I somehow dropped another belt size......one more and it's time for a new belt

I haven't written anything here in almost 2 weeks. Wanna fight about it? Despite advertising free internet, most hostels I've been staying at really only give you about 15 mins, which gives enough time to type a fewq sentences and maybe upload a pic or two. And well, between trying to find a place to live upon my return to Ottawa, informing people that I am not, in fact, dead and the exhorbited prices being charged for internet here, I've been slacking. And oh, of course, I've just been out doing things that don't involve me sitting in front of a computer screen. I guess it's getting to be summer in Canada and most people are outside (or should be), so it's not a big deal anyway.

So I spend a few short days in Turkey. I did Istanbul, Cappadoccia, Gallipoli and Troy. Istanbul is a very cool city once you get past all the outrageous touts (which have become a big part of my life the past 3 months) and cheesy touristy stuff. I met a few locals as well and the city night life was quite crazy. It was also amazing to just see the area taken up by the city. I think it took about two hours of non-stop train tripping to actually leave the city. Once outside of the city though, you really start to see Turkey's charms. The countryside and people were amazing. Cappa, essentially a city built in the mountains, was especially good.

To get to Greece, I had to take an overnight train all through both Turkey and Greece. The 2am border crossing was quite sketchy. I don't even think they checked my passport, which is disconcerting when considering I was entering a Schlengen Country. I can't really complain though, the suty free shop was still open and it let myself and a few Aussies turn the train into a proper rye train.

I arrived in Athens during a heat wave, which seems to be about normal for my trip so far. Seems everywhere I go, they're in the middle of a heat wave. Very cool city with an awesome vibe, but I was surprised how little of historical significance there was to see. I guess the town has be conquered and sacked a few too many times. At least the Acropolis was an amazing sight and I got a view of it that few people really get to experience. My first night in the city, I hit it off with the bartender at the hostel. She took me to see the city the next day and out partying at night. While we were out that night, she started telling me how she was an avid climber, while I told her I always wanted to get inside the Acropolis. Well, fast forward a few hours and she's pegging me up a course on the side of the Acropolis. Now, I've only climbed twice in my life, and I'm really no good, but this was a very easy climb. Definitely the most rewarding too.

Not much else of note happened in Athens other than the next day when we were eating supper in Victoria Square, a riot broke out. Now I don't really have much for experience during riots so I can't tell how good/bad of one it really was. All I know is that it was the day after Greek elections, tensions were high and I had front row seats to watch locals dropkick eachother and throw garbage cans across the square. As a bonus, the restaurant owner ws too concerned with saving his livelihood that he wouldn't accept money for the dinner. Score.

After Athens, I made tracks for the famed Pink Palace on Corfu. Now, I'm trying to think up a suitable lie for my blog as to what 'actually' went on there (sorry, this is a pg-13 rated space if you haven't already realized) and cover up the debaucherous nature of the few days, but I got nothing. So I'll say nothing of it, cause sometimes, nothing's the only thing you can say.

So how did I come all the way up to Prague you're probably wondering. Well, as soon as I heard that the Pens tied up the Stanley Cup Finals, I had to get to a hockey crazed place to watch game 7. I am a good Canadian boy after all and I haven't seen a single game of the playoffs. Only downfall is that it's freezing here. When I left Greece, it was 37 degree, which was on the cold side of what I was getting the few weeks before, but still quite hot. Today, there was a high of 16 degrees. I spent the day buying pants, hoodies and a pair of shoes, none of which I've had to wear for over 3 months. Weird. Oh well, off to sample the lovely Czech beer before gametime (like 2am here). Go ummmm.....I don't really care for either team so I'll go with the Pens.

Sorry about the lack of pictures. This computer is endlessly frustrating.

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