The Big Trip

Well, have been in Prague now for a few days and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Its an absolutely beautiful city that has lots of character and lots of history.

Today and yesterday I have spent several hours just wandering the streets and it seems like every building has some fancy addition to it, whether its guilding, frescos or ornamental statues. You are forever looking up.... and thats not easy when you are walking on cobblestones.

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\Again, the public transport is absolutely fantastic and I have conquered the metro in great style. Changing trains as required and knowing what direction to go to.
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Highlights
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Went to the Prague Philamonic Orchestra (with the two US ladies). It was absolutely beautiful. The theatre was extremely ornate and quite small so the show was very personal. It was a czech composer so very eastern europe. Lovely. Had a great time.

\The Old town - lots of side streets, lovely buildings, lots to see, great atmoshere.\\
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Czech Beer - yum, especially after a hard day of walking. Very easy to drink and not too strong. very cheap if you buy from a shop (only about $1 a can) and about $2 a glass at a bar/restaurant.
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\No real negatives this time. The place where I am staying is simply fabulous as far as location is concerned. Its only about 100 metres to metro and the tram that takes you up to the castle is about the same which is great. The only disadvantage is that its satallite TV has been broken so Ive been watching czech shows (if you see the photos of the news, you at least know if anythings happened elsewhere.
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People speak a lot more english here, in fact, its been very easy to get around. some speak excellent english. I just went into a shop and the guy has been to australia several times (not west though). He had a brik a brac shop and showed me an ashtray that had "souvenir of Kempsey" and it was made in czech. He was very proud of it.
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\I'm off to Karlov Vary tomorrow which is a spa town about 3 hours from Prague. Ive booked 3 days into a fairly fancy spa hotel (**** star) and Im planning to put my feet up and just relax. Im very tired and need to rest my weary feet. then I come back to Prague for one night and then it looks like Im off to New York. I dont think Ill be spending time in Helsinki because I cant get accommodation so may fly direct. \
\The 2 ladies from New York have offered to shop me around. They both live in very small apartments in Manhatten so I cant stay with them but they are giving me heaps of information. They are very nice!!
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\WEll, I better go.. I still want to check a few things whilst Ive got internet. this place is very good and quick so I have to make the best of it.

Im planning to have a lovely dinner tonight. there is a restaurant somewhere around here thats apparently from 1400s (if I can find it).

will send you something in a few days (while resting in my spa hotel!!)

see Ya

Kay (not Kaz now) because keyboard is in english (yahooooooo)

\PS Prague toilets are great (even train stations!!)
PPS Ill have a cold beer for you all tonight

Well, I am now in Prague!!! Certainly getting around. I arrived here yesterday from Budapest aftar a 7 hour train ride. Went through 3 countries. Hungary, slovarkia (so got a stamp for that too.. and then Czech Republic. We had about 4 or5 passport checks throughout the ride and numerous ticket checks.

Well before I say anything about Prague...I'll farewell Hungary with a few impressions.

Great stuff

Hungarian goulash (its actually a soup not a stew and absolutely yummy. Lots of variations of quality though and one of them even had lovely chunks of bone marrow in it.... Yum..

Budapest public transport. I got a 3 day pass and just got off and on trams and trains all the time. Was great and very easy to follow.

Very safe - well I thought so. They had the usual warning about picket pockets in train stations but I felt very secure.

Cheap - overall its much cheaper than other European countries. My accommodation in Budapest I got through Wotif and cost about $90 per night. Thats not bad for a hotel in summer and also included breakfast. It was only about 100 metres from tram station and about 200 metres from Metro so was very handy.

Wine and Beer. Great red wine. Very cheap if you bought it from a shop. Not so cheap from Restaurant. Beer really good. Again very cheap from shop not so bad from restaurant.

Not so great stuff

Beware Hungarian railway station toilets (plus trains as well)!! Its amasing how I would get up in the morning, avoid coffee tea or water, absolutely get so dehydrated. However soon as I came within 100 metres of a train station, I immediately had to go. It was the cheapest diarettic I could find but not one that I enjoyed. All the toilets were either soiled or wouldnt flush properly. Also, to add pleasure to the experience is the "toilet ladies". these poor souls sit outside the toilets and collect money (yes, you even have to pay for this experience). They have the humour of stalin and low behold of you dont see them and try to get in for free. They take their jobs very seriously and you have to pay them everytime. If you try and tell them that the toilet is soiled, you dont get a great reaction.

Lack of English - some places didnt have any. You got by but it was quite difficult at times. sometimes I wasnt sure if they didnt know it or didnt want to know it. For example, went to a museam and there was a Crypt there. I went to ticket office to get a ticket and said one ticket to Crypt and pointed to me and put one finger up.

She didnt understand.

Then I overheard someone else talking about the Crypto. So went and said one ticket to Crypto...yes, that got it.

Food was very heavy. Difficult to find anything light except soups (hence the lots of goulash) and very boring salads. Most of the food had heavy sauces over them or were either crumbed and deep fried or fried in lard and butter.

The salami was very nice but even that was quite fatty.

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The last day I went on a tour up the Danube Bend. It took us to a couple of small towns, the obligatory church and fortress. It was great. the guide was really knowledgeable and it was good to hear history. I also met up with 3 women. 2 from NY and one from Georgia, US. The 2 from NY were on the same train as me to Prague and we are meeting up for Dinner tonight. So will be great to have company. Also they are giving me heaps of information for my New York trip whcih is good. The woman from Georgia I might look up when I get over there. Depends on my plans in the states whcih are not confirmed as yet.

So, that was Hungary which I really loved. I really liked Budapest and could have spent a lot more time there just looking around. It would have also been really nice just driving around the countryside because it was quite rural and traditional but for that I would have liked some company!!

I wont give you my impressions of Prague as yet because I havent really done anything. I went into the shopping area this morning to get my bearings (and brochures, booklets etc) and am now about to go back to my room to look at them all. Hotel is absolutely fantastic. Got it through Wotif. Its an apartment and has its own kitchen, even a hallway. Its only $95 per night as well. Plus its literally just behind a metro station so very convenient. Its a little bit noisy but nothing that ear plugs cant fix. AND IT HAS A HAIRDRYER!!!

Will come back on line in a day or two to tell you all about Prague. Hope everyone is really well.

I'm fine. Feet feel like crap, ankle is swollen, back is sore and I have a really big bruise on my knee from something. But I dont complain!!

Talk to you all soon.
Love Kay

However, it doesnt matter because the rest of Budapest is fantastic.

Been here 2.5 day and am thoroughly enjozing it. Its a great citz. Lots to see but most importantlz, verz easz to get around in.

Mz hotel is a not in the verz central part of town but down the road, i have a choice of tram, bus and metro to get around in and its all verz easz to follow. So, all zou have to do is pick where zou want to go and then follow the map.

Yesterdaz, I just got the feel of the place and went and had a look at the citz part. Amazing buildings again, thez make them big over here. Its funnz to think that most of the cities around here arent particularlz old because there have been so manz wars and destructions over the centuries. The palace in Budapest has been rebuilt about 3 or 4 times and most of the churches and important buildings are built on top of other churches and important buildings. Thats whz thez are all heritage listed because they sit on top of roman ruins.

Todaz, I went up to the castle which perches on the hill of Buda. To get to it, I caught a Siklo (vernicular) which takes zou up a verz steep incline.

The palace was verz ornate and thezve turned most of it into museams and art galleries. Spent quite a lot of time just walking aruond and taking it in. Reallz pooped now though. When I think about it, I must walk/stand for about 6 hours per daz.

I shouldnt have mentioned in mz last blog about how well things are going because mz ankle is plazing up on me now and Im having to rely on ibroprophen to get around. Tomorrow Im going to trz and find a medicinal bath (Budapest is full of them) and have a good long soak.

Saturday, Im planning to take a cruise down the Danube which will be nice.

Sundaz, Im off to Prague. Alreadz booked mz train ticket (Im getting better at this)

Some of zou have been asking how Iám going bz mzself. I havent met manz people and probablz in the last couple of weeks may ahve onlz spoken abuot 3 or 4 English conversations.

However, its not reallz bothering me too much. Its a bit lonelz, but Im reallz enjozing the challenge of getting aruond and doing things. Im also enjozing just being able to do what i want to do.

Because Iám staying in hotels and not hostels, the opportunities to meet people are verz limited. Also, Im not doing manz tours either (mainly because I find uot about the tours once Ive been to a place and its too late).

Yesterdaz, ran into an Aussie couple (asked them to take a photo of me) from Wannabool and amazinglz, she had a friend who lived in Karratha. I hadnt heard of her.

So, I have those odd tzpes of conversations.

I am reading heaps and devouring a novel every 2 or three dazs.. Have picked some rippers and am reallz enjozing them. Im go to trz and pick heavier ones so that thez last a bit longer. Just finished Atonement bz Ian McKeoun and thoroughlz recommend it.

Well better go... have to book some accommodation in Prague before I go.

Cheers Kaz

Well, its my last day here in PÉCS and head off to Budapest tomorrow. Its been good here. Had 6 nights so have had time to look around, have a bit of a break and catch up with boring things like washing etc (all by hand)

Well, my first impression of Hungary was a bit scary. After landing in a train station on the border in the middle of know where, where absolutely noone spoke English and everything looked incredibly old fashioned.

I then ended up being ripped off by a taxi driver (first time this trip) and got to a motel that was out in the suburbs with no restaurants etc (8 pm after being at the train stations all day) I was a bit out of place.

However next morning I caught a bus into town and saw a very modern, fashionable town. Pécs has the best shopping centre Ive seen so far. Very modern. Well, I felt much better. Its amazing how familiar zou feel once you enter a shopping centre. Doesnt matter than you cant speak the language, you can tell the word sale in any language. Unfortunatelz I cant carry much but managed to buy a shirt plus another novel.

Very little English in Hungary. Only basic stuff at restaurants and hotels. Caught a taxi down to the train station and the driver didnt know the word train - did the choo choo thing and the arms as wheels. We both laughed because the trains dont sound like that anymore but it got me where I wanted to be.

Very funnz episode....

Lots of museams and I saw a Mining one. Coming from the Pilbara, I thought OK - it may be interesting. Well everythings very cheap here so didnt care if it wasnt. Anyway, ended up in the wrong museum, there was a modern art gallery next door and that was the one I went into to..

Then went out side and found correct door. Old man on the door wouldnt let me in. Couldnt understand why a female would want to go to a mining museum and kept mentioning the art one next door and pointing to that. I couldnt make him understand that I wanted to go in.

He kept blocking my way.... I laughed

Yesterday I caught a local train down to a small town called Villany. Its a wine growing area and I thought that it might be quite touristy. Well, in Hungary most things close down on Sunday. I thought lots of local people would be visiting the wineries but no it was verz quiet.

Anywaz, I enjoyed mzself. Went to a recommended one Bocks. The price was 110 Florints (1AUD = 164 florints) for a particular wine so thought OK - Ill get an inch or two of the wine to taste. Well ended up getting a full glass. Not the same winetastings as Australia. They dont give you tastes, they give you glasses.

It was a light red "Portugieser" lovely. Then had a 1999 Bock Cuvee (premium red) - really nice and only cost me 500 Florints. So after two glasses of red I was feeling very mellow but unfortunately had about 2 klms to walk so thought I should stop there.

Then walked the 2 klms found another cellar and had a reisling and chardonnay - all for the measly cost of $3

The cellars arent at the actual wineries. There is a street of shops really and thats where all the tastings are.

So.. then walked back to train station, found a bench and had a lovely nap until the train came.

Felt like one of the locals. I actually knew where I was, what train to catch back and what time it arrived etc. Very knowledgeable.

Today its raining so just going to mosy around. Just about to go and grab some lunch and then sort out ticket for tomorrow etc.

By the way, Hungarian food is VERY heavy. Cant believe how much fat they use. Its a bit much and Im hanging out for some light food but difficult to find. Even their salads are drowned out by dressings.

They also use lots of bone marrow in dishes. Actually could have ordered a stew of bone marrow. Couldnt think of anything more delicious... But I held back. Got to think about the waistline. Also in hotel they had a dish which the translation was "calf knockers". Unfortunately the waiter couldnt speak english so I couldnt ask him what it was. The imagination went beserk.

The other night, I actually ordered a pizza because it was a bit lighter (I know!!!!!!)

For lunch, Im going to try for some soup and salad.

Anyway, better go. Still got to check banking etc and Ive already been on this computer for a while. Its a good one though. Even getting used to all the z and y issues.

Talk to you all from somewhere in Budabest.

Seeya from Hungary (this is actually very close to what they say when they say hooray to people) seeya.

So, I do speak some Hungarian.

seeya

Kaz

However, most of my photos are quite big and its very slow and have limited upload capacity so dont think ill do it too much.

But here is a photo of me at Dubrovnik. Hundreds of steps - calf muscles are getting quite a work out.

Actually, Im pleased with how Im physically coping. Back has been pretty good and only had the odd twinge or two. Beds are really firm though and i think that is helping.

Ankle is sore after a big walk but have only had to use antiinflammatories on two occasions. When Im sitting down for a while and get up its reallz painful but once I get going again, the pain seems to go.

Sounds like Im falling apart doesnt it but as I said, Im pleased....

Anywaz, this was onlz so a photo could be uploaded. Ill do another blog with an information update

Cheers
Kay (world traveller extrordinaire)