Saturday, July 25, 2009

Two Thirds

A little more than two months are behind me, and a little less than a month lies in front of me. Through this time I've traveld through the counties of England, Scotland, Ireland, Fance, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. I began my slow trek back north a week ago, after leaving Napoli (the southern most city in my journey), and now I've at Venice on my way to Switzerland.

I'm excited to start these new countries, as I work my way east and north. Of course it means new languages to get around in, but if I've learned one thing while traveling it's that there are a lot of English speakers in Europe. In fact there are whole countries that grow up with American english palyeing on thier radios, dancing across the tv screen, and taught in thier schools. Specifically, the Scandinavian region is filled with several countries that all speak excellent English, on top of thier native languages. Knowing two languages seems to be a minimum in most European countris, and if you work at a hostel it seems as though you must know at least 3 or 4 languages.I don't know how people can so easily switch between the various languages they know.

Within Europe, I've found that most of the landscape can be equated to the vaious landscapes that I've seen back in the States. In fact northern Italy, between Bologna and Venice, looks a lot like the Midwest. It's flat, open, and filled with farms. One big key distinguishing factor is the cyprus tress and ancient churches and cathedrals that dot the landscape. This is much different from southern Italy, which had much more of a Colorado feel to it, with big mountains and a lush green landscape. Obviously they are not the same , but it's fun to see and campare the landscape here with what I've seen back in the states.

Traveling solo has it's advantages in the fact that you can pick when you want to be social and hang out with other travelers, and when you want to spend a day or two by yourself. I've found that a healthy balace between the two is a good thing. Although I think I've learned that I enjoy being with and around people much more than being alone (which I thought I prefered at most times). Traveling and meeting tons of new people has given me a new found strenght in doing just that. While I was very timid at first about talking to people, and just plopping down to talk to a random stranger, I now have little problem going over, sitting down, and getting to know someone new. I never know who I might meet, like a skinny white kid with a british accent from South Africa, who had been studying in England, and is on holiday for a month. Hopefully I will keep this confidence gained from traveling, and will be able to put it to good use back home.

I have noticed that traveling in a pair is probably one of the more common things I see. Usually it is a guy/girl couple or a pair of friends, and they tend to make up about 40% of the people that I meet traveling. Another 40% is solo travelers, like myself, and the last section is made up of larger groups traveling. Usually these large groups will be one of the several bus tours offered across Europe, or a very large group of school kids. It's an interesting mix, but there is never a lacking of people around at hostels to talk to and meet. I do think that if I travel Europe again, I'd like to do it with someone.

I've seen and learned that I only need to be at my trains minutes before they leave, as many are just passing through and only arrive a minute or two before they depart again. But I still prefer to get there 10-15 minutes earlier, just to feel safe. Of course I've had a harder time meeting and talking to people on trains since leaving the english speaking countries, as I'm never sure exactly what language (or languages) they speak.While it's easy to assume that everyone on the train speaks that countries native language, I have to remember that there are other travelers like myself, and anyone could be speaking any assortment of languages. I usually cheat and look at the language of the book that they are reading, or if they are from Canada, they are really easy to pick out with their Canadian flag on thier backpacks.

As far as politics, Obama has had a huge impact on the way that Americans are percieved here in Europe. Almost instantly, we've been cast in a more favorable light. In fact, a girl that I met from Finland mentioned that within the past half year a lot of her friends have started travelng to the States again. There seems to be a general consensus that not everyone is sure exactly what Obama will do while in office, but he is seen as a very favorable move for both the US and for the world as a whole. Luckily, if there are any political conversations that I'm pulled into, they revolve around Europeans approval of Obama.

As for Europeans themselves, I've noticed that the waistline has grown across Europe. It's evident in some countries more than in others, And with how many McDonalds I've seen everywhere, I'd have to say that American might have a little something to do with it all. But that's just a generalization. Though you can see the effects of the cheap fast food. It's almost sad to see McDonalds packed in Italy of all places. I do have to admit that I've used them for thier cheap coffee and excellently placed free seating (usually near big plazas and sights), but I won't consume thier food while I'm abroad. At least the craving for a big mac has not hit me just yet. Although I do miss BBQ's terribly, and chicken wings. But BBQ's more so for the atmosphere and friends (and finger licking good food),

Well, these are just a few thoughts. It has been a fun experience so far, and there are many more adventures to come.

Posted by: Jordan
3 comments  

Friday, July 24, 2009

Viva la Venice

So, I'm in Venice. As I said in my last post, it seemed a bit intimidating, but how I was wrong. Part of the stress that was on me was making sure that I had a place to stay. I was pretty sure I would be set, as the camping grounds that I had been looking at, had not booked up any night yet. Lo and behold I arrive to find plenty of space, and a tent all my own. Not a bad tent at all, mind you. This one is made for two, tall enough to stand in, and holds two cots. So, I get the comfort of sleeping on a cot, and extra space and privacy to myself.

It's not a bad camping ground either. Outfitted with a pool, jacuzzi's, a restaurant, bar, and internet cafe, it has pretty much everything I need. Besides free wireless, a bit annoying I might add, but I can deal without it for a few days. I've figured out that I'm only charged for the time that I'm online in the internet cafe, but I can use the computer all I want. So, this blog post is being brought you courtesy of WordPad (I won't waste my 'online time' typing a blog). And while I'm typing this I'm remedying a slight problem with the tents, in that there is no power in them, so I'm also charging all my electronics. Ah, it's been a while since I've multitasked.

Anyway, back to Venice. What a georgious city. Unfortunately my first impression was of amazement, a minute whereafter I had to head straight to the bus stop to pick up my ride to the camping grouds, leaveing Venice. Due to an odd break in the bus schedule (which runs every hour), I was forced to wait another 2 hours before I was able to get back into Venice, and actually get to see the city. When I did return, I set right off to loosing myself in it. With only a poor copy of a map, with no names on it, I figured it would be best to just go. Plus, it's an island and not a very big one at that, how could I get lost. I have to admit, there are signs everywhere pointing to Saint Mark's Square and to the Train Station, so there really is no way of getting lost. It would just be difficult to find other things in the city.

The first thing that hit me, was the fact that Venice was not smelly at all, unlike what I've been told by several sources. I'm not quite sure what they were smelling, but I didn't smell anything. Maybe my nose just isn't quite up to their level of odor sophistication. I was free to enjoy the sights and sounds of Venice smell free. And enjoy them I did. Like I've mentioned many times by now, I'm a big fan of the sort of beautiful decay that many European cities find themselves in. Venice is no exception to this. Paint is peeling, plaster and brick are showing, the wood is sun bleached, grass grows in small cracks, and it's all just so lovely. The vibrant colors of the buildings, reds and oranges, yellows and pinks, all add to the auroa of the city. Plus, how can you forget the water. While I would not want to set foot in it, the lovely green murky hue adds to the color pallete as well as reflecting the light and color of it's surroundings. The endless bridges that cross it are ever different, each one a little unique in it's own way. Some residences even have thier own private bridge.

Ah, but Saint Marks Square, what a captivating space. It's filled at any point in time with hundreds of tourists, at least double that in birds, amazing architecture from the surrouding office buildings, and from St. Marks itself, and restaurants with deuling orchestras. Yep, for the cheap price of 5-7 euros for an expresso (plus 6 euro orchestra fee) you too can sit in the square at a table, enjoy your extreamly overpriced coffee, watch it as one of the four different small orchestras (6-8 piece) try to outdo each other, and probably have the best people watching experience ever. I decided to go for the even cheaper option of free, and just wondered around the square, stopping to enjoy the music, and people watch.

St. Marks was amazing. I had forgotten about the interior of the church since I studied it in college, but wow, it all came back as soon as I stepped inside. It's five domes, and many of the walls are filled to the edge with golden mosaics. It is instantly overwhelming when first entering the cathedral. As exciting and interesting as the ceiling was, the floor was also a sight to see. As the foundation was laid on the outside, the ground below the floor was free to undulate as it felt. It almost looks like the floor became fluid for a moment, and then froze into a set of waves.

Other than those two main sights, I spent my two full days in the city wondering the streets, stopping into cathedrals and checking out the artwork inside, and seeing what I could find. It was fun, because it was like stumbling upon treasure every so often with these various churches. Also randomly placed throughout the city were art exhibitions, as Venice holds a city-wide art exhibition every odd year in the summer. These were little gems to find, both for the interesting artwork, and also for the water closets. I am proud of the fact that I did not have to pay the exhorberant price of euro 1.50, to use the public bathrooms spread throughout the city. There are always plenty that are free, you just need to know where to look. Plus, I don't think it really costs the city 1.50 in maintainence and staff, every time someone uses one. Kind of rediculous.

Before I end, one interesting tidbit. I met a fellow traveler in Ferrara, whom we had mutually convinced me to stay for the concert, and I left a day earlier than her to go to Venice (also her next destination). As I was wondering through Venice yesterday, I thought it would be rather ironic if I ran into her. Venice is small, but there are tons of small streets, and actually running into a person in Venice could be quite hard. Well, odds be thrown out the window, on a small street we just so happened to bump into each other. A pleasant surprise, as the company was greatly appreciated for the rest of the evening, where we stumbled upon a small bar/cafe with a live band. Of the course the best part of the band, was the fact that they were all Italian, but where singing all american songs. It's really interesting to note how accents really dissapear when a person starts to sing.

Ok, well enough rambling. Since I am 2/3rds of the way done, and have one month left now, I plan to have a post up soon looking back. But as for now, I'm done.

Posted by: Jordan
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Ferrara

This is what happens when you don't have everything planned out to the last detail. You end up in a place like Ferrara for three days, a quaint, georgious, bike city. I didn't know this place existed, and now I would reccomend if anyone is traveling through Italy to stop by at least for a day.

How I ended up here is a good question. Basically, I set out from Napoli without a real destination in mind for the night. I was on my way to Venice, and however far I got on the trains that day, I would stop for the night. Unfortunatly, the regional train I was going to take to get to Rome didn't run on a Sunday, so I had to reserve a seat on a Eurostar train. Eurostar is the speed train of Italy, although I have to say I was a little dissapointed by it's final speed (as fast as it was going through the country side). Looking on the map, Bologna was the closest large city to Venice, so I figered I would stop there for the night. But, Bologna only has on hostel, which is 6km out of the city and not very good at all (and it was booked up that night). So I had to venture onward to the next city, Ferrara, where I found a nice hostel to stay in. Before I knew it, I had booked three nights.

Ferrara is a bike city. It's almost as though they took all of the motorcycles and turned them into Bicycles. So I spent my first full day here biking around town, and quite literally I biked around it. At least the old walls of the city. It took about an hour, but it was a nice peaceful, relaxing bike. I also biked to all of the main highlights of the city, again with everything being so close, it was easy to see it all in one go.

Yesterday was filled to the brim with things to do. I took a day trip into Bologna, since what I had seen of it in 2 hours a few days ago was nice, so I figured it would be good to see the rest. I spent the day leisurely walking through the city streets, visiting the many cathedrals, and popping into the odd museum here and there. It filled the day nicely.

The night was filled with a concert, as Ferrara was having a concert series here. I never thought I would see Animal Planet and TV on the Radio in Italy, lest in a small city, and in a castle courtyard. It was a good concert, which I needed as I havn't been to one in a good while. But alas, my time in Ferrara is up, and I head now to Venice (a city that intimidates me a bit at the moment).

I'm officially two thirds of the way through my travels today. I'll do a post on it later.

Posted by: Jordan
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