still quite young, yet I have no doubt in my mind that Klosterman will be a Hunter S. Thompson type when he is older. I first experienced Klosterman's writing when I read an interview he did with Britney Spears a number of years ago. His articles are not so much about the individuals he is interviewing, but what he is thinking, feeling, and doing WHILE he is interviewing them. What caught my attention about the Spears article was that the first paragragh contained numerous comments about the fact that she was not wearing any pants while the interview was being conducted. She was not wearing any pants. She was pantless. Yes, pantless.

Klosterman has published a number of books, and they range from an almost diary-like account of his travels, to a collection of articles he has published in various magazines. My personal favourite of all of his published works is the book "Killing Yourself to Live." In this book, Klosterman travels around the USA, to sites where rock stars or rock star related deaths have occurred. He visited the field where Buddy Holly's plane crashed; he visited the intersection where Duane Allman, from the Allman Brothers Band, died on his motorcycle.

But what I love the most about the book is that he also writes about what is happening to him in his life as he is on this trip. A few women are mentioned (and in a similar fashion to the way Anthony Kiedis talks about his various muses in "Scar Tissue") and i'm sure these women are less than thrilled that they are mentioned by first name. He also talks about what he DOES while at each of these locations, and how he feels. I know that I would not talk about personal drug use in a piece of writing I would later submit to an editor, but hey, that's why he's currently published, and i'm not. "Killing Yourself to Live" is really a must-read for everyone, and you will not be dissapointed!

Makes Me Happy...

At some point, I had to post this video. It is not so much the video, but the song. I first heard "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service while watching the movie "Garden State." It was playing in the background during a scene with Zack Braff and Natalie Portman. I fell in love. There is something about this song that makes me smile each and every time I hear it.

It's funny how some songs can invoke such strong emotions. It's also funny how a person can remember lyrics to a song years after hearing it. I truly believe that music is the universal language, and that everyone can benefit from welcoming it into their lives.

Have a listen...



I also am including another Postal Service video, in case you really liked the last one. I could listen to this band all day, every day!



I hope you liked it!