There is a man named Tom Brosnahan who's written over 40 guidebooks and has a deep-seated love for tea and fez hats in his heart. And if you are at all curious about what you could see, do, how much it'll cost and even how to get married in Turkey... no kidding... I invite you to his online guide to Turkey at http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/
Time and again, browsing some info during my 3 weeks in Türkiye, I was redirected to his amazing database of regional information, maps, transport info, photographs...
Check it out!
Aug 12, 2008
The Man in Seat Sixty-One . . .
In our fast-paced immediate-gratification society, one of my personal joys of traversing the globe is being comfortably seated on a train, preferably with a window seat, listening to that rhythmic knocking against the rails and watching the landscape roll by...
It's amazing how far you can get around the world without flying. If you don't believe me, check out Seat 61 - one man's hobby turned into a glorious database on train travel, complete with ship connections. You'll never have to take off your shoes at an airport security station again. Unless you like that sort of thing.
It's amazing how far you can get around the world without flying. If you don't believe me, check out Seat 61 - one man's hobby turned into a glorious database on train travel, complete with ship connections. You'll never have to take off your shoes at an airport security station again. Unless you like that sort of thing.
Aug 9, 2008
Český Krumlov: Egon Schiele Art Centrum
The Egon Schiele Art Centrum is a fantastic maze-like old building that's just as much fun to roam around as sampling its exhibitions of art.
Named after the prominent unconventional artist of Czech and Austrian descent whose heart was devoted to the beauty of Český Krumlov, the gallery contains a permanent collection of Schiele's work.
The 2008 exhibits, in time for the Summer Olympics and all the political controversy, dedicate a large portion of the space to images, philosophy and customs of China. There is a fantastic tongue-in-cheek solo exhibit by young Chinese multi-media artist Yonghua Tian who creates the perfect nationalistic emblem, dogma and inspirational instructions using his own stylized image as the central logo driving the brave new world.
Named after the prominent unconventional artist of Czech and Austrian descent whose heart was devoted to the beauty of Český Krumlov, the gallery contains a permanent collection of Schiele's work.
The 2008 exhibits, in time for the Summer Olympics and all the political controversy, dedicate a large portion of the space to images, philosophy and customs of China. There is a fantastic tongue-in-cheek solo exhibit by young Chinese multi-media artist Yonghua Tian who creates the perfect nationalistic emblem, dogma and inspirational instructions using his own stylized image as the central logo driving the brave new world.
Český Krumlov: Dilettante's Hangout
dil·et·tante [dil-i-tahnt, dil-i-tahnt, -tahn-tey, -tan-tee]
ɪˌtɑnt, –noun
| 1. | a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler. |
| 2. | a lover of an art or science, esp. of a fine art. |
| 3. | of or pertaining to dilettantes. |
Such is the chosen identity of Matya Dio, self-proclaimed painter, experimental novelist and lover of caffeine. Besides being an interesting woman, she runs a small guesthouse in the charming little town of Český Krumlov and the place is appointed as you might expect from a young, funky artist with an eye for details and a passion for colour.
Dilettante's Hangout is in a perfect location for exploring the Old Town, which is well worth exploring. The guesthouse consists of the sub-terranean Buddha Suite and the main-floor Nirvana Boudoir. There is a handy kitchen, lounge with books, guitars and a fireplace and a patio with seats and a hammock. Both suites accommodate 2 comfortably and the going rate is less than $70 CAD/night, as of summer 2008.
Aug 7, 2008
Prague: Clear Head Restaurant
Vegetarians and foodies rejoice!! Lehká Hlava, translated into English as Clear Head, is a fantastic eatery designed to tantalize all the senses. From the ambient cozy decor to the dishes and beverages concocted by culinary genius, I might just come back to Prague so I live in the same city as this restaurant.
All-vegetarian and vegan offerings loaded with flavour seem to take the best of world cuisines, creating a United Nations of meal options that come smitting you with the colourful presentation before the first bite. Unusual drinks like birch juice and Mayan chocolatl promise you'll never have to order the same thing twice. All the veggie gourmet delights like tempeh, avocado, goat cheese, walnuts, fresh herbs and grains like bulgur, couscous and buckwheat are here. And the menu even promises that all englightened beings eat free!
All-vegetarian and vegan offerings loaded with flavour seem to take the best of world cuisines, creating a United Nations of meal options that come smitting you with the colourful presentation before the first bite. Unusual drinks like birch juice and Mayan chocolatl promise you'll never have to order the same thing twice. All the veggie gourmet delights like tempeh, avocado, goat cheese, walnuts, fresh herbs and grains like bulgur, couscous and buckwheat are here. And the menu even promises that all englightened beings eat free!
Aug 6, 2008
Prague: Club Cross
I bet you ain't seen nothin' like this before! Cross Club is a flourishing night venue that draws patrons for its music, its Art Sundays but most of all... its wildly unique decor. A wall made of computer parts seems to communicate with its subtle light display. Countless rotating, moving surfaces with blinking lights are like cogs and wheels in a giant machine created by a skilled mechanic cum fervent visionary. Past this apocalyptic set-up you climb metal steps to the second level of seating and observe the crowd, the moving display above your table, occasionally remarking for the umpteenth time: "Wow, man..." to your friends. It takes a few laps around this flashing tangle of passages and niches to orient yourself between the main performance rooms, the huge outdoor patio and the rest.
Entry often free!
Entry often free!
Aug 5, 2008
Hungary: Orange Ways
Linking about 25 European destinations with their bright orange buses plying the routes, Orange Ways is Hungarian bus coach company and their prices are a steal. We got from Budapest to Prague for about $30 CAD and that was way below the cost of the train.
The seats are comfortable, they show movies, the friendly stewardess explains there is a tiny toilet cubicle (use for #1 ONLY!) and you can get coffee or hot chocolate spit out from an automated machine but I don't recommend either.
Our 7am departure meant we had to know exactly where the bus leaves from but with Google Maps it's an easy world to navigate in our modern times.
Safe journeys!
The seats are comfortable, they show movies, the friendly stewardess explains there is a tiny toilet cubicle (use for #1 ONLY!) and you can get coffee or hot chocolate spit out from an automated machine but I don't recommend either.
Our 7am departure meant we had to know exactly where the bus leaves from but with Google Maps it's an easy world to navigate in our modern times.
Safe journeys!
Aug 4, 2008
Budapest: Helena Guesthouse
We got off our overnight train in Budapest around 7am, figuring it was early enough in the day that we could find a place to sleep, leaving it up to fate. Sure enough, we were approached by a few people and decided to take up sweet wrinkled Helena on her offer of a bed in one of her two accommodations.
She has private apartments (~30Euro) on offer, but were living cheap and opted for the 6 Euro dorm beds in Helena Guesthouse, which shares its name with both Helena and her daughter.
The pros:
Super-affordable (~$10 CAD) single non-bunk beds, free Internet access and kitchen, clean bathroom, good location. They'll store your luggage, let you wash your clothes and give you a free map of the city. 24-hour access.
The cons:
Well, I just want to be honest here. The family lives in the front room/foyer with a loft, where the TV is on around the clock and someone is smoking on the couch while watching it. They are very good about closing the door to the guest rooms, so it's not smoky where you are sleeping. But I had a sense of walking through their living room every time I came and went and it broke my heart to watch these ladies ruin their lungs and skin chain-smoking all day long. One of the sons lives in the room adjoining the kitchen, so again... I just felt like I was intruding a bit, cooking my rice listening to awful North American music he was downloading. Some of the dishes in the kitchen I washed before using.
The Last Word:
I don't know that you could pay less for a central place to stay and it's completely safe for you and your stuff. I'd say if you're looking for a cheap bed, this is it. If you're looking for a hostel with an atmosphere... although you'll meet fellow travellers here, this is not in my top places to re-visit.
She has private apartments (~30Euro) on offer, but were living cheap and opted for the 6 Euro dorm beds in Helena Guesthouse, which shares its name with both Helena and her daughter.
The pros:
Super-affordable (~$10 CAD) single non-bunk beds, free Internet access and kitchen, clean bathroom, good location. They'll store your luggage, let you wash your clothes and give you a free map of the city. 24-hour access.
The cons:
Well, I just want to be honest here. The family lives in the front room/foyer with a loft, where the TV is on around the clock and someone is smoking on the couch while watching it. They are very good about closing the door to the guest rooms, so it's not smoky where you are sleeping. But I had a sense of walking through their living room every time I came and went and it broke my heart to watch these ladies ruin their lungs and skin chain-smoking all day long. One of the sons lives in the room adjoining the kitchen, so again... I just felt like I was intruding a bit, cooking my rice listening to awful North American music he was downloading. Some of the dishes in the kitchen I washed before using.
The Last Word:
I don't know that you could pay less for a central place to stay and it's completely safe for you and your stuff. I'd say if you're looking for a cheap bed, this is it. If you're looking for a hostel with an atmosphere... although you'll meet fellow travellers here, this is not in my top places to re-visit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
