Ok, so I know I'm very behind on my blog. I have a few posts lined up to finish, but I don't think I'll have time in the next while to get them all done. I'm finishing work and leaving for Croatia and Greece this wednesday. I'm travelling for a month, and then back in Calgary on June 29. Sometime after that I'll try and catch up completely.
Here's a partial list of what you can look forward too
Scotland - done!
Istanbul - done!
Belgium - done!
Lausanne/Geneva - done!
Ponte Brolla - done!
Cinque Terre
************************************
Also, one quick update:
White Trash Party updated link to fireworks video
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Cinque Terre
This post is long overdue, but I am finally armed with all the time, pics and enthusiasm necessary to write it! However, I am not armed with a memory awesome enough to remember all the details, so I will just try my best.
Cinque Terre! It was the first trip for many of the new praktikants, and Adrienn and I were eager to teach them the tricks of the trade. One of these included how to underbook accomidation, thus becoming cheaper for everyone! Of course, that means that there has to be a bunch of bed sharing...but who doesn't love spooning! Haha....
Adrienn, Sean, Tammy and I arrived on wednesday evening as the first wave. We got settled into our tiny 2-person room (4 people sharing 2 single beds....eep!) and went out for the first of many awesome dinners. Later on that evening Evan and his mom arrived... by sheer coincidence they were staying in the same place as us, but on the other side where the higher class rooms were. Aka, they each got their own bed, haha.
On Thursday the 5 of us went on a hike in the higher ground away from the coast. We were in forest most of the time, but occasionly got a nice glimps of the water. It was a farily strenuous hike that took most of the day. The final stretch was trekking down some ruggard ground that got pretty sketchy at times. We made it though, and took the train back to Monterosso. The only fiasco was the mint slush I decided to try....ew.
View looking back towards Monterosso
I think we're trying to end up down there...
Taking a snack break: Evan's mom, Evan, Adrienn, Sean and Tammy
"Are you sure this is a path?" (It was)
Adrienn, me and Evan (and two random people) relax at the end of the hike
I guess I should explain a but about Cinque Terre. It is a stretch of 5 towns (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) along the northish west coast of Italy. We were staying in Monterosso, the northern most town (and one of the larger ones). It is a great region for hiking, beaching, awesome eating and gelato! Also, there was a lemon festival the weekend before, so there was plenty of awesome lemons around (lemon gelato....mmmm!)
Thursday evening the rest of the praktikant clan arrived at the train station where Adrienn and I met them. The group consisted of: Brandon, Paul, Mike, Andy, Paul, Darren, Taryn, Brian Cox, Krispen, Brian Boldt and Louise. We escourted them back to the apartment and checked them in (a tricky manuver since a bunch of people had to hide while the management was showing us the room, haha). They got a pretty sweet full apartment with a kitchen and everything. By the end of the weekend it was basically a beach...complete with sand and water that leaked from the sink, hehe.
The apartment.... near the end of the weekend I think
We searched around for a place to eat where the was room for all of us (memories of Prague came flooding back...), and eventually found somewhere good by the water. I got pesto gnocci, yum! Apparently pesto comes from that region, so I made the right call :)
We met up with Evan, bought some wine and hit the beach for some serious chillaxing. This was basically our activity every night in Cinque Terre, it was fun just talking and joking around. We also got some jackpot frisbee going a few times, that was a bit of an adventure.
Louise, me, Brandon, Adrienn, Darren and Mike having some wine on the beach
Evan, Andy and Brian Cox enjoying the beach at night
Friday was the day for the big group hike through all 5 towns. This is the most popular hike in Cinque Terre, and varies in difficulty. We set out in a big group, and even managed to stay together most of the time. At least there is only one path, so worst case we could meet up when we reached each town. It was a beautiful walk, and we stopped for gelato, snacks and swimming along the way in all the towns :)
Excited about sun protection
Dramatic cliffs... check out that beautiful water
One last view of Monterosso before we set forwards
"Look at THAT!"
Me, Krispen, Brandon, Brian Boldt on the hike
Walking past some terraces
A lemon tree!
Darren, Adrienn and I rock a bridge
Lathering on some more sunscreen, haha
Me lovin the awesome view
Adrienn and me, with the town of Vernazza in the background
Stopped for some beaching in Vernazza
Darren, on the way to Corniglia, which is high up from the water
Pat, Krispen, Mike, Adrienn, Evan, Darren and Brian Cox waiting for the group at Corniglia
Group pic in Corniglia (blurry, too bad)
Brandon, Mike, Andy, Brian Boldt, Evan
Adrienn, me, Louise
Mmmmmm, I love gelato!
Manarola! So cool looking
Scandelous picture from above post-swimming
Walking back from swimming in Manarola
The home stretch to Riomaggiore
Brandon capturing the view
Searching for a reasturant in Riomaggiore
We ended in Riomaggorie and had another amazing dinner. Then we took the train back, cleaned up, grabbed some wine and hit the beach for some more fun times (hmm, this sounds familiar). After awhile it got chilly, so we went back the big apartment and hung out there.
Adrienn, Krispin, Darren, me, Mike and Paul enjoying dinner in Riomaggiore
Brian Cox, Pat, Louise, Brian Boldt and Taryn at dinner
Darren devouring some calamari...look at it's tentacles!
Krispin, Brandon and Mike waiting for the train home
Saturday some of the more ambitious people went on a day trip to Pisa. The rest of us lazy bums hit the beach for a day of relaxing in the sun. It was nice to have a chill day to check out the town a bit more, and get my daily foccacia, pizza and gelato fix, mmmmmm!
The lovely beach in Monterosso
That night we went out to dinner at a place reccomended by Evan and his mom. Some of us (myself included) just got standard yummy meals, but a couple tables went for the seafood feast. Basically, they bring out this big urn and upend it into a giant dish that has been placed on the table. Mussles, squid and various other sea creatures some splashing out. The waiter gives the urn a bit of a shake, and an entire octupus slides out next, as though it had been born from this clay pot. Everyone is amazed, but it seems it's not over....it sounds like something is stuck in side. The waiter uses his pro waiter skillz and gives the urn a violent shake and out comes the remaining dinner item, a whole lobster. I watched this in amazement from one table over, just happy that I don't have to partake in the devouring of the dish of creatures (I am not quite that ambitious yet) . The seafood feast is designed for 2 people, but two groups of 3 found it was quite enough food for them.
Paul, Darren and Adrienn about to chow down on some sea creatures
Brian Boldt, Louise and Mike prepare to tackle their freakish dinner
After the giant meal there was only one thing to to....get wine and go to the beach! We sat there for awhile, and then decided to walk up the big hill dividing different parts of the town. There is a big graveyard at the top, which was pretty creepy. What's even cooler though, is that on the walk up you are surrounded by lightning bugs! Honestly, it was one of the coolest parts of the weekend for me...having little points of light floating by in the darkness (as long as they don't land on me!). We were high enough up that we could only hear faint noises from the town below, that was all illuminated in light, pretty cool atmosphere.
Beach party!
Monterosso down below
Oh ya, that night was also Andy's birthday, so we presented him with a gift of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (he loves the stuff).
Happy birthday Andy!
The next day we had a few hours to kill before our train ride home. It was filled with some final gelato, picture taking, souviner buying. And of course a game of human chess on the giant board near the water. We all also each bought a pizza for the train ride....haha.
Adrienn and her lemon
For me and a few others, the 8 hour train ride was mostly filled with card game after card game. I taught a bunch of them how to play kaiser and got a nice fix that I had been missing in my life, haha.
And that was the trip! It was cool to get a chance to hang out with some of the new praktikants, and their first-trip excitement was totally contagious. I was also happy to have a chance to enjoy all the things I love about Italy (mainly, the food) one last time. AND, Adrienn and I got a nice base tan for Croatia/Greece!
Cinque Terre! It was the first trip for many of the new praktikants, and Adrienn and I were eager to teach them the tricks of the trade. One of these included how to underbook accomidation, thus becoming cheaper for everyone! Of course, that means that there has to be a bunch of bed sharing...but who doesn't love spooning! Haha....
Adrienn, Sean, Tammy and I arrived on wednesday evening as the first wave. We got settled into our tiny 2-person room (4 people sharing 2 single beds....eep!) and went out for the first of many awesome dinners. Later on that evening Evan and his mom arrived... by sheer coincidence they were staying in the same place as us, but on the other side where the higher class rooms were. Aka, they each got their own bed, haha.
On Thursday the 5 of us went on a hike in the higher ground away from the coast. We were in forest most of the time, but occasionly got a nice glimps of the water. It was a farily strenuous hike that took most of the day. The final stretch was trekking down some ruggard ground that got pretty sketchy at times. We made it though, and took the train back to Monterosso. The only fiasco was the mint slush I decided to try....ew.
View looking back towards Monterosso
I think we're trying to end up down there...
Taking a snack break: Evan's mom, Evan, Adrienn, Sean and Tammy
"Are you sure this is a path?" (It was)
Adrienn, me and Evan (and two random people) relax at the end of the hike
I guess I should explain a but about Cinque Terre. It is a stretch of 5 towns (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) along the northish west coast of Italy. We were staying in Monterosso, the northern most town (and one of the larger ones). It is a great region for hiking, beaching, awesome eating and gelato! Also, there was a lemon festival the weekend before, so there was plenty of awesome lemons around (lemon gelato....mmmm!)
Thursday evening the rest of the praktikant clan arrived at the train station where Adrienn and I met them. The group consisted of: Brandon, Paul, Mike, Andy, Paul, Darren, Taryn, Brian Cox, Krispen, Brian Boldt and Louise. We escourted them back to the apartment and checked them in (a tricky manuver since a bunch of people had to hide while the management was showing us the room, haha). They got a pretty sweet full apartment with a kitchen and everything. By the end of the weekend it was basically a beach...complete with sand and water that leaked from the sink, hehe.
The apartment.... near the end of the weekend I think
We searched around for a place to eat where the was room for all of us (memories of Prague came flooding back...), and eventually found somewhere good by the water. I got pesto gnocci, yum! Apparently pesto comes from that region, so I made the right call :)
We met up with Evan, bought some wine and hit the beach for some serious chillaxing. This was basically our activity every night in Cinque Terre, it was fun just talking and joking around. We also got some jackpot frisbee going a few times, that was a bit of an adventure.
Louise, me, Brandon, Adrienn, Darren and Mike having some wine on the beach
Evan, Andy and Brian Cox enjoying the beach at night
Friday was the day for the big group hike through all 5 towns. This is the most popular hike in Cinque Terre, and varies in difficulty. We set out in a big group, and even managed to stay together most of the time. At least there is only one path, so worst case we could meet up when we reached each town. It was a beautiful walk, and we stopped for gelato, snacks and swimming along the way in all the towns :)
Excited about sun protection
Dramatic cliffs... check out that beautiful water
One last view of Monterosso before we set forwards
"Look at THAT!"
Me, Krispen, Brandon, Brian Boldt on the hike
Walking past some terraces
A lemon tree!
Darren, Adrienn and I rock a bridge
Lathering on some more sunscreen, haha
Me lovin the awesome view
Adrienn and me, with the town of Vernazza in the background
Stopped for some beaching in Vernazza
Darren, on the way to Corniglia, which is high up from the water
Pat, Krispen, Mike, Adrienn, Evan, Darren and Brian Cox waiting for the group at Corniglia
Group pic in Corniglia (blurry, too bad)
Brandon, Mike, Andy, Brian Boldt, Evan
Adrienn, me, Louise
Mmmmmm, I love gelato!
Manarola! So cool looking
Scandelous picture from above post-swimming
Walking back from swimming in Manarola
The home stretch to Riomaggiore
Brandon capturing the view
Searching for a reasturant in Riomaggiore
We ended in Riomaggorie and had another amazing dinner. Then we took the train back, cleaned up, grabbed some wine and hit the beach for some more fun times (hmm, this sounds familiar). After awhile it got chilly, so we went back the big apartment and hung out there.
Adrienn, Krispin, Darren, me, Mike and Paul enjoying dinner in Riomaggiore
Brian Cox, Pat, Louise, Brian Boldt and Taryn at dinner
Darren devouring some calamari...look at it's tentacles!
Krispin, Brandon and Mike waiting for the train home
Saturday some of the more ambitious people went on a day trip to Pisa. The rest of us lazy bums hit the beach for a day of relaxing in the sun. It was nice to have a chill day to check out the town a bit more, and get my daily foccacia, pizza and gelato fix, mmmmmm!
The lovely beach in Monterosso
That night we went out to dinner at a place reccomended by Evan and his mom. Some of us (myself included) just got standard yummy meals, but a couple tables went for the seafood feast. Basically, they bring out this big urn and upend it into a giant dish that has been placed on the table. Mussles, squid and various other sea creatures some splashing out. The waiter gives the urn a bit of a shake, and an entire octupus slides out next, as though it had been born from this clay pot. Everyone is amazed, but it seems it's not over....it sounds like something is stuck in side. The waiter uses his pro waiter skillz and gives the urn a violent shake and out comes the remaining dinner item, a whole lobster. I watched this in amazement from one table over, just happy that I don't have to partake in the devouring of the dish of creatures (I am not quite that ambitious yet) . The seafood feast is designed for 2 people, but two groups of 3 found it was quite enough food for them.
Paul, Darren and Adrienn about to chow down on some sea creatures
Brian Boldt, Louise and Mike prepare to tackle their freakish dinner
After the giant meal there was only one thing to to....get wine and go to the beach! We sat there for awhile, and then decided to walk up the big hill dividing different parts of the town. There is a big graveyard at the top, which was pretty creepy. What's even cooler though, is that on the walk up you are surrounded by lightning bugs! Honestly, it was one of the coolest parts of the weekend for me...having little points of light floating by in the darkness (as long as they don't land on me!). We were high enough up that we could only hear faint noises from the town below, that was all illuminated in light, pretty cool atmosphere.
Beach party!
Monterosso down below
Oh ya, that night was also Andy's birthday, so we presented him with a gift of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (he loves the stuff).
Happy birthday Andy!
The next day we had a few hours to kill before our train ride home. It was filled with some final gelato, picture taking, souviner buying. And of course a game of human chess on the giant board near the water. We all also each bought a pizza for the train ride....haha.
Adrienn and her lemon
For me and a few others, the 8 hour train ride was mostly filled with card game after card game. I taught a bunch of them how to play kaiser and got a nice fix that I had been missing in my life, haha.
And that was the trip! It was cool to get a chance to hang out with some of the new praktikants, and their first-trip excitement was totally contagious. I was also happy to have a chance to enjoy all the things I love about Italy (mainly, the food) one last time. AND, Adrienn and I got a nice base tan for Croatia/Greece!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Ponte Brolla
On Saturday a group of us went to Ponte Brolla (near Locarno, in the Italian region of Switzerland) to swim and cliff jump (guess which one of the two I was doing, haha). We all took the train down early in the morning and then spent the afternoon walking over rocks near the river and swimming. The water was freeeeezing... I didn't spend that much time in the water. Unfortunatly the weather wasn't great either, so only a few people ended up swimming.
Ponte Brolla
Vance, after a mud fiasco
Me rocking out on the rocks (oh ya...)
Our group clambers down the rocks
Checking out the area a bit
Tiger face that has been painted into the rocks
The main highlight of the trip was watching some guys that we didn't know dive off the cliffs into the river. They were doing flips and twists of cliffs as high as 19m, it was nuts! We found out later that they were professional divers though. One guy showed Shane and Devon how to climb up to the 12m cliff, and they jumped off that. They were contenplating the 19m, but after some scary stories involving water in not-so-nice places decided against it.
Shane and Devon getting ready to huck the 10m (easy stuff)
Other dudes diving off the 19m as we watch in awe below
It started to rain, so most of us went back to Locarno. Adrienn, Louise and I walked around and had gelato and I bought a swiss army knife (finally!) and some other souvineers. After a near train-meeting-time fiasco, we all took the train back home. The only casualty that day was Mike's camera, which got lost on a train. I feel your pain Mike, I feel your pain... I don't know if I have mentioned this already, but my camera (yup, the one I bought in Jan!) got lost during a night in Zurich a few weeks ago. I'm making-do with sharing pics with other people for now, since I seem to be having bad luck with them I probably won't buy another for the rest of the year.
Me and Louise having some gelato
Lake Locarno
Ponte Brolla
Vance, after a mud fiasco
Me rocking out on the rocks (oh ya...)
Our group clambers down the rocks
Checking out the area a bit
Tiger face that has been painted into the rocks
The main highlight of the trip was watching some guys that we didn't know dive off the cliffs into the river. They were doing flips and twists of cliffs as high as 19m, it was nuts! We found out later that they were professional divers though. One guy showed Shane and Devon how to climb up to the 12m cliff, and they jumped off that. They were contenplating the 19m, but after some scary stories involving water in not-so-nice places decided against it.
Shane and Devon getting ready to huck the 10m (easy stuff)
Other dudes diving off the 19m as we watch in awe below
It started to rain, so most of us went back to Locarno. Adrienn, Louise and I walked around and had gelato and I bought a swiss army knife (finally!) and some other souvineers. After a near train-meeting-time fiasco, we all took the train back home. The only casualty that day was Mike's camera, which got lost on a train. I feel your pain Mike, I feel your pain... I don't know if I have mentioned this already, but my camera (yup, the one I bought in Jan!) got lost during a night in Zurich a few weeks ago. I'm making-do with sharing pics with other people for now, since I seem to be having bad luck with them I probably won't buy another for the rest of the year.
Me and Louise having some gelato
Lake Locarno
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