Now I have reached the 2nd part of my trip: ASIA and SUMMER WEATHER. I purposely planned to go to Asia from Nov to Jan just so that I can avoid the winter as much as possible. I will still get a good dose of winter when I get back in Jan BUT I STILL LOVE CHICAGO!
My first stop in Asia was Hong Kong. I spent 5 days in the former British colony. My hostel was on the Hong Kong Island where I met two other travelers in my room: Tessa from England and Amanda from Ireland. Tessa, Amanda, and I explored the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and Lantau Island. Here is a list of our activities:
Lantau Island - We took cable cars up to Lantau Island. It was about a 25 min ride up to the island and there was an incredible view overlooking Hong Kong from our cable car. Lantau is famous for the Tian Tan Buddha aka Big Buddha. Tian Tan Buddha is the tallest outdoor Buddha in the world, hence the name Big Buddha. The statue symbolizes harmony between people, religion, and nature. It is also the major center of Buddhism of Hong Kong. After the Big Buddha, the girls and I took a trek up the Path of Wisdom where we found messages at the end of the path written in Chinese. I took a few pics so hopefully someone can translate the messages for us.
Kowloon - Located across from the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon has so many different markets
that draw a wide audience from all over the world. These markets sell everything from electronics, sunglasses, clothes, souvenirs, food, etc. pretty much everything. Hong Kong is a BIG shopping mecca. I have never seen so many shopping malls in my life. They have everything from the high end retail and couture shops to the low priced markets where you can always haggle and get everything really cheap. As for the retails stores --- I was blown away by how big all the major stores are...Louis Vuitton is seriously the size of a D.C. block. There are 6 of these big sized Louis Vuitton stores in Hong Kong. SIX! Hong Kong is not that big so I'm not sure why they need to have so many. Anyways, the LV pricing is still the same as the U.S. but if you want to buy anything outside of the typical brand name stuff, you can find it for almost nothing.
Hong Kong Island - We checked out Hollywood Blvd which hosts the nightlife for all the out of towners: Europeans, Australians, Candians, and Americans. We had dinner at the Hong Kong Brew House. Amanda tried a Hong Kong beer and I went for the Stella (it was good bec I haven't had it since I left the US, I usually try the native beers but I craved Stella this time). We noticed that there were so many guys everywhere. The ratio was seriously 50:1. We weren't complaining. We also went to Stanley Beach which is on the southern part of Hong Kong Island. The beach was beautiful so we enjoyed the scenery and the market alongside the water.
A big attraction in Hong Kong is the evening Light Show. Hong Kong has an incredible skyline that could rival NYC or Chicago's skyline. Every night at 8pm they have this light show where different colors light up from each building. The show is about 15 mins and they have loud music that coincides with the lights. It's a little cheezy but it's really cool at the same time. In fact, this show was recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records for the Longest Light Show. It's definitely a MUST DO in Hong Kong.
Here's a little info about my traveling mates:
Amanda (Ireland) - I'm guessing she is the same age as me based on what she told me about her life. You know you can always do the math in your head. Anyways, she is a pro traveler. She has been everywhere and most places more than once (Thailand 5x). She works as a counselor for prior offendors so she told us a few interesting stories. Anyways, she basically works to pay for her travels. She travels for big chunks of time each year. She was just home in Ireland for 6 months before she came to Hong Kong. After Hong Kong she was heading to New Zealand for a year.
Tessa (England) - She is our little youngster, such a sweetheart and has a great head on her shoulders. She just graduated from h.s. and just turned 19 last week. After graduating, she took all the money she saved and went to Australia for 2 months. She made a quick stop to Hong Kong before heading back to England. She will be in England for 10 days and then head to southern France to work at a resort for 6 months. She will attend college next Fall. She is taking a "gap" which is what a lot of the Europeans call a sabbatical. SO, I guess I'm taking a gap. Tessa told me that it is common to take a gap after h.s.,college, career, etc. She also said that no one ever questions it. It's totally acceptable to take a break and enjoy life and travel. She said, "why would any question that?". I LOVE IT.
I have mentioned many times that I have really learned so much on this trip. The best part of everyday is that there is something new that sparks my interest. I always keep a notebook with me in my purse, even back at home. It's a mini Hello Kitty notebook but I always jot random things in it so that I can research further when I get on the Internet. It can be as simple as, What started the Chicago Fire or how old is Hugh Jackman and who is this wife of his? Ever since I started this trip, I've been writing notes about historical facts so that I can read more about it. Hong Kong is interesting because it was a British colony from 1898 - 1997. The British took over in 1898 after the Opium War and basically signed a 99 year lease. This is why they say that Hong Kong is the city where East meets West. I'm now very curious about how the British treated the Chinese and how different it was back then compared to today. Definitely something I need to read up on later!
ALSO, another topic I need to research is Ireland history. I knew that English was the official language of Ireland but then I realized something new when Amanda said an Irish sentence out of the blue. I asked her, "What did you say?" She replied, "Hello, how are you?" OKAY, at that moment I felt so dumbfounded because I didn't even know the Irish had a separate language. She told me that the language has really died out now so everyone speaks English in Ireland but some regions of Ireland speak the traditional Irish langauge. Then she went on talking about the rift between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. UMMM..HELLO? AREN'T THEY THE SAME THING? NOPE. I had no idea they were completely separate. I just know of IRELAND and how the Irish like to drink A LOT (Ex. Sully and Jamie). I quickly jotted, NORTHERN IRELAND and REPUBLIC OF IRELAND in my notebook. Once again, another thing to research.....
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
My Last Stop in Europe: LONDON
I am at my last stop in Europe...LONDON. I didn't have high expecations about London before I arrived here. I just figured it wouldn't be too different from the U.S. since they spoke English, plus the weather is usually cold and rainy during this time of the year. Well, after spending a week here I realized that London is definitely a unique city with so many incredible and exciting things to see and do. I was originally going to stay for 3 days but I extended it for a week because I loved it after the first day. London is definitely the NYC of Europe. When I was walking around the first day, I felt the same feeling that I get when I'm in NYC...the feeling of excitement and energy. At the same time I loved knowing that you could find anything and everything in the world all in one place, just like NYC.
I could definitely live in London. I know I've said that I have loved every place that I've been to but loving a place and wanting to live in a place are totally two different things. The Greek Islands and Italy are amazing. Who wouldn't love it, right? As much as I loved my time in these places, I could not see myself living there. I would feel so isolated living on an island in Greece and I couldn't live in the overly laid back pace of Italy. I definitely want to incorporate the lessons that I have learned from these countries to my life but I couldn't live there. LONDON on the other hand, has everything I want in a living situation...fast paced, diverse population, warm and kind people, business mecca of Europe, lively culture, high energy, and fashion oriented (this isn't a must but it's cool to have). I would seriously move here for a year or more if I could get a work visa and a job...I'm keeping my eyes opened for an opportunity!
I was very fortunate to have nice weather while I've been here. It only drizzled for half a day and the temperatures have been in the low 60s so it has been unseasonably warm for this time of the year. During the last 7 days I've done the sight seeing tours, hung out in the different neighborhoods, enjoyed my time with old friends (Doug, Diana, and Carolyn --- glad we reconnected thru Facebook and met up in London), hung out with Richard (so cute and so fun! I had a piece of Amy and Jill with me), visited the many markets, had the best fish and chips, spent half a day in Harrod's, went out for tea, saw Dirty Dancing on stage (loved it! thanks again for the tix Richard), and I'm going to see Chicago tonight. Being in London made me realize how much I missed the craziness of a big city....people all over the place, cars buzzing by, stores and restaurants on every inch of the ground...ahhhh, I love it so much!!! OH, I also love the London street signs that tell you where to look for cars since tourists aren't used to seeing cars driving on the opposite side of the streets.
A lot of my friends have asked me, "I want to go on vacation. Where should I go? Which city is your favorite?" This is a really tough question. Every place is so different, unique, and special. Each places serves a different purpose so it's really more about what you want to get out of your trip. If you're looking for a romantic place I would suggest the Greek Islands or Dubrovnvik. If you're looking to party hard then I would suggest all of the places that I've been to BUT definitely Germany, London, and Spain would be on the top of my list. If you're looking for good food, wine, and art then I would suggest Italy. If you're into history then I would say Germany. If you're looking for classical music then I would say Vienna. If you're looking for the best bang for your buck then I would suggest Budapest and Dubrovnik. I will be honest though....Paris for me was soooo OVERRATED. This is just my opinion. I'm sure I will get plenty of hate mail for this. Paris is beautiful but I just didn't think it was as great as I imagined.
This blog is all over the place because my mind is thinking about a lot of things. Forgive me for lacking continuity from one paragraph to the next. I want to write about my friend Jacqui Ahn now. I've been staying with my friend Jacqui in London. Jacqui and I are practically family. We grew up together because our parents are good friends. Jacqui is a do gooder with a bleeding heart. She is always making efforts to save the environment and she is always helping people in need. Just the other day, we were walking down the streets of London and I had some trash in my hand that I wanted to get rid of. Instead of letting me throw it away in the trash can, she took it from me and held on to it until we found a recycling site. She is always donating her time and energy to work with poor people in her community or overseas. The best thing about her efforts is that she is not high and mighty about it. You would never know about her giving efforts because she just takes action and never says anything about it. She doesn't judge me or anyone who doesn't live like this either.
Jacqui moved to London a month ago because she is pursuing her passion in Art. She just finished her 2 year art program in Switzerland and she is now working as a Stained Glass Artist in a London studio. Jacqui is also Korean so we come from very similar backgrounds. In between all the fun that we've been having in London, Jacqui and I have also been able to vent about our parents, laughed about our cultural and generation gaps between us and our families, and talked about our hopes and dreams without being critcized by our parents. Let me set the record straight....I love my parents and I will forever be grateful to my parents for all the amazing things in my life. HOWEVER, my parents and I differ on so many levels. My parents do not think this trip is "the trip of a lifetime". They have no choice in the matter so they support my decision. However, they are not gung ho about it like I am. My parents are a tough sell. They need to see the end result before responding to a scenario. Therefore, my parents will be happy that I went on this trip AFTER I get home safely and AFTER I find a good job. THEN they will see that everything worked out perfectly. Until then, they really have no opinion about the matter. I understand the drill and I'm so used to it. This is how they were when I wanted to go into sales after college. No law school or medical school for me, JUST SALES. They were anti for awhile until I moved up at YB and THEN they thought it was worthwhile. Jacqui understands this all too well.....her parents think she gave up her illustrious business background and her MBA for Art....it doesn't make sense to them either and they are disappointed. This may all sound really harsh and cruel but it's really not. Our parents are a like any other parent out there. They only want the best for us but they just feel like there is only one path that leads us to the very best in life. This just makes me want to work harder and never give up because I have to prove to my parents that these alternative paths are also valuable. This is my edge and this is what burns the fuel in my fire. SO, it's been great talking to Jacqui about this because we are in the same boat right now...her art path, my traveling path. Our parents think we are nuts. Only time will tell............ The only thing I know right now is that I'm leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow and the Dolphins are 6-4!!!!
I could definitely live in London. I know I've said that I have loved every place that I've been to but loving a place and wanting to live in a place are totally two different things. The Greek Islands and Italy are amazing. Who wouldn't love it, right? As much as I loved my time in these places, I could not see myself living there. I would feel so isolated living on an island in Greece and I couldn't live in the overly laid back pace of Italy. I definitely want to incorporate the lessons that I have learned from these countries to my life but I couldn't live there. LONDON on the other hand, has everything I want in a living situation...fast paced, diverse population, warm and kind people, business mecca of Europe, lively culture, high energy, and fashion oriented (this isn't a must but it's cool to have). I would seriously move here for a year or more if I could get a work visa and a job...I'm keeping my eyes opened for an opportunity!
I was very fortunate to have nice weather while I've been here. It only drizzled for half a day and the temperatures have been in the low 60s so it has been unseasonably warm for this time of the year. During the last 7 days I've done the sight seeing tours, hung out in the different neighborhoods, enjoyed my time with old friends (Doug, Diana, and Carolyn --- glad we reconnected thru Facebook and met up in London), hung out with Richard (so cute and so fun! I had a piece of Amy and Jill with me), visited the many markets, had the best fish and chips, spent half a day in Harrod's, went out for tea, saw Dirty Dancing on stage (loved it! thanks again for the tix Richard), and I'm going to see Chicago tonight. Being in London made me realize how much I missed the craziness of a big city....people all over the place, cars buzzing by, stores and restaurants on every inch of the ground...ahhhh, I love it so much!!! OH, I also love the London street signs that tell you where to look for cars since tourists aren't used to seeing cars driving on the opposite side of the streets.
A lot of my friends have asked me, "I want to go on vacation. Where should I go? Which city is your favorite?" This is a really tough question. Every place is so different, unique, and special. Each places serves a different purpose so it's really more about what you want to get out of your trip. If you're looking for a romantic place I would suggest the Greek Islands or Dubrovnvik. If you're looking to party hard then I would suggest all of the places that I've been to BUT definitely Germany, London, and Spain would be on the top of my list. If you're looking for good food, wine, and art then I would suggest Italy. If you're into history then I would say Germany. If you're looking for classical music then I would say Vienna. If you're looking for the best bang for your buck then I would suggest Budapest and Dubrovnik. I will be honest though....Paris for me was soooo OVERRATED. This is just my opinion. I'm sure I will get plenty of hate mail for this. Paris is beautiful but I just didn't think it was as great as I imagined.
This blog is all over the place because my mind is thinking about a lot of things. Forgive me for lacking continuity from one paragraph to the next. I want to write about my friend Jacqui Ahn now. I've been staying with my friend Jacqui in London. Jacqui and I are practically family. We grew up together because our parents are good friends. Jacqui is a do gooder with a bleeding heart. She is always making efforts to save the environment and she is always helping people in need. Just the other day, we were walking down the streets of London and I had some trash in my hand that I wanted to get rid of. Instead of letting me throw it away in the trash can, she took it from me and held on to it until we found a recycling site. She is always donating her time and energy to work with poor people in her community or overseas. The best thing about her efforts is that she is not high and mighty about it. You would never know about her giving efforts because she just takes action and never says anything about it. She doesn't judge me or anyone who doesn't live like this either.
Jacqui moved to London a month ago because she is pursuing her passion in Art. She just finished her 2 year art program in Switzerland and she is now working as a Stained Glass Artist in a London studio. Jacqui is also Korean so we come from very similar backgrounds. In between all the fun that we've been having in London, Jacqui and I have also been able to vent about our parents, laughed about our cultural and generation gaps between us and our families, and talked about our hopes and dreams without being critcized by our parents. Let me set the record straight....I love my parents and I will forever be grateful to my parents for all the amazing things in my life. HOWEVER, my parents and I differ on so many levels. My parents do not think this trip is "the trip of a lifetime". They have no choice in the matter so they support my decision. However, they are not gung ho about it like I am. My parents are a tough sell. They need to see the end result before responding to a scenario. Therefore, my parents will be happy that I went on this trip AFTER I get home safely and AFTER I find a good job. THEN they will see that everything worked out perfectly. Until then, they really have no opinion about the matter. I understand the drill and I'm so used to it. This is how they were when I wanted to go into sales after college. No law school or medical school for me, JUST SALES. They were anti for awhile until I moved up at YB and THEN they thought it was worthwhile. Jacqui understands this all too well.....her parents think she gave up her illustrious business background and her MBA for Art....it doesn't make sense to them either and they are disappointed. This may all sound really harsh and cruel but it's really not. Our parents are a like any other parent out there. They only want the best for us but they just feel like there is only one path that leads us to the very best in life. This just makes me want to work harder and never give up because I have to prove to my parents that these alternative paths are also valuable. This is my edge and this is what burns the fuel in my fire. SO, it's been great talking to Jacqui about this because we are in the same boat right now...her art path, my traveling path. Our parents think we are nuts. Only time will tell............ The only thing I know right now is that I'm leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow and the Dolphins are 6-4!!!!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Paella + Tapas + Flan + Bocadillos = Espana
I really wasn't sure I was going to have time for Spain. I already spent a semester abroad in Spain back in 1998 so I was able to spend a good amount of time visiting all the major cities. I loved my past experiences in Spain. Spain was my first trip to Europe and Spain was also the main reason why I wanted to live in a big city after college. I loved the fact that everyone walked everywhere and I loved the incredible energy of the people and the culture. To top it all off, I loved the food! The food is the reason why I decided to go back to Spain earlier this week. My trip was only 40 hours and 4 of those hours were spent in the aiport. I already spent a week in Croatia so I had almost 2 days in between Croatia and London. I could have extended my time in Croatia or gone to London earlier but why would I do that when I have the world's best paella waiting for me? The obvious choice was to fly to Madrid and indulge myself in the best Spanish food.
My biggest concern when I arrived: I only had 36 hours outside of the airport! 12 of those hours would be for sleeping if I slept 6 hrs each night. That left me with only 24 hours for eating which adds up to 5 meals. FIVE MEALS...that's it?!?!?! I listed all my favorite dishes prior to arriving in Madrid and it included 10 different entrees. How was I suppossed to choose 5 out of the 10? Well, I always believe that you can have everything in life. Maybe not all at once but you can have everything over time. You may have to compromise in certain areas and work really hard to get what you want but in the end, you can have it all. I found the solution to the "you can have it all" scenario....I must pull an ALL NIGHTER. No sleeping for 36 hours. I would have to eat every 4 hours and then buy a meal to go for the plan ride. This is exactly what I did and I got all 10 meals in!!!!
What did I eat? Paella twice (I had to try the meat paella and seafood paella separately), endless amount of different tapas, 3 different bocadillos (which are sub sandwiches), plenty of pastries, and of course flan. Was it worth the trip? ABSOLUTELY. The food in Spain actually ranks as high as Italy on my list. I like tapas in the U.S. too but it does not compare to Spain. People have been asking me if I have put on weight because of all the food I am eating or if I have lost weight because I'm walking around so much. The answer is: I have lost 5 pounds which is a result of running 5x a week and walking around all day. I probably could lose more because I am on my feet all the time but I eat wayyyyyy too much. Every time I'm in these countries I seriously act and think that I'm never going to eat again when I see all these different types of food. It's sort of true in a way...I will be eating those certain dishes only during that short period so why hold back?
Aside from all the eating, I did take a day trip to Salamanca while I was in Spain. Salamanca was the city that I lived in while I was studying abroad and it is a 2.5 hour train ride from Madrid. So if you are doing the math right now, a combined 5 hours of my time in Spain was on a train. This did not hinder my eating schedule because I always grabbed a bocadillo for the train ride so that I can check off my itemized food list. Anyways, as soon as I stepped foot in Salamanca, so many wonderful memories came back to me. I revisited the university, our favorite hang out spots, the warm and cozy cafes, the tasty restaurants, and the street that I lived on. Even though it had been 10 years, I still remembered where everything was and it was so wonderful to see how somethings have not changed at all. At the same time, it was neat to see the subtle modern changes in the city.
I mentioned in the first paragraph that the only reason I went back to Spain was for the food. This is true BUT I'm so glad I made it back because my short time there made me realize how much I loved Spain and how much I missed it! My dear friend Jill has been back 3 times since we left 10 years ago and she still can't get enough of it! I always figured I would go see other places first before going back again but this visit to Spain was just as great as my first. It was wonderful being able to communicate in Spanish and understand the language. I definitely hope to use my Spanish more when I get back to the U.S. If I'm not using it for my job then I definitely want to use it in a volunteering position. I hope my next trip back to Spain will be much sooner than this last one. I left Spain yesterday morning and I am now in London. This will be my last stop in Europe. I fly out of here next Tue the 18th for Hong Kong. I will write about London later this week. So far it's been great! I was only planning on staying here for 3 or 4 days but I extended it for a week since there is so much to do and see!!! P.S. Thanks for the pep talk Jilly. I called my friend Jill the first night I was in Spain and I told her about my food dilemma. She started giving me a pep talk that would have been suitable for a Super Bowl team..."You can do it, Nancy! I know you and what you're capable of!"
My biggest concern when I arrived: I only had 36 hours outside of the airport! 12 of those hours would be for sleeping if I slept 6 hrs each night. That left me with only 24 hours for eating which adds up to 5 meals. FIVE MEALS...that's it?!?!?! I listed all my favorite dishes prior to arriving in Madrid and it included 10 different entrees. How was I suppossed to choose 5 out of the 10? Well, I always believe that you can have everything in life. Maybe not all at once but you can have everything over time. You may have to compromise in certain areas and work really hard to get what you want but in the end, you can have it all. I found the solution to the "you can have it all" scenario....I must pull an ALL NIGHTER. No sleeping for 36 hours. I would have to eat every 4 hours and then buy a meal to go for the plan ride. This is exactly what I did and I got all 10 meals in!!!!
What did I eat? Paella twice (I had to try the meat paella and seafood paella separately), endless amount of different tapas, 3 different bocadillos (which are sub sandwiches), plenty of pastries, and of course flan. Was it worth the trip? ABSOLUTELY. The food in Spain actually ranks as high as Italy on my list. I like tapas in the U.S. too but it does not compare to Spain. People have been asking me if I have put on weight because of all the food I am eating or if I have lost weight because I'm walking around so much. The answer is: I have lost 5 pounds which is a result of running 5x a week and walking around all day. I probably could lose more because I am on my feet all the time but I eat wayyyyyy too much. Every time I'm in these countries I seriously act and think that I'm never going to eat again when I see all these different types of food. It's sort of true in a way...I will be eating those certain dishes only during that short period so why hold back?
Aside from all the eating, I did take a day trip to Salamanca while I was in Spain. Salamanca was the city that I lived in while I was studying abroad and it is a 2.5 hour train ride from Madrid. So if you are doing the math right now, a combined 5 hours of my time in Spain was on a train. This did not hinder my eating schedule because I always grabbed a bocadillo for the train ride so that I can check off my itemized food list. Anyways, as soon as I stepped foot in Salamanca, so many wonderful memories came back to me. I revisited the university, our favorite hang out spots, the warm and cozy cafes, the tasty restaurants, and the street that I lived on. Even though it had been 10 years, I still remembered where everything was and it was so wonderful to see how somethings have not changed at all. At the same time, it was neat to see the subtle modern changes in the city.
I mentioned in the first paragraph that the only reason I went back to Spain was for the food. This is true BUT I'm so glad I made it back because my short time there made me realize how much I loved Spain and how much I missed it! My dear friend Jill has been back 3 times since we left 10 years ago and she still can't get enough of it! I always figured I would go see other places first before going back again but this visit to Spain was just as great as my first. It was wonderful being able to communicate in Spanish and understand the language. I definitely hope to use my Spanish more when I get back to the U.S. If I'm not using it for my job then I definitely want to use it in a volunteering position. I hope my next trip back to Spain will be much sooner than this last one. I left Spain yesterday morning and I am now in London. This will be my last stop in Europe. I fly out of here next Tue the 18th for Hong Kong. I will write about London later this week. So far it's been great! I was only planning on staying here for 3 or 4 days but I extended it for a week since there is so much to do and see!!! P.S. Thanks for the pep talk Jilly. I called my friend Jill the first night I was in Spain and I told her about my food dilemma. She started giving me a pep talk that would have been suitable for a Super Bowl team..."You can do it, Nancy! I know you and what you're capable of!"
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Dubrovnik, Croatia
My friend Talin and I just wrapped up a wonderful 7 day trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Before I go into the details of our trip, here is a brief bio about Talin. Talin and I have been friends since May 1998 when we were both bridesmaids in our friend Natalie's wedding. Talin is always introducing me to wonderful things like opera, traveling ideas, and new restaurants. It was great to spend a full week together in the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. We enjoyed exploring the area and learning about the history and the cutlure. In addition to all the sight seeing, our week was filled with great conversations, laughter, and delicious food! We had the world's best seafood ever....everything was so fresh since we were right off the Coast. This food definitely rivaled the food of Italy.
As I mentioned in my last blog, I didn't know much about Dubrovnik before this trip. I'm so glad Talin and I decide to take this trip because Dubrovnik is absoultely beautiful. We had incredible weather...temps were in the low 70s so it was perfect for us to walk around and take in the incredible coastal scenery. The best way to describe Dubrovnik is that it is a combination of the Greek Islands and Ancient Greece all in one spot. Dubrovnik is not an island, but its beaches remind me of the Greek Islands. You also have the Old City of Dubrovnik which has the ancient walls lining up against the coast. I always love seeing two contrasting things put together....ancient history plus modern beaches combine for an intriguing destination!
During our week together, we took a day trip to Bosnia. We had no intention of going to Bosnia but we saw these pics of a beautiful town and we wanted to see this place called Mostar. We figured it was next to Dubrovnik but our guide told us that Mostar was in Bosnia and it was a 2.5 hour drive there. We figured it was worth seeing so we signed up for the tour and spent a day there. When I heard that we were going to Bosnia I just pictured a war torn area that was really grey and depressing. We were wrong. Bosnia has beautiful coast lines like Dubrovnik. The beaches of Bosnia were like the ones we would see in the Carribean. The town of Mostar was beautiful and so quaint. It reminded me of a Medieval village in Germany. Bosnia still has a few buildings that have not been rebuilt since they were damaged from World War II and the war in the early 90s. Our trip taught us a lot about the war and the struggles that these countries went through. It also taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I'm so caught up in going to countries that have the glamourous appeal like Italy, Greece, Spain, etc. There is so much to see in the world and every country has a story to tell. A real story that I can learn from and grow from.
During this week I also had a major turning point where I gained perspective. My friends and family know me as a passionate person. My passion is expressed in two different ways....I exude positive emotion when I love something and I can't contain my enthusiasm and love. I also express my frustration and anger in a passionate lunatic way too. This type of behaviour is commonly expressed to Customer Service agents. I'm sure I am on The Most Hated List of United Airlines, Comcast, YB Customer Service, etc. My philosophy is simple...Just do what you're suppossed to do. I don't expect anything more and I don't expect you to roll out the red carpet for me. Just do your job. Ex. United needs make sure my luggage gets to my destinatin on time...That's all!
SO back to my new gained perspective... Talin and I stayed in a nice hotel in Dubrovnik. The room was nice with a great view and great location. My issues with the hotel: they didn't clean our room one day and they didn't call us on time for our wake up call. These are basics that are a GIVEN in any hotel. Also, the hotel staff was incompetent. They were not helpful and never had an answer for any of our basic questions. Again, these are a given in any hotel. I became frustrated that I had to share my thoughts to the hotel manager in my lunatic ways of expression. I go off on this hotel manager because nothing was getting done. This hotel manager was this kind and gentle person. He was soft spoken and so compassionate. After my rant he responded in his soft voice, "Let's make peace. Let's work on this. I'm sorry about these issues. We will fix this. However, you don't need to get mad. You are on vacation. I want you to be happy. If you want to get mad, get mad about the starving children in the world. Get mad about the people dying in the war but don't worry too much about this. This can all be resolved." He didn't say this in a condescending tone but in a very nurturing and kind tone.
I actually calmed down and I felt so petty. These people have experienced war in their neighborhoods only 15 years ago and survived. Their homes were burned down and their loved ones killed and I'm complaining about my room and our wake up call?!?! Despite what has happened in the last 15 years, these Croatians and Bosnians are so resilient and so warm and so friendly. They don't hold bitterness about their past. Instead they look forward to rebuilding a brighter future. These people have been through hell. I hear about the war in Iraq almost everyday but I don't see the buildings being blown up everyday and dead bodies lying in the streets. Living in the U.S. we are so fortunate to not have to physically witness what is going on in Iraq. We are safe (to a certain extent). I feel far removed from this war and I feel so guilty for being glad that I am far removed from this situation. I don't even give the war too much thought anymore since it's been going on for over 5 years now. I'm ashamed to admit all this but it's true. I obviously do not want innocent people dying. I'm just fortunate that we have brave people fighting for us and hopefully this will all end soon. As for my change in handling customer service situations....I hope I can maintain my cool in the future because I realize now that I should not be sweating the small stuff. The true test will be when I move back to Chicago and I have to deal with Comcast and my movers all over again. AMY GAURI...I still have your back!
As I mentioned in my last blog, I didn't know much about Dubrovnik before this trip. I'm so glad Talin and I decide to take this trip because Dubrovnik is absoultely beautiful. We had incredible weather...temps were in the low 70s so it was perfect for us to walk around and take in the incredible coastal scenery. The best way to describe Dubrovnik is that it is a combination of the Greek Islands and Ancient Greece all in one spot. Dubrovnik is not an island, but its beaches remind me of the Greek Islands. You also have the Old City of Dubrovnik which has the ancient walls lining up against the coast. I always love seeing two contrasting things put together....ancient history plus modern beaches combine for an intriguing destination!
During our week together, we took a day trip to Bosnia. We had no intention of going to Bosnia but we saw these pics of a beautiful town and we wanted to see this place called Mostar. We figured it was next to Dubrovnik but our guide told us that Mostar was in Bosnia and it was a 2.5 hour drive there. We figured it was worth seeing so we signed up for the tour and spent a day there. When I heard that we were going to Bosnia I just pictured a war torn area that was really grey and depressing. We were wrong. Bosnia has beautiful coast lines like Dubrovnik. The beaches of Bosnia were like the ones we would see in the Carribean. The town of Mostar was beautiful and so quaint. It reminded me of a Medieval village in Germany. Bosnia still has a few buildings that have not been rebuilt since they were damaged from World War II and the war in the early 90s. Our trip taught us a lot about the war and the struggles that these countries went through. It also taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I'm so caught up in going to countries that have the glamourous appeal like Italy, Greece, Spain, etc. There is so much to see in the world and every country has a story to tell. A real story that I can learn from and grow from.
During this week I also had a major turning point where I gained perspective. My friends and family know me as a passionate person. My passion is expressed in two different ways....I exude positive emotion when I love something and I can't contain my enthusiasm and love. I also express my frustration and anger in a passionate lunatic way too. This type of behaviour is commonly expressed to Customer Service agents. I'm sure I am on The Most Hated List of United Airlines, Comcast, YB Customer Service, etc. My philosophy is simple...Just do what you're suppossed to do. I don't expect anything more and I don't expect you to roll out the red carpet for me. Just do your job. Ex. United needs make sure my luggage gets to my destinatin on time...That's all!
SO back to my new gained perspective... Talin and I stayed in a nice hotel in Dubrovnik. The room was nice with a great view and great location. My issues with the hotel: they didn't clean our room one day and they didn't call us on time for our wake up call. These are basics that are a GIVEN in any hotel. Also, the hotel staff was incompetent. They were not helpful and never had an answer for any of our basic questions. Again, these are a given in any hotel. I became frustrated that I had to share my thoughts to the hotel manager in my lunatic ways of expression. I go off on this hotel manager because nothing was getting done. This hotel manager was this kind and gentle person. He was soft spoken and so compassionate. After my rant he responded in his soft voice, "Let's make peace. Let's work on this. I'm sorry about these issues. We will fix this. However, you don't need to get mad. You are on vacation. I want you to be happy. If you want to get mad, get mad about the starving children in the world. Get mad about the people dying in the war but don't worry too much about this. This can all be resolved." He didn't say this in a condescending tone but in a very nurturing and kind tone.
I actually calmed down and I felt so petty. These people have experienced war in their neighborhoods only 15 years ago and survived. Their homes were burned down and their loved ones killed and I'm complaining about my room and our wake up call?!?! Despite what has happened in the last 15 years, these Croatians and Bosnians are so resilient and so warm and so friendly. They don't hold bitterness about their past. Instead they look forward to rebuilding a brighter future. These people have been through hell. I hear about the war in Iraq almost everyday but I don't see the buildings being blown up everyday and dead bodies lying in the streets. Living in the U.S. we are so fortunate to not have to physically witness what is going on in Iraq. We are safe (to a certain extent). I feel far removed from this war and I feel so guilty for being glad that I am far removed from this situation. I don't even give the war too much thought anymore since it's been going on for over 5 years now. I'm ashamed to admit all this but it's true. I obviously do not want innocent people dying. I'm just fortunate that we have brave people fighting for us and hopefully this will all end soon. As for my change in handling customer service situations....I hope I can maintain my cool in the future because I realize now that I should not be sweating the small stuff. The true test will be when I move back to Chicago and I have to deal with Comcast and my movers all over again. AMY GAURI...I still have your back!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Vienna, Austria
My friend Talin and I landed in Dubrovnik, Croatia yesterday and we are not sure if we will ever leave this place! I heard that Dubrovnik was the French Riviera of the Mediterranean and now I believe it! The temperature has been in the mid 70s so it's perfect beach weather. It's definitely warmer than it should be since it's usually in the low 60s this time of the year....we are not complaining. I will write more about Dubrovnik this week. Now, I'll just recap Austria...
I spent four days in Vienna prior to arriving in Dubrovnik. Vienna reminds me of Paris but I think it's better because the people are so much friendlier. Vienna is also the classical music capital of the world since Beethoven, Mozart, and Strauss all started their careers here. I went to a symphony the last night I was in Vienna and it was great to hear the music of these famous composers. It made me want to play music again. I used to play the piano and violin and I stopped when I got to high school. I don't plan to play the violin again but I definitely would like to pick up piano lessons when I get back. Brad and Brandy, Steve and Christy.....can you make sure a piano will be in your homes by the time I get back? I need to practice!!!
As you know, I love all the emails that I receive from everyone. I also like to share the common questions that people have. The biggest question that I've been getting lately is, "What do you like least about the trip?" Of course my honest response is, "I miss my friends and family." OH, I also miss Italian Beef. I really truly enjoy this whole experience but my only hang up would be the communication barrier. I have had no problems getting by because most people speak English. I also don't expect people to speak English the way we do (ie. slang) . However, I am a very expressive person and I love to communicate my joy and happiness and sometimes it's not that easy to convey this to foreigners. For example, in Italy I wanted to hug and kiss all the people that prepared my food. I LOVED it that much. I wanted to say this to the server, "This food is absolutely unbelievable. It is torcher knowing this food exists in the world and I can't have it everyday. How am I going to live like this? I will be miserable eating Italian food anywhere else. I'm already depressed thinking about it. I'd like to kiss the feet of the man that made this. " My server knew how to say the items on the menu in English but the minute I started to ooh and ahh about the food he just kept smiling. Again, I don't hold it against people because they shouldn't have to know English like we do. I just want to get my point across because I love passing on my passion and enthusiasm :) This experiene has definitely taught me a lot about being a creative communicator. Ex. I started blowing kisses to my food and making a heart with my fingers to convey my love for the Italian food. I'm sure the server thought I was a moron.
Speaking of language and communication.....I love WORDS. Certains words say it all. In Vienna I was taking to these two German guys Gunthar and Stan and we were rehashing bad dates and bad relationships. I mentioned a guy that I went on a few dates with and I referred to him as a douche bag. OK, I'm sure people reading this are now thinking about which guy this is and probably coming up with a long list of possibilites. Anyways, when I said douche bag, this guy Gunthar says, "He was like a soap, very clean?" Then I had to go into the definition and these guys didn't understand why douche bag sums up these qualities. I said it was a very appropriate term to use and this word just says it all....a cocky tool that thinks he's the hottest thing when he's really not. So, they tried to use the word in the proper context and it wasn't really working out. Our bartender was pretty slow with the service all night so they asked me, "He's a douche bag, no?" or we would walk by a homeless person on the street and they would say, "DOUCHE BAG!" and I would tell them no. Finally they put it together when we were at another bar and this American guy from NJ came over and sat next to us. He started talking about how he's this big shot consultant and he owns a condo in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Philly. This was all mentioned in the first 5 minutes of our conversation. He ended up sitting with us for over an hour and when he finally left Gunthar says, "He is really a douche bag, right?" I nodded in agreement and I was so proud they got it right. Then I started thinking, "I'm really pathetic. This is my U.S. cultural contribution? I can bring so much more valuable U.S. info to the table and this is what I come up with?" I may as well be white trash.
My last day in Vienna also marked the end of my first month traveling. Europe will almost be over in 2 weeks. It has gone by so fast and I'm getting sad thinking about saying goodbye to Europe. I will leave my last words about Europe in my final Europe blog. The next place I'm heading to is Southeast Asia. I originally had plans to go to Australia for 2 weeks after Asia but now I have changed my mind because I plan on going on an 11 day bike tour through Vietnam. This tour will cover 495 kilometers (I haven't converted into miles yet) on a bike and start from the north in Hanoi and go all the way south to Ho Chih Minh. I am really looking forward to this challenge because I want to say that I accomplished something while I've been on this trip. I definitely think the trip itself is already rewarding but I would like to add this physical challenge to my journey. I will keep you posted!!!
I spent four days in Vienna prior to arriving in Dubrovnik. Vienna reminds me of Paris but I think it's better because the people are so much friendlier. Vienna is also the classical music capital of the world since Beethoven, Mozart, and Strauss all started their careers here. I went to a symphony the last night I was in Vienna and it was great to hear the music of these famous composers. It made me want to play music again. I used to play the piano and violin and I stopped when I got to high school. I don't plan to play the violin again but I definitely would like to pick up piano lessons when I get back. Brad and Brandy, Steve and Christy.....can you make sure a piano will be in your homes by the time I get back? I need to practice!!!
As you know, I love all the emails that I receive from everyone. I also like to share the common questions that people have. The biggest question that I've been getting lately is, "What do you like least about the trip?" Of course my honest response is, "I miss my friends and family." OH, I also miss Italian Beef. I really truly enjoy this whole experience but my only hang up would be the communication barrier. I have had no problems getting by because most people speak English. I also don't expect people to speak English the way we do (ie. slang) . However, I am a very expressive person and I love to communicate my joy and happiness and sometimes it's not that easy to convey this to foreigners. For example, in Italy I wanted to hug and kiss all the people that prepared my food. I LOVED it that much. I wanted to say this to the server, "This food is absolutely unbelievable. It is torcher knowing this food exists in the world and I can't have it everyday. How am I going to live like this? I will be miserable eating Italian food anywhere else. I'm already depressed thinking about it. I'd like to kiss the feet of the man that made this. " My server knew how to say the items on the menu in English but the minute I started to ooh and ahh about the food he just kept smiling. Again, I don't hold it against people because they shouldn't have to know English like we do. I just want to get my point across because I love passing on my passion and enthusiasm :) This experiene has definitely taught me a lot about being a creative communicator. Ex. I started blowing kisses to my food and making a heart with my fingers to convey my love for the Italian food. I'm sure the server thought I was a moron.
Speaking of language and communication.....I love WORDS. Certains words say it all. In Vienna I was taking to these two German guys Gunthar and Stan and we were rehashing bad dates and bad relationships. I mentioned a guy that I went on a few dates with and I referred to him as a douche bag. OK, I'm sure people reading this are now thinking about which guy this is and probably coming up with a long list of possibilites. Anyways, when I said douche bag, this guy Gunthar says, "He was like a soap, very clean?" Then I had to go into the definition and these guys didn't understand why douche bag sums up these qualities. I said it was a very appropriate term to use and this word just says it all....a cocky tool that thinks he's the hottest thing when he's really not. So, they tried to use the word in the proper context and it wasn't really working out. Our bartender was pretty slow with the service all night so they asked me, "He's a douche bag, no?" or we would walk by a homeless person on the street and they would say, "DOUCHE BAG!" and I would tell them no. Finally they put it together when we were at another bar and this American guy from NJ came over and sat next to us. He started talking about how he's this big shot consultant and he owns a condo in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Philly. This was all mentioned in the first 5 minutes of our conversation. He ended up sitting with us for over an hour and when he finally left Gunthar says, "He is really a douche bag, right?" I nodded in agreement and I was so proud they got it right. Then I started thinking, "I'm really pathetic. This is my U.S. cultural contribution? I can bring so much more valuable U.S. info to the table and this is what I come up with?" I may as well be white trash.
My last day in Vienna also marked the end of my first month traveling. Europe will almost be over in 2 weeks. It has gone by so fast and I'm getting sad thinking about saying goodbye to Europe. I will leave my last words about Europe in my final Europe blog. The next place I'm heading to is Southeast Asia. I originally had plans to go to Australia for 2 weeks after Asia but now I have changed my mind because I plan on going on an 11 day bike tour through Vietnam. This tour will cover 495 kilometers (I haven't converted into miles yet) on a bike and start from the north in Hanoi and go all the way south to Ho Chih Minh. I am really looking forward to this challenge because I want to say that I accomplished something while I've been on this trip. I definitely think the trip itself is already rewarding but I would like to add this physical challenge to my journey. I will keep you posted!!!
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