nezca
Vanessa Ferro Joined: March 4th 2008
Logged in: December 23rd 2008
Logged in: December 23rd 2008
Travel Blog Posts
Hello everyone! This is a short note to let you all know that I have not dropped off the face of the earth, I have just been having such a great time that I have not prioritized writing blog entries or holing up at internet cafes. Sadly, my trip is coming to an end within the week. As a result, I will not be posting another blog entry until I return to Miami. While there, I will be readjusting to life in the US and figuring out what to do with myself. Needless to say, I will have some time to edit and post photos and bring to you some anecdotes from Espana. love, Vanessa... read more
Hradec Kralove
After being pampered and coddled for 19 days with my parents and a subsequent 3 days with Jon, I got on a train and rode east for Hradec Kralove where I got to be pampered and coddled some more by Matt who is on a business contract out in this part of Czech. Why is everyone here? Because it really is that good. Admittedly, of the week I was out there, I only spent one afternoon in Hradec Kralove itself and another visiting nearby Kuneticka Hora Castle and driving through the countryside. A couple days were spent in R&R at the swank golf resort where Matt is staying, while over the weekend we took the plunge and drove to Krakow for a solid dose of WWII history (see next entry). That said, Hradec Kralove is a ... read more
Cityscape
We spent our last four days together in Prague, strolling the streets, eating meat and dumplings, drinking beer, and taking in the architecture while dodging the germans and spaniards dominating the streets. Lucky for us, we managed to score an apartment in an area of town right near the top of Wenceslas Square. While the apartment itself was wildly unspectacular, the location was perfect and gave us easy access to all the major sites and some interesting back alleys not often visited by tourists. Lucky for us, my friend Jon who is originally from Prague was in town on one of our last days there so after bumbling around on our own for a few days we got a more personal look at the city and sore feet from getting lost in the winding cobblestone streets ... read more
Rumbles
Buda and Pest The overnight train to Hungary from Romania ended up being dull and uneventful, despite the immediate claustrophobia and repeated warnings from the train guy about using a belt to tie the bunk ladder to the inside of our door to keep us safe after passing through customs, of course. How were we supposed to stay safe during the first four hours? Oy vey! Our arrival in Budapest was marked by a trip to McDonald´s. Yes, ladies and gents, I finally went into an american fast food chain while on this journey. Having not needed or wanted one during the first three months of my journey, the fact that nothing was open at 6am that had coffee meant we just had to go. Clearly, I blame my parents (love you mom & dad!). Of ... read more
Brasov City Wall
Citadels, Castles and Restored Villages Transylvania, known to many of us as the home of ¨Dracula,¨ was for many years a German colony. King Geza II of Hungary invited the Saxons to develop towns and cultivate the land of Transylvania during the late 12th century 13th centuries, fortifying and defending the borders of the territory during the onslaught of the Ottoman Empire. The Saxons enjoyed a privileged status and denied the Romanians citizenship and access to practice their crafts and arts - now the domain of the Saxons who dominated trade and mercantile routes. Brasov (Kronstadt in German) is where we started our trip around the area. The old city is fairly well-preserved and on our first day we took the cable car up to the top of Mount Tampa to get a view of the ... read more
Caracol
The northern part of Romania is home to painted monasteries from the 14th and 15th centuries. The monasteries of Bucovina, near Suceava, were beautiful. It was incredible to witness the vibrancy of the frescoes both inside and outside the churches. The details are still intact and in some cases appear to have been painted within the last 100 years rather than during the 14th century. Monica was a great tour guide and keeps a lovely hostel in Suceava which she cares for and continually beautifies with her green thumb. She even traded plants with the nuns at a couple of the monasteries! Suceava itself isn't much of a place. Small town without much to see or do, but there is great ice cream and lots of parks to stroll around in during the evening light.... read more
Main Boulevard
My parents joined me in Romania and we spent one day in Bucharest. Enough time to see the major sights and appreciate the indelible mark Cecesceau left on the city when he destroyed swaths of historical neighborhoods in order to carve monumental boulevards and erect massive structures in a neo-classical style. An additional day was well spent wandering through the major park, people watching, drinking beer and easting ´mischi´which are grilled sausages with an indescribable hearty flavor. The Romanians like beer and enjoy summer evenings spent outside socializing whether in beer gardens scattered throughout the city or in row boats out on the local lake. Romanian is an interesting mix of languages and among them are spanish and italian. I can read advertising and understand every 5th word when someone speaks clear & slow. Not quite ... read more
Busy Streets
I found myself spending over one week in Bhaktapur, Nepal. As a result of my friend Stephen in Malaysia, I connected with Rajan in Bhaktapur and his family graciously offered to give me a home for the duration of my stay there. My experiences there were incredible and some of the most stimulating and satisfying times of my journey thus far. Bhaktapur is a UNESCO world heritage site. The architecture is predominately brick-based and the windows and doors are intricately carved in a traditional style. Walking around the streets is a feast for the eyes as different religious and cultural scenes parade by in the various carvings. The Newars are one of the oldest cultural groups in the Kathmandu valley and comprise about 50% of the population in the valley. Prior to the country's unification, all ... read more
Swayambhunath
Over the last few weeks I've spent several days in Kathmandu. When I first arrived, I was thrown into a flurry of local activity. I was lucky enough to meet some locals, among them members of the Royal Family, and I was invited into their homes and shared meals and conversation with them. I was very well taken care of. Upon my return from Pokhara, I hid out for a couple days so I could actually see some of the city's sights. I couldn't escape the locals though as every tea, momo and sweet shop I walked into would involve a couple hours of conversation with other patrons and the owners. Totally great. This is exactly why I have avoided the tourist center of Thamel and make it a point to eat wherever the local crowd ... read more
What's Ahead
After spending two nights at Annapurna Base Camp and trying to keep all my fingers intact as I merrily snapped away during the wee hours, it was time to return home. The first two days were a repeat of my journey into the sanctuary, but at Chomrong we turned west and headed through rhododendron forests and hillsides to Ghorepani. From this village, a pre-dawn hike up Poon Hill yielded magnificent views of 4 mountain ranges: The Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Macchapucchre, and Nilgiri. By this time, I was already battling a wicked head cold and getting up the 400m to the top of the hill was draining. My heart and lungs were working so hard I actually wasn't sure I was going to make it. Knowing I was sick, I took it slow and tried not to panic. ... read more
