Home

Just a quick note to let you know that I made it home safely after an incredibly long and tiring journey over some 40 hours. I haven't really processed the fact that I'm back in Montreal. Not sure it will really hit me before a little while.

Also, I feel compelled to make something clear: when I said that we had been offered cocaine I did NOT mean that we had accepted it, hell no. I can't believe some of you actually thought that :P My "I wish I was kidding" meant that I wished we hadn't been offered these things.

All good?

See you soon (maybe even face to face)

So Sorry

Hey everyone! First off I am SO sorry for having gone M.I.A. Internet access has been a lot harder since we left Bodrum for Oludeniz and there were so many emails to answer and things to figure out that I never got around posting here until now.

Big news (for those who do not know already): I'm heading home, starting today at 9:00 PM Turkey time. Yep, that's right. Karel left early this morning and flew to Vienna, from where she'll head back to Budapest and then who knows where.

Let me explain so I make a bit more sense. In Bodrum, there really was not much to write about. We went to the beach everyday, had people give us free stuff (among which were food, drinks, and cocaine. I wish I were kidding) and grew more and more weary and uncomfortable with the place and the people, until we both hit our limit. A mini breakdown ensued, in the form of spending the day at the mall, going to watch The Hangover  Part II, having fries and ice cream at Burger King and going hunting for a Starbucks until we could have our frappucino. Yeah, it was bad. We felt horrible as we were doing this, but I cannot, repeat, CANNOT stand to have another Turkish man wolf whistle, make inappropriate comment as we walk by or say "Yes please!" in that unbelievably irritating way of theirs. I could've dealt with it if we had been here for just a week, but when it's been more than three...

Moral of the story: 5 weeks in Turkey is just too long. The reason I decided to head home early was that I didn't to bring back nothing but bad memories about this wonderful country. It also felt right to me to go home instead of continuing on to Europe. I have a few other opportunities for the rest of the summer, so this blog will not be entirely dead.

I'll post more when I get home, about Oludeniz which has the most beautiful beach I have ever seen and more thoughts on getting home and being home. But for now, I need to pack and figure out my airport transfer.

We've had some amazing times here.

xoxo

Party town

Aka Bodrum.

Please let me introduce you to the Lonely Planet's description of the place: Today it's known throughout Turkey and beyond as a posh paradise where sun-kissed travelers dance the breezy summer nights away".

And being here is totally what it feels like. This city is absolutely wonderful, and so is our hotel. We are 1 minute away (I kid you not) from the beach/restaurants/anything our spoiled little hearts could desire. All this for 25 Turkish Liras a night. We got quite a deal, thanks to Karel's extensive research!

The view is absolutely stunning here. You want to take a picture of everything, because it's all so beautiful -and it doesn't stop. Examples:

Yup. You know you want to be here. I have succeeded in my getting tan mission! This hasn't happened in years. I must say, it is nice that here, we can wear whatever the hell we want and not care. I mean, men still look at all the girls that are passing by, but it's completely different from everywhere else we've been in Turkey where you are likely to be harassed if skin is showing. I completely understand that it's a different culture and will always strive to act respectfully, but it's also nice to be able to let your guard down every once in a while.

We sneaked inside a resort today to enjoy their sandy beach. We even got a second round of drinks for free! We keep on getting things for free...it's kind of funny. But also weird -we're pretty convinced it's because they take pity on us. Or because we're young (this city is rich, but it's a lot of older people too) and they want to make their place look more 'hip'. Who knows!

Free daiquiri!

I got too much sun though, I feel dehydrated, hot, and I have a headache...off to bed! We might visit the Underwater Archeology museum tomorrow. Karel is so excited!

xoxo

Change(s) of Plan(s)

Quietest beach I've ever been to.

Yesterday we went to visit the Roman ruins of Ephesus with a few people (very cool people too, so many Canadians here, it's incredible!) from the hostel. It was stunning, the library was awe-inspiring, but there were thousands of people there, often more concerned about kicking you out of their picture than enjoying the beauty of the city and appreciating the fact that so much of it is still standing. The heat was difficult to bear too, there was no shade to be found, and so when we were done, we all went to the beach at Pamucak. It's on the Aegan coast, and it was beautiful! It makes me look forward to the Mediterranean beaches, which are supposed to be a lot more impressive. I tanned/burned a bit too. That was to be expected. 

The Library from afar

Speaking of which: things have been moving a lot in the past few days. It's almost certain now that Karel will be extending her trip for at least another month. Don't worry people, I will be coming home! I do not have the financial means to survive abroad for that long, and I also feel compelled to come back on time. I know there are people waiting for me. I owe that to my family too, who has been supportive in their own quiet way, by not putting any obstacles and trusting me, even when I didn't trust myself. 

I guess it would make more sense if I started explaining things from the beginning. Early on (as in, while in Vienna) we realized that we probably wouldn't make it to Eastern Turkey. I was heartbroken at first, and didn't want to accept it (this was what I was really looking forward too, the Western Coast not so much). However, I slowly came to accept things for what they were, and my level of exhaustion convinced me that I could use the time on the beach. When we were staying in Istanbul, when the hostel owner heard that we had at first planned to land in Trabzon, his immediate reaction was: "Don't go there. They will kill you. They're extremely patriarchal over there. They'll adopt you or something, but two girls alone, that's not going to work". I doubt it's that bad, but honestly, I think that when I do go, I will need to be travelling with a man (and pretend we're married because otherwise, that's not going to fly either). 

Considering all this, we decided to stick to the Western Coast. Problem is, we realized through conversations with other travelers that 5 weeks is a long time in Turkey, especially since we're cutting out a huge part of the country. As a result, we've started talking about our possibilities, as well as at what point we'll want to split up. We might head to Bulgaria (from where Karel would continue on to Romania, back to Hungary and then who knows), or maybe I'll go to Greece/Greek Islands on my own for something like a week. We're slowly trying to figure it out.

One thing I have learned is that, next time I travel in Europe, I'm not getting a return ticket, I won't even have a plan! We've been going on a straight line since the beginning and restricted ourselves too much with dates and things to do. I feel like I've been on the go for almost a month now, and my body is exhausted to be honest, especially since I know the food I'm getting, no matter how delicious, is not giving me all of the nutrients/energy I need.

Don't mind my face. Cool people from the 'resort'!

I'll upload a few pictures later, and start packing too. We're leaving for Bodrum tomorrow at 7:30 AM. Ew. Hopefully I can get out of bed...

xoxo

Contentment

Mhmmm. Just spend quite a few hours soaking up the sun by the pool, enjoying a stunning view on the Turkish countryside, which is nothing like I expected it to be. So lush, so green, and yet so dry! What my day looked like:

Good times. We honestly didn't do anything. The night bus from Istanbul was so tiring so we were out of it by the time we were dropped in front of the Selcuk bus station at 7:00 AM. It's a good thing the hotel staff comes to pick you up for free.

I have a few thoughts to share on travelling, the desire to slow down, the books I have been reading as well as keeping in touch while abroad. However, it is now too late for that (meaning I can't concentrate) so you will have to wait until tomorrow! On this note, I will try to let Amy Winehouse sing me to sleep. At least, the noise is somewhat muffled by the dorm's closed door, which we're sharing with just one other girl tonight. Success!

xoxo

East meets West

Hi again! Istanbul, Istanbul...what an incredible city! Things are crazy here, there is always something happening, and I now understand why some people think it is the coolest city in the world.

On Wednesday, after a good night's sleep (even the muezzin at 5 am could not wake me up), we enjoyed breakfast on our hostel's rooftop. The view was amazing, I'm sad I don't have a picture to share, but the Sea of Marmara was quite a sight from up there. We decided to be good tourists and go to the city's most important attractions: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. I cannot try to describe how awe inspiring these monuments are. Despite the hordes of tourists, it still remains an experience that I hope you all get to enjoy one day. 

Inside the Hagia Sophia

On Tuesday, we went to Topkapi Palace and the Archeological Museum. Again, so interesting, I really wish I knew more about Ottoman history these days! My only complaint is the non-existence of student prices here...I've been way over budget since I got here, and I'm starting to freak out about it. Hopefully, it won't be as bad once we hit the coast.

On one of the Topkapi Palace's numerous terraces

Yesterday, we moved from the Sultanahmet to the New District to an adorable little hostel called Chambers of the Boheme, near Taksim Square. I must say, our street is where it happens! It is 2 seconds away from the main pedestrian street Istickal, and it is full of cafes, teahouses and live music. I love it, this is probably where we'll stay when we come back at the end of our trip. But before we left (and of course got lost looking for the hostel), we went to the Basilica Cistern, which was SO cool. Probably the most underrated site here in Istanbul. It was so impressive and eerie all at once...I couldn't describe it properly.

View of the Old Istanbul from the bridge to the New District

Today, we walked to the other side of town to visit the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Quite an experience! It is such a maze, I wonder how we even managed to get out of it. The sights, the smells...Everything is so alive here, constantly moving and shifting, and yet enjoying life in a way that I'm not used to seeing in North America. I must say though, it is very tiring to always be in a city, so Monday's departure to Selcuk/Ephesus is welcomed.

And of course, I have been eating delicious foods...I'm so happy that it is no longer a rarity to see vegetables on my plate! So exciting. It's also much easier being vegan here. However: surprise, surprise, I, the cheese hater par excellence, ended up having some twice yesterday. I also had goat milk ice cream. That's how weird life is.

xoxo

Making our way to Istanbul

Ahhhh. Sorry I didn't get to write before! Budapest was very quiet for our last few days. We went to the Opera (couldn't understand a thing, it was in German with Magyar subtitles), to the Szechenyi Baths, had some delicious Transylvanian food, and hung out at the hostel a lot (that place is just too cozy, it's so easy not to do anything). I definitely want to go back to Budapest. This is a place where I could see myself living, as opposed to Vienna where I would spend a couple of months and be happy to leave. It's so cheap too! It was great.

Anyhow. We had a flight on Tuesday morning with Aerosvit (Ukrainian Airlines...) from Budapest to Istanbul through Kiev. We woke up at 4, took a taxi to the airport at 5, and thought everything would be fine. Well, turns out our flight was delayed for more than 2 hours. We were freaking out about our connection, because although we knew we would probably make it to the other gate, we weren't so sure that our luggage would follow...We finally did board, it wasn't as sketchy/dangerous as I had imagined, and we landed in Kiev, where we realized that our other flight was also delayed. We ended waiting another 3 hours. Let me tell you, there is nothing to do in an Ukrainian airport. My book could not entirely distract me at that point. We were also debating whether once we arrived in Istanbul we should get a taxi or used public transportation (we were afraid it would be dark by the time we got there). We opted for the latter (had no problem at the airport), took out some Turkish Liras from the ATM, and promptly left, using the metro and the tram.

We got off at the Sultanahmet station (this is the historical Istanbul, the neighborhood in which all of the major attractions can be found). We had no idea how to get to our hostel, despite the google map. Bear in mind, it is now past 9, I haven't eaten all day, we're carrying our backpacks and we're two girls. It was quite stressful. After much running around and being harassed by rude maitre d's/waiters/sales clerks we did find the place, and proceeded to calm down after this very stressful day. So that was the big adventure of the day.

No pictures are available (or needed in my opinion) for this post. But don't worry, I'll be back really soon (like, 2 hours max) for a recap of our adventures in Istanbul. A hint: I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

xoxo

Not worth a title

Today's post will be short.

Spending the day at the hostel despite the beautiful weather. Let's just forget about last night. I really don't feel like talking about it. Just know this: don't do pub crawls.

xoxo

Buda

In case you didn't know, Budapest is in fact two cities, Buda and Pest, which are divided by the Danube river.

So today we decided to head to Buda. There isn't as much to see or to do as in Pest, so we decided to only spend one day over there. However, there is a heat wave in Hungary right now, and so we were both is this kind of stupor only heat can cause (I'm still under its spell in case you couldn't tell), and so didn't do much, and came back to the hostel not long ago. 

It was a very relaxed day. We just moved a lot slower than usual, and sat down not doing anything in particular quite a few times. We climbed up to the royal castle, and the view was breathtaking. We also visited St. Matthias' church (distinctively Hungarian and very different from all the others we've seen so far), contemplated going to the baths, and were too lazy to get our act together. We'll probably go tomorrow. 

I'm off for a nap, and we'll probably end up going with other people from the hostel to tonight's pub crawl. A ridiculous amount of drinks are included in the price. I feel like this is going to be something. At least we know we'll get back to the hostel.

xoxo

More on Pest

So we both had a mini panic attack last night when we realized how much there is to do in Budapest, and how little time by comparison we had. We tried to do some planning to calm us down, but...didn't really work. Still managed to sleep though! And it appears that Australians do not snore, as opposed to Americans, which is great.

We woke up early and headed to the market near the Danube to grab some breakfast (we had langos in mind). I'll spear you the picture of the stuff, and content myself by saying that it's a deep fried potato bread then topped with whatever your heart desires. So bad for you, but so filling. 

Inside the Great Synagogue. Excuse the random hands.

We proceeded to walk to the Great Synagogue, the second largest in the world and the first in Europe. There was a tour included in the ticket price, and although it was rather rushed, I still learned a lot. What's fascinating about this synagogue is that it looks SO much like a church, and on purpose too. Apparently, it was made that way by the Jewish population at the time in order to prove how well they had integrated as a minority group. We also saw the Tree of Life in the garden, probably the most famous Holocaust memorial there is. It's made of stainless steel and silver, and on each leaf is inscribed the name of a Hungarian Jew that was killed during the Second World War. It wasn't a very happy morning, obviously, especially when you realize how small the community is today, but it was good time to contemplate. 

Close-up of the Tree of Life

Having no appetite whatsoever for lunch, we just decided to visit the Hungarian National Museum, in which we spent like, 3 hours and missed the guided tour of the parliament we had planned on. What can you do. There was an incredibly interesting exhibition that walked you through Hungary's history, as well as what Karel deemed "a world class archeology exhibition".

Since we'd missed the tour, we walked around some more and went to St. Istivan's basilica. Karel says it's because I haven't been to Italy, but I was truly in awe at the beauty of it. For dinner, we tried Cafe Kor, one of the city's most renowned restaurant (and managed to get a table without a reservation!). I still wasn't hungry from the morning's langos, so I had the grilled vegetables (probably the best I've ever had) with a glass of rosé. We spent a quiet evening hanging around the hostel, and were talked into going to tomorrow's 'pub crawl'. We'll see how that goes. 

Hanging in front of St. Istivan's basilica

Budapest!

State Opera House -Going on Sunday!

Okay, I am here skipping my last few days in Vienna, but will try to go back to them, I just wanted to talk about getting to Hungary while the experience is still fresh on my mind.

First of all, Austrians, please understand that signs are a necessity when there are so many tourists in such a small area. Seriously. Otherwise, don't act all rude and annoyed when we ask you for directions. We looked for Orangeways' bus stop to go to Budapest and ended up running around for an hour and a half because although everyone kept directing us to the same spot, there was NO sign or office to buy tickets in sight. What we found: a sticker on a metal post. Really. It turned out to be it too! I couldn't believe it, but it was confirmed by two sweet little Indian girls travelling with their parents across Europe for the summer. I fell in love with their accent.

Beautiful building in the City Park. Use: unknown

The good thing is that it only cost us 12 Euros, and  the bus ride was uneventful. Karel looked at the Rick Steves' guidebook and I continued reading Snow by Orhan Pamuk. We had the directions to the hostel all written down, and it wasn't too hard to find it. It's so adorable! Reminds me of L'escalier back home. However, I will have to share the upper floor of the dorm with these three Australian guys for tonight. Meh.

We walked around the city for a while, and I really didn't know what to expect before coming here, but I love it! The history is a bit rougher, the monuments beautiful but more marked by time, and the people are so beautiful and a lot friendlier than in Vienna! We went for dinner in a delicious wine bar/restaurant. I'll add some pictures once they're uploaded. We went back to the hostel pretty early in order to catch up on emails, take a shower, and do a bit of planning for the next few days.

Look how much I love my (old) school

Will be back soon! 

xoxo

What to do on a rainy Saturday?

Well, have some rather ambitious plans in mind, and watch them fail one after the other for a good laugh. No, in all seriousness, it wasn't that bad, but the Albertina had to be forgotten, sadly enough...

Also, something you need to know: most Austrian museum are free if you are under 19. I try very hard to look the part.

We settled on the Naschmarkt again for breakfast/lunch, where this time I had a piece of vegan apple strudel. I must have looked like such an overexcited kid. Honestly, what were the chances? Most European cities still struggle with accepting the idea of vegetarianism, much less understanding veganism.

We first went to see the Imperial furniture collection, which was interesting, but not a must. We only went because we had a free entrance to it with the type of ticket we had bought for the Hofburg. We walked around a little until we found the Museum Quartier (turned out we had been there the day before). On the other side of the Naturhistorisches is the Kunthistoriches. I got in for free, pretending to be Karel’s little sister, but it would’ve been worth my 9 Euros I believe. They have an incredible Italian and Northern European Renaissance paintings collection, and I had the chance to see some Titian, Giorgione, Veermer, Ruben and a long list of others. The art historian in me was quite excited, and I happily remembered everything I could from my Medieval and Renaissance art class.

Example of the Kunthistoriches' amazing architecture: the cafe

We were quite hungry afterwards and went looking for a snack. We tried Demel, a very famous pastry shop here that was opened in the 18^th century, and who apparently makes the best Sachertorte in town. We sat on the terrace for a while, enjoying our espressos and sharing a piece of the cake. I must admit, it was incredibly good. Good thing I'm not staying longer, I'm getting out of control here.

Living the life

We wanted to go visit the St. Stephan cathedral before the nave closed (4:00 PM) to get a good view of the alterpiece, but it started pouring so intensely we had to run for cover. Since we were not equipped for this type of weather (no raincoat or umbrella), we squeezed in a telephone booth and Karel called home. When we were done, we started hopping from one high-end fashion store to another, leaving when the sales clerk were getting too mean. We tried hanging around a bookstore, but were promptly kicked out because clearly we weren’t going to buy anything. We were so shocked! I guess that’s a cultural difference that I was not expecting.  

For dinner, we took a tram to the last station, in the outskirts of the city, in order to have the wine garden experience. We (almost) didn’t get lost, and the place was simply adorable! They had quite a few salads for me to choose from, which made me want to dance because I could hardly remember the last time I had had something other than sauerkraut. The wine was delicious, and the atmosphere so relaxed and agreeable. It wasn’t filled with tourists, and you could tell the locals were in their natural meeting place. People started singing quite a few times, and we had a blast.

Inside the wine garden

Since it was Saturday night, we figured that we needed to go out at least once, despite the two of us being anything but party animals. We decided to head to the Bermuda Triangle, as this area of the city is called. Oh God. It was hilarious. Sadly, I have no pictures of this, but in terms of epicness, this ranks quite high in my list. We walked around the area for a good half-hour, trying to decide where to go. We first walked into Kitsch und Bitter, and we already knew we were in for a night of endless laughter. Terrible music that was playing on the radio before I left was on, and on the giant screen in the back was Eurovision, the European version of American Idol. Sooo cheesy, but fun when you’re done sharing a litre of sangria. We proceeded to go to Kaktus, and that’s where we could not believe our eyes. I instantly lost faith in the European innate sense of elegance. The tackiest people of Vienna were all squeezing into this bar. It was quite a sight. Men were trying pick-up lines/techniques that hardly made any sense (why would holding your knee while you pretend to be in pain and crying work on anyone?). We left, walked around the triangle yet again, went back, had the doorman laugh at us (he probably saw us circling around one too many times) and eventually headed back to the hostel. I crashed, and we woke up very late the day after. Always be ready to change your plans I guess.

Fun fact of the day: Austrians love energy drinks more than should be allowed.

xoxo

Vienna stole my heart

I mean, not really. But almost. Maybe it's simply because I'm not used enough to European cities, but Vienna is just so beautiful and chic. History is blending with every building, every cobblestone in a way that is foreign to North America.

Last Friday (the 13th), we hit the Naschmarkt for breakfast/lunch and settled on the apparently best falafel sandwich in town (we're cheap I know. get over it). I also got a mix of delicious dried fruits which included kiwi. berries, apricots and mango. Yum. We went to the Hofburg Palace and got to see quite a few museum, including the Imperial Silver Collection, the Sisi museum and the Schatzkammer (the imperial treasury). All very impressive. It's always hard to believe that these people actually existed and lived in such luxury.

While on our way to the palace, in front of the Naturhistorisches (museum of natural history), we saw something pretty hilarious: 

Reads "Europa"

Reads "America und Australia"

It's rather offensive when you think about it.

Also, we both almost got hit by a tram (yes, the same one) because we were both too tired and out of it to realize that we were on the tracks and that there was one coming. When we finally snapped out of it and stepped back, the conductor gave us a thumbs up. Good times.

Oh, and we bought tickets for one of those tacky Strauss music shows. We just had to do something remarkably ignorant-tourist like at least once. Not that we are not immediately spotted as such by the locals, with our maps and lost looks. We got approached by a British couple who asked if we were Americans. We uncertainly replied that we were Canadians, and they just started raving about the guidebook we were using. Thanks Rick Steve. The atmosphere here is different. It feels very French according to Karel. People are rather cold and composed so it's hard to have conversations or meet locals, but it's a different way of travelling I guess, one I'm not used to, but Western Europe is what it is.

We had late lunch/early dinner at Cafe Central, where Trotsky and a bunch of other writers and intellectuals used to hang out. The interior was like that of an extremely expensive restaurant in Montreal, and yet the prices were reasonable (well, sort of). Everything is listed approximately the same price as at home, but in Euros, which can be very painful at times.

Last interesting thing that happened is that we went to the opening ceremony of the Vienna Music Festival. It was quite good (we managed to pass for locals a few times, only our non-existent German gave us away) although the music selection was rather doubtful at times...We had "Chili con Carne", some cliche American-believe-in-your-dreams-and-hold-God's-hand songs, but also some very good choirs in between. HOWEVER. First, the conductor was simply out of his mind. I have never seen anyone look so ecstatically happy or energetic while doing this job -now these qualities are not bad in themselves, but the way he did it...you had to see it to understand what I mean. And more importantly, he had Beethoven's Ode to Joy last for 40 minutes. 

Rathausplatz, name of church unknown, but where the concert took place.

I am not exaggerating. I timed it. It was this intense simultaneous national event throughout Austria with cameras projecting what was going on in other cities, and every variation that can be made on that melody was made. We even got to karaoke it in German for the last 10 minutes. A fun walk to the hostel ensued. We had a good laugh, and so many things to look forward to. 

Time to go to bed! We're leaving on Wednesday, and there is still so much to see...I hope to have caught up on my Vienna stories before Budapest but we'll see how that goes.

xoxo

Wien

Hello! Sorry I've been out of touch these past few days -the days are so full that I've hardly had any time to go on the Internet, let alone write a blog post.

I met up with Karel towards the end of the afternoon (on the 12th) and after settling in our room (will edit once I remember to take/upload a picture of it), we went out to discover the Ringstrasse. It's a road that circles most of Vienna's 'tourist' sights. We got lost (of course) in an epic search for a restaurant that Rick Steve has deemed up to his standards. To be fair, the street it was on had no name, and we managed to find it. The food there was my first (and certainly not last) encounter with Vienna's non-friendliness towards veganism. To be perfectly honest, I'm only sticking with being vegetarian around here. I could be vegan if I tried hard enough, but it's one of the first time where I feel I would actually be missing out on a lot if I were to limit myself (hello Viennese pastries). Also, I'm travelling with an omni. I don't want to be a pain in the ass either.

Enjoying the wine to forget about the cheese in my pasta.

I seriously thought I'd be able to do a recap of at least the 13th, but I'm falling asleep on the computer, and tomorrow we're leaving early to visit Schonbrunn Palace. I promise to catch up tomorrow (and post pictures too!)

Love,

Dalia

PS: I did not proof read this. Forgive my silly typos.

On Leaving (or Rather, on Arriving)

I meant to write a post on the notion of leaving before I left, but time has failed me (or maybe it's the other way around) and so I will keep these ideas for when I depart for another city.

I am now sitting at the Wombats Naschmarkt in Vienna. I made it.

The flight wasn't great, but maybe that will change once we take a budget-airline flight to Turkey...oh well. Too packed, too many babies crying, too many people staring at my backpacker accoutrement. And the couple sitting next to me -I could not stop shaking my head at just about everything they said. I wanted to reassure the girl who had obviously never taken a plane before, but their energy felt so hostile (even in the way they acted towards each other) that I stayed silent for a full 8 hours. I slept some 3 hours total, but of course, I don't feel tired, not yet. I'm not worrying though, I know jet-lag is waiting for me and will strike soon enough.

I didn't grasp the fact that I was actually in Vienna, and still don't. Maybe after a good meal tonight the notion will sink in. I must say, I was very happy with myself for a) finding my way around the s-bahn and the u4 to the hostel and b) not panicking once. I couldn't remember how to say 'sorry' in German (it's entschuldigung in case you were wondering) so I tried very hard not to hit anyone with my backpack (failed) and not be rude (succeeded).

All of the Viennese people I've seen walking around so far look straight out of a lookbook.nu picture. The faux-jazz music playing the lobby is annoying me. German is going to give me nightmares (I know, I know, just wait for Hungarian and Turkish...) and it's a beautiful day outside. That's all I've got for now.

I'm off for a walk around the Naschmarkt before Karel arrives.

See you later xoxo