Tips&Tricks&Other! – Alex goes Adventuring

[Around China] Yixing

A short 2.5 hour train ride lies Yixing which is a small (by China standards) city lying adjacent to bamboo forests, caves and factories. We were there for the first two offerings.

Arriving in Yixing we hopped on a tourist bus where we were the only foreigners – so stares were abundant and people were willing to talk and ask questions. At this time there was a light misting rain and the countryside was covered in fog (or what we hope was fog and not low lying smog.. although this is China, so both are valid options.) The bamboo forest was nothing short of magical and looked like something from an Asian horror movie/fairytale. Mist draping every tree and spindly bamboo trees popping out in between. We went a little off the trail and hiked up in to the forest, which while a slippery slope up was well worth while. Coming down we explored the area below which contained a lake, temples and pagodas. The lake was a dark algae green and to get from one side to the other we crossed a definitely not sketchy bridge that was on the surface of the water. So every time I took a step, water lapped over my shoes and and the wooden boards were covered. Afterwards we took a cable car to the top of a ‘mountain’ which on a non foggy day would have offered spectacular views but today the temple at the top was shrouded in fog.

After the bamboo forest we went to a cave which was more theatrical that we had imagined. We had imagined a small cave in a mountain but what we got was a large cave with lights hi lighting different points that looked more like a setting for a rave than an ancient cave. We took a gondala style boat through the river and the cave and arrived at the exist. Once through the cave we were treated to a gorgeous cascading waterfall bordered by a pagoda.

In the evening we headed back to the main city where we enjoyed hotpot with such fun things as eating brain, tripe, frog and noodles for good measure. Delicious.

Tips:

Go off the bath in bamboo forest
Stay overnight in Yixing, cool little city

Marauding about in Morocco

Morocco was absolutely incredible. Since we only had a short time we stayed in Marrakech which is one of the cultural points of Morocco.

The hostel we stayed at was in the centre of the medina. The medina is a large (incredibly large) open air market full of twists and turning selling everything from spices to leather to souvenirs to jewelry to knock off Louis Vuitton. In between the stalls there are restaurants serving both Moroccan and international food. We wandered through these twisting stalls, ignoring cries in Arabic, French and English offering to sell us ‘cheap goods at a good price for beautiful ladies’ and arrived to our hostel which was in the centre of this beautiful chaos. After dropping bags off we wandered through the medina. Since my arabic level is somewhere between 0 and 0.1 (limited to thank you, how are you, I love you and baby – you know, the essentials) I was initially worried about being able to communicate. However, my worry was unnecessary most vendors spoke enough French (or even perfect French) – in all honesty I think I spoke more French in Morocco than I did in my first week living in France.

The next day we headed out on a three day tour of the Atlas Mountains and Sahara. It is possible to rent a car and go around yourself – however, I did not trust myself enough to drive in the chaos of Morocco (and plus on the tour got to meet some really cool people from Europe, Asia and North America.)

First up on the tour was the Atlas Mountains. They were rounded not jagged like the alps or rockies and in the distance I could even see snow capped peaks. Sitting on a patio at the edge of a cliff enjoying a Moroccan Style tea with fresh mint and sugar with mountains around me, an endless sky above and a winding river in the valley below was so peaceful and I could have stayed there for hours.

In the evening we stayed in a hotel down in the valley. Our group was hanging out on the roof, drinking tea with mint and admiring the endless array of stars above.

On the next day we stopped in a Bedouin village where they come down from the mountains every year to raise crops and animals and make some of the most gorgeous carpets I had ever seen.

Afterwards we headed for the sahara desert and rode camels. I affectionately called my camel Leroy and for some unknown reason he was taller than the other camels (I swear this is true.. look at photo I’ll post here). So I am not sure if readers are familiar with riding a camel – but it is not sexy, not comfortable and not as gentle as riding a horse. First to get on the camel lays on ground, you sit on the back and then they lift back legs and then with a jolt lift the front legs. In addition – the ‘saddle’ on the back has no stirrups and since it was a one humped camel (or dromedary as correctly called) you are sitting on top of the hump holding on to the metal handle in front. On flat parts or uphill it’s possible to almost elegantly balance, but down hill or with that second jolt for the camel to stand (or first jolt to go back down) I was holding on for dear life. Incredibly cool experience, also terrifying. Although riding through the sahara going up and over sand dunes and sitting on the top of the sand dune watching thousands of colors mesh together in a sunrise I was able to forget some of my fear.

That night we camped in the desert. In the evening our guides made a bon fire and we sat around watching the stars as they drummed and sang songs. They asked me to join them in drumming and even though I insisted I had no rhythm (I don’t) they won me over. Some how ended up drumming with our Moroccan guides, singing Lady Gaga, Journey with the group all under the watchful eye of the sahara sand dunes and the open array of desert stars.

Next day early, early, early in the morning (like 5am early) we headed out into the desert, again on camel and rode back to town as the pink clouds of the sunrise appeared.

4 days in Morocco was not nearly enough. The beauty of the sahara, the chaos of the markets, and the kindness of the people drew me in and I know I will be back to explore more of what this unique country has to offer (and who knows I might give riding a camel another shot.)

Tips:

Do a tour (good priced and many included hostel in the city.)
Have backup bank cards. The currency is a closed currency so it’s hard to find outside of Morocco so bring multiple bank cards to get cash in case your first does not work
Don’t take it too seriously! In the market people yelling, squishing everywhere and pure chaos – but enjoy it!
Go!

Budaful Budapest

Budapest,Hungary –

I arrived in Budapest to find that the staff at my hostel were perhaps the most lovely and genuine of any of the hostels I had stayed at in the last 3 weeks (thanks hostel one Budapest!) so this initial experience set the tone.

On the first day I went exploring to the buda castle. For those that don’t know Budapest used to be two cities, buda and pest, separated by the Danube river. The pest side is mostly flat while the buda side has many hills. It is on one of these hills that the buda castle perches and it is incredible. More of a compound than a castle the white stone architecture, statues and gardens I could imagine being in full bloom in summer were on par with the incredible panoramic views of the city below. From the castle I went to st Michaels church which is a church with towering spires and a mosaic roof. On the way back to the pest side I was walking over the bridge and was struck by how he buildings on both sides reflected the pink sunset among themselves – looking more ethereal than present.

From there I met up with friends from Australia who I had not seen in two years and we perused Christmas markets enjoying cheap mulled wine and the Christmas set atmosphere. There was one market with a live band and the street down had incredible laser presentation on the basilica – it was very cool.

The next day started out by going to the Széchenyi Medicinal Baths with the lovely Cheralyn (Ubc friend, also in exchange in Bordeaux.) My oh my, were the baths ever relaxing. From the coloured walls surrounding the baths to the marble looking statues I felt I was enjoying a life of luxury. This combines with the proper brunch (super cheap) we had in the morning had led us to believe we were women of leisure. After the baths we explored a castle in the park which with its most, ivy clinging to the walls and very Cinderella esque design.

From the castle we ventured to parliament. On the way to parliament we stopped at the shoe installation on the side of the river. The shoes are made of metal and realistically filled with wear and creases. They are to pay homage to the Jewish Hungarians who in 1944-45 were taken from their home, made to take their shoes off before being shot into the river. The shoes reflect the people who were shot so are men’s, women and children’s shoes. Yes even children were not spared this horrid fate. I know I have already put out a call once in this blog for compassion over hate but let this serve as another and I urge you to research this yourself.

Afterwards we went to parliament which is an impressive gothic inspired structure that puts many North American parliaments to shame. The towering building looks out onto the river and the spires reach and curve all around the building. The courtyard is full of soldiers and police who are dwarfed by the statue of a man on a horse and the giant Christmas tree. After parliament we were a tad chilly so went for tea and cake before heading black to the hostel.

Two days in Budapest was not enough. There is so much more to explore, more to eat and more to learn. I am not sure when I will be back but I am certain that I will be back.

Tips

– Buy a 24/48/72 hour travel card. Budapest is a great walking city but in winter it gets chilly so good to have option to jump on a tram if you get cold!

– Stay at hostel one – you won’t regret it!

– Eat and eat and eat some more

Breakfast in Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia –

On my way to budapest from Vienna I stopped in Bratislava, Slovakia for a couple hours (yay for 1$ bus rides!)

It’s a gorgeous city where the old town looks picture perfect at every angle. The Bratislava castle sweeps over the city with its white and red decor. From the top I saw incredible views that to the right were new steel bridges and to the left were the old red roofs of the old town.

Afterwards I continued to walk around and admire the buildings all of which contained different colors, shapes and looked quite quaint.

There was a Christmas market with wonderful food including sausages, sandwiches and much more! It was in the shadow of a magnificent church which created a very authentic vibe.

While Bratislava was adorable I would say that an afternoon here is enough!

Tips:

– Do as a stopover onto another place
– Public transport system here is great so it’s easy to slip into old town

Mulled Vino in Vienna

Vienna, Austria –

My main goal for visiting Vienna was to see lovely friends who are on exchange here (oh hey Charlotte and Liam). I didn’t know what to expect from Vienna but what I found was a vibrant and historic city filled with energy, milled wine and historic buildings.

Night one was a traditional Viennese American thanksgiving with Charlottes friends (I didn’t get any turkey for Canadian thanksgiving as I was in Milan so this was a great treat.) Afterwards was perhaps the best apfelstrudel I have had to date with a great hot chocolate at a cafe called Elies which is apparently a Vienna institution.

Next day was spent exploring the city. The buildings here are so intricately carved and huge. It’s like they are meant to strike fear and awe into those that look at them – as it is impossible not to feel small and insignificant next to them. I started out walking at Volkstheater and walked to look at Stephensplatz which held a cathedral with a gorgeous mosaic roof. I worked my way through the luxurious shops to end up at michaelsplatz which houses a grand semicircle building with imposing gates. Afterwards I met up to liam and we lurked around Christmas markets admiring Christmas ornaments, wood carvings and the food (and enjoying the mulled wine which comes with a mug you can keep! Yay free mug!)

We went to a castle called Schonbrunn Palace which is a humongous complex rivaling Versailles that housed the Austrian emperor. The palace consists of intricately landscaped grounds, fountains, a zoo, labyrinth like paths, a butterfly atrium and so much more. Very cool place where I could have spent hours exploring. We passed by the Vienna state opera which was just as impressive as I had imagined it- with statues guarding the top and columns opening the entrance. Afterwards we enjoyed a traditional Viennese chocolate cake at a cafe called hotel srocher.

In the evening Charlotte and I, being the example of grace and class went to see an opera. We saw marriage of figaro and even though it was in German so I understood less than half of the words it was brilliant.

Right now I am at the bus station in Vienna waiting to catch a bus to Bratislava.

Tips:
– Walk around – Vienna, while large, has a great downtown area that is easily walkable
– If you need to take transit buy 24hour pass (or however long you are there) it will save time and money
– Want to go to an opera? You can get standing room tickets from 3€ and get discount tickets as well for the seated
– Go at Christmas – all the Christmas markets were absolutely wonderful

Czeching out Prague

Prague –

Oh Prague – I had heard so many stories about Prague (most of them not appropriate to share on this Prague) so I was curious what the city had to offer.

When I arrived to Prague at 7 am straight off a 7 hour night bus from Poland I was weirdly ready to hit the ground running. I dropped my stuff at my hostel and went out to explore where my first stop was Starbucks for free wifi to carve out a plan (yes super authentic – but no judgement). Afterwards I went on a free walking tour of the old town and Jewish quarter with a company called Prague extravaganza (would definitely recommend as our guide was fantastic!) the old town has gorgeous buildings in different shades of pastel – from green to orange to blue with curving stone edges and carvings that in some cases are hundreds of years old . The history is incredible- with city gates with gates where only a king could ride through, an alleged hand of a thief in a gorgeous church that from the outside looked like nothing and carvings on the walls that hole a story about who used to reside there. The city is filled with curving alleys to provide shortcuts from a to b which look sketchy on first approach but actually held really cool cafes with locals and intricate buildings. The Jewish quarter held so much history with the oldest synagogue in Europe and stories about the neighborhood as it developed over time.

The next day I was ready again to hit the ground running and started with walking over the Charles bridge which is a gorgeous bridge with a sweeping entrance. On the river below ducks and swans hang out waiting for bread to drop down. After crossing the bridge I made my way to the Prague castle which is a compound with a church, castle and galleries (among other things) with views over the city below. Afterwards I walked up to Petrin Park where you can go into the Prague version of the Eiffel Tower (appearance only) and walk up 300+ stairs or take an elevator for gorgeous panoramic views of the city. (Well worth the cost!)

Prague is a wonderful city with so much history – from kings to communism to cafes it tells so many stories and I will for sure return to learn more.

Tips:

– Do a free walking tour with Prague extravaganza!
– Stay in the Old Town (close to everything)
– Eat the Kurtos kalacs which are absolutely delicious
– I found credit card was accepted most places but if you want to go to markets/buy street food you will probably need around 150 Franks per day (conservatively)

Krakow – somber and beautiful

Krakow, Poland –

My main purpose for visiting Krakow was not to see the city itself but I was pleasantly surprised. My hostel was centrally located in the old city which is surrounded by a wall dating back to the 14th century. The old city consists of an array of buildings – different cookies, styles and histories that could take days to explore. The history in the city is incredible and walking through the twisting and turning streets with the assistance of Wikipedia /google maps I felt I was only beginning to grasp it.

My main purpose for coming to krakow was to see auschwitz. After seeing the genocide memorials in Rwanda and Cambodian and the holocaust museum in Jerusalem I felt that it was important to see it in order to figer cement how horrific events like that can happen. I won’t speak much to this as I believe the history is well known – but after seeing auschwitz I am more than ever before simply shocked at the sheer brutality and planning that was instrumental in carrying out the holocaust. Learning about the history is one thing but seeing in person how the site was designed to kill, dehumanizes and abuse those who entered was both eye opening and horrific.

What visiting reminded me was that all times, but especially now with the political and social situation we live in it is so important to seek understanding instead of misunderstanding and compassion instead of hatred.

Tips:

– Stay in the old town
– Eat pirogies (so cheap, so delicious)
– If you do an auschwitz tour as a student the most you should pay is 99PLN. You can also take the train but there are specific times guided tours start and for most parts the specific auschwitz guide is required so I recommend the tour as most convenient

Iceland is cool!

Iceland –
Iceland – the first word that comes to mind is wow. I had arrived not knowing what to expect, hoping to see nature and the gorgeous country I had seen in photos and heard about from friends. I was not to be disappointed.

I stayed at a hostel called Loft which was right downtown, had great amenities and after research the place where I thought I could get the most bang for my buck.

On my first day I went on a Golden Circle tour. At this point in Iceland the sun rises around 10 and sets around 4/430- so while the tour started at 9 it felt like it was the middle of the night. The tour started off at a greenhouse where they grow the most delicious tomatoes. They use geothermal energy, bumble bees and an electronic system for their process and it worked.
Next up was the geysers which were very cool. By now it had started to snow and walking amongst the geysers with snow falling down, surrounded by the steam coming up from the ground below and watching the active geysers spray up water every few minutes was an almost magical experience. After this the tour went to Gulfoss waterfall. Despite the below zero temperature the water fall was flowing powerfully (both the upper and lower) and was a sight to behold as it wound its way through a rocky cavern after the drop. Last stop of this tour was Þingvellir national park which is where the euro and North American tectonic plates meet and also where they are pulling apart at a rate of 1cm per year. Here the landscape was jagged and rocky with the rocks covered in varying shades of green moss. In this national park is a lake that at first I thought was an ocean as it seemed to go on infinitely, and had waves crashing around. However, it is a lake called lake Þingvellir with a small river leading to it. This whole landscape was bordered on all sides by jagged mountains capped with snow. Upon returning to Reykjavik I enjoyed a gourmet meal of subway, because although Iceland is lovely the prices are very expensive (like 20$ for an appetizer expensive) so subway was the most nutrient filled option I could find.

The next couple days were filled with exploring Reykjavik through free walking tours, wandering aimlessly and feeling wonderful about being back in a city with both ocean and mountains (incredibly beautiful, although slightly colder than the mild temperature of the ocean and mountain combo I have been used to in Vancouver.) the harbor of the city has a glass paneled concert hall with jagged lines and reflections that is an architectural masterpiece and lies in contrast to the natural rocky shore line, crashing waves and mountains across the way.

The next day I did a tour to the southern part of Iceland. The tour started looking at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall which was on a hill falling down into a river below. It was so windy that the waterfall was blowing and spraying mist on me. It was also so windy that me (even as a tough and weather seasoned Canadian) was freezing. After this we stopped at another waterfall called Skógafoss Waterfall where I got quite warm when I walked the 400 steps to the top. The view was incredible – the waterfall fell in between snow and brown grass dotted hills and from this point I was offered views of the ocean to my left and endless rolling mountains to my right. At the top it was extremely windy so I risked life and life (well more accurately scarf and phone) to get pictures. After climbing down I walked down to the base of the waterfall which was pure ice but misty and had a rainbow reflecting off the thundering water.

This then leads me to the highlight of my time in Iceland which is climbing a glacier. Before the climb each person was harnessed up, given crampons (which I believe to potentially be the best ever invention as they allowed me to walk on ice without slipping), a helmet and an pick axe (yes I was entrusted with a pick axe, no I did not accidentally stab anyone.)
The climb began on the side of the glacier where I carefully followed the guide because if you should fall into the many, many crevices lining the glaciers surface it will not bode well for you. Finally we reached the top and I was struck by an absolutely stunning view. Mountains bordered a glacier lake and the light reflecting on the mountains, lake and the glacier gave the scene a very ethereal quality. On the climb down we crawled through an ice cave part of the glacier which was a glorious light bubbly blue and was surprisingly not cold but rather gritty and lifeless to the touch.

After the glacier the day ended with standing on a black sand beach, volcanic rock formations to my left, watching the sun set. The incredible array of orange, gold and pink in the setting sun as it disappeared and only the Ivey water was left is not something I will soon forget.

On my last day I stopped at the blue lagoon which was thoroughly relaxing and due to the minerals, steam room and showers I probably left the blue lagoon the cleanest I had been in months.

Iceland Tips:

– Rent a car! It can save you time and money (I wasn’t too confident in my winter driving – but when I go back next time in summer I will for sure!)
– If you do a glacier hike, book a guide/tour- our guide was telling us horror stories of people venturing alone and better to be safe than sorry
– Be ready to spend $$. Iceland is expensive from food to tours to beverages you will have to fork over more cash than you are used to – but the experiences are well worth it
– Stay at Loft! If you are travelling with a group see if a centrally located airbnb or hotel is cheaper – but if not go with Loft
– Be prepared for changing weather. On my first day it rained, snowed, was sunny and had a sleet wind storm all in the span of a few hours
– Go to Iceland. It’s one of the most incredible places I have visited to date and I will for sure be back.

London, lovely as always

London, England –

As Samuel Johnson said: when one is tired of London, one is tired of life. I am definitely not tired of life and even though this was my third trip to London I was definitely not tired of it.

Since on my previous two trips I had been at a very touristy pace I decided to be more laid back with the trip this time.

On the first day I went to the Tate modern which is a wonderful (mostly free) modern art museum. I say mostly free as while there general collection is free you can pay for specialty exhibitions. I only saw that free part and spent a wonderful four hours there.

London is ready for the holiday season

On this same day I also went to see Book of Mormon. I bought tickets the day of at one of the many discount outlets at Leicester square. I was happy I did this because the price I received was not available online (everything online was much more expensive) and the seats were decent. Book of Mormon was amazing and if you are in London I would definitely recommend seeing it.

For lunch I checked out Chinatown and had congee (cheap, filling and delicious.)

And for dinner I had Whole Foods from the hot bar (cheap, wonderful and again wonderful). In Vancouver I have a slight dependence on the Whole Foods hot bar so it was nice to indulge again.

London Eye by night

Next day I had a lazy day at the flat of my friend before heading out late afternoon to check out second hand bookshops before ending up around Buckingham palace.

Dinner was xiao long bao buns at a cute place in Chinatown.

In the evening I went to a show that was part of the London Jazz festival with some friends. We saw a group called The Bad Plus who I would for sure recommend!

Monday left London and I am typing this on the plane to Iceland.

A whirl and trip in one of the most wonderful, energetic cities in the world. Until next time London.

General Tips:

– Get an Oyster card! (It’s cheaper than buying a ticket each time and when you leave you get back the balance of the card and the deposit).
– Walk! On my first day I walked along the themes and then to Leicester square and around (23km in total) but when you are touring around it doesn’t feel like it. (Make sure you have good shoes and an umbrella)
– Saturday Morning Market: Broadway Market. Cute shops, cool ambience
– Flying into Gatwick? Take the Gatwick express train. Yes there are cheaper busses, but the train gets you there faster; is easy and you can spread out a bit more.

Travels (Enjoying how Cheap Italy Is)

A couple weekends ago I went to Milan to visit Tessa, one of my friends from UBC. The plan was to stay in Milan for the weekend… but that didn’t happen.

After exploring Milan on Friday- including the duomo which is a gorgeous gothic inspired cathedral, springing around on a bull that is supposed to bring good luck and seeing castles, restaurants and arches we decided to head out that night on a mini vacation.

We took a night bus to Rome- which means we left Milan at 11:30pm and arrived to Rome at 6am. From Rome we took another bus that took three hours and dropped us in Salerno which is a city at the tip of the Amalfi Coast.

In Salerno we checked into our hostel which used to be a convent so was old style with brick and a courtyard and connected to a church. Very cool.

After checking in we took the bus to Amalfi where cliff hugging skinny roads the edge of which was a drop to the ocean below and which were meant for one car made the mountainous drive to Vancouver seem a tame walk in the park. It was nothing short of a miracle that two busses could pass each other at the same time.

When we arrived in Amalfi I was struck by how beautiful the town was. Colorful homes dotted down the cliffs with grass terraces used to grow lemons and rocky slopes that fell to the ocean below. We spent the day walking through the winding streets, exploring a gorgeous 13th century church with an open courtyard and incredible ceiling Frescos and eating some of the freshest and most delicious sea bass I have had before getting on a small ferry (basically a boat for 30 people) back to Salerno.

Speeding over the waves, looking at Amalfi with the sun setting and reflecting on the ocean and mountains bringing forth colors of purple, orange and gold is not a memory I will soon forget.

The next day we took the bus to Rome and spent the day in Rome. I had always been fascinated by Roman history – gods, fights, myths- how could I not! But I never thought on this trip I would be visiting Rome or the colosseum- so it was unexpected and I for sure know I will return to the city. We took the train to the colosseum, spent a fun one hour in line for the colosseum and yes it was worth it. The arches were highlighted by sun and the trap door floor was on full display.

Later on we had dinner at a pizzeria overlooking the cafe where a half litre of wine was 4$ and a pizza was 7$ (and still delicious!) I also had an absolute amazing tiramisu that I will have to find something equal of in Canada.

After dinner we walked through the city – passing by ruins, fountains and street artists- before we arrived at the Trevi fountain. The Trevi fountain, although surrounded by tourists, was incredible. The detail and complexity of the design paired with the play of light and shadows and the history created a very ethereal atmosphere.

Trevi Fountain - Make a Wish! — Trevi Fountain – Make a Wish!

After the fountain we walked to the pantheon which was larger than life- I hadn’t expected the stone supporting columns and doors to be for for a giant rather than a person.

After this we waited for a city bus that never came but locally Rome has a pretty good transport system and we were able to just barely catch our night bus headed back to Milan.

Spontaneous ? Yes.

10/10 would do it again? Yes

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