Backpackers

We don't look like we're trekking across Europe....or we look like wicked high maintenance travelers with all of our luggage...but we're moving from Hungary to the U.S. and spending a few weeks traveling in between.

Leaving Pécs

The flowers are from my student, Zéti....I didn't bring them with me...just regifted them to Beszti Eszti who gave us a lift to the train station.  By the way, the pink suitcase weighs about 30 kg...I weigh about 58.something kilos.  The other big black suitcase is a little less and then the smaller one is also a bit lighter, but not much.  We've developed a plan of attack for getting on and off the trains....but we really don't look like we're taking the trains across Europe.

The majority of the stuff in the luggage, we don't need during our travels...but we don't want to spend the money on shipping it to the U.S.

Yesterday afternoon we arrived in Vienna after spending some time with our lovely Slovak friends.  It's been surprisingly chilly and windy (which is a wonderful change after Saturday's 57482390574830 degree weather).  Today we frollicked about museums...checking out Monet, Miró, Picasso, Matisse, Klimt, and more.

Klimt's "The Kiss"

The highlight for me was seeing Klimt's "The Kiss".  Any photo I've seen of it (including this one that I stole from Google Images) does not come close to doing it justice.  It's so much bigger than I thought and the gold in the paint and the vibrancy in the colors of the patterns are so impressive and amazing. 

Currently Keith and I are hanging out at the bar in our hostel.  We have an hour until we need to gather our luggage (all 100 kilos of it) and head to the train station.  Our train leaves at 10:23pm and arrives in Berlin at 9:09am.  Greer will be there...and maybe the Frenchie...we'll get to meet up in the evening.  I hope he's still wearing his army helmet everywhere.

Meg & Greer (wearing the helmet he bought at the Pécsi Flee Market)

You say Hállo, and I say Hello, Hállo, Hello"

I hate goodbyes…which is one reason why I particularly like that Hungarians say, "Hállo" when coming and going.

I don’t know anyone who particularly likes goodbyes, but I think Keith handles them much better than I do.  He tells me, “Our only purpose on the Earth is so spread goodness…be the best we can for ourselves and those around us…when you’re sad about saying goodbye, it means we’re doing our job well.”  

This morning was rough…I was acutely hung over and an emotional disaster.  We still had some cleaning to do since Anna and Beszti Eszti came over last night, distracting us from our to do lists.  Whilst cleaning, Keith started reminiscing… “Remember when we first got here…when we first walked into the flat and we were like, ‘Where the hell are we and what are we doing here?!’” And with that I began sobbing and didn’t stop until we were about 20 minutes outside of Pécs (which was a few hours later).

Silliness during our last night in Pécs

I met some amazing people in Pécs…I also met my fair share of weirdos, but that is to be expected. I didn’t think saying goodbye to my students would be so hard.  Some of them drove me absolutely crazy, but I’m so proud of all of them.  Zéti (the biter) was a difficult goodbye…his abilities to communicate at all have grown exponentially this year.  Yesterday morning I went to Eszter’s house to sign my quitting papers.  Emma and Emi met me at the door and said, “Hello, Meg!” (They are both almost 3 years old and in the younger group at Ladybird).  They then began singing the ABCs, which made my heart melt.  And then there are the Mexicans…I cannot even begin to express how much I love them.  Saying goodbye to Ana was really hard…so we made it short and sweet.  I know I will see them again.

We are on the train from Budapest to Bratislava/Pozsony…it’s a much prettier stretch than the ride from Pécs to Budapest.  Visiting Andrej and Nina (and Luci and Majo and Sonia) is like going home to family.  Keith and Andrej met in Moodus, Connecticut in 1998 and have remained close friends…and this was before Facebook…so I know it will be easy to keep in touch with the awesome people I met in Pécs…at minimum we’ll be able to Facebook stalk each other.

I haven’t been very good at updating the blog as of late, but I plan on being better…at least over these next three weeks.  We’re taking the trains across Europe, eventually flying out of Madrid.  I plan on writing on the train and uploading as soon as I have internet access. 

Sok puszi!

Croatian Road Trip: Part II--Yugoslav Wars

The Yugoslav Wars, from 1991 until 1995, were the first "conflicts" to be formally judged as genocidal since World War II.  Keith was 10 when these armed conflicts erupted.  It was the first real international affair he paid attention to.  The brutality of the wars deeply impacted him. Even when we were getting ready to move to Hungary, Keith was anxious about living so closely to Croatia because in his mind that was, "where you go to die."

The conflicts were primarily based on "ethnic tensions."  The Serbs against the Croats and Bosniaks and Slovenes...and then the Croats against the Bosniaks.  (Later I will get into my problems with "culture" and "being different" and how it fuels the fires of hatred...when really 99% of our genes are the same...but another time)

The Yugoslavian Wars are made up of three wars:
1. War in Slovenia 1991
2. Croatian War for Independence 1991-1995
3. Bosnian War 1992-1995

Slovenia Flag

The war for independence in Slovenia lasted 10 days.  88 people total (Slovenes, Yugoslav nationalists, and foreigners) lost their lives.  Slovenia officially became a European Community member on January 15, 1992 and a member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992.

Croatia Flag

The Croatian War for Independence was fought between forces loyal to the Croatian government, which  declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia),  the Serbian-controlled Yugoslav People's Army (JNA).   In Croatia, the war is primarily referred to as the Homeland War (Domovinski rat) and also as the Greater-Serbian aggression (Velikosrpska agresija).

Driving through Croatia we saw a lot of the the scars from the war--mostly what looked to be houses that had been shot at.  I've been told that people have left many houses with the scars as a reminder of the war.  Across the street from our bed & breakfast in Plitvice was one of these houses. 

View from outside the house

Bathroom

Living Room - tree and moss growing inside.  Someone's socks drying...indicating squatters.

The owner of the B&B told us that an elderly couple lived there during the war and it was burned down.  Although the children live up the road from here, they haven't done anything with the house.  Obviously, we had to explore.  I was too scared to go in, but Keith snapped some photos. 

Bosnia Herzegovina Flag

The Bosnian War becomes even more complex and hate filled due to "ethnic differences."  This territory of Yugoslavia eventually became the country of Bosnia & Herzegovina
More on this later.

Serbia Flag

Croatian Road Trip: Part I

"I think you did a good job driving, but I will never be your passenger on a road trip again--especially if you are driving stick." -Keith Lambert

I feel the same way...I definitely feel "cool" to be able to drive a manual transmission automobile, but I really hate driving.  It is a very stressful experience for me and everyone else involved.  We got lost about 5783902576834906743890 times. 

Once we got to Plitvice, Croatia.....it was incredible and very much worth it.  Definitely the most beautiful place I have ever been.  The lakes were made into a national park in 1949 and is Croatia's largest national park (294.82 km squared).  UNESCO put it on the list of World Natural Heritages sites in 1979. 

Plitvice Lakes

Fish swimming out of part of the Supljara caves

Keith watching Veliki Slap, Croatia's largest waterfall, Plitvice

View of the Plitvice Lakes from the bluffs

We hiked for seven hours and the incredible beauty didn't stop.  We thought we'd see a few awesome waterfalls and that would be the end...but it just kept going.  We took a ferry across one of the lakes to get to a different part of the trail...the ride into the dock was incredible.  It reminded me of that scene in the first Jurassic park when they are taking the helicopter onto the island.

 Scientists identified 1267 different plant species (including 55 different types of orchids), 321 species of butterflies, 161 species of birds, and 21 species of bats in the national park.  The forest is also home to brown bears. 

In sLOVEnia

I loved Slovenia...and loved in a different way than I loved Prague.  Prague was wonderful to visit and I hope to go back a thousand plus times, but it's too overrun with tourists so I don't think I could live there....I think I could live in Slovenia.

3 castles, 3 days

Printing Press inside the courtyard of the Lake Bled Castle

Island Church on Lake Bled.  View from Bled Castle

 The city Bled is known for a cake--with a name I do not remember.  It is amazing and I more or less had to unhinge my jaw like a snake to eat it.  Jim Krapanc has a photo of this, which I will post here once he sends it to me.  The Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia...believed to be built around 1000 C.E.  The view is amazing.  The lake's only island has a church--it's a lovely view.  No motorized boats are allowed on the lake so not to disturb the swans or trout.  (and to avoid pollution)

City of Bled & its lake

 

 

Ljubljana Castle

The Ljubljana castle, like most other castles, is at the top of what seems like the steepest hill in the area.  It was a good walk for Keith and I....who had been eating different Slovenian cakes since we arrived.  The inside court yard have two restaurants and some of the rooms have been converted into art galleries.  

Maribor Castle

Keith and I drove through Maribor with plans to poke about the city on our way home.  Since it was Easter Monday, EVERYTHING was closed.  It was surprising...we walked around the castle here though.  Maribor also is home to Europe's oldest grape vine.  It's about 400 years old.  We did not get to taste wine from this particular vine however.  Next time.

I enjoyed Lake Bled, but I preferred Lake Bohinj, which is about 20km from Lake Bled.  It is less touristy.  Here we had some ice cream and spent about two hours skipping rocks.  It was wonderful.

Language Issues...and Culture

We've had a lot of problems with our Hungarian...a few people are impressed that we know what we know...and we really can get get around.  Today encompassed our negative experiences with trying to learn the language.  

I get fewer complaints about my Hungarian because I can bat my lashes and flash a smile...and no Hungarian man can resist. but this was ridiculous. Once we both started speaking in Hungarian, the people behind us were "helpful." I was told from the beginning of learning Hungarian that the people are thrilled to hear foreigners trying the language...because no one speaks Hungarian...but this is not what I've experienced. My 5 year old students clearly understand my Hungarian...and they have probably never met a foreigner...obviously these adults understand..and the English of these adults is not so great. Let's be encouraging...correct me please, but don't be condescending about it.


This next part is written by Keith:


So today I explained - as I was asked - why I don't like to practice the Hungarian I do know at school...
I find the general public quite rude and not-at-all-encouraging or helpful with the practice and decided a few months ago that I'd rather not deal with the frustration it afforded me.  So I practice by myself and with Meg.  I really like the language.  Cool, cool beans.  If they don't ruin it for me, I might even be interested in continuing my studies...

Well, nonetheless, I was told I was probably just "oversensitive" and harshly correcting each and every language nuance was just "the Hungarian way".  Good to know.  I am in the process of deciding if I should then "politely" follow suit and correct each and every defilement of the English language I hear in the staffroom.  It's pretty easy to speak and practice a language if you never have to use it within a native country.  Must be nice...

I mean, I don't want to be culturally insensitive by ignoring their mistakes, even though the meaning got through clearly and completely.  Maybe it IS of the utmost importance for them to hear what the "w" sounds like in English, that my name is - in fact - NOT "Keet" or "Kees",  and how to NOT roll your "r's" with absolutely every word they say...Done.  Starting tomorrow.  It is the Hungarian way, apparently.


On the subject of language, we had to go to the ATM with Meg's card to put some money on my cell phone, since my identity was recently stolen.  Transaction went through, but....hm.  "Still processing..."  Annnnnnd the card doesn't come back.  Let's see the beauty of language and acceptance come through in this situation (all spoken in Hungarian)...


  Guy behind us:  What's going on?
Woman behind us:  They don't speak Hungarian!  (even though the ATM has an English option)
Guy behind us:  Aaaah!  Fuck!  Asses!  (begins a rant about English and what I would hope would eventually loop back to Trianon)
Me (turning around, sternly, smiling):  We speak some Hungarian, thank you very much.  The machine is broken.

*red-faces and a barely-mumbled 'sorry'*

So Megan goes to talk to the bankers (again, all in our heathen Hungarian):
Meg:  The ATM has my card.
Teller:  It is broken?  Then come back tomorrow.
Meg:  But my card is here.
Teller:  Come back tomorrow.

Meanwhile, back at the ATM, the man behind us - who is aware of the situation, mind you -  is trying to shove his card into the broken ATM...'Idiot' is international.

I call the number on the ATM.  I get an English-speaking operator.  5 more people line up behind the broken ATM, like a freegin' conveyor belt.  I get her to eject the card and reboot the machine.

I tell the crowd (in Hungarian):  It will be good in five minutes.
Crowd:  *mutters*
Me (in Hungarian):  You're welcome.

-Keith

Antsz

Some ants we came across in the Mecsek Hills.  The video is slowed down because they are kind of hard to see....They were biting Keith's shoe.