backpacking-europe-1991

Arriving in Frankfurt

2011-11-16T03:53:00.000-08:00

I got on the train for Frankfurt to meet my friend from Israel. I will meet up with Paz in Paris on 5th June. When I left the Sheraton lodgings the landlady came to check my room as you have to leave it clean before you check-out, and she started talking about her sister (they are English) who married a Moroccan and is living near Paris. She works for Chanel as a cashier and would like to move to a job in the village she lives in, but work is scarce. After all said the anorexic landlady EVERYONE wants to be a cashier, don't they, there's just not the opportunity!

Now my travels take on a different nature. I left Munich and took an early train to Frankfurt, I had a lot of heavy luggage, including my three pairs of Italian shoes from the Sheraton lost and found. I was also carrying my emancipated liquor.

Paz was fine about my departure, though Paris seemed a bit daunting. I arrived in Frankfurt and checked into the hotel. The room was not as 5 tar as the last time we were here. From my Sheraton job I knew all the signs of VIP treatment and from them we got the bathrobes, free newspaper, turn down service with a bottle of mineral water as well as a rose in the bathroom. I set to work with all my alcohol to make it 5 star. I put a wrapped teddy bear which I had bought my friend on the pillow, put champagne on ice, ordered an extra ice bucket, glasses plus 2 bowls, I put fruit in one and sweets in the other. I had also brought chocolates from Switzerland and Austria. I brought extra coca cola so we wouldn't have to use the exorbitant mini-bar. Then I ordered an iron and ironing board and ironed my skirt. Took a bath, discovered an English TV channel and went to pick my friend up from the airport. The hotel is joined to the airport by a sky ramp. I went to the airport gate and sat there picking away at yesterdays cherry nail polish until my nails were clean. There were several other halves of couples waiting for their other halves, and it was funny watching the different forms of reunions from discrete pecks on the cheek to near intercourse on the concourse!

Reflections

2011-11-16T03:45:00.000-08:00

I must write character sketches about some of the people I meet on my travels.

Shazlee - the Egyptian; Antonio-the Italian, Ros and Jill from Scotland and England and our very strange room mate - Rosana - from Sicily, where the mafia come from.

It's funny I am always writing and it's Paz who wants to be the writer. I'm quite proud that I am doing this, as they say "a writer writes"it's as simple as that. I have also come to know Paz much better, she has major hang-ups about her family life, sex life and life in general. She has very little motivation. She wants to be rich but hasn't got past that to HOW do I get rich. She is a victim about her childhood, makes out as if things were impinged on her as a child which have left her scared for life. She has an incredibly vicious streak and will to survive above all others, but a lack of respect for herself. She vacillates from putting herself down in front of people to flaunting her snobbish and empty values about being sublimely superior. She sees men as a totally different race from woman, a race... as for me I'm happy, worship my parents, love life, never have any problems more than enough to make the game of life a game! And modest too!!!

Bought an art pad so will start drawing again.

checking out of the Sheraton

2011-11-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

The checking out procedure wasn't as traumatic as I'd expected, just handing in my uniform, getting a couple of signatures. There may be irrelevant tax forms registered post from the Sheraton in the future. The complicated part was the finance. They couldn't pay me until the 30th so Paz is going to stay on till then and I will give her power of attorney at the bank to collect the money for me. She will also put it into traveller's cheques for me. I hate relying on other people to do things for me especially with finances.

I stole 2 bottles of champagne, 2 wine and some small whiskey, vodka and gin bottles to have with my friend from Israel. Sorry I didn't steal them I emancipated them from the mini-bar poor bottles were dying to escape, what could I do turn my back on their pleas for freedom? At least this way they know they'll be drunk and not left to sit on the shelf - like spinsters in a store room.

14 May 1991 - Heart attack in the Sheraton

2011-11-15T04:57:00.000-08:00

On my last day in my last room Fiona, a fellow chambermaid came up behind me and gave me a fright. For the next 2 hours I experienced what I have had periodically since I was a child. I have always called it a heart attack although it is obviously not. I get dizzy, sweat, my heart beats very fast making my body shake slightly and it is hard to breath. I had this once in a dance class in University. When I was younger I remember getting milder versions of this when my breathing would get difficult and I would feel like there was a vice around my chest. I remember lying on my tummy on Lulu's couch in her lounge until it went away. So I want to have on the record that it happened on 14.5.91 - hope it doesn't happen again.

Leaving the Sheraton and other thoughts!

2011-11-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

In German subways there are escalators which only move when you step on them, we choose which exit to take from the subway according to where there are escalators.

I really should have kept a record of time from the moment I decide something to the time it occurs just to find out how long it takes. I once decided to have red shoes and yesterday there was a sale in the hotel of all the lost property. I got 2 pairs of Italian red shoes for three marks each. Also got some black shoes, a straw hat and a dress shirt all came to 17 marks. Also one day said to Paz I want some stockings, that afternoon a girl gave us 3 pairs each because her mom had given them to her and she didn't like the color.

Yesterday was my last day working at the Sheraton and I wanted to finish early as there is a long checking-out procedure and I needed to do it that day as I was leaving the next day. So I did all the work that normally took me a whole day by lunch time! That's 12 tower rooms and 8 VIP rooms!

Leaving East Germany

2011-11-15T01:58:00.000-08:00

We got a lift out of Leipzig which is a more industrial city than East Berlin. It is also enormous but the people seem to be making more of an effort to upgrade themselves with the occasional flower pot and curtains in the window. We saw two long lines outside banks as we drove through. Then we got a lift with an ex-East German, born in East Germany traveled extensively in the Eastern block but now living in the west half and doing business with the old East half. He said he never wanted to escape before, life was hard but reliable. Everyone had work - even if they had to halve a job to give 2 people work. They lacked competition. Products were either over produced and not wanted or produced but no choice of brand etc. He does still feel loyalty to the East but as he said Socialism is very nice as an idea but totally unworkable. It is also not very uplifting spiritually if you can never strive for something better. He said now that he is free to travel there are places he would like to see but first he has a lot to see in West Germany. He is one of the lucky ones, he now has a nice car and job which even sends him overseas and a new life. Other East Germans are finding the transition harder. Our next lift after a grueling 2/3 of an hour wait, was with one of the drop out types typical of Berlin. He drank 2 beers while driving from Nuremberg to Munich. As Paz put it - he was pretty but needed a dam good scrub! Home at last and ready for all the upheaval and planning and anxiety of transition period from chambermaid to traveler.

Leipzig Hotel Merkur

2011-11-09T01:33:00.000-08:00

The Merkur Hotel was 5 stars but definitely not up to par with western standards. Just little touches gave it away as being from the east. We got through the front door with our back packs on and got escorted to our room by a very helpful porter. He mentioned how much he liked Proteus and Paula went into a diatribe on "do you know how they grow?" given in a tone of voice I have come to know as "now let me explain it carefully because you are a foreign idiot". . We only realized after this that he was hanging around for a tip. He even demonstrated how each draw opened and closed. Oh well can't he see we live on 16 marks a day! We had free chocolate, fruit and perfume in the room and after a luxurious bath and putting on our gowns we fell into a stupendous sleep in soft beds made by some one else! Next morning we had one of those beautiful buffet breakfasts. I treated myself to bacon for the first time in ages, along with many other delights. We had dinner in the staff canteen the night before - it was more expensive and not as nice as our staff canteen in the Munich Sheraton.

Hitch Hiking from Liepzig with Mr. Shutz

2011-11-09T01:07:00.000-08:00

Mr. Marcel Shutz was educated both in Switzerland and England then joined the diplomatic corps. He was posted in East Berlin before the wall came down and has now been moved over to West Berlin. He hoped to be posted in Latin America next. He speaks no Spanish but says no one cares "if you know the language - although it helps - so long as you are prepared to learn". Having lived under the communist/socialistic system he was able to speak about it. He said things were just not available. They couldn't paint their houses, there was no paint. Everything was left by the Russians as they found it after the war. People were born under the new system without knowing about the west, and a better life so they grew up influenced by the propaganda and supporting it. Every foreigner was watched, it was quite a joke.

Once he picked his visiting mom up from the station, dropped off his mother and sister off at his house and took their passports to the police station, accompanied by his father to register them. As he walked in the door a lady behind the counter said " Ah Mr. Shutz you've come to register your mother and sister who are at your house, and this is your father."They move every move you made. There always seemed to be a little car following you. The Trabank care characteristic of East Germany, you had to order them 13 years in advance and no one could afford one anyway. Things were available but always for a price. Once he bribed a butcher with a bottle of Whiskey for a joint of meat as he was having an Eastern official for dinner. The official asked where he had got the meat, when both of them knew damned well where it had come from or rather how he had come by it. "The butcher" our little Swiss answered innocently. The officials were all East German but all well trained and indoctrinated. The "high brass" were originally shipped in from Moscow.

2 months before the wall came down a man was shot climbing over the wall, what a waste. The East Germans have a very high percentage of working woman so kids aren't looked after well and grow up wayward. But everyone in the family has to work to survive. Rent was very low, 25 marks a month. It was payed to the "society". the landlord is the government so no one can do anything to the property (like paint it) even if anyone could afford it. The responsibility has been taken away from everyone as they don't own the property so everything is left in bad condition.
Our Swiss ride was totally in favor of the free market and didn't enjoy his time in East Germany at all.

We asked him about the EEC and if he thought Switzerland should join. They can't join until at least after 92' as the EEC has said that no new members can join until the present ones are up to par. He sees the main problem as economic as joining the EEC will bring the value of their Franc down and mean no more save haven for tax. A hornet's nest will be opened up if people now protected financially by the independence of Switzerland become open to investigation. Our short but energetically verbal driver was on his way to Liepzig to open a watch exhibition and was most impressed that we would be staying at a hotel of a higher level than his.

Leaving Berlin

2011-09-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

The houses in the East looked black cut in half tall and heavy, however close you come to them they remain just a silhouette with no definition or detail. We found two lots of the Berlin Wall still standing, one with graffiti on it. On the west side the whole wall was bright with colored graffiti and there was one it where we could chip away a bit. The lady at the tourist office had suggested that we take a bit of the wall as it had been already sold three times over. We became disheartened by the weather and our whirlwind tour. With our lift in to Berlin we had actually already seen the Brandenburg Gate and other monuments and we were just too tired to walk around any more.
We took a tube to find the burnt out synagogue (which we never did find) but we came above ground by a Turkish restaurant. I craved something spicy so we ate there, a chilly spiced kebab.
Basically in Berlin we just wanted to see what was necessary to see to say we've "done" Berlin, and then get out. We spent about half an hour traveling on the underground coming up at various points. At one intersection where we surfaced there were about 8 police mini vans and the officers were frisking passes by at random up against a fence. Eventually with much use of the public transport we got to a freeway (autobahn) and got a lift all the way to Liepzig with the Swiss Consul to Berlin no less!

Check Point Charlie - Berlin

2011-08-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

After a long tube ride home and a long walk we got to the outrageously priced camping grounds in the dark and set up camp on sand and rain and lay low through the frozen hours. The next day was a bit of a balls up. We felt pressured for time as we had to be in Leipzig that night, plus the May 1st threat plus there was very rainy weather (no umbrella, and only summer coats). First we returned to West Banhof Station and put our packs in lockers. The same piles of people still lay about. Then we got on a tube for Check Point Charlie. It was very disappointing and not even worth taking a photo of, just a boon gate. There is a very good museum all about the Point, the wall and peace itself. There are sections in the museum about the great escape from East to West Berlin and of great pacifist victories i.e. Gandhi, Poland, Czech Republic. However the museum was too extensive with too much reading material and a lot of French students crowding the place so I didn't even see it all. Then we set off to walk down the path towards the wall and the Brandenburg Gate. The weather was exactly the atmosphere I imagined for Communist countries - grey, misty and wet.

Labour Day Demonstration in Berlin

2011-07-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

West station was even worse, piles of people in the corners, out of their minds. Punk hairdos everywhere and suspicious looking little men is grey raincoats just watching people. We went into the tourist info office and had a very helpful lady arm us with a map marked with the ex-wall and the main streets of West Berlin. We also got a map of the subway. Just then the sound of a waterfall or strong wind eased itself down the street growing louder as it became clearer that they were human voices. "What's that?" we asked knowing full well what the answer would be. "Oh don't worry it's just a police thing or a demonstration because tomorrow is Labour Day." Great, it seams where ever we go disaster follows in our wake. We left the tourist office and bought a 24 hour train and underground ticket and set off for on the long journey to find the camp ground. Accommodation in Berlin is very expensive and officially fully booked. While waiting for our tube the sound we had heard came inside the station in the form of young hooligans "demonstrating" there was no where we could really go so we just stood tight. The sound they were making was that shrill rolling of the tongue that Blacks do in South Africa and Moroccans do in Israel. When they were in view - on the other side of the platform thank God, they appeared to be somewhere between school and varsity age. There were several made up with clown or horror make-up and several mohawk hairstyles. The noise died down as the group spotted a girl they obviously knew on our side of the tracks. She wore black stockings, short black skirt, black polo neck and a red floppy hat. She had thick glasses on and shoulder length hair. As she recognized members of the demonstrating group she started to wave the hat at them and they greeted her back by singing opera to her. She responded with an aria of her own. It struck me that this was just like a drama department full of activists. That calmed me down.

First Impressions of Berlin

2011-07-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

The road leading to Berlin is 30ks long! The ride we had gave us a guided tour. First he passed over Check Point Charlie - the most famous passage across the ex-wall, then he drove into East Berlin, Strangely the greatest monuments are on the East side - the State Opera, the Brandenburg Gate and a burnt up synagogue which was destroyed during the Crystal Night Nazi attacks on the Jews. The synagogue hasn't been rebuilt there is just a sign saying "never forget this". I have never in my life seen such depravity, on the streets of East Berlin there are down and outs, out the bottom dangerous people. The streets feel like dead. We were dropped at the daunting East Barnhof Station - even I gripped my rucksack tighter. Our guide book says "autonomous rebels express aimless discontent through destructive activity and armed opposition to police - especially on May Day, May 1st blow outs! These animate the streets with obligatory car burnings and molotov cocktails." So what do we do but arrive on the eve of May 1st.

50% or more of Berlin's population is Turkish, there is very high unemployment and general discontent. We had been dropped at the wrong train station for information so we had to take a tube to West Berlin. The city is huge. Because the people in East Berlin are still recovering economically tube prices are 0.20 in the East and 2.5 Marks in the West. The tubes were very old, graffiti every where, abandoned bottles, litter and people with faces of stone. The people were staring with constant terror, they look dishevelled, dirty and mumble to each other and themselves about the war. Berlin has over 100 theatrical productions each nights and numerous museums so I think we just saw the bad side.

Arriving in Berlin

2011-07-22T06:04:00.001-07:00

My predominant impression of East Germany is grey - OK we did go there on a rainy day. Thomas, our truck driver, showed us the old boarder which had been dismantled, and from that point on either you see open uncultivated land or dilapidated uncared for property. IN 1945 the WWII ended, Russia, as one of the allied forces, who had helped liberate Germany took as their prize the right to be the "administrator" of a portion of Germany. Unlike the other areas of Germany which just got lots of foreign army bases, East Germany got a whole new system, philosophy and life as arbitrarily Berlin was cut in half. The enclosed city - West Berlin - became capitalist, while the remaining surrounding Eastern block communist. East Germany remains 99.5% as it was in 1945. Houses often don't have running water or toilets inside and for me the most obvious difference is the lack of paint. Going on a train through united Berlin you see weather beaten unpainted brown buildings, half built or in disrepair since being bombed and then you pass over into neon lights, white color and life in the West.

Eventually we parted ways with Thomas just outside Berlin. We got a lift into Berlin with a West German guy who spoke Spanish to us. It is incredible how my little bits of education in Spanish French, English and Afrikaans have left me fully Euro-lingual( by the way when Europe is united in 1992 they will have a currency called ECU pronounced EEKOO (European Community Unit).

29th April Truck ride to East Germany

2011-07-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

We had asked to get a night free accommodation in the Leipzig (East Germany) Interhotel which is associated with the Sheraton. This is one of the Sheraton employee perks, they get a free night in one of the hotels every now and again. So after one day of recovery at "home" (Munich) we set off hitching to Berlin on 29th April then to end up in Leipzig on 1st May and hitch back to Munich on 2nd May in time to restart work on 3rd May. We thought we were very lucky when it looked like we would make it all the way to Berlin with only 2 lifts. One business man in a Merc then a truck (these big big ones ) we were also thrilled that the truck only had to cover 500ks but the truck trip ended up taking 9 hours!! A waste of a day but a very entertaining trip.

Thomas, our truck driver, was very proud of his truck. In the cab(in) there were a number of gadgets and conveniences. He is from Denmark, was transporting cheese. First he offered us coffee or tea. We were very impressed. He cleaned our cups with "Ints" a strong disinfectant that we use to clean in the hotel. Then he merely wiped out the cups. He boiled the water in a filter coffee machine, poured it, added sugar and served it to us - all while driving!

We watched the road while he watched the cups. The seats int he cab were hydraulic - they could fold up, respond or not respond to suspension, lean back and best of all expand to fill out the curves of your back. This was in the passenger and driver's seats. Paz and I took turns sitting on the "bed" that runs behind the seats. The driver also had a finger joy stick which can be used instead of the peddles, so he can put his feet up - and he did - while driving. He also read and drew while driving. He had a computer keyboard and screen on a cord which he could pull in front of him, lean on the steering wheel and send messages back to his company in Denmark. Thomas also had a radio, C.D., cassettes and a large supply of food in a fridge. HE got all his food out and shared lunch with us. I was sitting on the "bed" behind so Paz had to "play mother" and prepare the food on the large table-like dashboard. There was a full range of kitchen equipment and Paz made sandwiches for all of us while we were in motion on a very bumpy East German road. There is only one main road in East Germany and it is in bad condition.

Paz and I were in hysterics as Thomas reverted to a little boy as he requested what he wanted on his sandwiches, and totally ignored the road. Paz didn't stand stand a chance filling all our sandwich orders. Thomas had one with Pate and gherkin then one with Bree cheese, sauerkraut, then sausage slices, mustard and dried onions! Thomas was very interesting but very slow.

With out warning he stopped at one point because - although he hadn't told us - he had to stop every 4 hours to rest by law. Thanks to the truck ride though we got a view of a little East German village where Thomas had to go to drop off some cheese. Thomas told us that when the Berlin wall first came down and he came to this village all the villagers came out to see the truck as they had never seen one like it before.

Letters home

2011-07-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

We got the brochures and are interested in one of the options - will investigate. Also got 3 letters which will be answered. The last 20 or so pages have been written in a truck on the way to Berlin!....continued 2 days later....

Shopping in Munich for normal life!

2011-07-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well the experience in Switzerland taught me that I need to throw away my sports shoes, burn my socks and boil my clothes. For 2 weeks I have to live like a normal person, not a traveler, when my friend comes from Israel, so I need to be presentable. I got money out of the bank and went shopping - really should have saved the money but I am a happier person for my purchase - Art Pad 2marks, black stockings 1.95marks, bright green patterned sports shoes 16.50, now I have walking shoes, flat black pumps and these. 3 pairs of cotton socks, so my feet are warmer and don't smell so much 8.00, 4 cotton panties 8.95, my granny nickers served their purpose but they're not exactly alluring. Bra 5.94marks, beautiful feminine non-crease white blouse 25.00, floral to go with black skirt I nicked from Sheraton, green T-shit 5.00. I spoilt myself rotten and loved every minute of it!!

Hitching back to Munich

2011-07-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Next the big hitch. We got as far as Bern then had to wait 4 hours for our next lift!! This buggered us up as at 10pm that night we were only in Stuttgart on the side of the freeway in the middle of nowhere. We very cautiously descended the grass bank on the side of the road and camped behind a tree - our first experience of camping freelance without a camping ground. The tent was on a sloping hill and we spent the night slipping down in our sleeping bags and listening to every noise from outside. We slept with our penknives in our hands. At the crack of dawn the next day we continued home in the rain. We got a lift with an orchestra conductor who practised his art all the way to Munich - 1, 2, 3, 4! We got food and went to sleep for the rest of the day aahh sweet luxury, linen, warmth and grub!

I had over spent but consoled myself that Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe and 130German Marks for a 5 day holiday in Switzerland ain't bad mate.

Interlarken, Switzerland

2011-07-20T16:37:00.001-07:00

Interlaken is an area in a valley flanked by the Eiger, Junfrau and Monch mountains. On our way there we stopped at some little town called Spiez where there is a castle on a lake. We didn't go in but had our cheese and bread overlooking the lake-exquisite-so green. We bought Mars bar ice-cream and to my surprise I can have a conversation in French at least on a functional level to buy ice-cream!

Spiez Castle

We have been so lucky with lifts - we got them within minutes. We joke about out ticket - the piece of cardboard we write the destination on. Interlaken is very boring and just a jumping off point to other interesting places.

Interlaken

We found a very expensive camping ground which was deserted, but people came later. A bunch of guys putting up 3 tents didn't like my joke when we walked past and I shouted "Do you guys need any help?" because our Igluzit was already up. Another frozen night and we were off again. Paz's waist strap from her backpack broke in the car door of one of our rides, so it was hard for her to carry. We were also missing clean clothes and beds so we decided to see one more site and then hitch home. We went to Lauterbrunnen which is famous for the Trumburg Falls. The glaciers from the three major mountains drain off into these falls. We went into the mountains and saw all the water gushing over glistening black rock with streaks of transverse white lines like fat in a beef steak. It was powerful and overwhelming.

Lady in the Square

2011-07-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

We walked around a little more, The Bern people love to be out on the streets, just to be out. We saw a very cute scene, an old lady in a rain coat clasping a handbag, playing a game on a giant "Chess board" in the square with a young Latin looking lad. She was very determined and funny. Many people had stopped to watch. The game was with lumps of wood on the ends of sticks moved across a grid of squares to the corners. I think the lady won. At one point she hit one of the lad's friends for trying to help him.

In the square in Bern

Then we headed out to Interlaken.

Bears and Einstein in Bern

2011-07-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Another interesting fact about the Germans and Swiss is that they usually only leave school at 20 and their tertiary education at 28.

We took a very expensive bus to the camp ground and set up between two caravans to protect us from the elements and then we froze to sleep. This time however we bagged ourselves i.e. we lined the grass with newspaper under the tent, but our towels over our sleeping bags and our bags in large dustbin liners. It was a little warmer!

We broke the routing the next morning by having a shower then saddled up and returned to the center of Bern. It is called Bern after a king who named the city after his first catch during a hunt. At one end of the city there is a river and across the river are bear pits. The pits are made of cement and are about 500 years old. The bears are kept in the pits.

We had lunch (more cheese and bread) on a bench by the bears. I have little affinity for domestic animals but a lot more for wild animals.

We then went to Einstein's house. Albert was born in Ulm a city we've been through in Bavarian Germany, but he spent several productive years in Bern before moving to Princeton in the USA. He was Jewish by birth but an agnostic by choice. He married two times once to a Yugoslavian mathematician. His main contribution to the world was E=MC2. Energy+MassXSpeed squared, which is only a theory as it simply states that if you know the speed and you know either the weight or something or it's energy output you can work out the missing part of the equation. So they can calculate the weight of stars. Also it has something to do with time travel, if we can duplicate the speed of light. This other finding the Quantum theory is much more practical. It states that energy is in units and the units are called Joules.The house of Einstein was run by a very entertaining gentleman - very witty. "You can leave your packs by my desk but don't forget to take them, I have 26 already!" "I'll tell you about Einstein's sons but the daughter she doesn't concern us, we're not interested in her." "I lived in Malaysia a while, I wish the blacks would all just consume themselves."

I think the most interesting thing about Einstein is his look as an old man. I think there must have been someone in the distant past with a similar mock up whom everyone loved. It's the grandfatherly, professor look like wisdom.

Bern, Switzerland and a Fondue!

2011-07-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

Bern is my favorite city in Switzerland. We were dropped at the main station where the tourist office is at about 6:30pm. They are very organized and hand out maps with a suggested walking route of the main Old City. So still with our packs on we decided to do half the tour of the main old city ending in dinner which was our main traditional Swiss meal - Fondue!

First we encountered a large open square with tables and chairs and live music. Then we turned into the main old street with cobbled stones and arches on the sides of the buildings. There were tram lines down the middle of the road and people walking in the road. The entire long street is lined on both sides by 4 storey buildings with arcade arches facing the road. Every few blocks there was a fountain in the middle of the road with a figure on top. The figures were mainly bears or soldiers each brightly painted and gilded with gold. They also have an ornate clock tower above one of the buildings.

We got to a restaurant that the book said sold cheap fondue, and the price had gone up. We really couldn't afford it but we splurged and spent 19.5 Swiss Francs for a fondue. We were in a cellar run by a woman, a very intimate atmosphere. Our fondue was delicious and very alcoholic served with ample crusty bread. We left as a group of students were coming in, it would have been nice to stay but camp was calling.

Lucerne Picasso Museum and Leaving Lucerne

2011-07-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

We took ourselves to a Picasso Museum where we saw many of Picasso's original sketches, sculptures and paintings. His sketches were really the best of all the art forms on display. Picasso was French but lived most of his life in France near Cannes. Very prolific guy. He wanted to capture people from both the front and in profile and this lead to the abstract look of his figures. There are themes in Picasso's work - eyes, circles, women's bodies etc. When we got to the painting section an alarm would go off if you touched the pictures or walls. His paintings were in bright colors on large canvases.

We went walking across another bridge with murals on the eaves under the wooden roof depicting death coming to claim people. Death looked like a skeleton. We returned to the camping ground and packed up out Igluzelt, then headed out. We had intended to go to Interlaken next but the highway made it more logical to visit Bern first, so we did. We learn so much from the people who give us lifts - it's a wonderful way to travel and get to know the people of a country.

Lion Monument Lucerne

2011-07-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

We went from the Old Town by bus to one of the residential areas were there were very well maintained blocks of flats. We got off the bus and walked down a hill amongst the greens and purples of nature to a site dedicated to the Swiss Guard who were massacred during the French Revolution of 1792. It is a cliff of white rock that has had a lion carved into the side as if it were in a cave. The lion has been stabbed and is lying on shields and spears. An Irish man and a group of boys rushed up to the site. I offered to take a photo of them. Then the teacher said "Right lads, back in the bus". That was the shortest trip ever and off they went!

We too returned "home" and prepared to sleep - we froze! My feet were the worst. The bottom of my sleeping bag cocoon felt damp all night. I used the same clothes to sleep and tour in for the entire 5 day jaunt in Switzerland! The sleeping bags were very restricting they turn and twist when you turn. We both just lay shivering all night. In the morning we managed to stand up right and creak our way out of the camp ground. I let my frozen blue wet rotten feet breath a bit and crush a few daisies and then donned my faithful socks. We locked out backpacks in out tent and used out 24 hour tickets to go and see more of Lucienne. We became very relaxed and bought breakfast/lunch then we sat on the edge of the lake and ate. On one side of us were posh cafes with aromas of food drifting onto the street and outdoor seating areas. We sat with hundreds of students also enjoying their lunch. My lunch that day was an apple and 4 boxes of Smarties - when in Switzerland eat chocolate!

Wandering around Lucerne(Luzern)

2011-07-18T09:08:00.001-07:00

We found the hotel Paz was looking for, but to her surprise and dismay it had completely changed and didn't ring any bells with her. We followed a route she had walked with her "folks" all those years ago to a glass shop. The Swiss stores are very special each with unique items. We got to the edge of the lake where there was a beautiful Jesuit church. The church is in the baroque style and is considered the most beautiful in Switzerland. The inside was like all the other churches we had been in all over Europe but we had to take a peek inside, what the hell, we had given every other denomination a shot! The outside of the church was impressive with twin tits (onion domes) . The church is about 10feet from the water's edge where there are stairs going down to the water. Very Shakespearean/Venetian. We walked across the famous wooden bridge which has a wooden roof and half way across is a stone tower. All very peaceful. Across the bridge we wandered into the Old City where we meandered around. There are many beautifully painted murals on the buildings, this was a Medieval trend, the theme of most murals is of fairy tales, masked creatures and Trolls.

Stairs leading to the water's edge from Jesuit Church

Down one of the cobbled lanes we came to a square with a fountain and there were four men playing string instruments and singing in harmony - almost barn-dance style! In another square there was a man in top hat and tails turning the handle of a music box. We saw some exquisite fashions - and I was desperately looking for an outfit I could wear when my friend comes from Israel.

Lucerne, Switzerland

2011-05-16T02:04:00.000-07:00

There are two similar sounding towns in Switzerland Lucerne - German pronounced Lutzurn and Lausanne - French. We were at the German one - the more famous on Lake Lucerne. It is far more attractive than Zurich with an older, brighter feel. Our first stop was information, and we were very disappointed to learn that we couldn't possibly afford to go up any of the mountains. Around Lucerne there is Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Titlis, but the cable cares are about $20.

We decided to walk to the camping ground at Lido beach. Lucerne has an old town on one side of the lake and a new one on the other side down the sides of a narrow section. Then the lake widens to a see-like width, and we walked around on the wider section. It was still cold and the walk was about 30/40 minutes, but very beautiful. Snow sprayed mountains with Swiss houses on them, the lake and brilliant green trees with pink and white apple blossoms. There were daisies and daffodils everywhere. We found the camp ground and set up our "Igluzelt", for the first time very successfully. Then we snoozed until 4pm and decided to go see the city. The sun stayed up until about 9pm so we got in 4 hours of sightseeing. We bought a bus ticket for 4 Swiss Francs which lasts for 24 hours, so that we could do our normal trick of using the local bus as a tour bus around the city and get to see where the real Swiss live. Paz also wanted to find the hotel where she had stayed 17 years before with her parents.

Leaving Hare Krishna

2011-05-16T01:59:00.000-07:00

We made our pleasant adeus with no pressure of conversion and we donated 10 Francs then left. We got photos standing outside thee house but not with them as they don't allow their photos to be taken. We were relieved to leave although we were thankful for the experiences. I went into it with an open mind and left with an informed opinion that I disagreed with it entirely.

We loped down the steep hill towards the main stream of the city - excuse the pun - the Zurichsee lake. We walked the streets, but basically Zurich will always mean more to me as an Indian experience than anything else. So we headed out. Once again we had very goof luck with a lift to Lucern.

A Hare Krishna Breakfast

2011-05-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

I slept the night on the floor of the Ashram but felt very safe in that environment although their whole imitation of Indians is hilarious. We were woken in time for the grueling two hour marathon programme. It varied slightly fro the evening service. Everyone goes up and takes a look at the idols in their glad rags. They also lay petals at the feet of the wax translator, everyone getting a turn. The same ceremony prevailed and the same battle to stay awake. After the service, with the chant still ringing in my ears, we had breakfast. men and women eat separately, and the breakfast consisted of sweet cheese, with kiwi fruit pressed into it, fruit salad mixed with yogurt, wet and crumbling halve, lettuce with a spicy sauce and avocados, hash brown potatoes stuffed with apples and sweet. To drink there was herbal tea. All very filling but what a combination of unfamiliar flavors at that time in the morning.

The Bhagawat, Hare Krishna food and other Krishna info!

2011-02-24T04:50:00.001-08:00

I'm afraid that the Hare Krishna lecture was extremely simplified and unenlightening. The Guru spoke in circles and metaphors as meaningful as his one example about how the material world is like sand castles on the beach, they get washed away! At the end of his rambling dissertation my legs were as cramped from sitting as they had been from standing. The Guru gave people an opportunity to ask questions at the end, no one did which only proved that the audience were as confused as I was and even the Guru was confused but found talking a way to vent his frustration. I saw an ant cross the floor and had to stop my self from leaning across and thumping it into the ground.

After the service we retired to the waiting room where we were served dinner. It was on metal partitioned plates and hot milk in a metal cup. The food was rice, chutney, curried veg and halve. You are supposed to eat everything on your plate and eat with your right hand.

I got a chance to cross question one of the devotees over dinner and apparently the man in the photos and in wax was a translator who died in 1975. He translated the Sanskrit books, 80 of them, including their main book, The Bhagawat.

#The Hare Krishna wear orange robes to signify that they are single, married men where white.

#The men shave their heads to signify that they are all priests, and the women don't cut their hair because it is attractive!

#Women wear the red dot to show that they are married.

#Hare Krishna means "Welcome God".

#I tried to find out the connection between this and Hinduism but he didn't seem to know either. I know they use the same or similar Sanskrit and the same idols.

#They have a minor God for different areas of life.

#They don't eat meat.

#Two days a month they don't eat bread.

#No male/female contact until after marriage.

#Disregard for all things material.

#They wake up at 03:30!!!!!!

#They pray 7 times a day.

#Meals are called Parva (interesting the word in Hebrew for not meat or milk is Parve).

The devotee said we could sleep until 7am but could we please come to the "program" as they would be dressing the dolls in different, beautiful clothes! They dress them differently every day and at the 7am showing the curtains are fully opened to reveal the new outfits!

First experience of Hare Krishna Ceremony and Lecture

2011-02-21T01:10:00.000-08:00

The devotees entered and lay flat on the ground, kiss it, and mumble then rise and face front. The front, my dear, let me tell you is a raised platform behind a proscenium arch compete with curtain. On the platform is an assortment of glittering, shiny, flowery oriental decorations under two identical canopies with pillars. On these platforms firstly there were two identical Indian looking dolls and on the other one a large white doll, a small white doll and a large black doll with eyes like saucers. All of the dolls were dressed in ornate clothing and jewelry. These are the idol's minor gods.

The twins represent Krishna as he appeared 5000 years ago (Krishna is god) and the other dolls are Krishna in other forms. There is a saried alter boy of sorts who stands behind the proscenium arch and performs and performs a number of ceremonial acts while the rest of the congregation chants to symbols and an oblong drum which someone is beating.

There are no chairs in the room and the men stand in the front with the women, and us at the back. The devotees shift their weight from one side to to the other. The alter boy waves incense, plays the symbols and waves around a long tuft of hair on the end of a stick. He also presents gifts of incense to the idols. Then he lights a little candlestick holder with about 5 flames, he takes this to one of the male congregation who takes it from the alter boy. Then this devotee takes the fire around to the other males who either warm their hands over it and run their hands over their bald heads, or they simply hold their heads over the flames. Then the fire is handed to one of the women to do to the female congregation.

Then they do a communal type thing with an egg cup of water which is sprinkled over every one's heads, a bit like the Catholic baptism. After a greweling half hour they all drop to the floor and start mumbling then they resume the chanting and finally the ceremony was over.

My ears were ringing from the constant clatter of tiny, tiny symbols. then we all took a mat and sat for the reading and lecture. My legs were very grateful.

Someone placed a book in the lap of the wax man, and too my surprise placed glasses on the dummy's nose . A guru sat in a large chair on the north side and with a book on a stand in front of him and a microphone.

Several people disappeared into a side room to do very good simultaneous translation into English, Yugoslavian and Spanish. We inserted earpieces into a hole in the wall to listen to the lecture in English.

A woman brought twigs on an tray and began stripping them of the leaves and stringing the leaves together to make necklaces for the idols ceremony the next day.

Meeting Krishna in Zurich

2011-02-21T01:04:00.001-08:00

Perhaps I should tell you what I learnt, or no, let me reveal it to you as it was revealed to me! I could not brush my hair in the Ashram, only in the bathroom, for hygiene reasons. We donned dresses at Paz's suggestion and descended the stone steps to the temple - a room off the main entrance foyer.

My first sight, to my horror, was what looked like a man sitting on a cube of a stage, looking exactly like the man whom I assumed was the illusive Krishna - I had seen photos of him all over the building. On closer examination this man was a life size wax model of the man in the photos - sitting in the lotus position and wearing an orange sari like the other men in the temple. He was totally life like and sitting under a canopy of flowers and jewels on a waist high stage about 1 1/2 meters square. Wow - idol worship?

Swiss Krishna temple - getting to know you

2011-02-21T00:55:00.000-08:00

Now you may wonder at Paz's willingness in all this adventure - knowledge cures all fear they say, and she had been to a ceremony before in South Africa with a friend of hers from the UK. We were lead to the Ashram where the women, single or married, live together and men are in a separate section. We passed the kitchen and I asked if a tour was possible, but apparently the kitchen is like their alter so I was not allowed to enter because I am not "one of them". However through the door the large quantity of stainless steel glowed. They are extremely clean, as were the showers.

The Ashram consisted of 2 sets of bunk beds 3 high in one corner, and lots of floor space for people to sleep on. The women were, as were the men, trying desperately to imitate Indians. Stone piercing through the nose, sari dresses, plaited hair, bare feet etc.(I find it hilarious how they have programmed themselves to Krishna as their word of God when it is actually blasphemy - don't know what I meant by this at the time of writing). We prepared ourselves for evening prayer and lectures.

Arriving at the Hare Krishna Temple - Zurich

2011-02-21T00:44:00.000-08:00

A very ordinary Indian Swiss answered the Hare Krishna's temple door, and as he spoke no German he ushered us in. It turned out that he was just an inquisitive guest as well who came with his wife, bedecked with her red dot, to mark her as taken, both by a male and another faith. In the entrance hall we met a Hare Krishna person all done out in Orange - this season's color with the latest in Hari haute coiffure - a bald head with a tail growing out of it. Paz - having been duly pushed asked point blank "we met some of your devotees in town and they said that maybe..." oh dear "could we stay here tonight?" The answer was yes, if we made a donation. We finalized the deal and took seats in the waiting room with out fellow guests.

Minus shoes, totally soggy socks (they brought a new aroma to the Krishna incense) and our backpacks. Perhaps they picked up the sent of weary travelers as the first thing we were offered was a shower!

Shopping in Switzerland

2011-02-21T00:36:00.001-08:00

I wanted to try some clothes on so we went to one of these fancy boutiques and I sealed myself in a cubical and tried on some tights size 40 - to my horror! Really expensive, over $300 for dresses. My sports shoes were rotten from the damp, along with my aromatic nylon socks from the snow, rain and car heating. I removed my socks in the changing room and threw them away. Oh well they are only 4 months old, but they've had a good life. My shoes I need I'm afraid.

We payed the exorbitant tram ride up the far hill side of Zurich, where the university stands and went in search of the temple. There we found a very ordinary looking house. We first took a peek at the garden as a potential tent ground - although we know it is illegal to camp in Swiss gardens. Then having ummed and aahed we eventually got up enough courage to ring the bell.

Meeting Hari Krishnas in Switzerland

2011-02-21T00:25:00.000-08:00

Up this avenue lined with green trees and with more pedestrian traffic than cars we saw some Hari Krishna's with musical instruments doing their thing - freezing their willies off no doubt, and handing out balls - not their own frozen ones but white lumps of what can only be described as "stuff". We stopped and fumbled with our free pudding while talking to a Yugoslavian "devotee" who told us they had a temple and farm in the area. We cautiously asked if we could set up camp on their farm. They didn't quite get what we were asking but they said we could probably stay at the temple, and that we should come to the service in the evening anyway just to see what it was like. Paz and I were both keen for a little distraction and to be under a roof for a few hours. What really decided us though was when half a block later a German type woman sidled up to us, pursed lipped, like an undercover agent in some sordid novel. She produced a leaflet and kept pointing to the Krishna's saying "warning", "not good". We answered with "What is good? Muslims? No. Hindu? No." I played my ace on the Nazi "Jews? No...ah Christ..." and reverted to Krishna "not good". So after that we had more or less decided to see their ceremony.

Zurich, Switzerland - what the people think

2010-11-22T04:25:00.001-08:00

A river leading to Zuricsee passes through the city which is built of thick old stone. We left our backpacks at the museum and managed to go for a walk around the back streets of the old part of the city - like all of Switzerland is full of little stores. The stores sell mainly exclusive goods - cakes, clothes. The smaller alleys are the best is any European city. Zurich has a tram system like other European cities. We collected our packs and went for a walk up the main street - Banhof - we were still hearing German but now in a different accent. In other areas of Switzerland they speak French, Italian and 2 of the cantons speak Romanch ( a relative of Latin). The 23 cantons united in 1291, although they are neutral the people are keen to join the EEC for the advantages it will provide them, although if they joined they could no longer be neutral. One of our drivers said that he felt the neutrality showed a lack of responcibility and when I said I felt it was ideal he said it was like trading with Iraq, and then when trouble starts, standing back and saying it is not their problem. I wasn't aware of Switzerland's history fighting as mercenaries in other peoples armies. Anyway I keep getting sidetracked! Traveling is such an education!

Switzerland - how it is run

2010-11-22T04:18:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Switzerland has a lot of tunnels for cars? A lot of the smaller European countries make use of the underground space for parking. One of Switzerland's longest tunnels can be sealed off in the event of war and used as a bomb shelter for 10,000 people. There are hospitals and other facilities in the walls for this purpose as well. Although Switzerland is a neutral country they have conscription. The men in Switzerland go into the army for 6 months straight after school and for another 3 weeks every year until they are 50. The country - as one of our hitch hiking lifts told us - is run by the people. Every major law is voted on in a general referendum. Then the law gets passes by a government of representatives from each of the 23 cantons. Then the law gets passed by a smaller group of representatives, and then by the President. It is a long slow process and the banks influence the law making as they can back campaigns financially.

A boring Swiss Museum

2010-07-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

We went ot a Swiss supermarket and bought some chocolate, cheese and bread all good and Swiss. Then we went to a Swiss museum. It did have other sections but the only ones we found were armourment, and anciet tools. One interesting exibition showed metal handles, woodwork, tools etc. and they did it very cleverly using untanned leather and blonde wood so that the tools looked as they probably would have many years ago. Generally not an exciting museum.

Arriving in Zurich

2010-06-28T03:42:00.000-07:00

Soon we reached Zurich. To me this was the most international city in that ugly way, in all of Switzerland. There were bums - well dressed, but never the less bums. One guy did an incredible tottering act in the station all with his eyes closed. We were very worried he would fall over, he came close but then did a bunny hop every time, swayed a bit and then started again bending his legs. I think his ultimate goal in life was to reach the ground - literally and figuratively. We changed money, 0.82 Marks to the Swiss Franc. So we had 12 S Francs to live on for each day. We were carrying our large rucksacks with a sleeping bag on top, parts of the tent and a few clothes. Unfortunately we had to carry them with us while we did sightseeing as we had no hostel to dump them at. This really made simple walking an effort.

Crossing the Swiss Boarder

2010-06-21T02:25:00.000-07:00

Paz made a joke on the road side "Why do we have to do this, we could have done Europe on our backs, but no we have to be moral don't we."Anyway we soon got our next sentimental driver who carried us across the German boarder - we explained that we were South African, which then needed detailed discussion, while the stupid official stood there with our British passports in his hands. We walked over the Swiss boarder (actually we don't know which boarder it was, but at one point I had to ask a driver what country we were in, and yes, it was Switzerland). It was the first time I'd been in three countries in an hour - Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Hitch hiking in the snow

2010-03-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

We set off for Switzerland on Tuesday 23rd April after having a dress rehersal of finding the right freeway the day before, and then deciding it was too cold and that we were too tired, so we spent Monday in bed.

Hitching seems to be a matter of where is a good pick-up point and drop off point, the rest isn't so difficult. So we found our spot - enough room for a car to pull off the road, good visibility of our sign and not on the freeway. It took us several lifts to get south and it started to rain and then snow and then blizzard. We managed to only get slightly damp, and the bad weather was mainly when we were in cars. At one point however we were ejected onto the road during a raining snow storm, and only high spirits kept us warm. We kept cursing - where is summer? We've "done" winter we've "done" cold, give us something else now. We wanted to sweat and burn in the sun. We started to doubt if they have summer in Europe. Everyone kept telling us that in April the weather is temperamental and May shoul see the summer. Well it has 5 days to get it's act together.

Still working in Munich

2010-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

We had a freak move into our room. If you didn't know she was female you wouldn't have guessed. Big staring eyes, always wearing denim. Very ugly. Short hair, aggressive body language, shy - like a scared rabbit. The best bit is that we don't speak Italian, and she doesn't speak English. Great communication!

Our rucksacks were nearing there final form. they consisted of a sleeping bag, tent and small quantity of clothes, a small pack of toiletries, books etc. It snowed for two days solid, and was very cold. We had packed all our warm clothes up so we had to get it all out again. We are right under the Baverian Alps.

Got myself a nice tailored black skirt that the waiteresses wear in the hotel, will try to keep it and then get a nice top so I have a nice outfit to meet my Israeli friend in. Paz is scared shitless of traveling alone and that is why she decided to continue working, also because she will be making a little bit more money and doesn't want to feel like a gooseberry. She also doesn't get along with my friend from Israel. We decided to skip Prague as we just don't have enough time or money.

Future Plans for Travel in Europe

2010-01-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Come the 3rd of May we will be back at work, I'm going to resign on the the 3rd so that on the 11th I can buy a Eurorail ticket (600 marks) which will give me 15 days travel over the following three months. The latest idea is that my friend (boy) will meet me in Germany. Then the plan is to go to Brussels via Luxemburg and on down to Paris. Hopefully then spend 2 weeks in France and towards the end of the month Paz, who will have stayed on at the Sheraton will resign and join me in Paris, do some sightseeing. On 31st May my friend will return to Israel and Paz and I will continue down to Italy, across the Riviera to France and into Spain and Portugal and finally arriving in Pampalona on 7th on July for the running of the bulls. We will have very little money as living here has been more expencive than we thought. This means sleeping on trains, hitching, camping and going on a diet! The worst part of this is that we will have to do all our sightseeing with our packs on as we won't have a hostel to leave our packs at. We are planning on not camping in camping grounds, to save money.
On 14th July the Running of the Bulls ends and Paz will probably continue up to through France to the U.K. and some family she has there. I - hopefully with some train ticket days left - will use it to go straight across Europe, back to where we started, and back to Israel. After being in Israel a while I will finally fly home for a visit. After that I will take a deep breath and decide where to settle down.
I have calculated costs and we should just be able to make it through this plan. Paz plans to then sponge off her relatives get a job in the U.K. and settle there. Paz has been a bit depressed lately and resentful of my meeting up with my boyfriend, it is all a lot of pressure. It looks like it can all still work out. I'll be alone a few days between resigning and meeting my friend and I look forward to traveling alone, just to get some space.

We have been too comfortable here and getting back into the swing of travelling will be hard.

Future plans for switzerland and Berlin

2009-11-15T01:56:00.000-08:00

Our future plans looked a little like this: We had gone to our boss and asked for 2 weeks worth of leave together which would be 4 days and she offered us 11 days. So from the 22 April until the 12nd May we would be free. We tried to get ourselves booked into the Zurich Sheraton but they are very small and full, so after one day of staying in bed we decided to set off the next day to Switzerland. The plan is to hitch there and then use our tent for the first time. We want to see all of Switzerland and then hitch halfway across Europe all the way to Berlin for the last couple of days. We actually tried going on the day we spent in bed, but after one ride from a man who dropped us off by the wrong off-ramp, we decided we were too exhausted, so bought bread, Bree and tuna and went to bed for the day.

Funny Irishmen

2009-11-15T01:50:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of Irish people working here at the Sheraton and their accents just beg to be imitated. They also have the Irish deadpan obliviousness to their own humor. Two wee anecdotes about our Irish brethren. Peter who was doing his best to help us figure out why we had been given 11 days holiday. We managed to find explanations for most of the holiday days, then Peter says:"well if you resign you know you get your weekend plus an extra day off!" A lot of extra days off if you ask me. These extra days are called "good days". Then the other day James was telling us about a statue in Sendingertor in honor of the National Socialists (Hitler's old party). Also a marble statue with an eternal flame burning on top, which " wasn't lit on the day he went there".

Letter home to mom

2009-10-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom
We have got used to lugging our luggage around so we haven't got rid of anything yet, but as summer gets closer we will have to off load some of it as we will be hitching and need lighter bags. Lice are 90% under control, probably cos now we have a place to shower every day. I think I have all the letters you sent me except Greece, and I have sent letters, photos and papers home, they should reach you in about 2-3 weeks. The pictures are the exact size of the envelope so be careful when you open it. I have almost decided to move to Israel once I am finished traveling and been back home for a while. That is regardless of boyfriend, and a visit to you guys together. So what do you think of immigrating with me? I'll have to give you a long lecture of what it is like before you make a decision and start selling things. I'd like to go there and work and study. Not only that but I really think I can do it. I think I can do anything! You get a lot of financial perks if you move to Israel. After I have finished studying Scientology and Judaism and perhaps gotten married, depending on how I feel at the time, I visualize a little study in a house and a word processor and becoming an author through my mother years. How's that! I've noticed that I've always set long term goals. Anyway I've decided you're moving to Israel, but I just thought I should tell you!
Yes shrapnel fell on the house where I stayed in Israel, but no bombs. Sent a letter to Lulu. Tomorrow we are going to Dachau concentration camp. I finally got to change rooms and am now with Paz and a nice Scottish girl called Roz.
Keep up the pottery, soon I'll have a full set.
Love you

Letter home to Dad

2009-09-21T01:08:00.001-07:00

Dear Dad

Well it seems as if my belongings are being farmed out. I don't mind so long as it is all there when I get back - but please don't sale anything else of mine. Great about your book. I've sent mom more "journal pages" with news of the new job. Basically it is boring, hard work and I can't wait for it to be over. Athens is still balls up with the post, but Austria and Germany are fine. How was your Human Mind Course? As for my money it is now in the bank as we had to have an account in order to get our pay. It was great talking to you the other day! My Israeli Friend and I are planning a visit to S.A. in July after Pampalona. He wants to go for a month or so, I am taking it for granted that we could stay with you or mom in Durbs? We will also get to Sun City and a safari. What a great life hey! My general plan is May 1st Prague, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Switzerland, Italy, South of France, Pampalona by July 7Th, then join up with my friend in Paris and hopefully fly to Israel. Buy a return ticket to S.A. holiday and then return to Israel as so far it is my best country. What follows could be love and marriage, who knows.

Love and miss you all.

Planning for future travels

2009-09-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

Sent Easter packages off home, and the postage was 15Marks. I decided to cut down on writing home to save money as the postage in so expensive. I got a 30 Mark tip , not from working hard but from good luck, if fact we hardly see the guests. Paz's room is 39 and I was moved into it, it is much cleaner and cosy. I continue to wage war with lice. MY airfare which I deposited in the German Bank is not gaining interest as the German system doesn't give interest!! Got payed 833 Marks (about $830) and next month we should get 175 more as this month we had to pay a security deposit. Got another spoon of film developed. We really try to live on nothing and save every penny for travel. Unfortunately we couldn't get any other work in the hotel because of our German.

On our day off I sat munching crackers and Paz dyed her hair. At least hitch hiking doesn't cost petrol, but Paz says that it's not fun when it is so hard to survive here, we might as well not be her, as the $10 a day that we have to live on when we are on the road does not go very far.

Made plans to meet up with an Israeli boyfriend in Paris on 20Th May! I was very excited and hoping to be spoilt rotten! So there will be no point getting letters in Munich after the 25th April. After that our letters will collect in Paris up until 14Th May and then it's down to Pampolona for July 1st. All these moves will be very quick so it is hardly worth having the post chase us around Europe, that is why we are going to make our next "postal address" Poste Restante Paris.

A few notes home from Germany

2009-08-25T08:12:00.001-07:00

Paz walked into Dr. Legal, the doctor who treated her for chicken pox, at the Sheraton. By chance he is the Doctor who comes to see the staff at the hotel 2x a week, and he also works with her insurance company. If the insurance find out she is working then the policy is null and void. So she is avoiding him when he comes for his hotel visits.

All my clothes were marked and stained , and I was tempted to throw them all away. With the Easter weekend came lots of chocolate. I got an Easter card from mom with $10 in it for buying Easter eggs, but as we had already taken care of the egg situation we kept the money as out last resort, emergency money. I got 2 other letters, one telling me that my gran is sick.

Eating pumpernickel and it's doing wonders to my system!

An evening at "Home"

2009-08-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

Spent the next day in bed writing and then went to the post office after having not gone for two weeks. I got a huge card from an admirer in Israel plus a very heavy box. It contained toiletries in a basket with ribbons, Mozart chocolates, other chocolates, caramelized nuts and a bottle of Israeli "Simcha" wine. I was in shock. Although it is not what I would have picked for myself, the weight alone must have made the postage very expensive. I ploughed through the chocolates and used the bath stuff too.
We have an Irish girl called "Mary" staying in our room for a week while Ross, the other one, is away in Scotland. One night a pleasant enough guy who we knew came around and stayed too long, out staying is welcome. In the course of the evening he was systematically insulted by all three of us. I asked him if he spoke German, he said, why, I said, cos' I wanted to know if I said something to Paz in Afrikaans whether he would understand. Then Paz bluntly told him it was her bedtime and he had to leave. He didn't leave then Ross out of the blue said "You're a sarcastic git aren't ya". I couldn't believe my ears. "Why?" he asked. "Ya just are" she replied. I whispered to Ross, please say you didn't mean that. No, he said, she's Scottish, Scots always mean what they say. "Yes they do" she chirped in. Well he left in about 2 minutes, totally red faced. I shat on her and she said he had been winding us up all evening. Choosing not to get into details, I just ignored it, but couldn't get over the rudeness. The guy seemed very sensitive and I will apologize the next time I see him - if he doesn' t jump off a building first.

Political discussion while hitch hiking

2009-08-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

Just outside Wurzburg we got a lift all the way to Munich with a very interesting student (28 years) who planned on immigrating to Spain and getting involved in politics. He spoke good English and we cross questioned him about present feelings about WWII. We were both surprised to hear that the Eastern boarder of Germany is still a contentious issue and some still feel that parts of Poland and Chekoslovakia belong to Germany. Also 60% of Germans live alone or are single and the German mentality is one of mere material survival. This guy believes that it is forever the duty of Germany to be an example in history to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. He thinks the sensitivity/tension of the subject will prevent another German Hitler from ever coming to the fore. The issue of whether berlin will ever be the capital again is also a topical subject.

Wurzburg, Germany and a new tent

2009-08-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Wurzburg was nicer than Frankfurt, small with a castle on the overlooking hill. There is a Resedenz, a large building with classical statues on the perimeters. It was home to the bishops during the enlightenment. We were impressed, but the town was bigger than we had expected, we thought it would be a quaint medieval village - this was more like a city.

We were in the process of looking for a tent, and pricing various options. So we spent a lot of time darting into sports shops. There was one ingenious busker - a one man band with every variety of horns, pipe drum, and any percussion you can imagine, he was very good but he didn't like people very much. He had laid a thick cord all around him in a circle and used a big stick to keep pointing it out to people. He allowed no one to overstep the cord. HE also had various signs all around him saying "don't video". We found an advert for a tent shop and went in search of it. We found ourselves on the outskirts of town, and there were two tents we were interested in. One tent was 50 Marks and the other 100, the different was in quality and size. Eventually we went halves and bought the 100 mark one together. At the end of our trip one will buy out the other and keep the tent. So I am now the proud co-owner of a 110 mark Silveretta Igluzelt. My first house! it weighs 3.5 kilo which is not much. Then we hitched out of town on our way back to Munich.

Photo from wikimedia by Ronaldino

Leaving Frankfurt

2009-08-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

We awoke in pitch darkness as the curtains were so good! We forced ourselves out of bed later than we had intended and went to breakfast. We found a newspaper hanging on our door! The breakfast was buffet - too much to describe. I had coffee, orange juice, a bowl of berries, kiwi fruit, muesli, yogurt, scrambled eggs, hash browns,sausages and then flapjacks and hot black cherries! We sat reading our free newspaper, then wobbled out of the dinning room and took one last look around before leaving a 4 mark tip with a note saying thank you to the chambermaid.

We went to check out and while everyone was paying we just handed in our keys - it had cost us nothing and normally would have cost about $500. We took all the fruit from our fruit bowl.

We bought tickets!!! and went into town. We wandered around and basically we had no more energy and just wanted to get home. Frankfurt is a dirty metropolis with tramps, prostitutes and people thrown all over the place. We got out of Frankfurt and headed for Wurzburg. a little town with a castle. On our way while getting rides with truck drivers, Paz and I both had trouble with truck drivers who "couldn't find the gear stick" if you know what I mean.

Photo by Roomman

Frankfurt, not a night out.

2009-07-31T06:37:00.000-07:00

In the evening after our baths we dressed in black slinky dresses and went down to the lobby, but there was no where we could actually go without buying a drink. Even the complementary champagne we had in the bed room was listed on the menu as 8 Marks a glass. We asked after a night club which was in the airport. So after an awkward parade through the airport, with our heels clicking, we found the club closed, so headed back to the hotel. We walked around the hotel a bit and then returned to our room and sunk into our crisp white linen beds.

Frankfurt Sheraton

2009-07-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

We doned our bathrobes, and put on our highheels, and holding our glasses of champagine we went off to the guest swimming pool. We seem to break rules without even thinking about it. We were giggling to ourselves, thinking O.K. where is the office ( the place where they keep supplies for the chambermaids on each floor). "What could we take?" So we tottered around the hotel in our robes, went swimming, sat on the poolside and ate complementary sweets and chips. Then we had a 5 minute sauna and went back upstairs.

We found the staff elevator( by now we were dressed) and asked our way to the staff canteen. there we had a great meal for 2.50 Marks Their sea food salad was especially good, and their desserts.

Then it was up stairs again to really get the most of our bathroom. Two hours each in the bathroom we thought was the maximum. Paz went first while I ate, drank and was generally merry. When we had returned from dinner we had received the "turn down service" where they place a chocolate on your pillow and a mineral water on the side table - only people paying a lot get this! I watched a dirty movie in 4 minute snatches, as it was pay T.V. and in German.

Once in the bathroom I lolled in the bath, sipped champagne. We had only had showers since we arrived in Europe, so the bath was special. I used all the toiletries I had received as a present from overseas, and came out smelling fresh and scrubbed!

The Frankfurt Sheraton - perfect!

2009-07-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Frankfurt Sheraton is linked to the airport and tube station by walkways and lifts. We sauntered up to reception with our backpacks on. I plonked the "Lets Go" book down on the counter and announced our arrival. They knew we were from the Munich Sheraton and gave us big grins. Armed with our computer keys we made our way to the top floor in the public lift - which we could never use in the Munich Sheraton. They only have 9 floors because of low flying airplanes. Having inserted the key - without having first said "housekeeping" we went in. Our jaws dropped, and we started jumping up and down - a strange sight, but we were justified as we were faced with complementary champagne, biscuits, fruit and luxury bath robes - all of which only VIPs get. We toasted ourselves and relished all the mod-cons of first class travel. The windows are sound proof because of the airport proximity, and everything was perfect!

Photo by Andred

Riding the German underground without a ticket

2009-07-24T05:53:00.000-07:00

In Munich a tube ride is 2.40 Marks and we had bought season tickets for a month at 64 Marks, but in Frankfurt they are 3.80 or 4.80 depending on the time of day. So we decided to chance not buying a ticket, from the station to the airport which is 12 minutes and there are only three stops. ON the last stop an inspector got on at our end and walked to the other end of the carriage, got out a little note book and pen and said "Geskot, fahr auswierss controlier bitte". I started saying through clenched teeth "oh shit, oh shit," and Paz said to sit down, so we sat as far away from the conductor as possible. My heart was racing and my pulse beat through every vein in my body. My hands were shaking and I just stared ahead. A man in front of me smiled, knowing full well what was going on. The inspector must have caught some one at the other end of the compartment which kept him busy until a life time later, we got to the airport and were the first ones out of the doors. We made for the back end of a billboard, on the platform and collapsed in horror, gasping with nervous laughter. The fine is 60 Marks, and if you don't have it on you you go to jail.

Photo by Mrs. Reed's husband

Hitching to Frankfurt

2009-07-16T05:09:00.000-07:00

We got paid 833 Marks and were living on 200 a month, saving the rest for our travels. We got another 3 days off and decided to cover the "romantic Road" - Frankfurt and Nuremberg. We got only Frankfurt and one city on the romantic road covered. This is because hitching took us so long. We need to perfect our method! At the moment we are so delighted when a car stops that we take the ride no matter how far they are going, but perhaps we should stick it out for a lift that is going all the way to our destination. So after various lifts we got to the Frankfurt train station. We had had our first two rides with truck drivers, one Italian going to Dartmouth, U.K., another Belgium going to Turkey from Antwerp, his cargo was Turkeys! From the station we had to take an underground to the airport where the Sheraton is situated, as we had arranged to stay for free at their Sheraton. A perk of the job, free stays in other Sheratons!

Photo by AamerJaved

Back to Munich

2009-07-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

We were on the road again. We have little signs saying where we want to go. The place you stand when hitching is very important. There are only three options, an on-ramp to the Autobahn, a gas station or an Autobahn rest stop. The rest stop is the best, as everyone is going in the right direction, and it is easy for them to stop. But you can't walk on the Autobahn to get to the rest stop, so an on ramp is always our first option and is a difficult place for them to stop. We were lucky and by 10pm we were home, back in Munich, and there was thick snow on the ground when we arrived!

We cursed the cold snap as we were on the verge of sending our cold clothes back home. We decided to lay some of our clothes down to rest instead of sending them home. Really our clothes by this stage were horrible - old, worn, dirty. I have 2 pairs of jeans I wear in rotation, 2 T-shirts, 2 sweaters and a dress. My extensive summer wardrobe consists of 2 pairs of shorts, 1 dress and a jump suit!

The next day was also free, so we spent it around the house, doing washing, and staying in bed.

Black Forest Cake in the Black Forest

2009-07-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

We had lunch on someones lawn, and then went looking for Roman ruins, the Roman baths that the modern spa is built on. However we had reached that stage when we say - right, seen it, let's go to the next thing. So we went back to the old cite and found a cake shop, I felt I had to try Black Forest cake again in case I had just got a bad one in Titisee. But although it was better, I still remember the type I had in Duncan Foster's cake shop in East Grinstead, England, and it was the best.

Photo by 3liz4

The Spa Mineral Baths Baden-Baden

2009-07-15T02:43:00.000-07:00

We wandered through the cobbled streets with their tiny shops, and the smell of fresh bread everywhere. The town is very French/Swiss. We got to the hot mineral spas. There are two, one modern and one ancient, the modern one cost half the price, so guess which one we went to? The building is white and surrounded by clipped green grass, with a fountain standing in the entrance. Parts of the building are round making it very aesthetic. For 15 Marks we got 2 hours. They have seven mineral pools, sauna, sunbeds, inhalarium, showers etc. In the seven pools there are jets of water that shoot out, and you use to massage the fat under the water. There are also different temperatures, ranging from 18 degrees to 40 degrees. I really liked the hot water. I think all the freezing we went through in winter has made me crave the heat. We also lolled around in a jacuzzi type pool. It seemed strange that there were signs up everywhere saying that doctors recommend that you only stay in the water 10 minutes at a time. We went to the mixed sex sauna and everyone was nude. Eventually we whipped our costumes off and went in. We must have been the youngest in there, and I suddenly had the impulse to laugh but I didn't. All these penises walking through the door, imaging if a guy walked in and suddenly everyone started laughing. We tried the inhalarium which was just a room full of steam-I didn't enjoy it- in fact it made my chest feel tight. When we left we were relaxed, refreshed and very clean.

Photo by Bskcase

Baden Baden Casino

2009-07-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

In the morning we walked, frozen to the center of town. Baden Baden is very old, as if the wars in Europe have just avoided it.The buildings are ornate and about 5 stories high. A lot of the buildings are in pastel colors and a lot of bright yellow, pink red and blue flowers are planted neatly along the streets. Everything was shining in the sun and looked technicolor, especially the radiant green manicured grass. We found the tourist office and had to wait an hour for it to open, but we didn't mind as where ever you sit there are beautiful views. So we sat on some concrete mushrooms next to a fountain on the edge of a park, and ate more breakfast! From where I sat I could see 5 clocks, they must be very time conscious, either that or their proximity to Switzerland is effecting them. Eventually the tourist office opened and we got a map and some info.

First we visited the famous casino. It's not very grand from the outside. It is a square white building surrounded by grass lawns. Inside it is apparently modeled after rooms in Versailles Palace. Beautiful use of gold relief and painted ceilings and plush red carpets. The casino is smaller than I expected and the tour of the place - in German - cost 3 Marks. There is a newer section of the casino which is nothing compared to the original. It has a lot of copper work, which is brown and not shiny. They have 27 roulette tables and play roulette, black Jack, Klondike, Baccarat. When we left we were discussing the difference between this and Sun City in South Africa. This is class sophistication and each room is unique. The one major difference is that Sun City, and Las Vegas, have one arm bandits, where as here it is just the posh gambling games. Here it is a sport for the rich.

Photo from Baden Baden

Arriving in Baden Baden

2009-07-12T02:21:00.000-07:00

It was now 03:30 and a bad time to hitch. We waited for an hour for a ride, as it got darker and darker eventually we were picked up by a Portuguese guy and taken all the way to Baden Baden where the sun was shining. We went to the supermarket and got some heavy sunflower seed bread, yogurt and a tin of sardines each, then we headed for the hills. We had decided to sleep out so we went up a path into a park where there are two chapels and beautiful trees, bright yellow flowered bushes, bluebells, snowdrops and daffodils growing wild.

We had our sardines etc, and sat on a bench overlooking the park, an expensive mansion and a sanatorium then we selected our "spot" on a hillside where the park becomes wild. We chose to be behind a holy bush. We had to be far enough away from the center not to be caught yet close enough to be heard if anyone attacked us. We lay plastic bags on the dry leaves and then our sleeping bags on top, the bags kept slipping, and we slept sliding down the hill all night - down hill into the holy bush. By morning Paz was virtually trapped under the bush talking to my feet. The only scary moment during the night was when a dog came sniffing around.

Photo by Bud's expressions

Hitchhiking to Freiburg, Germany

2009-07-10T03:13:00.000-07:00

We were soon on the road again - direction Freiburg. We had a lift from a man who thought we were kids mucking around. Freiburg is another beautiful town. I realised, saying that tells you nothing - it is idyllic, cobbled, and has ornate buildings. There is a church with a black steeple that looks like it is made out of lace. There was also a department store selling cheap chocolate and one that had a camping department on the roof with tents set up. We found a nice tent for 139 Marks and crawled inside to test it. NO one noticed us there and we considered spending the night, but we wanted to push through to Baden-Baden.

Photo by Jonk

Hitckhiking to Titisee

2009-07-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Our next ride was with a prosthetics nurse who took us to Titisee. It is a small town consisting of one road and a lake. The mist was settling over the forest-covered hills that surround the town. Black Forest trees tend to be very tightly packed with, with the leaves starting half way up the tall trees and mist filling the mysterious gaps between the trunks. The lake was glass and calm, like On Some Golden Pond. We looked through a touristy clock shop and had Black Forest cake in an Italian cafe. I was disappointed, I am sure the English version is better.

A mother and daughter art came in while we were there. The mother groomed, trim, hair sprayed, the daughter was too old, too fat, too ugly and too much bright blue eye shadow. She was being harassed by "Mummy" all the way. "What do you want dear?" "take your coat off dear", "sit down will you dear". The daughter should have left home when she was 30. "I will Mummy, give me a chance. I just want to visit the lady's".

Photo by Selcuk.aral

Hitchhiking in Germany

2009-07-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

We had 3 days off in the last week of March and we decided to test drive hitchhiking and camping. So at 04:30 ( which turned out to be 03:30 because the alarm was wrong) we tip toed out with just a sleeping bag and a small day pack.We had to wait for the tube station to open, and then caught a tube to a stop near the Autobahn (highway) heading in the direction of the Black Forest. We had made a little sign and within minutes we were sitting in a car with a middle-aged man going to a small town near the Black Forest. I sat in front, but after a preliminary chat I handed the conversation over to Paz.

I kept drifting in and out of a book I was reading and a deep sleep while hearing snippets of the conversation. The man with no name was writing a book about depression because he had suffered several in his life, and after expounding on his totally unoriginal open ended thesis, which would drive any depressant to suicide, Paz asked him what caused his depressions. He paused then said:"Don't ask." And she didn't. Next we heard about a night he spent with a dope smoking homosexual who flaunted himself in front of our innocent driver in a hotel room. The driver of course did not indulge. We also were treated to several references to the physical anatomy, such as "women are more pron to depression because of their periods, but men, well men are just caught off guard." We tried to cut him off unsuccessfully until we succeeded by reaching our destination and we put the road between us and the man with no name, after 3 hours together.

Photo by The Sage of Shadowdale

The cleaners

2009-07-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

Beware the Nova Cleaners! The hotel has about 14 chambermaids who do about 15 rooms each a day. They hire cleaners from an outside company to clean the remainder of rooms. These are the Nova Cleaners. They do about 30 rooms a day - not very well - God knows what they leave out. They are quiet, dark and mostly Afghans, Iraqis,Iranians or just plain Arabs. They have a reputation for trying to chat up the regular chambermaids and for leaving a mess behind them. They are talked about like a new race.

Charlie

2009-07-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

There is a girl working here called "Charlie" and she has big black boots, a beautiful clean open face which sweeps away into brown fuzzy hair, quite long. She is from Folkstone, England and obviously a good home which she is trying desperately hard to get away from, by using a cockney accent. She slacks off work and leaves it up to everyone else.

A Typical Day Part2

2009-07-03T07:24:00.000-07:00

The hotel keys are actually cards that slot into holes on the door. A green light opens the door and a red light means it is locked from the inside. These changed every time a new guest stayed in each room.

Anyway we go up in a service lift and on each floor there is an "office" which contains all the equipment and supplies for that floor. So we go in there and load up our trolleys which contain all our towels, laundry and bath stuff. We wheel out this monster which invariably is lopsided and crashes into the doors with the "do not disturb" signs on. Then we haul out the vacuum cleaner which is just for show - we never have time to use it. The other thing we wheel out is the dirty laundry trolley with bags hanging on it for us to put the used sheets in.

We knock on the door, say "housekeeping", and barge in. Then we strip the bed, re-do every bed, dust, replace things that have been used, clean the bathroom - yuck - playing with other peoples pubic hairs. We use very strong cleaning materials which burns holes in your hands. Then we move on.

Every room is checked by a "housdamen" who has a nicer uniform and tells us things we have "missed". We do 14 rooms a day, which means 30 minutes each room. It is a rush and we really catlick.

At the end of the day we reload the trolley, and clean the "office", then report downstairs, hand in our keys, strip off and go for a cup of tea. Also in the middle of the day there is our hot meal in the hotel canteen for 2 Marks.

We then trek home and collapse.

Photo by Chris 73, Wikimedia

A Typical Day part 1

2009-07-02T02:52:00.000-07:00

A typical day:
5:45 a radio alarm blasts off, sending us like cannon balls from our beds. After donning some coverage and washing the sleep from our eyes, we trudge down the 5 flights of stairs in semi-light. The mornings are grey and cold. We walk to the Obesendling tube stop and catch the 06:20 U4 on the U-bahn. We change at Odeonsplatz to the U3 to Arabella Park. We read non-stop on the 40 minute journey. At our stop we emerge like Dr. Who into a different world. Towering above us as we glide up the steps of the underground, is the HypsHous - a bank which is silver and grey aluminium and glass. Very tall science fiction like building of 3 tubes and triangles.
We walk towards the great S in the sky (Sheraton) and enter at the same place as the frozen chickens. However unlike the chickens we have to click a little card into a machine. Then we bang through the grease covered doors to the canteen. An endless stream of caffeine and pumpernickel, and a good book settles me for the day.

07:30 we go to the locker-room where we have a locker and a uniform. Pale blue stripe sacks. Once in these, and now camouflaged completely so no one will suspect we are attractive in any way, we go to the housekeeping department and get a clipboard with a worksheet on it. It tells us which floor we will be working on and how many rooms we have won in the lucky draw. We also get a pass key for the floor (so that if anything is stolen we can get blamed).

Lazy days in Munich

2009-06-30T04:31:00.000-07:00

I had just finished reading Lolita - brilliant writing - and then read Mile 18 by Leon Uris. Friday - our other day off, we lounged till noon then went out to investigate the price of different places, had lunch at the hotel then headed underground to see the Nymphonburg Castle (not Ludwig's) we could have had 50% discount on hiring a car from Avis so we considered it for weekend excursions. My biggest impression of Munich was the underground system, it is such a scramble of bright colors. We took photos to be developed, and then as it was raining we went to see a movie- a big extravagance."Three men and a little lady". After that we stumbled upon a synagogue and popped in for the service. I had bought little candles and lit one every Friday night, not for religious reasons, but just to mark off the weeks we are here.

However mundane it all seemed, I could find reams to say about it, but in a nutshell, the people are bland, the food is great, and we do 14 rooms a day.

Our day off in Munich

2009-06-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

Went to Dachau on our day off - the ex-concentration camp and I really didn't find it very exciting. There are so many people who have lived to tell the tale, it is much more moving to see and speak to the survivors.

We have just had one of our 2 days off. First we lazed around and did our washing as we had been wearing the same cloths for 3 days!

Then we dolled ourselves up and went to what is supposed to be a really fancy are of town-Shewarbing. We found it had several interesting shops, but nothing outstanding. There is a cement area with chess boards tables and chairs and a playground. We bought yogurt and berry ice-cream and sat watching the chess players. I was in no mood to explore. One shop was small and consisted of bright coloured silks, hats and hair pieces - we tried everything on. Including a platinum blond wig.

The weather has been grey and wet so we just went home and eat chocolate and read books.

Photo by Rosarion

Conversations in the Sheraton canteen

2009-06-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

Sheraton staff canteen - a large sunny room with chairs and tables in bright red and white. There is an array of wonderful food, and a few blobs of human flesh who collect their livelyhood here every month.

"Hi", the new comer lands the flying saucer on it's red checked resting place, and a few adventurous laps of hot tea escape overboard.
"Hi, you new then?"
"Yeh."
"Welcome, to the pits."
"Oh, we thought it's been great so far..."
"What do you think of the uniforms then? Bloody awful, sack of potatoes if you ask me, you'd think they'd have thought something else up." The old timer - about 5 months on the job - like most of the Sheraton staff, is Scottish, with a dialectical twang and a limited vocabulary.
"well actually the uniforms are a little unflattering."
"yeh, bloody right. Got ya self a drop of tea then did ya? It's terrible tea her, but the coffee's worse. What can you do hey?"
"Tea's tea, isn't it?"
"cold here, careful of the meat too, salmanella."
"What!" Shock, horror.
"The food, it's not too fresh, we get the left overs."
"At least it doesn't go to waste."
"Nothing goes to waste here. You at the staff house then?"
"Yes."
"what room number?"
"39"
"Oh hell, with Barbara, she's mental - no really she's a good laughis Barbara she is."
"When do they change the bedding?"
"Every two weeks - if you're lucky."
"What do you mean?"
"Well you have to be home to do it. SO if laundrey day isn't on your day off your fucked."
"Oh no!" Newby says, the muscles in her face slowly sliding downhill under the weight of knowledge, probably in the contract - small German print.
"Don't worry you can take bedding from the hotel."
"Great."
"Just don't get caught. They don't mind, so long as you don't get caught."
"Oh."
"And any road, they cannee check ya bag withoot a member of the union there and a policeman."
"Oh."
"Yeh, lots of people take stuff home - why not hey? I sent my folks two super Sheraton bathrobes - shmashing they was."
"Don't they notice the stuff missing?"
"Not really. The Sheraton's shampoo's good but give the conditioner a miss."
"What time do we finish work?"
"You're supposed to finish at 4pm, but if you finish early just come down her for a cuppa, what ever you do don't go near the housekeeper's office before 4pm or she'll give you more rooms to do."
"How do you manage to do 16 rooms a day>"
"Ya, just got to learn what to miss out, how to skim, and what each Housedamen looks for, like
Alan is a crome man, Marie is funny about hairs on the floor."
"The bath takes so long to do."
"Well just clean the ring and take the hairs out."
"Yuk, and I can't believe we are supposed to use the previous guest's facecloth."
"Oh, well I'll be off then, see you in a wee bit."
"Where can we get cold drinks?"
"From a machine in the hall, come on. I'll show you how to get one out without paying."

Scottish and Irish workers at the Sheraton

2009-06-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

We are working on an "island", in Germany. we may be surrounded by Germans but we are working with the "wee" people. No they don't have a wine complex, they are just Irish or Scottish, and everything is "dead easy", "dead good", "dead alive", and they have a "wee break", a "wee room", a "wee" cup of tea, a "wee wee", and "eye eye", that is, what with clopping on doors, being gerils, instead of girls and a variety of sing-song intonations from all the lads and lasses.

political discussion- poverty and the dole

2009-06-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

The next two months we worked at the Sheraton and we fell into a regular routine but it was not without it's interesting moments. Paz told me about a political discussion she had with an Irish girl in her room. She shocked them all by supporting Thatcher, then knocked their socks off by saying that she was against the dole (unemployment benefits) as it encourages people not to look for work, adding that the unemployed should be more enterprising.

These girls in horror exclaimed "shame, but some people just can't get work, how would they survive without the dole?" "Don't they have social security in South Africa?"
"No" said Paz with a straight face.
"Well what do poor people do? There must be poor people in South Africa".
"Yes" Paz replied, "well, in South Africa plastic bags are free. So using these bags and pieces of corrugated iron that people find, together with some stones, they build a home. Now these turn into squatter camps so they usually situate themselves around a tap so that they have water. Also the farms don't have fences so the poor pilfer a little so that they don't starve."
These Brits sat, jaws dropped in shock.
Paz continued, "When I think of poverty I think of third world countries like India, Ethiopia. I don't think of a cosy council house and the dole."
Paz's socio-economic attitudes are not as drastic as the ones she expressed, but it got across the point, that their idea of "being poor" is still luxury for some.

Photo by Fiona L cooper

Training at the Sheraton

2009-06-17T02:07:00.000-07:00

Today was training day, and our new boss, a Scott, actually took us to rooms and showed us how to do everything, in fact doing the whole thing himself, which I thought was quite impressive. In the afternoon we were given one room to do. Then he checked it. We left work once again exhausted and stumbled along to check our Poste Restante - we had one postcard from Innsbruck that had been sent forward.

We went back to the staff house, and once again I had the place to myself, so I de-liced. I actually felt finally free from the lice. While having my head wrapped in a towel I was called to the house phone, and had a great conversation with the whole family. The phone here can receive calls but we can't call out.
That night again I tossed and turned, heard Barbara come in, pretended to sleep. Next morning once again we left at the crack of dawn. We cleaned 4 rooms which killed us, and then staggered home. We watched the video of 9 and a half weeks, then went to bed.
The next day we were up to cleaning 7 rooms and the gradient will keep getting harder until we are up to speed which is cleaning 15 rooms in a day!

The infamous Barbara of the Sheraton!

2009-06-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived at the Sheraton staff house and had to stand while a young lady who stank of alcohol checked us in. She kept forgetting what she had said, and which part of the paper work she had completed. Another lady came in and before even saying hello, said to the alcy , :have you told them our first rule in cleanliness?" She was the house captain. When we got to the rooms we were shocked to find that they where filthy. We had been put in separate rooms (me in 37). IN my room I had someone called Barbara whom everyone kept telling me "oh shit, you're in with Barbara, she's crazy!" The third person in the room was in hospital. Probably had her bones broken by the infamous Barbara.

Well I never met Barbara on the first night as she worked a different shift to me. This was great news as it meant I had the room to my self in the evenings. The legend of Barbara grew. There had been no space cleared for me to put my things, but I thought I better make my own space so that my first impression isn't one of weakness. I couldn't fall asleep for the first few nights, as it felt strange being in a new place. I lay awake waiting for Barbara to appear and when she finally did, I lay stone still pretending I was asleep, in fear of incurring the wrath of Barbara! I don't know why, but I just sensed danger from her. Barbara was Scottish, as are most of the staff, apart from the Irish and an occasional Italian or Egyptian.

The next day we were up at 6am, on the underground at 6.20 and at work at 7am. Free breakfast and then starting work at 8am. I did eventually meet Barbara, at work - it was a brief hello and a firm hand shake, and that was it. To my consternation she did not bite my head off or snap me in two.

After a long days work...

2009-06-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

First we bought a public transport season ticket, as the staff house is 40 minutes away by tube. We waited in a long long line to buy our tickets, and all this after a hard day's work. We needed a photo for our ticket, and the only one I had was me done up for an audition, with pig tails/ braids. The ticket cost 64 Marks which is astronomical but cheaper than everyday and it is too far to walk. We also didn't know that they would take two months of rent off of our first salary for a security deposit. So our $800 a month is looking more like $500. We also had to have a German bank account so they can deposit our check each month. I changed my return air ticket money in to Marks and put it in the bank. We also organized a tax card and a temporary residence visa.

We found our way to the staff house.

Photo from Wikimedia

First day at Munich Sheraton

2009-06-09T05:59:00.001-07:00

We had to make our packs look as much as possible like suitcases when we went for our first day at the Sheraton, Munich. So we no longer wore our little packs on our chests, but piled it all inside. We donned skirts and pumps ( I bought some black leather flat shoes in Austria for work) and hobbled to the Sheraton - nervous as hell - which wasn't helped by the fact that we were half an hour late due to subway delays. They didn't notice we were late as there was a corridor full of new girls waiting to start work. So we just tried to blend in.

Eventually we were seen to, and shown into the office of the housekeeper - Housdamen. Everyone was really friendly. We were put in the laundry department for the day. There we met a Portuguese girl on a training programme. She was very nice and showed us where the canteen was. In fact she even lent us money for the food tickets. The canteen food is excellent. Rolls/crackers, cheese, jam, butter, meat all for breakfast, as well as endless coffee and tea. Lunch - soup, salad, desert are free but for $1 you get a hot lunch of meat and veg. Paula and I ate and ate because it was free! But the novelty will wear off.

We had those punch card things that people use in factories at the beginning and end of the day. In the laundry we had to "iron" shirts by putting them on a dummy that filled with hot air and steams the creases out. We had candy stripped uniforms, a little tight on the hips and a string pull waist.

By the end of the day our feet were killing us. but we still had to put our packs on and find our way to the staff house.

Photo from Wikimedia

From Salzburg to Munich, and the end of the Gulf War!

2009-06-08T02:16:00.000-07:00

We really had something to celebrate when we got back to Salzburg as the Gulf War is apparently over! I hadn't spoken to friends in Israel in a while but I'm sure they are still waiting for Saddam to pull something from his sleeve. America is stupid to be so proud of a victory, so early. There are headlines on USA papers here saying "How We Won The War". So American!
On Sunday, our last day before we start work, we hung around the hostel - a very friendly, big warm place - we learnt more about Australians here than Austrians - till 3pm. We watched Amadeus, the video, then saddled up and headed back to the castle hostel in Munich/pallach for one night before heading for work the next morning.

Liechtenstein Stamp Museum

2009-06-08T02:00:00.001-07:00

We took the bus down the mountain - the altitude really gets to me - it makes me feel high. Once back in Vaduz we went to the Stamp Museum, boring but free. There we got our passports stamped with the Liechtenstein stamp and spent the rest of the time looking over all the touristy things. I bought a feather for my Austrian hat and a badge of Liechtenstein, also for my hat. As the Austrian hat is also traditional in Switzerland and Germany I'm just going to get badges and attach them.

We returned to Salzburg still using our Rabbit Card. On the train was a group of middle ages men from America, Argentina and England. They were all so set in being right about their opinions, they couldn't have a conversation. Once back in Salzburg - our excursion had been a complete success, we had spent $10 for the whole day, including accommodation, having slept on the train. I bought some lice stuff and de-lice and have been much more ardent about combing through my hair and it seems to be working. I also decided to grow out my fringe (bangs).

Photo by 9teen87's postcards

Cup of tea in Malbun ski resort

2009-06-07T03:11:00.000-07:00

Once down the hill we caught a bus to a ski resort in the country side - it is dubbed the undiscovered St. Moritz. I think it was called Malbun. It is so high up in the mountains my ears were popping. All the way up there are little, and I mean two houses and a church, villages and wooden cottages on the side of a green mountain. As winter is on it's way out the skiers have to go pretty far up to get to snow.

Once there we found three of four hotels and restaurants with patios, for having coffee while overlooking the ski runs and ski lifts. It is very colourful as ski suits are now brilliant colours including neon. Children of about 4 years old were zooming down the slopes.

We decided to treat ourselves to a long glass of tea on one of these patios. It really was a treat at 2.40 Swiss Francs($3). We sat, leisurely nursing our tea by removing the tea bag and adding milk. I was wearing my sunglasses, red jacket, yellow scarf and blue sweater, and felt quite the jet setter. I commented to Paz that it really wasn't the best cup of tea I'd ever had. In fact, I said, it tasted metallic. Paz added her milk which immediately curdled, so a waitress grudgingly replaced it. I then decided to add some sugar to cover the metal taste. As I stirred my tea, with shock I heard and saw metal pieces in the bottom of the cup! I imagined razor blades and nails, so I fished them out to discover there was 3.30 Swiss Francs in my tea!!! You can imagine my surprise and delight. I pocketed all except the 0.30SF and called the waitress who replaced the tea, not really understanding what I was explaining to her. We were in hysterical laughter by now as Paz's second cup of tea also curdled and was replaced. Paz was told that she should "Stir the milk in slowly". After that with two normal cups of tea we sat and enjoyed ourselves watching the skiers. I don't even think the money was there when the tea arrived, I have no idea how it got there. After all that in very bad taste they didn't give us our tea for free which they should have. We left trying to explain to them that we had found 0.30 SF in the tea, but they had no idea what we were talking about, and shooed us away, which was fine with us.

Photo by Andreasmarx

liechtenstein castle

2009-06-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

We decided to walk up the mountain to the castle, although you can't actually go in. We have a standing joke that if there is a mountain to climb or stairs to go up, we find them The wooded area was very English and more like autumn than spring, as all the leaves were shades of yellow and brown. On the mossy sides of the cliff face at intervals, water seeped out from hidden springs - turning the rock beneath it black and slimy. Also as you climb the hill there are notices giving you tit bits of information about the place. This, I suppose id to distract you from the steep climb.

The royal family originally resided in Vienna, and the family served in various official capacities. Them the emperor gave one of the family this land, from them on it has been an individual country with flag, crest etc. They speak a German dialect, use the Swiss Franc and are famous for their wine and stamps. They have a steady economy and a mixed government system. They are a contradictory - democratic socialistic monarchy. The government "diet" discusses everything, but the king has the final word. We kept seeing people and thinking they could be one of the royals out for a stroll, as there is no security. You can go right up to the castle gate and ring the front bell.

The mist framed the castle against the king sized mountains and different shades of green rolling hills. We came, we climbed, we saw, we went back down.

Photo by Albert AK

Liechtenstein

2009-06-04T00:32:00.000-07:00

Lichtenstein is distinctly different to Austria. The castle is the first thing you see, it is the home of the royal family and sits atop a wood covered hill. It is in the middle of the Alps and surrounded by snow covered mountains, like something off of a castor sugar packet. We arrived extremely early and were very cold. Although Vaduz is their biggest city it is basically one main street and a castle. We walked along the main street, and then sat in a church to keep warm for an hour, while dust coated cleaners did the floors. The church was surprisingly warm and although Catholic was not very ornate, perhaps because now we were further west. As we left we remembered to cross ourselves in front of the alter, for show. And we hoped we crossed ourselves in the right direction - Orthodox cross right to left and Catholics left to right - or the other way around!

We came across a beautiful mosaic covered building being used as a police station. I took a photo as part of my more-photos-plan. Once 8am hit we returned to the Tourist Info to discover it was closed for the day. Saturday. But it didn't really matter as we had our "Let's Go" and at least, unlike some countries, the info was accurate.

Photo by Kyselak on Wikimedia

From Salzburg to Liechtenstein

2009-06-02T01:30:00.000-07:00

Next day we walked around Salzburg and returned to the Palace Gardens where part of "Sound of Music" was filmed. We did laundry and then went walk about in the food market. I bought 1/2 Kg of Sauerkraut for 9 Marks and sausages, which I lived on for the next 2 days. I also developed my photos, 2 spools for an exorbitant 295 Marks ($29.5) The photos were not clear and were small. I have kept the negatives to maybe reprint once I get home. So I resolved to take more photos to make up for the ones that don't come out.
We stayed up in the hostel pub until 12.30am and then tottered off to get the train to Liechtenstein! It is a country/principality between Austria and Switzerland. Our Rabbit pass took us to the Swiss side of the boarder, then in a new currency, Swiss Francs we took the bus into Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. The train there took 6 hours so we slept on the train and saved on a night's accommodation. We were in a compartment with three obnoxious males who spread like lard across their seats and most of ours.

Photo by Danez

Monk's beer and Innsbruck to collect the post

2009-06-01T01:40:00.000-07:00

That evening we sat in the hostel bar with a bunch of Australians. Two of them were twins and looked exactly like Saddam Hussein - moustache and all! We all walked to across the river in the evening to a beer hall run by monks in a monastery. Below the bridge we saw 4 black swans, it was so quiet and beautiful. We had a beer each and got on well with everyone, the Aussies are really nice people.
The next day we went to Innsbruck just to collect our post. I had 5 letters! Paz didn't get any which really upset her, but they could be held up in Athens as the post is having to follow us around. We just got on the train and returned to Salzburg, bought some food and returned to the hostel. We bought a big box of cornflakes for the price we had payed for a bowl at the hostel, and ate our full.

From Vienna to Salzburg, Krens & Polten

2009-05-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

Next morning we packed and went to the train station to enquire about train times. The poor information guy was quite baffled when I asked him when the next train is going to somewhere nice, about an hour away. He just kept saying - what city do you want? and we kept saying - anywhere nice. We ended up saddling up and using our rabbit cards to go to a place called St. Polten.

It is a little nothing town, we walked around for an hour than sat at the station pissing ourselves over the bad English in the town brochure. You really know a town has nothing to offer when they include in the tourist brochure that new bicycle stands have been erected, and that the city is the centre for the Austrian Medical Insurance Industry. We did pass one interesting sight - a photo shoot with an ugly girl standing on a brass bed in the street with a brown coat on and holding an umbrella.

So far I have used a camera spool in Greece, Yugoslavia, and another whole one in Vienna and Salzburg. Back on the train we made for Krems - a small town in the Vienna Woods and on the Danube, north of Wien (Vienna). The town was cute with cobbled streets and small shops. Also a church with hourly chimes. We walked miles to the tourist office, to be told that the youth hostel is closed, and the cheapest accommodation was $20. So we got back on the train and still using our Rabbit Card, went to Salzburg. We found a great hostel for $10 and lots of perks i.e. they show Sound of Music every day. So we caught up on some letter writing and had a huge German sausage, Camembert, and watched the Sound of Music.

Photo from Wikimedia

Standing room, Fidelio Opera in Vienna

2009-05-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

The opera was "Fidelio" by Beethoven, his only opera. About a wife who dresses up as a man to work in a prison as her husband has been wrongly imprisoned. The jailer's daughter falls in love with the disguised wife. The husband is eventually released and they all live happily ever after. At one point when Mahler was head of the orchestra he reorganized the music of this opera.

It was fully sold out, no student tickets, so I lined up for the standing room. God help you if you don't know the unspoken rules of places like this. There were all sorts of lines, some for students, old people, couples. But there was no shortage, as there were 500 standing room places. That's more than the capacity of some theatres. You pay $2 to be on the ground level, and $1.50 to be on the 6Th level, where you might be able to sit on the steps or spare seats, where as the bottom level is cut off from the seating area so there is no chance of sitting. So I went for the lofty gallery.

You line up with your ticket, then line up at the stairs to get a place allocation, then there is a stampeded into the theatre where you can tie a scarf around the bar in front of you to mark your place. Then and only then can you relax until the performance begins. I did this all then read my newspaper which I have decided to treat myself to once a week. After the overture I slipped into a vacant seat but after the interval the legitimate ticket holders came and so I moved into the isle. Some arsehole, who also had a standing room ticket, came and said to me in German to move down. So I moved down a few steps. Obviously I was in his spot. Then he - in full view of me - goes and tells an usher to check my ticket or something. In front of hundreds of eyes the usher came and checked my ticket. I had trouble finding it. Once I showed it to him he said I had to check my bag and coat into the cloak room area, and then move off the stairs to the standing area. This was all minutes before the second act began.

I ran all over the place sorting out the storage of my stuff, and explaining that my scarf was still tied to the bar, and could I please return there to get it. Eventually as the lights were about to go down I dashed into place, passing the arsehole on my way and only managed to hiss "was that really necessary", which he probably didn't understand. Well that ruined the second act overture for me which was supposed to be the most famous part of the opera. I stood through the second half, and will never do that again. The anxiety. The opera was just something happening, over there, while I was shifting from one foot to the other. I enjoyed the music but my favorite opera so far on this trip was "Cosi Fan Tuti". I rode home on a tram without a ticket, shitting myself that an inspector wouldn't get on.

More Austria on a shoe string

2009-05-21T02:03:00.000-07:00

After Mass we went to MacDonald's, for a cheap cup of coffee then it was off the Maria Theresa's(Maria Antoinette's mother) castle/palace. It was yellow with green shutters and extremely large, resembling the palace in the three musketeers. It is set on enormous grounds which include a zoo, fake ancient ruins, monuments, fountains and parks. They wouldn't accept our student card - cheek to deprive us poor students! So we didn't go it, as it cost $5, but instead we walked around the grounds.

About 2 days ago winter suddenly ended. There is no more snow on the ground and a marked increase in the amount of tourists. It will be a totally different experience travelling in the summer. There was still ice on the ponds though, with cold ducks desperately trying to break through to the water. So I took a shot - not a shot shot - of the ducks!

After a really tranquil walk through the woods we descended home, and spent about an hour getting lost on the trams. Then Paz went back to the hostel and I went on to the Opera. I have about $250 left and her money is virtually gone so she missed the opera to save money.

When ever officials are nasty to me I get the impulse to say F off Nazi, but I restrain myself. There is so much unstated, or under stated history in this region. The difference between Austria and Germany, is that Germany has a big chunk of history that it prefers not to speak of, so Austria seems more old-worldy.

The opera in these Germanic countries though , is outstanding!

Photo by Imagelink

Vienna Boys Choir

2009-05-21T01:52:00.000-07:00

Next day - Sunday - we went to church - in the chapel of the palace. We saw mass and heard the Vienna Boys Choir. The Mass and ceremony turn me off, but the boys had beautiful sweet voices. However they were very sibilant, they held notes strongly but had trouble with actual words. They sang in about 5 parts. That was one of the unique things about Phantom, several numbers were different people singing different parts at the same time. The boys wore cute navy blue sailor suits, crisply ironed, and little sailor hats. After the show I got another shot of a nutcase dressed as a Roman carrying a sign saying he was the prophet!

Viennese sight seeing

2009-05-17T00:56:00.000-07:00

Next morning was a Saturday and we wandered around town stopping at every food place, drooling at the Viennese pastries. We checked out how much it would be to see the stallions performing but it was too much. We ended up back in the palace area, as the rest of Vienna seems dark and dirty. So we went to see the crown jewels. I've never seen such big rocks, and natural chunks of gold. I was surprised to see how much delicate enamel work they used. There were also several relics - a piece of wood, a tooth, a cloth, ornate boxes with gold and silver cherubs on them. These are all worshiped as having been touched by, or having been part of a Saint or Jesus. One had what was supposed to be a nail from the cross. The Catholic religion is beginning to turn me off, and I think a trip through Europe might do this to anyone.
Next we wandered up one of those famous boulevards and went to a famous cake shop torte a traditional Austrian/ Viennese cake of chocolate, delicious but not satisfying. The waitresses were all fat! The coffee house had chandeliers, and was decorated with gold and green walls, and mirrors.
Then it was on to St. Stephens church. It has a mosaic roof and a famous steeple. We just whipped through it really fast, as we have seen a few too many beautiful churches. The two month break of working in Munich will do us good and make travelling and churches seem more appealing. Got some great character shots, but wish I had a better camera. Then we went shopping and back to the hostel. Made ourselves a huge meal of rice, cabbage, garlic, beans and mushrooms mixed together. Then we made some calls home from a call box and off to sleep.

Phantom of the Operaa - Vienna

2009-05-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

We enquired about tickets to The Phantom Of the Opera, and were told no chance. No standing room, nothing. We decided to try anyway. On our way walking to the theatre we saw a protest march of about 20 Muslims with signs in Arabic and all chanting Ala Akba - which means God is great, and is the call to prayer and what suicide bombers shout before they blow. Freedom of speech I suppose. We met a very nice box office man at the theatre. There were tickets for $5 standing, that were sold out, and $15 for students, and there were tickets. So we went for it, a little apprehensive about spending so much money, but it was worth it. The BEST I have EVER seen, and I have seen a lot of theatre. Total performance, every aspect perfect. I wish I was still involved in theatre, and it makes me want to never get married, and just devote myself to theatre. The costumes, music, emotional acting, everything, spot on. The production was in German, but it didn't matter, I basically know the story, and the songs are well known. We had front row seats which are normally not the best place to sit but this gave us a great view of the falling chandelier, crashing and swinging over the audience's heads. Because of copyrights, all of the show - set, costume music etc has to be the same where ever it is performed. We went home on cloud 9 speechless. We gushed about it in the hostel common room, but it all went over their heads - low flying intellect. The seats we were in would have cost $87. We are still thinking of changing our money to Marks, because of the Dollar dropping.

The Hapsburgs

2009-05-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

We walked through the palace grounds which now constitute the old city. There are many sculptures, archways and hidden courtyards. This is also where the Spanish stallions are kept, the ones famous for dressage. We didn't get to see them performing but we stuck our noses in and saw them practicing in the beautiful ornate enclosed ground. It was like they had taken a ball room and cleared it out to make room for the horses. There is really a lot to see in Vienna.

We next took a tour of the Imperial Apartments where the royal family used to live. The last Hapsburg died 2 years ago. After reading in the guide book, I remembered that I had once been in a radio play about the Hapsburgs. Elizabeth and Francis Hapsburg had 4 children, 3 daughters and Rudolf, a son who committed suicide at 30 and left them no heir. The crown then fell to their nephew who was, I think Ferdinand, who's murder started the WWII. The apartments are beautiful with gold leaf on the ceilings. The dining room has been laid out as if for a banquet, with all the cutlery and glasses.

We have both become enchanted with Elizabeth Queen of Hungary. She has several exquisite portraits, and she was very popular, and married at 14. After her son's death she became a recluse, and Hungary was her only passion, she loved the people and the language, although she was originally from Bavaria. She was assassinated in the end. We were both enthralled reading her biography in the book store when we got to the bit where it describes how she began to travel the world writing poetry and calling herself Tatiana queen of the fairies! We both burst out laughing, realizing that the poor dear must have cracked - lost a marble or two!

Huge Schnitzel, Palace,

2009-05-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

At the end of the production we went to dinner in an underground cellar restaurant. We had an enormous schnitzel. We had to have Vienna schnitzel in Vienna. The schnitzel over flowed from the plate and the place was packed. We asked for water and the waiter very gallantly put it down and said "the best water in Vienna!"

The next day we walked into town to the Hapsburg Empire Palace. We entered a large courtyard through four arches. The courtyard holds statues and gardens, on one side is the National library, the building is curved and has pillars all along the side. There is a balcony over looking this enclosed area and apparently it is where Hitler made one of those famous speeches to the masses. Sitting in the courtyard was an oriental man in an orange sarong/sari and head dress. He had a gold Buddha stove in front of him and was beating a thing like a pan made of animal skin. Behind him was a sign saying "peace in the gulf". It was a protest. The sound of the banging could be heard from afar. The buildings here are all so big my camera could not do them justice.

Photo by Leonid Yaitskiy

The Magic Flute in Vienna

2009-05-11T05:53:00.001-07:00

Vienna is another big European city, sprawling and dirty. Admittedly on foot I suppose we didn't see it all. We found a hostel near the station and dumped our stuff. There is a locker in the room and a communal kitchen and lounge with some very friendly Australians. In the evening we walked to the National Opera and lined up outside the wrong door for half an hour, then were let into the wrong box office, where they told us tickets were $90. Then we were directed to a line with about 50 people in it. There was standing room available for $2 but we didn't think it was worth the foot pain. Eventually we got to the front of the line and got student tickets for $5. Funny we both left varsity about 3 years ago but are still getting student discounts. So here we were front row box seats, and the people sharing the box had paid $160! The Opera House is much bigger than the one in Salzburg but not as beautiful. It has 6 levels of seating with boxes in a horseshoe shape. I have always wanted to sit in a box seat. We saw the Magic Flute also by Mozart. I preferred Cosi Fan Tuti, but for grandeur and set design this one was better. There is also the famous aria by the queen of the night, clear crisp high notes and top C. At one point I just looked up at the ceiling, listening, it was exquisite. None of the theatres/operas we have visited have been miked/amplified, it is all voice projection and acoustics. The story is a fantasy about the night forces versus the day, and a couple caught in the middle. Long story! Again we left in awe. Not one performer let the show down.

Photo by Leacyy

Rabbit Card

2009-05-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

I kept saying"this is only Salzburg, what will Vienna be like, how can it be any better?", I was right, it was not more beautiful than Salzburg. In fact, I found that Vienna paled in comparison to Salzburg. Basically the size put me off. The Rabbit Ticket, actually the "Ferret Card" as the travel guide says, is discontinued. That was another piece of misleading information, as we found and bought one. Under 27's can now buy a Rabbit Card Junior, allowing 4 days of unlimited travel over a ten day period. It cost $59, this saves us a lot of money as one trip from Salzburg to Innsbruck is $59, and we intend to go to Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. The advert is of a carrot! And the card has a little picture of a bunny and "junior" written on it.

Sightseeing Salzburg, Part 2

2009-05-09T23:31:00.000-07:00

We ended up outside Mozart's house, so we went to have a look. The house has of course been turned into a museum, and fitted out in the period of his day. Most of the house has portraits on the walls, of his sister and father and other family members. There was a portrait of his wife Constance and it was strikingly different to the standard portraits of his time. Her hair is short and all messy and mousy brown, when it was the style at the time to wear those big white powdered wigs. The house was 4 stories high with steep stairs and intricate hall ways, that you could get lost in.

We saw an open cheese market, with an enormous cheese cutter, so we stopped for lunch on the steps of a church. Then we went to the Landstheatre, the first theatre in the region. We paid $8 and saw Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tuti". The theatre is the most beautiful I have ever seen. Totally impractical because of the bad sight lines, but exquisite. Gold and deep red decor, a giant chandelier, box seats, horse shoe audience and a proscenium arch. The little lights around the boxes were shaped like violins. The opera was excellent, full of fun. It is a comedy about 2 couples, testing their wives fidelity, by dressing up and presenting themselves to see if their wives would have an affair. The set was sparse and pale colours. We went home culture sated.

Someone once asked us why we are "doing" Europe while we are young, when we should be seeing the harder countries like India and South America, well now I have the answer: the discounts for students and young people are significant - an opera at $8 - unheard of! We decided to move on to Vienna the next day as there is an opera there tomorrow night.

Photo by Italiangerry

Sight seeing in Salzburg part 1

2009-05-08T04:08:00.001-07:00

We descended the mountain still in awe, and wandered through a graveyard with very old and very recent grave stones. Some of the grave "stones" were metal. We went into a church, ignoring the lady in a booth demanding a voluntary donation. It was probably the church used in the Sound of Music for the wedding, and Mozart's local church. We again walked into a grand and huge courtyard, where just one street away the lanes become small and quaint. We stopped for lunch in a food bar packed with locals only, and had a real German/Austrian meal of sauerkraut, goulash and a big dumpling, a typical meal here.

In the side of the same mountain as the castle we entered the catacombs, through secret passages and two stone chapels. These were used during the Roman era when Christianity was outlawed. At one time there was a landslide which revealed the chapels. Since the 1600's and till present day, men called mountain cleaners, come every spring and check for cracks in the mountains, if they find any they are sealed up. The tour guide lady used too much dramatic pause, and indicated everything with a flat open hand, while whispering in reverence of the site.

When we exited I spotted a lady in traditional Austrian hat with feather, and and a dog in a jacket, I just had to get a shot of her, so I stalked her for a while with my Instamatic at the ready. I got my shot. We did some essential shopping: camera spools, stockings for when we start work, hand body and face cream and deodorant (badly needed). All in all $23.
Photo from Wikimedia, by Joachim Köhler

Hohensalzburg Fortress

2009-05-05T12:45:00.001-07:00

This is the most intact fortress in Europe, it was built between 1300 and 1600 by the Archbishops of the region, who kept adding bits on. There are several different bits as you go up that were gradually added on, like a gate house and the outer walls. I just kept exclaiming - it's beautiful, it's wonderful. It's was just breathtaking, the river, the castle, the white snow with flashes of green showing through and the old buildings. Nothing my camera could photograph could capture and do justice to it's beauty.

At the top we entered the fortress surrounded by walls and there was a large courtyard. One was irregularly shaped and bare apart from a tree in the middle, black against the snow. The branches of the tree were edged in dark green moss, which in turn was edged with yellow, orange glowing reflections of the sun. I resisted taking a photo as the mind can recall it best. It was also completely silent. From the courtyard we walked through an archway to an open balcony - a landing hanging over the city and surrounded by mountains - something out of a paramount movie. There was mist everywhere, especially in a thick line hanging just below the height of the balcony. The black birds sitting on the wall flew away as we approached, onto the fingers of trees a little down the mountain. I waited about 15 minutes to capture a picture of the black bird on the tree, but they had moved on. We walked through the arch way several times just to feel the world opening up at our feet.

The less aesthetic experiences in the fortress were the museum and the genuine chastity belt! We had a tour included in the entrance, and we saw one room with portraits of all the archbishops who had lived there. One had a Mistress as they were not allowed to marry, and he built her a palace in the middle of town and had 16 kids with her. He was later imprisoned by his successor in a torture chamber we saw. It had all the torture equipment, like a stretching machine, and a 6 foot pit to stick people down. There are pillars of red marble only found in this region, one has a hole in it made by a stone cannon ball that was fired into the fortress during a peasant revolution.

We descended the castle still in awe of the castle and city.

Photo by Starbuck77

A first look at Salzburg

2009-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

Next morning we set of to see the town. We walked up a cobbled street where Mozart was born and lived. They have kept it as original as possible, with even the MacDonald's camouflaged. Every shop has a gilded sign beautifully decorated and ornate. The shop windows are wooden and with thick glass. A lot of shops have the Mozart Kuglen chocolates displayed in the window. There is a sense of good city planning to make everything look part of a whole.

We dashed through cobbled streets and arches with the snow covered mountains in the distance. There are several large courtyards surrounded by national monuments and churches. Horse drawn coaches went over the cobbles and under the arches making that beautiful clipity clop sound.

We discovered that the cable car was not operating so once again we climbed. If there is a hill in a town we will find it and need to climb it! The air was crisp, fresh and icey. I became snap happy taking more pictures than normal. There are lots of steeples and minarets and green copper roof tops. The walk up was very steep.

Photo by [j]t

Arriving in Salzburg

2009-05-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Salzburg and I can tell you it is the second most beautiful city I have been to - after Jerusalem - . There is a castle that rises over the city, and a river that flows through the town. It is relatively clean and a digestible size to travel around. We followed instructions, trying to get to a Youth Hostel. Three hours later, trudging around a suburb in the snow we found that it had been closed down. So we were back on the bus sitting side ways on two chairs to facilitate our lumps and humps on our backs. We were actually sitting on the seats in the front for the handicapped and with all our worldly possessions on our backs. We arrived at a hostel and the price was $15, an entire day's budget, but we could not go any further, so we stayed. At least they had free flowing hot showers and a free breakfast.

Photo by Pablo F. Ceparo