Exciting news from my side of the world! I have been offered an internship with the UN in Vienna! What makes this even more exciting is the fact that they seem to state in all the internship materials that they are only for Masters level students and above! I didn't think I would have a chance! Yay me!!
The internship will run the 1 March - 30 April 2007 in the Advocacy Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Where I will be interning, promotes the work of UNODC worldwide through information, education and public awareness campaigns. It also manages the organization's public website (www.unodc.org), produces the quarterly magazine Perspectives, produces the Annual Report and performs other public information-related tasks.
This is sure to bring me one step closer to my career goals!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Für Ihre Sicherheit! (For your safety!)
So, after the drama of yesterday, I thought I should educate you all on what you should do if this ever happens to you. I did a bit of research online (for my own benefit, as well as yours!) and here is what I found.
The following advice was posted by Wendy Bumgardner on http://walking.about.com/cs/med/a/strangerdanger_2.htm
If you Think You Are Being Followed
1. If you think you are being followed: Make a sudden turn, cross the street, accelerate, or go into a nearby business. If being followed by a car, reverse your direction - it will take them a much longer time to turn around and they will likely just continue on to find a different target. If you are unable to shake the follower, turn around and scream, "What do you want?" in your most indignant voice. This is likely to embarrass the innocent and frighten off a large portion of potential attackers. If this doesn't work, now you must:
*I guess I started off alright – I took random detours and went to the well lit bakery!
2. Scream. Your voice is your primary weapon - remember that the last thing the bad guy wants is a fuss. Screaming ANYTHING halts the attack in many cases, or at least buys you a couple of seconds while they consider whether there might be easier prey.
Over the years, experts have warned not to yell, "Help" but to yell, "Fire." I favor, "Leave me the $%#& alone! Get away!" If you carry a personal alarm or whistle, use it.
* I skipped this step… Note: German translation for fire = Feuer.
3. Run/retreat. Put yardage between you and the perpetrator. Distance equals time, you are giving yourself time with every footstep you put between you and him. An all-out run is what you need. Be screaming continually while running. Keep screaming. Don't stop screaming until you are completely out of danger.
*Umm – I did my best!
4. Run toward other people: If there are other people nearby, run to them. If there is a lighted business or home, run to it. Even if they won't let you in, you are attracting attention which will likely cause the attacker to leave the area.
*I put myself right in the middle of a group of people at the tram stop – I finally did something right!
5. But what if he has a weapon? If the bad guy displays a gun, knife, baseball bat, etc. do the scream and run double time. Putting distance between you gives you protection against weapons - if it is a gun, run in a crooked line, looking for cover but mostly concentrating on gaining distance. It is very difficult for even the best marksman to hit a moving target, so become a moving target. Hitting anything over 15 yards away is very difficult. By displaying a weapon he has threatened your life, and you have to believe he means it. You need to get out of the situation before he completes his threat. The odds are on your side more with every yard you gain.
6. But what if he shows a weapon and wants me to get in a vehicle or go off into the bushes? Unless he has you physically restrained, scream and run. If you are female, you have almost 100% chance of being raped and may be killed if you get into a vehicle. If you are male, you have almost 100% chance of being killed. With those odds, your odds are much better that he can't hit a moving object with a bullet, and in almost all cases he won't shoot anyway - he wants to scare you into the vehicle or bushes, not shoot you or he would have done that already. Remember, unless this is somebody you know, they aren't looking for you, they'll let you go and look for an easier target.
The following advice was posted by Wendy Bumgardner on http://walking.about.com/cs/med/a/strangerdanger_2.htm
If you Think You Are Being Followed
1. If you think you are being followed: Make a sudden turn, cross the street, accelerate, or go into a nearby business. If being followed by a car, reverse your direction - it will take them a much longer time to turn around and they will likely just continue on to find a different target. If you are unable to shake the follower, turn around and scream, "What do you want?" in your most indignant voice. This is likely to embarrass the innocent and frighten off a large portion of potential attackers. If this doesn't work, now you must:
*I guess I started off alright – I took random detours and went to the well lit bakery!
2. Scream. Your voice is your primary weapon - remember that the last thing the bad guy wants is a fuss. Screaming ANYTHING halts the attack in many cases, or at least buys you a couple of seconds while they consider whether there might be easier prey.
Over the years, experts have warned not to yell, "Help" but to yell, "Fire." I favor, "Leave me the $%#& alone! Get away!" If you carry a personal alarm or whistle, use it.
* I skipped this step… Note: German translation for fire = Feuer.
3. Run/retreat. Put yardage between you and the perpetrator. Distance equals time, you are giving yourself time with every footstep you put between you and him. An all-out run is what you need. Be screaming continually while running. Keep screaming. Don't stop screaming until you are completely out of danger.
*Umm – I did my best!
4. Run toward other people: If there are other people nearby, run to them. If there is a lighted business or home, run to it. Even if they won't let you in, you are attracting attention which will likely cause the attacker to leave the area.
*I put myself right in the middle of a group of people at the tram stop – I finally did something right!
5. But what if he has a weapon? If the bad guy displays a gun, knife, baseball bat, etc. do the scream and run double time. Putting distance between you gives you protection against weapons - if it is a gun, run in a crooked line, looking for cover but mostly concentrating on gaining distance. It is very difficult for even the best marksman to hit a moving target, so become a moving target. Hitting anything over 15 yards away is very difficult. By displaying a weapon he has threatened your life, and you have to believe he means it. You need to get out of the situation before he completes his threat. The odds are on your side more with every yard you gain.
6. But what if he shows a weapon and wants me to get in a vehicle or go off into the bushes? Unless he has you physically restrained, scream and run. If you are female, you have almost 100% chance of being raped and may be killed if you get into a vehicle. If you are male, you have almost 100% chance of being killed. With those odds, your odds are much better that he can't hit a moving object with a bullet, and in almost all cases he won't shoot anyway - he wants to scare you into the vehicle or bushes, not shoot you or he would have done that already. Remember, unless this is somebody you know, they aren't looking for you, they'll let you go and look for an easier target.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
For the love of warm beverages!
I’ve officially been jaded by this city. It’s been hovering around 0 all day and I cannot stop complaining about the cold! I know all my Canadian readers baring the insanely cold temperatures of -16 to -25 are all making very angry comments right now, but honestly I can’t help it! As I walked around the grounds of Rathaus and surrounding area this afternoon (Danny - you'd love it... There's huge outdoor rinks and ice paths around the grounds for skating!), I couldn’t wait to find myself a café somewhere in hopes to warm up and stop my nose from running! Well, it didn’t take me long to find one. And, as I sit here looking out at the snow falling in Sigmund Freud Park, while enjoying my Baileys latte, I’m contemplating if I ever want to leave! I’m also starting to wonder how I ever survived the frigid winter in Ottawa last year!
Now, onto more important things – my drink… I must admit the Viennese have mastered all things in the warm beverage category. Every time I make an order I really have no idea what I will get (the joys of German menus!), and yet I have yet to be disappointed. Take for example my beverage of the day – the Baileys latte – a genius blend of espresso, Baileys, milk and something I don’t know the English translation for. I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t sound spectacular to you, but really, anything with Baileys is a little piece of heaven in my books. In other words, to put things into perspective really – as I sit here with my latte listening to the American pop songs being played over the café speakers, I cannot help but think the lack of Tim Horton’s in Vienna will not make me homesick in the least bit… I’ll take a Viennese café over a Tim’s double-double anyday!
In other exciting news, my friend Jill will be making the big trip across the pond for a visit in just less than 20 days… Jill may just be my best friend, as she is the only confirmed visitor thus far! Colleen – Amanda, I know you both also have plans to visit too, and I promise you can gain BF status too once your tickets to Vienna have been booked! In the meantime, I will embark on the seemingly impossible task of finding vegan-friendly restaurants and stores… Is veal vegan-friendly by chance? Jill my dear, you may just have to bring a few groceries with you – or live off lettuce for the week!
Well, it’s getting dark, which means time for me to get going, as I am scared of my U-Bahn station after dark… Mom, no need to worry – it’s just a precaution, it’s not that bad – just a few crazies on the bottle!
Tschüss!
Up-date: Maybe I should worry about the underground a bit more… I spoke a little too soon! On my way home I was followed from the city center all the way home. I noticed said stalker on the train so at one station I took a detour to the bakery to try and smoke him out… My hunches were right – he waited outside the store, trying to be casual. As soon as I left the shop he was right back to following me… I ran up the escalator and to the tram stop and still he was right behind me. Thank god for the crowds of people at the stop – I was able to ditch him for good and made it home safely! Also, thank god Jordan arrives next week so I can have company when it’s needed… Hopefully my mobile gets here soon too – I’ve never wanted one more than tonight!! Don’t worry about me too much though – I still follow mine and Stephanie’s “Halifax self-defense tactic” and always carry my keys in my hand just in case!
Now, onto more important things – my drink… I must admit the Viennese have mastered all things in the warm beverage category. Every time I make an order I really have no idea what I will get (the joys of German menus!), and yet I have yet to be disappointed. Take for example my beverage of the day – the Baileys latte – a genius blend of espresso, Baileys, milk and something I don’t know the English translation for. I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t sound spectacular to you, but really, anything with Baileys is a little piece of heaven in my books. In other words, to put things into perspective really – as I sit here with my latte listening to the American pop songs being played over the café speakers, I cannot help but think the lack of Tim Horton’s in Vienna will not make me homesick in the least bit… I’ll take a Viennese café over a Tim’s double-double anyday!
In other exciting news, my friend Jill will be making the big trip across the pond for a visit in just less than 20 days… Jill may just be my best friend, as she is the only confirmed visitor thus far! Colleen – Amanda, I know you both also have plans to visit too, and I promise you can gain BF status too once your tickets to Vienna have been booked! In the meantime, I will embark on the seemingly impossible task of finding vegan-friendly restaurants and stores… Is veal vegan-friendly by chance? Jill my dear, you may just have to bring a few groceries with you – or live off lettuce for the week!
Well, it’s getting dark, which means time for me to get going, as I am scared of my U-Bahn station after dark… Mom, no need to worry – it’s just a precaution, it’s not that bad – just a few crazies on the bottle!
Tschüss!
Up-date: Maybe I should worry about the underground a bit more… I spoke a little too soon! On my way home I was followed from the city center all the way home. I noticed said stalker on the train so at one station I took a detour to the bakery to try and smoke him out… My hunches were right – he waited outside the store, trying to be casual. As soon as I left the shop he was right back to following me… I ran up the escalator and to the tram stop and still he was right behind me. Thank god for the crowds of people at the stop – I was able to ditch him for good and made it home safely! Also, thank god Jordan arrives next week so I can have company when it’s needed… Hopefully my mobile gets here soon too – I’ve never wanted one more than tonight!! Don’t worry about me too much though – I still follow mine and Stephanie’s “Halifax self-defense tactic” and always carry my keys in my hand just in case!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The City's Alive With the Sound of Music...
Only in Vienna will you ever be woken up to your neighbor blaring Classical music… This wonderful high-culture city continues to amaze me – here’s a re-cap of some of the highlights from the past week (and I apologize for being complete rubbish at up-dating this on a regular basis!):
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Danny and I scoured the Vienna guide books and came up with a list of things she wanted to see and do in her short stay. We jumped on the underground and headed to the city center in search of a market. Unfortunately for us, Vienna does not have Sunday shopping – markets included. Instead we wandered around the city and found ourselves at Hofburg Palace. The grounds are gorgeous and the architecture amazing as well. There is a taxi stand at the center of the palace grounds, but these weren’t the traditional yellow cab – no, there were carriages upon carriages lined up ready to give tours of the city. We walked through the palace and through the grounds of Museumsquartier – snapping pictures of the detailed statues and what I describe as the sandcastle trees. We were excited to see daisies growing on the lawn of one of the museums – winter seems to have skipped Vienna for the time being! We continued our walk past the Volksoper (one of Vienna’s opera houses) and decided to grab a quick lunch at a café across the street from the opera house. With my recommendation, Danny ordered a Kleiner Moka, thinking of course that it would be like mocha at home… What she really got was more like a shot of espresso on a tray with a couple sugar cubes… One sip later and I had to Mokas in front of me! My win!
After lunch we went to the Stephansdom – a cathedral in the heart of the city. As we climbed the stairs from the underground station the cathedral was towering over us – I was surprised by the sheer size of it. The earliest surviving features of the church date back to the 13th century, but a lot of the church was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. Its rebuilding was a symbol of hope of the country following the war. There are so many details in the interior of the church that it is hard to even begin to describe. My favourite aspect is the pillars. The main nave is dominated by the tall ornate pillars. In all, they are decorated with 77 statues and date back to the 15th century. The carving and just the amount of detail that went into each pillar is hard to believe!
As we left the cathedral we noticed another taxi stand, but this time we couldn’t just walk by. We jumped in a carriage and set off down the streets of Vienna with our horses and driver. As we bounced down the cobblestones under our blanket, our driver pointed out to us some of the sights – everything from where Mozart played a concert at the age of 6, to a palace where he performed with his sister, and the designer shops like Valentino, Dolce and Gabbana, Tiffany’s and Gucci. I have a new favourite street, but I am only allowed to visit on Sundays when the shops are closed! When we arrived back at the cathedral we took in some of the street performers. We were amazed by one guy from Bratislava who painted gorgeous pictures in less than 10 minutes with nothing but spray paint. Danny was so impressed by the guy that she bought one of said paintings for her boy back home.
As the sun was setting we made our way back to Hofburg Palace where our evening concert was to take place. As we waited we walked the grounds some more. We found one guy playing an electric violin at the gate. He was fantastic and I was absolutely taken when he played one of my favourite pieces of all time, Bach’s Ava Maria. Nothing beats standing in the beautiful gate of Hofburg palace listening to amazing music! Next, Danny taught me how to find constellations – I can find Orion and Cassiopeia now!
It took us a while to find the palace where the concert was to take place. Hofburg is much bigger than I thought! But we eventually found it – with 10 minutes to spare! Palffy Palace is the location where Mozart played a concert with his sister, and tonight it is the location of our Mozart Strauss concert. The concert was a test to see if we could handle a 3 hour ballet, opera or concert – I was honestly quite skeptical of the opera! But, the evening was spectacular and I can’t wait to check out a full-length show!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Danny and I went our separate ways for the morning with plans to meet at the UN at 2pm for a tour. So as she continued to tour the great city, I made my way to the bank to open an account, the Housing Office to sign my contract and the Municipal Office to register with the city. It was a bit of a frustrating day as I began to realize just how different living in another country can really be. Opening an account for example isn’t the half hour process it would be in Canada – no, here I have to fill out forms and give copies of everything you can think of then wait for a couple weeks for them to contact me to set up an account. This is a tad disheartening when you realize that my rent was due the week before so as far as I am concerned I don’t think I have any means of paying it for at least another week and a half! Lucky me though, one of the tellers took pity on me and offered to do a transfer using my travelers cheques. The trip to the Housing Office was pretty quick and painless once I found it – aside from the fact that I found out I have no place to stay my last night in this country in June and if anyone comes to visit me I have to get written permission from the Housing Office and pay 10 Euro a night (but they give me an extra bed) because if I don’t and they find out it’s an automatic eviction! The municipal office was about a two hour wait, but it was worth it – I now at least have a certificate saying I am a resident of Vienna, so that’s pretty fun! All my chores took longer than expected, and I was late for the UN tour. That was fine though, because I seem to have been the only person getting off the underground that couldn’t manage finding the entrance to the complex anyway. Another hour later and I finally realized that the concrete wall with barb wire around the top surrounding the complex just wasn’t right and that the 4,000 people that work at the Vienna headquarters have to get into the complex somehow. I was right – turns out you have to get in through the underground station… I was there just in time to meet Danny coming off her tour!
We spent the rest of the day at Naschmarkt – the largest market in Vienna. We, well I, got completely ripped off by the locals, so, groceries in hand, we returned to my apartment to make dinner.
I guess everyday in Vienna can’t be peaches – tomorrow is another day!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
I’ve only been in Vienna for a week now, but its funny how exited you can become over something familiar of home… What am I talking about? Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup! When I went with Danny to the train station to drop her off, we went into a store in one last attempt to find liquor she wanted to buy that and although she couldn’t find what she wanted, I found canned soup! Finally something that I recognize that I would have at home! I don’t even like soup, but that’s beside the point – it’s just so nice to find something you know! Danny caught a train to Bratislava so she could start her journey home back to Canada. Her departure has left me, once again, alone in this strange, yet exciting, new city!
Since Danny left my life in Vienna has been quite uneventful… I’ve had coursework for my distance class to keep my busy, and I’ve been busy prepping for the Foreign Service exams… The most excitement I’ve had was watching clips of the Rick Mercer show online!
I have posted a recount of my big Hungarian adventure below the pictures if you haven’t already read it…
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Danny and I scoured the Vienna guide books and came up with a list of things she wanted to see and do in her short stay. We jumped on the underground and headed to the city center in search of a market. Unfortunately for us, Vienna does not have Sunday shopping – markets included. Instead we wandered around the city and found ourselves at Hofburg Palace. The grounds are gorgeous and the architecture amazing as well. There is a taxi stand at the center of the palace grounds, but these weren’t the traditional yellow cab – no, there were carriages upon carriages lined up ready to give tours of the city. We walked through the palace and through the grounds of Museumsquartier – snapping pictures of the detailed statues and what I describe as the sandcastle trees. We were excited to see daisies growing on the lawn of one of the museums – winter seems to have skipped Vienna for the time being! We continued our walk past the Volksoper (one of Vienna’s opera houses) and decided to grab a quick lunch at a café across the street from the opera house. With my recommendation, Danny ordered a Kleiner Moka, thinking of course that it would be like mocha at home… What she really got was more like a shot of espresso on a tray with a couple sugar cubes… One sip later and I had to Mokas in front of me! My win!
After lunch we went to the Stephansdom – a cathedral in the heart of the city. As we climbed the stairs from the underground station the cathedral was towering over us – I was surprised by the sheer size of it. The earliest surviving features of the church date back to the 13th century, but a lot of the church was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. Its rebuilding was a symbol of hope of the country following the war. There are so many details in the interior of the church that it is hard to even begin to describe. My favourite aspect is the pillars. The main nave is dominated by the tall ornate pillars. In all, they are decorated with 77 statues and date back to the 15th century. The carving and just the amount of detail that went into each pillar is hard to believe!
As we left the cathedral we noticed another taxi stand, but this time we couldn’t just walk by. We jumped in a carriage and set off down the streets of Vienna with our horses and driver. As we bounced down the cobblestones under our blanket, our driver pointed out to us some of the sights – everything from where Mozart played a concert at the age of 6, to a palace where he performed with his sister, and the designer shops like Valentino, Dolce and Gabbana, Tiffany’s and Gucci. I have a new favourite street, but I am only allowed to visit on Sundays when the shops are closed! When we arrived back at the cathedral we took in some of the street performers. We were amazed by one guy from Bratislava who painted gorgeous pictures in less than 10 minutes with nothing but spray paint. Danny was so impressed by the guy that she bought one of said paintings for her boy back home.
As the sun was setting we made our way back to Hofburg Palace where our evening concert was to take place. As we waited we walked the grounds some more. We found one guy playing an electric violin at the gate. He was fantastic and I was absolutely taken when he played one of my favourite pieces of all time, Bach’s Ava Maria. Nothing beats standing in the beautiful gate of Hofburg palace listening to amazing music! Next, Danny taught me how to find constellations – I can find Orion and Cassiopeia now!
It took us a while to find the palace where the concert was to take place. Hofburg is much bigger than I thought! But we eventually found it – with 10 minutes to spare! Palffy Palace is the location where Mozart played a concert with his sister, and tonight it is the location of our Mozart Strauss concert. The concert was a test to see if we could handle a 3 hour ballet, opera or concert – I was honestly quite skeptical of the opera! But, the evening was spectacular and I can’t wait to check out a full-length show!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Danny and I went our separate ways for the morning with plans to meet at the UN at 2pm for a tour. So as she continued to tour the great city, I made my way to the bank to open an account, the Housing Office to sign my contract and the Municipal Office to register with the city. It was a bit of a frustrating day as I began to realize just how different living in another country can really be. Opening an account for example isn’t the half hour process it would be in Canada – no, here I have to fill out forms and give copies of everything you can think of then wait for a couple weeks for them to contact me to set up an account. This is a tad disheartening when you realize that my rent was due the week before so as far as I am concerned I don’t think I have any means of paying it for at least another week and a half! Lucky me though, one of the tellers took pity on me and offered to do a transfer using my travelers cheques. The trip to the Housing Office was pretty quick and painless once I found it – aside from the fact that I found out I have no place to stay my last night in this country in June and if anyone comes to visit me I have to get written permission from the Housing Office and pay 10 Euro a night (but they give me an extra bed) because if I don’t and they find out it’s an automatic eviction! The municipal office was about a two hour wait, but it was worth it – I now at least have a certificate saying I am a resident of Vienna, so that’s pretty fun! All my chores took longer than expected, and I was late for the UN tour. That was fine though, because I seem to have been the only person getting off the underground that couldn’t manage finding the entrance to the complex anyway. Another hour later and I finally realized that the concrete wall with barb wire around the top surrounding the complex just wasn’t right and that the 4,000 people that work at the Vienna headquarters have to get into the complex somehow. I was right – turns out you have to get in through the underground station… I was there just in time to meet Danny coming off her tour!
We spent the rest of the day at Naschmarkt – the largest market in Vienna. We, well I, got completely ripped off by the locals, so, groceries in hand, we returned to my apartment to make dinner.
I guess everyday in Vienna can’t be peaches – tomorrow is another day!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
I’ve only been in Vienna for a week now, but its funny how exited you can become over something familiar of home… What am I talking about? Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup! When I went with Danny to the train station to drop her off, we went into a store in one last attempt to find liquor she wanted to buy that and although she couldn’t find what she wanted, I found canned soup! Finally something that I recognize that I would have at home! I don’t even like soup, but that’s beside the point – it’s just so nice to find something you know! Danny caught a train to Bratislava so she could start her journey home back to Canada. Her departure has left me, once again, alone in this strange, yet exciting, new city!
Since Danny left my life in Vienna has been quite uneventful… I’ve had coursework for my distance class to keep my busy, and I’ve been busy prepping for the Foreign Service exams… The most excitement I’ve had was watching clips of the Rick Mercer show online!
I have posted a recount of my big Hungarian adventure below the pictures if you haven’t already read it…
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
Vienna at night
A video from a stroll last night in Hofburg Palace... Gotta love the street performers! Sorry the video seems so dark - Im not sure what happened when I uploaded to google.
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-2235229117967552452&hl=de
Just uploaded - here are two clips from the Mozart, Strauss concert...
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-7311661463624631961
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-7325486955489546888
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-2235229117967552452&hl=de
Just uploaded - here are two clips from the Mozart, Strauss concert...
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-7311661463624631961
http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-7325486955489546888
Sunday, January 14, 2007
My new coordinates
So I just realized that I haven't given my new contact details... I'm almost a world away though, so I in no way expect anyone to be mailing me anything, or calling... International postage can be a killer! If you haven't already done so though, email me your mailing address - there's a postcard with your name on it!
Here's my mailing address in Vienna:
Melinda Miller
ÖAD
Studentenheim
Molkereistraße 1 #3061 (2)
1020 Wien
Austria
phone: (from Canada) (0 11 +43) 1/2089235
Here's my mailing address in Vienna:
Melinda Miller
ÖAD
Studentenheim
Molkereistraße 1 #3061 (2)
1020 Wien
Austria
phone: (from Canada) (0 11 +43) 1/2089235
Budapest, Hungary
The Hungarian Adventure: Budapest
Thursday, January 11, 2007
I caught a morning train to Budapest (Keleti). The journey was relatively uneventful aside from the intimidating Hungarian police (with an assortment of very intimidating weapons around their waist) that kept yelling at me for my passport (it certainly felt like they were yelling at me…). What was kind of funny about this is that I had only thrown my passport into my bag as an afterthought, thinking ‘well, just in case’ – since I thought there wasn’t any border control whatsoever in the EU. Thank heavens I did, because the last thing I would ever want to do is cross a Hungarian policeman!
I arrived in Budapest just after 1pm and no sooner had I hopped off the train that I was being bombarded by locals offering me a room in their private accommodation and others offering me taxis. It took a while to actually get out of the station and be on my way, but once I was, it was only a few minutes to my hostel… Or, at least to find the general vicinity of the hostel! The hostel was located on a busy street just outside of the city center – you had to go through a short alley into a courtyard and go up some stairs a couple floors, go down another hall and you’d eventually find the place (visible signs may have helped!). So, needless to say, it was another feat to actually find the hostel. The hostel was gorgeous though, and I felt immediately at home. I arrived just as the others staying there were getting up from the big night on the town the previous night. We played 20 questions, or rather they did… Turns out they don’t run into many Canadians in their travels and were very excited to ask me all about Canada. After some explaining that no, Nova Scotia is not Newfoundland – it’s actually the south-eastern point in Canada (and for the Boston girls – yeah, you can actually get to N.S. in like 10 hours by car…) we were fast becoming friends. They kept me company while I waited for Danny to arrive. She was supposed to arrive around noon, so the fact that I had arrived at the hostel before them had everyone a tad worried! I checked my email once more to ensure I had indeed gotten the date right and then just settled in to wait… and wait… and wait! Poor Danny, she had the same issue as I, but it took her a little over 2 hours walking around the block to find the hostel.
When we finally met up, the exploring began. We decided to just head out and walk around to see what the city has to offer. We were also on the hunt for an authentic Hungarian restaurant. About 3 hours later we had walked the entire Pest side of the city and frustrated ourselves to no end trying to find a restaurant. We had an ongoing tally of Burger Kings, but sadly Hungarian restaurants seemed to be few in number… A security guard at a local book shop finally pointed us in the right direction and we ordered up some authentic Hungarian dishes. I had what Kim had recommended before I left, Chicken Paprikash and Danny ordered the goose. After our delicious meal we made our way back to the hostel to plot our adventures for the next day…
Friday, January 12, 2007
In the planning stages of our trip, Danny and I had decided that the number 1 place we both wanted to go was Statue Park. For those who may not know, Statue Park is an outdoor museum of all the Soviet statues that were removed from the streets of Budapest following the change of political system. It is the only such communist collection in the world. As the ads for the museum say, it offers a “glance behind the iron curtain”. We decided this would be our priority, so Friday morning we got up and headed off to the bus station to catch the direct bus to the park. As we got off the bus, we were amazed by the wind – it was so strong that it was literally picking up rocks and throwing them at our faces. I had to wear my sunglasses to protect my eyes. The driver had given us about an hour to tour around and as we were being tossed by the crazy wind and we noticed the lack of English signage we began to realize that would be far too long! About 30 minutes later we had seen all we could and posed with the statues in everyway we could think of. Being outside the city, basically in the middle of nowhere, we had nothing else to do. We sat on the bus listening to my iPod for the rest of the time laughing at the others still trying to manage the park – the wind was seriously too much for anyone!
Getting back to the city center, we decided to check out the market that we had heard great things about. Just our luck we get there and find a Hungarian restaurant so we grabbed some lunch before shopping around… The market was massive, but it was a lot of fun to see the authentic Hungarian way of life – I mean what better way then at a local market! A few hours later he had spent way more money then we had thought, but at least we had some fun presents for the ones back home.
Our next activity of the day was the Thermal Baths. We arrived at 5:30, just after dusk to the baths in the city park. We quickly changed and went outside to the pools. It was about 16 degrees out, so we didn’t mind walking around in bathing suits outside and when we got into the pools – which are naturally heated at about 40 degrees in springs and pumped into the city, the craziness of our day seemed far behind us! We spent the next hour and a bit joking about how romantic our relaxing bath under the night sky was, and how jealous all those at home struggling with the insufferable temperatures would be at the sight of us! Sadly, we did have to get out eventually and after the mad dash to the warmth of indoors and a quick change, we continued our romantic evening over drinks and dinner at TGI Fridays (I love that I can find one in every city in the world!). I highly recommend the chocolate dipped strawberry – a drink to die for!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Busy day! Time to see everything that kept getting postponed as other things came up. We started the day at the House of Terror. It’s a museum that serves as a memorial to all victims of the Nazi/Soviet era. It aims to give visitors an idea of what life in Hungary was like during that time. The museum is located at 60 Andràssy Avenue – the very location of the Arrow Cross (and later the Red Army) headquarters, and where many were imprisoned, tortured and executed between the years 1944-56. As you approach the museum you see pictures at about eye level that circle the building – there are candles at the base of each picture. As you walk into the museum itself (after the lobby, I mean) you are faced with a massive wall – about 4 stories tall – with the pictures of all the victims and on the ground in front of this wall is a tank sitting in a puddle of water that runs down the sides of the ledge – crying for the victims. The museum is full of videos, pictures, relics and reconstructions of the cells prisoners were kept in. The experience is beyond words – I honestly can’t even begin to describe the exhibits and the emotions they evoke. If you ever find yourself in Budapest, all I can do is highly recommend you visit this museum – it is sure to be a highlight of your stay!
After our somber morning, we made our way over to the Castle District in Buda. Getting off the underground we climbed the millions of stairs to the castle and walked around the grounds. The Buda side is quite hilly and offers magnificent views of both the Buda and Pest sides of the city. While in the castle we again found ourselves in a Hungarian restaurant (amusing after the drama of Thursday night – of 4 meals in Hungary, we ate at Hungarian restaurants 3 times… Maybe they aren’t so hard to find after all!). I had the Goulash made from wild boar this time and it was fantastic! Following our lunch, we continued to walk the castle grounds – taking fabulous pictures from the lookouts, and visiting the shops in the area for the remainder of the afternoon (I was finally able to locate some postcards – it was seemingly impossible the whole trip!).
As the sun was setting we headed back to the hostel to collect our things and then it was off to the train station to return to Vienna. The trip home was much more enjoyable, and the “polizei” weren’t as intimidating this time (cute even – but even with Danny’s coaxing I wasn’t about to join them in their carriage)!
Return train fare to Budapest: €32
Hostel for 2 nights: €16
Souvenirs and gifts: €35(ish)
Meals: €40
Spending a weekend in Europe with one of your best friends, when really you should both be back in Canada in class… priceless!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Cultural Differences...
1. Dogs are allowed everywhere, including trains (the underground I mean) and shopping malls.
2. Smoking is allowed in public places (from what I can gather anyway - they may be restricted somehow...)
3. No one is ever in a hurry - if you sit down for lunch, expect to be there for a while because they definitely take their time serving you.
4. Bring your own bags to the grocery store - or hope that the friendly old man at the schnizel haus next door will take pitty on you and give you one!
2. Smoking is allowed in public places (from what I can gather anyway - they may be restricted somehow...)
3. No one is ever in a hurry - if you sit down for lunch, expect to be there for a while because they definitely take their time serving you.
4. Bring your own bags to the grocery store - or hope that the friendly old man at the schnizel haus next door will take pitty on you and give you one!
Vienna
I'll have to make this quick - I'm working off 27% battery power... The rest of my flight to Vienna was pretty uneventful and I was finally able to sleep for a bit! My buddy, Thomas, and one of his friends picked me up at the airport. They seem pretty nice and the trip to my apartment was filled with tips about Vienna. What I learned from this leg of the trip – do not try and take 6 months worth of luggage on public transit. Carrying my bags up and down the underground system is not what I would classify as fun! But, we finally made it to my stop safe and sound and with all my belongings still in tow. Thomas helped me to my room and then made an honest effort to teach me the underground system… poor guy… Then I we went our separate ways (for now) and I headed to Billa – a grocery store that’s just around the corner from my building. This is where the culture shock began, I think. Walking around that store I quickly began to realize that English isn’t really going to get me by here! I think I bought milk, but honestly I have no idea… I do know however that I bought 1L of something with a cow on the front. Thank god for the produce section – I can recognize clementines anywhere (and coincidentally they’re also called clementines in German too!). Then I went to a little take away joint and had fun with the language barrier once again. But after some pointing and other such gestures I was back to my apartment – schnitzel in hand! Then as I settled down to eat some dinner I decided to turn on the TV… So, yeah, I get the BBC and that’s it for English stations. But it was pretty fun watching the Gilmore Girls in German (even if I couldn’t understand!). Uh-oh, I’m really getting down on battery life – I need to wrap this up for now. I’ll add adaptor to my list of things to do today, and then hopefully I can write some more tonight! I hope everyone is doing well – I miss you all already!
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Step One... London
After approximately 3 panic attacks over the last weekend, a last minute packing session at the Air Canada check-in counter, a short flight delay and 5 hours of "moderate to severe turbulence" (stupid storm!), I have arrived in London. Truth be told, as I was sitting on the tarmac in Halifax being warned by the pilot about the severity of the turbulence we would be encountering (and therefore would not have any hospitality service for the majority of the flight) and that we in fact had to take on extra fuel so we could fly at a lower altitude and take a longer more southern route - I figured maybe that was my hint to just get off the plane... But, I hung in there - faced my fear of turbulence and am now sitting in a cafe waiting for my next flight (to Vienna). A special note to all the VAC girls - I was thinking of you while being tossed around the cabin this morning... The feature film was 'Little Miss Sunshine'!! I'm so happy to be in London again even if it is just a quick stopover... The first "hiya" I got after getting off my flight definitely made my day! So that's the first jaunt of this big adventure - I will write more when I actually arrive in Vienna!
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