The Wild Bird

Many years ago there was a wild bird. She wasn't exotically beautiful in plumage nor did she have an exceptional song, however she came from a wild and free flock. This wild bird was just beginning to taste the sweet freedom of leaving the nest. She had barely begun to spread her wings when she began to admire the sparkling glimmer of a gilded cage. "What a lovely, safe place to rest", she thought. She entered the massive cage and partook of the luxuries that such a place offered. The bird keeper who owned the cage provided the best quality comforts available. He kept his wild bird company, made sure she was warm in winter and always kept ugly matters to himself to avoid ruffling her delicate feathers.
As the wild bird looked out of her cage she realized how tame she had become. "How very calm my cage is", she would say to herself. But over time she would look out the window at the blue sky with billowy clouds floating by or see wild birds flying free through the trees to destinations unknown and wonder if she could survive in the wild.
The bird keeper noticed as her brightness faded and her song became more hushed. He couldn't understand why his lovely bird no longer appeared with bright eyes to greet him. He had done the very best job he knew to take care of a wild bird. He had given her a palatial bird palace; he spent everything he made to give her special delicacies; he listened to her every whim and didn't ruffle her feathers. She had always rewarded him with a special bond of companionship. And now- she was unhappy.

It was an unexpected day when my bird keeper unexpectedly left a hidden door in my cage open. Had he unlatched it intentionally before he woefully left for the day turning to look at me with sad brown eyes before closing his own door? I had no way of knowing that he was giving me the key to fly back into the wild freedom I had just a taste of so long ago. I had no way of knowing how frightening it could be to leave the safety of my beautiful cage and enter the reckless unknown. Would my wild cousins embrace me or shun me? I was soft and groomed from a delicate, caged life. I would need to learn to provide for myself in a dangerous world.

And now she is free. She flies dramatically sometimes gliding on currents far, far above and sometimes resting in a quiet place of her choosing. There are moments when she reflects on the luxuries she left behind, the soothing company of her bird keeper and then her freedom seems a little less sweet. For now, however, she will continue to explore a magnificent planet that welcomes wild birds that flock to destinations far and near.

American Girl

While I was in Europe I made a concerted effort to disguise my American-ness. My best compliments were being asked if I was from the UK or being mistaken for Scandinavian. I realize I should be ashamed of this attitude but I was inspired by all things European and wanted to believe in the myth at the time.
Returning to the USA I am learning what it means to rediscover my own country, appreciate the beauty that is my home territory. Embarking on a road trip from Southeast to Northwest is a sure way to finding home-grown highlights. It also solidified an even more important path I've been developing for myself.

I love contrasts, juxtaposition of old and new, visuals that cause the mind to think harder, question the real picture and accept the poetry of the dichotomy. This has propelled me on to the path of the real American girl. The real American girl knows how to load and accurately fire a .45 but empathizes with human rights focusing on women's interests. She knows how to shoot a compound bow without letting chandelier earrings get in the way of her aim. She isn't scared to be alone or get dirty working on a project outside but knows how to put on Manolo stilettos for dinner. She understands the delicate beauty of feminine sexuality is balanced between a smart, hard fought confidence and investing in high quality lingerie. This bad ass girl will not be trampled but will hold her own in a competition. And if she is beat then she will work that much harder to get better.

While in Montana I was invited to a gourmet dinner with new friends. Each course was presented by our hostess (an incredibly talented chef and baker) with an enthusiasm and vivaciousness that excited everyone. The main course was comprised of white tailed doe she had shot herself and then cooked in a Guinness sauce with a side of butternut squash and a fried sage leaf. The final course was a delicate flour-less chocolate dessert with homemade cardamon ice cream. Following dinner she invited all the guests downstairs where we were all encouraged nee' required to shoot one of the various bows, air pistols or other hand weapons available. The bow was presented to me with the same exuberance which the meal had been shared. The women at this dinner are leading a charge on a rough-hewn path to being real American girls.
I am dusting off the cobwebs of corporate ambition and apathetic attitude towards personal growth to uncover what has lain simmering below. I aspire to follow in the footsteps of those women. Who is with me?

My Finale

I spent the last couple of days of my adventure in Amsterdam...on a houseboat. Since visiting the city back in September I was enchanted by the charming houseboats lining the canals. When I learned they could be rented I made a silent commitment to myself to come back to one. Due to the French strike against extending retirement age by 2 years, my departure from Spain was delayed by 2 days and thus my time on the houseboat severely limited. When I finally arrived my host showed me my quarters which were adorable. It was set outside of the city in a residential island with other houseboats. The bakery around the corner had amazing croissants, pastries and coffee. After getting settled in I went to dinner at a quiet cafe with candlelight, a glass of wine and three course dinner including oysters three ways. The next day I wandered over to the Waterlooplein Flea Market next to a canal with its hodgepodge of old and new. I investigated the used book tent, elbowing old men perusing Dutch titles while I scoured the stacks for English.
It was cold outside when I returned to my houseboat flat, turned on the radiator and opened a bottle of wine. My last night in Europe I celebrated with cheeses from the tiny Dutch market, olives and other snacks. The sun set while I sat in the wheelhouse reading my book.
I spent 85 days visiting 11 countries. There are important lessons learned while traveling an extended period of time that translate to my life in the future. Patience is imperative. Waiting for trains, delays, mono linguistic disability (my American defect), spontaneous plan changes all require patience. I learned to free myself to savor small details and stop looking at the clock. I figured out it was ok to dance when I have no rhythm because it's FUN. Laughter makes me happy and brightens me from the inside out- no matter how loud it gets. And it is infectious. I visited places and saw things I had always wanted to see. But I became empowered by the journey.

Espana

I have spent the last three weeks exploring, lounging in and embracing Spain. From the Catalunyan region to Madrid and south to Andalucia it has become my home.
I arrived in Barcelona for a short visit before I left for Madrid. I instantly fell in love with the city so I knew I would return. With Gaudi's designs seemingly springing out of some whimsical dream onto street lamps, buildings and even the sidewalks it felt as if the city was breathing art. I went for a walk along the beach, sat at a cafe watching jets practice for an air show over the water and realized how significant this moment, this place is. I would come back to Barcelona before leaving Spain to really soak in the city and explore the avenues, alleys and squares. There is a great square called the George Orwell Plaza- actually shaped in a triangle- where my friend Melissa and I ate at a couple cafes, had a beer in a bar where the tables and walls were decorated with street art and sat around people watching. The city is magnificent for its mix of people, poor and rich, art students, old bums hanging around chatting in Catalon and everything in between.
I've already mentioned Madrid, but it was from there I took the day trip to Toledo to explore the walled city. In addition to visiting the mosque, museums and other sites I was on a quest for marsapan. Not ordinary marsapan- this was something special I stumbled on through my limited research. In some of the convents in Toledo the nuns make special dessert treats out of marsapan and sell them directly from the convent as they are not allowed to leave. I had a list of some of the convents and made it my mission to find them. This is a very old tradition that is at risk of dying out unless it is supported so naturally I wanted to do my part. It involved a delicate process of locating the convent, ringing the intercom out front and when answered asking to enter for "dulces" and then finding the secret window inside where they would sell them. Well I did find a convent and it was every bit as exciting and quaint as I imagined. Once inside there was a cabinet with all the sweets available and next to that a window which the nun opened to accept our request. All I can tell you is that was the best marsapan I have ever tasted and I will never look at almonds the same.
Heading south I visited Seville and Granada. There is an entirely different air about Andalucia. The architectural influence of the Moors, the beautiful ceramic tiles, relaxed atmosphere all inspire a traveler to slow down.
For me Spain is art, music, history and so much more- but above all Spain is passion. There is a passion for their culture whether it is Catalunyans fighting for independence from Spain, a flamenco show in Seville, laying on the cafe con leche colored sand at Sitges watching sailboats dance on the water or a siesta so we can eat dinner at 10pm and go dancing until 5am- it's passion.
I'm inspired by Spain- motivated to study life and art, slow down to savor my glass of wine and good conversation, challenge myself to continue growing.
See you soon Spain, you'll always be mi amor.

Serendipity

I have been traveling just over two months now. In the interest of full disclosure I have to say I sometimes get fatigued by the adventure. I fully realize this is the opportunity of a lifetime. There are moments like when I was sitting at a cafe on the beach in Barcelona a couple days ago, watching jets practice for an air show, drinking a strawberry mojito that I couldn't believe my path had taken me here. And then there are moments when I am tired, mentally washed out from navigating and I want to hop a plane back to the States. Every single time I get in that mode something happens serendipitously to remind me how much fun this actually is.

I am currently staying in Madrid with a friend I met while volunteering in Iceland at the beginning of my journey. She was cool enough to offer me a place in her flat during my time in Madrid. Guiomar and her brother have given me tips on places I should see and entertained my attempts at Espanol.

Yesterday I decided to take a day trip to El Escorial to see the little town and visit the Monastery that is quite famous. I made the train trip out only to find the Monastery was closed on Mondays- like most museums in Spain. It was a breezy, cool day and I was feeling dejected about not having done my homework while I wandered around the quaint little town at the base of the mountains. Looking for a spot for lunch I saw a little gourmet shop with a chalkboard out front and a meat counter inside. It looked gourmet, everything was in Spanish and I hesitated to enter. Overcoming my trepidation I entered and ordered a bocadillo de jamon serrano con queso when it was my turn. There was an amazing tiny selection of Spanish food in jars and cases. One guy worked the counter slicing ham and filling orders. He sliced the baguette lengthwise for my sandwich and asked me something in Spanish about being a student. When I told him I didn't speak Spanish he asked me in English where I was from. Turns out the little store was family run for four generations and he was from the little town. We had a great visit and my spirits were immediately lifted- the fantastic sandwich was a bonus. Serendipity.

Today I stayed around Madrid and visited the Prado Museum. This place is amazing, huge and full of delicious art. It's also four stories and a labyrinth of fine paintings. Following the Prado I ventured into the Botanical Gardens for a long stroll. For the second time in as many days I was feeling pretty tired and thinking about that plane ticket back to familiarity. I decided it was time for a treat to bolster my mood. A friend of my cousin's from Spain had recommended a restaurant that is locally owned and has really great food. I went to search it out only to find it opened for dinner at Spanish time (i.e. late). I decided to go have a glass of wine and come back. But while I was walking away I saw a woman looking at the menu for the place and something made me hold back for a minute. I waited to see what she did and when she spoke to her friend in English I mentioned to her that the place was highly recommended by someone in the know and maybe they should come back when it opened. Again, we started talking and decided to all go together to the Boqueria for wine and tapas to wait out dinner time. The girls (in their early 60's) were a hoot. One was a high school Spanish teacher and one a former catering company owner, both from Lacrosse Wisconsin. We had a great time chatting and joking. Karen and Lil brightened my spirits and reminded me, again, that sharing serendipitous moments with interesting people are what my adventure is all about. Salud!

Italy in 3 Parts

I am going to confidently say that anyone that doesn't admire Italy- specifically Venice- has a cold, dark, tar-like substance for a heart. It's absolutely as beautiful and intense as I had heard.

I spent a couple days in Innsbruck, Austria before heading to Venice by train. About 30 minutes before arrival time I got the nervous jitters like a kid's first visit to Disneyland. I was actually going to be in Venice! Stepping out of the train station into the watery city was spectacular. The vaporetto (water bus) stop right out front, the massive foot bridge over the canal and the hordes of people all seemed like a dream. My dad had booked a great little hotel away from the insanity of the tourist traps which was a wonderful respite to come back to each night. Wending my way through alleys and canals, getting lost and discovering some quaint piazza were all part of the magic that is Venice. I ate gelato every day (sometimes twice) and had my best meal of the trip in Venice. Drinking bellinis or experiencing campari pre-dinner cocktails alongside a canal for the first time are some of the memories I will cherish forever.

Next stop ROMA! Although I was forewarned of the dirty, bustling streets that are Rome it still felt overwhelming. It wasn't until a visit to the Colosseum that my appreciation for Rome awakened. Walking the ancient ruins of the Forum and seeing ancient cathedrals in person was traipsing through a history book. I believe Rome is just massive and overrun with tourists and next time I would love to find someone that knows the hidden gems of local Roma.

Last stop Firenze! I loved this place. Florence doesn't have the quaint postcard facade of Venice, but set in Tuscany with rolling hills behind the Ponte Vecchio Bridge it is amazing. It is a great walking city and I loved wandering the tiny corridors. Of course a visit to the world famous Uffizi Museum was mandatory. I actually saw Botticelli's Birth of Venus in person.

I had many emotions approaching a visit to Italy. Coming from a family of passionate Italians (no matter how diluted it may be now) I wanted to understand the culture, embrace it and be welcomed. I was also weary of the Italian reputation. I was most nervous about traveling in this country because I wanted to love it so much and I hoped it would embrace me like the long lost 1/4 Sicilian I am. When I got to Italy I bought a small Italian phrasebook. I absolutely loved trying to order food, greet people or figure things out in Italian. Sometimes it worked and sometimes they had NO idea what I meant. Either way Italy is in my blood- literally and figuratively.

Why I Love Amsterdam

Mention Amsterdam to most people and you get the snickering, sideways wink that says knowingly "yeah sure Amsterdam is great". I was pretty much one of those people. In fact I admit that I almost crossed it off my list when considering places to visit in Europe. But I decided that I should see it and regardless of the American reputation for liberal drugs and prostitution it was worthy of a visit.

I'll set a couple rumors to bed (no pun intended)- weed is not legal, it is "tolerated" and the Red Light District (although I walked it during the day) is not as shocking as you would imagine.

The reason I fell in love with this city is the charming way it is set up. Weaving alleys around canals lined with houseboats overseen by apartment buildings which always seem to have some bright flowering plants on the balcony- probably from the floating flower market around the corner. The adorable cafes, noodle counters and infamous coffee houses all make me want to sit and absorb the scene.

I ran in to these guys playing a serious game of chess near one canal. A crowd had gathered to

observe quietly.

I'm not sure yet if this is the place I could call home but I truly loved the relaxed vibe and casual cool of a city with a decidedly questionable reputation- maybe because it exudes charm despite all of that.

Brussels- Heavenly Chocolate & Amazing Beer

I'm sitting in my room at the Hotel Francois looking out of my window at the view in the picture to the right. I found this tiny charming place whose location is in the Quartier Saint-Gery neighborhood where there are lots of cafes, pubs and little shops. It's bustling with activity on the cobbled streets. I love it here- but not at first.

While taking the train here I had a reserved seat in a compartment with three other people. I was seated next a guy that turned out to be from Kenya. We started talking and he told me he played football for his national team and had also spent some time in Kentucky (why??) playing American soccer. We also talked about politics back in Africa, refugee issues, Obama and some of the profiling annoyances he goes through while he's in Europe. (He was the only one in our compartment to have his passport checked out of 2 mature white people and me). All is going well and then he seems to get comfortable. He moves into that conversation territory where he's trying to to get a footing and either shock me or impress me. I decide the friendly banter is over and when he asks me a question about what I like to do I tell him "read my book", give him the withering look and with that conversation is over. Done and done. (And for those of you that keep telling me to be safe- he was staying on the train to Paris when I got off)

Arrival in Brussels is kinda mad. The Midi station is teeming with people looking for ways to pickpocket or steal your stuff. They're loud, disruptive and usually in pairs. I'm on high alert and keep my important pack on my front always moving with purpose as if I KNOW where I'm going and belong in Brussels. Oh yeah- and those people get my "I know what you're up to" look too!

I go downstairs to the subway and take the train to the Bourse stop for my guesthouse. After a quick check in (I called from the stop and the girl actually walked to lead me back) I headed out for a walk.

Ah sweet Brussels. Chocolate-chocolate-chocolate. I went for the waffle with chocolate syrup from a street vendor and promptly got it all over my face and fingers. It was heavenly. There was an outdoor street market/garage sale down some little alleys that I perused. I even ran into a parade with several marching bands. At one point the parade was stopped and the band put down their instruments, took off the hats and lit up for a smoke until they moved on. Only in Europe does the marching band take a smoke break.

Making Friends

When I got to Vienna I made a conscious decision that I wanted to meet people and make at least a friend. So while the hostel was bustling with activity the night I arrived it seemed everybody was in their own clique- and really young. So I decided to relax in my room with a book and tackle it tomorrow in my own way. While I was relaxing a tall, slim, red headed girl arrived in our dorm room. I put my book down and introduced myself. She was Inna from Latvia. She spoke English (once again she speaks several languages and I alas speak English) and was here for a job interview as an optometrist. She's only in town for two nights. She immediately opens her duffel bag and brings out her hot water teapot, plugs it in and asks me if I'd like to eat with her. She had bread, cheese, meats and tomatoes and of course tea. Hell yeah! So I contribute some olives I've got and we get to know each other. We decide I'll take the U-Bahn to her interview with her in the morning and then after we'll go look at the city together.

While I love to see the sights I kind of wander, stroll if you will. I've been travelling for six weeks now so I'm not in a huge rush. Not my long legged friend- she wanted to see everything in two days because she might never come back to Vienna. So this presents the bittersweet issue in making a new friend. She wanted to see lots of museums and cover as much ground as possible while I wanted to sit in front of a fountain and chill sometimes. But thanks to her I did see things I probably wouldn't have otherwise. There was the massive church she wanted to see that I reluctantly dragged myself into behind her only to find a stringed orchestra practicing for that night's performance.

There was the 4th floor apartment where Beethoven lived for a while composing. I looked out a window imagining he saw something there that may have inspired him.

Heading South

I have arrived in Prague, Czech Republic!

After a mini meltdown when I first arrived in Germany (before I met everybody) I decided I needed to slow down and stop trying to cover as many countries as my Rail Pass would allow.

So after Germany I changed my frenetic itinerary. I have been craving some kind of music concert and figure between Prague and Vienna I had a good shot. I had heard there are symphonies, shows or concerts every night.

I took today to walk around and orient myself to the city. I walked towards Old Town and found the National Museum. They had a flier out for a Mozart opera concert today at 19:00hrs inside the museum. I bought a ticket and continued my walk.

Walking into the square at Old Town took my breath away. The architecture is so ancient, so ornate. While I do like museums, I prefer the less obvious choices. I found a photography exhibit of Czech photographers- professional and amateur- of Prague. It was a great exhibit in an old building next to the Bell Tower.

Just next to the square I walk over to find a HUGE fashion show going on. It's Prague Fashion Weekend. Big names, expensive cars, killer clothes all around me to the sounds of a well known DJ spinning. A ridiculously long runway set up outside shops like Hermes, Dior and Prada under the eaves of the ancient buildings on old cobbled streets. The dichotomy was striking.

The crowd was suffocating but I couldn't stop watching for a long time. There was a really great old guy dancing around on the sidewalk next to the show. Maybe he was drunk, maybe he was just way into it. Didn't matter- he was as fun to watch as the Gen X Design come down the runway.

Tonight I attended the mini concert in the museum. It was an intimate affair where we sat on cushions on the stairs or chairs in the main staircase of the grand lobby. There was a piano and three opera singers. Performances included Mozart, Verdi, Bizet. My favorite was the solo from Carmen: Aria of Carmen. It was a tiny affair in a magnificent setting with brilliant acoustics.

Outside of Berlin

A short train ride from Berlin lies Hamburg. An important European port that sits on the Elbe River, Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany.

Friends back in Florida know somebody that lives here so after a quick text to say basically Hi I'm Jasmine, you don't know me but if you have time for coffee or beer I'll be in Hamburg. So props to Rudy who agrees to meet me during a busy time at work for lunch. We meet up near his office and walk down to the port where he gives me a little sightseeing tour and then over to the Portuguese neighborhood for a great lunch outside.

I spend some time on my own exploring. There are great green areas in Hamburg. There's beautiful sunny weather so I relax and take some time to just sit in the park reading.

When work is done Rudy shows me around the Bohemian neighborhoods of Hamburg. This is what I was missing in Berlin. The people are here- living, creating, sparking, making mayhem and art with passion.

I have a beautiful realization in Germany. For me it's not about ticking off monuments viewed or cities on a list. It's about people, what happens everyday is what's extraordinary.

Berlin- City of Scars

In order to see the sites in Berlin I decided to go for one of the tourist staples- the Hop On Hop Off narrated tour bus. You know the one- double decker navigating horrible urban traffic while somebody on a PA system blandly intones "and if you look to your left".

I got a great overview of the city including seeing part of the still standing Berlin Wall which I really liked. It's amazing to see the recent history written all over the city. Signs of the war are everywhere and yet Berlin is over 700 years old.

While it was very interesting to see the monuments, I didn't feel like I got a good feel for the pulse of this part of Germany. People from all over the world are everywhere taking pictures, touring, buying souvenirs. I'm glad I saw it and visited but I believe there is a more intriguing current human soul elsewhere in the country.

Living as a German resident

This one is dated 31 August...

I got my awesome first class reservation confirmed for the train from Copenhagen to Berlin. It was 6+ hours of comfort watching East German countryside fly by. Oh- and this train actually boards a ferry where we are required to get off the train during transit to sit on the ferry for the 45 minute crossing. That was cool.

I had arranged to call Ulrike's son, Simon, when I arrived in Berlin around 3pm. Unfortunately I had international calling difficulty and didn't reach him until around 7pm. From the easy to follow directions Ulrike gave me I took the S train to Wannsee station from Berlin Hauptbanhof (Central Station) and then took the bus to a stop 150 meters from her home. She works as a psychotherapist and doesn't get home until late. I visited with Simon for an hour until she arrived. He is turning 18 in a few weeks and is very bright. He speaks 3 languages, plays flute and piano, and has already travelled quite a bit. He had just returned from a month in Canada where he stayed exclusively with Servas hosts. I think it would be fair to describe him as precocious and confident in his European schooling. It was fun to talk to him.

Ulrike arrived home and we visited briefly. She reminds me of an earth mother. She is warm, tranquil, cares about others and open to sharing her life. She just celebrated her 50th birthday. She studied 6 years to become a doctor right out of school. Now she works with people suffering from cancer to help them learn how to control their own bodies and holistically heal (or keep the illness in remission). She has worked with people that had very short life expectancy but who were able to concentrate their own bodies' healing and keep the cancer at bay. It was fascinating to hear about and I don't do the explanation justice.

Traditionally Servas hosts accommodate travelers for 2 nights. Ulrike told me I was welcome to stay as long as I liked. She is very hospitable and wants me to feel like part of the family.

My first full day on my own Ulrike went to work and I set off for a walk. The house is in an old yachting community on a big lake. Her father, a renowned radiologist, bought the old, multi-storied house many years ago and they have all lived here on different floors.

There is a path down by the lake that goes all the way round to an area in East Germany called Potsdam. The walk was actually part of the Berlin Wall route with several monuments to see. It was through scenic woods, next to the lake and took a little over 2 hours to get to Potsdam.

After a look at the sculpture garden in Potsdam I rested with a macchiato and a roll. I decided I would find a bus back to Wannsee station so I could go into the city. I was looking at the schedule posted at the bus station and realized I had missed it by just 3 minutes. Just then a woman drove up, rolled down her window and "deutsch deutsch deutsch Wannsee deutsch deutsch deutsch". I told her "no sprechen sie Deutsch" just like my trusty translator taught me. She would not be put off. She pointed in the direction of the bus and told me to get in the car. She was going to give me a ride. With a little English she told me she was going to the city but parking was too expensive so she would park at the bus stop and take public transportation. She asked me where I was going and I told her into the city. She took me under her wing and showed me how to use the bus ticket, how to find the best train and made sure I knew where my stop was. It was an amazing gesture of hospitality.

It made me wonder- when was the last time I helped someone unsolicited? As an American am I so jaded that I think everyone is going to be dangerous or try to sue me?

Tivoli Gardens

Due to limited or completely unavailable internet access the last week this entry was actually from 29 August...

While in Sweden I made contact with a Servas host in Berlin. Her name is Ulrike Collins and she has two teenage sons. She was willing to meet me on short notice so I arranged to go to Berlin within a couple days. I decided to take the train to Copenhagen and spend the night there before taking an early train to Berlin.

I had booked a hotel close to the train station since my train left early the next morning. The Copenhagen Star Hotel had some great quirky character traits and turns out it's on the fringe of the Red Light District. Adds a nice dash of local color to the walk around the neighborhood. I arrived in the afternoon so I dropped my bag and headed to the opposite side of the train station to Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park with beautiful botanic areas- think Busch Gardens in a European, classy way. It only costs about $15 to get in and rides cost additional. They had a competition of some sort for flower arrangements going on which was lovely to see. The gardens are really beautiful but the park is pretty crowded. I did buy a single ride ticket to jump on the wooden rollercoaster. I knew I'd be okay when the 4 year old got in the seat in front of me. It was a little tame compared to coasters back home but still a good rush.

After Tivoli I walked around the city for a bit. It was very crowded and seemed dirty compared to some places I've been. I did see a great photography exhibit set up in an outdoor square about the rites of life in various countries.

I didn't spend much time in Copenhagen so I can't say I gave it a fair shot, but I don't plan to go back anytime soon.

ABBA, IKEA, Blondes...SWEDEN!!!

Ok so I haven't seen the first two- but I've seen my fair share of blondes.

Willkommen to Goteborg, Sweden! I arrived here by ferry yesterday afternoon. It's a great little city on the west coast. I've found there's quite a lot to see here despite it not being a huge city.

I checked into my private room with my own bathroom in a hotel not far from the train station. I'm so excited to have a clean bed and shower! It also includes breakfast which is more meats, cheeses, some raw veggies, muesli, yogurt and cornflakes. It's funny, but cornflakes are everywhere from Iceland to Scandinavia. They love em.

Today I walked to the older neighborhood called Haga. There are cobble stoned streets with small clothing boutiques, vintage shops, sidewalk cafes and more. I picked up a jaunty little hat in one of the vintage stores for my personal souvenir. The cafes are adorable. Most have some sort of counter to order from and then you can sit outside or in by a window watching the people. Lunch options are decidedly un-Scandinavian with things like tomato soup, salads or my selection today which was some kind of lentil cake, hummus, cabbage and tzatziki sauce rolled in a pita.

Following lunch I went a little further to find the Botanical Garden. It was a really big place with everything from trails through the woods to flower gardens. They had the most amazing dahlias I have ever seen. They were all different colors, shapes and some were the size of dinner plates- huge! While I was walking one of the trails I saw a giant hare. This was no ordinary bunny. This guy was straight out of Alice in Wonderland (except for being brown). He didn't have a bushy tail either, but he had a tail that looked like the white tailed deer I've seen up north. He leapt across into the woods while I scrambled for my camera. Unfortunately I was too slow so he will remain a myth. Walked around until I saw the dark clouds rolling in. I just made it to the gate when it really came down. I stood under shelter for a while until I just couldn't stand anymore.

Now I have walked A LOT since I've been travelling. When I get to a new place I scope out the map and I'm quite proud of my navigational skills. I got myself to Haga and then to the Garden. The problem is that I was now in a position of needing to walk back ill-prepared for rain. Today was the day I decided to get all cute in a dress and leggings with my (cute slingback and not white trash style) crocs as opposed to army green pants and lesbi-gal hiking boots. Walking through the rain it became apparent to me that this was something I should remember. Walking in the rain is another one of those things you do when you're a kid and it's fun. So I sloshed around on the streets of Goteborg and as I neared my hotel I looked for a cafe. The rain had stopped and I was drying out but I needed a latte and berry cake with whipped cream please. A treat always make everything better.

Exploring

Today I set out to explore the very brief taste I would have of Denmark. I walked along the pedestrian street next to the river canal. It's lined with lots of small cafes where you can sit outside and people watch.

I made my way up to the Aros Museum. It's a fantastic modern structure with several floors of exhibits. They had a special exhibit with photography from a Danish man that photographed Americans. He started in the 1970s and has followed people through their lives. It was really fascinating and I spent quite a bit of time reading about his travels.

I also visited Den Gamle By. This is a recreation of an old Danish town as it was around 1700s. A lot of the buildings were originals and had displays of old wares in them. It reminded me of St Augustine back home but way less touristy. It was fun to walk around and imagine life as it might have been here.

Den Gamle By sat next to a botanical garden so I wandered around and got a little bit of nature in the middle of the city.

Tonight I'm taking it easy back at the prison doing my own laundry. Ah- life on the road. Tomorrow I'll take a train up to Frederikshavn where I'll take a 3 hour ferry to Sweden.

Somebody send a little wish out that the train has 1st class!

Assault to the senses

You know that feeling when your foot falls asleep and as you're moving it slooowly to get the blood flowing it's all pins and needles? Well that's what it felt like to leave the natural, wild beauty of Faroes and arrive in Arhus Denmark.

After leaving the ferry which arrived in Esjberg Denmark, I took a bus to the train station. I finally got my shiny, new Eurail Pass stamped for travel. I got on my first train which took 1 1/2 hours to get to a connecting train. Upon boarding my connecting train I threw myself into a seat and let my pack fall to the floor at my feet. The ticket guy came around and I flashed my "I can go anywhere" Pass. He says to me, "Ah your pass is valid for 1st class. We have 1st class on this train just up to the next 2 cars. We have coffee, newspapers and danish." (I wanted to giggle and say you have Danish in the train in Denmark but I restrained myself) Let me first explain that I didn't intentionally buy a first class rail pass. When I purchased it there was only 1 option for the Global "I want to see 22 countries in 2 months by myself" Pass. They have 2nd class options for students, people travelling together, etc. I guess Eurail presumes that if you're throwing down for the mac daddy rail pass you should be travelling in style- right before you check into a hostel. So I gathered my stuff together and made my way to the plush chairs. I was the only one in there with a huge pack but I didn't care. They had hot coffee and bottled waters. The guy came around with a basket of apples, crackers and Valrona chocolate squares. Oh yeah- first class is goood.

The train brought me to Arhus. This is the second largest city in Denmark. When I left the train station I stepped out into the harsh jungle that is modern civilization. There is a university here so lots of young people. A lot of cars but a lot of people riding bicycles.

I took the local bus to my hostel- City Sleep In. Now at first glance the place looks kinda seedy. At second glance it's just not great. The place reminds me of a school for delinquents. There are several rooms to hang out in with brightly colored walls and worn out furniture. The kitchen is really bright but the fridge is pretty gross. I put a small package of brie in there and worried it might come out with something growing on it. My room is 6 bunk beds and I got a lower bunk this time. I'm sharing with a very cool girl from Sweden that just moved here to study to be a doctor. She's looking for apartments since she'll be here 6 years.

The shower facilities are pretty scary. There's one toilet and one shower room at the end of the hall for EVERYBODY. I finally broke down for a shower and it's the scariest place I've been on my trip.

I'm missing my beautiful nature but finding beauty in the city is a great new adventure.

My new Sunday ritual

Today I was determined to spend my last day in Faroes seeing another island. I hopped the bus to the northernmost island Nordoyggjar to see the town Klaksvik. It took an hour and a half driving through spectacular roads where the land rises up sharply from the water and waterfalls tumble back down to the sea. This is the kind of country where the bus has to stop to let sheep cross the road. The road system is marvelous including a subsea tunnel with exposed rock walls. I got to Klaksvik and got out to walk around. It was Sunday so everything was closed, raining and cold (just breaking 50 deg fah). I walked around a bit and determined it was not exactly one of the quaint villages so I grabbed the bus back the next hour. I had seen a Faroese art museum at the edge of the little forest that was opened today so decided to go there.

The art museum had a great permanent collection with local artists in different mediums both old and new. I really enjoyed it. As a weird observation the floor was made from wood shaped like bricks. It was very unique.

After I left the museum I was heading back to the forest path when I heard it. The sweet sound of a crowd and athletes warming up. Hooray!! It was soccer time! I went to the field and this time it was a proper game with a home team and away team from another island. I arrived just before it started. I asked the guy selling tickets if I could buy 1. He asked me which team I was for. So I asked him what team he might recommend. He sold me the ticket for the home team (HB in the red/black stripes) and asked me where I was from. When I told him he asked what in the world I was doing there. I casually admitted I came to Faroes to watch futbol of course! He checked on me at halftime to see if I was enjoying the game and to make sure I knew which team I was rooting for.

This makes the second Sunday in a row I've caught a soccer game. I'm beginning to think this is a sign.

After the game (my team won!) I was hungry again since I survive off mixed nuts, a banana and the fuel from my free breakfast so I headed to town. I was really craving something familiar and healthy. I remembered seeing a Faroese Japanese cafe that looked very modern and interesting. It is decorated sparingly with orange and black accents in an Asian meets Ikea way. I ordered green tea, miso soup and vegetable sushi. The vegetable sushi included snow pea, tofu pouch and roll with asparagus, cucumber. It was exactly what I was craving and I was recharged. Sitting there sipping my tea, browsing a Danish gourmet magazine (looking at the pictures) and listening to Portishead overhead was another one of those quiet zen moments that will go in the archive.

Now I'm waiting to get on the ferry that will leave at 1:30am to take me to Denmark. Faroes have been exotically beautiful but I'm seriously craving some warm, dry weather. Hopefully Scandinavia will deliver and I can finally wear some different clothes!

A walk through the forest

I'm so used to taking walks now that after my quiet day yesterday of looking in a few stores and sitting around I needed to get out and stretch my legs. I figured there had to be more to Torshavn than what I had experienced. I pulled out the little city map and there it was. A green patch up in the corner with little trees. I mapped the route and set out. I finally came upon the little path that started along a stream and wound its way into a little forest. There were small paths that led to open enclosures with large boulders for climbing or sitting on. There were small benches to rest on facing the creek. There were adorable little footbridges crossing the creek. At the edge of the forest was the soccer field where I watched a bit of the practice. It was set apart from the city up the hill a bit so was very peaceful. It was a great way to close out my day. I said goodnight to nature and headed back to my cozy room.

Another homage to eating

I have found that travelling in foreign countries can be quite exhausting to the old budget. One of the most interesting ways to take a slice out of expenses is to be creative with meals. As I have readily admitted I'm super excited about eating. One of the first things I like to do in a new place is check out the market. Of course eating in a sit down restaurant is ok- but there's nothing like the quest through the aisles of a local market to decipher foreign packaging and compile a small picnic. I literally can't pass by a market without going in to see what they have.

So today I purchased some brown bread with seeds, REALLY stinky sliced cheese and lemon cookies. This is what I took to eat in my little graveyard.

Last night I sniffed out a local take away counter for fish and chips. Order at the counter, she asks if I want salted or not- hello I'm American and we LOVE sodium can I get extra. I get my order and it is wrapped in butcher paper and then newspaper. It's like I dreamed of the most charming packaging for take out and the owner read my mind. I took it back to my room (too cold to eat outside) and ate it way too fast. It was really good.

Finally this evening I found a small coffee house on the harbor with outdoor seating. I ordered a cappuccino and apple tart and went out to the patio overlooking the boats in the harbor to wait for it. The apple tart was warmed and the side was similar to a sour cream. A fantastic balance between sweet and tangy.

This is why despite all the walking I'm doing my pants still fit the same and I still can't see the cheek bones in my face. No matter- my lungs are really healthy! And when we stop to evaluate priorities isn't it only about the inside that matters?

Quiet day in Torshavn

After my ambitious hike yesterday I decided to spend today exploring downtown Torshavn. My leisurely breakfast in the hotel (included with the room cost) included delicious coffee, fruit, pear banana yogurt and a heavenly chocolate croissant.

As it turns out I'm glad I took today to look around town because all the shops will be closed tomorrow. They close today, Saturdays, at 2pm. I didn't go into many stores because I'm trying to curb my spending and my pack can get so damn heavy, but I did find a teeny little store I'm pretty excited about. It was hardly a closet of a store and I had to take off my backpack to move around, but it had the loveliest local wool items. It's a co-op where a group of women- and a few men- make all the items from local wool and sheep's horns. The lady that was working is from the Faroes and we talked for quite a while. She gave me some pointers on things to see in Sweden and we talked about this country she was born in. I had also heard about the whaling issue in Faroes that has got some outsiders pretty upset. According to what I've read- and seen some gruesome pictures of- the local fishermen wait for a small group of pilot whales to come into the bay where they kill them quickly with a knife blow to the spine. They butcher them right there and everyone in town gets a share for food. It's a tradition this culture has been doing for many, many years. She brought it up so I asked her. She said they have always eaten whale to survive but now with the ocean getting dirtier they really couldn't eat them anymore. She didn't have much more to say other than it has always been part of their culture. I did end up buying some pretty beautiful little wool items- and thus my pack gets heavier. I wanted to send some things home but, alas, post is closed on Saturdays.

I went in search of a market to buy some snacks and bumped into the SMS. Turns out Faroese have a shopping mall. I'm talking 3 stories of new clothes, cheap costume jewelry and The Body Shop. It even had a food court with Burger King. The first floor did have an amazing grocery store. I walked every aisle and let me tell you these people love their meats. My favorite was a tie between cheese and cookies. Europeans love their "biscuits". After I left the market, checked out the 2nd floor I just couldn't bring myself to look at the 3rd floor so I headed out.

Ended up at a quaint little cemetery with gravestones dating to the 1800s. How's that for extremes? Shopping mall to cemetery. I must admit it was much more peaceful amongst the non-breathing. I sat and ate my small snack listening to the wind swirl through the grass.

Live from the Faroe Islands

Now I have gotten numerous questions from people back home wanting to know what/where the Faroes are. So here goes- they are located between Iceland and Norway in the heart of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic. The archipelago is composed of 18 islands covering 545 sq. miles. One of my favorite facts about them is that at no time is one more than 3 miles away from the ocean. The population is 48,778 and Faroese is the national language. While they are owned by Denmark they are allowed to self govern and so have their own flag and parliament.

So after arriving at 4:30am this morning I bumped into an old cyclist I had met on the bus back in Iceland. We kept running into each other and he has been to Faroes before so gave me some pointers. His name is Edward (I think) and he is a physician from the Swiss Alps. He's a little Mr Magoo minus glasses and Inspector Clouseau. He talks a lot and seems to know several languages. He always wears his hard helmet so he doesn't forget it and carries several different shopping bags in addition to his bicycle (which I have yet to see him ride) and overnight pack.

He offered to walk me towards my hotel since he thought he knew where it was (he didn't) but instead we ended up at the hostel he would be staying at where he fixed me a cup of tea and I shared my cookies with him. We pored over the map to each decide where we would go when the sun came up. I was grateful to him for showing me some pointers for the bus system.

After I dropped my pack at my hotel I boarded a bus for Vagar. I got off in a little village called Sandavagur for a little look around then walked about 2km to the next town called Midvagur.

I checked in at the information center where she told me about a hiking path out around the lake next to the ocean. It would take about 2-3 hours. Now at this point I'm tired, day pack is heavy and I couldn't find the trail head, but a friend had given me some advice to never give up at the first sign of a struggle so I persevered. I ended up hiking through heather and grasses with sheep to greet me next to a beautiful lake. The hike ended at the lip of the lake which emptied into a waterfall that fell away to the ocean. It was poetry in motion. I was all alone staring out at this scenery- with the exception of some birds and sheep- to absorb all the majesty. The entire hike out and back was around 3 hours. I took my snacks (mixed nuts, apple, cheese) and took my time.

On the way back I was walking down a residential road where a man was working on the ditch. He stopped to ask me where I was coming from. He was so friendly and wanted to talk about his country with me (I think I understood half of what he said). He was very excited that I had hiked out to see the waterfall. He agreed with me that this is a most beautiful place.

I realized today that while I miss my home, there is no place in the world that I'd rather be than where I am at any given moment on this adventure.

Getting out of Iceland-

...otherwise titled "You thought I was done talking about Iceland"

Yesterday as I was getting ready to leave my guesthouse for the ferry I saw a guy with his bicycle loaded up so I decided to ask him what was up. I had seen a lot of cyclists when we were driving around and it seemed freakin' insane to me. We're talking serious weather changes, wind, zero visibility fog and steep inclines so I needed to know someone that had braved that. I asked him and he told me he was from Germany and had cycled around the south and east of Iceland some 1200km through all the weather conditions mentioned above and 8 degree Celsius weather for the last three weeks. He did say it was a beautiful way to see the country but he was really done. He was going home to Germany to try to catch some summer before it was over.

So I made it to my ferry, dropped my pack in my 4 berth shared cabin and went outside to watch Iceland fall away from me. That is, I tried to watch Iceland wistfully until some European dude decided to stand in front of my chair so I got a full view of his foreign butt. "Excuse me" I finally said very tactfully in my best American accent and he moved out. Maybe I used my British accent- whatever- I was back to my view.

Just as we get out of the bay the old Norrona starts her tipsy dance. That baby pitched and rolled like a drunk girl on Saturday night. People were walking the halls doing the zig zag and laughing (unless they were holding the freebie barf box and those people weren't laughing). Because the ferry would arrive at 4:30am I decided to get a little rest. Took a nap and then went in search of dinner. I ended up at the upscale dinner buffet which cost around $39 USD. There was the unextraordinary buffet offerings but then there was the cheese and bread selections followed by dessert. Hello Denmark!

I sat next to a window eating until I couldn't stuff another camembert or pepper crusted soft cheese down my throat looking out at a gray sea with nothing but white caps for miles. Oh yeah- it was still rolling around to the tune of the single stabilizer trying to kick in periodically. It actually was quite soothing when I went back to take my second nap.

Next up....arrival in Torshavn!

Last night in Iceland

I took the bus today back to Seydisfjordur where I will catch my ferry to Faroe Islands tomorrow.

I love this little village with only about 700 inhabitants. It was rainy and cold when I got here but I still wanted to walk around and go for a hike. There are waterfalls everywhere and some steep mountains so I put on the waterproof clothes and headed out. I looked around town a bit and then went to the local art gallery/cafe for some mocha. After getting all warmed up, rained had finally mellowed out, I went in search of a good hike. I found a path off the road going up to a small waterfall. I climbed to the top and sat there on a mossy rock, in the wind and damp, reflecting. The town looking tiny below and the sound of water tumbling next to me was a sweet melody from nature.

A side trip to a fishing village

Yesterday I got up early to catch a bus for the short ride to Husavik. This little town is best known for whale watching tours. Apparently they have a 97-99% chance of spotting whales. Well I didn't do a tour but I did spend time in the little town checking out some museums.

I started with the whale museum. They had many skeletons from all the different types of whales around Iceland. There's a smaller whale called the minke that I saw while staying at Skalanes. There's also a whale that has a single tooth that grows out of its jaw like a unicorn's horn that is really cool. Can't quite remember the name though. They also had exhibits on whaling and why it was important for the culture to feed people in the harsh winters. There was also the exhibit on sustainability and the harsh pollution of the ocean.

Next stop was the Culture House. This was very cool where they had lots of antique displays of old Iceland paraphernalia including hunting equipment, a recreated setup room of the first co-op for farmers and lots of other interesting things. Downstairs was a black and white photo exhibit and a maritime exhibition with old boats and a whale skull in the picture below on the right. It was really interesting to see how not much as changed. For instance there was a small boat used for seal hunting that was used up until about 1994.

I went to the local bakery for a little treat and got a delicious cake donut with chocolate frosting. I love these small places!

Ok so last stop in Husavik was the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Yes you read that right- a penis museum. Let the jokes begin....

So before mothers start to cover delicate children's' eyes let me explain. This place is dedicated to the scientific study of the reproductive organ of local Icelandic animals. Who am I kidding- it was a museum with pickled whale peepees. There was everything from a hamster dealio complete with magnifying glass for accurate inspection to a blue whale dingaling. For the record that thing was the size of my whole body. The owner even had lamp shades made from reindeer scrotum- the whole place was very tastefully decorated. I only stayed about 15 minutes because a girl can only absorb so much carnal science before things go blurry and you feel a weird nausea coming on.

I finished off the day back in Akureyri with a relaxing swim at the pool and just as I was going for a little walk stumbled upon the local football (soccer) game starting. I'm pretty sure it was high school. I heard music, found the field and asked what was up. Cost of admission: 1000isk- 1 ticket please. It was great fun to sit in the stands with families cheering for the boys and kids beating homemade drums, chanting for the home team. It was raining like crazy and I didn't have waterproof pants so I left after about 25 minutes but it was super cool to be a part of the spectating crowd.