Entertained and enthused in Eastern Europe Part 1

 Go East Young Man

 

My view for many hours - note the cool etched glass insignia. 

 

The opportunity to "Go East" comes as a result of my recent retirement rendering the "young man" part of the phrase far from accurate. And speaking of accuracy, my sense has always been that I viewed and learned about world history primarily through a Western European lens. Truth be told  - I missed much (if not all) of what my history teachers shared due to the far more important task of chasing girls and smoking pot. Hence this trip to the Balkans. In previous posts I've shard my thoughts on Middle East travel and African travel. And having explored Western Europe previously - this seemed to me to be a missing link.

 A few observations along the way and standouts from the first 6 countries I had the pleasure of visiting. 

 

Bulgaria/ Sofia

 

Arriving in Sofia Bulgari from Istanbul, I more or less fell from the train rather than alighting in a sporty and enthusiastic manner. I went 31 hours without eating in a sleeping berth all by my lonesome. I may have miscalculated a bit on preparing. PS - why would there not be food on a train - grrrr!

My understanding is that both Romanian (according to a violinist I met from Transylvania) and Bulgarians continue to strive to make improvements in their relative economies. Abandoned Communist era equipment was notable as the train crept (with more stops than a Black Labrador on an evening walk) across grain and and sunflower covered fields. 

 As train stations often are - graffiti was the decorating choice of the locals while hard looking fellows smoked conspiratorially in dark corners. Women with a bit more makeup than necessary plied there trade as guests arrived. All in all not a pleasant scene for this Enthused traveler. 

The local park improved my "sense" of the city but I made the choice to move on after just a day in Sofia. Catching the bus the next day, I noted that "surly" would be 4 step attitude improvement of the cigarette puffing bus driver and ticketing agent.  

Serbia/Belgrade

 On to Belgrade and a marked improvement in vibe and views. The Carpathian basin is framed by mountains naturally cradle this and some of the surrounding countries. Below are a couple shots from a museum (a painting I loved) and Church. A close relative (I won't say whom but it wasn't my Dada) once remarked about the ABC's of Europe ... meaning another bloody church! Too true and while delighting in the visual extravaganza of Churches, one can wonder about the sheer number of faith based buildings along the way.

 

In once more referencing my recent retirement from the work force, I am asking myself if I'm not getting a bit "long in the tooth" for Hostels and dinners of sausage, cheese, bread and wine. To illustrate that point more clearly - when booking - one has to now review the "house rules" which are beginning to include 45 year old age limits. That caught me off guard and hurt my feelings a bit. Worse!!! There is no seniors discount. 😉

 

  

 

I have to say - though - that hostels continue to be a wonderful way to meet people and share ideas.Time and again I shared my stories and listened to theirs often late into the night. It's a great way to learn about how people feel about the world they are exploring.

However - the communal and trusting nature of hostels is under threat. At one hostel (Vienna) - and on a single day, 2 backpacks and a laptop were taken. That evening I met a really unhappy woman who's food was stolen from the community fridge. A disturbing trend indeed! Some bastard took my food on two occasions. I did however put a hex on them  - and I'm sure Karma will ensure that it all gets sorted out. 👍 

 My overall view of Belgrade would be that is a must see. Safe efficient and best of all - there is no charge for transportation services in the country. 

 

 Hungary/ Budapest

 

My thanks to the Kenya running club who as a pity gesture invited me to join them to run the Budapest Half Marathon. I told my friend John about it and he quickly booked a spot in the race and flew over from Edinburgh. All the Kenyans and particularly John left me in the dust on that day - but i did cross the finish line eventually and enjoyed the sights and sites up and down the Danube. We were joined by 6000 other maniacs who made the questionable life choice to get out of bed at 6am on a Sunday and punish themselves for a couple hours. I'm delighted to have been one of those maniacal sporty buggers.

 

 

Now about Budapest. Come for the Goulash & Langos  - stay for the tremendous sights and vibe. 

It's expensive but you do get what you pay for. Transportation, technology and  a wonderful sense of vitality. I thought it would be cheap - my mistake. My head was in the sand about Eastern Europe and the transition from a failed economic model that abandoned central economic demand/ supply planning. I recall the Berlin wall coming down and it doesn't seem that long ago to me. The days of too much money chasing too few goods are over.

There is an air of enthusiasm and optimism thicker than my Mom's Pea soup. It is a must visit in my view - with many of my hostel mates saying it's their favorite city in all of Europe! What? how about London! Paris - my goodness - the world is a  changing place. I need to get out more. 😕

Poland/ Krakow

 

 

 

I just didn't see myself falling in love with Krakow but like a Mike Tyson upper cut it came out of nowhere leaving me shocked and surprised. It's the design of this city that  Centrally - is one of the largest squares (if not the largest) in Europe. Surrounding that in a sort of egg shape, is a thick manicured park dotted with universities, fountains and park benches. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Czech Republic/ Prague

 

Austria/ Vienna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading ... .Layno in Eastern Europe!!!