Here Comes Da Pope...

Vienna, Austria

September 8, 2007
N48°12.245
E016°22.728

The 10:10 AM train from Salzburg took approximately 3.5 hours to reach the capital city of Austria. Excitement was in the air when we arrived at the Westbanhof, or West Train Station, in Vienna. The Pope is in town and his presence was felt throughout the city of Vienna. Posters displayed throughout the train station showed Pope Benedict the XVI hugging young children, smiling alone, and even one riding in his “Pope Mobile.” The schedule for his three day visit in Austria was outlined; culminating with a big Sunday Mass tomorrow.

Even when we arrived at the Happy Hostel, our host, Franz, told us about the Pope’s events the following day. He anxiously circled the big Stephansom church on a map, located in the heart of Stepansplatz Plaza, where Sunday Mass would be held for thousands. He warned us that several of the streets in the area, including the subway station, would be closed for security reasons. It sounded like total chaos and a good place to stay away from altogether!

The city was calling, so we quickly stowed our packs in our surprisingly large apartment, and headed out to explore. The weather in Vienna was at least 10 degrees (F) warmer than Salzburg, and there was only a slight drizzle coming down from the gray skies—a perfect day.

Emerging from the underground metro station, we were dwarfed by incredible architecture. All the buildings were immaculately restored and, for lack of a better word, stunning. The next two to three hours were spent in an almost trancelike state; wandering around and pointing out different buildings until we got lost in the 47 acre Hofburg Palace. This incredible feat of architecture was an active Imperial Palace for more than six centuries; therefore, the style of the buildings within the complex span Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classical. Marc said it felt like we were walking through the set of a movie. Strolling down the glistening cobbled streets beneath the yellow hue of street lamps, as Gothic churches and giant cathedrals towered above us, it all seemed unreal...

We finished our day by stopping in at a small wine bar we accidentally found down a narrow side street. It was definitely a local hideout and it seemed we arrived several drinks after the regulars. The woman tending bar was tossing back a white wine spritzer about every 10 minutes and her two friends keeping her company, singing, dancing and laughing, were easily keeping pace.

At the bar to my left, sitting by himself, was a lonesome looking middle-aged fellow, chain smoking Marlboro Lights and polishing off a pint of Beck’s beer every 10-15 minutes. He was so shitty, unknowingly his cigarette dropped from his lips into his lap. He only realized when he felt the hot sting and hastily retrieved his smoke; quicky glancing around and hoping no one noticed his faux paux.

Everyone was speaking in Austrian except when singing to the music; which was being selected (song by song) by one of the bartender’s, very drunk, girlfriends. The tunes varied from disco classics, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, The Who, a brief tribute to Pavoratti, Dean Martin, Bob Dylan, and Frank Sinatra. Of course, with each song selection there was a performance of uninhibited and very animated dancing, singing and at times loosely choreographed dance steps.
It was all very good comedy and everyone in the little bar was thoroughly enjoying themselves. In fact, we decided to enjoy a second glass of wine and inhale a couple more packs of second-hand smoke before calling it an evening and saying good-night to the characters.

Tomorrow the real exploration of Vienna begins… if today is any indication of what the city has to offer, we won’t be disappointed.

The Hills Are Alive...

Salzburg, Austria

September 6, 2007
N47°48.222
E013°02.831

Although the weather was far less than desirable, we were determined not to let it taint our opinion of Salzburg. We bundled up, Marc in 5 layers, me in 4, and waded into the rain looking to explore the city. After crossing the Salzach River we discovered a flight of stairs and figured we should see where they lead. After about five minutes of climbing we knew the city had more to offer than what was hiding beneath the thick, grey storm clouds. Plus, since we were climbing up the steep trailside, we were actually a little too warm for the first time in a few days.

Continuing to follow the trail through the dense forest, passing hidden chateaus, we looked down upon the city of picturesque churches and cathedrals; looming above was the massive and imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress. Occasionally the clouds would separate allowing us a glimpse of the snow-capped Alps off in the distance; which must be breathtaking on a clear fall day.

The natural beauty of the area reminded us of Marin County and the great trails we can hike just across the bay from San Francisco. Of course, Marin doesn’t have the Alps, or a majestic medieval fortress, but it does have views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. The trails surrounding the fortress would be perfect for a morning run, combining stairs and hills, and the sweet aroma of fresh baked bread rising from the bakeries just below in the town square.

We continued to follow the trail, almost being pulled to the base of the commanding fortress. However, rather than entering we decided to wait and explore the castle tomorrow when the weather is supposed to clear-up. We can’t let the weather dictate our sightseeing though, and will definitely explore tomorrow rain or shine.

If it is raining, Marc will probably want to hit the infamous Augustiner Braustubl beer hall to warm-up. We visited the brewery for dinner last night. Located in an old monastery, the brewery serves hundreds of locals and tourists all gathered around giant wooded tables in a large hall. There are several food vendors dishing up all the local specialties, and, of course, a beer vendor. The process of purchasing beer has been perfected and Marc thoroughly enjoyed the establishment and atmosphere.

The process is as follows: 1.) Grab a mug in the size you want (.5L or 1L), 2.) Wash the mug in cold water at a community fountain, if you feel it’s necessary, 3.) Pay for your beer based on the mug size (2.60€ for .5L, 5.20€ for 1L), 4.) Take your receipt and mug to the keg operator who fills your mug, 5.) Handover your receipt to the keg master, 6.) Drink your beer, 7.) Repeat.

Even though the rain has been coming down at a steady pace since we arrived in Salzburg, we’re still enjoying the small town where “The Sound of Music” was filmed. The town was recommended as a “must see” by a friend, and we’re happy we didn’t miss out on the opportunity to experience the cultural hamlet at the base of the Alps.

Rock Me Amadeus...

Salzburg, Austria

September 5, 2007
N47°48.222
E013°02.831

Before leaving Cesky Kromlov this morning we stopped in at Deli 99 to grab lunch for the train ride and to spend some of our remaining Czech money. The young guy that prepared our sandwiches advised us to spend our Euros wisely in Salzburg. He said a cup of coffee in the city can cost $6 USD; it’s a beautiful city, but the prices are outrageous.

Marc believes a good gauge for determining how expensive a city is can be estimated by the cost of a pint of beer. For example, a pint of beer in London will run about $8USD, a pint of beer in Bangkok will cost you about $2USD and a pint in San Francisco will be about $5. However, a $6 cup of coffee, that’s a new ballgame… I think we’ll have to stick with our tried and true method and find a pub tonight.

We bundled up before heading to the train station. The temperature must have dropped to 45F and the rain started to come down. It only sprinkled on us as we climbed up the steep cobbled streets out of the village, but as soon as we arrived at the station the skies opened up. I kept reminding Marc that it’s September, not even winter yet; it isn’t supposed to rain or be this cold in September!

When we arrived in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, there was a break in the weather. We high tailed it to our accommodations for the night—a double room in St. Sebastian next door to the cemetery where the Mozart family is buried. Our clean, but very simple room has a private bathroom, and a 2 foot wooden cross hanging above the door. The room was once used as part of a dormitory for nuns enrolled in the St. Sebastian monastery; today it houses music students and travelers, like us, looking for reasonable accommodations in an expensive city. The “reasonably” priced room is still setting us back $85/night, more than we spent for all of our nights in Laos combined.

We spent part of the afternoon getting to know our new city, but after walking through the rain for a few hours we headed back to our room for a little relaxation. We really hope the sun breaks through tomorrow to allow for a few photo opportunities, including another castle, which looks very impressive from afar.

As we go to sleep tonight, in our monastery, we’ll pray for good weather tomorrow.

It's Always Beer-Thirty...

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

September 4, 2007
N48°48.763
E014°18.920

The sun was shining when we headed out of our hostel this morning. We took the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine; however, we still had to bundle up in our jeans, long-sleeved shirts, fleece jackets, and for Marc, his wool hat to cover his newly bald head. The sun provided a chance for Marc to get some better photos of the castle in town and some much needed sun for his white dome.

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Czech Republic, both in Cesky Krumlov and Prague, and are a little melancholy about leaving so soon. We’ll miss the magnificent architecture, excellent food and cheap, tasty, beer, but plenty of sites still lie ahead for us in Europe and we need to keep movin’.

Speaking of food, we loved the local cuisine in the Czech Republic because it’s something we can’t get at home. Well, we can, but it isn’t as good as the food here. In other countries, excluding the beef in Argentina, we found we can usually get better food in San Francisco than in the originating country (there were exceptions, of course). This includes spicy, authentic Thai food from Little Thai, piping hot Pho from My Canh and excellent Indian food at Shalimar or Naan N Curry. (The food at Abbas and Zainab’s house was pretty darn good though!)

Typical Czech food consists of a serving of pork or beef, sauerkraut, bread dumplings, all covered with a tasty gravy. Other dishes include goulash, sausage, chicken and mushrooms, duck, garlic soup, potato pancakes, red cabbage, and other meat and potato combinations. Regardless of what you order, it should be washed down by one of the local beers—light or dark. The idea is the food compliments the beer and provides a “base”, allowing you to drink even more beer. The Czechs drink far and away more beer per capita than any other country in the world! Yes, even more than the Irish and more than the Germans.

Pivovarsky Dum, a microbrewery in Prague, not only serves up the standard light and dark beer, but they also pour a tasting menu that consists of wheat, cherry, coffee, banana and vanilla. Yes, all beer. The beer is served in either a .3 liter or .5 liter portions, but most locals, who sometimes have a beer with breakfast, go for the .5 liter. If you want a puny .3L beer you must tell the bartender or you will automatically get a .5L pour. We normally wait until beer-thirty, and of course always get the .5L. For $1, why not?

The food and beer compliment each other very well, especially when the temperature is dipping into the 40s (F) at night. Both do an excellent job warming us up inside and out before strolling through the chilly streets. We figure we’ll find similar food and beer in the neighboring countries, including Austria (#5 in beer consumption per capita) where we’re headed tomorrow.

Overall, our time in the Czech Republic has been very enjoyable, and a highlight of our trip. We hope to visit the beautiful country again sometime in the future.

Laundry and a Haircut...

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

September 3, 2007
N48°48.763
E014°18.920

Today was a laundry day. Yes, one of those dreadful days where we walk around trying to find a place to do our laundry, sit there while the machine is spinning and then wait for everything to dry. The other task for the day, besides site seeing, was finding a barber for Marc.

We completed our laundry, without incident, and even met a nice couple from Australia who were also doing there laundry. They felt the same way as us, trapped inside, when they should be out exploring the rustic town. As soon as we finished our laundry we grabbed a light lunch (cheese, bread and bananas) and sat on the bank of the Vltava and watching kayakers roll over the small rapids. From our vantage point we took pictures of a weathered multi-colored abandoned house and discussed what life must have been like during communism. We agreed, no matter how much we read, or stories we’ve heard, we’ll never really understand.

One thing we’ve noticed as we make our way through the Czech Republic is the people are shocked when you say hello or simply ask them how they are doing. For example, in a café, if we greet the barista by saying, “How are you doing today?” They’ll look at us warily, like they’re shocked and unsure how to respond. Most times they don’t even respond, acting like they didn’t even hear the question. As we were walking through the park we wondered if this may be residual behavior from the days of communism.

If you think about it, less than 20 years ago, most of these people couldn’t trust anyone—their neighbors, their friends, and possibly even their family. Anyone could be part of the secret police and turn them into the government for something that might even be misconstrued. We thought this might be part of the issue, the skepticism towards friendliness, but aren’t totally sure. Also, not surprising, most people we meet don’t want to talk about their lives during that period. People are obviously happier the way things are now, who can blame them.

After lunch we got lost strolling through the cobbled streets and finally made our way back to our hostel where Marc got a haircut. After searching in Prague, Kunta Hora and Cesky Kumlov for a barbershop, we decided that barbers don’t exist in Eastern Europe. So, Marc decided to shave his head since his hair, which was now maybe an inch long, was, in his words, out of control and mangy. I used a pair of small medial scissors, maybe a half inch in length, to cut the majority of the hair before Marc jumped into the shower and used a razor. I cleaned it up a bit when he got out of the shower. He is now completely bald and as his brother Joel said, “It looks like he’s getting photographed prior to being sent into his own padded little room.” Check out the mug shots!

Must Love Dogs: The people in the Czech Republic definitely love their dogs. It is completely normal to see dogs lounging around restaurants and cafes, riding metros and buses, and enjoying the luxuries of a hotel with their owners. All of the businesses are very pet friendly. The most common breed is probably dachshunds—which my family is very fond of.

Czech Please...

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

September 2, 2007
N48°48.763
E014°18.920

Since the train schedule required us to pass through Prague on our way back from Kunta Hora we figured we would spend one more night. Plus, we had a few more errands to take care of before heading south to Cesky Krumlov, another UNESCO heritage site.

The train ride to Cesky Krumlov was comfortable and even enjoyable. We were able to read, listen to music on our iPods and enjoy a couple sandwiches we bought at the train station for lunch. This was luxury as compared to our travel days in South East Asia. The high speed train zipped through the countryside making a few brief stops at rural train stations. As we got further south, we ventured through a beautiful, scenic pine forest, before we rolled into the 13th century village of Cesky Krumlov.

Walking down the cobblestone streets from the train station into the village we felt a calm come over us. As we crossed the Vltava river via an ancient cobbled bridge, covered by a towering archway; we were immediately pleased we scheduled three nights in the village. This would give us a chance to unwind, and escape the hustle-and-bustle of the large cities we’ve been in for the last three weeks; ever since we left the comfort of the beach on Koh Phi Phi.

It felt like we were transported back in time. The village, though modernized, has a very old feel to it, almost medieval; especially when gazing upon the amazingly well preserved Krumlov Castle. The castle is the main focal point for the town and immediately captures your attention. As we wandered down alleys, and criss-crossed the Vltava on little bridges, we realized the village has much more to offer than the beauty of the castle. The village is surrounded by endless green pastures, picturesque buildings, flower gardens, and meandering pathways along the river, the town almost seems surreal.

We have to thank Edana, whom we met in Prague, for telling us we must visit Cesky Krumlov before leaving the Czech Republic. Even though it’s listed in our guide book, we probably would have cruised right by it on the train to Salzburg.

Note… I have to say I get a kick out of asking for the bill at dinner every night. Marc typically says “check, please” making a little motion with his hand like writing the bill. However, in the Czech Republic we say “bill, please” we don’t want the Czechs to be offended.

Yes, I make the joke every night and still think it is funny. Marc makes a fake laugh across from me with his hand on his belly like it’s a real gut-buster. He says, “Check, Czech,… get it, get it?” It’s the little things in life, right? Ha…