(no subject)
Hey, people.
Am over trip frustrations and it all looks beautiful now. Actually, it's been glowing for a couple days, but just could not tie self down to computer to update.
Learned a lot about traveling, found cities I liked and stuff I hated but there's a few things that make a trip enjoyable. One of those would be company. I really got to know my sister a lot better. SHe never talks, never has but on this trip she was the spokesperson. (I speak'em English, only English... she speak'em many things.) That was hard for me, in a way, being the blabbermouth that I am. What's harder... even listening I never knew what they were talking about. Being the older sister with all the answers it was different to follow her directions--she's the only one who could understand the locals.
Germany:
Here we toured with the group. I was frustrated due to the slow pace and the "let's go shopping" mentality. Also, teach wanted to eat out fancy (I was paying my own ticket and not through the school). She had overestimated for trip and as it approached the end she kept choosing more expensive places in an effort to spend up the cash. We walked right by street vendors in favor of "nice place to eat". And we ordered "authentic sausage" at those same nice places. Backwards logic. The nice part was mornings... they never really got started until about noon and on those days sis and I were free to explore at our own pace.
Sis has a right swift pace. She had spent 3 weeks hiking up to the school (on a very tall hill) and back into town. She wasn't about to slow down once I got there, but by the last day... we took the funicular instead of hiking up the hill. I had to beg for such a privilege mid trip.
Vienna:
Sis loved it, her favorite city. I found it to be ostentatious when it wasn't downright dirty. Not that it was a filthy place... just that we stayed in a rather ethnic neighborhood and it was our last day before I saw where the other half lives. There were plenty of castles, museums and the like and it was very splendid, but I'm afraid I'm not a splendid person.
Budapest:
Wild. All the guidebooks call it a "gem in the rough" and while I dunno about the gem part it's definitely rough. We climbed up the hill beside Gellert baths and wondered if the grass had ever seen a lawnmower. The gardens were weeded and beautiful, but coming from the formal gardens of Vienna it was a bit of a shock.
Prague/Karlovy Vary:
Needed more time in Prague... 3 days would have been about right. Shopping, historic sights... they know how to milk them tourists dry though. Karlovy Vary should be labled "only accessible by bus". Because it is. The train station is a relic of some bygone era. It was a lovely town, but dressed in "backpacker gear" it made me feel very out of place. Nice slacks and a top would have been more appropriate... a daypack on your front makes you look like a hobo and you get "the look" too.
Speaking of clothes, if you really want to be labled as "American"... wear shorts. After a couple weeks even I can spot 'em. Europeans wear capris... men, women and children. It was after midnight in the train station when I spotted 'em. A girl in jean shorts and a white hoodie... definitely American. Sure 'nough she was... "Do any of you people speak english?" I had to laugh.
One of these days I'll sit down and chronicle the whole trip, but that'll do for starters.
Am over trip frustrations and it all looks beautiful now. Actually, it's been glowing for a couple days, but just could not tie self down to computer to update.
Learned a lot about traveling, found cities I liked and stuff I hated but there's a few things that make a trip enjoyable. One of those would be company. I really got to know my sister a lot better. SHe never talks, never has but on this trip she was the spokesperson. (I speak'em English, only English... she speak'em many things.) That was hard for me, in a way, being the blabbermouth that I am. What's harder... even listening I never knew what they were talking about. Being the older sister with all the answers it was different to follow her directions--she's the only one who could understand the locals.
Germany:
Here we toured with the group. I was frustrated due to the slow pace and the "let's go shopping" mentality. Also, teach wanted to eat out fancy (I was paying my own ticket and not through the school). She had overestimated for trip and as it approached the end she kept choosing more expensive places in an effort to spend up the cash. We walked right by street vendors in favor of "nice place to eat". And we ordered "authentic sausage" at those same nice places. Backwards logic. The nice part was mornings... they never really got started until about noon and on those days sis and I were free to explore at our own pace.
Sis has a right swift pace. She had spent 3 weeks hiking up to the school (on a very tall hill) and back into town. She wasn't about to slow down once I got there, but by the last day... we took the funicular instead of hiking up the hill. I had to beg for such a privilege mid trip.
Vienna:
Sis loved it, her favorite city. I found it to be ostentatious when it wasn't downright dirty. Not that it was a filthy place... just that we stayed in a rather ethnic neighborhood and it was our last day before I saw where the other half lives. There were plenty of castles, museums and the like and it was very splendid, but I'm afraid I'm not a splendid person.
Budapest:
Wild. All the guidebooks call it a "gem in the rough" and while I dunno about the gem part it's definitely rough. We climbed up the hill beside Gellert baths and wondered if the grass had ever seen a lawnmower. The gardens were weeded and beautiful, but coming from the formal gardens of Vienna it was a bit of a shock.
Prague/Karlovy Vary:
Needed more time in Prague... 3 days would have been about right. Shopping, historic sights... they know how to milk them tourists dry though. Karlovy Vary should be labled "only accessible by bus". Because it is. The train station is a relic of some bygone era. It was a lovely town, but dressed in "backpacker gear" it made me feel very out of place. Nice slacks and a top would have been more appropriate... a daypack on your front makes you look like a hobo and you get "the look" too.
Speaking of clothes, if you really want to be labled as "American"... wear shorts. After a couple weeks even I can spot 'em. Europeans wear capris... men, women and children. It was after midnight in the train station when I spotted 'em. A girl in jean shorts and a white hoodie... definitely American. Sure 'nough she was... "Do any of you people speak english?" I had to laugh.
One of these days I'll sit down and chronicle the whole trip, but that'll do for starters.