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Andrea Winding down the trip now, starting to actually think that I have to go back to work in just over a week and say goodbye to all the friends that I have made along the way. Bah.
We start by driving from Krakow to Warsaw. Not exactly a fun drive as we stop at Auschwitz I and II (Birkenau) along the way. This was one of the reasons I chose the tour - Poland and tours of the concentration and death camps - but not exactly fun filled.
(***see blog Wandering a Graveyard***)
Warsaw was next did a bit of a driving tour. and set up camp. I think our tents were about 27 miles from the toilets. It was one of the strangest set ups I have ever seen. One night there we ended up at a night club near the campsite - it was great. When we got there we all piled into a lift thinking that it was just a room before getting into the main club, it was massive. Then we noticed that all the walls and ceiling was covered in really long bright orange shag carpet. It really doesn't get better than
that. If I am ever rich and famous I will have an orange shag elevator. But the excitement ended and we had to get out and into the club. After that it really wasn't all that exciting, I think that was the best part. Did get to ride in it on our way out again - the man who pressed the buttons for us just shook his head as we were all excited about it all over again. Kids.
Saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in this massive park in Warsaw. As we walked there we just missed a huge ceremony for it - not too sure what it was about but we passed all the people leaving. I always miss these things. Then wandered to the Old Town. There were these young boys with their cardboard flooring breakdancing in the square, we watched for awhile commenting that we would probably end up with broken bones if we attemped it. Checked out the little markets and then were going to an Irish pub we found. Went in - there wasn't a single female in the crowd so out we went again - they all just looked at us
like we were invading their planet. We'll have a Guinness elsewhere thanks.
Germany was our next stop and after the camps I really didn't want to go. After seeing what Hitler and his Germans did to all these people Germany was the last place I wanted to go. As we drove over the border there was just this hatred in me. But that ended when we drove into Berlin. What a great city. First stop was the Berlin Wall or some of what is left of it. The art work on it in places is quite amazing. There are many signatures and scribbles from everyone who has been there - I of course didn't bring a sharpie so have no autograph on the wall. Did see a few maple leafs drawn of course so I didn't feel so bad.
The next day we attacked Berlin. Did a Third Reich Walking Tour. It was amazing. Half of that was our tour guide talked so fast we weren't sure if she actually drew a breath. Saw where Hitler's bunker was, Checkpoint Charlie, the old war time buildings that are still there - some of them have bullet holes there to
show off. Ended up at the monument for the Jewish. It is these strange block like things all over a square, all different sizes. Just kind of weird.
Last stop The Netherlands, Amsterdam. On the drive from Berlin to Amsterdam we had a cross dressing day. Most of the girls gave it up as guys clothes aren't that different from ours but the guys...they loved it. Dresses, skirts, makeup, hair clips it was actually kinda weird seeing these guys dressed (badly) like girls. Getting out at Service stations was the best. All the girls would refuse to get them anything so they had to strut their stuff into the shop to get a bottle of water or something. Too funny. Oh the looks that they got!
Arrived in Amsterdam - set up the tent with an ocean view as I called it. Faced the front to the river - all I could actually see was a bunch of reeds. Headed into the city had some Thai food and then headed on a walking tour. Saw the red light district - skinny alley with the young, thin, pretty, and expensive prostitutes and fat alley with the fat, old, ugly,
and cheaper prostitutes. Then we headed to a Sex Show. I sat down and only after the show started did I realize what a bad seat I had choosen. The first woman grabbed the pole and went flying around it with her massive boots kicked out - almost into my forehead. Some of it was funny and I spent most of the night doubled over as the women called guys up - they sat there with mouths hung open and couldn't believe their luck as they walked on stage. Not something that you would ever see at home that's for sure...
The next day back in Amsterdam to wander and see all that it has to offer - massive paper cones filled with fries and mayo, wonderful; sex shops and prostitutes; coffee houses and cafes which is which I still don't know. It was very interesting to walk into these places and see scales and price lists for weed, you could buy pre-rolled or roll your own with all the different names and everything. I had no idea. You hear stories about these places, but it is more controlled then you might think. People don't spend their whole lives
stoned - I'm sure the tourists do...the people who work in the shops probably make a killing off the drunk and stoned. People don't just sit around and smoke weed for the world to see - most the coffee houses have different floors - you can smoke on one but you can't drink - you can only do that upstairs - rules, rules, rules.
Next we headed to a clog and cheese demonstration. The man who owned the place was one of the strangest individuals I have ever seen. He talked in this strange high voice - maybe it was because he was high, I don't really know. He told us how they make the cheese etc, I must say I was too busy laughing at his voice and hand gestures to actually pay attention. Next we passed into another room where he makes the clogs. They are massive. I can't actually imagine walking in them for more than two steps. He always wears them as you can tell - they are wearing out and missing paint. They have different colours for different uses, I think the yellow ones are like work boots. Then there are dressy ones and
marriage ones that are intricately carved. But the work is getting less and less as people are less concerned with tradition and more into fashion and real shoes. All the while we could hear his son crying in the next room and him chatting up the ladies and making really bad jokes. Next we bought cheese. Yum. Cheese with ham in it. Doesn't get much better than that really.
From the cheese and clog farm we headed to the Heineken Factory. Good times. It was similar to the guinness storehouse and I couldn't be bothered with the manufacturing process but after you pass all that you get to the fun bit. There was a movie that you lined up on these levels for with a bar in front of you to hold on - then you got to pretend you were a bottle of beer being made. There were sounds and the platform shifted and they blew air at you. Too much fun. There was a sound booth to make videos or something like it, emails to send home, tanning bed like chairs to sit in and watch little clips. Good fun. Then you get to drink beer.
Wandered the city a bit more and then went to a floating all you can eat Chinese place. No need to explain how much I ate there.
And that's the end of the trip. Woke up said goodbye to a few friends and headed back to London. I think I slept most of the day on the bus. Passed through customs and onto the ferry from Calais back to Dover. We left Kat at French customs as they wouldn't let her back in the UK - she did eventually get back there. We said goodbye to the driver and cook, shed some tears and were on our way. Miss you Dani and Nev. Back in London there was washing to do and people to say goodbye to. I had to figure out where I was going to work. Busy busy. The next day I put off leaving and wandered around. Finally said goodbye and caught the train to Sunbury...I'm all alone...no one here beside me...the start of my next adventure.
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