Venice

Day 32

I've seen Venice in many films and sort of knew what to expect, however when I walked out of the station I was dizzy with delight at the sight before me. It was so cool. People everywhere, gondolas and water taxis, fruit and cake stalls and the Grand Canal not 20 yards ahead. Our first night there we headed for the main Rialto Bridge and St Marco Square. Both were found with ease and it was still day light when we decided to head back to the hostel and sort out our digs for Rome on the internet. That's where the afternoon took a wrong turn (quite literally)! Our journey back was accompanied by some small talk and the humming of the bond theme tune. Soon I began to feel the situation was looking more like a scene from De Ja Vou. Yes you've guessed it, we were lost! So for the best part of 2 hours we really got to see every inch, every side street, every cake shop, pizza place and bridge, Venice has to offer. Once we realised the situation was hopeless and pathetically funny we gave up & went for some grub. Well, we got back in the end and decided not take any short cuts next time! Venice streets are uniform and very confusing. A total maze. Even the italians were lost! Day 2, after a not so good kip due to yet another ridiculously loud snorer in the next bunk, we checked out and left our bags in left luggage. We had 12 hours to kill. Our train to Rome wasn't till 12.04am that night.

Venice is a place I'm glad I visited, however I would not come again. Unforunately the level of tourism has diminished its charm and character and you are left with stalls of tat, Africans selling authentic knocked off gucci bags and a constant flow of icecream eating tourists meandering back and forth using up every inch of bridge and walk way. The water taxis and gondolas are a rip off and on the whole the city is overrun, overpriced and overrated. Sorry.

Milan

Had a terrible nights kip, a group of noisy men in the next dormitory singing and playing music till all hours (they couldn't even talk quietly), saw to that. The delights of dorm life aye! Adding to my already darkened mood the whole building smelt like they'd been cleaning the floors with last nights cabbage water! Anyway got out of there early and made our way to Milan. Had to change at Verona. No sooner had we arrived when a short and very italian looking elderly man asked us about the Milan train, (well I think that's what he was asking, as my mind jumped instantly to 'The Godfather'). We arrived in Milan about 7pm. Got to our rather shabby looking digs (which we had only just booked in an internet café about 10 minutes earlier) and were given a family room. Very funny indeed. Especially when we discovered a condom pack in the bed! Maybe it wasn't a family room after all, as Simon said he heard the tapping of many heels in the night. Heaven only knows what the lady at reception made of us 3! So that was Milan. A short and less than pretty pitstop. I'm sure its very nice, really.

Munich

Arrived in Munich about midday, staying in a shared dormitory of about 8. The hostel was nice and clean and we set off quickly to check out the city. We did intend on only staying 1 night but we soon realised we would miss out on a free walking tour the next day and seeing as we didn't know anyhing about Munich, we decided another night was best. Thank goodness we did, as that night we went to what we thought was a quiet local bar and restaurant for a bit of chicken and chips. However we were welcomed into a smokey, bustling, beer crazed nut house! Well, they may not have been nutters but they were certainly beer crazed. 1 ltr of the local brew and a traditional dumpling meal later, we were enjoying our first taste of Bavarian hospitality. Beer, cigars, singing, beer, music, dancing and did I mention beer? Yes lots of beer and friendly folk. On our second day we did join the walking tour which was run by the same company as the Berlin tour. It was ok but far too cold for any of us to take in what being said. We all did a personal "thank you" when the guide announced the end. That evening we met up with a lovely gentlemen called Dr. Nandakishore Banerjee or NK to his mates. First met him back in Barcelona and as he stupidly gave us his card and he lives in Munich we decided to give him a surprise and grace him with the presence of those 3 welsh drunks, once more! Had a really nice traditional Bavarian meal and due to NK's perfect German we were able to order even more drinks than usual! A couple from Chicago joined our table, Ursula and (unfortunately I don't remember her husbands name) They were very nice and were really friendly and funny. They were in Munich for 4 days. Its always really cool finding out about others peoples countries and cultures. We were quite tired by the time we got back to the hostel but all ageed, we'd very much enjoyed.

These sights are by far the best from any hostel window so far.

Simon viewed this wondrous delight with some trepidation as out of the three of us he is the least equipped (clothes wise) to withstand snowy weather. However when we finally reached Salzburg the surrounding Bavarian mountains were snowy but the town wasn't, just very chilly indeed! The town has alot of character and culture and i would definitely like to visit it again in the future. We arrived in the afternoon and only had that day to discover what the city has to offer, we did our best and felt happy we had managed to fit it in on our way through Europe.

Salzburg - day 27
Got the 10.10am train from Ljubljana, our next stop Salzburg. The day started very cold and got worse from there. A real chill in the air and in my head too, as my innocent sniffle has progressed into a full on head cold. Very annoying indeed. The boys having to endure the sound of my nose blowing for the whole journey was probably no fun for them either. Luckily the sights which beheld us en route could have brought a smile to the lowest of spirits as for part of the journey we were plunged into a very long dark tunnel. The scenery up until that point was very nice. Pine tree Forrest's that went on as far as the eye could see and quaint little villages dotted in between were really pretty. However what we discovered when we appeared the other end of the tunnel was breathtaking. Our cabin window was transformed into a sight that wouldn't look out of place on any Xmas postcard. Snow, snow and more snow! Sparkling white and mesmerising. Those pretty pine trees were transformed into a magical landscape. I cant even find the words to describe the snow capped mountains. Every now and then the valley would open up and a crystal clear lake with a hint of turquoise would shine back at us or a hut or a chimney with inviting warm smoke billowing out from the top would have me dreaming of cosy fires and warm slippers.

Just two of the wonderful views from the top of the Ljubljana Castle. If you look carefully you can see snow capped mountains in the distance. I don't know where they are or what direction, i just know that these pictures don't do them justice. When we stood on the stone balcony and spotted them, we were amazed at their beauty. I have never seen mountains of that sort with my own eyes before, they were magical magnificent.

Ljubljana - Slovenia

"Yes I do"

Z A G R E B

a wet, windy, washout!

~ Cold - Wet - Noisy Turks - Predator 2 - Carmarthen - perilous iron stair case - Croatian nutcase owner - massive cake eating - vast coffee drinking - umbrella time - a non event ~

"You are joking" ?






Simon and Dave showing their utter disgust at the medicine size cup of coffee we purchased on the train from Budapest to Zagreb. The Trolley lady didnt look too pleased either when we then proceeded to laugh in her face. If the coffee wasnt insult enough we also had to endure the 6 hour journey whilst sitting next to a group of 4 laughing, histerical Croation girls, playing some tinny sounding techno croat crap, out of an ipod or mp3 player. The couple next to us (incidently sharing a can of larger and grinning alot) were so put out they moved.

Budapest - day 23

Leather clad shifty turkish guys

80's and 90's inspired fashion

Free tram rides (if you dont get caught)

75p for a large beer

Beautiful Danube river

Freezing cold evenings

Everyone smokes

Everyone drinks (heavily, especially the women)

Soup in a cob

'Zen' room

'Swampy'

Tramps crying in the street

Hungarian obsession with kebabs

Train between Berlin and Prague.

Czech it out!

Vienna is a really lovely city. I know I have said that about nearly every city I have visited so far but I really like this city. Along with Barcelona I will be returning to this interesting and vibrant place in the future. The city is very busy and at one point I thought I was walking down Oxford Street in London. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. There does appear to be a very cosmopolitan vibe going on and even in the old town there is a designer shop quarter along side the museum quarter. Our hostel is very nice and very clean. The evenings are filled with the sound of piano or guitar music, which any one can indulge as the instruments are available to all. We also took in a movie at the English Cinema. Watched the Bourne Ultimatum which we all had been wanting to see for a while. Plus we have purchased some classic novels from a local book shop to keep us going on the long train rides between cities.

Vienna

"Maybe cheese"

A nice little restaurant. I couldn't resist getting my pic taken with this cool chef!In fact, the boys had visited this place on their last visit and for old times sake we checked it out.