Day 102 Northern Italy and Old Floating Venice

The culprits of Davide's shortened night.

So my hundredth day out here passed without much fanfare, but I did spend it in the company of Davide, so Montreal homesickness was a certainty. We found ourselves in Udine, and after a bit of drama regarding where to stay, it was decided that we would sleep in the bar! Tetris is a new spot, opened by his buddy Luca, who lived and worked for a decade in London. His girlfriend Korinne is the cook there, and they had called for a consultant to help the kitchen with its service. It's designed to be like a house, and has a gallery, lounge (with benches and cushions, where I laid my head), a room for board games and a room with four xbox consoles! You can chill with coffee, or go watch the footie game, or spend a night of the weekend there when it's super busy and there's a DJ. All in all it's a mixed bag of awesome. I actually got invited to work there, and almost did for a shift, before it became clear that Monday nights are not busy enough to merit two bartenders, much as the owner would have liked!

sleeping angel haha!

cool Tetris decor.

We started early, being as there is not much to do in the city, especially in the rain and winter weather! I did get out to the squares though, and there are some especially gorgeous ones. The nice thing about Udine, versus Rome for example, is that everything you need to see is all in one area, and you can survey it very quickly, and know you haven't missed anything. I am constantly worried in these big cities that I've skipped over something I will regret later! Too much to see, and so little time! The perk of Davide's consultant gig was the free beverages, from Brandy and Tea, to Spritzes, I was all kinds of hooked up. Luca made me a Spritz (which is like their aperitif, pre-dinner cocktail) with Cynar, a bitter derived from artichokes of all things! It's mixed with white wine and soda and served with an orange slice and ice. Delicious!

Look what I found!

We had lunch at the apartment where Michele, Davide's brother, lives with his three roommates. A delicious cauliflower soup is pretty much all we ate all day though, which along with the strawpedos I introduced to him, explains the extreme levels of intoxication experienced by Davide later. The bar provided the backdrop for the rest of the day, and by 9, when we had returned to the apartment to include the boys in our fun, Davide checked out and Korinne and I were left to return to Tetris, where I camped out after it closed at 2.

Floating market!

The next morning I woke up really late, a side-effect of the lack of sleep from the previous few days and the abundance of wine from the previous night. Davide was feeling pretty off, but working out his hangover with some xbox and coffee. I spent the day catching up on my journal, a pasttime I had neglected since Ljubljana, and playing boardgames (which I turned out to be quite good at!). Luckily we had been invited to stay at the apartment, so we turned in early, and watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show, during which I passed out.

Hilarious advert in Venice.

I woke up in time to catch the 10:07 train to Venice Santa Lucia station, saying goodbye to Davide, who was sad to see his link to Montreal heading off. I was really glad to have someone to talk about home with, and before I left we got a few traditional bracelets, which represent wishes that will come true when they fall off. I'm slowly but surely accumulating quite the hippie collection of mementos on my wrist! It was not raining in Venice, and the aqua alta had receeded, so my feet were out of danger!

Neat clock in the square showing astrological signs.

Armed with my trust ipod maps application, I wandered around the city taking in the major sites -  the Rialto Bridge, the Piazza San Marco, and the bevy of canals and winding streets that make the city so picturesque, and so easy to get lost in! I found an inexpensive place to buy Murano glass (some of you are getting presents!!) and another to grab a salad in. The city is full of couples, so that was a little tough, but I made the best of it and appreciated the city for its uniqueness. There really is nothing like it, boats that sell fruits and vegetables to people as they pass, the (very overpriced) gondolas, and the knowledge that you're walking through the city as it looked in the 16th century. It's honestly just a massive museum, and very cool. I wasn't as stunned by it as some are however, and I imagine in warmer weather, with a travel partner, that it would hold more of my interest. I was lucky to avoid the crowds and smell of summer though, so there was a plus for sure!

Bah! WHERE DO I GO?

Church in Piazza San Marco,

the famous Rialto Bridge.

5 hours of wandering was enough for me, and I headed to the Mestre train station to await my first ever sleeper train experience to Rome. One problem with this agenda was the 6 hours waiting to be passed before the thing arrived! I spent a lot of time sipping a glass of wine in the wifi spot across the street, and a lot of time with a coffee in the McDonalds in the station, reading the book Davide gave me. Finishing this, I sat in the cold after the restaurants were closed and passed an hour on my dying iPod, listening to some good ol' Shane Murphy and missing home. I will say this: it was all worth it! The sleeper train is one of the best travel experiences! I slept like a rock, and woke up refreshed in a new city! Sure beats sharing a row of seats with someone on a bumpy bus, or trying to get comfortable in a plane. I was lucky with my last-minute discount, and it cost me €42, but if it ends up costing almost the same as the bus, I would definitely do it again. Unfortunately, cost is usually the deciding factor, and more often than not, it's buses for the win.

Rome at 6:30 am wasn't particularly fascinating to me, so I got to the hostel early, checked my bag in, and took a shower. I was unaware though of the first level problem of alternatively scalding and freezing water, and it was the worst! I managed to only wash my face before being chased out by the temperature fluctuations, and was grateful the fifth floor, where I ended up staying, suffered no such issues!

Rome awaited, and there is so much to do and see!

Love From Abroad, the countdown begins and I'm home soon to see all of your beautiful faces!

Day 99 Ljubljana the Hard Hitter, and Off to Italy

Well I had no expectations about Slovenia at all. I really hadn't planned to go there in the first place, and only made the trip as a connecting city to Italy, as I really wanted to get to Venice. A friend from Montreal, native Italian Davide, lived near there and had offered me a spot to crash and a tour guide for the famous city, so I was itching to get somewhere chill. Turns out I needn't have worried, because the capital of Ljubljana is awesome, as was the hostel I stayed at and the people I met.

Hostel Celica

I arrived at the Hostel Celica, voted the Trendiest by Lonely Planet in 2012. It is fairly new, and used to be a military prison before it was converted. It houses a cafe and bar, and has these cool rooms everywhere, such as the chill Oriental Tea Room where we spent most of our time.

I managed to make the 11:00 walking tour, on which I was the only tourist. The guide and I walked around the city together and I got my own private tour for the low price of 5€! It was a tad awkward though by myself, and I for sure prefer to be in a group if possible. The city is quite condensed, or at least the old part of town, and really nice. I was lucky with the weather (which would not be the case when I reached Italy), and the blue skies made sightseeing so much more pleasant. Ljubljana has some really wonderful bridges, all designed by a famous architect who built most of the city's main buildings and monuments. The Triple Bridge, the Dragon Bridge and the Lock Bridge (probably not their real names, but meh) were all gorgeous, especially the crazy sculptures on them! The Dragon Bridge is flanked by the reptiles, and has griffins all over it as well. People have nicknamed it the Mother In Law Bridge, shame! The Lock Bridge's name is derived from all the (you guessed it) locks that people have left their over the years, throwing the keys into the river. They signify relationships, and couples' hope for lasting happiness, the way the lock will remain with the bridge forever. It was really cute, if cheesy, and I spent a lot of time at a cafe nearby chilling and watching various people contribute to the collection.

Turnip!

A Raw Milk machine!! We need one!

I was lucky, there was a market going on nearby that day, and I was able to score a taste of pickled turnip, which is a lot like saurkraute, and delicious to boot! We saw a neat church with a crazy door depicting the history of the city, which the guide claimed to be about 7000 years old! Crazy! The river that passes through disappears into the ground at intervals, and in years prior was though to be different each time it re-emerged, lending it the nickname of the 'River of Seven Names'. There are fountains all over as well, and it is generally just a cool city to relax in. One of the neatest areas is right next to my hostel acutally, called Metelkova. It's been overtaken by the alternative crew, and covered in street art and cool structures. There are a bunch of bars there that cater to all kinds of music tastes, and it's a lively area at night! I wandered around taking pictures, feeling like a total tourist as the locals glared at me with my camera. Hey though, now I can show all of you, so it was worth it!

I returned to the hostel and met my roommate Nathan. He's only in for the weekend, and then goes back to being a suit in the finance sector of Staffield (is that an oxymoron? Brits, anyone?) He bombs around Europe on the weekend, taking advantage of the cheap flights that us Non-Citizens are so jealous of. My God what I would do if it cost me €40 round trip to go somewhere awesome... dangerous. We headed downstairs and played some Jenga, before hitting a little supermarket and buying booze and dinner stuff. Lately it's been a trend that I end up in hostels where outside alcohol is not allowed, but I usually cheap out and make it work anyways, refilling a wine glass over and over until the bottle I stashed in my room is gone.. heehee! Ah well, when you're on a budget you have to make it work somehow right?

What are they doing to that weird dog thing???

We were joined by David, another traveler who is 42 and wanders around on his time off, seeing the world. I am pretty awed by him, he came out and partied with us at the electronic show we went to later as well, and had some pretty insightful things to say. He's also a diver, and reminded me that I really need to use my license when I get back, because that is a FUN thing to do! The three of us hung out and smoked shisha, listening to the weird hipster accordion show going on in the next room. We eventually headed out, as I'd been tipped off in the loo about a cool Progressive Trance concert with free entry. We had a ball, dancing and chilling until 4:30 in the morning. I got two hours of sleep, and then luckily woke up to my alarm, signaling the end of  my surprisingly awesome stay in Slovenia.

The Oriental Tea Room

Green Apple Shisha!

I caught a sketchy looking minibus to Venice, and on the bus met another friend, this time a Northern Irish guy who gave me so many awesome tips on South East Asia and India when I eventually get my act together and head over there. Did you know you can go tubing down this lazy river type thing in Cambodia, and paddle over to bars along the way? How awesome does an orangutan and gibbon safari sound, where you zip-line around and stay in the tree-tops? I'm going to love that part of the world I think!

I met Davide at the station. The guy was nice enough to travel into the city for 2 hours to hang out while we waited for a return train and then traveled 2 hours back! We caught up and talked about what is new with us and our friends in Montreal. He was pretty devastated to hear that a certain Brutopia waitress is now married and pregnant... seems he had a crush while he was in town! We visited this little town in the Pre-Alps called Belluno, the biggest in his area. The North of Italy is very different from the South - quiet, sleepy, and covered in mountains. While I'm sure there is bustle from time to time, it's not like the busy streets of Rome, or the Mediterranean weather and vibe that comes from sea. We had a local delicacy, roasted chestnuts with mulled wine, and visited a free art gallery showcasing a bunch of wood carvings competing for prizes. I snapped a shot of an amazing one, depicting a tree stump with mushrooms and fauna growing about it.

We headed into his little town, Cornie, where his adorable Mom had prepared a fantastic meal of Radicchio Risotto and Saffron Chicken. MMMM! She speaks no English, and my Italian is derived only from my knowledge of French and limited abilities in Latin and Spanish, so whenever we would get a point across the result was always mutual excitement. I showered, a strange experience as they had no curtain and you basically use the shower head as you crouch in the bathtub... very strange, but since it worked I guess I can't complain! I was even gifted a pair of slippers, which I have been wearing non-stop since. It's funny the little things you miss when you're away from home, and slippers has been one!

We had planned to walk into the bar in town, it being Saturday and all, but an onset of rain and tiredness changed these plans into the far more tame ones of watching a show and hitting the sheets. Davide has two twin beds in his room, so I was not relegated to the couch as I had assumed, and I had a great sleep until the morning, when we had to rise early to take a taxi to the station and head into town. The buses don't run on Sundays in Cornie, so this was a necessity, but it does bring my total taxi count to 6 on the trip so far, and I'm going to try and keep it that way! I like public transport, honestly!

 The rain from the night before had worsened, and owing to this, and the reports of intense Aqua Alta (High Tide) in Venice, I decided to take Davide up on his offer, and head to Udine with him. Udine is near Slovenia, and he was asked to consult on a new bar there for a friend. It's not so far, and seems like a good place to while away a few days, this trip's about spontaneity right? So I was off to Udine, one of the most expensive cities in the area. The wealth per capita is huge I'm told, so I'm pretty glad I've got a free place to stay and a free place to drink! Though we didn't know where we were crashing exactly, Davide told me it would all get figured out, and I wasn't phased.

I had hoped to sleep on the bus, but talking and looking at scenery proved too much of a distraction, and we ended up in Udine no more rested than at 6:45 when we had woken up. These early mornings are getting to me I swear!

Ciao Amicis!

Day 97 Pleasantly Surprised By Zagreb

Hey again! Wow, I keep falling wildly behind here, but I promise to get this sucker up to date again!

So I left Dubrovnik and made my way to Zagreb on another overnight winner. The bus rides are getting easier, but honestly after about 20 over-nighters, they should be! I arrived pretty early and luckily just as the hostel was opening. Valentina, a friend I had met in Barcelona, has recommended the sHappy Hostel, right in the centre of things and reasonably priced. Also, it's nice and new, so everything looks hip and modern. When I checked into my room later, I was happy to see the bed made with a fluffy duvet and cozy fleece blankets. I was able to dump my gear and use the Internet before heading back to the bus station to sit my ass down again.

I had heard amazing things about Plitvice Lakes, another UNESCO site that is about 2.5 hours away from Zagreb. In the summer the water is an incredible shade of blue, and in fall the foliage more than makes up for the change in hue. I paid my student fare and set off along one of the marked paths. Being off-season, aside from a few massive groups of Asians I was surrounded by silence and nature. The boardwalk, made all in planks taken from the forest, winds through the site, taking hikers past waterfalls, wide lakes, and serene landscapes. I did take an abundance of photos, and some cheeky selfies too.

On the way home 3 hours later, I caught a minibus and sat next to Hannah, a new friend from where else - Australia. She's on a high-school gap year and staying with relatives in the city, and we talked the whole way back. I told her about the Museum of Broken Relationships, and she decided to accompany me! Our driver was not so pleased to wind around the twisty streets of old Zagreb, but I convinced him to drop us there and we went inside. For about $4 we saw one of the most unique collections in the world, aside from the traveling component that is. I think it's somewhere in Brazil, but how cool would it be if it came to Montreal?

The museum isn't big. Only about 5 rooms, but each is themes and relates to various causes for breakups. The toughest to go through was the one relating to death, where people just genuinely wanted to share their experience with the world. Many people send items in out of exhibitionism, out of curiosity, out of a need for closure or from not knowing what to do with reminders of the past. The receptionist explained that the museum evolved from a lack of any such thing: people have ways to commemorate births, deaths, and other major events, but how do you officially mourn a relationship?

Some of the items are funny, some are cautionary tales, and some are sad. It was hilarious to see the sex toys and rubber boobs on the wall, as well as an axe used by a jilted lesbian to break her partner's furniture up into kindling. I almost cried at the toy key donated by a woman whose love was never consummated, much to her frustration, until she discovered he had AIDS, which he died from. I saw many stuffed animals, a wedding album, and a few letters. It's funny what people associate with events, and what some cannot bear to part with at the end of it all. That's honestly one of the main reasons people send things in, because they can't see if thrown out and can't stand to keep it. The museum provides people with a place to give these up and move on. I thought it was pretty cool.

I left and went back to the hostel, saying goodbye to Hannah and receiving an invitation to come stay in Adelaide if I ever get to Oz. Seriously, I'm never going to stay in any hostels at this rate, Aussies are just too nice! I messaged Valentina, and threw my stuff into the room. This other blonde was my only roommate, and she was already in bed owing to a 3 am flight. I was surprised the next morning though to see her still asleep... see, that's why you don't go to bed in these situations! It never works I swear!

Can you believe the guy that got his ex-wife to wear this???

I met up with my girl and we went on a tour of the city at night. I saw the theatre, the old town, a gorgeous view of the city, as well as the streets that house all the cool terraces in the summer. It was awesome to hang out with a local, and she showed me an awesome view of the lit-up city. Sadly, as usual, it's impossible to capture it on camera, so you'll all just have to imagine it. Unlike most cities, the downtown area of Zagreb is subjected to a building height restriction, so it's all fairly uniform until you turn your attention to the outskirts. We ended up at a cool little spot and ordered a platter of Croatian specialties, which like much of the rest of the Balkans, consisted of a lot of grilled meat and veggies, which I paired with a shot of Rakija.

Valentina and I caught up, and she picked up the tab as well. On top of being my personal tour guide and treating me to dinner, she organized that I should ride with her boss to Ljubljana the next morning, saving me bus fare! I was really grateful, and honestly would love to host someone in my own beautiful city so I can return the favour. So nice of her. I was a little nervous about this whole ride with strangers thing, mainly just because of the potential for awkwardness, but in the end Valentina had to come along and attend the meeting too, so it all worked out!

So I was off to the European Union again, and Slovenia ended up being pretty awesome!

Love From Abroad!

Day 96 One-Hundred and One Dalmatian Coasts

Actually guys, there's really only one... sorry to disappoint those who've been here and know how amazing it would be to have places like this scattered everywhere.

I left Mostar on a rainy day, and arrived a few hours later in Dubrovnik, still on a rainy day. I was a little nervous about how to reach my guesthouse, Begovic Boarding, as I hadn't received any confirmation of a pick up, nor any further instructions on how to get there. I was so relieved to see a sign with my (admittedly misspelled) name on it being held by a lovely older man as I disembarked. The bus itself wasn't so bad, the countryside is breathtaking, but we were stopped four times for passport checks!

The hostel patio in the Sun!

A little discouraged with the weather, I spent my first afternoon poking around the neighbourhood of Lapad, and stocking up on groceries with the intention of saving myself the cost of dining out for the next few days.I caught up on some tv, and generally just took it easy. This lovely Australian couple introduced themselves while they cooked in the adjoining room, and we all drank wine and some kind of figgy ethanol they'd bought in Bosnia (huwaaaat?). They invited me to go down to the Old City (Stare Grad) with them the next morning, and with the plans in place, I turned in around 11. The next morning brought sun and warmth, and I dug out my summer clothes, taking full advantage. A kiwi tree grows right over the patio here, and one was ripe enough to supplement my breakfast, providing a fabulous start to what was sure to be a great day.

View of the sea from the walls.

The whole old city of Dubrovnik is actually a UNESCO world heritage site. I am shocked when I think back on all the things I've seen that fall within that category, especially in Turkey! It's also where the scenes of King's Landing, from the show Game of Thrones were shot! At one point while I was there I actually looked down at the same camera angle from which Stannis Baratheon's naval charge was filmed! We bussed down there and planned to meet up again after their tour was complete. I declined to go along, as it was not of the free variety, and instead opted for the slightly cheaper, and well worth it, walk of the walls. The two kilometer circumference of the old town is a beautiful view of the surrounding islands, of the red-roofed interior, and of the hills behind the city. Like the rest of the Balkans, this city was bombarded in the wars for territory, and 85% was destroyed. The restoration has been masterfully done though, and even if it isn't the authentic materials or anything, it's still really special to look down at what was once a bustling Roman settlement, medieval town, and pre-war city. The churches within the walls are gorgeous too, and though it was nice not to have to fight crowds of other tourists, it is easy to imagine throngs of excited beachgoers getting a dose of culture as they alight from their yacht tours. I would love to return in the summer to see the beachy side of Croatia and visit the islands, which I have heard great things about!

The Croatian flag in the breeze. The local name of the coutry is actually Republiska Hrvatska!

mmmm... Candied Orange Peel!

The wall walk took me only about an hour, as I did stop and take a few snaps here and there. I was lucky enough to bump into Toby and Kez again and I highly recommended the venture. I proceeded to work the city in a sort of mixed-up grid pattern, and wandered around the pretty cobblestone streets browsing. I caved and bought some sugared orange peel, a Croatian candy, and was stopped at a jewellry store and gifted with a lovely new bracelet to add to "my traveller's collection" of mementos. My accessories never match what I'm wearing, but I could care less - I've said it before, but it really is the people and the memories you make that you can take away with you on trips like this. Who knows what I'll be like next time I'm back here, and that bracelet will be a reminder of the person I was when I got it.

a sea of red roofs behind my shameless selfie. Hey,
when you travel alone you gotta make your own pictures!

view of the Old Town from the "hill".

I stopped at a cafe on the main avenue and messaged my new friends. They've been driving all around Eastern Europe in a huge orange camper van, free camping when they can and staying in hostels otherwise. It would be so amazing to take so much time away from real life when I'm married to just experience things like that! They joined me after their walk, and offered to buy me lunch, which was wholely unnecessary but really appreciated. We dawdled and chatted and shared stories for a while longer, before heading back to Lapad. They were off to Montenegro and Macedonia, before making their way to Turkey and back to London, where they have set up a base of sorts from which to work and make enough to keep going. If I had more time I would love to head south overland, saving Italy for another trip, but alas, I have a flight booked. Read my posts a few days back about NOT PLANNING. Seriously, this is another moment when I realize I could've done things differently. Ah well!

Incredible view of the mountains!

Looking over the whole town.

I met Jenny as we shared the kitchen to cook dinner. She had stumbled in that morning off a night bus from Zagreb, and done her own exploring. We chilled and drank wine (again...) and she told me about how she, in her early thirties, had up and took a long leave from her lucrative job in D.C. to come and do a world tour. She had found that she needed more time however, and was in the process of quitting altogether. It's incredible how many people I've met who share that mentality- "there is more to life than this, more to life than work." I admire those who could easily just stay set in their ways, set in their jobs, and instead see the world and travel their dreams.

Surveying History.

We woke up this morning and she dragged my lazy ass out to the old town again, where we climbed up the nearby hill. I wanted to call it a mountain, but as someone who has climbed Kilimanjaro, she insisted it was in fact a hill. There is a funicular that takes less ambitious tourists to the top for the view, but we were hardcore about it, and reached the summit in under an hour. It was another great day, and I was really hot by the top, but I won't be complaining when I reach Zagreb tomorrow and it's chilly again. I've enjoyed my few days of summery weather!

Down on the seashore.

While it wasn't quite warm enough to swim, we went down to the beach and dandled our toes in, before heading back home to cook again. I managed to make my groceries last the whole trip, and I think I'm getting better at this! It's a shame, because it is coming towards the end, but I'll pick right back up next time I go out adventuring! I catch the night bus up to Zagreb tonight, and hope to make it to Plitvice Lakes, a national park, tomorrow. A friend of mine that I met last year in Spain lives there and has promised to show me some nightlife, so maybe I can stop drinking by myself in hostels for a while...

I love you guys tons, it's crazy to think about how longs it's been since I've seen Canada! I will send news soon.

Once I get to Italy I can slow down a little (I hope) and get to know specific places. I guess this trip will leave me with a fabulous list of all the places I want to come back to! I need a job that combines the love of travelling with a little bit of earning power. I'm taking suggestions!

Love From Abroad.

The sunset in Lapad.