The Pleasures of 4Ply

No, that's not text message abbreviation, I'm talking about 4-ply toilet paper. You don't really begin to appreciate the stuff till you've been traveling for a few days with an interminably runny nose, using the 0.5-ply brown paper from the hostels to blow your steadily reddening nose.

It began in Cesky Krumlov, after a night of watching the most fantastic pub-band night unfold. The next morning I woke with a little sniff in my nose which developed into a full blown, (excuse the pun), full scale, niagra falls type runny nose. It wasn't till I arrived in Krakow, Poland, that I managed to - first of all get the heavenly 4-ply paper - then knock it on the head somewhat.

Unfortunately, being a little sick, I wasn't feeling up to much tourism, so Krakow - in all of its snowy coldness - probably didn't get the fair-run that it deserved.

Now I'm back in Berlin, spending my last days here walking around, and my last nights here hanging out with Anna and Toby.

Does This Look Like A Terrorist To You?

I've recieved some light-hearted ribbing in the past couple of years over my bearded resemblance to Osama Bin Laden. While I prefer to think of it as the "Jesus look" myself, I've discovered that the Polish Air Police disagree.The ordeal began in an innocent enough way. When I checked in for my flight from Krakow to Berlin I was asked if I had a visa for Germany. Trick question? I wasn't aware I required one as a New Zealand citizen on holiday. When I said this, she thought about it, then agreed and gave me my ticket.

Familiar by now with airport security, I've managed to streamline my preparation process so I have as little fluster as possible. I take off my jacket and hoodie, place the hoodie inside the jacket, and close it. Next I take out all of my metal things such as phone, iPod, keys and coins. These go into a jacket pocket. Then I proceed to the queue, and all I have to do is lay down my jacket and bag, take off my belt, and walk through the metal detector, all in one fluid, graceful motion. I like to think the security appreciate and admire such efficient style.

So far so good. But today the x-ray machine picked up some questionable items in my backpack. I was taken to the side and started to have a dig around to grab the blocks of stone carvings in question. It must have been too slow for the army outfitted security man. He mumbled something in Polish, grabbed my bag and checked out my Polish vodka before finding the slabs of stone. After banging them together for a bit, and supposedly weighing up the potential damage one could do with a head between them, he decided they were ok; I was free to go.

Just as I'd finished packing my things back into the bag, another official came up behind me and requested that I follow him. I turned around and he waved me into an open-ended cubicle, like an elongated doorway, with a black square painted in the centre beneath the frame. The cubicle had two flashing green lights at eye-level on the far side. I walked in and when I reached the black square, they changed to red.

A calm, automated female voice came through an overhead speaker, "Please - stand - still... ... please - stand - still... ... please - stand - still... ..." A moment later she said, "Air-pressure on", at which point small blasts of air shot successively up my body from my feet to my shoulders. I got a helluva fright. I was expecting this to be another metal detector. She then switched back to her "Please stand still" mode.

After about a minute the lights went green and the security officer told me to come out and stand at the door. On this side he was looking into a computer screen waiting for the results. I waited a bit then ventured (in my best politely-inquiring voice) "May I ask what this machine does?". He stared at the screen for a another few seconds before half-glancing over his shoulder, "It is an explosives detector."

The computer printed out its findings receipt. I peered over his shoulder to read what it said: in big capital letters at the top it read: "EXPLOSIVES DETECTED".

Up until this point, I thought this was quite a funny experience to have. Now I was envisaging more of a cavity search experience. Then I remembered that I wasn't carrying any explosives, which made me feel at least slightly better.

The officer looked down at this receipt, then turned to me again, and in his monotonous english-as-second-language voice said, "We are going to have to do the test again".

So I walk back around and into the machine. The lights, the voice, the air, the lights. I walk off. The receipt.

I didn't see the receipt this time, but it must've been ok, because I was allowed to go - relieved at the non-cavity-search but somewhat perplexed that a 50/50 result of explosive detection was supposedly not great, but good enough to fly.

An East-Europe Odyssey

Ahhhh, I'm sitting in a hostel in Poland... bit sick, and it's snowing outside. This is how I got here:

3 days ago I was in Cesky Krumlov, a small town in south Czech Republic; near Austria. Almost fully encircled by a river, Cesky Krumlov was first mentioned in literature in the 13th Century; I believe it hasn't changed much since the 16th century.When I arrived with these guys I'd met in Prague, we went out for dinner to an amazing bohemian restaurant where they serve dishes as they would have been 400-500 years ago. Afterwards we went to a small tavern on the river's edge. A 3-piece band was setting up when we entered, and started playing jazz. After a few songs, other locals pulled out violins, a saxophone, acoustic guitar and bass, and began jamming with the band. Soon they were playing traditional folk songs of the area. Had a fantastic night.

Due to beer I didn't get much sleep that night. The next day I explored the town's ten streets, and the castle grounds. Beautiful quaint little place, with a suprising amount of good galleries. Had a quiet night that night, but also couldn't sleep due to other people in my dormitory room, and the heaters that were turned right up.

Yesterday I felt a bit sick and wandered aimlessly, waiting to catch my 12:10 bus back to Prague. I checked my internet, then walked out of the building to hear the church bells tolling 12 o'clock. I realised that I was very late and was going to have to run with my 20 kg pack on my back. That day I ran like no man has ever run before... up the hill, and down to the bus-stop, and into the bus, just before he drove away. Seriously.

Arriving back in Prague at 3pm I waited around till the train came at 9pm. The train station was full of homeless people and I felt less than safe as I watched them being kicked out, eyeing me up, or pissing on the walls. I started drawing cartoons of the place.Caught my train no problems, then began my overnightmare train trip to Krakow, Poland. With no sleep, and a strengthening cold/runny nose, I was fast becoming mighty miserable. The overnight train arrived at 5am. Luckily I had a hotel address to go to, and was going to get a single room to rest in. None of this dorm crap.

With none of the local currency, I had to wander to find an ATM machine, then change the notes to small currency, then walked outside for about 15 minutes till I found a taxi. Found the hotel no problems and left the taxi for the warm reception. That's as far as I got. The hotel was full, so I had to walk back out onto the morning streets. It was still dark, my taxi had gone, and it had begun to snow.

Luckily I'd remembered seeing a hostel we'd passed in the taxi, so took the turns that I thought was in the general direction, and finally found it. There are no single rooms here but no one's in my dorm room. I've made it clear that I would like to be alone if possible, and that I'm sick, so I'm hoping I keep the room to myself. I've slept all day, and will go into town tomorrow. Not going to turn out as planned, (Auschwitz will be freezing so giving it a miss), but sometimes the best experiences are unplanned, with a running nose, a headcold, and a dry mouth... Yeah right.

Oh well. Berlin is awaiting in 2 days... will write from there, and put some pics up.

Prague

Hey there,

Arrived in Prague yesterday. But much has happened in the interim, so here are the highlights for your enjoyment:

Last week I was in Croatia, being spoilt by my family in Zagreb. On Wednesday my Uncle Zarko and I headed towards the mediterranean coast, to an island called Brac. Brac is where my great grandfather grew up, before he left for New Zealand.Brac is an island of rock. And stone. This is its claim to fame, which is quite substantial, as one of their previous clients happens to be the American Government who built their white house from stone quarried here. This is about the only major job for the locals on the island. This and the tourist industry in summer.Anyway. So we landed on Brac and drove right to the non-tourist side of the island, to a little town, Novo Selo - which one eighth of my heritage calls home. The people in the village were very warm, inviting, and giving. We ate an impromptu meal with relatives, saw the site of the house, visited the town's graveyard, and toured other parts of the village. Although the weather wasn't spectacular, neither was it hard to imagine what it would be like in the spring/summer. Seeing the place where my great grandfather grew up was amazing and moving, and I'm definitely going to try to come back and spend some time living here.Next stop was Prague. Took the train from Zagreb, via Vienna. The scenery through the alps was beautiful with snow right down to the tracks, but I have to warn you now that it was quite cloudy, and there were a lot of trees, so I only have two photos.

After stopping in Vienna, we headed on to Prague. About 2 hours into the trip the train stopped in the middle of the night, in the woods, with no lights in sight. After an hour of sitting there they notified us that (suprise suprise), we were 60 minutes late! By the time we left, we were 100mins late. When I arrived in Prague I had to navigate the tram/metro system with big pack, and a weary back. managed to fluke it, and luckily wasn't checked for my ticket as I only paid a half-fare.

Prague has had to be a whirlwind tour, due to the extended stay in Croatia - therefore I'm only spending a day here, before heading to Cesky Krumlov, then Krakow. Spent today booking tickets, walking the streets, looking at the buildings, and counting the references to Kafka.

Actually I didn't count them, but it would've been a good idea.

Unfortunately don't have any photos for the blog, as I don't have my laptop to download them onto, but since no one visits this blog, doesn't matter too much.

For the faithful few who do, hope you're all well, and love you all.

see you,
Damen

Zagreb

I've made it to Zagreb! Finally, after a two hour delay, (added to the delay of missing my flight), I have arrived!

I don't have my laptop here though, so this time, I've just got some pics off the internet. Haven't been to all of these places yet, and it's not so summery right now... and I don't think I can get to the same viewpoints... but it gives you an idea.

Been absolutely spoilt by family since I got here, and I'm going to meet more tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to it. Great news is that I'm being shouted a flight down to Split and Brač, which is where my great grandfather is from.

Zagreb looks like it would be beautiful in summer, and I know that Brač will be, so I'm already planning a trip back here in the summer time.

So, I wasn't going to write anything today. I've embarrased myself enough in the last couple of days to feel like burying my head in sand.

Sitting in the cafe though, I looked out, and the only thing I can bury my head in is snow. It's started snowing again, just after all of the ice had almost melted. Don't really feel like going outside now, (it's amazing how quickly the novelty of walking through snowflakes wears off).

The embarassing highlight of yesterday was the fact that I missed my flight to Croatia. The flight was booked many days before, and although I checked and rechecked the time, I failed to register its 24hr clock nature. I thought it was 11:45 pm, and the airline thought it was 11:45 am.

Now, I don't want to get into a semantic argument about who is right, and who is wrong - the mistake has been made now so let's just live with it - but as a suggestion, maybe the itinerary should have read:

"11:45 (that's am, i.e. in the morning - before lunchtime)"

Anyway, it's done now. Let's just put it down to miscommunication. The snow's finished doing its thing - I'm gonna go outside before it melts, because I like walking in it once it's fallen! Bye!

I Saw, You Saw, We all Saw, Warsaw

On the weekend, Anna and I went to Poland. We took the train on Friday evening, and arrived five hours later in Warsaw.

With the promise of a siberian tiger, we went to the open-air markets - the largest in Europe. Surrounding a football stadium, they were full of cheap clothes and alcohol, guns, puppies and whispering vendors.

Other items on the itinerary were the Palace of Culture and Science, described by our friend as: "the best panorama point in Warsaw, the ugliest and most characteristic object in our capital city. Some want to blow it up, but it is a gift from our formerly 'Brother-Nation' (Russians) and is big as the biggest building in the town." We were going to go up to the top, but ran out of time. Apparently it's the best view of Warsaw because you can't see it.

That night saw us warming up (for the night outside, as much as for the party) with Krupnick, a kind of honeyey syrup mixed with hot water and lemon. Afterwards we headed to "Le Madam", the hippest joint in town for a dance with the locals.

Sunday we went to the Old town. Warsaw is roughly divided into two sections: the old town and the new town. The old town is only slightly older than the new town. It was destroyed by the Nazis in WWII, but reconstructed after the war.

In all aspects, Warsaw's closeness to World War II made the city a moving place to visit - the evidence of the war is inescapable, and while it wasn't beautiful, it was an amazing history lesson; slap-in-the-face style.