SLO in LOVE with Slovenia

Tuesday, July 30th: So, honest question for all of you reading my blog right now.  How many of you have heard of Slovenia? How many of you could actually pick it out on a map? How many of you would really ever think to visit and spend more than a few hours, let alone three to four days here? Finally, how many of you actually know what Slovenia's capital is, and can pronounce it properly :)!? Yeah, that's what I thought!  Well, keep reading and know that I am here to share the secret of Slovenia, one of the nicest, most beautiful countries I have EVER BEEN TO (and I am up to 17 countries, 15 within the past 13 months!).  Before going any further, I need to give incredible props to one of Natick's finest people/librarians, Irene Carrick.  She had HIGHLY recommended visiting, and if it was not for her, I probably would have skipped it and gone somewhere else.  She had told me where to go, what to see, how much time to spend, etc, and I am so grateful. This is just another perfect example of why I LOVE NATICK SO MUCH (Yes, Slovenians now know where Natick, Massachuestts is, because I continue to brag about it!).

So, yeah, after my nightmarish train ride here from Friday into Saturday, I arrived in Ljubjana completely exhausted but excited to see a part of Europe completely different from the rest.  It was ridiculously hot, but I immediately fell in love with the people and the layout of the city.  My hostel was absolutely charming (and air conditioned), and everyone there was so warm and friendly.  The hostel in and of itself was in a perfect location, five minutes from downtown and right across the street from the Japanese Embassy.

After checking in, I walked all around the city, spending time seeing the canal and various bridges that create Slovenia's landscape. I had Persian food at an outdoor market, checked out a few shops, and just enjoyed Ljubjana.  It is big enough where there is plenty to do but small enough to see within two hours.

Later that night, I had an amazing dinner of venison goulasch and dumplings at a place called Sokol.  There,  music serenaded the outside square and people just relaxed and enjoyed a wonderful (and hot) summer night.  I finished the night by taking the funiculare up to Ljubjana Castle and having a deep conversation with a Bosnian security guard who shared his perspectives with me on the Baltics and the past 100 years of tumultuous history.  One interesting note is how many Slovenians, Bosnians, Croats, and people within the Baltics still long for the days of the dictator Tito.  This was a recurring theme with several people I spoke to when I was here.   He did something that no other leader has been able to do since the fall of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires.  He kept the states that made up the former Yugoslavia together and prevented fighting that has otherwise occurred here for centuries.  Tito, while not the nicest dude in the world, was not a horrible person in the sense of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, and he had greatly improved/maintained a decent living standard for people within the Balkans.  Anyway, that is an important note.  Also, it was actually Slovenia who became the first nation in the Balkans to separate from the former Yugoslavia and was the first Balkan nation to join the European Union.

Okay, as far as the rest of my trip, Sunday, July 29th, with the country becoming a furnace and record temps being set, I went to Skojan Caves, about 40 miles east of Ljubjana.  These caves are some of the biggest in the world and have become a UNESCO World Heritage site due to their geological significance.  Stalagtites and stalagmites both spiral from the walls, and there is this huge underground river inside a deep canyon there.  Once again, when I was there, I saw how friendly Slovenians are, as my tour guide was fantastic!  Also, because of Slovenia's central location and somewhat confusing Slavic language, people there also speak very great English, Italian, and German.

Okay. Yesterday was my final day here and it was so much fun spending a ton of time outside.  I took a tour called the Alpine Fairytale, and this tour brought me to Lake Bled, Bohinj National Park, and Skofja Loka.  We also did a 90-minute hike at Vintgar Gorge and I had the chance to get a nice run in and jump in Lake Bohinj.  The region is part of the Julian Alps and is also home to Slovenia's best desert, a creme cake.  Yes, life was good yesterday (and every day I am in Europe).

So, here are my last thoughts, as I type this on a train bound for Zagreb, Croatia.

1) Slovenia is BEAUTIFUL.

2) Slovenians ARE Beautiful!

3) Ljubjana is one of the most wonderful, national capitals I have ever seen!

4) I am not only glad I came here but also glad I stayed an extra night, and I cannot wait to come back here next summer!

5) I am TIRED:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More updates to come after a few nights in Dubrovnik!

Taking the Night (mare) train

Saturday, July 27th: Imagine for a moment being sent to jail when you thought you were going on a cruise in the Caribbean. Imagine that, in that jail, you dealt with the smell of cat urine and human feces and you also feared you might be attacked if you shut your eyes for a minute. Also, picture yourself cramped into a 4 foot by 4 foot moving box and that box also lacked airflow, with a temperature of around 90 degrees. If you can get this imagery into your head, you might have the slightest inkling of the seven-hour hell I endured last night and this morning when I took the train from Vienna to Ljubiana!

Having a Eurorail Pass had given me the opportunity to ride first class and I thought last night would be no exception. I could not have been further from my assumption. First off, the train departing Vienna was 20 minutes late and I was fearful I would miss my connection to Slovenia. When I got on the first train, I was told to switch cars, which is what I did. Then a worker told me to move back and claimed I had the wrong ticket. After some bantering, I ended up sitting on the floor by a bathroom, cramped in a small hole and holding on for dear life. All the while, I was heavily guarding my own belongings so no one would take them. Yes, I was nervous.

Once the train arrived in Salzburg, I was all excited about the possibility of sitting in a separate seat and spreading out. Instead, I found a middle aged woman with a busted arm in what was supposed to be my seat. I let her stay and I stood for 3.5 hours. We were cramped like canned sardines, with little to movement, and I almost slept standing up.  Needless to say, I am wiped now and just want to sleep. Also, I do not need to take a night train for a while!

I'm a total WIEN-ER :)

SATURDAY, JULY 27: Shortly after arriving at Wien Westbanhof on Wednesday, I fell in love with what is one of the most charming and beautiful national capitals I have ever visited. I found my hostel, called the Wombats, in what is called the Nacht market district, this wonderful strip of primarily Turkish and Asian food vendors and restaurants selling everything from kebabs to falafel to pizza to noodles to all sorts of organic foods. It was here that I saw the diversity and openness of one of the world's great cultural and historic centers. That afternoon, I also went to the Jewish museum in central Vienna and just walked around the city for hours on end.

Now, the next day, I saw two of the most important historical artifacts of the past 100 years, the car that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in when he was assassinated by Gavrilo Principe and the uniform he was wearing on that fateful June day that ultimately led to the start of the First World War. I have taught World War I for over eight years and it was amazing to actually see two major pieces of history.

Later that afternoon, I went to Schönbrunn Schloss, the seat of the Hapsburg monarchy for over three centuries. It is a UNESCO world Heritage site and reminds me very much of Versailles, with its manicured gardens, gilded trim, and overall decadence. I only saw about 20 of the over 1k rooms and that was definitely enough for me. The gardens were also beautiful and by moving by one of the gates, I was able to see the entire city and the castle.

After the castle, I went to the Imperial Zoo, a park that has been around for over 300 years. I was able to understand why it has the reputation of being one of the best in the world, due mainly to the sheer number and types of animals it has.

Yesterday, I went and took a tour of the Austrian Parliament building, an institution that has been around since the late 1800s and styled after Greco-Roman buildings of the classical period. I also think that the tour guide was getting frustrated with me due to the sheer number of questions I was asking about the Austrian political system. Hey, I'm a lifelong learner; I wanna know.

A few final thoughts on Austria:

1) It is beautiful and landscape that rivals Switzerland's.

2) It is cheaper than Switzerland.

3) The country has fantastic food!

4) People are friendly there.

5) Vienna is beyond special.

Now, I am off to the Balkans, with a few days in Slovenia and Croatia. I will say that my overnight train ride is a nightmare, but thst will be explained in my next post.

The Hills were Alive, with the Sound of Music (and I could have cared less!)

July 24th: On a train bound for Vienna, I type this after spending 1.5 days in the BEAUTIFUL city of Salzburg. I arrived late Monday night as I took a train there from Interlaken and spent three hours with a detour to Innsbruck (one of many advantages to having a Eurorail pass).  Innsbruck was magnificent and had amazing views, but I felt like three hours was ample time, enough to get a great feel for the city, have a few beverages, and then move on. It was easy to see why it has hosted the Winter Olympics and the city was really quaint!

Salzburg was also really special and it is mainly known for composers,  the Sound of Music, and salt mines, and of course I was not all that interested in any of that. Still, the city had charm and beautiful mountains, water, and medieval buildings and castles dotted the landscape.

Now, it wouldn't be a European adventure for me without having problems with accommodations, and Salzburg did not disappoint. I arrived around 10 that night and the hostel was overbooked (despite me booking it over a month ago).  I ended up sleeping in the dining room, where I had to be out by 9 yesterday morning so people could eat breakfast. They didn't really give me a discount either so I was not all that thrilled. Still, it overlooked the city and was really actually pretty laid back.

Yesterday, I left Salzburg for the day to take a trip to Werffen to see the ice caves high up in the Alps and those were unreal!  You actually needed a jacket because it was below freezing inside (what would you expect too? I mean, these are ICE CAVES!) !  The Alps are unlike any mountains I have ever seen either and it is just nice to be up there where the air is so fresh and I am away from the bustle of city life.

Not much else to say right now except for I am loving life and living the dream. I kinda miss Boston, but it is so nice to see different cultures and parts of the world. I also do find myself bragging about my job quite a bit too. Yes, the teachers on my study tour heard all about Natick and two people in Germany received Natick coffee mugs as gifts.

OKAY--LG baby and coffee diem. Life is good and caffeinate the day yo :)!

Rest and Relaxation in Switzerland

July 22nd: I just boarded a train in Zurich, bound for four days in Austria, two in Salzburg and two in Vienna. Spending two nights in Switzerland was absolutely wonderful, and, for my first time ever in a European country,  I did not go to any museums or historical sites; rather, I just soaked up the mountains, rivers, and lakes; hiked, ran, and just walked a lot :).

When I arrived in Basel early Saturday morning, I really had no clue what kind of city it was, and I was actually contemplating just going straight to Interlaken. I soon found out though that it is a beautiful city and a hidden gem along the Rhine. It just has so much character and is postcard Swiss town. I will say that I learned quickly how expensive Switzerland is, as I paid $5 for Starbucks drip coffee and $4 for a coke! OUCH :)

Later that afternoon I took a 2-hr train ride to Interlaken and stayed in a tent hostel called Balmers. The hostel was something to be desired, but the scenery was breathtaking, seeing snowcapped 13k foot mountains in July. The most famous is Jugenfrau, which makes the backdrop of the area and is also featured in a James Bond movie.

Yesterday I started my day with an amazing 10 mile run and then hiked all afternoon before walking around downtown Interlaken last night. I really have just lived off of kebabs,  candy, and various beverages the past few days just because Switzerland is so expensive! 

This morning, I just woke up and boarded a train for Luzerne, walked around for 15 minutes and got some chocolate, and then got on another train to Zurich before transferring onto the train I'm on now. Not too much to say about Swiss people except they seem friendly and quality of life must be among the highest in the world. The country has landscape unlike any I have ever seen before and I would love to come back, once I win the lottery or have enough money :) 

Last Days in Berlin

July 20th: I write this now as I sit on a plane bound for Basel, Switzerland to begin the next phase of my journey, a 25-day solo backpacking trip through Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe. I just concluded my two-week study tour with the Goethe-Institut and am excited to see new places and new faces.

Our last days in Berlin included me renting a bike with some colleagues Wednesday night and seeing various neighborhoods, and then workshops and lectures Thursday and Friday with some amazing meals and new sights interspersed. We started Thursday by attending a lecture on Germany today, focusing on issues and strengths the country deals with, especially since the end of the Cold War. The country is still very diverse, politically, economically, and geographically, and there is still this West-East dichotomy, with the Western states in the country predominantly more affluent than those that make up the former East. That might change over time but it definitely exists.

During that lecture, another thing that stood out to me was how the professor used the term "liberator" when referring to the Americans at the end of World War II. It was the first time I had ever heard that term used by Germans in reference to the Second World War, and it was refreshing to know that Germans view OUR veterans as the heroes they are. He said he felt Germany was "liberated" by National Socialism.

On the topic of the Holocaust, in the afternoon, we went to a youth center to learn how one group works to fight bullying and stereotyping by putting on interactive programs for children. It is run by a young Israeli-German who clearly seeks to make a difference, without overtly discussing the Holocaust.  This one program reinforces how Germany, as a whole, continues to reconcile with its past by becoming increasingly open and progressive.

Yesterday, which was my birthday, was spent by taking a walking tour of the Turkish neighborhood known as Hayascher Market followed by lunch in a Turkish restaurant, and then finishing with a discussion in a mosque. What is very important to highlight here are the struggles of "people with migration backgrounds", in other words, newer immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The man who gave us the tour, despite seeing himself as German, discussed the ostracism that he, and so many others, feel, both politically and culturally. Especially after 9/11, xenophobia and Islamophobia have seeped into German society, and, until the year 2000, children born IN Germany to parents who were not German citizens, were not guaranteed German citizenship. The struggles of the Turkish-Germans parallel those of Hispanic-Americans and the perspective I learned yesterday was not one I had known before.

Okay. Final thoughts on the past two weeks:

1) Germany is one of the most open, socially liberal, progressive countries I know and it has come a looooooong way since the World Wars and the Cold War.

2) I LOVE Berlin. It is now my favorite European city and up there with Boston, DC, Denver, and Halifax as my world faves.

3) I will be back in Berlin August 14th as I fly home August 15th. It will be fantastic :)