Quick, Italy by the numbers:
Times I...
ate pasta in a week: 5 (consecutively, only to be broken by gnocchi with tomato sauce), finished the week with 2 days of pizza...
tiramisu 4 (including one day of it for breakfast and dessert, 5 if you count the tiramisu-flavored gelato...)
gelato: 3 (current favorites, nocciola-hazelnut, pistachio, and coconut, and tiramisu, which you can get in combo if you go for the grande 4-scoop)
churches visited to view sculptures, tombs, architecture, etc: nevermind, I lost count, Duomo in Milan and San Polo (where I attended a concert, a choir singing solemnly at sundown Saturday) in Venice are two notable ones...
played dodgeball: 3; capture the flag: 2; the ballgame (okay, only sister knows that reference): 1 (first successful international export of the game invented as a kid)!
sang World Cup song: 5-6... (Waving Flag, which is quite catchy) other music that's made up the soundtrack of this trip so far - "waka waka eh eh" by Shakira? also for World Cup, and Super Mario Bros tune (playing with Marco, my 9-year-old host brother - I passed Level/World 1 of 8... okay, I was still alive when my partner completed it).
Arrived in Milan, Italy on Sunday, June 6, 2010. Currently in Cassano d'Adda, north of Milan along the river that separates what Venezia controlled from what Milano controlled in centuries past. More about my visit to Venice, Verona, Milan and San Remo in next post. Back to camp tomorrow, must rest.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
France, city of lights, and town of whipped cream
Met up with a friend, Julien, who lives in Chantilly, France, a small town 30 minutes north of the big city. Apparently it is famous for horse racing and whipped cream (which I had some of on the first night I was there). Some nobleman, (if you want details, read'em yourselves: http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/chateauchantilly/uk/ which includes a list of films shot there) built a chateau and huge stables there, to host horse events. I visited those grounds on Thursday, June 3. The chateau was splendid. It had a large personal collection of paintings by famous artists, arranged frame to frame by the owner before he died, and not rearranged since. Decamps is one of my new favorites, specifically a piece titled, "Turkish Children by the Fountain." He'd also collected many other famous painters.
The rest of the rooms (a dining hall dedicated to hunting, stained-glass windows depicting a Greek myth, an in-house chapel (presumably so the nobles don't have to mingle with the riff-raff at public churches), and, my favorite, a double-decker, wood-encased library. I even checked out the kitchen, located in the cellar, now converted into a restaurant. Outside, in the formal gardens, a French energy company had assembled employees from several countries, who were racing dragon boats in the canal.
Rode Caroline's (Julien's girlfriend) bike through the countryside a bit, bought some food at the local market, walked the 3-block "main street."
Friday night Julien took me to his favorite restaurant in Paris, le Procope, that's been around since 1686, after taking over the space from a popular theatre. It evolved into a salon for some of France's greatest thinkers (Voltaire) and doers (Bonaparte). Their portraits are on the walls. In addition to the rendezvous in their haunts, the food was delicious too. The young bull and rooster dishes are recommended, and though a non-conessooooeuir of wine, I polished off most of the bottle selected by Julien. We (he) drove around the city afterwards to show me the hot and historic spots by night.
Saturday was spent at their friends' place, in the far north, near Normandy or the crossing to England (I'll have to check the map again), after a long drive through the countryside engaged in a conversation about the economy (national debt and gmo agri-business) and the water and oil crises (notice a trend in serious subject matter?). A friend of theirs was celebrating her birthday in their home abutting a church. Great food, nice conversation (after they'd consumed enough wine to be willing to speak English), and played with their two young children, who adamantly insisted on communicating with me in French. Those French... nice folks.
The rest of the rooms (a dining hall dedicated to hunting, stained-glass windows depicting a Greek myth, an in-house chapel (presumably so the nobles don't have to mingle with the riff-raff at public churches), and, my favorite, a double-decker, wood-encased library. I even checked out the kitchen, located in the cellar, now converted into a restaurant. Outside, in the formal gardens, a French energy company had assembled employees from several countries, who were racing dragon boats in the canal.
Rode Caroline's (Julien's girlfriend) bike through the countryside a bit, bought some food at the local market, walked the 3-block "main street."
Friday night Julien took me to his favorite restaurant in Paris, le Procope, that's been around since 1686, after taking over the space from a popular theatre. It evolved into a salon for some of France's greatest thinkers (Voltaire) and doers (Bonaparte). Their portraits are on the walls. In addition to the rendezvous in their haunts, the food was delicious too. The young bull and rooster dishes are recommended, and though a non-conessooooeuir of wine, I polished off most of the bottle selected by Julien. We (he) drove around the city afterwards to show me the hot and historic spots by night.
Saturday was spent at their friends' place, in the far north, near Normandy or the crossing to England (I'll have to check the map again), after a long drive through the countryside engaged in a conversation about the economy (national debt and gmo agri-business) and the water and oil crises (notice a trend in serious subject matter?). A friend of theirs was celebrating her birthday in their home abutting a church. Great food, nice conversation (after they'd consumed enough wine to be willing to speak English), and played with their two young children, who adamantly insisted on communicating with me in French. Those French... nice folks.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Italy, and summer camp!
I am currently in Cassano d'Adda (the Adda being a river that runs through the town, that historically separated Venice-controlled territory from Milan's range). I'm a "tutor" or camp counselor for a summer camp operated by Lingua Senza Frontiere (yes, they want to be as big-time as similarly named organizations). We're a camp of about 160 wild, loud, rambunctious Italian kids, 11 tutors (representing England, US, Canada, and South Africa - yes, she's been asked why she left SA during the World Cup), and 1 seasoned professional (22 year old, proper English speaker who did the camps last year and went on tour with the company, performing language through drama throughout Italy) as supervisor.
First day in town, my host family (mom, Chiara, and 9-year old bro, Marco) took me to Marco's boy scout cookout on Saturday, May 12. It was alongside the wide, fast-flowing river. They cooked dinner for the parents, so many people were gathered for the feast. We played frisbee and futbol until dinner, then, when it got dark, I was soon running through the trees, being chased in a game of hide-and-seek tag. Left to the sound of Guns and Roses' "Patience" being played by some teenage boys.
My apartment is cozy, with a balcony off my room. I have the place to myself, since host mom has her interior design office here, two doors down from her apartment - makes for an eco-friendly commute!
Sunday was spent by the river, jumped in, and out, safely (don't tell Mom, apparently someone drowned in it later that day, unaware of the currents and hazards)... I think I've spent enough time in rivers to have a good idea about being safe in them.
I got the oldest students, with the best English, and the directive to put them to the test, give them some challenging assignments. And no, I didn't get the oldest because Iàm the oldest tutor (there's one a few months older than me). I've sent them home with homework most days, telling them to research such topics as environmental issues and to find poems to read in class. They've complied, for the most part, and seem enthusiastic to use the language. They've really been a fun group of students, if a bit talkative (in Italiano); they like to play a lot (dodgeball), but they've cracked down this week planning for Lo Spectaculo, the final performance tomorrow. I taught them some salsa dance moves on Monday, and they've requested to practice every day since, and will include that in their skit when they visit Cuba (after stopping in Hawaii for hula dancing, and before going to California to dance to "California Girls" - the new one).
We've had quiz shows, modeling, Olympics (i.e. field day games), and a carnival (I was in charge of a popular game station, in which they shot soccer balls at the goal I was tending, for the chance to win chocolate). I blocked 80% of the shots, and let a few of the young kids sneak one by me. We've sung a lot of camp songs (many original compositions, at least none that I've ever heard before...). I should be able to recycle those while entertaining my nephews. "Iggle, wiggle" and "the frog went uhn uhn aaaaahhhhh" (tongue out) are my current favorites.
I'll write more, with an update of how the final performance went, later. "Ciao, ciao, says goodbye in Italian..."
First day in town, my host family (mom, Chiara, and 9-year old bro, Marco) took me to Marco's boy scout cookout on Saturday, May 12. It was alongside the wide, fast-flowing river. They cooked dinner for the parents, so many people were gathered for the feast. We played frisbee and futbol until dinner, then, when it got dark, I was soon running through the trees, being chased in a game of hide-and-seek tag. Left to the sound of Guns and Roses' "Patience" being played by some teenage boys.
My apartment is cozy, with a balcony off my room. I have the place to myself, since host mom has her interior design office here, two doors down from her apartment - makes for an eco-friendly commute!
Sunday was spent by the river, jumped in, and out, safely (don't tell Mom, apparently someone drowned in it later that day, unaware of the currents and hazards)... I think I've spent enough time in rivers to have a good idea about being safe in them.
I got the oldest students, with the best English, and the directive to put them to the test, give them some challenging assignments. And no, I didn't get the oldest because Iàm the oldest tutor (there's one a few months older than me). I've sent them home with homework most days, telling them to research such topics as environmental issues and to find poems to read in class. They've complied, for the most part, and seem enthusiastic to use the language. They've really been a fun group of students, if a bit talkative (in Italiano); they like to play a lot (dodgeball), but they've cracked down this week planning for Lo Spectaculo, the final performance tomorrow. I taught them some salsa dance moves on Monday, and they've requested to practice every day since, and will include that in their skit when they visit Cuba (after stopping in Hawaii for hula dancing, and before going to California to dance to "California Girls" - the new one).
We've had quiz shows, modeling, Olympics (i.e. field day games), and a carnival (I was in charge of a popular game station, in which they shot soccer balls at the goal I was tending, for the chance to win chocolate). I blocked 80% of the shots, and let a few of the young kids sneak one by me. We've sung a lot of camp songs (many original compositions, at least none that I've ever heard before...). I should be able to recycle those while entertaining my nephews. "Iggle, wiggle" and "the frog went uhn uhn aaaaahhhhh" (tongue out) are my current favorites.
I'll write more, with an update of how the final performance went, later. "Ciao, ciao, says goodbye in Italian..."
More about Germany, mostly military history...
Between Steinsfeld (one-tavern, one-inn-town, same building) and Rothenburg on der Talber, the Talber river flows through a picturesque valley, with a bicycles-only path alongside it. Ruth's father pedals it 2x a week, so I joined him Sunday morning, for a nice ride to the bottom of the plateau on which the town sits. We went up the slope and entered through the thick defensive gates (3 sets of them, between which any enemy forces would be surrouded from above, if they got past one door).
Got to the town square just in time for the 12:00 noon clock animation... a re-enactment of the mayor of the town drinking 3 liters of beer in 1 minute (and presumably not throwing up), to win a bet that saved the town from being razed by the victors some hundreds of years ago (I can't recall who conquered it on that occasion).
I designated myself photographer to no fewer than 4 couples (2 with families) who were taking individual shots of each other with the beautiful ancient town as the backdrop. Visited the Christmas store in May and tried the doughnutty "snowballs" that an entrepreneurial baker created to be a unique pastry from that town..
Appreciated the home-cooked meals Ruth's Mom made, which offered a sampling of Bavarian foods, including potato-parsley balls in broth, stewy meat, and delicious yogurt! Which brings up one of several conversations I've already had in Europe comparing health care systems. While eating yogurt, I was asked what mine consists of, so I pointed to the yogurt and said it was my health care plan. They went on to talk about their system of universal coverage. Too lengthy to go into at the point, you'll have to do your own research into that.
Moving on to Munich, named Munchen in Germany. It's the capital of the Bavarian province (which is country's biggest), and, by many, considered the capital of culture in Germany. Historical reasons have dictated why Berlin is the capital instead. Perhaps most significant of which is that Munich was the birthplace of the Nazi movement, where Hitler made his power play, Kristalnacht happened, and one of the most famous photos of him (next to the lions) was taken. There are many easily-overlooked monuments or symbols throughout the city paying testimony to the time.
I went on a 3+ hour "free" guided-tour (pay what you think it's worth) of the city, that led us past many of the significant locations, replete with a non-stop verbal commentary/lecture about the history and culture of Munich (organized through Wombat hostel, if you're interested). Saw the only four structures to survive the bombings (the tallest, i.e. church tower and the town hall clock tower) because they were used by the pilots for sighting. Watched (another) Glockenspeil clock parade, this one symbolizing the Catholic victory over Protestants, as well as the barrelmakers (as in beer) trying to ull their country out of a depression by dancing in the streets during the Plague, to encourage people to return to normal lives (i.e. going to the beergardens). Which reminds me, I drank beer or wine nearly every day I was in Germany, and continued on in France...
As for France, I took the overnight train from Munich to Paris (rather miserable, it was, though I felt a bit refreshed after salsa dancing the last evening in Munich) and arrived early in the morning to the city of sidewalk cafes, bread, cheese, and wine (yes, those things really do define the city).
Went straightaway to the Louvre and spent a fascinating 4 hours perusing the art there (and not covering the whole place...). It is a massive building, with multiple wings and galleries to explore. They had a special exhibition on ancient Persian civilizations... blanking on the name of it right now. On display were massive stone columns, with bulls-heads supporting huge cross-beams (I think the temple roof structure). Yes, saw the famous eyes, though they look bigger in the movies. More later. Any comments or requests, or travel advice at this point (for 10 days of traveling to finish my trip)?
Got to the town square just in time for the 12:00 noon clock animation... a re-enactment of the mayor of the town drinking 3 liters of beer in 1 minute (and presumably not throwing up), to win a bet that saved the town from being razed by the victors some hundreds of years ago (I can't recall who conquered it on that occasion).
I designated myself photographer to no fewer than 4 couples (2 with families) who were taking individual shots of each other with the beautiful ancient town as the backdrop. Visited the Christmas store in May and tried the doughnutty "snowballs" that an entrepreneurial baker created to be a unique pastry from that town..
Appreciated the home-cooked meals Ruth's Mom made, which offered a sampling of Bavarian foods, including potato-parsley balls in broth, stewy meat, and delicious yogurt! Which brings up one of several conversations I've already had in Europe comparing health care systems. While eating yogurt, I was asked what mine consists of, so I pointed to the yogurt and said it was my health care plan. They went on to talk about their system of universal coverage. Too lengthy to go into at the point, you'll have to do your own research into that.
Moving on to Munich, named Munchen in Germany. It's the capital of the Bavarian province (which is country's biggest), and, by many, considered the capital of culture in Germany. Historical reasons have dictated why Berlin is the capital instead. Perhaps most significant of which is that Munich was the birthplace of the Nazi movement, where Hitler made his power play, Kristalnacht happened, and one of the most famous photos of him (next to the lions) was taken. There are many easily-overlooked monuments or symbols throughout the city paying testimony to the time.
I went on a 3+ hour "free" guided-tour (pay what you think it's worth) of the city, that led us past many of the significant locations, replete with a non-stop verbal commentary/lecture about the history and culture of Munich (organized through Wombat hostel, if you're interested). Saw the only four structures to survive the bombings (the tallest, i.e. church tower and the town hall clock tower) because they were used by the pilots for sighting. Watched (another) Glockenspeil clock parade, this one symbolizing the Catholic victory over Protestants, as well as the barrelmakers (as in beer) trying to ull their country out of a depression by dancing in the streets during the Plague, to encourage people to return to normal lives (i.e. going to the beergardens). Which reminds me, I drank beer or wine nearly every day I was in Germany, and continued on in France...
As for France, I took the overnight train from Munich to Paris (rather miserable, it was, though I felt a bit refreshed after salsa dancing the last evening in Munich) and arrived early in the morning to the city of sidewalk cafes, bread, cheese, and wine (yes, those things really do define the city).
Went straightaway to the Louvre and spent a fascinating 4 hours perusing the art there (and not covering the whole place...). It is a massive building, with multiple wings and galleries to explore. They had a special exhibition on ancient Persian civilizations... blanking on the name of it right now. On display were massive stone columns, with bulls-heads supporting huge cross-beams (I think the temple roof structure). Yes, saw the famous eyes, though they look bigger in the movies. More later. Any comments or requests, or travel advice at this point (for 10 days of traveling to finish my trip)?
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Finally made it to Europe! and finally writing about it...
So, Spring 2010, my travels finally got me to Europe. I flew into Frankfurt, Germany on May 26th. Rain greeted me in Frankfurt, so it felt just like home Seattle. Got on the wrong train from the airport, and soon found myself in rolling, green countryside with vineyards (or hopsyards?) and farms, along the banks of the river Main. Helpful folks on the train called my hosts, and confirmed that I needed to head back towards the city, to the Grisheim stop, just west of downtown.
People have asked "why Germany first?" and I say it's because I've met some cool Germans on my travels (i.e. in SE Asia and Australia) and wanted to check out their country to see how it develops cool citizens of the world.
Sure enough, within my first two days there, I'd met some more cool people. I stayed with a host from Couchsurfing for the first time, Nicole, met her housemate and boyfriend, and enjoyed nice meals and conversation with them, and their couch was comfy. Explored the city on Thursday, finding a farmers/craft market in one of the main public squares, where impressively appointed trailers are the stalls, grilling, brewing, refridgerating, and even baking (I think), the proffered victuals. There for lunch, I ate not-bad wurst, a tangy olive and pepper salad, and sampled the apple cake from the impressive bakery selection. My Mum might tap into her heritage a bit deeper, to come up with some new baked goods for her repertoire. (Oops, I should use Germanic words, not French, for this section...)
After strolling the city for a few hours, checking out the arrangement of neighborhoods, parks, businesses, I slept off some jet-lag in a grassy spot on the main (of several) university (Goethe?) campus, undisturbed. Around 5:30PM, thinking of heading back to the apartment, I spotted someone with a badminton racquet poking out of her backpack, caught up with her at the light, and asked where she played. She explained it was at the gym, starting at 9:00PM, and asked if I wanted to play... perceptive folks in Germany!
In the meantime, I was welcome to join her watching a video related to a class she was taking. It was set in London, about the dictated life of Bangladeshi woman who arrange-marriaged a guy living there. Quite interesting. Met a few of her friends afterwards, so the 4 of us cruised around on their 3 bikes, found some dinner, and played badminton. Ended the evening with another fun activity- dumpster diving... from a pile left on the sidewalk. They acquired a vacuum cleaner, window shades, and possible a full Ikea bookshelf (if they went back for it). Okay... moving on to Bavaria next.
Traveled (yes, again by train, since it's such an efficient system), to Wurzburg on Friday. Famous "Residenz" there was the main site to see while I had 4 hours before meeting my friend, Ruth. Basically, a huge estate owned by someone connected to royalty. Tagged along with the German tour group when they were given guided-only access to the aprtments where the king would stay if he came for a visit. It was on the road out of town called "The Romantic Road" through small-town Franconian (Bavarian) countryside. Met up with Ruth later that evening, in time to partake of the wine festival, highlighting local wines. Potato balls, goulash, and strawberry wine for dinner there, with a boisterous Norwegian couple, their German hostess and friends, as dining mates.
In the small town of Steinsfeld, near the castled, walled-town of Rothenburg, I stayed with Ruth's lovely family, in a wooden country house. First thing I noticed was that most houses had solar panels on the roofs. When I asked about that, her dad mentioed that he also organized the village to buy a 3 million euro wind turbine to share. Hmm... no additional commentary at this time on addressing the energy crises proactively through alternative (yet traditional) sources.
Okay, enough for this post. Will add more in the coming week.
Ciao (from near Milano, Italy).
People have asked "why Germany first?" and I say it's because I've met some cool Germans on my travels (i.e. in SE Asia and Australia) and wanted to check out their country to see how it develops cool citizens of the world.
Sure enough, within my first two days there, I'd met some more cool people. I stayed with a host from Couchsurfing for the first time, Nicole, met her housemate and boyfriend, and enjoyed nice meals and conversation with them, and their couch was comfy. Explored the city on Thursday, finding a farmers/craft market in one of the main public squares, where impressively appointed trailers are the stalls, grilling, brewing, refridgerating, and even baking (I think), the proffered victuals. There for lunch, I ate not-bad wurst, a tangy olive and pepper salad, and sampled the apple cake from the impressive bakery selection. My Mum might tap into her heritage a bit deeper, to come up with some new baked goods for her repertoire. (Oops, I should use Germanic words, not French, for this section...)
After strolling the city for a few hours, checking out the arrangement of neighborhoods, parks, businesses, I slept off some jet-lag in a grassy spot on the main (of several) university (Goethe?) campus, undisturbed. Around 5:30PM, thinking of heading back to the apartment, I spotted someone with a badminton racquet poking out of her backpack, caught up with her at the light, and asked where she played. She explained it was at the gym, starting at 9:00PM, and asked if I wanted to play... perceptive folks in Germany!
In the meantime, I was welcome to join her watching a video related to a class she was taking. It was set in London, about the dictated life of Bangladeshi woman who arrange-marriaged a guy living there. Quite interesting. Met a few of her friends afterwards, so the 4 of us cruised around on their 3 bikes, found some dinner, and played badminton. Ended the evening with another fun activity- dumpster diving... from a pile left on the sidewalk. They acquired a vacuum cleaner, window shades, and possible a full Ikea bookshelf (if they went back for it). Okay... moving on to Bavaria next.
Traveled (yes, again by train, since it's such an efficient system), to Wurzburg on Friday. Famous "Residenz" there was the main site to see while I had 4 hours before meeting my friend, Ruth. Basically, a huge estate owned by someone connected to royalty. Tagged along with the German tour group when they were given guided-only access to the aprtments where the king would stay if he came for a visit. It was on the road out of town called "The Romantic Road" through small-town Franconian (Bavarian) countryside. Met up with Ruth later that evening, in time to partake of the wine festival, highlighting local wines. Potato balls, goulash, and strawberry wine for dinner there, with a boisterous Norwegian couple, their German hostess and friends, as dining mates.
In the small town of Steinsfeld, near the castled, walled-town of Rothenburg, I stayed with Ruth's lovely family, in a wooden country house. First thing I noticed was that most houses had solar panels on the roofs. When I asked about that, her dad mentioed that he also organized the village to buy a 3 million euro wind turbine to share. Hmm... no additional commentary at this time on addressing the energy crises proactively through alternative (yet traditional) sources.
Okay, enough for this post. Will add more in the coming week.
Ciao (from near Milano, Italy).
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Farming, NZ style
I'm currently waiting to go to the airport, my last day in NZ. Somewhat saddened at that thought, since this is quite the cool place to travel, to adventure, to meet interesting people. Yet, the 3 weeks here give me confirmation that I could live here comfortably, so will consider finding work here and coming back to live for awhile.
My last posting was from a farm near Wellington, if I recall. In the week since, I've celebrated Christmas, French style. The second farm, a blueberry farm with cafe and kid's programs, was owned by an American lady and her 10 year old son. She picked me up from the train station and promptly brought me to Christmas eve dinner at her best friend's house - a lady from France who was a great cook. BBQ'd scallops and mussels, potatoes au gratin (does that mean with lots of cheese?), bread with dips appetizers, fresh veggie salads, and tiramisu to top it all off. Nice folks to share the holiday spirit with. My "dirty Santa" (white elephant, in which you could steal another's pick) present was a long NZ pencil. Christmas day was spent with the son's excitement at opening presents, blueberry pancakes I prepared, and a nice dinner with the three other volunteers who were staying there. In the middle of the day, I worked on building a raised garden bed, and finished the day jumping in the river that ran past the property.
After another day finishing the project, I left the farm to start hitching a ride north. I didn't get the full 7 hours to Rotorua, since I left so late in the day. But, when it began to get dark in a country town named Bulls, I stopped expecting a ride and started looking around for a place to put my camping mattress. I got some food at one of the only opened places, and asked a couple if they knew of any other accomodations, since the hostel was locked and the lights were out. That inquiry led to an invitation to crash in their living room for the night. So, it worked out to be another adventure on this trip. They were a friendly middle aged couple with 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds. The man was a weapons consultant for the military, she was a former police officer and Christian missionary to places such as China; none-the-less I felt fairly safe in their company...
The next morning, she suggested I include a sign to my next destination, "Taupo," to go along with my thumb. It worked within 5 minutes of being dropped at the highway junction corner. A guy heading there to work on his friend's house drove me the 3 hours straight through. I bought him some coffee and he shared his Christmas shortbread cookies. Leaving Taupo was a lot more grueling, but I finally made it to Rotorua late that day.
Rotorua might be compared to Yellowstone with a city built around it, with geothermal activity throughout the region and a strong sulphuric stench. Went there specifically for river rafting. The Kaituna river has the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world is the claim. One company I contacted invited me to go down the river with them, politely asking only afterwards if I was young enough to qualify for a working visa (since I told them I was interested in their company)... I'm not. But, I'll see if I can figure out another way to work as a raft guide here.
My last night in NZ was spent lounging in the hotspring waters at the spa on the shore of Lake Rotorua, a refreshing way to wrap up the trip and get warm before heading back to winter in Seattle.
Okay, I'll head out to the airport now. Next posting will be from Seattle.
Cheers.
My last posting was from a farm near Wellington, if I recall. In the week since, I've celebrated Christmas, French style. The second farm, a blueberry farm with cafe and kid's programs, was owned by an American lady and her 10 year old son. She picked me up from the train station and promptly brought me to Christmas eve dinner at her best friend's house - a lady from France who was a great cook. BBQ'd scallops and mussels, potatoes au gratin (does that mean with lots of cheese?), bread with dips appetizers, fresh veggie salads, and tiramisu to top it all off. Nice folks to share the holiday spirit with. My "dirty Santa" (white elephant, in which you could steal another's pick) present was a long NZ pencil. Christmas day was spent with the son's excitement at opening presents, blueberry pancakes I prepared, and a nice dinner with the three other volunteers who were staying there. In the middle of the day, I worked on building a raised garden bed, and finished the day jumping in the river that ran past the property.
After another day finishing the project, I left the farm to start hitching a ride north. I didn't get the full 7 hours to Rotorua, since I left so late in the day. But, when it began to get dark in a country town named Bulls, I stopped expecting a ride and started looking around for a place to put my camping mattress. I got some food at one of the only opened places, and asked a couple if they knew of any other accomodations, since the hostel was locked and the lights were out. That inquiry led to an invitation to crash in their living room for the night. So, it worked out to be another adventure on this trip. They were a friendly middle aged couple with 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds. The man was a weapons consultant for the military, she was a former police officer and Christian missionary to places such as China; none-the-less I felt fairly safe in their company...
The next morning, she suggested I include a sign to my next destination, "Taupo," to go along with my thumb. It worked within 5 minutes of being dropped at the highway junction corner. A guy heading there to work on his friend's house drove me the 3 hours straight through. I bought him some coffee and he shared his Christmas shortbread cookies. Leaving Taupo was a lot more grueling, but I finally made it to Rotorua late that day.
Rotorua might be compared to Yellowstone with a city built around it, with geothermal activity throughout the region and a strong sulphuric stench. Went there specifically for river rafting. The Kaituna river has the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world is the claim. One company I contacted invited me to go down the river with them, politely asking only afterwards if I was young enough to qualify for a working visa (since I told them I was interested in their company)... I'm not. But, I'll see if I can figure out another way to work as a raft guide here.
My last night in NZ was spent lounging in the hotspring waters at the spa on the shore of Lake Rotorua, a refreshing way to wrap up the trip and get warm before heading back to winter in Seattle.
Okay, I'll head out to the airport now. Next posting will be from Seattle.
Cheers.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Lots happening since last post... on to New Zedland
Well, for starters, I'm now 7 destinations into New Zealand, and, of the spectacular places I've seen so far here, this may be the most. I spent a couple of days in Auckland, NZ's biggest city, located in the north. Joined a hostel-organized trip to the beach where the locals proved their reputation as outgoing, friendly people... oh, read my previous posting - I just realized I'd started one but hadn't posted it. It's now being posted, without further editing.
Went from Auckland to Christchurch. The center of the city is, actually, a large Catholic cathedral, to which you can contribute 5 backpacker's budget NZD$ for the privelege of climbing up the clock tower... I don't think enough churches in the States have figured out a way to get the tourist's buck yet. No, if you're wondering, I didn't go up it... maybe if they'd had a bungy jump or slingshot swing from the tower, I would have considered it.
Walked along the Avon river (stream?) that runs through the middle of town, along which you can punt... be punted? How very, quaintly British. Went to i-site (travel info booths located in most destinations, which do an impressive job of marketing the area's attractions and helping with bookings) to get info on the traveler's buses... While there, got invited to a homecooked, birthday celebration dinner by a working holiday-visa traveler from Japan. Good food and pecan pie. I contributed a salsa dance lesson for the birthday boy.
Bypassed the bus option, opting for a ride northerly with a guy from England who posted a ride offer. We stopped in Kaikoura, a beach town famous as a place to view whales and dolphins. Apparently the winds were too strong for the whale boat to go out. So, I enjoyed a stroll through the countryside instead... stopping to talk to a lady working in her yard, who talked about her kids for awhile, then suggested I check out the Irish pub/inn "just down another block." This was a country block, mind you, so it took some time to get there, stopping to let the cows cross the road and pet the shepherd dogs who were chilling in the yard (not exactly supervising/directing the herd across the road). Maybe it was after their work hours by that time. Stopped to talk to a guy who'd been out fishing (for green moki), who suggested, without prompting from me, that I apply to work at schools in NZ... Not a bad idea. Caught several km ride back to in-town campground from man with no fewer than 9 dogs in his truck. Finished evening playing "Ringenwormen" - a die rolling game from Germany, with a couple from the Netherlands, who gave me the best explanation for why they're called Dutch (from a German word for... okay, i forget the explanation) and the country often (in some countries, only) refered to as Holland (which comprise only two of the states that make up the country, but were formerly very powerful/rich). Thus, the correct name is Netherlands... but still leaves one wondering to whom are they the nether world?
Continued on to Nelson, in the north west part of the South Island, which contains the geographic center of NZ, as well as being a pleasant hillside/coastal town with lots of outdoor gear stores, coffee shops and eateries, and one of the fanciest BnB caliber backpacker's joints I've seen, Accents on the Park... Stayed there one night before residing another evening in rooms above a loud rock-playing bar. Low and behold, there's no one at the checkout desk at 8AM on a Sunday morning to check me out so I can go attend to transportation options...
But, I digress. (The most convenient transport option was just to catch the bus that was heading where I wanted to go, that another traveler I knew was taking).
From Nelson, I caught a ride to the southern trailhead of the Abel Tasman National Park coastal track. Hiked 3.5 hours (about 12 kms) the first day, to arrive at a campground (with huts, if I'd been willing to shell out the money for that extra comfort, which I wasn't). Swam in the surf, and chatted up a family who hailed from Pt. Townsend (just across the water from Seattle), who I was then able to acquire food supplies from, as they were leaving the next day. So, their contribution provided a couple breakfasts and lunches, that convinced me to extend my hike to 4 days, 3 nights (from an originally planned 2 days, 1 night). Met nice people along the way, the weather was perfect, and the setting was stunning, meandering through lush green forests overlooking blue-green waters in the coves below. One highlight - gathered huge mussels (5-6 inches) from rocks just offshore in Mutton Cove, which also sheltered a family of seals, including footlong baby seals. Cute!
Finished the hike with slightly sand-papered feet and majorly sandfly-bitten calves, refreshed after days in the pristine landscape and sleeping outdoors. Hitchhiking took longer than expected, but only took 3 rides to retrieve a bag I'd stashed in the bushes at the trailhead, and one more to get the rest of the way to Nelson (picked up within minutes by a nice modern-hippy lady (and her 5 year old son) who talked about climbing to Mt. Everest basecamp recently, and plans to build an off-grid house.
Reference to which brings me to my current location, a self-sustainable farm in the hills of Lower Hutt, just north of the capital city of Wellington. Being on a farmer's schedule the next few days means I'd better sign off for now. Up early to feed the "chocks" tomorrow, after eating some of the eggs they've produced. Goodnight.
Went from Auckland to Christchurch. The center of the city is, actually, a large Catholic cathedral, to which you can contribute 5 backpacker's budget NZD$ for the privelege of climbing up the clock tower... I don't think enough churches in the States have figured out a way to get the tourist's buck yet. No, if you're wondering, I didn't go up it... maybe if they'd had a bungy jump or slingshot swing from the tower, I would have considered it.
Walked along the Avon river (stream?) that runs through the middle of town, along which you can punt... be punted? How very, quaintly British. Went to i-site (travel info booths located in most destinations, which do an impressive job of marketing the area's attractions and helping with bookings) to get info on the traveler's buses... While there, got invited to a homecooked, birthday celebration dinner by a working holiday-visa traveler from Japan. Good food and pecan pie. I contributed a salsa dance lesson for the birthday boy.
Bypassed the bus option, opting for a ride northerly with a guy from England who posted a ride offer. We stopped in Kaikoura, a beach town famous as a place to view whales and dolphins. Apparently the winds were too strong for the whale boat to go out. So, I enjoyed a stroll through the countryside instead... stopping to talk to a lady working in her yard, who talked about her kids for awhile, then suggested I check out the Irish pub/inn "just down another block." This was a country block, mind you, so it took some time to get there, stopping to let the cows cross the road and pet the shepherd dogs who were chilling in the yard (not exactly supervising/directing the herd across the road). Maybe it was after their work hours by that time. Stopped to talk to a guy who'd been out fishing (for green moki), who suggested, without prompting from me, that I apply to work at schools in NZ... Not a bad idea. Caught several km ride back to in-town campground from man with no fewer than 9 dogs in his truck. Finished evening playing "Ringenwormen" - a die rolling game from Germany, with a couple from the Netherlands, who gave me the best explanation for why they're called Dutch (from a German word for... okay, i forget the explanation) and the country often (in some countries, only) refered to as Holland (which comprise only two of the states that make up the country, but were formerly very powerful/rich). Thus, the correct name is Netherlands... but still leaves one wondering to whom are they the nether world?
Continued on to Nelson, in the north west part of the South Island, which contains the geographic center of NZ, as well as being a pleasant hillside/coastal town with lots of outdoor gear stores, coffee shops and eateries, and one of the fanciest BnB caliber backpacker's joints I've seen, Accents on the Park... Stayed there one night before residing another evening in rooms above a loud rock-playing bar. Low and behold, there's no one at the checkout desk at 8AM on a Sunday morning to check me out so I can go attend to transportation options...
But, I digress. (The most convenient transport option was just to catch the bus that was heading where I wanted to go, that another traveler I knew was taking).
From Nelson, I caught a ride to the southern trailhead of the Abel Tasman National Park coastal track. Hiked 3.5 hours (about 12 kms) the first day, to arrive at a campground (with huts, if I'd been willing to shell out the money for that extra comfort, which I wasn't). Swam in the surf, and chatted up a family who hailed from Pt. Townsend (just across the water from Seattle), who I was then able to acquire food supplies from, as they were leaving the next day. So, their contribution provided a couple breakfasts and lunches, that convinced me to extend my hike to 4 days, 3 nights (from an originally planned 2 days, 1 night). Met nice people along the way, the weather was perfect, and the setting was stunning, meandering through lush green forests overlooking blue-green waters in the coves below. One highlight - gathered huge mussels (5-6 inches) from rocks just offshore in Mutton Cove, which also sheltered a family of seals, including footlong baby seals. Cute!
Finished the hike with slightly sand-papered feet and majorly sandfly-bitten calves, refreshed after days in the pristine landscape and sleeping outdoors. Hitchhiking took longer than expected, but only took 3 rides to retrieve a bag I'd stashed in the bushes at the trailhead, and one more to get the rest of the way to Nelson (picked up within minutes by a nice modern-hippy lady (and her 5 year old son) who talked about climbing to Mt. Everest basecamp recently, and plans to build an off-grid house.
Reference to which brings me to my current location, a self-sustainable farm in the hills of Lower Hutt, just north of the capital city of Wellington. Being on a farmer's schedule the next few days means I'd better sign off for now. Up early to feed the "chocks" tomorrow, after eating some of the eggs they've produced. Goodnight.
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