From Deiva Marina we travelled south by train to Florence with a quick stop in the town of Pisa. Famous for it's leaning tower and not much else, this one-trick-pony town provides not much more than one hour of interest to the average tourist. Having been there before, this was one hour too long for me, but we stayed long enough for Sam and Cade to get token photos holding up the tower and continued on our way.
Our first day in Florence entailed wandering the streets of the old town to see the famous Cathedral and Duomo, browsing the nearby markets and walking the banks of the river. One of the more interesting sights of the day was the line to see Michaelangelos David which stretched half way around the Piazza. Needless to say we gave it a miss - 3-hour line in Florences midday heat isn't fun.
In a search for a more typical Tuscan experience, our second day consisted of a two part day trip to the nearby countryside.
First stop was the town of Sienna, probably more famous for the opening scene of James Bond's 'Quantum of Solace' in the Plaza de Campo. Daniel Craig was nowhere to be seen, but they were setting up for the annual horse race the following week.
Next we ventured 1.5 hours north to the small town of San Gimignano - a walled Tuscan city with amazing views of the adjacent countryside. It took a while but our final roll of the dice yielded the Tuscan experience we were looking for. In true Italian style we finished the day with lasagne on the town steps.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Cinque Terre, Italy
- Three trains later and we lande in our fourth country in three days - Italy! We were working our way down the west coast via the Cinque Terre region which was extremely popular with Europeans during July and August. Due to this popularity, we had to stay at a campsite in Deiva Marina - a 20 minute train from the five towns.
- We arrived late on the first day but managed to plan verything for our day trip the following morning. As it turns out the day trip was only a half-day trip which gave us he opportunity to check out the Deiva Marina beach in the afternoon.
- We took a train from Deiva Marina down to Riomaggio (sic?), and then took the ferry north to each of the towns back to Deiva Marina. The towns all had a very quintessential 'Italian vibe' (if there is such a thing) and the myriad of paint colours on the buildings against the sea was quite a sight. Although each town was different in it's own right, each essentially operated in the same capacity - a main street with small pizzerias, jewlery stores etc and a lookout vantage point looking over the town back towards the sea.
- We arrived late on the first day but managed to plan verything for our day trip the following morning. As it turns out the day trip was only a half-day trip which gave us he opportunity to check out the Deiva Marina beach in the afternoon.
- We took a train from Deiva Marina down to Riomaggio (sic?), and then took the ferry north to each of the towns back to Deiva Marina. The towns all had a very quintessential 'Italian vibe' (if there is such a thing) and the myriad of paint colours on the buildings against the sea was quite a sight. Although each town was different in it's own right, each essentially operated in the same capacity - a main street with small pizzerias, jewlery stores etc and a lookout vantage point looking over the town back towards the sea.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Nice, France
- Despite departing 2-hours late, our bus to Nice arrived on time due to the drivers only taking 1 break for the duration. Make no mistake - this bus ride was terrible. We all felt like we were about to die upon arrival.
- After some food, we made the executive decision to get the train over to Monaco - home of the rich, famous and other people that can afford a €1-million application fee. Nice cars and generally over-the-top was the order of the day, especially up near the Grand Casino. Before departing back to Nice, we took a quick walk around Formula 1's most famous street circuit.
- After a sleep in the next morning, we ventured into the old town to see what was on offer, and then onto Nice's famous pebbled beach.
- That evening we walked along the water front promenade and saw all the acts for the nights 'Prom Party' warming up, including a rather peculiar banana race.
- After some food, we made the executive decision to get the train over to Monaco - home of the rich, famous and other people that can afford a €1-million application fee. Nice cars and generally over-the-top was the order of the day, especially up near the Grand Casino. Before departing back to Nice, we took a quick walk around Formula 1's most famous street circuit.
- After a sleep in the next morning, we ventured into the old town to see what was on offer, and then onto Nice's famous pebbled beach.
- That evening we walked along the water front promenade and saw all the acts for the nights 'Prom Party' warming up, including a rather peculiar banana race.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Barcelona, Spain
- The 8-hour ferry from Ibiza was suprisingly easy-going as we arrived in Barcelona in the early evening. We had to tread water for a few days with regards to sight seeing as we waited for Sam to arrive in a few days. After the week in Ibiza, we retired early on the first night.
- Before Sam arrived Cade and I decided to squeeze in a visit to the Camp Nou football stadium - the home of Spanish football, and home to the legendary FC Barcelona. We could have been excused for thinking it was a game day - queues around the corner for the tour ticket office and the merchandise store, as well as car park chaos. €20 seemed a bit steep so we opted to give the tour a miss.
- After Sam arrived, we ended up with two full days to see what Barcelona had to offer. Having been there before I was at a bit of an advantage as to what was, and what wasn't worth seeing. We teamed up with Evan and Roz and set off tothe Fort Montjuic, along the waterfront to Port Olympic, up to the Sagrada Familia, and finally Parc Guell. We ended the evening with a stroll up La Rambla to take in the atmosphere of Barcelona during it's peak season.
- The next day we had the opportunity to buy some souvineers and do a walking tour of the gothic region before our overnight bus to Nice.
- Somehow we managed to squeeze most of the touristy stuff, although not thoroughly, into the two full days. Hard work under the Spanish summer sun.
- Before Sam arrived Cade and I decided to squeeze in a visit to the Camp Nou football stadium - the home of Spanish football, and home to the legendary FC Barcelona. We could have been excused for thinking it was a game day - queues around the corner for the tour ticket office and the merchandise store, as well as car park chaos. €20 seemed a bit steep so we opted to give the tour a miss.
- After Sam arrived, we ended up with two full days to see what Barcelona had to offer. Having been there before I was at a bit of an advantage as to what was, and what wasn't worth seeing. We teamed up with Evan and Roz and set off tothe Fort Montjuic, along the waterfront to Port Olympic, up to the Sagrada Familia, and finally Parc Guell. We ended the evening with a stroll up La Rambla to take in the atmosphere of Barcelona during it's peak season.
- The next day we had the opportunity to buy some souvineers and do a walking tour of the gothic region before our overnight bus to Nice.
- Somehow we managed to squeeze most of the touristy stuff, although not thoroughly, into the two full days. Hard work under the Spanish summer sun.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ibiza, Spain
- The undeniable king of party islands and living costs to match! Theres no Coca-Cola or McDonalds billboards here - just advertisements for the various club nigts on offer every night. This was my second time to the island and it didn't disappoint - it makes the competition (eg Mykonos, Greece) look amateur.
- Despite the plethora of club nights on offer, on any given night there is usually one or two that stand out. It was mostly these we were after. The itinerary for the week was jam packed with headliners:
Sunday: We Love @ Space - Jeff Mills, Derick May, Steve Lawler, plus about 20 others.
Monday: Cocoon @ Amnesia - Adam Beyer, Marco Corola, Richie Hawtin and Josh Wink.
Tuesday: Carl Cox @ Space - Carl Cox, Monica Kruse, Nic Fancuilli, Jon Rundell, plus some others. It was actually Carl Cox's bday which made for a pretty epic evening.
Wednesday: Decided to give it a miss. The best on offer was probably Erick Morillo @ Pacha which makes it hard to justify the cost.
Thursday: Cream @ Amnesia - Paul van Dyk, Eddie Halliwell and Filo & Peri, with John Dahlback in the Terrace.
Friday: Guestlist for Wonderland @ Eden was organised, but the financial damage of the aforementioned nights, in combination with an early morning ferry lead us to conclude it was best not to go.
- In between all this, our time was spst lazing around the beach. Our prime position in Playa d'en Bosa meant Bora Bora was only a stones throw away which made it easy to lounge the afternoon away.
- Before Cream on Thursday evening, we ventured over to San Antonio to check out the sunset strip which was well worth the effort.
- Despite the plethora of club nights on offer, on any given night there is usually one or two that stand out. It was mostly these we were after. The itinerary for the week was jam packed with headliners:
Sunday: We Love @ Space - Jeff Mills, Derick May, Steve Lawler, plus about 20 others.
Monday: Cocoon @ Amnesia - Adam Beyer, Marco Corola, Richie Hawtin and Josh Wink.
Tuesday: Carl Cox @ Space - Carl Cox, Monica Kruse, Nic Fancuilli, Jon Rundell, plus some others. It was actually Carl Cox's bday which made for a pretty epic evening.
Wednesday: Decided to give it a miss. The best on offer was probably Erick Morillo @ Pacha which makes it hard to justify the cost.
Thursday: Cream @ Amnesia - Paul van Dyk, Eddie Halliwell and Filo & Peri, with John Dahlback in the Terrace.
Friday: Guestlist for Wonderland @ Eden was organised, but the financial damage of the aforementioned nights, in combination with an early morning ferry lead us to conclude it was best not to go.
- In between all this, our time was spst lazing around the beach. Our prime position in Playa d'en Bosa meant Bora Bora was only a stones throw away which made it easy to lounge the afternoon away.
- Before Cream on Thursday evening, we ventured over to San Antonio to check out the sunset strip which was well worth the effort.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Valencia, Spain
- Another comfortable overnight bus and we landed in Valencia. It had big shoes to fill after Seville but we had heard good things. Unfortunately our hostel selection was poor - a bus-about hostel full of clueless 18-19yo bogan gap-year Australians. Awesome!
- First cab off the rank - Valencia's Formula 1 street circuit. The site where many flying laps had been completed, Michael Schumacher had cheated his way to many-a victory, and where local lad Mark Webber did a full speed backflip downthere back straight just a week earlier. It crossed our mind to hire a car/scooter/segway but the famous swing-bridge was open which quickly ended that though process.
- As has become customary, we did the free walking tour on the first day (well, evening) to get our bearings. Much of the history was a repeat of what we heard in Seville, but it confirmed a few attractions for us, and also provided a few more for us to follow up.
- The next day composed mostly of checking out the local beaches. Adventurous? Not really - but it was the first decent beach I'd seen since Miami.
- Back on track the next morning, we ventured through the old town to check out some of the sites we saw on the walking tour - city gates, brasilica, the many plazas throughout the city, and the riverbed turned submerged parkland.
- Our final day consisted of a quick trip to the beach, with a stop off past the arts and science park located in the former river bed. This was probably my favourite aspect of Valencia and it had nothing to do with it's history - one o the best examples of contemporary architecture I've seen.
Next stop: Madrid, but only to get a flight to the party mecca - IBIZA!
- First cab off the rank - Valencia's Formula 1 street circuit. The site where many flying laps had been completed, Michael Schumacher had cheated his way to many-a victory, and where local lad Mark Webber did a full speed backflip downthere back straight just a week earlier. It crossed our mind to hire a car/scooter/segway but the famous swing-bridge was open which quickly ended that though process.
- As has become customary, we did the free walking tour on the first day (well, evening) to get our bearings. Much of the history was a repeat of what we heard in Seville, but it confirmed a few attractions for us, and also provided a few more for us to follow up.
- The next day composed mostly of checking out the local beaches. Adventurous? Not really - but it was the first decent beach I'd seen since Miami.
- Back on track the next morning, we ventured through the old town to check out some of the sites we saw on the walking tour - city gates, brasilica, the many plazas throughout the city, and the riverbed turned submerged parkland.
- Our final day consisted of a quick trip to the beach, with a stop off past the arts and science park located in the former river bed. This was probably my favourite aspect of Valencia and it had nothing to do with it's history - one o the best examples of contemporary architecture I've seen.
Next stop: Madrid, but only to get a flight to the party mecca - IBIZA!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Seville, Spain
- An overnight bus and 1-hour time difference landed us in the Seville bus station at 5am. After getting lost for an hour we had a 7 hour wait till checkin.
- As our first night happened to be a Saturday, we felt obliged to partake in the hostel pub crawl. Good crew, cheap drinks and a bit of rowdiness confirmed a good evening.
- After a bit of a sleep in the next day, we went on the free 2-hour walking tour which gave us a good overview of the cities attractions and historical significance. The 46-degree heat certainly made it hard work!
- Armed with our new understanding of the city, we set off to the Torre XX for. Tour of the bullfighting ring and museum. Unfortunately the summer heat renders bullfighting cancelled, but the tour of what is one of Spains most historic bullfighting rings gave us a good appreciation of the sports prestige.
- Next up we trekked over tothe Real Alcazar. We spent a good 2-3 hours walking through the various rooms, courtyards and gardens, all decorated with elaborate detailing. A must-see if you ever go to Seville.
- On our final day we went to the Seville Cathedral - Europes third largest. Interestingly, the Cathedral was the closest attraction to our hostel and one of the last thing we did. The inside was excessive, massive cielings and over-the-top alters. A climb to the top of the tower cofirmes to us that Seville is definitely viewed from ground level.
- Our final stop was the Plaza d'España - a massive arced building encompassing a yet-to-be constructed river/fountain. The construction took away from it a bit but the overall presentation can only be described as epic.
- As our first night happened to be a Saturday, we felt obliged to partake in the hostel pub crawl. Good crew, cheap drinks and a bit of rowdiness confirmed a good evening.
- After a bit of a sleep in the next day, we went on the free 2-hour walking tour which gave us a good overview of the cities attractions and historical significance. The 46-degree heat certainly made it hard work!
- Armed with our new understanding of the city, we set off to the Torre XX for. Tour of the bullfighting ring and museum. Unfortunately the summer heat renders bullfighting cancelled, but the tour of what is one of Spains most historic bullfighting rings gave us a good appreciation of the sports prestige.
- Next up we trekked over tothe Real Alcazar. We spent a good 2-3 hours walking through the various rooms, courtyards and gardens, all decorated with elaborate detailing. A must-see if you ever go to Seville.
- On our final day we went to the Seville Cathedral - Europes third largest. Interestingly, the Cathedral was the closest attraction to our hostel and one of the last thing we did. The inside was excessive, massive cielings and over-the-top alters. A climb to the top of the tower cofirmes to us that Seville is definitely viewed from ground level.
- Our final stop was the Plaza d'España - a massive arced building encompassing a yet-to-be constructed river/fountain. The construction took away from it a bit but the overall presentation can only be described as epic.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Lisbon, Portugal
- We managed to keep our bearings and possessions between the bus station and the hostel - always good!
- First stop was the Oriente area which is essetially a fabricated docklands style tourist area. On the words of Sam we avoided the aquarium, and took the chairlift the traverses the waterfront. Good views but not mind-blowing.
- On the way back we hopped off the metro to walk through the old town area to see the many plazas and monuments, then back to Chiado.
- That evening we went on the hunt for our Portugese food experience - Portugese style chicken! Success! A whole piri-piri chicken and large serving of rice for €7.50! Such a bargain we got it again the following evening.
- On our final day we took the no.28 histrorical tram (suprisingly similar to the Santa Teresa tram of Rio de Janeiro - wonder why?) up to the top of the town to see the castle and overlook the waterfront. Great weather complemented the view. Glad we didn't walk though!
- Afterwards, we did our customary football stadium trip to the home of Benfica FC. Not exactly an impressive stadium aesthetically, but plenty on history.
- First stop was the Oriente area which is essetially a fabricated docklands style tourist area. On the words of Sam we avoided the aquarium, and took the chairlift the traverses the waterfront. Good views but not mind-blowing.
- On the way back we hopped off the metro to walk through the old town area to see the many plazas and monuments, then back to Chiado.
- That evening we went on the hunt for our Portugese food experience - Portugese style chicken! Success! A whole piri-piri chicken and large serving of rice for €7.50! Such a bargain we got it again the following evening.
- On our final day we took the no.28 histrorical tram (suprisingly similar to the Santa Teresa tram of Rio de Janeiro - wonder why?) up to the top of the town to see the castle and overlook the waterfront. Great weather complemented the view. Glad we didn't walk though!
- Afterwards, we did our customary football stadium trip to the home of Benfica FC. Not exactly an impressive stadium aesthetically, but plenty on history.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Porto, Portugal
- Our first stop for mainland Europe. 3ish hour flight with our best mate RyanAir.
- After checkin, did some quick google-ing and mapped out a DIY walkigtour tour that took us through the old town and down to the riverfront. After a quick refreshment, we headed up the hill on the lift to get a view of the centre and Cathedral.
- The next day we trekked out to FC Porto's stadium in what appeared to be a completely new area of the city. The stadium itself was very impressive, however €12 for a tour seemed excessive. In the afternoon we quickly checked out XX before we called it a day.
- After checkin, did some quick google-ing and mapped out a DIY walkigtour tour that took us through the old town and down to the riverfront. After a quick refreshment, we headed up the hill on the lift to get a view of the centre and Cathedral.
- The next day we trekked out to FC Porto's stadium in what appeared to be a completely new area of the city. The stadium itself was very impressive, however €12 for a tour seemed excessive. In the afternoon we quickly checked out XX before we called it a day.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
UK Roadtrip: Southern England
London-Brighton: walked around the waterfront and famous Brighton pier.
Brighton-Bristol: After a quick stop at Stonehenge (actually, the motorway next to Stonehenge) we headed to Bath for a few hours enroute to Bristol. Walked around the many streets of sandstone buildings and checked out the historic Roman Baths that gave the town it's name.
Oxford (day trip): Left Bristol early to head out to Oxford. Used the park and ride bus system and walked around the town during the morning. After lunch we did a guided walkingtour that took us through the history of the town and many colleges before we returned to Bristol.
Bristol-London: Made it back to te M25 but it was all over after that. Took the M23 exit and got lost somewhere around Croydon/Brixton/Camberwell. Realised we also had a crack in the windscreen. Somehow we got away with being 2 hours late, low on fuel and a cracked windscreen.
Brighton-Bristol: After a quick stop at Stonehenge (actually, the motorway next to Stonehenge) we headed to Bath for a few hours enroute to Bristol. Walked around the many streets of sandstone buildings and checked out the historic Roman Baths that gave the town it's name.
Oxford (day trip): Left Bristol early to head out to Oxford. Used the park and ride bus system and walked around the town during the morning. After lunch we did a guided walkingtour that took us through the history of the town and many colleges before we returned to Bristol.
Bristol-London: Made it back to te M25 but it was all over after that. Took the M23 exit and got lost somewhere around Croydon/Brixton/Camberwell. Realised we also had a crack in the windscreen. Somehow we got away with being 2 hours late, low on fuel and a cracked windscreen.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
UK Roadtrip: Scotland & Northern England
Road trip number two - serious kilometers in this one. Basically we did a big clockwise circle from Edinbrugh, down as low as the midlands and England, up as north as Fort William, and back again. All of this in a casual weekend.
- Edinburgh-Middlesborough: The first leg took us south, across the border with a quick stop at Hadrians Wall (what's left of it), before we set up camp for the night (not literally) just north of Middlesborough at a undiscovered gem called Stockton. Stockton is an absolute backwater and home to the worst hostel on the planet - Metro Inns Stockton.
- Middlesborough-Mancheter-Glasgow: We sadly departed Stockton at the earliest possible hour to trek south to Manchester - home of Manchester United (and Manchester City for that matter). Cade was in his element at Old Trafford. Apprently his highlight of the trip (possibly life?). From here we went north up to the picturesque Lakes District for a few hours. Being a weekend and the best weather England has ever seen, it was full of tourists. Our final leg was a dash for the border to make the following day as easy as possible. Because we were too tightass to pay for accomodation, the three of us spent a comfortable night in the VW Polo rental car.
- Glagow-Fort William: Fresh off a good nights sleep, we headed north to Fort William to see the famous Loch Ness. The weather turned bad making driving difficult but cleared momentarily for some photo opportunities. Unfortunately we didn't spot the monster - probably because it doesn't exist (I was sucked in by a Loch Ness science museum we went to).
- Fort William-Edinburgh: We woke early so Sam could get her Harry Potter fix and see some train bridge featured in one of the movies. In reality this bridge isn't as tall, long or as 'grand' as Hollywood made it look. After a brief stop over in Glasgow to bid farewells to my family, we returned the car an hour late and got flogged accordingly.
- Edinburgh-Middlesborough: The first leg took us south, across the border with a quick stop at Hadrians Wall (what's left of it), before we set up camp for the night (not literally) just north of Middlesborough at a undiscovered gem called Stockton. Stockton is an absolute backwater and home to the worst hostel on the planet - Metro Inns Stockton.
- Middlesborough-Mancheter-Glasgow: We sadly departed Stockton at the earliest possible hour to trek south to Manchester - home of Manchester United (and Manchester City for that matter). Cade was in his element at Old Trafford. Apprently his highlight of the trip (possibly life?). From here we went north up to the picturesque Lakes District for a few hours. Being a weekend and the best weather England has ever seen, it was full of tourists. Our final leg was a dash for the border to make the following day as easy as possible. Because we were too tightass to pay for accomodation, the three of us spent a comfortable night in the VW Polo rental car.
- Glagow-Fort William: Fresh off a good nights sleep, we headed north to Fort William to see the famous Loch Ness. The weather turned bad making driving difficult but cleared momentarily for some photo opportunities. Unfortunately we didn't spot the monster - probably because it doesn't exist (I was sucked in by a Loch Ness science museum we went to).
- Fort William-Edinburgh: We woke early so Sam could get her Harry Potter fix and see some train bridge featured in one of the movies. In reality this bridge isn't as tall, long or as 'grand' as Hollywood made it look. After a brief stop over in Glasgow to bid farewells to my family, we returned the car an hour late and got flogged accordingly.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Edinburgh, Scotland
- From the more industrial Glasgow, we arrived in the more royal capital of Edinburgh - for it's castle centrepiece. With minimal directions to our hostel, the bus thankfully stopped at it's front door on it's way into Edinburgh.
- First off we went on our standard walking tour tour that took us through the amazing old town that remains intact and easily differentiated from the new town. We were told about the history of the city and country, and also some funny stories from yesteryear, ironically by a history student from England.
- The rest of our time was spent walking through the streets of the new and old towns, looking at token souvineers (no - I didn't buy a kilt), and planning our upcoming roadtrip to the north.
- First off we went on our standard walking tour tour that took us through the amazing old town that remains intact and easily differentiated from the new town. We were told about the history of the city and country, and also some funny stories from yesteryear, ironically by a history student from England.
- The rest of our time was spent walking through the streets of the new and old towns, looking at token souvineers (no - I didn't buy a kilt), and planning our upcoming roadtrip to the north.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Glasgow, Scotland
Ye olde homeland! A one hour flight with our best mate RyanAir saw us arrive in Glasgow. Often overlooked by the average tourist, perhaps due to it's grittier appearance than Edinburgh, the city acutally has quite a bit to offer - good nightlife, home of one of the most bitter football rivalries in the world, and most importantly for me, the origins of my family.
- When I asked my old man what he recommended we do in Glasgow the response was 'go to the pub - people from Glasgow like a drink'. As it turns out, we arrived on a Saturday! Location of choce was The Arches - a disused series of tunnels turned entertainment venue, and home to the infamous monthly InsideOut parties. We had heard Scottish clubbers were pretty loose, and they were. Rowdiness and chanting were the norm, especially when local lad Mark Shery took the decks. Definitely a different clubbing experience.
- With that out onthe way, most of the remainder of my time was spent meeting family, and putting faces to what were previously resigned to names on Christmas and birthday cards. It was great to swap stories, pay out on other family member not there to defend themselves, and see the place where everyone grew up. Last but not least, to drink IrnBru at the source was an experience in itself.
- Before leaving, we managed to sneak in some quick sight seeing around the city centre, southbank area, and see the infamous Ibrox Stadium - one home of Europes most hate filled football rivalries.
- When I asked my old man what he recommended we do in Glasgow the response was 'go to the pub - people from Glasgow like a drink'. As it turns out, we arrived on a Saturday! Location of choce was The Arches - a disused series of tunnels turned entertainment venue, and home to the infamous monthly InsideOut parties. We had heard Scottish clubbers were pretty loose, and they were. Rowdiness and chanting were the norm, especially when local lad Mark Shery took the decks. Definitely a different clubbing experience.
- With that out onthe way, most of the remainder of my time was spent meeting family, and putting faces to what were previously resigned to names on Christmas and birthday cards. It was great to swap stories, pay out on other family member not there to defend themselves, and see the place where everyone grew up. Last but not least, to drink IrnBru at the source was an experience in itself.
- Before leaving, we managed to sneak in some quick sight seeing around the city centre, southbank area, and see the infamous Ibrox Stadium - one home of Europes most hate filled football rivalries.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Belfast, Northern Ireland
At the conclusion of our roadtrip in Derry we had to drive the car back to the Republic of Ireland (Letterkenny) before busing back across the border to Belfast.
We arrived reasonably early and were able to fit in a 'Black Cabs' tour which takes you around the various areas of Belfast that have shaped it's political history over the recent decades. For anyone tht goes to Belfast, this is well worth the price of admission and really gives you an insight about the past and current situation. The city has basically been a warzone, however the turmoil has somewhat 'ceased' recently. Things are kept in check by over 60 'peace walls' that seperate people from killing each other. Just walking around the neighbourhoods there's a feeling that chaos could break out any minute. Armoured police cars tour the streets and political murals are prevalent. The first hand experience really puts a different perspective on the SBS news reports we got back home. Interestingly many locals dont seem to take sides with the whole debate. The general consensus however was that the only solution is time.
Update: Two weeks after our visit it seems it hit the fan again in Belfast. Might be later rather than sooner before this fire's out...
The next morning we trekked down to the Titanic Quarter of Belfast which, as the name suggests, is where the Titanic was built. Much of the original infrastructure from the Titanic construction is still there which gives you an appreciation for the scale, however the rest of the area seems to be going through a sterile redevelopment renaissance with the construction of dozens of new apartment buildings.
Following our epic walk to the Titanic quarter, we did one of of soon-to-be favourite free walking tours. The guide purposfully skirted around the political turmoil that taints the city, and rather focussed on more of the 'local trends and traditions' of what it's like to live in Belfast and some of the more tourist friendly attractions. It was by all means insightful, but thankfully we did the Black Cab tour the day before or else we would have missed out on some integral Belfast history.
We arrived reasonably early and were able to fit in a 'Black Cabs' tour which takes you around the various areas of Belfast that have shaped it's political history over the recent decades. For anyone tht goes to Belfast, this is well worth the price of admission and really gives you an insight about the past and current situation. The city has basically been a warzone, however the turmoil has somewhat 'ceased' recently. Things are kept in check by over 60 'peace walls' that seperate people from killing each other. Just walking around the neighbourhoods there's a feeling that chaos could break out any minute. Armoured police cars tour the streets and political murals are prevalent. The first hand experience really puts a different perspective on the SBS news reports we got back home. Interestingly many locals dont seem to take sides with the whole debate. The general consensus however was that the only solution is time.
Update: Two weeks after our visit it seems it hit the fan again in Belfast. Might be later rather than sooner before this fire's out...
The next morning we trekked down to the Titanic Quarter of Belfast which, as the name suggests, is where the Titanic was built. Much of the original infrastructure from the Titanic construction is still there which gives you an appreciation for the scale, however the rest of the area seems to be going through a sterile redevelopment renaissance with the construction of dozens of new apartment buildings.
Following our epic walk to the Titanic quarter, we did one of of soon-to-be favourite free walking tours. The guide purposfully skirted around the political turmoil that taints the city, and rather focussed on more of the 'local trends and traditions' of what it's like to live in Belfast and some of the more tourist friendly attractions. It was by all means insightful, but thankfully we did the Black Cab tour the day before or else we would have missed out on some integral Belfast history.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Ireland Roadtrip: Cork-Doolin-Galway-Donegal-Derry
From Dublin we set off south to Cork to commence a fairly epic roadtrip from south to north. Being the only one with manual driving skills I was the designated driver (test pilot), with navigation duties split between Sam and Nick. The preliminary issue was how we were going to fit 4 bags and 4 people into a Opel Corsa. Somehow it worked and did quite well with it.
Doing it all ourselves meant we were without tour guides the whole time and thus, cannot explain much of the history behind the places visited. Hopefully the pictures below tell the story. Moreover, because we were all too tight to buy a proper road map, we had to rely on crappy tourist ones which got us lost once or twice. Oh well - part of the adventure as they say.
Our stops along the way were as follows:
Cork; Doolan; Galway (2 night 'refuel'); Donegal/Malinbeg; and Derry.
Our general route and sights included:
Bunratty Castle; Cliffs of Moher; Conemarra; Roscommen Castle; Derry city centre; and Giants Causeway.
Doing it all ourselves meant we were without tour guides the whole time and thus, cannot explain much of the history behind the places visited. Hopefully the pictures below tell the story. Moreover, because we were all too tight to buy a proper road map, we had to rely on crappy tourist ones which got us lost once or twice. Oh well - part of the adventure as they say.
Our stops along the way were as follows:
Cork; Doolan; Galway (2 night 'refuel'); Donegal/Malinbeg; and Derry.
Our general route and sights included:
Bunratty Castle; Cliffs of Moher; Conemarra; Roscommen Castle; Derry city centre; and Giants Causeway.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Dublin, Ireland
Thankfully our first RyanAir experience was hassle free and we arrived safely (physically and financially) in the capital of the Republic of Ireland -Dublin.
Getting straight into business, we booked a tour of the Guiness Storehouse - the home of the national and world reknowed beer. The tour basically took us through the history and process of making Guiness. The final part of the tour included a complementary pint on the 7th floor of the storehouse providing (apparently) the best view of Dublin in the city.
Now for the all important question: Does it taste as woeful at the source as it does back home? Basically, no. It's still pretty average in my eyes though.
The next day we took a free walking tour around the streets of Dublin and explained the history of the city as well as pointing out some of the key, and lesser known sites. 'Free tour' you ask? Well it's not really free. You're expected to tip the guide whatever you feel is necessary. Apparently it's so people of all budgets can enjoy the tour. I think it's more likely a tax dodge of some description. Anyway, although the 3 hour tour took it's toll, it provided all with a thorough background of a city the addmittedly we didn't really know that much about, as well as telling us some of the obscure tales that are somewhat synonymous with the Irish. One of many examples - a plaque placed on a bridge as a tribute to a man that never existed. Turns out the plaque was there for 6 or so years before the council eventually questioned it.
On our final day, we (minus Sam) ventured out to Clontarf to watch an ODI between Australia and Ireland. Not reknowned for their cricketing greatness, even the Irish predicted an Australian whitewash. Given we hate almost all of the current Australian cricket team, we were torn as to who we should actually support. The ground was extremely small (smaller than many local grounds back in Australia) and boundaries were expected. The Australians batted woefully at a rate of only 4.5 runs/over. We thought the Irish were going to do it after an opening partnership of 80+ in quickfire time. Eventually the Australian bowling attack bailed out what was a terrible batting performance and cleaned the Irish tail up. Despite this, there would be no excuses as there was an inpeding 5 game series against the poms which now wasn't looking promising. With no Peter Siddle in the Australian side, we had to blame someone else for the terrible display. This person would be Nathan Hauritz down on the boundary that was already getting a pasting from the local fans. How did he get a shot in the Australian team in the first place?
Update: Australia goes down to the poms 3-2. No suprise really.
Getting straight into business, we booked a tour of the Guiness Storehouse - the home of the national and world reknowed beer. The tour basically took us through the history and process of making Guiness. The final part of the tour included a complementary pint on the 7th floor of the storehouse providing (apparently) the best view of Dublin in the city.
Now for the all important question: Does it taste as woeful at the source as it does back home? Basically, no. It's still pretty average in my eyes though.
The next day we took a free walking tour around the streets of Dublin and explained the history of the city as well as pointing out some of the key, and lesser known sites. 'Free tour' you ask? Well it's not really free. You're expected to tip the guide whatever you feel is necessary. Apparently it's so people of all budgets can enjoy the tour. I think it's more likely a tax dodge of some description. Anyway, although the 3 hour tour took it's toll, it provided all with a thorough background of a city the addmittedly we didn't really know that much about, as well as telling us some of the obscure tales that are somewhat synonymous with the Irish. One of many examples - a plaque placed on a bridge as a tribute to a man that never existed. Turns out the plaque was there for 6 or so years before the council eventually questioned it.
On our final day, we (minus Sam) ventured out to Clontarf to watch an ODI between Australia and Ireland. Not reknowned for their cricketing greatness, even the Irish predicted an Australian whitewash. Given we hate almost all of the current Australian cricket team, we were torn as to who we should actually support. The ground was extremely small (smaller than many local grounds back in Australia) and boundaries were expected. The Australians batted woefully at a rate of only 4.5 runs/over. We thought the Irish were going to do it after an opening partnership of 80+ in quickfire time. Eventually the Australian bowling attack bailed out what was a terrible batting performance and cleaned the Irish tail up. Despite this, there would be no excuses as there was an inpeding 5 game series against the poms which now wasn't looking promising. With no Peter Siddle in the Australian side, we had to blame someone else for the terrible display. This person would be Nathan Hauritz down on the boundary that was already getting a pasting from the local fans. How did he get a shot in the Australian team in the first place?
Update: Australia goes down to the poms 3-2. No suprise really.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
London, England
From the USA we travelled overnight to our final leg - the UK and Europe. The time zone change was an absolute killer as the 6ish hour flight saw a time change close to 12 hours. Nonetheless, we jumped onto the tube at Heathrow and ventured out to our hostel in Willesden Green.
Because I'm so cultured and have been to London before, I skipped over many of the attractions I had done previously. Despite this however we did take a ride around the London Eye, walked the banks of the River Thames past Tower of London and Tower Bridge, and visited the Tate Modern and London History Museum
[PHOTOS PENDING]
The rest of my time was spent travelling out to visit some of Sam's family, lazing about at the hostel after a hectic couple of weeks in the USA, and watching some of the World Cup clashes.
Our London stop was shortlived and merely a pit stop before our next leg: Ireland. Watch this space!
Because I'm so cultured and have been to London before, I skipped over many of the attractions I had done previously. Despite this however we did take a ride around the London Eye, walked the banks of the River Thames past Tower of London and Tower Bridge, and visited the Tate Modern and London History Museum
[PHOTOS PENDING]
The rest of my time was spent travelling out to visit some of Sam's family, lazing about at the hostel after a hectic couple of weeks in the USA, and watching some of the World Cup clashes.
Our London stop was shortlived and merely a pit stop before our next leg: Ireland. Watch this space!
Friday, June 11, 2010
New York City, USA
From Tampa we headed north again to New York City. A city that needs no introduction, we had a lot of ground to cover in just 8 days. Thankfully our accomodation was conveniently located in the Chelsea area of Manhattan as well as being close to Penn Station and a number of Subway lines (this proved as a massive advantage - weekly unlimted travel for US27) which made getting around relatively easy. Being such a massive city, we didn't really have much if an opportunity to go beyond the standard tourist attractions; Statue of Liberty; Top of the Rock; Empire State Building; Central Park; Broadway (went to see Chicago); and Times Square just to name a few. A select few photos from the 8 days (I took way to many to post up them all):
It's hard to pin point an individual element as to why, but in my limited travel experience Ive concluded that NYC is a city like no other, and probably one of the most amazing cities I'll visit, in it's own right. A 2, 4 or 10 week holiday could easily evaporate here (finances pending).
On another note, for the last two nights I upgraded my accomodation from the hostel dorm to the 28th floor of the Parker Meridien overlooking Central Park (thanks old man - much appreciated). A welcome change to say the least!
One of the underlying drawcards of NYC is the food. Despite being the least adventurous eater in the world, I can say that the signature dishes of the city are awesome. New York pizza is better than any other pizza I've eaten, the bagels make Glicks look like a joke, and the cheesecake is nothing short of awesome. Unfortunately none of the above are actually good for you.
It's hard to pin point an individual element as to why, but in my limited travel experience Ive concluded that NYC is a city like no other, and probably one of the most amazing cities I'll visit, in it's own right. A 2, 4 or 10 week holiday could easily evaporate here (finances pending).
On another note, for the last two nights I upgraded my accomodation from the hostel dorm to the 28th floor of the Parker Meridien overlooking Central Park (thanks old man - much appreciated). A welcome change to say the least!
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