One of the highlights of Barcelona was to trample up Montjuvic Hill which overlooks the city and port and was the site of the 1992 Olympic Games. There were a number of stadiums and parks to explore but he highlight of this little trip was the Olympic museum. One of the best museums i have visited, it was laid out in chronological order and referenced Sir Edmund Hillary and the All Blacks, stating that "...they have never been beaten." When was that written i thought?" You could spend a couple of days up there for sure, especially with the perfect weather!
I travelled from Barcelona to Marseille, a 9 hour bus trip but not as tough as rural laos. Its crazy to think that there are no official borders, passport checks and customs in this part of the world. In fact, you dont even notice crossing into a new country until you stop for a break to buy something or hear someone speak. There are of course minor suttleties if you look out for them. I arrived in Marseille, which my guide book didnt really say much about, and for the first time since ASIA i hadnt booked a place to stay...true travelling aye. I found a hostel type place with three rooms in a good location to the town centre and the station. The guy was eitehr very friendly and helpful or a bit of a sleeze..but i held my own. Marseille, like most other European cities so far, has a tram system which is perfect for using. The new port area, basically the city centre was very new and flash and a great place to explore. Marseille is Frances second largest city but its oldest and situated on the coast of the Med Sea it was iconic in war time. Its surrounded by hills with old castles and forts with great views but the most impressive of all was the Notre Dam Cathedral atop the Cities highest peak. A lovely walk up, the view is amazing of the entire city and port and the building is a looker. After two nights in Nice it was time to move on to Nice...
i arrived by train along the coast and had great views of the Med Sea and of all the beach goers, it was of course a Sunday afternoon. I stayed at a hostel, which is voted in top 10 worldwide frequently, with 1€ beers, free internet and breakfast, and loads of information on things to do and see. It was fantastic. It was atop a hill towards the back of the city and use to be an old monastery, however i dont think they had 1€ beers and a condom vending machine back then. The Old Town was situated near the beach, a 10 minute tram ride straight down the middle of the cities shopping stretch. Again, the old towns are the places to see and just wander around on foot...the best place to observe locals shopping and dining. And the buildings are just so old!
I met two South Africans the next morning at Breakfast and we decided to travel to Monaco for the day, the worlds 2nd smallest country at 1.95km squared. It is the land of the rich wih ferraris, massive yachts and boats, the Monte Carlo Casino (although my backpacking attire wouldnt quite cut the mustard) and the Formula 1 racing track. Monacos asy to walk around so thats exactly what we did...it had lovely beaches and beautiful green spaces overlooking the Med Sea - a lovely sight. On the way to monaco we stopped at Eze Village, an incredibly old and tiny village atop a cliff on the seas edge. It was filled with tiny walkable alleys, no cars, full of little botique shops and cafes and a marvelous cacti garden.
The second full day in nice we hit the beach...it is meant to be winter right...where we lay amongst topless women (monst of them alot older than us) and i had a swim in the beautiful warm blue sea. We went out for tea that night, being our last night in France (they were back off to SA), to a bit of a classy restaurant. One of the things that gets me travelling is the inability to read menus. I did a Dave and just ordered something "Steak Tartare" not knowing what it would turn out to be. Well earlier in the day Greg had spotted a meal at a cafe that was a lump of raw mince and suggested hed like to try it, well thats exactly what i unknowingly ordered....all i could think of was going to pak n save at home and buying a kilo of mince and returning home to cook nachoes or lasagne. Well on my plate lay this very ingredient, and i can justifiably say while it wasnt the worst thing ive tried in my life i wont be ordering Steak Tartare again!!
The next morning i boarded a train for Italy, Genoa infact, 3 hours East. For the first time on the trip i was a little panicked coz i arrived with no place to stay and didnt have a clue about my orientation, the tourist offices were closed as they were being renovated and i couldnt speak a word of Italian, unlike French or Spanish at which i am pretty fluent in haha. Well i was a little frazzled but managed to catch a local bus that way, and then back again, before working it out...kind off. Im staying at a youth hostel, again atop the hill at the back of the city. Its very quiet now which in some ways is a good thing. Today i caught the furnicular down then walked around some streets with very old buildings (once palaces). I just visited the largest aquarium in Europe, which was quite fascinating, and tonight im going to find an Italian restaurant - shouldnt be too hard ehh, to dine at. Tomorrow im off to Cinque Terre coast, a cluster of five tiny villages all connected by a path overlooking the Med Sea - sounds great aye! Ill let you know about it next time around.
Peace...
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Madrid to Barcelona
If i had three wishes in the world, one of them would be used up on the ability to know every language on earth just like that. Honestly - it would be alot less frustrating, but then again, half the fun is trying to understand locals, signs, directions, menus etc.....
Madrid wasn't really my cup of tea. Perhaps this was because my hostel was quiet and there was very little to do, or perhaps Madrid is just not much of a young persons place, or perhaps it was çoz i was on my own. Regardless of these points, i spent three nights in Madrid - the capital of Spain only because its centrality in the country. It did have a great museum, the del prado; a couple of nice parks that i spent hours in reading and trying to get a tan; and some amazing buildings. I spent most of the three days simply walking around engaging in my favourite past time - people watching. The metro systems so far are so great and simple to use. David will remember our first couple of days in london and how i just couldnt grasp how to use it.
On the 6th, i caught yet another bus (they are usually about 1/3 the price of trains) to Barcelona. i had heard lots on the road from other travellers (it truly is the best source of info) about the city and i was looking forward to getting there and seeing it all in action for myself. I arrived at about 6pm after a lonnng bus ride.. i used the metro all by myslef and found the hostel - Yellow Nest, about 10mins ride from town. It was a great place with a huge common room and lots to do. I met my dorm buddies, two Germans, and i soon headed out with one of them to Las Ramblas. This place, las Ramblas, is a 2km stretch of path with copius amounts of shops and cafes hanging of the side. It is the true place to come if youre a tourist - infact i went there every day. Common to the strip are numerous people kitted out in bizarre dress taking photos with tourists and earning abit of money, lots of little pet shop/stalls, and florists. I also observed very closely one afternoon a scam that goes a bit like this...
there would be a ring leader who with three upside down matchbox sticks he would ask people around him to guess under what box the little marble was under. Every time he did this he would deliberately be clumsy and show everyone what one it was under...but...there were three other guys around him who would pick wrong (most of the time) so that the dearing tourist thought gee this is easy. The guy would ask for 50 euros, and if you guessed right you won an extra 50 - effectively doubling your money just like that. Now i had watched three different groups up and down this strip for about an hour and i knew that the folded up bills were fake (they had to of been). So you put in 50 and get 100 fake back. the other guys would be constantly looking around for copes who patrolled up and down and the officers came a couple of times and they all fleed in different directions, and another guy swooped in and picked up the mat in a newspaper. Wow it was great to watch and sorry that was drawn out - hope it makes sense. Anyway they knew i was watching them intensely and i got a look as if to say bugger off or else. So i fled to.
Anyway, i ended up going out that night with the German guy and two American girls and we didnt get home til 6am, and as a result ive been sick ever since. that will teach me i guess. The next day i went on a boat cruise around the port (which was pretty lovely), and i went up to the top of the tower at a cathedral right in the heart of Barri Gotic, a humble jumble old place with small alleyways running this way and that. You could easily get lost.
Madrid wasn't really my cup of tea. Perhaps this was because my hostel was quiet and there was very little to do, or perhaps Madrid is just not much of a young persons place, or perhaps it was çoz i was on my own. Regardless of these points, i spent three nights in Madrid - the capital of Spain only because its centrality in the country. It did have a great museum, the del prado; a couple of nice parks that i spent hours in reading and trying to get a tan; and some amazing buildings. I spent most of the three days simply walking around engaging in my favourite past time - people watching. The metro systems so far are so great and simple to use. David will remember our first couple of days in london and how i just couldnt grasp how to use it.
On the 6th, i caught yet another bus (they are usually about 1/3 the price of trains) to Barcelona. i had heard lots on the road from other travellers (it truly is the best source of info) about the city and i was looking forward to getting there and seeing it all in action for myself. I arrived at about 6pm after a lonnng bus ride.. i used the metro all by myslef and found the hostel - Yellow Nest, about 10mins ride from town. It was a great place with a huge common room and lots to do. I met my dorm buddies, two Germans, and i soon headed out with one of them to Las Ramblas. This place, las Ramblas, is a 2km stretch of path with copius amounts of shops and cafes hanging of the side. It is the true place to come if youre a tourist - infact i went there every day. Common to the strip are numerous people kitted out in bizarre dress taking photos with tourists and earning abit of money, lots of little pet shop/stalls, and florists. I also observed very closely one afternoon a scam that goes a bit like this...
there would be a ring leader who with three upside down matchbox sticks he would ask people around him to guess under what box the little marble was under. Every time he did this he would deliberately be clumsy and show everyone what one it was under...but...there were three other guys around him who would pick wrong (most of the time) so that the dearing tourist thought gee this is easy. The guy would ask for 50 euros, and if you guessed right you won an extra 50 - effectively doubling your money just like that. Now i had watched three different groups up and down this strip for about an hour and i knew that the folded up bills were fake (they had to of been). So you put in 50 and get 100 fake back. the other guys would be constantly looking around for copes who patrolled up and down and the officers came a couple of times and they all fleed in different directions, and another guy swooped in and picked up the mat in a newspaper. Wow it was great to watch and sorry that was drawn out - hope it makes sense. Anyway they knew i was watching them intensely and i got a look as if to say bugger off or else. So i fled to.
Anyway, i ended up going out that night with the German guy and two American girls and we didnt get home til 6am, and as a result ive been sick ever since. that will teach me i guess. The next day i went on a boat cruise around the port (which was pretty lovely), and i went up to the top of the tower at a cathedral right in the heart of Barri Gotic, a humble jumble old place with small alleyways running this way and that. You could easily get lost.
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