These three thngs are really of great importance while in England. most of my time over here is generally spent visiting family, which means we get a lot of chance to watch the local TV content, discuss the weather and eat cake. Thus I will tell you all about these things, as they are at the forefront of my activities.
TV
There is a new quiz show called Golden Balls. No, really, there is. And people are given these golden balls with cash values written inside and have to try and vote each other off, and then the balls all go in this big tumbler. it's hilarious, ridiculous, and every time the host says the name of the show I almost wet myself. Nut then what do you expect from a country that still has Millionaire and Weakest Link on air?
Also, in TV news, the British Telly Awards were on last night. In his acceptance speech for best actor in a drama, David Tennent said that he WON'T be returning as the doctor after the 4 2009 specials. There has been much weeping and gnashing of teeth.
WEATHER
Really, the only thing worth mentioning here is that it snowed while we were in Eastbourne yesterday. Actual big fat snowflakes. Unfortunately it was too warm for it to settle, but it looked magic.
CAKE
This is only here because Claire and I had morning tea by the fire side in these lovely little tea rooms. I really like tea rooms. I think Melbourne really has too many cafes and should really have more tea shops, with cakes, and scones and nice china, and with a fireplace.
Tomorrow Claire and i are off to London to terrify the good citizens of that fair town.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
What's up, Doc (Martin)
In revenge for dragging them into a library, yesterday, my parents folded all five members of our not-too-short family into a Ford Fiesta for a two hours drive into Cornwall. More specifically, we went to Port Issac, where the show 'Doc Martin' is filmed.
Although I think the eponymous doctor is a bit of a twat, I have to give him credit for settling in such a lovely little town. We strolled around, ate Cornish pasties and drank Corninsh ale, and then folded ourselves back into the car for the drive home.
My legs were sore from the folding and the walking, and my stomach sore from the pasty, but it was a fun excursion none the less.
Although I think the eponymous doctor is a bit of a twat, I have to give him credit for settling in such a lovely little town. We strolled around, ate Cornish pasties and drank Corninsh ale, and then folded ourselves back into the car for the drive home.
My legs were sore from the folding and the walking, and my stomach sore from the pasty, but it was a fun excursion none the less.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Exeter Book
While the trip down to Exeter was made with the intention of the family reuniting (and, apparently, sampling a range of ales in a range of pubs) I couldn't resist fitting in a bit of nerd tourism around our busy pub schedule.
Thus, my family found themselves crowded into the small and homely Exeter Cathedral Library, where can be found one of the most fascinating and priceless books of the English Language.
It is unsurprisingly, but somewhat unoriginally, named the Exeter Book - and has the finest collection of Old English verse, poems and riddles in existence. It was all written around 950 AD and only managed to survive because it was shown such little regard for about 500 years that no one got around to throwing it out.
Having studied Old English at uni, it was pretty exciting to come face to folio with a book full of Old English that I'd read in class. And unlike most other priceless manuscripts (da Vinci folios, Bodleian books, The Lindisfarne gospel, etc) it was very easily assessable. And the staff were excessively friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
So between that, and my growing fondness for the local ciders, Exeter has been good fun so far.
Thus, my family found themselves crowded into the small and homely Exeter Cathedral Library, where can be found one of the most fascinating and priceless books of the English Language.
It is unsurprisingly, but somewhat unoriginally, named the Exeter Book - and has the finest collection of Old English verse, poems and riddles in existence. It was all written around 950 AD and only managed to survive because it was shown such little regard for about 500 years that no one got around to throwing it out.
Having studied Old English at uni, it was pretty exciting to come face to folio with a book full of Old English that I'd read in class. And unlike most other priceless manuscripts (da Vinci folios, Bodleian books, The Lindisfarne gospel, etc) it was very easily assessable. And the staff were excessively friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
So between that, and my growing fondness for the local ciders, Exeter has been good fun so far.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Reunion!
For the first time in about 8 months, all five members of my family were in the same room at the same time. We're down in Exeter visiting my little brother, who is working here for a while.
As my brother is our tour guide all we've seen so far is the cathedral (from the outside) and quite a few pubs. Nice pubs too.
Today my brother is at work, so we're going to do some less alcohol oriented tourism. As we're in the shire of Devon I think we'll have to stop at some point for Devonshire tea. Perhaps more than once...
As my brother is our tour guide all we've seen so far is the cathedral (from the outside) and quite a few pubs. Nice pubs too.
Today my brother is at work, so we're going to do some less alcohol oriented tourism. As we're in the shire of Devon I think we'll have to stop at some point for Devonshire tea. Perhaps more than once...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Moral Dilemma
Let me just say for the record that, on the whole, I'm a very contented vegetarian.
I don't feel socially outcast at a barbecue, I don't feel culinarily deprived around Christmas, I don't even have kebab cravings at 2am on a Saturday morning.
But when my dad was served a giant plate of bigos (which contains no less than 4 different meat products) by the matriarch of my Polish family, I felt a twinge of that ethical dilemma that many vegetarians often face.
Fortunately she had also made a giant serving of lazanki (cabbagey/mushroomy/pasta goodness) and so the anxiety quickly faded.
I don't feel socially outcast at a barbecue, I don't feel culinarily deprived around Christmas, I don't even have kebab cravings at 2am on a Saturday morning.
But when my dad was served a giant plate of bigos (which contains no less than 4 different meat products) by the matriarch of my Polish family, I felt a twinge of that ethical dilemma that many vegetarians often face.
Fortunately she had also made a giant serving of lazanki (cabbagey/mushroomy/pasta goodness) and so the anxiety quickly faded.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Homecoming
It's a lovely luxury to be both on holidays and at home simultaneously. For the last few nights I've been staying in Warsaw with the family who tolerated me for half a year when I was fresh out of high school - a short five years ago. I have been constantly entertained by all those things that are so familiar, and all those that have changed.
The family have not changed in their lovely, friendly and entertaining way - although the youngest, who was only 15 when I was here last has grown (It took me a while to comprehend he's actually old enough to drive...). The house is still the same, but the neighbourhood as grown. I went on Friday to visit the school that I taught at where there are still many teachers I remember, but very few students. In the city the Russian Markets have gone (only last month!!) but there's a shiny new shopping mall behind the Central Station. My favourite coffee shop is still there, but my second favourite has gone. My second favourite Milk Bar is still there but my favourite has gone.
It's been fun showing my family around the city - My parents are impressed by how much Warsaw is like any large European city, which has me a bit worried. I now get the impression that I lived for six months in a Soviet back block. I had to break it to them gently that 1989 was quite a long time ago now...
So a couple more days in Poland and then it's off to Old Blighty. So little time, so many pierogi...
The family have not changed in their lovely, friendly and entertaining way - although the youngest, who was only 15 when I was here last has grown (It took me a while to comprehend he's actually old enough to drive...). The house is still the same, but the neighbourhood as grown. I went on Friday to visit the school that I taught at where there are still many teachers I remember, but very few students. In the city the Russian Markets have gone (only last month!!) but there's a shiny new shopping mall behind the Central Station. My favourite coffee shop is still there, but my second favourite has gone. My second favourite Milk Bar is still there but my favourite has gone.
It's been fun showing my family around the city - My parents are impressed by how much Warsaw is like any large European city, which has me a bit worried. I now get the impression that I lived for six months in a Soviet back block. I had to break it to them gently that 1989 was quite a long time ago now...
So a couple more days in Poland and then it's off to Old Blighty. So little time, so many pierogi...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Poland
So, I'm having so much fun being back in Poland that I really don't have anything particularly interesting to say on the subject (although it could be said that I never have anything particularly interesting to say about anywhere I've visited).
I've just been spending a lot of time here in Krakow wandering around visiting shops I use to visot (Orsay, Empik, etc) and eating Polish food, and chatting with my Polish relatives. This is not going to bad, largely because of their high tolerance of my complete lack of grammar, and very small vocab.
Today I'm off on a train to my old hometown of Warsaw. I'm sure five years will have seen a lot of changes there, but I'll have to wait another 6 hours til I see.
I've just been spending a lot of time here in Krakow wandering around visiting shops I use to visot (Orsay, Empik, etc) and eating Polish food, and chatting with my Polish relatives. This is not going to bad, largely because of their high tolerance of my complete lack of grammar, and very small vocab.
Today I'm off on a train to my old hometown of Warsaw. I'm sure five years will have seen a lot of changes there, but I'll have to wait another 6 hours til I see.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Best Idea Ever...
... a vegetarian Milk Bar.
Now, first of all, a bit of background.
A milk bar in Poland sells cheap, hearty traditional fare without any frills. "Hearty traditional fare" is normally of the meat variety in this country.
Some awesome person came up with the idea of making all the lovely Polish food I use to enjoy before going veg-side without the use of meat. And and the same low low price one normally pays at a milk bar.
This has just been one excitement among many.
Now, first of all, a bit of background.
A milk bar in Poland sells cheap, hearty traditional fare without any frills. "Hearty traditional fare" is normally of the meat variety in this country.
Some awesome person came up with the idea of making all the lovely Polish food I use to enjoy before going veg-side without the use of meat. And and the same low low price one normally pays at a milk bar.
This has just been one excitement among many.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Back in Poland
It's only take me five years, but I'm finally back in my adopted homeland of Poland.
We flew into Wroclaw from Barcelona, and our cousins were waiting at the airport to meet us, which was a surprise. I say cousins, but I actually mean my grandmother's cousin's daughter and family - life gets endlessly complicated when you start to analyse these things too closely, so anyone referred to as cousins while in Poland are usually 2nd and 3rd cousins, removed to varying degrees.
We've been strolling around the lovely old town, and had a good Polish feed for dinner.
It's so good to be in a country where I know more of the language than 'hello', 'thankyou' and 'do you speak English?'. This is not to say that my Polish is anywhere near as sophisticated as that of your average 3 year old, but it is nice to be able to ask questions about the menu, or ask where the toilets are, without resorting to absurd gestures and defeatist English.
We're spending the next 9 days in Poland, which means there's a lot of doughnut eating, beer drinking and catching up with friends and family to do in a very short period of time.
We flew into Wroclaw from Barcelona, and our cousins were waiting at the airport to meet us, which was a surprise. I say cousins, but I actually mean my grandmother's cousin's daughter and family - life gets endlessly complicated when you start to analyse these things too closely, so anyone referred to as cousins while in Poland are usually 2nd and 3rd cousins, removed to varying degrees.
We've been strolling around the lovely old town, and had a good Polish feed for dinner.
It's so good to be in a country where I know more of the language than 'hello', 'thankyou' and 'do you speak English?'. This is not to say that my Polish is anywhere near as sophisticated as that of your average 3 year old, but it is nice to be able to ask questions about the menu, or ask where the toilets are, without resorting to absurd gestures and defeatist English.
We're spending the next 9 days in Poland, which means there's a lot of doughnut eating, beer drinking and catching up with friends and family to do in a very short period of time.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Planes and Spain
The somewhat crazy itinerary that I am currently following (Swizterland to Malta to Spain to Poland) has arisen because I am joining the dots on a map of Europe between all the family and friends who are unfortunate enough to be cursed with a visit from me.
This 24 hour stop in Barcelona is not to visit family, but simply because spending a day here was the easiest way to get from Malta to Poland. So as to not waste an opportunity, we (I´ve reunited with the parents and Claire once more) have packed as much into our one day as possible. I don´t want to bore you with tales of warm weather, sangria, tapas and the usual (see the Cadaques post for that) - surprising all my highlights from today are technological.
The Metro
Many of the ticket validating gates on the metro are left handed. I´m not sure if they have a large population of lefties, or if it was just a vengeful left hander who designed the machines.
The View at Park Guell
Normally you have to work hard to earn a great view of a city from the surrounding hills - but they solved the problem of hiking up a hill at Park Guell by installing escalators along the middle of the public streets. Brilliant idea.
Giant Vending Machine
At Catalunya metro station is a vending machine that takes up a whole wall and contains no fewer than 180 items. Chocolate milk to cigarettes, sandwiches to sanitary products - all in one massive machine. Japan, home of vending madness has a lot to live up to when I visit - Barcelona has set the bar high.
This 24 hour stop in Barcelona is not to visit family, but simply because spending a day here was the easiest way to get from Malta to Poland. So as to not waste an opportunity, we (I´ve reunited with the parents and Claire once more) have packed as much into our one day as possible. I don´t want to bore you with tales of warm weather, sangria, tapas and the usual (see the Cadaques post for that) - surprising all my highlights from today are technological.
The Metro
Many of the ticket validating gates on the metro are left handed. I´m not sure if they have a large population of lefties, or if it was just a vengeful left hander who designed the machines.
The View at Park Guell
Normally you have to work hard to earn a great view of a city from the surrounding hills - but they solved the problem of hiking up a hill at Park Guell by installing escalators along the middle of the public streets. Brilliant idea.
Giant Vending Machine
At Catalunya metro station is a vending machine that takes up a whole wall and contains no fewer than 180 items. Chocolate milk to cigarettes, sandwiches to sanitary products - all in one massive machine. Japan, home of vending madness has a lot to live up to when I visit - Barcelona has set the bar high.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Nights of Malta (and Days Too!)
All it took was a couple of short flights and I've swapped the Alps for the Mediterranean. Malta is a lovely and fascinating place, for reasons I will now ramble about.
Lovely?
Well, for starters, there is the Mediterranean climate, which means that I'm back to bare legs and sandals, and adding to the tan which has been accumulating sporadically.
What I find most charming about Malta is the buildings. They are, in vast majority, build out of the local stone. It's a soft, warm sandstone which I can't help but compare (despite the cringe it will elicit) to the crisp heart of a Malteser. Houses, government buildings, defensive walls and churches in all styles are build of the same stone, blending in seamlessly with the rocky ground on which they are built. From a distance, across the water, they glow in unity under the sun - but up close they are all different, with brightly coloured shutters and large window boxes.
Fascinating?
Because I am a history freak (I can't really say I'm a history geek, because it's more of a recreational pursuit for me) and this small group of islands is crammed full of history, and history of all different kinds.
Linguistically, it was here that a 'Rosetta stone' style monument was found in the 16th century with Etruscan and Greek, which allowed for the beginning of being able to understand Etruscan script.
Militaristically, it was the sight of the defeat of Suleiman the Great, which was the beginning of the tide turning against the Muslim attacks on Europe in the 16th century.
Artistically, Caravaggio came here after he killed a guy in Rome (as you do), joined a monastic order (as you do) and painted some of his amazing High Baroque masterpieces for them (as you do) which are now on display for all to see (as I did).
Nationally, they have only been independent from England for about 40 years, so English is a national language (along with Maltese), they drive on the left side of the road, and they have lovely red mail boxes everywhere.
It has also been amusing because we have caught up with some cousins, who moved here from Malta, and have a beautiful 10mth old baby who has kept us all entertained. Next stop; Poland - but first a 24 hour stop over in Barcelona! (for those of you who know what Europe looks like, I know that it appears I have gone mental and have let a drunk plan my itinerary, but then maybe I've just had a few too many wines in the last few weeks...)
Lovely?
Well, for starters, there is the Mediterranean climate, which means that I'm back to bare legs and sandals, and adding to the tan which has been accumulating sporadically.
What I find most charming about Malta is the buildings. They are, in vast majority, build out of the local stone. It's a soft, warm sandstone which I can't help but compare (despite the cringe it will elicit) to the crisp heart of a Malteser. Houses, government buildings, defensive walls and churches in all styles are build of the same stone, blending in seamlessly with the rocky ground on which they are built. From a distance, across the water, they glow in unity under the sun - but up close they are all different, with brightly coloured shutters and large window boxes.
Fascinating?
Because I am a history freak (I can't really say I'm a history geek, because it's more of a recreational pursuit for me) and this small group of islands is crammed full of history, and history of all different kinds.
Linguistically, it was here that a 'Rosetta stone' style monument was found in the 16th century with Etruscan and Greek, which allowed for the beginning of being able to understand Etruscan script.
Militaristically, it was the sight of the defeat of Suleiman the Great, which was the beginning of the tide turning against the Muslim attacks on Europe in the 16th century.
Artistically, Caravaggio came here after he killed a guy in Rome (as you do), joined a monastic order (as you do) and painted some of his amazing High Baroque masterpieces for them (as you do) which are now on display for all to see (as I did).
Nationally, they have only been independent from England for about 40 years, so English is a national language (along with Maltese), they drive on the left side of the road, and they have lovely red mail boxes everywhere.
It has also been amusing because we have caught up with some cousins, who moved here from Malta, and have a beautiful 10mth old baby who has kept us all entertained. Next stop; Poland - but first a 24 hour stop over in Barcelona! (for those of you who know what Europe looks like, I know that it appears I have gone mental and have let a drunk plan my itinerary, but then maybe I've just had a few too many wines in the last few weeks...)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
This Week On Boarder Security...
Lauren, a hapless backpacker from Australia, arrives at the Geneva International Airport to catch a plane to Malta. Lauren checks in, presents her passport and ticket, and has her ticket to Japan to show that she will be leaving Europe (eventually).
Check-in proceeds well, until the end, when Lauren is required by airline policy to show that she has a ticket to depart Malta. Lauren's father has booked her a flight to Spain on an e-ticket for the following Saturday, but Lauren does not have a copy on her, or in her email inbox.
Thanks to the modern wonder of mobile telephony, Lauren contacts her parents, who are already in Malta and asks them to email across the details. Lauren goes to the only internet cafe at the airport, to print it out and is told she needs to present it at the desk by 8:15 am.
The internet cafe does not open until 8 am. As soon as it opens Lauren attempts to access her email account, but due to the crazy French keyboard gmail gets suspicious and won't let her log in. More phone calls, more emails, and finally - at 8:10 -Lauren has her reservation. She rushes back up to the desk.
Will she make it in time?
Well, yes, she did. But it was the most stressful airport experience I've had to date. Many thanks to my parents for emailing across the details, and to Hugh for buying the internet time and preventing me from hyperventilating. The only consolation was that I didn't have that guy from Boarder Security narrating the whole sorry affair.
Check-in proceeds well, until the end, when Lauren is required by airline policy to show that she has a ticket to depart Malta. Lauren's father has booked her a flight to Spain on an e-ticket for the following Saturday, but Lauren does not have a copy on her, or in her email inbox.
Thanks to the modern wonder of mobile telephony, Lauren contacts her parents, who are already in Malta and asks them to email across the details. Lauren goes to the only internet cafe at the airport, to print it out and is told she needs to present it at the desk by 8:15 am.
The internet cafe does not open until 8 am. As soon as it opens Lauren attempts to access her email account, but due to the crazy French keyboard gmail gets suspicious and won't let her log in. More phone calls, more emails, and finally - at 8:10 -Lauren has her reservation. She rushes back up to the desk.
Will she make it in time?
Well, yes, she did. But it was the most stressful airport experience I've had to date. Many thanks to my parents for emailing across the details, and to Hugh for buying the internet time and preventing me from hyperventilating. The only consolation was that I didn't have that guy from Boarder Security narrating the whole sorry affair.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Fond(ue) of Geneva
I'm currently in Switzerland visiting a friend from England who I met in Poland on my GAP year back in 2003.
My intentions for coming to Switzerland were to eat chocolate, visit the UN and eat fondue.
So far I've visited the UN which consisted of boring building, lots of flags and a giant sculpture of a chair with a broken leg. The flags were cool...
We've also been out for fondue, which was excessively fun, and so completely overwhelmingly cheesy that my clothes actually smelt of cheese the next day in much the same way that cigarette smoke lingers after a night at a club.
So that means that I'm left with the task of finding some good Swiss chocolate today. I'll report back once the mission has been completed.
My intentions for coming to Switzerland were to eat chocolate, visit the UN and eat fondue.
So far I've visited the UN which consisted of boring building, lots of flags and a giant sculpture of a chair with a broken leg. The flags were cool...
We've also been out for fondue, which was excessively fun, and so completely overwhelmingly cheesy that my clothes actually smelt of cheese the next day in much the same way that cigarette smoke lingers after a night at a club.
So that means that I'm left with the task of finding some good Swiss chocolate today. I'll report back once the mission has been completed.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Things I Didn't Know About Paris
- The Eiffel Tower is brown, not gray.
- The Mona Lisa is not in a room by itself. In fact, it's in a room full of Venetian painting, which is all a it weird.
- Everything is the same price as in Australia, it's just that the price is in Euro, which is worth about twice as much as the dollar. I stopped converting back, and haven't dared to look at my bank balance since.
- There really is a Patisserie on every corner.
- The Bastille Fortress was demolished a very long time ago. Actually, I may have learned this in French history, but forgot. Sorry Sue...
- They have some Metro lines with trains on rubber wheels, it's endlessly fascinating.
- The Notre Dame cathedral is so well restored that it looks like it was built 8 years ago, not 800 years ago.
- That I would have quite as much fun there as I did (A big thankyou to the Kings and Queens and People of Paris for building such an interesting city, collecting so much art and knocking up Versailles too. Also, big thanks to Benoit for dinner, my parents and Claire for a fun night out (in the red light district, no less) and Alex who took the walking tours around the city and Montmartre).
- The Mona Lisa is not in a room by itself. In fact, it's in a room full of Venetian painting, which is all a it weird.
- Everything is the same price as in Australia, it's just that the price is in Euro, which is worth about twice as much as the dollar. I stopped converting back, and haven't dared to look at my bank balance since.
- There really is a Patisserie on every corner.
- The Bastille Fortress was demolished a very long time ago. Actually, I may have learned this in French history, but forgot. Sorry Sue...
- They have some Metro lines with trains on rubber wheels, it's endlessly fascinating.
- The Notre Dame cathedral is so well restored that it looks like it was built 8 years ago, not 800 years ago.
- That I would have quite as much fun there as I did (A big thankyou to the Kings and Queens and People of Paris for building such an interesting city, collecting so much art and knocking up Versailles too. Also, big thanks to Benoit for dinner, my parents and Claire for a fun night out (in the red light district, no less) and Alex who took the walking tours around the city and Montmartre).
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Paris
I hqve left Claire in the charge of the parents and have headed to Paris for a few nights - alone!
I have already purchased a beret and today I`ve got my best party dress on because I`m visiting the Louvre.
I have to go eat a croissant now - life doesn`t get much better than this...
I have already purchased a beret and today I`ve got my best party dress on because I`m visiting the Louvre.
I have to go eat a croissant now - life doesn`t get much better than this...
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Supermarket
One of the perverse fascinations I have on holidays is to spend a lot of time in supermarkets. At home, I hate them and generally try and avoid them as much as possible. When I'm in another country however, I love spending time in the supermarket, wandering along every aisle.
I think it has something to do with the fact it's exactly the same principle in every country - rows of food, pay at the end - but the goods available are such a reflection of the country. Whether it's the aisle of olive oil in Italy, the twenty varieties of pierogi in the freezer section in a Poland or the vodka aisle in Mongolia, I always find it disproportionately interesting.
Products that you take for granted at home surprise you by being labelled in another language, or not appearing at all - while things you thought you never needed are for sale.
Anyway, while on a cheese-buying rampage the other day, I came across this square block of brie, and was so amused by the name that I had to take a photo and share it.
If only I always found supermarkets this entertaining...
I think it has something to do with the fact it's exactly the same principle in every country - rows of food, pay at the end - but the goods available are such a reflection of the country. Whether it's the aisle of olive oil in Italy, the twenty varieties of pierogi in the freezer section in a Poland or the vodka aisle in Mongolia, I always find it disproportionately interesting.
Products that you take for granted at home surprise you by being labelled in another language, or not appearing at all - while things you thought you never needed are for sale.
Anyway, while on a cheese-buying rampage the other day, I came across this square block of brie, and was so amused by the name that I had to take a photo and share it.
If only I always found supermarkets this entertaining...
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