Hello from Brugges

Hey everyone,

It feels like I haven't posted in ages! Since the last time I spoke to you, I have come and gone in Amsterdam and now am in Brugges, Belgium.

Again, I had a wonderful weekend in Meppen, Germany and I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been very accommodating along the way (Danke, Wolfgang & Gabi, Jung Family, and Hans-Eberhard & Marga).

So, where to start with Amsterdam? It is such a unique and captivating city. My hostel was located in the heart of the Red Light District which was very interesting. I chose to stay at a Christian hostel and that was definitely different. Surprisingly, I found it very hard to connect with fellow travellers and I felt like an outsider. When I first arrived, I went for a walk through the city. There are so many canals and the city is just so beautiful. It was so peaceful to sit in Vondelpark and have my dinner... until I noticed I was covered with tiny spiders. So, I brushed off and kept walking.

But don't worry about me... I was not alone. I met Marco, an Italian man who has worked at the hostel for the past month. We spent our evenings together which was amazing. He showed me around the city and it was great to share that experience with someone. Thanks, babe.

I only had one full day in A'dam so I had to make the most of it. I managed to visit the Rijksmuseum first thing before the lines were long and then I met up with Debbie, Anneke and Emma. They live in The Hague and I met Debbie and Anneke on my Egypt trip. We went to the van Gogh Museum, had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe (mmm, a real burger!) and went for a Canal boat ride when it was raining. We also went to the Museum of Bags and Purses before parting ways. It was so nice to spend a day with people I have met on my travels and talk about what has happened since we parted. Thanks ladies!

So, I only had two nights in A'dam so I tried to make the most of it. I was really sad to leave and wished I could have stayed longer... at least for Queen's day which is a crazy huge holiday in Amsterdam. I was told the streets are filled with street vendors and people decked out in orange and the city is more alive than it already is. So I guess I will have to come back some other year and see the rest of the city and experience Queen's day. But I did have a great time in A'dam.

Now I am in Brugges, Belgium with the sole purpose of having waffles and chocolate. That is on the itinerary for today along with deep-fried cheese and ice cream. Of course, to justify it all, I will be taking a 4 hour bike tour of the countryside. Biking is practically a religion over here. Everyone has a bike and it is the best way to get around. I was unable to go on a bike tour in northern Germany and A'dam so this is my last chance before I go back to the big cities. I will also be spending the day with Penny and Tina (the 2 Aussies I met on the Rhine tour) and Christine, a fellow Canadian at my hostel.

So, everything is awesome. I am enjoying all the places I have gone but do wish I had more time in each place (I haven't been able to find longer accommodation). Tomorrow, I leave for Paris which I am super excited about. I'll keep you all posted.

Love, Lisa

Photos at last...

This is me with Debbie, Anneke and Emma. I met Debbie and Anneke in Egypt and they live in The Hague. They came to A'dam to spend the day with me.



This is Amsterdam (A'dam). It was so beautiful, especially really late at night when the streets are empty of tourists.



This is the sunset in Meppen. Nice, heh?

Photos

This is Hans-Eberhard, Marga and Oma. I had a wonderful stay with them over the past weekend in Meppen.



Cologne at sunset.



At the Chocolate Museum in Cologne... mmmmmm!



Playing some ball in Cologne... I am greatly undersize!



Me and the castle in Bacharach... it was quite a hike to the castle. Of course, I left my big bag at the bottom.

Photos

This is me over the Rhine in Germany.



Bacharach in Germany. It was such a beautiful little town.



Another picture of Bacharach.



At last, the castle! It was so cool to actually stay in a castle.



This is the Jung Family in Frankfurt. I had a wonderful visit with them (plus Oma and Opa, missing from the picture). In case you forgot, I stayed with them for 3 months in Grade 11 as part of an exchange. The youunger boy, Laurenz, was born when I was there and look at him now!

Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland!

So I have had an amazing time in Meppen, in the far north of Germany. I stayed with Marga and Hans-Eberhard and was welcomed into their home. In two days I managed to relax (of course!), go to a classical benefit concert, eat amazing meals at "Oma´s", go to a Lutheran church service, go to a castle unlike any I had seen before, walk around the city and visit a few sites. I had such a nice time and really enjoyed my visit. I am continually learning and having great experiences along the way. Meppen, although it is a small city, is very interesting. It is a great place for riding bikes and walking as the surface is relatively flat and very beautiful. The castle I went to (Schloss Clemensworth) is a hunting lodge so the size was actually small but the site contained a number of buildings surrounded by dense woods, a lake and a beautiful alley aproaching the complex. It was a magnificent day and I enjoyed the visit. Plus, I was so excited when I understood most of the German tour of the castle. Finally, as I prepare to leave Germany my language skills are returning. I still cannot, or do not feel comfortable speaking German but I can always continue to practice. So my time in Meppen has been wonderful and I am so grateful to the amazing people who have welcomed me into their homes, or even just spent time with me. I have met a lot of great people along the way and I look forward to getting together with others.

So, in less than an hour, I will be on my way to Amsterdam. It was not part of my initial itinerary but it is so close so I will spend two days in the Netherlands. I will keep you posted!

Hope this message finds all well and enjoying Spring! I have spent hours sitting in Marga and Oma´s gardens filled with amazing flowers... oh, how I love Spring!

Lisa

P.S. I promise, pictures to come soon!

Updates to Links

Hello everyone,

I have had some free time as I wait to leave Köln so I thought I would update the links on the right side bar of my blog. Now, there are my favourite links to places I have been and hostels I have liked. My criteria for hostels are cleanliness and security as well as location (close to the train staion and/or the city centre).

Hopefully this will be helpful for 1) those back home who have time to look at what I have seen, and 2) for those who I have met travelling, as the hostels and sites listed I have enjoyed and would recommend to fellow travellers.

I know it is a long list but they should be organized to some degree by location. Hope it helps!

Lisa

Leaving comments

Hello everyone,

I have heard that people have been having trouble leaving comments on my blog so I thought I would try to help as I look forward to hearing from other people (not that I don´t appreciate the comments I have already received :) )

To leave a comment on my blog, you have to have a user account. The common account would be a Google account of a Blooger account (that is what I have my blog through). On my blog, there is a link to sign up for a Google account. You will need an email address and will select a password.

The other option is UserID and when you select this tab, you will have to choose the type you have from a list (LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad, AIM). The Google option is much easier.

Once you have an account, you can type your comment in the box (please, no vulgar comments or course language as I want everyone to be able to read it!).

The last step before posting the comment would be to type the word verification that is required. Once you have selected Publish comment, it should be posted to the website and I will be able to read it.

I hope this helps. Sorry for the problems anyone may have experienced. I have tried to make it easy to comment but I did want some restictions for posting to ensure it is only appropriate material from those following my blog.

Happy reading and commenting!

Lisa

My body is mush!

I have just had the nost relaxing day since... well I cannot even remember. I went to Aachen for a day trip to Carolus Therman, the thermal spring spa in the area. I went with an Aussie, Wendy, and we spent an entire day at the spa. Spending 10.5 weeks on the road, carrying at least two bags but usually three, walking for 8-10 hours a day, sleeping in hostels (really thin mattresses) and just accumulating "grunge" along the way has been rough (but amazing at the same time). So I decided to treat myself to a day at the spa... and it just happened to be really cheap! I spent 8 hours swimming (well floating because I can´t swim) and soaking in the many pools, laying by the pools reading and just relaxing. It was so amazing and I strongly recommend having a day like that to anyone backpacking for an extended period of time. My body has a couple of aches now that I am completely relaxed but I really enjoyed all the jets and water and time to do nothing. One of my favourite parts was the Caravan Oasis room: for 30 minutes I was transported back to Egypt, into the desert, where I could just lay in the sand and relax. The room was painted with an oasis design, smelled like incense and was also a UV room. It was marvelous and I just loved laying in the sad and burying my hands and feet and thinking about Egypt (I still miss it terribly!). Overall, the day was so amazing and I feel completely recharged, relaxed, massaged, just without any pysical contact :( and ready for anything! You can check out the spa at www.carolus-thermen.de

Oh, I forgot to tell you about yesterday. I went to the Chocolate Museum and was in heaven. We went through the displays of the history of chocolate but the best part was the active chocolate factory, where we could see the entire process and sample some chocolate. Yummy! After our 3 hour visit, we had hot chocolate and cake in the cafe (a necessity) and I went into a chocolate coma! I felt drunk and completely relaxed! And the other benefit was that I was so satisfied, I didn´t spend hundreds of dollars in the shop after. I guess I can always shop in Belgium! After, Wendy and I went to Museum Ludwig and looked at the amazing modern art. It was such a great day and I was so happy to have someone to do things with.

So I am having a great visit to Köln and am ready for the next few months! Love you all, Lisa

PS. Pictures to follow eventually but not from Köln as I am unable to use my USB in the hostel computer.

The city that brought us Eau de Cologne

What a crazy couple of days it has been since I last checked in with you all! I had such a great time with the Jung family. I met them for afternoon tea and cake (which was delicious - thank you Joy!) but I loved sitting around the tavble with the whole family and just being. I was able to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation which was a relief and even spoke a bit. Granted, I sounded worse than a 1 year old but I hope they all apreciated my attempts to communicate. And it was an exciting day for the whole family as we were all together again and just sharing stories and news. Afterwards, we walked to the Biergarten for schnitzel (Heidi said the magic word) and I was able to have Grüne soße again. It is a Frankfurt specialty (an herb sauce) which I loved to eat when I was here 9 years ago. Plus I had some apfelwien but Heidi looked out for me and ordered a small glass and diluted with water! So sweet. After dinner, Joy and Martin took me to the Goetheturm, a tall wooden tower with amazing views of the city, and then we visited the family garden before taking me back to the hostel. It was such a wonderful afternoon and I am very grateful that the family could get together with me. Vielen dank Familie Jung!

So after Frankfurt, I got on a boat in Mainz and headed up the Rhine river. That was such a cool way to travel and see the beautiful scenery along the river. I met two Australians, Tina and Penny, in the train station and we all went together to Bacharach. I stayed in the best place in Germany... a castle! Yes, you heard me correctly. In Bacharach, the castle (Burg Stahleck) has been a youth hostel for years and I got to stay there. It was a long hike up the hill (350 stairs) but I was able to leave my big bag at the bottom in Tourist Information - it was still a beast to climb! I was just so excited to be staying in a castle and we had amazing weather. The town was so small and perfect and it was great to just relax and enjoy Tina and Penny´s company. I was a little sad to leave in the morning but I am glad I had at least one night in a castle!

So now I have made my way up the rest of the Rhine by boat and train to Cologne (Köln). I will be here for 4 nights so I think I will have plenty of time to relax and slowly see the sights. Of course, I might end up spending a whole day at the Chocolate museum! Then of course there are the spas in Aachen which I think by body needs - my bags seem to be getting heavier every day. Backpacking across the world is not for the weak!

I have met some amazing people along the way and really appreciate all the comments left on my blog. I am having so much fun and am really getting into my element. I am defintitely less stressed (I didn´t even reserve any accomodation before coming to Köln!) and having a blast doing whatever I want!

Hope you all are enjoying the experiences along with me! Talk to you later,

Love, Lisa

From Frankfurt with Love

Well, it is good to be back in the sun! The two days I spent in Rothenburg ob der Tauber were wet. It drizzled the first day but I went out and walked around the city and did the Night Watchman Tour which was very cool. It was led by a resident who dresses up in the traditional costume of the Night Watchman and leads a tour through a part of the city. It was nice to walk the city at dark when the tour groups (well, other than our own) were gone.

The following morning, I woke up to actual downpour. But I still had the morning in the city so I just started walking. Again, I had the streets to myself. The city is one of the most beautiful I have seen and definitely my favourite in Germany so far. It is a medieval city that survived the war. I was able to walk along the ramparts of the defensive wall and look out over the Tauber valley. The houses are traditional half-timbered and the people are so friendly. It was a great few days... despite the rain.

So now I am in Frankfurt and waiting to get together with the family I lived with 9 years ago. This morning I just walked around the city as the sun was shining. It was kind of funny that I did not remember most of the city. I remembered the shopping mall (what does that tell you!) but walking along the Rhine, I did not recognize very much. So I am glad I had some time to re-introduce myself to the city. I just have to avoid the area my hostel is in at night. I am right in the middle of the red light district! I guess it is just preparing me for Amsterdam. Oh yeah, that wasn´t on my itinerary but I am so close, I might as well stop over for a few nights.

I feel I am starting to get into a groove being on the road. Travel days do not phase me as much and I do not stress out about the details. I know that if I miss a train, there will eventually be another. I am only planning a few days in advance (so unlike the person I was back home) which so far has been alright. Tourist information is always helpful in telling me what I should be doing when I roll up into a new city and have no idea what to do with my time. I also haven´t had any major problems (or even minor I guess) so I feel really blessed. It has made the whole experience that much better.

So, I will say auf weidersehen for now and I will talk to you later. Maybe from the castle I will be staying in on Monday night!

Lisa

Food, glorious food!

I feel like I haven´t quite been able to convey the importance of the food I have had along the way. So, here are some photos and I hope you enjoy!



This was my traditional dinner in Ljubljana of the Game Platter. It was delicious and Dad was so proud that I ate deer!



In Austria, portions are huge! That is two schnitzels and many different kinds of salads. But it all tasted great!



In Vienna, I had Sacher Torte at Cafe Sacher. It claims to be the most famous chocolate cake and it lived up to its legend. Even the tea was fancy and delicious!

Food...

This is the Black Forest cake we found on our search and it was delicious!



In Salzburg, me and my bretzel! Dad, it was so good and had lots of salt - you would have loved it!



In Mondsee on the Sopund of Music Tour, we stopped for Apfelstrudel with hot vanilla sauce and ice cream. Oh, it was heaven!



As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Spaghetti Eis really does look like spaghetti!

Finally, some pictures

Snow!!! This was in the Black Forest and I was so excited to see snow. It was warm out but I did have my gloves in my bag so I was able to make a snowball. So much fun!



This is Gabi and Wolfgang in front of their house. It is a traditional southern German home. They renovated a few years back and it was so nice to stay in and the prettiest house on the street!



This was on the Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg. This lake is in the Lake district (obviously) and on the way to Mondsee, but I cannot remember the name. Check out my authentic looking top!

Some Pictures

This is Lake Bled with the castle and church across the way. It was one of the most peaceful days I had had in a long time.



This is in Ljubljana, along the river. You can see the main square in the background but the length of the river was so beautiful and a pleasure to walk down during the day and at night.



In Venice, there I am peeking up from the Canal (in my red coat because this was the day I arrived and it was raining).

Back to Munich

I have arrived back in Munich after an excellent Easter with family. I had a great few days with Gabi and Wolfgang - we were usy and I ate great food but it was restful as well. Easter day was excellent as we went to the Technik Museum filled with great machinery. Then we had a wonderful traditional Eastern Germany meal of meat in gravy with Kartoffelknudeln (potato balls) which were so good. After, we went for ice cream and I had my favourite... spaghetti! I remember having Spaghetti Eis when I was in Germany 15 years ago and I was so excited to have it again. It looks just like spaghetti but tastes better :)

Yesterday was a really fun day. We left early for the Black Forest and to see the world´s biggest Cuckoo clock. It was huge and it actually works. That was really cool to see and the entire structure was impressive. Then we stopped for lunch at the Rodelbahn and Gabi and Wolfgang surprised me with tickets to go on the ride. The Rodelbahn is a sled track that winds its way down the hill in the Black Forest. It was so cool and I got to go very fast. When my picture was taken, I was clocked at 41.6 km/hour. Around a corner! Very cool! After that excitement we were on the search for Black Forest Cake which we found in a small village and we ate it out in the Garden cafe. It was lovely. I thought the day was over but then we stopped at a dam in the Black Forest and it was nice to get out and walk around for a bit. On our way back home we went on the Autobahn! I was so excited as I love the Autobahn and Wolfgang got up to 160km/hr! That was incredible and I wasn´t scared at all. Overall, it was a long day but I had the best time. I really enjoyed my visit and the rest and relaxation! Vielen Danke Wolfgang und Gabi fur siene gastfreundschaft!

So I got into München and proceeded to walk around the city for the afternoon with Kristin, a lady I met in Tourist Information. It really is incredible the people I meet. I am rarely alone. I am not sure what my plans will be for the next few days. I had wanted to do a bus tour of the Romantische Strasse in southern Germany but the tour doesn´t run yet. So I can try to do it on my own. Whether I get to Neuschwanstein or not is another question. I just don´t know. After Frankfurt I had wanted to do a Rhine boat tour to Köln but the boat doesn´t run the whole way. It is a little frustrating but I am just flying by the seat of my pants and going with the flow. I know I will enjoy everything that I do. It just may not be what I had planned. I´ll keep you posted.

I keep saying I will post pictures and each day passes and I feel bad. Sorry. When I have some time, I will post a few of my favourites since Rome (oh my, it has been a long time). I think it is a good thing that I haven´t had a lot of time to sit and upload pictures!

Anyways, all is well and I hope everyone had a great Easter! Talk to you soon, Love Lisa

Frohe Ostern!

Happy Easter to everyone! I have arrived in Germany and I am spending the Easter weekend with Gabi and Wolfgang, my relatives in Ruelzheim. I had an amazing time in Austria and am already enjoying myself in Germany.

My last day in Salzburg was great - I did exactly what I previously blogged about. I went on the Sound of Music Tour then spent the afternoon walking around the city seeing all the locations of the film that we were not able to go to on the tour (time restraints and the fact that we could easily go on our own). It was such a warm day and I walked around in a traditional looking top (I broke down and bought an Austrian shirt - I had to look the part!). I got a bit of heat exhaustion and dehydration but I loved Salzburg!

It was another long day of travel to get to Mannheim where Gabi picked me up, but since then I have totally relaxed. I feel at home and content with spending time with loved ones. Plus, we have been busy. I went to the Rhine river for a walk and then out for dinner. Tomorrow, we will go to the Technik Museum to see thousands of planes, trains, and automobiles. Wolfgang also wants to take me to see the World´s biggest Cuckoo clock in the Black Forest. That should be fabulous. In there, I will aslo spend time with family and of course eat some home cooked meals!

It has been tough to try to regain my Greman language skills as I have not spoken German since my Oma died in 2001. But slowly, words are becoming clearer and I am getting a little more confident (so what if I make mistakes - they will get the jist of what I am saying!).

I am at the midway point and feel good. I am ready for another two months of travel in Europe. But at times, I don´t feel very adventurous or brave. In Ljubljana, I spent time with Tom and Alex, two English boys, who are working their way around the Mediterranean. To me, that is adventurous and brave. They are travelling to countries I am too scared to go to (Eastern Europe, Turkey, Middle East, Northern Africa) and their confidence was so amazing. I look at them and other people I have met who are either moving over to Europe on Work Visas or going to remote locations and I completely admire them. My little 4 month jaunt in Western Europe seems so mild compared to their travels. But I wish them all the best and completely admire their strength and courage.

So, happy Easter everyone and eat enough chocolate eggs for me!

Love, Lisa

Wien, or you may know it as Vienna

I arrived in Wien yesterday after almost a full day of travelling. That is exhausting. Wien is a very interesting city. I had visions of an old city (much like Ljubljana) with amazing architecture and pedestrian walkways littered with cafes. Well, that isn't quite what I have seen. Vienna is a very modern city. There are parks troughout the city which is a nice break from modern buildings, put it is not what I had expected. Yesterday, I managed to go to Schloss Schonbrunn and I took a mini train around the whole area (I know, very touristy but it was worth it). The Palace was closed so I wasn't able to go inside.

Today I was up early and headed into the Inner Stadt where most of the main sights are. I was surprised by what I saw. There were old buildings but they were covered in billboards and advertisements. It really took away from the old city feel. Plus, there is a lot of construction throughout the city (a recurring theme from my travels). I did enjoy my walk through the city but it wasn't what I expected. The Hofburg and the area around the Rathaus (city hall) was beautiful. Again, there were many places to sit in parks and relax which exactly what I did.

The only museum I went into was the MUMOK (Moderner Museum Kunst, or Modern Art Museum) which was much needed. I appreciated seeing a completely different style of art than what I have seen so far.

I did find a small restaurant to have lunch. I had the Wiener Schnitzel with salad and my eyes almost popped out of my head when the waiter brought it to the table. I got two really big pieces of schnitzel and a bowl of salads (lettuce, green bean, corn, cucumber, potato). It was really good and I tried to eat it all. I was so happy to have vegetables! They have not been a main part of the diet in the countries I have visited. Yesterday, I went to the supermarket and jumped for joy when I saw Iceberg lettuce!

It has been a short trip to Wien and I leave for Salzburg tomorrow morning. Again, I only have 2 nights in Salzburg but I already know what I have to do. I will be going on the Sound of Music tour! I am so excited for it. That movie was one of my Oma's favourite and she loved the music. Plus, it is a great way to see the areas around Salzburg without having to arrange transportation for myself. Other than the tour, I will probably just walk around the city like I have done everywhere else. It is exhausting and my feet are always sore but I feel it is the best way to see the city. Inevitably, I always find something I didn't know about or read about which I love.

I may post in Salzburg, but if not Happy Easter everyone! I will be with family in Germany for the Easter weekend which I am really looking forward to.

Tschuss, Lisa

Slovenia rocks!

I love this country! It is so great and has reminded me of home. The landscapes are similar so I have of course loved it. The last few days have been really great as I have been outside in nature for the whole day and it has been so wonderful. Lake Bled was stunning and today I went to the Skocjan Caves which was incredible. They are a UNESCO Heritage site and worth it. I took a tour through the caves and we descended 140 meters under the surface and walked amongst the stalagmites and stalagtites. It was chilly (12°C) but such a beautiful sight. I couldn't take any pictures so I recommend you Google it. There was one part where we crossed a bridge 45 meters above the rushing river that cuts through the rock and eventually joins the Adriatic. I was just so amazed at the beauty of the whole scene.

So, tomorrow I leave for Austria. Slovenia has been exactly what I needed. I feel rejuvenated to some degree (although I have a head cold) and ready for all that Austria has to offer.

I guess I haven't posted on the food yet. On my first night in Ljubljana, I went to a traditional Slovenian restaurant and had a traditional meal called the Game Platter. It was a large plate with three (yes, three) types of meat and three sides. The meat was amazing and I loved the deer meat (Dad was so proud to hear this!). The difference was the sauce - cherry! I was loving the meal and then I finished with a traditional dessert which wasn't sweet at all (a great change from Greece and Italy). Slovenians definitely love meat and the last few days I have had doner kebaps which have a lot of meat. But the food is great when I eat out. I have mostly been living off of bread and jam as it was cheap and easy to transport. Ah, the joys of the road.

So, I guess I'll talk to you all later.

Love, Lisa

Ljubljana is stunning!

So, I am going to preface this post with a comment about spelling. In Slovene, a few letters are switched so the kezboard does funkz tings when I tzpe, to reflect the spelling (see, it is the z and y that are switched). I have other things to do rather than get frustrated with switching the spelling so I am going to leave it and let zou all switch the letters for me! This was mz brother Brzan's idea (Brzan - I love the spelling of zour name!)

The bus/train ride to Ljubljana was exciting. I took the bus from Venice to Villach, Austria which was beautiful. The closer I got to Austria, the better I started feeling. I reallz needed a change of scenerz. Over two weeks in Italz is a long time and it was exhausting. So when I crossed the border, I felt better alreadz. From Villach, I took the train to Ljubljana. The citz is stunning. It is not verz big but it has so much character. Mz hostel is located right in the old citz along the river. So I have just spent mz time wandering the streets of Ljubljana. Last night was relaxing as I plazed poker with two verz nice English bozs, Tom and Alex (and I beat them too!). This morning, I was up earlz so I could catch the bus to Lake Bled. I met up with Nicola, who I met in Napoli, and we went with Tom and Alex to the lake. It was beautiful and so peaceful and relaxing. We spent the entire daz walking around the lake, climbing up to the castle to get amaying panoramic shots and just enjozing each others companz. Todaz was exactlz what I needed to recharge and get readz for the next week. It was a brilliant idea to come to Slovenia as it does not have the big citz feel like all the places I have been. It is relaxing, the people are friendlz, the language is fun to listen to and I have learned a few phrases (as I do with all the countries I go to). It also is not as busz as the rest of the places I have been which makes it that much better. I have not seen a school group zet!

The onlz unfortunate part is the one thing I had reallz wanted to do in Slovenia I will not be able to do. I had wanted to go to Bovec and go white water river rafting down the Soca River. But the buses to Bovec are infrequent and the timing would be a nightmare. Plus, this is not the ideal time of zear as the river is still too high. So, I will have to find another place to river raft. Eventuallz, I will do something adventurous (I guess traveling the world on mz own is alright!).

I have one more full daz in Slovenia so I am planning to go to some caves (get out in nature) and then tour Ljubljana. This is a beautiful countrz and it reminds me a lot of back home (the snow capped mountains look like the Rockies - can't wait for this summer Dad).I also have felt honoured to have been able to see a part of the countrz mz Opa was from. On mz waz up to Austria, I will be passing through Maribor which is in the region he was born. That should be a wonderful sight to see.

So, I will trz to eventuallz get some pictures up when I have a decent computer available. Talk to zou all soon,

Love, Lisa

Done in Venice, on to Ljubljana

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the comments and the support. It definitely has been a weird couple of days. I think I just hit my seven week funk (as I have been calling it) and need to completely change mt focus and direction. So I leave Italy tomorrow and take a very long trip to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

I have been in Venice two days and it has been alright. I arrived to the city in a downpour. It was a completely different city when deluged by rain. But I did get out and walk around. Kris (from Canada) ended up coming to Venice at the same time as me from Florence so we spent the day together. It was really calm and not very busy. We ended up having a nice dinner (I can't resist pizza - by far, the Marguerita is the best). Then we went to a classical concert. It was really fun and a wonderful way to spend a night in Venice. It was Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by a octet of violins, cello and stand up bass. It was in a church so the acoustics were amazing and the surroundings were beautiful. It helped a little with boosting my mood.

Today was a little better. The weather was beautiful - it was warm and the sun was so bright (sorry to rub it in back home!). So I walked around the city with some people from the hostel and again on my own. My priority was to mail a package home which I so got robbed on - it cost a ridiclous amount as it has to go express (Mom - a really big box will be coming in the next few days). But I had a good day just walking around. Venice is a great place to walk and explore. Inevitably you will get lost but that's fun as you just have to keep going and eventually you will reach a dead end or the Grande Canal. Oh, I almost forgot - I almost went into the canal! I have taken the Traghetto a number of times across the canal and had no problems. A Traghetto is a stripped down gondola that takes passengers from one side of the canal to the other for 50 cents. Plus, you get to stand up in it! So, the problem was yesterday when I was going to look at the water and slipped on the wet steps and slid for about 3 feet. I was right on the edge but saved myself. I have a algae skid mark on my white purse as a souvenir. It was scary (the water is pretty gross) but a good thing I didn't go in.

So, Venice has been nice. The only touristy thing I did was go into San Marco Basilica (the floor mosaics are definitely the highlight) and go up the Camponile to see Venice from above. But that was it.

I have seen so many churches and museums that I do not feel like I have to see anymore in Italy. I also don't feel regret for missing some things I had wanted to see. Although in Florence, before I got on the train to Venice, I did manage to be the first in line to see the David statue at the Accademia and it was worth it. The statue is 5.5 meters tall and as impressive as ever. Michelangelo was a master sculptor for sure.

So that has been the last few days. I have managed to get some sleep and am staring to feel better but I hope a change of scenery will improve everything.

Until Slovenia, much love from Lisa.

Florence

Well, I have been in Florence for three days and I am ready to move on. It has been alright but not exactly what I had expected. I think my expectations were really high for Florence and it hasn't quite been all that I had hoped.

Florence is a beautiful city and it is really easy to walk everywhere, which I have done. But the lines have been ridiculous. Because I didn't know when I was going to be in Florence until last week, I was unable to reserve a entrance ticket for the Uffizi and the Accademia Museums, the two major exhibits in Florence. So of course, the lines are long.

When I arrived in Florence, I spent the day walking around and visiting some of the churches. I went into the Duomo and climbed the 414 steps up the Campanile. The view over the city was incredible! I spent the day mostly by myself which was nice. In the evenings at the hostel, I have played cards and visited with fellow travellers. But they have been really late nights (3am) with early starts (7am) the following day. So I think I am getting a little run down.

Yesterday, I went early to the Uffizi museum and only had to wait 45 minutes in the line. I met Chris from Edmonton (now Calgary) and we spent the day together. It was definately nice to have some company. The Uffizi museum was great. There are so many pieces, mostly religious themed, and it took a few hours to walk through the entire museum. The highlights were the statues and of course Boticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera". Following the museum, we walked around and visited some more churches (I am definitely starting to get churched-out!) and climbed up to Piazza Michelangelo for a great panoramic view of Florence from the south bank.

Today, I have not felt good (combination of too much wine last night and not enough sleep) so I have tried to minimize what I have done. I did get up early to go to the Ognissanti church. When I arrived, a mass was beginning so I sat through the service. I was actually able to follow most as the order of service is similar to the services back home at church. It was a very peaceful way to start my day. Then I just got frustrated. The Accademia and Bargello Museums (the two places I really wanted to see today) didn't open until 12pm. So of course when I arrived at the Accademia, the line was ridiculously long. I stood in line for 2 hours and eventually bailed as there was porbably another two hours until I actually reached the museum entrance. The main site is Michelangelo's David statue, which I saw when I was 10. I will try to go early tomorrow before I leave for Venice, but at this point I don't really care. So after the waste of a few hours I called it quits and went back to the hostel to chill out. I did venture out to the Ferragamo Shoe Museum with Elena, a roommate, which was incredible. So it wasn't a total waste of a day. But I am definitely ready to move on to something different.

My next stop is Venice which I hope will be fun. I do think it will be pretty chill as I just intend to walk around the city and enjoy the views. The hostel I am staying at has breakfast and dinner included so it will be nice to sit down to a "family-type" meal. I definitely miss the company over a meal.

But at this point, I really feel like I am ready for a new country. Italy has been great. I have seen a lot, had new experiences, met some great people and learned a lot. But I feel satisfied. I think when things are feeling repetitive, it is time to move on.

So, I will try to post from Venice but I may be in Slovenia the next time you hear from me. Sorry this blog seems so down... I think I need a boost of some sort (no more liquor though!) I have been on the road for almost two months (7 weeks) so I think I am at a turning point in my travels. I feel tired and overwhelmed, I miss certain places (yes, I still miss Egypt and of course home) and unsure of what is still to come. But it is also exciting - I am conquering new territory and pushing my limits and I am definitely out of my comfort zone and I am learning things about myself everyday. It is scary though - I feel like a different person. But I guess that is the point of travel: self discovery.

Well, ciao from Florence. Love, Lisa