missprint

I am thoroughly ashamed that I haven't managed to fit in more blogging on my
trip but possibly even more ashamed that I haven't missed the Internet that
much. And I dare to call myself a geek. Anyway, for those of you who aren't
appreciators of Midge Ure's unique talents (the few of you that there are
I'd imagine...) I'm currently in my last stop, the fragrant and cultural
city of Vienna. I have snuck out under the cover of darkness from under the
usually watchful eye of my friends (who insist that I go out and see the
cities we're in rather than blogging from these places...) who have been
distracted by the football.

So, since Poland I've travelled down the western half of Eastern Europe,
down to Slovakia, through Hungary and sideways to Croatia and down the
Dalmatian coast and then back up again to Vienna. My flight back to London
has a little stopover in Berlin for half an hour, so technically Vienna
isn't my last stop, I guess. Quick round-up for you, gentle readers:

Bratislava - We only really stopped off in Bratislava because we had to
otherwise the journey from Krakow to Budapest would have taken too long.
However, despite my initial freak-out when I got to the hostel (I was having
spatial issues, alongside the trauma of a horrific journey. It was meant to
be two trains but it turned into a train, four coaches, another train and a
rip-off cab. There were some odd National Geographic type forest people with
wizened raisin-like faces on the first coach who especially gave me the
wiggins. We also had to contend with an American who tried desperately to
prove to us that he wasn't a typical Ugly American by mocking Bush. I later
recounted these trials and tribulations to the Irish girls that I was
sharing a room with in the Bratislavan hostel but they proved to be somewhat
of a tough crowd and regarded me with suspicion and a tinge of fear for the
rest of the night. Anyway, I digress...) I thoroughly heart Bratislava and
would happily spend another weekend there. I loved the quaint little Old
Town with its pastel coloured chocolate box houses and odd little iron
figures in the street. Oh and not to mention that while we were strolling
through the square we bumped into a brass band and heaven knows that if
there's anything that prolongs my enjoyment of a city, it's a brass band! We
went to see the boxy fortress-like castle (not too impressed but I enjoyed
the gift shop. I seem to have failed to walk out of a museum gift shop
without a purchase these past few weeks.) Also a few more plus points in
Bratislava's favour: a chocolate cafe (complete with a chocolate fountain!),
the staggering cheapness and watermelon martinis. Slurp.

Budapest - I was really looking forward to Budapest but I found myself
vaguely disappointed with it. The train journey to Budapest was possibly one
of the nicest trains I've ever been on and there was a tourist information
officer handing out leaflets and maps on the train. However, once we
disembarked at Budapest Keleti station, it became clear that this efficiency
was an illusion. However, we were staying in a little apartment on Vaci Utca
which is the main pedestrian shopping street and close to the centre, so it
made exploring the city a little easier. I don't think I realised how vast
Budapest is and it is incredibly overwhelming so it is possibly one of the
few times that I've been glad that I went on a tour bus. (Although the real
reason for us taking the guided tour bus was the foul weather - hail!!) The
nightlife in Budapest was nowhere close to our expectations and we found
that people weren't even out watching the football, so I introduced my
comrades to the time-honoured game of Shag, Marry or Push off a Cliff. (Kofi
Annan and the Pope appeared in a list at one point. Let us speak no more of
this.) Despite all this, Budapest ranks highly in the list of my favourite
cities for a couple of reasons: the funicular (ooh, I do love a good
funicular!), the Marzipan museum (everything made out of
marzipan...amazing!) and the communist Statue Park (which broke new records
for my photo geekery. I literally took a photo of every exhibit.)

Zagreb - I'm disappointed that we didn't spend more time here because it was
quite unexpectedly pretty and charming and overwhelmingly young. Even more
unexpected was the star encouter that occured on the steps of the Royal
Opera House - Croatia's favourite sex symbol, Goran Visjinic otherwise known
as Dr Luka Kovac from ER!

Dubrovnik - I got bored quickly in Dubrovnik and not just because I'm not
really much for beachy delights. For one thing, good beaches in Dubrovnik
are few and far between and the nightlife is far from banging. The majority
of the tourist population in Dubrovnik are couples and Saga holiday groups.
The Old Town is incredibly pretty and the views from the ramparts are
amazing but I wouldn't recommend staying for more than 3 days.

Vienna - So far has been exactly what I'd expected except perhaps a little
less pretty and picturesque and larger than I thought it would be. Today was
our first full day in the city and we managed to fit in quite a lot
including the Belvedere (with an impressive collection of Egon Schiele's
work and a fair amount of Klimts. Cue more splurging in the museum shop...),
the ferris wheel (as featured in The Third Man and a little like a less
impressive version of the London Eye), Stephensplatz cathedral (not
impressive at all, too touristy with too little outstanding features. Once
you've seen a neo-Gothic tower, you've really seen them all...) and also the
quirky houses by an artist that I forget the name of. Tomorrow, more
museums, namely Freud and Mozart. Hurrah!

Anyway, I feel the eyes of fellow hotel guests burning into my neck as they
wait for the free Internet facilities. I will have to restrain myself from
bellowing at them about my lack of Internet for the past 3 weeks. I bid you
auf wiedersehn dear readers and normal transmission will be resumed soon as
I will be back in the Big Smoke on Thursday (arriving to some tapes of
Doctor Who and Lost and also Take That at the weekend, hurrah! Also another
reason for hurrah, I got a first for my dissertation! Hoorah!!) Toodle pip!