I’ve been trying to bring this travelogue up to date, but I confess that my mind has been elsewhere these past couple days. The days seem brighter, the air seems lighter. No, it’s not the coming of spring; it’s still freezing here in northeastern US. It’s just that I’m taking off again tomorrow, this time to a most unexpected destination – northeastern Brazil. I know, I know, I haven’t traveled around my home country in ages, but that’s one of the things that happen when you move to another country – every time you go back, you end up spending time with your family. But since relatives came to visit me late last year, that’s a good chance to go to places other than Rio, where my family lives. So I’ll be landing in Fortaleza, Ceará, after what will likely be a grueling 20-hour trip.
From there, beaches, beaches, more beaches and…whatever else happens. But that’s part of the fun – finding out what comes your way in a new place.
See ya!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Coveted Beauty
June 2008Croatia has a long history, and a turbulent one. Having been part of the Roman Empire, areas of the country now known as Croatia passed by the hands of the Byzantine Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, the Austrian Hapsburg Empire, the Republic of Venice, Napoleonic France, and finally Yugoslavia. Croatia declared independence in 1991, but Croats had to fight a bloody war against the Serbs of former Yugoslavia. Dubrovnik, one of Croatia’s most well known cities, was heavily shelled during the war and here are some scenes of the attacks - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU0JPXUmg44, which left Dubrovnik under siege for seven months.
Dubrovnik has been called “heaven on earth” by George Bernard Shaw but is commonly known as “Pearl of the Adriatic”, as Lord Byron named it. Call it whatever you want, but one thing is certain: Dubrovnik is enchanting. Its Old Town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and after severe damages caused by the independence war, it underwent a major restoration program. By 2005, most of the work had been completed.
The Old Town is the highlight of any visit to Dubrovnik. It is tiny, fully pedestrianized and the main sights can be visited in one day, which is what legions of cruise ship passengers do. In my opinion, though, one day is not nearly enough to discover all that Dubrovnik has to offer.
If you come by land, your entry point to the Old Town will likely be Pile Gate, a massive stone structure reached by a stone bridge. Inside the gate, there are usually street musicians performing throughout the day. If you come in summer, you’ll immediately realize that Dubrovnik has a Mediterranean climate and you’ll likely be drenched in sweat by the time you’re done crossing the gate. Once inside though, there are two things to refresh you: one is the Onofrio Fountain with its potable cool water and a little further down the street, an ice cream shop with creamy flavors that just melt in your mouth. My favorite was cinnamon.
Placa is the main street in the Old Town and links Pile Gate to the Clock Tower. It’s lined with stone buildings fronted by stores and cafés, but its most striking feature is the marble pavement, which at night shines under the street lamps. A must in Dubrovnik is to walk the stone walls that encircle the city, allowing you to have a bird’s eye view of the Old Town. One of the entrances is by Pile Gate and you’ll be able to see cliffs used for sunbathing and as platforms for diving, numerous historic buildings, bright orange terracotta roofs, and the extensive Dalmatian coast. This walk around the gate will give you ideas for places to check out later, such as cafés perched above the sea or bars hidden in narrow streets. Go late in the day when it’s cooler and the light is much better.
Dubrovnik has been called “heaven on earth” by George Bernard Shaw but is commonly known as “Pearl of the Adriatic”, as Lord Byron named it. Call it whatever you want, but one thing is certain: Dubrovnik is enchanting. Its Old Town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and after severe damages caused by the independence war, it underwent a major restoration program. By 2005, most of the work had been completed.
The Old Town is the highlight of any visit to Dubrovnik. It is tiny, fully pedestrianized and the main sights can be visited in one day, which is what legions of cruise ship passengers do. In my opinion, though, one day is not nearly enough to discover all that Dubrovnik has to offer.
If you come by land, your entry point to the Old Town will likely be Pile Gate, a massive stone structure reached by a stone bridge. Inside the gate, there are usually street musicians performing throughout the day. If you come in summer, you’ll immediately realize that Dubrovnik has a Mediterranean climate and you’ll likely be drenched in sweat by the time you’re done crossing the gate. Once inside though, there are two things to refresh you: one is the Onofrio Fountain with its potable cool water and a little further down the street, an ice cream shop with creamy flavors that just melt in your mouth. My favorite was cinnamon.
Placa is the main street in the Old Town and links Pile Gate to the Clock Tower. It’s lined with stone buildings fronted by stores and cafés, but its most striking feature is the marble pavement, which at night shines under the street lamps. A must in Dubrovnik is to walk the stone walls that encircle the city, allowing you to have a bird’s eye view of the Old Town. One of the entrances is by Pile Gate and you’ll be able to see cliffs used for sunbathing and as platforms for diving, numerous historic buildings, bright orange terracotta roofs, and the extensive Dalmatian coast. This walk around the gate will give you ideas for places to check out later, such as cafés perched above the sea or bars hidden in narrow streets. Go late in the day when it’s cooler and the light is much better.
Back in town, the best thing to do is to put away your map and just get lost in the narrow streets that radiate from Placa. Discover stone houses surrounded by potted flowers, bars and restaurants with live music, talented street musicians performing around town. For such a small place, the Old Town has something for everyone and a rushed visit would be just a waste.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Two Faces of Nature
February 2008 
My other destination in Kruger National Park was Satara, a savanna that attracts grazing animals and has the highest concentration of lions. But we seemed to be out of luck: on our third day in the park, we hadn’t seen any lions yet. Toward the end of that day, we stopped to photograph some birds, and as we were leaving, we saw a lioness coming down the road behind us. As soon as we turned the car, she disappeared in the tall grass. We kept looking for her, but after almost half hour, gave up and decided to leave. As we started the car, she reappeared some 40 yards ahead, crossed the road and went into the grass again. We rushed to the spot, and there she was, sitting some 20 steps away. Finally! Then I heard a rustle and that’s when I saw them rushing towards her – 3 cubs, who couldn’t be more than 3 months old. They all walked back to the road, and at some point, just lay on the pavement a few steps from our car. Even though she was clearly tired and hungry, she carefully nursed and cleaned them, not minding us at all. I couldn’t hold back tears. We stayed almost one hour with them until sunset and as we were about to leave, the lioness turned her head and looked straight into my eyes. It was a casual look, as if she was looking at someone who had always been around, someone who was part of her world. And of all the things I’ve seen and done on any trip, spending time with her and the cubs was one of the most extraordinary of all.
The following day, we were reminded why lions are such fearsome creatures as we came across a pride that had killed a buffalo earlier in the day. In the sizzling mid-afternoon temperatures, the stench of decaying flesh was almost unbearable, and on a nearby tree, a handful of vultures awaited their turn. One of the lionesses was feasting on the remains, and I’ll never forget the sound of flesh being torn by the sheer force of her jaws, a ripping sound that lingered in the stillness of the savanna. When she was done, she came towards the road and as she did so, she also looked straight into my eyes. This was the look of a predator, of someone who will stop at nothing to survive another day. I cringed against the seat. It was a chilling moment, but awe-inspiring nonetheless.
The following day, we were reminded why lions are such fearsome creatures as we came across a pride that had killed a buffalo earlier in the day. In the sizzling mid-afternoon temperatures, the stench of decaying flesh was almost unbearable, and on a nearby tree, a handful of vultures awaited their turn. One of the lionesses was feasting on the remains, and I’ll never forget the sound of flesh being torn by the sheer force of her jaws, a ripping sound that lingered in the stillness of the savanna. When she was done, she came towards the road and as she did so, she also looked straight into my eyes. This was the look of a predator, of someone who will stop at nothing to survive another day. I cringed against the seat. It was a chilling moment, but awe-inspiring nonetheless.
Among Giants
February 2008People often find my choices of travel destination unconventional, to say the least. All I can say is that traveling to me is about discovery, a chance to leave the mundane behind, and check into a world I’ve never seen, that hopefully will bring me something unique. And places like Kruger National Park in South Africa offer the opportunity to do just that. More than a change of setting, Kruger was a change of habits and pace: I had to wake up everyday at 5 am to be able to catch animals at the peak of their activity; I had to forego things I’ve come to take for granted, such as TV and internet, and realized I didn’t miss them a bit; and, above all, I had to learn to take it slow, to sit still and welcome whatever came my way. Sometimes nothing happened. But when something did happen, it was a thrill, that one-in-a-lifetime moment that I hope to keep for the rest of my life.
Kruger is within easy access from Johannesburg, several nearby car rental agencies offer affordable rates and its accommodations cater to all budgets, ranging from campsites to luxury suites with private viewing decks. At nearly 2 million hectares, Kruger is vast so unless you have unlimited time, it’s best to focus on a few select areas. For this trip, I chose Lower Sabie and Satara.
In Lower Sabie, trees are the dominant vegetation, making it a good place to spot tall animals such as giraffes and elephants. The road margins the Sabie River, one of the few perennial in the park particularly favored by elephants. I confess that I got a bit tense on my first close encounter with them: my husband and I spotted an elephant down the road and stopped the car a few feet away only to discover it wasn’t just her; there were several herds hidden in the trees and we soon found ourselves surrounded by dozens of elephants. Some of them were almost twice the size of an SUV and I started wondering what would happen if they didn’t like having us around. But I soon realized they weren’t bothered by us and we felt comfortable enough to just stay put among them as they came to or from the river, their trumpets at times stirring the air. Watching them in their slow grace is immensely soothing, and if heaven feels like anything on earth, it must feel like these moments, when you lose all sense of time and place, when you can connect to someone/something so different than yourself, when you fully live in the moment.
Kruger is within easy access from Johannesburg, several nearby car rental agencies offer affordable rates and its accommodations cater to all budgets, ranging from campsites to luxury suites with private viewing decks. At nearly 2 million hectares, Kruger is vast so unless you have unlimited time, it’s best to focus on a few select areas. For this trip, I chose Lower Sabie and Satara.
In Lower Sabie, trees are the dominant vegetation, making it a good place to spot tall animals such as giraffes and elephants. The road margins the Sabie River, one of the few perennial in the park particularly favored by elephants. I confess that I got a bit tense on my first close encounter with them: my husband and I spotted an elephant down the road and stopped the car a few feet away only to discover it wasn’t just her; there were several herds hidden in the trees and we soon found ourselves surrounded by dozens of elephants. Some of them were almost twice the size of an SUV and I started wondering what would happen if they didn’t like having us around. But I soon realized they weren’t bothered by us and we felt comfortable enough to just stay put among them as they came to or from the river, their trumpets at times stirring the air. Watching them in their slow grace is immensely soothing, and if heaven feels like anything on earth, it must feel like these moments, when you lose all sense of time and place, when you can connect to someone/something so different than yourself, when you fully live in the moment.
Wildlife tip: when you come close to an elephant, pay attention to the ears. If they’re flapping, you’re good. If the elephant looks at you with the ears wide open, just run!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Curse of 1,000 Weeping Dragons - The Antidote
December 2007Hong Kong is not only about shopping. A must-see in town is A Symphony of Lights, an 8 pm nightly light and sound show where more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour glow in colored lights and laser beams to the sound of music. You can watch it from either the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Kowloon or the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong Island, but the coolest thing is to take the 7:30 pm harbor tour in a junk ship, which will enable you to have a 360° view of the show.
If you feel you’re becoming a shopaholic and need a reprieve from shopping malls and skyscrapers, just head to Lantau Island. Disneyland has already found its way there, but most of the island remains untouched by rabid consumerism. Lantau offers several beaches and hiking trails, but the most visited attraction is the Po Lin Monastery and the world’s largest outdoor bronze Buddha statue. Just remember to go in the morning otherwise the sun will be behind the Buddha. Maybe because we went on a Sunday, the Monastery was very active and there was a lot of incense burning. So much incense that I ended up feeling like a smoked mongrel. But if it’s true that incense is cleansing, then I probably left the monastery as clean as a hospital sink. And hopefully rid of the curse of 1,000 weeping dragons!
If you feel you’re becoming a shopaholic and need a reprieve from shopping malls and skyscrapers, just head to Lantau Island. Disneyland has already found its way there, but most of the island remains untouched by rabid consumerism. Lantau offers several beaches and hiking trails, but the most visited attraction is the Po Lin Monastery and the world’s largest outdoor bronze Buddha statue. Just remember to go in the morning otherwise the sun will be behind the Buddha. Maybe because we went on a Sunday, the Monastery was very active and there was a lot of incense burning. So much incense that I ended up feeling like a smoked mongrel. But if it’s true that incense is cleansing, then I probably left the monastery as clean as a hospital sink. And hopefully rid of the curse of 1,000 weeping dragons!
Shop Baby Shop
December 2007After the damp, gloomy weather in mainland China, Hong Kong welcomed us with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60s (~20°C). It felt like a different world. And HK is indeed very different than the rest of China. On the plus side, everyone speaks English, signs are bilingual and HK is compact, saving on travel time. On the downside, HK is much more expensive than China, with costs at times comparable to those of Europe.
The main tourist area is Kowloon, a neighborhood packed with one thing that HK does have in common with mainland China – shopping malls. There are 2 main shopping areas there. One is Tsim Sha Tsui, with big and fancy malls - the largest, Harbour City, has over 700 stores, occupies a whole block and you can literally shop till you drop. It’s a black hole of consumerism, with people lining up to get into upscale stores such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. At the other end of the shopping spectrum, there’s Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei, both bargain hunter’s paradises where you can also shop till you drop. There you find outlets, inexpensive stores and street markets selling everything from clothing to electronic gadgets to goldfish.
The main tourist area is Kowloon, a neighborhood packed with one thing that HK does have in common with mainland China – shopping malls. There are 2 main shopping areas there. One is Tsim Sha Tsui, with big and fancy malls - the largest, Harbour City, has over 700 stores, occupies a whole block and you can literally shop till you drop. It’s a black hole of consumerism, with people lining up to get into upscale stores such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. At the other end of the shopping spectrum, there’s Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei, both bargain hunter’s paradises where you can also shop till you drop. There you find outlets, inexpensive stores and street markets selling everything from clothing to electronic gadgets to goldfish.
One mall that is worth going to is The Peak in Hong Kong Island, with great views of the harbor from its terrace. It’s located on Victoria Peak and the best way to get there is by The Peak Tram. The tram has been running since 1888 and climbs a steep hill all the way to the mall. Try to stay on the right side to catch some views of the harbor as you go up. The tram is very popular and lines are long, so it’s only worth taking it one-way. You can come back down by public double decker or even on foot.
Curse of 1,000 Weeping Dragons - Part II
December 2007Our last stop in mainland China was Guilin, and every time we mentioned that we were going there to a Chinese, he/she would get excited about it. Guilin is known as one of the most scenic cities in the country and for good reason: unlike other big cities in China, usually dominated by endless blocks of concrete buildings, Guilin offers several parks and hills as well as boat tours that glide through the Li river and the string of lakes that meander through town.
Much to our relief, it wasn’t raining when we arrived in Guilin, but it was only 6 hours until the rain found us yet again. We then went underground to the Reed Flute Cave, a place that looks right out of “Alien” and certainly the most unique sight in Guilin. Huge stalactites and stalagmites adorn the cave, highlighted by colorful lights that enhance the strange formations. There’s a catch though: you’re supposed to follow a group, therefore the lights have a timer; once the lights go off, only tour guides are able to turn them back on. So if you want to do it on your own, at times you have to wait in the dark until a group comes by. The most impressive part of the cave is the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, a large open area centered on an underground lake. Bluish lights illuminate the walls, the still waters of the lake create a perfect mirror, and at times, it looks like an ice world rather than a cave.
Beautiful though as Guilin is, the best of the region is near Yangshuo, one hour away. It’s a famous backpacker mecca and so far high rises and shopping malls haven’t reached it. It’s around Yangshuo that you find series of karsts (limestone mountains) sitting along the banks of the Li River, stretching as far as the eye can see. Yangshuo is a place to enjoy the outdoors, either rock climbing, biking, kayaking or simply drifting on a bamboo raft to one of the nearby small villages. Our initial plan was to spend 3 or 4 days there, but, you guessed it, it was raining and would continue so for at least another 3 days. And after one week of gray skies, fog, rain and chilly temperatures, we were fed up, cut our stay short and decided to look for sunny skies. So we headed to Hong Kong, but with a heavy heart –Yangshuo is a place that will keep growing on you the longer you stay. Some other time, some other time, hopefully with sunshine…
Much to our relief, it wasn’t raining when we arrived in Guilin, but it was only 6 hours until the rain found us yet again. We then went underground to the Reed Flute Cave, a place that looks right out of “Alien” and certainly the most unique sight in Guilin. Huge stalactites and stalagmites adorn the cave, highlighted by colorful lights that enhance the strange formations. There’s a catch though: you’re supposed to follow a group, therefore the lights have a timer; once the lights go off, only tour guides are able to turn them back on. So if you want to do it on your own, at times you have to wait in the dark until a group comes by. The most impressive part of the cave is the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, a large open area centered on an underground lake. Bluish lights illuminate the walls, the still waters of the lake create a perfect mirror, and at times, it looks like an ice world rather than a cave.
Beautiful though as Guilin is, the best of the region is near Yangshuo, one hour away. It’s a famous backpacker mecca and so far high rises and shopping malls haven’t reached it. It’s around Yangshuo that you find series of karsts (limestone mountains) sitting along the banks of the Li River, stretching as far as the eye can see. Yangshuo is a place to enjoy the outdoors, either rock climbing, biking, kayaking or simply drifting on a bamboo raft to one of the nearby small villages. Our initial plan was to spend 3 or 4 days there, but, you guessed it, it was raining and would continue so for at least another 3 days. And after one week of gray skies, fog, rain and chilly temperatures, we were fed up, cut our stay short and decided to look for sunny skies. So we headed to Hong Kong, but with a heavy heart –Yangshuo is a place that will keep growing on you the longer you stay. Some other time, some other time, hopefully with sunshine…
Monday, February 9, 2009
Holiday Medley
December 2007
Other than the Warriors, Xian gave us another unique experience. Much to our surprise, the Chinese celebrate Christmas, obviously a retailer plot to fuel rabid consumerism. So on Christmas Eve, while numerous malls unleashed armies of skinny Santas in blinking hats, the streets around The Bell Tower in the center of town were closed to traffic, and the Chinese paraded up and down the center of town with blinking Santa hats, blinking devil’s horns, Halloween masks, rabbit’s ears, Valentine’s hearts or whatever else floated their boat. It was as if they were trying to pack all celebrations into a single day. It was a bit bizarre, but fun, and we even got blinking Santa hats and multi-colored oversized lollipops (?!) as Christmas gifts. Who said that communists don’t know how to have fun?
Other than the Warriors, Xian gave us another unique experience. Much to our surprise, the Chinese celebrate Christmas, obviously a retailer plot to fuel rabid consumerism. So on Christmas Eve, while numerous malls unleashed armies of skinny Santas in blinking hats, the streets around The Bell Tower in the center of town were closed to traffic, and the Chinese paraded up and down the center of town with blinking Santa hats, blinking devil’s horns, Halloween masks, rabbit’s ears, Valentine’s hearts or whatever else floated their boat. It was as if they were trying to pack all celebrations into a single day. It was a bit bizarre, but fun, and we even got blinking Santa hats and multi-colored oversized lollipops (?!) as Christmas gifts. Who said that communists don’t know how to have fun?
Curse of 1,000 Weeping Dragons - Part I
December 2007Raindrops keep falling on my lens
Everywhere I go is just the same wet nonsense
I’m ticked off and drenched
Those raindrops are falling on my lens, they keep falling
Gray skies, fog, and drizzle were my constant companions in mainland China. I’d never caught so much continuous rain on any trip, which leads me to believe that the Chinese gods have cursed me for being a Chinese mongrel who can’t use chopsticks and refuses to eat meat. Annoyed but undaunted, I decided to turn gray into B&W photos and by the end of the trip I’d learned a new skill: I can now photograph while holding an umbrella!
Everywhere I go is just the same wet nonsense
I’m ticked off and drenched
Those raindrops are falling on my lens, they keep falling
Gray skies, fog, and drizzle were my constant companions in mainland China. I’d never caught so much continuous rain on any trip, which leads me to believe that the Chinese gods have cursed me for being a Chinese mongrel who can’t use chopsticks and refuses to eat meat. Annoyed but undaunted, I decided to turn gray into B&W photos and by the end of the trip I’d learned a new skill: I can now photograph while holding an umbrella!
We landed in Shanghai, to me the city that best reflects the two contrasting worlds that exist in China today. The Huangpu river divides Shanghai between east and west: to the east there’s Pudong, where up until 10 years ago, basically only one building - the Oriental Pearl Tower - existed. Today, the area is filled with huge malls and modern skyscrapers, many more are coming up and you get the feeling that Pudong aspires to be a major business center in China, if not the world. Pudong is the child of China’s economic boom, growing by leaps and bounds, perhaps uncontrollably. To the west of the river, it’s Puxi, with neighborhoods dating from the 19th and early 20th century, including Old Shanghai, an area with narrow lanes, crammed houses and antique street markets selling Mao statues, a world increasingly encroached by the growing number of shopping malls and office buildings. The main attraction in Puxi is The Bund, the waterfront promenade dotted with neoclassical buildings and extremely popular with tourists and countless trinket vendors. The Bund is more photogenic in the evening, when all buildings are lit up, but just be aware that lights go off at 10:30 pm.
The next stop was Xian, winner of the title “Grayest City I’ve Ever Seen”, beating London with a fog so thick it weighs you down. Portions of Xian’s old walls have survived, and they form a perfect rectangle within which the main part of the city lies. Imposing though as those walls are, the main draw lies outside the city: the Army of Terracotta Warriors, 45 minutes away. The 2,000-year-old warriors were discovered by chance in 1974 when peasants were digging a well. Overall, there are over 7,000 life-sized soldiers, each with distinctive facial features. The warriors are distributed among 3 pits, and the way to see them is in descending order, starting in Pit 3, the smallest. Thus, you save Pit 1, the best, for last. Pit 1 is huge, measuring 210m by 60m, and it’s jaw-dropping to see hundreds of warriors and dozens of horses staring straight at you, in perfect formation as if ready for a battle. It’s such an impressive sight that we spent hours there even though temperatures were below freezing and there was no heating.
Friday, February 6, 2009
From Hell to Heaven
June 2007Every trip has an “Oh, no!” moment when you arrive someplace and it’s nothing like you had imagined. That’s how I first felt about Vilnius, capital city of Lithuania. First it was the Air Baltic plane with frayed seats and looking more than ready to retire. Then the airport itself, which I could swear was a bus station were it not for the baggage carousels. The way to the city didn’t help any: all I saw were block after block of communist-style buildings, big rectangular gray structures with miniscule windows. I started to think that I had landed in a bad Soviet time warp and by the time my husband and I arrived at our Soviet-style brown hotel, I was ready to toss my travel book (which hailed Vilnius as the new Prague). But fortunately, our room had a view of the Old Town, and things started to brighten up considerably.
Vilnius has Europe’s largest baroque old town, and probably the highest concentration of churches per square mile, making Christian tour groups hopping from church to church a common sight. But baroque is not the only influence: Renaissance, gothic and classic have also left their marks, and such varied architecture earned Vilnius a UNESCO World Heritage Site title. The Old Town is compact, measuring only 1.4 sq. miles (~3.6 sq. km) and you might think you can see it all in one day. But the small size is deceiving because there is so much to be explored in the Old Town that a rushed stay wouldn’t do it justice. Architecture buffs will especially have a field day.
Lithuania was one of Europe’s largest empires in the 14th to 16th centuries, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. But it then fell under Polish, then Russian rule, and didn’t really regain independence until 1991. Now that Lithuanians are independent again, they want to erase their communist past and are going for a full makeover in the capital. You find stores from international brand names such as Versace, Armani, and the like, the ancient buildings are being restored, and there’s lots of construction work going on. No other place in Vilnius reflects this new era more than Gediminas Avenue, under renovation when we visited, and where some things like fire hydrants were so brand new that they still had packaging wrappings around them. In spite of all the changes, you still find traditional things, such as traditional Lithuanian dishes: typical delicacies such as smoked pig ear, mashed potato stuffed in animal’s guts and the like. You also find culinary adaptations such as pizza with beef tongue. Mouth-watering! Food aside, try Svyturys (pronounced Shvyturys), the excellent local beer.
An unmissable day trip from Vilnius is to the Island Castle in Trakai. You can either join a tour group for about 30 euros or you can do it on your own on public bus for less than 3 euros roundtrip. Independent travelers that we are, we soon found ourselves on a communist-era bus that almost rattled all our bones out of their sockets. It certainly wasn’t Cinderella’s carriage, but it took us to a fairy tale castle nonetheless. Built in the 14th century, the castle was mostly destroyed by Russians in the 18th century and remained abandoned until 1962, when restoration began. If you look closely at its walls, you can tell which parts are original and which are new. The castle lies on an island in Lake Galve in a very scenic area that has become a popular spot for weddings, sailing and picnics.
So we were lucky enough to see Lithuania mid-week without throngs of tourists which allowed us to go at a relaxed pace. By the time we left on a Friday evening, hordes of young male Brits had started to descend upon Vilnius in the hunt for pretty Lithuanian girls and cheap beer, but fortunately we didn’t stay to see that. Vilnius is not the new Prague yet, but I bet it’ll get there soon. I left feeling like I had just discovered a little piece of heaven.
Vilnius has Europe’s largest baroque old town, and probably the highest concentration of churches per square mile, making Christian tour groups hopping from church to church a common sight. But baroque is not the only influence: Renaissance, gothic and classic have also left their marks, and such varied architecture earned Vilnius a UNESCO World Heritage Site title. The Old Town is compact, measuring only 1.4 sq. miles (~3.6 sq. km) and you might think you can see it all in one day. But the small size is deceiving because there is so much to be explored in the Old Town that a rushed stay wouldn’t do it justice. Architecture buffs will especially have a field day.
Lithuania was one of Europe’s largest empires in the 14th to 16th centuries, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. But it then fell under Polish, then Russian rule, and didn’t really regain independence until 1991. Now that Lithuanians are independent again, they want to erase their communist past and are going for a full makeover in the capital. You find stores from international brand names such as Versace, Armani, and the like, the ancient buildings are being restored, and there’s lots of construction work going on. No other place in Vilnius reflects this new era more than Gediminas Avenue, under renovation when we visited, and where some things like fire hydrants were so brand new that they still had packaging wrappings around them. In spite of all the changes, you still find traditional things, such as traditional Lithuanian dishes: typical delicacies such as smoked pig ear, mashed potato stuffed in animal’s guts and the like. You also find culinary adaptations such as pizza with beef tongue. Mouth-watering! Food aside, try Svyturys (pronounced Shvyturys), the excellent local beer.
An unmissable day trip from Vilnius is to the Island Castle in Trakai. You can either join a tour group for about 30 euros or you can do it on your own on public bus for less than 3 euros roundtrip. Independent travelers that we are, we soon found ourselves on a communist-era bus that almost rattled all our bones out of their sockets. It certainly wasn’t Cinderella’s carriage, but it took us to a fairy tale castle nonetheless. Built in the 14th century, the castle was mostly destroyed by Russians in the 18th century and remained abandoned until 1962, when restoration began. If you look closely at its walls, you can tell which parts are original and which are new. The castle lies on an island in Lake Galve in a very scenic area that has become a popular spot for weddings, sailing and picnics.
So we were lucky enough to see Lithuania mid-week without throngs of tourists which allowed us to go at a relaxed pace. By the time we left on a Friday evening, hordes of young male Brits had started to descend upon Vilnius in the hunt for pretty Lithuanian girls and cheap beer, but fortunately we didn’t stay to see that. Vilnius is not the new Prague yet, but I bet it’ll get there soon. I left feeling like I had just discovered a little piece of heaven.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
From Heaven to Hell
June 2007For some reason, I used to think of Poland as a gloomy place. I’m not sure why…maybe because of the bitter winter cold. But that’s part of the beauty of travel: it changes some preconceived notions you may have about a place or culture. And that’s exactly what happened in Poland.
We stayed in Krakow, the third largest city in the country, the royal capital for half a millennium and the only large Polish city whose architecture remained almost intact after WWII. The highlight of Krakow is the Old Town, centered on the Main Market Square, the largest medieval town square in Poland, and reputedly in Europe. I was surprised to find that it’s a very lively place filled with hundreds of cheerful locals, tourists and street performers, some of them amazingly good – I saw a trio of musicians playing The Four Seasons by Vivaldi…on accordions! The square is dominated by Cloth Hall, built in the 14th century as a center for cloth trade, and today still filled with stalls selling crafts and souvenirs. But to me the best are the apparently perennial festivals that turn the square into a huge open-air theatre and create a contagious upbeat atmosphere. One day, the City of Krakow Festival was on, with traditional Polish music and dance. The next day, there was a local teenage band playing Led Zeppelin, what sounded like “Stairway to Hell”. And, no, I didn’t get the song title wrong…But despite the heretical rendition, it was fun to see how much the band was into it.
Krakow is the self-proclaimed club capital of the world, claiming to have the world’s largest concentration of clubs per square mile. Far fetched as this may seem, the trick is that virtually every restaurant in town doubles as a club. You may enter a genuinely looking Italian tavern only to find out that there is a club downstairs in Egyptian décor with shishas and the whole nine yards. Wicked!
One of the landmarks of Krakow is the Wawel Castle, the seat of kings for over 500 years until the early 17th century. The castle is extremely popular, lines are long and only a limited daily number of visitors are allowed into certain parts of the castle. We managed to enter the Royal Chambers, which unfortunately feels a bit bare because the castle was repeatedly sacked by Swedes, Prussians, and finally Austrians, and the original furnishings couldn’t be recovered. Plunders aside, there is an interesting story surrounding the castle: according to a Hindu legend, Shiva threw seven magic stones towards seven parts of the world and the places hit began to radiate Shiva’s energy. One of these stones is believed to have landed at Wawel, and there are actually studies that confirm its supernatural properties. But I have to say - I didn’t feel any different…
One daytrip that almost every visitor to Krakow takes is Oświęcim. You probably never heard this name, but it was called Auschwitz during WWII. The place was chosen because it was isolated enough but already had barracks and railway tracks. Auschwitz was an extensive complex that included 3 major concentration camps – Auschwitz, Birkenau and Monowice – plus 40 smaller camps. Auschwitz and Birkenau have become museums.
Auschwitz has remained mostly intact and the former prison blocks now house several exhibits, some of them showing the belongings of people who were imprisoned there. One of the most poignant is a block-long, floor to ceiling exhibit containing 2 tons of human hair. The Nazis shaved off prisoners’ hair, then sold it to the German textile industry for about $0.30/kg or $0.15/lb.
Birkenau is even more chilling because it was here that mass extermination took place. It occupies 175 hectares (425 acres) and of the original 300 buildings, less than 70 remain as the Nazis destroyed most of them when they realized they were going to lose the war. The camp was established when the Nazis came up with “the final solution” and prisoners were brought from places as far away as Oslo. Right at the unloading platform, there was a selection and those unfit for work (about 75% of arriving people) were sent for “disinfection”, as they were told. What is most chilling about Birkenau is the fact that everything was created to be a very efficient operation: the location, the layout, the way the Nazis even made money out of this (e.g., selling hair). It was an extremely well planned death factory and you can’t help but lose some faith in humanity when you see a thing like that. If there was ever ell on earth, Birkenau was certainly part of it – a monstrous place without a heart.
We stayed in Krakow, the third largest city in the country, the royal capital for half a millennium and the only large Polish city whose architecture remained almost intact after WWII. The highlight of Krakow is the Old Town, centered on the Main Market Square, the largest medieval town square in Poland, and reputedly in Europe. I was surprised to find that it’s a very lively place filled with hundreds of cheerful locals, tourists and street performers, some of them amazingly good – I saw a trio of musicians playing The Four Seasons by Vivaldi…on accordions! The square is dominated by Cloth Hall, built in the 14th century as a center for cloth trade, and today still filled with stalls selling crafts and souvenirs. But to me the best are the apparently perennial festivals that turn the square into a huge open-air theatre and create a contagious upbeat atmosphere. One day, the City of Krakow Festival was on, with traditional Polish music and dance. The next day, there was a local teenage band playing Led Zeppelin, what sounded like “Stairway to Hell”. And, no, I didn’t get the song title wrong…But despite the heretical rendition, it was fun to see how much the band was into it.
Krakow is the self-proclaimed club capital of the world, claiming to have the world’s largest concentration of clubs per square mile. Far fetched as this may seem, the trick is that virtually every restaurant in town doubles as a club. You may enter a genuinely looking Italian tavern only to find out that there is a club downstairs in Egyptian décor with shishas and the whole nine yards. Wicked!
One of the landmarks of Krakow is the Wawel Castle, the seat of kings for over 500 years until the early 17th century. The castle is extremely popular, lines are long and only a limited daily number of visitors are allowed into certain parts of the castle. We managed to enter the Royal Chambers, which unfortunately feels a bit bare because the castle was repeatedly sacked by Swedes, Prussians, and finally Austrians, and the original furnishings couldn’t be recovered. Plunders aside, there is an interesting story surrounding the castle: according to a Hindu legend, Shiva threw seven magic stones towards seven parts of the world and the places hit began to radiate Shiva’s energy. One of these stones is believed to have landed at Wawel, and there are actually studies that confirm its supernatural properties. But I have to say - I didn’t feel any different…
One daytrip that almost every visitor to Krakow takes is Oświęcim. You probably never heard this name, but it was called Auschwitz during WWII. The place was chosen because it was isolated enough but already had barracks and railway tracks. Auschwitz was an extensive complex that included 3 major concentration camps – Auschwitz, Birkenau and Monowice – plus 40 smaller camps. Auschwitz and Birkenau have become museums.
Auschwitz has remained mostly intact and the former prison blocks now house several exhibits, some of them showing the belongings of people who were imprisoned there. One of the most poignant is a block-long, floor to ceiling exhibit containing 2 tons of human hair. The Nazis shaved off prisoners’ hair, then sold it to the German textile industry for about $0.30/kg or $0.15/lb.
Birkenau is even more chilling because it was here that mass extermination took place. It occupies 175 hectares (425 acres) and of the original 300 buildings, less than 70 remain as the Nazis destroyed most of them when they realized they were going to lose the war. The camp was established when the Nazis came up with “the final solution” and prisoners were brought from places as far away as Oslo. Right at the unloading platform, there was a selection and those unfit for work (about 75% of arriving people) were sent for “disinfection”, as they were told. What is most chilling about Birkenau is the fact that everything was created to be a very efficient operation: the location, the layout, the way the Nazis even made money out of this (e.g., selling hair). It was an extremely well planned death factory and you can’t help but lose some faith in humanity when you see a thing like that. If there was ever ell on earth, Birkenau was certainly part of it – a monstrous place without a heart.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Heaven
June 2007This was my second trip to Copenhagen and the summer weather caught me by surprise - rain, heavy clouds, and totally unpredictable. It’s sunny when you go out, it suddenly gets dark and cloudy, then it rains (or pours) for about 10 minutes, then the sun briefly comes out again. There were so many heavy clouds that at some point I decided to photograph them because they were all I could see. And people complain about the weather in England…
The most notable symbol of Copenhagen is the statue of the Little Mermaid. It sits on a rock in the harbor and it’s small, but hordes of tourists come to see it. It’s inspired by the fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, but if you’re thinking of the Disney version, think again. The original is quite tragic: the little mermaid falls in love with a prince and decides to become human. But to gain legs, she must give up her voice, and every step she takes feels like walking on knives. The prince ends up marrying another woman, and her only chance of becoming a mermaid again is to slay the prince with a knife. She can’t bring herself to do it, so she throws herself into the sea and becomes…sea foam! The statue in Copenhagen shows the little mermaid looking out over the water and reminiscing over her lost life in the sea. It’s a nice statue, but overhyped in my opinion.
Much more interesting is the Gefion Fountain, the largest monument in Copenhagen showing the goddess Gefion fiercely driving four oxen. According to legend, Gefion was promised as much land as she could plow in a single night. She thus turned her 4 sons into oxen, plowed out a chunk of Sweden, then picked it up and tossed it into the sea – thus creating the Danish island of Zealand, where Copenhagen sits. I like this woman! You go, girl! But of course that’s not how Copenhagen came to be. The city was founded by Bishop Absalon, then Archbishop of Denmark, who was given the village of Havn on the channel that separates Denmark from Sweden. On Hojbro Plads, one of the liveliest squares in the city, there is a statue of him, supposedly on the spot where he first sighted the site of his future castle. The statue was criticized when it was unveiled in 1901 because he looks more like a warrior than a bishop, but the truth is that the bishop had a sharp military mind, came to dominate then king Valdemar the Great and drove the expansion of Denmark towards the south and the east.
Another landmark in Copenhagen is Tivoli, the city’s pleasure gardens. It’s not for thrill seekers; Tivoli is more like a place for dates, with numerous restaurants and bandstands/music halls. The Danes love it and from my hotel 2 blocks away, I could hear the shrieks of people riding the Demon, a 3-loop roller coaster. And last, but not least, another major landmark is Nyhavn, a little canal filled with restaurants, bars and cafes set in colorful Danish buildings. It’s touristy, but makes for a great stroll and from there you can take boat tours through the city’s canals.
A visit to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without going to one of its many castles, in the city or nearby. I chose Frederiksborg, 45 minutes from Copenhagen, one of the most impressive I’ve visited. It’s the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia, and the original structure was built around 1560 by King Frederik II, after whom it is named. Most of the current structure, however, was built by his son in the early seventeenth century in an unorthodox Dutch style. The chapel is one of the highlights with intricate decorations and the most interesting depiction of the life of Christ I’ve seen - 23 paintings in subtle contrasts of light and shadow. The castle now houses The Museum of National History with a vast collection of portraits and history paintings, but even if you’re not into that, it’s worth going to Frederiksborg for its sheer magnificence both inside and out.
So this second time around, I’m still impressed by how civilized Copenhagen is. People are courteous and friendly, they don’t speak loud, you don’t see any brawls, cars stop for you when they see you want to cross the street and even the drunks I met were well behaved. Many residents use bicycles, so air and noise pollution is low for a city of that size. And, most surprising of all, some people will just park their bicycles, not put a lock on it, and it will still be there when they come back! This was a shocker to me, so much so that many times I found myself staring at a bike just to make sure it didn’t really have any lock! For someone who comes from Rio de Janeiro where theft is rife, it felt like fairy tale land. And in yet another welcoming facet of Copenhagen, many cafés set outdoor tables in summer, but as it gets cold in the evening, they will give you a blanket so you can sit outside without chattering your teeth. If it weren’t for the lousy weather, this city would be the closest I’ve ever come to heaven.
The most notable symbol of Copenhagen is the statue of the Little Mermaid. It sits on a rock in the harbor and it’s small, but hordes of tourists come to see it. It’s inspired by the fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, but if you’re thinking of the Disney version, think again. The original is quite tragic: the little mermaid falls in love with a prince and decides to become human. But to gain legs, she must give up her voice, and every step she takes feels like walking on knives. The prince ends up marrying another woman, and her only chance of becoming a mermaid again is to slay the prince with a knife. She can’t bring herself to do it, so she throws herself into the sea and becomes…sea foam! The statue in Copenhagen shows the little mermaid looking out over the water and reminiscing over her lost life in the sea. It’s a nice statue, but overhyped in my opinion.
Much more interesting is the Gefion Fountain, the largest monument in Copenhagen showing the goddess Gefion fiercely driving four oxen. According to legend, Gefion was promised as much land as she could plow in a single night. She thus turned her 4 sons into oxen, plowed out a chunk of Sweden, then picked it up and tossed it into the sea – thus creating the Danish island of Zealand, where Copenhagen sits. I like this woman! You go, girl! But of course that’s not how Copenhagen came to be. The city was founded by Bishop Absalon, then Archbishop of Denmark, who was given the village of Havn on the channel that separates Denmark from Sweden. On Hojbro Plads, one of the liveliest squares in the city, there is a statue of him, supposedly on the spot where he first sighted the site of his future castle. The statue was criticized when it was unveiled in 1901 because he looks more like a warrior than a bishop, but the truth is that the bishop had a sharp military mind, came to dominate then king Valdemar the Great and drove the expansion of Denmark towards the south and the east.
Another landmark in Copenhagen is Tivoli, the city’s pleasure gardens. It’s not for thrill seekers; Tivoli is more like a place for dates, with numerous restaurants and bandstands/music halls. The Danes love it and from my hotel 2 blocks away, I could hear the shrieks of people riding the Demon, a 3-loop roller coaster. And last, but not least, another major landmark is Nyhavn, a little canal filled with restaurants, bars and cafes set in colorful Danish buildings. It’s touristy, but makes for a great stroll and from there you can take boat tours through the city’s canals.
A visit to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without going to one of its many castles, in the city or nearby. I chose Frederiksborg, 45 minutes from Copenhagen, one of the most impressive I’ve visited. It’s the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia, and the original structure was built around 1560 by King Frederik II, after whom it is named. Most of the current structure, however, was built by his son in the early seventeenth century in an unorthodox Dutch style. The chapel is one of the highlights with intricate decorations and the most interesting depiction of the life of Christ I’ve seen - 23 paintings in subtle contrasts of light and shadow. The castle now houses The Museum of National History with a vast collection of portraits and history paintings, but even if you’re not into that, it’s worth going to Frederiksborg for its sheer magnificence both inside and out.
So this second time around, I’m still impressed by how civilized Copenhagen is. People are courteous and friendly, they don’t speak loud, you don’t see any brawls, cars stop for you when they see you want to cross the street and even the drunks I met were well behaved. Many residents use bicycles, so air and noise pollution is low for a city of that size. And, most surprising of all, some people will just park their bicycles, not put a lock on it, and it will still be there when they come back! This was a shocker to me, so much so that many times I found myself staring at a bike just to make sure it didn’t really have any lock! For someone who comes from Rio de Janeiro where theft is rife, it felt like fairy tale land. And in yet another welcoming facet of Copenhagen, many cafés set outdoor tables in summer, but as it gets cold in the evening, they will give you a blanket so you can sit outside without chattering your teeth. If it weren’t for the lousy weather, this city would be the closest I’ve ever come to heaven.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Dust, Sweat and Tears
February 2007As the plane approached Siem Reap in Cambodia and all I could see were rice fields, the question crept into my mind: “Why on earth have I come to this place?” I only knew 2 things about Cambodia: it was the location of Angkor Wat and had a turbulent recent history. Not much. But my instincts had told me to go and now I know a few more things about the country:
· It’s a place where 5 people can ride on a single motorbike. Three of them were children, but still…
· It is the only place I know of where you can order a marijuana pizza, aptly named “Happy Pizza” (there’s also a “Very Happy” version of it).
· It is a sizzlingly hot place, and you sweat every single second of the day. The upside is that you never need a restroom, even if you drink half a gallon (~2 liters) of water a day. The downside is that the combination of non-stop sweat and pervasive dust gives your face a permanent mud mask.
· In any city, including the capital Phnom Penh, you can count on your fingers how many traffic lights there are. What to do at intersections then? Simple: just move right along and somehow you and the other dozens of vehicles will figure out how not to hit one another!
· There’s a rule not to be forgotten – never walk off the marked path. Why? Landmines, laid by the Khmer Rouge in the 1980s to terrorize peasants. They haven’t been all deactivated and, as a result, there are lots of amputees in the country, many of whom have learned to play traditional Khmer music and now play/sell CDs around tourist areas. The music is very melodic and make a great soundtrack to any visit to the temples.
The big draw in Siem Reap are the Angkorian Temples, built between the 9th and 13th centuries when Angkor was the capital of the ancient Khmer empire. There are dozen of temples and all have the same layout – tiered structures representing Mount Meru, the sacred mountain in Hindu mythology considered the center of the universe and the residence of the gods. But getting to the abode of the gods is not easy and requires a lot of climbing. Worse still, the closer you get to the central pinnacle, the steeper the climb and the narrower the steps so at times you have to climb sideways and somewhat on your fours lest you fall and crack a few bones. This must be some sadist architect’s idea of making you look humble before the gods…
The most visited temple is Angkor Wat, the largest religious building in the world. It is located 3.7 miles (~6 km) from Siem Reap and the road is very scenic, through a tropical forest and along a river with monkeys strolling on its banks. Or so I thought…it turned out that the “river” was nothing more than the moat of the temple and with a width of 620 feet (190m), it is wider than many a river. That’s when I started to realize how grandiose Angkor Wat is: including the moat, it measures 0.9 by 0.8 miles (~1.5 by 1.3 km), doing justice to its name that translates as “City Temple”. But size is only one aspect of Angkor Wat. There are numerous galleries in the temple, and what really makes your jaw drop is that there’s barely one inch of stone without a carving or bas-relief. They depict epic scenes and mythical creatures, and are absolutely stunning. The scale of the whole complex is simply mind-boggling and Angkor Wat is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary places I’ve ever visited.
But don’t think that the wonders stop at Angkor Wat. Other must-see sites include:
· The Bayon, the most intriguing place I’ve seen, with each of its 54 towers holding 2 to 4 smiling faces for a total of over 200. No matter where you stand, there’s always an enigmatic face with a teasing smile looking at you in a sort of Big Brother effect that is nonetheless charming.
· Ta Prohm, which I call The Temple That The Jungle Swallowed. It is an impressive ruin with enormous trees growing out of crumbling stone walls in a strange symbiotic embrace.
· Banteay Srey, a miniscule temple with probably the most elaborate and well preserved Angkorian carvings. The name means “Citadel of the Women” and the theory is that it was built by women because the carvings are too fine for the hand of a man.
Unfortunately, Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Ta Prohm and Banteay Srey are very popular and usually very crowded so contemplation is almost impossible. To find tranquility, head for one of the lesser known temples, such as Ta Som or Preah Khan where there are less tourists and you can just sit on a piece of stone, take in the silence and imagine what the place must have been like at its zenith. It’s soothing – just you and the temple…and the countless bugs, but, hey, they’re also part of the experience…
After 3 days of stone-temple-cruising, my feet were ready to fall off, so I took it easy the fourth day and headed to the floating village of Chong Kneas at Tonle Sap Lake. I thought it was going to be a cluster of stilt houses on the banks of the lake, but it turned out that this was really a floating village, with houses, school, supermarket, church and crocodile farm (!) all floating in the middle of the lake. The place is so unique that it’s become very popular – back on land, there was a gigantic tour bus traffic jam and I almost couldn’t get out of there. On the way back from the lake, my husband and I stopped at some rice fields, and since locals barely see any tourists there, we were as much a novelty to them as they were to us. A few looked at us suspiciously, but the vast majority was very friendly, approaching us to check out our gadgets. Kids were especially very curious and their faces would light up in a smile when we just said sua s’dei (hello) in broken Khmer.
Next we headed to Phnom Penh, the country’s capital at the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers. Phnom Penh feels like two very different worlds: during the day people bike and play soccer/racquet games on the quay while at night people lay cardboards on the sidewalks to sleep. I spent only one day there, and the place that made a strong impression was the Tuol Sleng Museum, also known as the Genocide Museum. Tuol Sleng was originally a high school, but when the Khmer Rouge took control of the country, it was turned into a detention center called S21. Suffice it to say that of the 14,000 detainees that went through S21, only 12 survived. All detainees were photographed (a few were toddlers, other had clearly been tortured), and the photos gave me a lump in the throat. It is a very somber experience, but it makes you begin to understand what Cambodians have been through over the past 30 years.
So that was Cambodia for me – a trip from the glory of the Angkor era to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge to the pervasive poverty today. It was my most surprising trip: I arrived thinking I’d see a gloomy poor place with people harassing me to death but instead I found a poor place with friendly open people and minimal harassment and I feel privileged to having been able to see the country coming back to life. I may not know for sure why I went in the first place, but I know why I’ll go back.
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