Easterm Europe: Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia

Hey erryone!

So tomorrow were 3/4 of the way through our trip! So crazy!!! I'm excited to see all my friends and family but very sad to be coming to the end of the most amazing adventure of my life!

Live, free open-air opera in Vienna

So after saying goodbye to my mom, we continued on to Vienna, Austria. I knew I would love this city, seeing as though it is home to some of the worlds best classical music, composers and the Vienna Phil but man I was not prepared for just how awesome and diverse it was!! All I can say is: live, free open-air opera, giant spinach gnocchi and potato with bacon so big we couldnt even eat a quarter of it, the beautiful Danube, boats and nudists, and the Vienna pride parade with some of the nicest people I have ever met.

Day 1 we happened to be in Vienna over pride and it was a time! Beer steins were the going thing, as were men in leiderhosen buying Daniel and me drinks. We met the "Pride King", who had just won the biggest Pride award and was the nicest guy ever. He also happens to be eligible, and a butcher (which means he knows how to handle meat). It was a blast. After, we got invited for dinner and more beers (delivered to your door!) by some friends we had just met (shout out to Elke and Ludz!), who made us cheesy sausages which were soooo yummy!

PRIDE!!!

With the Pride King

Men in leiderhosen...cant resist!

Our new friends

Day 2 involved renting a sweet motor boat and exploring all through the beautiful blue Danube. It was super hot that whole week (about 41 degrees), so it was the perfect way too cool off! We just jumped out of the boat whenever we got too hot. Vienna is seriously the most beautiful city. The Danube is so old-world feeling, I understand why my Czech grandparents always came here for their holidays. I felt like I was in the 70s. And yet, the downtown of Vienna is so vibrant and modern. The pride celebration took place on the gardens and parks of the Hapsburg palace from the 18th century. Such a beautiful mix of old and new! I could SERIOUSLY live here!! Probably my favourite city I've seen so far!

Daniel "manning" the boat down the Danube

THE BRAT AND 'PEST 

After Austria, it was on to Slovakia. The capital, Bratislava, is only 45 minutes from Vienna, but it is like entering a totally different world! Made famous by Eurotrip fame, it actually is kind of like that! Eveything is pretty "Eastern" European and just feels totally different from Austria. People are a little more reserved, buildings are more run-down, there isn't the same infrastructure and everything is seriously cheap. Pints of beer for 1 euro! Even cheaper than Prague! And food was insanely good and so cheap as well! While we were there, it was a heat wave, and unlike Vienna, you can't swim in the Danube here. So we were suffering!! But we consoled ourselves by drinking cheap beer and finding places with AC (barely effective AC), since our hostel did not have any.

One of the best meals of my life

 One thing Slovakia is famous for is its sheep cheese, and we found a local, organic restuarant that is famous for it! They literally bring all their food from their farm which is 45 minutes away from the city so this meal was insanely good. Actually, could compete for one of the best meals of my entire life. It was that good. So on the left we have a sort of schnitzel, covered in mashed potato-type thing then deep-fried and smothered with cheese. Oh man. On the left, my personal favourite, we have potato spaetzle (kind of like mini gnocchi) covered in sheeps cheese and cream and crackling BACON. OMG. I died when I first tried this dish. I would gladly go back to Bratislava and pay 3 euros to have it again anyday!! Other highlights of Bratislava incuded going on a pub crawl with these awesome Brits I met (hey Manti and Preety!). It was all you can drink wine and beer for the first hour, then free shots at every bar we went to. Needless to say I was pretty tipsy! I have to say, the Brits showed me up :S BUT I had been using beer to stay cool all day, so when they come to Canada, we can show them how its done. 

Ballin out of control with 100,000HUF!

Chillin at the Buda baths

After Slovakia, it was on to Budapest! Super cool city, also a very different feel from the rest of Europe! We got to take out 100,000 HUF (Hungarian Forinths) so we felt pretty damn cool. We met an awesome guy from Norway, Kriss, who really made our time here special. We went to these amazing thermal baths right in the center of the city with him. There are over 30 different baths, all with different temperatures and minerals, some with currents and waves, some without, indoors and outdoors, so there is really something for everyone, and for all occasions. When we went it was 43 degrees, so I just lay in the cold pool outside and had the best time. Somehow, Kriss and Daniel were still in the hot pool and were seriously bro-ing out. The whole thing is also set in and outside of this incredible castle, so you really feel like a Hungarian king while you're there.

Budapest is also famous for its nightlife. They have these incredible "ruin bars", where they take basically anything and everything and make it into art. There were toilets hanging from the ceilings, pots and pans, posters, christmas lights, laundry baskets, basically anything and it was sooooo artistic! Really incredible. The bar we went to is also supposedly the 3rd best bar in the world, called Szimpla. If you're in the area, I highly recommend it! Another thing that was so amazing was that we met some super cool native Budapest-ers(?) who took us under their wing and decided to show us the best night. We met Jasper and Jenna at Szimpla and Jasper was like: "okay. Here's the plan. First we will get some beer, then some kebab, then we will take a taxi up to the Pest castle on the hill and we will watch the sunrise. Okay?" We were like, heck yes!! So it was a plan! We got to see the most incredible sunrise over the city, and explore the castle by the early morning light. Oh, and it was also the summer solstice. I have SO many beautiful pictures I can't even pick one!! What an incredible experience!

Szimpla ruin bar

Daniel consuming the solstice.. so metal.

SUCH A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE!!!!

After Buda, we went to Kezsthely lake with Kriss, who decided to come along with us! This lake is the biggest one in Europe, and is famous for its beaches and hot springs nearby! There we met Sofie, another super cool Scandinavian (from Denmark). We had so much fun with these two, swimming in the thermal lake near Kezsthely, teaching them how to play Kings, walking around the lake and just learning about each other's culture.

Swimming in the thermal lake complex

Being silly with Kriss and Sofie

We finally left Hungary to see Croatia. We said goodbye to Kriss, which was sad since we'd been travelling together for almost a week! He is a super cool dude, and we hope to come visit him in Norway/London soon! Sofie decided to come with us to Croatia, and we found the most beautiful coast we had seen so far! Such beautiful turquoise water, olive groves everywhere and friendly people who gave us free grappa (super strong fruit alcohol). We were happy to finally have a real beach again, and took full advantage of it. We stayed in the small town of Funtana, close to Rovinj.  

Emjoying the sun and waters of Croatia

We visited Rovinj as well, and it was so incredible. Perched on top of the Mediterranean, it looks just like a jewel coming out of the ocean. It is so nice to come back to the Mediterranean for the first time since Spain! We also indulged in fresh tomatoes, cheese, olives, wine and the yummiest local olive oil.

We only stayed for a few days in Croatia, then on to Italy. Sofie decided to come to Venice with us as well, but that's the next chapter!

Daniel being a badass in front of Rovinj

Eastern Europe was incredible. It really is different from Western Europe, and feels untouched and completely natural. You can go to Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, and feel like you are living how the locals there live. This is also because in these places, the locals are so friendly and eager to show you their beautiful countries. They are so generous as well, in an old-world way that we just don't appreciate anymore in quick-moving big cities. It really makes you take a step back and move at a slower pace. 

Well, hopefully I'll not move on a slower pace with these blogs and get some more pumped out while I have a computer here in Naxos! Anyways, till next time, miss you all and enjoy! 

Czech Republic with the madre!

Wow so I'm super behind on blogs!

Ok... so Czech! I was really excited for this leg of the travel because my dad's family is Czech and I always wanted to "go back to the homeland" to see how they lived and what their life was like. My grandfather lived in the Sudetenlands but luckily could perceive what was about to happen to Jewish people like him and left in 1937/8. He tried to convince his whole family to come with him, but they were well set up with their business and life, so the only person who came with him was his brother. My grandfather was only 16 or 17 at the time, and the rest of his family was killed in concentration or work camps. He left behind everything, and we only now are starting to reclaim some of his property. I cant even begin to imagine what that must have been like, but it definitely set up this country differently in my head!

We arrived in Prague only a few days after major floods had hit the city. We were a little worried about if we could even go but it must show how resilient the Czech people are because everything was open and when we asked people if everything was okay, they would just shrug and say, "Well, it wasn't as bad as 2002!" After learning more about the history of Czech, this attitude makes sense since the Czech people really suffered alot over the last century, with WW1, the annexation of the Sudetenlands, WW2, migration of the German people and Soviet takeover. The things you don't know until you visit a place!

We met my mom at the Prague airport and I was SO happy to see her! I've really missed her the last while! Prague is such an amazingly beautiful city. It seems like every building is ornate, historic and seems to tell a story. For example, this church (below) is Gothic and Baroque from the 12th century and tells a story about a man who came in a tried to steal some gold from the statue of Mary. She apparently came alive and chopped off his hand. To warn other people not to steal, they HUNG UP his hand in the church, where it remains, 600 years later!

Some dudes hand

Beautiful buildings in Prague

So we spent a few amazing days in Prague, just walking around the city, going up the tower at sunset and exploring the MASSIVE Prague castle. Mom and I also saw a classical concert in this old church in the castle complex. We enjoyed yummy goulash, red cabbage, bread dumplings, potato dumplings, and Daniel's favourite that he must have had at EVERY meal: Bramboraky (basically like a potato latke). Although he actually admitted it was BETTER than latkes.. I hope his bubbie doesn't read this!! And of course, we drank lots and lots of light and dark and frothy beer, which all Czechs claim is the best in the world (and I don't disagree!)

Duck and goulash and potato dumplings and fish and bramborek... oh my! 

Prague at sunset

After Prague, it was on to Zatec, the original home of my family. We met with a father and son team who specialize in land claims. It was amazing to see where my family lived and what they did (grew hops to make beer). We also had lunch in a small, traditional Czech restaurant/microbrewery.

Part of the original Reiss family home in Zatec, Czech Republic

After, it was on to Pilsn, the home of all Pilsner beer and also Pilsner Urquell, the brewery. Hops grown in the Zatec area (I later found out), are some of the best in the world for making beer, and is what Pilsner Urquell uses to make their beer taste so awesome. Hmm... looks like my family was onto something there! Maybe I'll have to go back one day and get into the beer making business! We toured the PU factory, saw the production of bottling and the old and new vats that they make beer in- super cool experience! Then we got to drink unfiltered beer right out of the barrels; definitely a different taste to it, but awesome once you get used to it! We also went to the 3rd largest/most important synagogue in the world, which was in Pilsn.

I can fit through a beer barrel! 

After Pilsn, we drove through the tiny town of Chodova Plana, where there is a beer spa, restaurant and brewery from 1117. The thing to do there is to get a beer bath (not kidding). So we jumped in feet first (literally), and climbed into a warm dark beer-filled bath complete with a foot full of brown-ish foam. Surprisingly, it was a relaxing and unforgettable experience! They even give you pints of beer while you're in the tub, which you can refill for yourself when you go dry! Seriously, so awesome and at the end of it, all of us noticed how soft our skin was and how relaxed we were.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTX4exUXtb8UXtb8

Check out the link above, from the show, worlds weirdest restaurants (done and done.)

Our final stop in Czech was Cesky Krumlov. This medieval city has the beautiful Vltava running through it, a hilltop castle and narrow winding cobblestone streets- what more could you want! Unfortunately because of the floods, we couldn't do the typical thing, which is to rent floaties and float down the river (beer in hand), but we managed to get up to all sorts of other things. The first night there, we went to "Gorilla Rock Bar" and met some super cool Slovaks and Czechs. We also wandered around the town and ate lots of gelato. Then we toured the hilltop castle and gardens and took tons of pictures of the colourful buildings. We also ate at a traditional Medieval restaurant that has been around for hundreds of years in the original building. We sampled rabbit, two types of traditional cabbage, potato kugel-type thing and drank some STRONG warm, cinnamon mead. Mom was definitely tipsy by the end of it! And a perfect DOUBLE rainbow to top it all off!

All in all, it was a great way to finish an amazing week in Czech with my mom. We were so happy to travel with her and it was so amazing to learn more about my heritage with her.

Enjoying our last meal with my mom...rabbit!