Pretty pretty good here

Hmmm, well well. Not been doing loads, just being laid back for a change. Ummm, I left off I think about a rainy day and shopping....

Soooo, after the day of shopping I found out I had... well loads more than I thought! Anyway, okay, easy enough, ship the things home. How hard could THAT be.... Really VERY hard!
For starters one must find the post office. That took about half an hour, but found a nice one. So got postcards stamped and sent. Okay, that was the easy bit for the day.
So, how to transport these items, of course I need a box and tape and an idea of how much it might cost.
Miming a box takes a few seconds, but generally even a thick post office worker will sort that out. Goal done, but now I need tape. Holy shit.....

Okay, you have tape? *Makes noise that tape makes* I pretend to have some and put it over a box... still nothing.... After 5 mins I get it through their heads that for my package I WILL need tape! For some reason *I think..* they thought the 2 tiny sticky things on the flap would be enough. Ooookay!

And of course through all this, I know NO Hungarian, and no English for them. But it got sorted in time. So I went bought some nice chocolate, loaded everything up, filled out the paperwork "poorly I think too" and found that shipping the thing and handing money over was way easier than, tape.

So with the package shipped and off I decided I need to plan my next place, which after talking with some fellas at the hostel would be the Balkans. So, okay, Croatia on Tuesday, to the capital. Easy? Ha, wrong again! So after getting my number, waiting a wee bit, I had to work on getting this train ticket. First make it clear what DATE you want, otherwise be prepared to spend 5 mins. sorting out the mess. But in all good time and a sheet of paper, all was fixed... I hope.

Now, although it seems frustrating, it really is so much fun. Its is like a puzzle that you know you can figure out, but takes time. Good way to know that the rest of the world is not automatic, oredered, perfect and all the same. In a way, seeing a Burger king here, things made in China, Coke a cola, and other American items here is kinda nice and slightly comforting, but it is no way to grow. No way to really, feel life one may say.

To see people from 1st world nations going to world wide fast food joints, designer clothing places and freaking out over little BS stuff while traveling here in Europe, just seems insane really. What an empty way to go through life. Going to KFC while in Hungary! Pffft!
No way to travel, going to KFC and eating Burgers. Get out there, make mistakes, make a fool of yourself and enjoy! Nothing more fun than looking like a babbling idiot trying to order food. Food which might end up tasting like horrible crap too.

Which brings me to the past 2 days....

So again, so clever clever of me to break up my time at hostels and just so happen book the hostel right next door. But turns out this is really a nice one too. But seems my little buddies from Krakow followed me! So spent the whole days killing the buggers in the wash and dryer. Had to put EVERYTHING not plastic through the wash. But now everything is nice and clean. So pretty much yesterday was boring. Happens in travel, but then the staff guy here suggested a flea market to go to today "Saturday".

So woke up this morning to check it out and after getting a.... maybe free bus.... I got there. Outside of the market had nice Soviet looking block lettering in Hungarian. Looked very kitch and Eastern Bloc. So the flea market was mostly a collection of crap looking little stalls with covers. or just a tent. The butchers looked alright, but not the best either. Looked like some people did all their shopping there. Mostly 40 plus people there, and the younger crowd was more limited. Really wasn't better than anything you could find in the states, except this seemed more important than US flea markets, plus I'm sure it'd been in the same place for years upon years. So really I think a whole week of shopping could be done there. Everything from dodging looking food,Playboy magizine in full sight, old soap and okay clothing could be bought there!
I think I was about the only non resident of Hungary there too. Pretty neat. Also the cooked food was dodgy, but alright I guess. I'm not sick!

Well now not sure what I'll do today now. Still need to see a few things and go to the Baths, but Sunday and Monday will work great for that.

Oh yes, along with many other lessons from this post, just because the old guy at the train station looks drunk and senile, doesn't exactly mean he won't whip you with ease at a game of chess!

If you have read down this far too, thank you!

Now in Magyarország "Hungary" on the Pest "East" side of Budapest

Well, made it here safe and sound! The night train was WAY better than from Prague to Krakow. Krakow to Budapest here was first rate. Also it I was feeling much better and was quite lucky to have a very cute and well visible cleavaged Argentine girl to talk to as well! Haha! Ahh Europe, lovely place. Get to meet people from all over the place from all walks of life and travel by train to boot. Takes longer, but half the cost and way more fun than plane travel. Plus you have a chance to sleep or just plain stretch out.

Anyway got into the train station early yesterday morning to be met by horrid weather and trying to exactly find where I was staying. NO sign what so ever. Took me an hour to find it, and only by looking very carefully at the buzz in thingy by the door. It is a VERY nice hostel too! Best one I've stayed in a long time. Not the best part of town, but not dangerous either. Inside is what counts. So, lets see, ahh yes, so pretty much did nothing yesterday since the weather was crap, but talked with some guys here and it was suggested I go to the Balkans "Former Yugoslav". So I'm now going to Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia, in about a week. Was never sure about the places since they seemed to be on the news often, and more recently with the US embassy getting burned in Belgrade a year or 2 ago, but no serious warnings about the places, so TALLY-HO... as some posh Englishman might say.

But lets see, today had sort of a late start, but a fun time today. Hate being rushed when I have loads of time. Made my way to the big market here, which you can read about here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Market_Hall_%28Budapest%29
Bought loads of stuff and I'm sure I'll be back there for some more tasty food. This is a wonderful place to buy most anything that you'd want in Hungary. Food for the most part! Otherwise just walked around and enjoyed the wonderful sunny weather today.

So I'll find a few more things to do tomorrow. I think walking down to the river again. Was fun to walk over the Danube river today and worth going over again. Lots to see here, but more spread out than Prague or Krakow. So more fun for the week I'm sure.

Oh yes, lesson of this post is, if you try to be clever and book 2 hostels in the same city to "Get a different look and feel" make sure the 2 hostels AREN'T 50 feet away from each other, on the same side of the street! Oh boy...

Goodbye Poland, hello Hungary!

Off again to yet another city. This time to Budapest, capital of Hungary, and a wonderful city by all accounts! I'll be leaving tonight on a night train, but the trip will take 11 hours. Hopefully the 1-3 other people in the compartment are nice enough.

Poland has been a wonderful stay and apart from issues at the hostel, was really wonderful. I really would like to come back. Yesterday I went to Bar Mleczny or in English, a "Milk Bar". You can read more about the history of them in general http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_mleczny .

I think I went way overboard there since I spent 27 Zolats or like 9 dollars. Course I ordered the most expensive item on the menu, Pork chop with sides, a big plate of Meat Pergios, a piece of cake and a drink. All really top notch and filling. Almost everyone was Polish and the line was VERY long. Took 15 min to get food from the counter. So all worth it and being very near the middle of the tourist part of the city, a good enough deal. Also had to look at the menu of another place and learn Polish REALLY quick!

Anyway, after yet another lazy start I went to some wonderful salt mines, that you can read more about here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine .
It was very neat to walk around and see everything in there, though I think it is somewhat over hyped and slightly over priced. Still worth the visit though.
Also could resist and went and got some Polish food in the cafe they had. Must remember the budget, but so hard to pass up cheap great food!

So Poland overall was again, a great stay. But this hostel was generally.... not great and I'm SOOOO sick of Aussies! They aren't the worst, though they are rather annoying and aren't terribly smart either. Then again there were a couple good ones in here, but they weren't in a group or had a travel partner, just solo travelers. Course there was the 3 German girls who were nice and in a group. So always some people who don't follow the rules! Well, hope the next hostels will be better. I'm sure they will since I skipped the "party hostels" in Budapest.

Drinking might be fun, though you really don't get that close to people in the party hostel and they are ALWAYS hung over. Just not friendly people in a meaningful way, maybe just the drunk party buddy way, IF that. Course this is the same in real life too. Heavy party people almost always seem to be flakes and untrustworthy. Seen it to often on my travels.

Ahh the piece of advice for this post is, if you have a cold and sore throat- Get drunk on cold Vodka and juice, go outside in the cold air, go into a smoky club for 5 hours and then take the "wrong" long way back and do that for an hour. Then get 4-5 hours of sleep.
SOMEHOW.... This DID work! Real cure, least this one time.

Oh other thing is, don't be drunk between 7 AM and 1:40 PM on a Sunday or Tuesday, least you end up on some random guys blog or Facebook, and made fun of.

Anyway, off to Hungary now in... lets see, 4 hours! So keep reading and passing along the blog! Thanks! :)

Mostly about lodging...

11:30 AM and in the bar, several British guys are already drunk and that way since 10:00 AM.

Welcome to Europe.

Not much has gone on since the last post. Being sick really slows down what you can do! Mostly coughing now and I'm sure that has more to do with smoking in the hostel than the cold I had.
Got out one night with some German girls from the hostel here. They were great fun to be around and Polish vodka has a kick to it! Boy oh boy! Though oddly enough, after drinking, staying up way late, walking in the cold, yelling to speak and being in a smoky club.... my cold and sore throat went away pretty quick!
The body is just, odd at times! Well, glad I wasn't in an anti social mood then, which I was for most the week seeing as I had a cold.

Hmm lets see. Well I think I shall go into greater detail of lodgings.
Now, the break down, from the lowest lodgings to the top.

First off, camping! Basically well me and Philip while in Germany and Belgium lived out of a messy tent and car. Also due to a rush we also got a not so good burner for cooking. Basically it was setup for coffee, not meals. We also forgot the can opener too! Sooo, it was interesting to say the least. So mornings Philip would start the burner and get bacon and or beans going, course one morning we had hash and potatoes! That was the apex meal of camping. I was lucky having a camp bed cot, but Philip had a good mattress, if it was full of course! Now at the camp sites it cost about a Euro for 5 min of hot water for a shower, a shower which looked really creepy and gross! Plus site fees were about 10 euro.

Next up, floor. Sometimes a floor is very nice, even more if you have a cot. On a floor, it might not be wonderful, but you do tend to have heat and its at a friends. So not a bad deal. Plus it's free! This is a nice option, but like camping, is only so fun, so long. Like 4 days tops.

Now, hostels.... They can be worse, better, or the same as sleeping on the floor, but for practical terms, I'll put it above.
Now for thoses that might know much about hostels, I'll explain.

Pretty much on average a hostel has many dorm rooms that can fit from 4 to 36 people in each room. Sometimes there are bunk beds, or regular beds, or a mix. At times a hostel has maybe a few private rooms for couples or small groups.
Everything is shared in a hostel, from bathrooms, kitchens and the comuters or TVs if there are any. Now hostels don't tend to be the cleanest seeing as there are many people. But it tends to be good enough for most people. Hostels are designed to be very cheap places that are more social than a hotel or motel and tend to be in a city, where a hotel costs much much more.
The average age is 18 to 35, give or take. Most are between 22-27 however. People over 40 are rare in a hostel, unless they are working there. The ones that are staying there at that age are... different.

Course there are many different types and setups. Some hostels are very big and easy to find. Some have enough lodging for 500 people, or as low as 20. Sometimes a hostel can be barely noticed except for a sign out front, and then you might have to go up 2 floors just to reach it. Or it might have big signs out front. Security with hostels is mixed, but if you don't take anything worth stealing, its not bad. Just remember keys or the security code to get back in if the doors get locked! Sometimes there are lockers in the hostel, either under the bed or upright. Other times there is nothing. Beds can range from lovely firm things or cheap pieces of crap. Same goes with the inside. Sometimes new paint and microwaves, or old rubbish. Biggest thing in a hostel is the people however, not the material stuff.

Now, you have 2 differences with hostels, private and assosition kinds. Assosition hostels are very bland, and are part of a larger system. They tend to be like living in a military barrack and everything seems regulated. Also lockouts are common with these, but it is for cleaning. These are better for groups or if it's the only game in town. These must have been much better choice before the internet and ratings systems.

The other is private. These vary much much more in quality and size. Assosition kinds are the same nearly everywhere, bland but you know exactly what you are getting, but the private one can be a hell hole or the best ever. Generally it is worth the risk. Course the place I'm in now is a party hostel. Alright I guess if you like drinking, don't mind bed bugs chewing at you and don't have a cold. So not the most social of people unless you are in the group and far more interested in parTAY than local stuff. Oh well, live and learn. The next hostel is just in the next city and there is almost always a few people in a hostel to get along with. Booking tends to be done online, I like hostelworld.com myself.

So, now we move up to Hotel/B&B. These tend to be nice places and cost about $50-60+ a night. Service is so-so compared to some American standards. But as I've noticed, Europe is so great, I don't mind the bad service, I just expect it. Course sometimes service is fantastic and the best in the world! Now the hotels/B&B's tend to be much cleaner than other American lodgings, so good points there. Having a wooden floor helps I think.
Course places like this cost more than a hostel, so I don't stay in them often. Though they are nice breaks. Can't cook in them too, so again, that doesn't make it easier on the wallet.

THE best out of all these is a real bed, and a real room to yourself at a friends house. Good company, great room and a kitchen. All pretty much free as well. Hard to beat!

Oh now for the special lodgings! Now, sometimes while traveling, it takes a long ass time to get somewhere, even while flying.
So, again low to highest.

Bus... oh boy! "Fun" things to travel in. Slow, stops often and crammed, but damn cheap! Having an overnight 8 hour trip in one is not on the top of my list, but if you get to the top front part of the bus, you might get a few hours of sleep. Reading is hard on this, seeing as it makes me sick. So kick back and go crazy sitting forever!

Car.... Europe they go as fast in the USA, well mainland Europe. The Autobahn in Germany is great for hauling ass. Plus everything is so close your there in no time. Sleeping in a car also seems much easier than a bus though. Course car travel is only so much fun.

Boat/ferry... Not done the long haul, but seems like fun to travel on. Easy to get a nap on the ferry by finding a seat in the cafe and sleep away!

Planes... Now I love flying, I think it's great... except for a 9 hour flight with no personal TV screen thing like on some of the Atlantic flights. Sleeping is VERY hard on one of these. Only hope is to doze off and hope the steward does slam a cart into your knee! Really best to have a book that is an easy read. Not good for Plato!

Trains.... Now these I find are the best. Sleeper car or normal seating. The way a train moves is very relaxing I find and it tends to keep moving not getting stuck in traffic like a bus and you can walk around easier on it than a plane. I've been on a sleeper train twice, and soon will be 3 then 4 or 5 before the end.

So long post here, but covers much of day to day lodgings. Now time to check out the rest of Krakow before I leave tomorrow to Budapest Hungary, plus find a crazy cheap place to eat!

Another day in Poland

Lets seeee, what is new?

Found out the Hostel here has, bed bugs, and I found out with lovely bites all over! So tried to clean everything, but dryer and washer are broken. Yeah, not a good choice on the hostel here, but gladly there are enough nice people here and Poland is really wonderful! My cold is mostly gone, but still my nose is running still, but got some medicine for that too.
Not gotten the best luck here in Poland, but I'm gladly still having a fun time. Everything is really cheap here and that makes the extra costs I have, not bad to deal with. Trying to enjoy myself here, but when your sick and smoking is allowed everywhere, makes it hard to get motivated.

Now for side trips, I need to get a decent look at Krakow with a full walking tour and get to the salt mines here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine.

However I have been to the German death camp at Auschwitz "which is the German name for the town" and that was quite horrific. Pretty shocking to think anything that horrible happened there. All the stories they told and the photos or items. Plus many of the buildings are still there. Just shocking to think that anyone could be that horrible to another human being. The LOWEST number of people killed was 1 million, but perhaps as high as 1 and a half million. Many records were destroyed so it is hard to tell. Plus no graves really, just ovens going. So just shocking overall, but important to see. Though thats the last of the WW2 history for me on this trip. It really is the most depressing history, so kinda burned out on the history of human suffering!

Anyway, not much else new today. Will send post cards and just lay about trying to feel better. Maybe take a quick look again at this wonderful Polish city!

Krakow update

Well, must say, Poland is great and is worthy of another update! It is amazingly cheap. Pretty much Walmart prices for good ethnic food. 3 days worth of good food for $20! Amazing! The food at cafes are amazingly cheap and good too. $10 will buy you the best meal in town! Pierogi's here are plenty and cost like nothing! $3 for a really nice batch! Read more bout them here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi
Kiełbaska of every type is here. Generally tastes the same as in the states, but I guess way better. Again, read bout them here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kielbasa.
Not tried most of the other food, but still got a few more days.

The city is very very pretty and lots to see. Very well preserved Polish city, since may haven't gotten through the World wars. Weather here generally is mixed, but nice enough. Not much rain. Going to see more of the city as I feel better.

Now the hostel I'm at is generally sort of clean "except for bed bugs about, which are getting bombed", magic fairies clean the place in the morning, dishes included, and the crazy drunks are a plenty and "Shockingly!" are mostly Aussies! Haha! God, nothing but Aussies here! I'm used to the UN hostels where people of 5 nations are in the same room. This is just like going to the outback! Crikey!
Plus just generally I don't care for the people. Just plant there arses here and do nothing. Staff is kinda lazy too.
BUT, it has good beds, nice location, great bathrooms and a good computer. So not a total wash.

It'll do till Monday. Maybe hostels are more like this in the Autumn with Uni and College back in. Haven't a clue since I've not traveled in hostels this time of year and in Central and east Europe too. Course I could be in a cranky old man mood since I haven't slept much, been sick and am in a kinda anti social now. Monday will tell however...... and as I speak some stoned stupid sounding American/Canadians have walked in.....

So lets see, what else. Ahh yes. Haircuts.... Well Poland from what I can tell has lovely food, great sights and good people... However the worst haircuts of Europe so far! Bulgaria might top Poland though, but doubtful. The guys tend to have some sort of rat hair or a mullet. The girls generaly are nice, but some shave one side of their heads and have it long elsewhere. Very odd look, and I suspect a punk look going on.

Anyway, all for now!

Running on fumes.....

Well, 2 days with little sleep, a nice little cold, and usual travel! Blah! I'm wiped out! Haven't done much being under the weather. Right before the mild cold hit me, I was able to walk around Prague once more on Saturday night and see Prague lit up. Very pretty! Though as I was walking around got to see filming for the newest Mission impossible 4! No stars were seen, but if I stayed out like a train spotter or bird watcher I would most likely, maybe, perhaps yes or no have gazed at someone famous. For Sunday and Monday I sat on my tired sick butt and did pretty much nothing! Well, did have Czech grog, which is really rather nice, but kicks like a mule!

Lets see, night train wasn't bad, except not sleeping, though I was in and out, so it went quicker. But I guess if you put your ticket in your pocket and it gets kinda crumpled up, the conductor will get angry and say in broken English "WHY THIS LIKE THIS!?". I responded, "Well, I put in my pocket, thats why." Which seemed to be good enough for Mr. Czech or Polish conductor. His wake up call was- "Have 2 minutes. Train only wait 2 minutes in Krakow!" Ahhh, friendly friendly people..... The man clearly loves his job....

But now I'm in Krakow Poland, old royal capital of Poland, 16th nation I've been to and more east than any other place I've gone to. Prices look very good here. Can get massive amounts of food for like $5! Well, thats what I've been told. See how much better the prices are compared to Prague, which was pretty darn cheap.

Oh yes, another word of advice. IF the guys in the train car with you are from Brazil, and you find out that one has a German name, don't make the crack "Hey, they go over for some unrelated reason in 1946? Haha" Turns out..... that can be true....... and then it makes things slightly awkard. Thank goodness it was right at bed time.

Anyway, off now and as I write, some drunk drunk Aussies are just going to bed after an all nighter at the bar..... it is 8 AM by the way!

Ahhh, another post!

Still going well in Prague here. Been out the past few nights having fun, which translates to talking to various people, getting drunk and mostly going out with an English guy called Rory, who I met at the hostel. One night we went together with some German girls, which was of course, always nice to have company of that pretty sort! We went mostly to one place called "Propaganda". All sorts of Soviet stuff is everywhere and it has a nice relaxed club type enviroment, without dancing or super super loud music or assholes. I'm sure there are other pubs that are more Czech though.

Now, Czech beer really is the best I've had so far. Better than German stuff I've had already. Only one that can beat it was one in Holland. Rum or whiskey are way pricey out this far, so beer is almost a must.

Lets see, now, yesterday I saw more of the city and more in the evening this time. There is an awesome market in the city square in the evenings which has great looking food at reasonable prices, but they use alot of real fires for things too. Heck, even a blacksmith was working there! Really just fun to see!
Had, Czech hot Grog, which is just rum or somethin, mixed with hot water, but kicks like a mule! Real nice to drink it on a cold evening however.

After strolling about I found a lovely little traditional type place to eat and had great Goulash, with bread and bacon dumplings, and a huge pile of the best rye/brown/wheat bread I've had in ages! Only cost me like 7-9 bucks too, with everything added in. Wonderful price for wonderful food!
With my nice meal finished I went over to a concert with a pipe Organ and Voilin. What amazing music! Really just the best! Went a couple days before to a pipe organ playing, it was good, but the church didn't have the best design for music like that.
Concert being done went out a second night of drinking, as mentioned earlier in this post, and I went to writing while drunk! Nothing bad, but more I'm sure poorly done and annoying...

So lets see, what little things have I noticed? It seems that I have no clue when Czechs are talking, if they are angry or if that is how they normally talk! Service REALLY sucks in Europe, so never expect much. This was the same in Germany and Belgium and Prague here. I have no idea how they get away with it and its really bad when not JUST Americans are complaining. Mostly you have an angry sounding Czech or German running about or NOT even moving much, taking forever or angrly going quick.

HOWEVER, just because service can be crap, doesn't mean what they have is crap. Best food and sights here. Quite frankly everything sells itself here it seems and the Czechs seem generally more friendly than most other peoples too. Hopefully that'll keep onto Hungry and Poland.
Now for service, the best I've had so far is at Ace hostel here, really great guy running it here.

What else? Seems to be no leash law and the dogs walk themselve while the owner is going at a slower pace. Also dogs like to go into shops too. Cops are everywhere as well and they don't seem like scary Soviet types and they seem professinal too.

Hmm, can't think of much more now other than it is a great place! I'll be in Krakow Poland on Tuesday, so see what new adventures I'll run into then!

Oh yes, quote or advice of the post. If you are drunk, try and not be annoying, THEN accidentally spill beer all over someone. I must remember to drink the beer, not pour in on people, by mistake of course! Thankfully I've not seen her again at the hostel...

Mostly of food, lodging and weather....

Seems I've been so busy I've forgetten to talk of some of the basics!

Anyhow, first, food! I've had all sorts, but in the UK, it is the Donar Kebab. Mostly they are made of packed down, crapy lamb, but I really like them! Now over on the European mainland is some lovely fresh made bread with dried/cured pork in very thin slices. That with a really good soft cheese and then if it's night time, a red wine. Course now what would a day without chocolate be! The Europeans sure know chocolate. Yummy! German food is very good, but mosty it is fried or fatty, but WAY good. Oh then Spatzle, I LOVE that German pasta stuff. Franco food is much lighter, BUT costs more however. While camping it was mostly whatever was canned, but me and Philip had some lovely bacon too.
Right now in Prague that since I have a kitchen to cook in, mostly it's what I can find in the store for $5 a day.

Lodging. Thats been mixed. Sometimes on a plane, tent, cot or just a mattress on a floor. Apart from the plane all the other sleeping places were great. Sometimes those were at friends places or hostels and twice a real hotel, one smelling of lovely horse flith, which I didn't find bad, but Philip didn't much care for it however! The tenting was pretty good, if the weather was, which leads me to the...
WEATHER! It has just been amazing! Sunny, but not hot. Apart from some rainy cold days in the UK and Ireland the weather has been fantastic. Okay bit rainy in Germany too, but not enough to change plans, like night rain.

Anyhow, I'm in Prague now and it is really a wonderful city. I've been looking around today. Listening to some Music, street types and an Organ in a church. Wonderful place just to walk around, doing a few little things and maybe getting a beer. Getting lots of photos and I should get some up one of these days.. oh well!

Oh, seems I have handy advice or sayings at the end of posts, so this one is... Thank you god "or whatever!" for getting the batty/crazy/cussing/outwardly angry and mouthy, old Eastern European woman to the back of the bus with her long suffering daughter has to haul around. Might I add that is was a 4 HOUR ride too? Soo happy when she got moved I can tell you!

Off east and beyond!

Well, starting off once again, but this time sadly without friends. Philip is back off to Oxford, and his friend, Andrew, who I'd say is a new friend of mine has to stay in Germany. Sure was nice to see them over the weekend though. Heidelberg is really a lovely city and we had the most perfect weather too! Nice and sunny as they say. Really rich history there, but if you don't know German very well it can be a bit hard at the museums, but still neat items displayed.

As I said, I should have been in Prague right now, but it has worked better to have the extra day to catch up on things at Andrews flat here, like, laundry. Not good to have nothing clean!

Not to long of a trip to Prague. Just about 6 hours of every little bit of travel. So about 4 PM I should be there. In Prague time that is!

After that off to Poland, Budapest and more! So keep your eyes open on here every week.

Heidelberg Germany post update

Another break time. Had to change some travel plans which means an e-mail to a hostel, so I should update the blog at the same time too.
Sometimes trains not only leave at times you don´t want them too, but also cost WAY more than you think. Oh well on Monday ''Well now Tuesday!'' I start my tour to the cheap nations. Should be a nice change!

Been enjoying the Rhineland greatly with my friend Philip, who truly is the most easy going travel partner I've had so far. We went ahead and booked 1 night in Rudesburg or something like that, very near this castel though http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Rheinstein. To busy to look up the proper name however. Really nice around there. But now I'm in Heidelberg which is just wonderful too. Will try and get photos up one day, but wikipedia is handy too.

Best wishes to all my readers and hope some of you will be able to travel as well!

Sean

This is Germany... and it`s not to bad!

I'm now in Germany ya'll, until about Monday, then onto Prague for close to a week.

Last I wrote was about a week ago, so let me think about what has happened...
Ahh yes, me and my English friend Philip decided a while back to do a trip and the European mainland, looking at historical sites. Course first we had to get there, so we took the ferry from England to France then drove to Waterloo, Belgium to see the big battle site there, but as a reminder to all, just because it is a house wine does NOT mean it is the cheapest wine....

So after traveling we got out to Waterloo, which of course had a huge battle there in June 1815, which the allied forces destoryed Napleons forces in an all day battle. I had been there back in 2007 at the reenactment ''I went as a British redcoat'', but really had no time to see the site well.
After enjoying a nice afternoon there, we drove to the just as famous Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. For anyone who has seen band of Brothers, you'll know what I'm talking about AND we also got to see their foxholes in Foy and it looked close enough to the show. Quite neat.

The day after we looked about the battle area and museums, plus enjoying REALLY good food. Just can't find food like that in the states! Saw the big WW2 monument in the area, then drove out to the Malamedy massacare site which SS troopers murdered about 50-75 unarmed US GI troops. Very sad site, but interesting none the less.

After Belgium me and Philip went camping in the Hurtgen forest, tracing the sites on that WW2 battle field, including my Granddads unit, the 298th Combat Engineers. For more info on the battle I'll let Wiki handle it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_H%C3%BCrtgen_Forest

Around there we saw bunkers, museums, foxholes and found debris of war still everywhere even after well over 60 years. Glad the weather was lovely for hiking and almost forgot it was the site of so much blood and horror.
So we left the Hurtgen forest, which also is the creepest set of woods I've seen and was described by Hemmingway as ''The place where Dragons live''.

We then made our way to Koblentz Germany to some of Philip's friends live, but on the way we thought we would visit the largest US cemetery in Belgium, where 8,000 US soldiers are buired, most killed in the Hurtgen forest or in the Battle of the Bulge. Very sad and emotional.

Sad to see so many of these places, but again they are important and interesting sites too and nestled in some really pretty places and I also have found I've not stopped running into American people or things! Lots of US flags at some of the sites, or Americans or on adverts, American style cookies! Funny stuff there.

Anyhow, taking it easy here in Koblentz and off to other parts of the Rhineland until Monday, then off to new adventures in Prague!

P.S. Lots of things are mis-spelled here, mostly because the computer is a German one and thinks English is not correct German! Haha!