Good Life

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Geo: 51.0451, -114.063

Magically, I gained an hour today - how was that possible?  Simple - just remember to re-set your watch when you change time zones, and forget to do so with your alarm clock1  Sitting in the hostel eating a massive breakfast, something wasn't quite right ... I couldn't quite put my finger on it for quite some time, until I finally glanced at my watch and realized that I had woken up at 8:30, and not 9:30 as I had intended ... of course, losing an hour of sleep can be a bit of a bad thing, but it was a positive in the end, as it gave me plenty of time to wander around today. 

Frankfurt's red light district is an interesting place - it definitely feels seedy, with its brothels and strip clubs, and all the touts practically trying to drag you inside.  It's never actually felt unsafe on any of my previous visits, even late at night - hostels in the area even make a point of conveying this fact on their websites, stating that it's completely safe, but warning guests to book elsewhere if this is bothersome.  Perhaps it's a one-off or I simply happened to walk down the wrong streets today, but it definitely appears to have become much seedier in the past year. 

Walking around in the middle of the day, I came across a group of junkies shooting up in a doorway and a bit further down the block, some shirtless guy high out of his mind was asking me for money.  After I waved my hand dismissively and walked away, he got off his stoop and took a few steps toward me in a threatening way, and started shouting stuff in German.  It definitely was not a comfortable place to be today ...  

Junkies aside, today was one of the most enjoyable days I've ever had in Frankfurt - strolling over to the Goethe University as Emilie and Jean-Antoine had suggested, was a great way to start the day.  And though it started out rainy and chilly, it grew sunny and warm as the day progressed, making for a great atmosphere in town, as the streets were teeming with people enjoying the two big festivals going on today.  It was bit of a whirlwind day, and definitely made the time pass quickly before the late flight back to Calgary.  It was a fitting manner to finish the trip, as these past two and a half weeks were a blur.

Calgary to London Gatwick to London Heathrow to Barcelona to Sitges back to Barcelona to Sofia ... the first 48 hours were insane, feeling more like an episode of the Amazing Race than a start to a vacation!  Two weeks in Bulgaria felt similar, despite all the lounging around cafes.  In a way, two weeks was a bit much for Bulgaria, at least the itinerary I had chosen - in hindsight, I would've dropped a few places and added a few others, so two weeks would've been perfect.  But that's the beauty of travel - there are always surprises, and sometimes you just don't know if you'll like what you'll see until you get there.

Bulgaria definitely warrants a return visit one day, but probably not on its own - it would likely be combined with a trip to a neighbouring country such as Greece, Romania, or Turkey.  It was nice to take my time for once, and really get to know a single country, as it's a departure from my usual MO of rushing from country to country, hoping to cover as much ground as possible.  That's definitely a more exciting method of travel, as it gives you just a small taste of every country and leaves you wanting more. 



But two weeks in Bulgaria has left me satiated - of course, that's referring only to Bulgaria, I could still use at least another two weeks of travel!  As I said before, when it comes to travel I'm a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pwong/14/1311198420/tpod.html" rel="nofollow">greedy bastard</a>, seemingly never getting enough of it.  Truthfully, I'll probably always complain about a trip being too short, even if it was for a month, two, or three ...  I'll always whine about wanting more - that will never change.  But even though such a relatively-short trip was quite a different experience, it was still a good one.  It made me realize that no matter how short, whenever you're traveling, it's still always a <i><a target="_blank" href="

&ob=av2e" rel="nofollow">Good Life</a></i> ... 

<b>Good Life</b>

<i>OneRepublic</i>

Woke up in London yesterday
Found myself in the city near Piccadilly
Don't really know how I got here
I got some pictures on my phone

New names and numbers that I don't know
Address to places like Abbey Road
Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want
We're young enough to say

Oh this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life

Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life
A good, good life

To my friends in New York, I say hello
My friends in L.A. they don't know
Where I've been for the past few years or so
Paris to China to Colorado

Sometimes there's airplanes I can't jump out
Sometimes there's bullshit that don't work now
We are God of stories but please tell me
What there is to complain about

When you're happy like a fool
Let it take you over
When everything is out
You gotta take it in

Oh this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life

Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life
A good, good life

Hopelessly
I feel like there might be something that I'll miss
Hopelessly
I feel like the window closes oh so quick
Hopelessly
I'm taking a mental picture of you now
'Cuz hopelessly
The hope is we have so much to feel good about

Oh this has gotta be the good life
This has gotta be the good life
This could really be a good life, good life

Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life
A good, good life

Oh yeah
Good, good life
Good life
Ooh

Listen
My friends in New York, I say hello
My friends in L.A. they don't know
Where I've been for the past few years or so
Paris to China to Colorado

Sometimes there's airplanes I can't jump out
Sometimes there's bullshit that don't work now
We are God of stories but please tell me
What there is to complain about

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Photos

Goethe University ...
... apparently the architect used the optical illusion of using smaller and smaller windows with each higher floor, to make the building appear larger than it actually is.

Cool Campus ...
... fountains, funky sculptures, patios - how do students get any work done?

Palmen Garten ...
... botanical gardens.

... But Couldn't Do It ...
... having given up on the french fry-stuffed kebabs in Bulgaria, couldn't resist having one here. Massive, but not assembled very well - at the end of eating it, all that was left was bun and meat, no veggies or sauce. It's a shame when they do that! Accompanied with an apple soda, very popular in Germany and Austria.

Another Must ...
Did I really need the tart after cramming down such a massive kebab? No, but I had it anyway! Was only planning on having a cappuccino at Eifler's, but couldn't resist when I saw this wicked-looking strawberry tart. Too bad, it wasn't that great - not flaky, and kind of doughy. The cappuccino wasn't that great either - very disappointing, as Germany puts out some of the better pastries and coffee in Europe (behind France, of course), which says a lot.

Italian Festival ...
... festivals abounded today, and this one offered all sorts of Italian delicacies and wines.

Main Fest ...
... this festival was like the Stampede but on the river, with rides and games, to go along with the food. Some of the food vendors offer almost every type of grilled German wurst and food.

Chocolate Covered Everything ...
... massive donuts and pretzels!

Poor Restaurant Name in the Red Light District ...
... Thai Fun - in a neighbourhood full of brothels and strip clubs, one might think this is a Thai massage parlour, not a restaurant!

She's Still Got It ...
... all these years, and Smurfette is still hot. Admit it, you had a crush on her when you were a kid, too! Sexy little minx ...

Frankfurt Tradition ...
... every time I've flown home from Frankfurt, I think I've had a sausage at the train station before heading to the airport. Trains to the airport normally run every 15 minutes, except for Sundays - so every time I show up at the station thinking a train will be along any minute, but find I have 30 minutes to kill. Inevitably, I start wandering around, looking for food.

Almond Horn ..
... Germans make some of the best nut pastries, especially ones with hazelnut. Was tempted by one of those, but opted for an almond horn instead - a tad sweet, especially being chocolate dipped. Super moist and chewy.