Venice-full of romance and rain

Another new country, another language spoken, this time Italian. First stop is Venice or Venezia. I am staying at a campground but the more upgraded modern European version-restaurant, bar, pool, bungalows, and a hell of a lot cheaper than a hostel in the city. I get a bungalow to myself-bathroom, two beds, a fridge. I may have found backpackers heaven especially at 12 euro a night. I decide to stay an extra day and relax. My ankle is really starting to bother me from a fall I took almost 2 weeks ago. Nothing serious but walking all day every day on it since has not given it time to heal. It has been an awakening to being more cautious about everything. One stupid move could put me in a hospital, a cast, or anything that would impair me from walking or carrying my pack. I am so thankful that I am able bodied and healthy enough to do this. I could not do this in a wheelchair, on crutches...the list of ailments can go on. So I am thankful every day for my health and mobility and even use those nasty subway handrails when I have my pack on to ensure it continues. So, Venice. I was told it was a city for lovers and pretty sure I was the only solo tourist in the frenzy of families and couples. And yes it was a frenzy. No cars on the main island that is sinking. No roads, just small alleys that wind around. Lost within two minutes and stayed that way the entire day. My only strategy was to follow the massive migration of tourists. I made it to the main sights area of St Marks Square or Palazzo San Marco. Big old buildings, huge lines and many euro to see anything. After about an hour in the city, I decide im done but I have 8 more hours before the campground shuttle picks me up. Hmmm, first strategy-Get away from the tourists. Second, dont spend money on stupid shit. I find a nice park to shelter from the on and off rain and study some French. It was right on the waterfront and it helped dwindle a few hours. The most beautiful thing about Venice in my opinion was the gorgeous green, blue almost clear water. I have never seen anything like it. The canals and gondolas throughout the city were cool too. Just like in the pictures. The light rain turns to a downpour as I hobble on my ankle in search of internet and a phone. I finally settle on a bus shelter and spend the remaining hours in Venice seated on urinated concrete with tourist and bums standing around me. Hows that for romance in Venice? Day two, I dont leave the campground and barely my bungalow as its pouring rain. Washing clothes in the sink and drying them on the heater, I read, write, and relax. Now thats a great day in Venice! Up early and onto Florence.

Dear Budapest, I think I love you....

Well I am attempting to catch up on blogging. I guess its a good sign that I am enjoying myself since I havent had much time or desire to spend on a computer. So Budapest, another foreign currency-the forint, and another language-Hungarian. Two tram rides later I arrive at my hostel Tiger Tim's Place. Im greeted by Tim the owner and introduced to four other hostelers. The place has a great vibe. Like someones apartment or home but residing inside are 30 or so hostelers rotating in and out daily. Like the Real World on a larger scale minus the drama. Tim gives me a map and shows me everything to see in the city. So cool to be welcomed on a personal level instead of hello, heres what you owe, and good luck. I head out to walk the city, do some yoga and french studying. That night we go to a public viewing of the World Cup on a projection screen outdoors. I dont even watch sports but im totally loving the football games every night(soccer for the Americans). Every night the hostel goes to a bar or a few. Great places, the beer is cheap and I have met the majority of the people staying there. Like a big happy family that says goodbye to some and hello to others everyday. I love it!! It only gets better after a day of walking the city with some new "family members" and another night of outdoor football viewing in a different park and bar crawling until the sun comes up. It became the joke at the hostel that you know it was a good night when I wake up in my clothes from the night before. I didnt fail to disapoint the following night either. Harry from England and I head to the baths which Hungary is famous for. A huge, old and nice place with three huge outdoor pools of different temps. Cool, warm, and really warm. We thought we had found heaven until we discovered the indoor baths and saunas. Probably 30 different temperature pools and saunas everywhere. Sweat in the sauna and head to the cold 20 degree celsius pool for a dip. It was so relaxing, i felt like content jello the rest of the day and night. I will go back to Budapest just for this. More football, drinking, and sightseeing. I have learned that Hungarians love foosball and are damn good at it. I kept trying and lost everytime. Impressive, but not as impressive as the foosball tournaments televised on TV. I love it!!! Well I planned to stay two days and ended up staying four with a sad goodbye I am off to Venice. I love you Tiger Tim!!

Vienna- back to German speakers and the euro

Ahh Vienna! Well I was sad to leave Prague but once again excited to see a new city and meet new people. I am getting used to making the quick friendships. Knowing people for hours feels like years in the backpacking world. I got into town late, sweaty, and tired and in no mood to start new friendships. Well 10 minutes after entering the common area, i have a beer in hand talking to the bartender from Portland, a group of American marines, and a Parisian. I have noticed my social skills flourish quite a bit but it is so easy when you have travel in common. Where are you from? Where have you been? How long is your holiday? What do you think about this city/country? And my new favorite....How do your nations higher education and health care systems work? I have yet to find a country even comparable to our embarrassing systems. Anyway, still fascinating to learn more and I am optimistic that good change will come. If not, I have so many countries to choose from that offer something better. So, day two I meet Dominique, a french canadian. We set out walking the city in the blazing heat. Flea market, parks, a pool on a boat(just observing enviously) and an asian market for some dinner supplies. Back to the hostel bar for some more World Cup where I meet a man from Australia traveling with his wife. We head out to the nearby bar and meet up with lots of other hostelers. Its amazing how at home I felt with people I just met. Im also really enjoying a little nightlife. I think its an important part of any city and a great way to meet people. Well the next day Dominique and I rent bikes and go EVERYWHERE including a huge cemetary where famous composers like Bethoven and Brahms are buried. Over 2 and a half million people rest there. Huge! Then down the Danube River to the city's amusement park for some bumper cars, a water ride and other ridiculous stuff I havent done in years. So fun! I could barely walk after biking all day but it was well worth it. Such a great way to see a city. Back for some more football and foosball at the local bar and an early train to Budapest. Overall, the city was great. I wish I would have checked out an opera(the thing to do in Vienna I guess) but more places to see and people to meet:)

Prague- well i didnt get robbed!

I feel like it has been so long since I have had a chance to put my thoughts down. I think there is so much going on that I dont know where to begin. Its the procrastinator in me. Well my first thoughts on Prague changed a lot by the end of the day. I was really uneasy about the city, but after meeting some good people in the hostel I wasnt so sketched out. I wasnt robbed as I assumed was just going to happen. I pretty much said good bye to my valuables and surrendered to the inevitable that never happened. So Prague was fun. Lots to see and of course lots of history. The largest Castle in Europe, tons of jewish history, absinthe.... "When in Rome..." is my new traveling motto. The Jewish synogogues, museums and old jewish cemetary were especially disturbing. I was in shock seeing the rooms and rooms of victims names on the walls, childrens pictures from concentration camps, and the thousands of decrepit tombstones. It made me think of Darfur in Sudan and the modern day genocide going on that so many know nothing about. Those thousands being killed will never have memorials, museums, or proper burials. And with the way things are going now, most will never know that they existed or perished in such terrible conditions. www.savedarfur.org is a great website and non-profit. Ignorance is not bliss.

Cologne, Prague, and world history

Well still in Cologne, departing for Prague tomorrow and am really looking forward to it. From what I hear, very big, busy, tourist-y, different currency than the euro and they speak Czech. I have been in Germany over two weeks and am ready for a new language, some new culture, new people. Oh yea, made it to a history museum today and got some interesting facts. Eau de cologne originated here. 80% of Cologne was destroyed by bombing in World War II and rebuilt to a fairly decent city. Nazi Germany moved 11,000 Jews from Koln alone to concentration camps. It is estimated that a mere 50 avoided this fate in the entire city. The museum I viewed had no history of this dark period until 1993. Trying to hide something? Dont worry, the world will not forget. I find it quite fascinating that this important period in history is brushed under the rug. I find it much more fascinating that my European and World history for that matter is embarassing. Sure I could have paid attention more, did those worksheets myself, and actually read the texts but overall the American education system provided me with less than the basics. I would generously estimate a total of 6 months in one class a day covered it all. Not enough in my opinion. I have been forced to take an extended trip of European museums to catch up. Well I wasnt forced, but once again I feel like the dumb American. Save draft....
Ok, I am in Prague now. I traveled all day on the train and arrived just at sundown to a wierd, confusing, almost deserted main train station. The warnings about theft and evil taxi drivers forced me to put on my ¨Dont fuck with me face.¨ Yes mother, similar to the one I had for a few years in my teens. I also held tightly onto a butter knife(the closest thing I have to a weapon) and attempt to navigate to the hostel. Found it, no knife necessary, but I still will be taking it with me around the city. The Clown and Bard Hostel. I didnt realize I was staying in the Hilton of hostels until now. Exactly 99 steps to the large dormitory I share with about 20 other people. I have two full days and three nights here unless this place really blows my mind. Doubt it. I heard great things but am very minimally impressed so far. I dont care to keep my DFWM face for too long. Well, I always attempt to write brief posts but apparently I am incapable of that. I think I may attempt sleep. Yes, attempt. This could be interesting.

"You are crazy for taking this trip!"

Well I have sadly said good-bye to Wolfi and Annie in Mainz. I was able to attend yet another strangers birthday where we played "Who Am I?" I was unfamiliar with the game and it took the stupid American a few rounds to catch on but basically a sticky note on your forehead with the name of a person, fictional or real, alive or dead. You can ask yes or no questions until you get a no, then onto the next person. Well 5 or 6 rounds later, I am given the strong clue of a famous German serial killer. Yep, Hitler. Kind of forgot about that dude while spending my time in Germany. In an attempt to get some local history, I tried to find a concentration camp museum today without an address and had little luck but I still have a couple days in Germany. So I arrived in Hamburg yesterday afternoon via train, then an inter city train, some wandering and I miraculously stumbled across my hostel. Things dont usually work so easy for me. Anywho, set off to wander the city this morning. First stop, of course a park. Waterfalls, trees, yoga, and reading, and later I discovered a nasty sunburn on my pale white skin. I will either come home golden brown or red and peeling. The latter I assume, but the former I still dream of. First stop on the solo sightseeing tour-Old Town Hall. Huge, old, cool place. A man asks me if I speak English. Why yes I do and would love to speak to anyone who will listen! Question asked, on his way and Im on mine. A few minutes later, we pass each other again. He introduced himself as a wandering tourist from Argentina and we agreed to navigate and see the sights together. Nice man, learned a lot about Egypt(so excited!), and I really enjoyed a travel partner. As much as it scares me to think about going on a 4 month trip with one person- 24 hours a day together, 120+ days, different ideas of travel, many emotions on both ends, ahhhh- I must admit I would enjoy someone to help navigate strange places, take pictures, and just talk to. On the other end, I have met a lot of great people and sure to meet many more because I was solo. Well, I am solo for this trip and even though I can do this, I must admit the people who said I was crazy might not have been so crazy themselves. Train ride to a new city, find a hostel, city map, list of parks and sites, wander and repeat a few days later. Fun but exhausting.
Well I depart for Cologne or Köln tomorrow or Saturday where I will meet my friend from Amsterdam. Looking forward to some conversation and taking the backseat to navigating. As long as I find a park and dont spend much money, I am perfectly content wherever I am. Europe really isnt that expensive when you are on a super budget like myself. The most expensive thing is hostels and trains. I live off bread and fruit(cheap and vegan!), no souveneirs, and almost no toursity crap. It only gets expensive when you decide to stay for 3 months and see 20 or so cities. But really, who would be crazy enough to do that?
Well its nearly impossibly to ever put into words or pictures all that I have seen so far and am wondering where all the new images, people, and experiences that I encounter every day will go? So move over Mid-western American anthropology(honestly paid money for that) and the hours of crappy movies(for which I can still never get that time back), I have more important things to remember.
Well internet cost money here as I brag about how cheap Europe can be. I wont eat out anywhere (4 times in my 3 weeks here) because I cant rationalize paying more than a euro or two for a meal of fruit and bread, but when I find an internet cafe I act like a millionaire who has endless hours and money to spend. So in the interest of time, well lets be honest, I have more time than I know what to do with. Ok in the interest of money, I will depart. Next city Köln, and I will update once I get to Prague. Cheers!