++++++++++Best to read the below post first! I should have posted them the other way around! Read this after Jess's below!!+++++++++++++++
As we are huge slackers on blogging and only post once in a while (trying to get better i swear!) there are just so many gaps in the things that we have posted and done. I figured having just posted Jess's write up from a few days ago I would try to go with that momentum and write another post. To add some context, we are now in Innsbruck, and rented an apartment off of airbnb.com (thanks to Rymay!). For less than a hotel price, and much nicer than a "zimmer" or "pension" or whatever they call them here, we got our own 1 bdrm apartment with a kitchen, washing machine, living room etc. The problem though, is the internet comes from the apartment across the hall, so im sitting with my back against the front door on the floor in the hallway for the best connection. See the dedication!!!
Seme the past month that I could fill in about our experiences would be:
- Meteora definitely was cool. The place itself was over run with 60 year old cruise ship type group travellers, which is always annoying, but by getting the book jess mentioned we definitely spiced things up a bit. The town we stayed in had like 500 people in it, and was mainly there just to serve as a hotel stop for people who didnt want to do just a day trip to the monastaries. Im very very glad we did it the way we did though, because having dinner at the family run place, staying at a hotel where the owners literally livein the hotel, and watching the sunsets in the evening completed the experience more than just hoping on a bus to and from athens. A must do for greece travels for sure!
-Croatia was very nice. Zagreb was only for 1 night so I couldnt say much about that, but Split and Dubronik were definitely all they are cracked up to be. The lack of commercial tourism in Split was a bit shocking at first, as trying to get from Split to Bol beach on Brac island was literally impossible save 1 ferry at 4pm each day (with no return). I almost felt like I should move there and start a tourist company! What a life eh?! Diocletians palace in the middle of Split was right in line with old town San Sebastian, inside the city walls of Dubrovnik, Venice streets etc. Walking around in 4 story stone wall streets 1-2 meters wide with no cars is always fun no matter what you are doing. Throw in some cool shops, cafes and bars, and you have a recipe for a fun evening! They had live music every night in the center, which we went to twice, and the food was the best we had seen in quite a while.
- Germany was a shock as well, but for the crappy weather, not the lack of tourism. The amount of historical walking tours, bus tours, bike tours, segway tours, skateboard tours, piggy back tours, etc in Berlin was ridiculous. Luckily our good friend trip advisor saved the day again and we went on two tours (one overview, one cold war) with Mike from Insider Tours. He was a kiwi turned German who enjoyed his job more than anyone I have ever met in my life. His father in law was a soldier and border guard in east germany, and his mother in law was an engineer in the government, allowing him to pass on some inside stories that you oculd just never hear from normal tour guides. His inlaws bothed longed for the 'good old days' of communism, and balked at capitalism's unemployment, crime, and poverty. Not like when there was no crime, no poverty, and no unemployment in east berlin.................... Berlin had a lot of great museums that were entertaining even to Jess and I, mainly I think because we could relate to it so much more. Its so frustrating standing in the parthenon with 8000 cruise ship old people when you know its rebuilt, recleaned, remodeled etc versus walking through a museum full of escapes from East germany that you know happened 20-50 years ago. The people who dreamt and built amazing contraptions (which they have on display and are real) to go over or under the wall, and the schemes to go through the borders are so impressive. Plus the people who did it are still alive to tell about it! Its so much better documented. I guess that is obvious, but still, Athens I still feel was a scam better left to books and imagination versus paying to 'see it', and Berlin and Germany is right there in your face realism. We both really enjoyed it.
-Finally, the Nurburgring was a really awesome day. I wish I could have gone longer and for more days. The problem with the ring is its very insiders club. Its open to tourists most days, but lots of them for only 2 hours. For these 2 hours there is everything from race cars to motorbikes to men in work vans driving around. Hence why I paid extra to go on a track day when it was only purpose built cars on the track, no bikes and no vans. The best time to go though is when its 'closed\. We went in the off hours and there were stunning Bentley's, Audi R8s, and ferraris racing around by themselves. I have no idea how or why they got on, but I wish I was in that club. The track day there was about 150 cars in total, and I had the worst car out of everyone for sure. As there is no insurance, I was surprised and impressed with how many people were willing to take their 200k Porsche GT3's, Audi R8's, and Ferrari F430 Scuderia's on the track. I was able to get my car up to 197km/h on the straigh stretch, but people were blowing by me constantly. Its one thing to see an Audi R8 on the side of the road, or accelerating from a stop light, but I had never heard the noises I heard when one drives by you at 300km/h. So powerful and loud, and so refreshing to see people actually race race cars. Granted I would NEVER take my car on the ring anytime soon, as its so scary I would quite likely die, but after years of practice, I could see it for sure. We also saw the Sauber F1 team show up for next weeks race there.
One last thing, for anyone who watches top gear. Episode 2 Monaco filming missed us by 1 day. It's probably the closest I will ever get to JC in my entire life. We walked the track the day before it was closed for practice, and they drove the course that next day after practice was over. When they have the scene where James and Hammond are on those yachts (and they show one that has a glass pool on the back), we were standing in that same spot 24 hours earlier! So timely, and so close to actually seeing them! Too bad...
View through wall one to wall two. In between being the 'death strip' where they would have shot you if you tried to enter. Small price to pay for no unemployment, no poverty and no crime though!!
Something I liked about Berlin. When they rebuilt a lot of stuff they didnt clean it. They used as much of the old building as possible, and then just patched in new stuff. This building is charred and full of bullet holes, but what better way to remember? Also that is Mike being his usual passionate self.
Wall 1 with guard tower. If you make it over that they shoot you.
As we are huge slackers on blogging and only post once in a while (trying to get better i swear!) there are just so many gaps in the things that we have posted and done. I figured having just posted Jess's write up from a few days ago I would try to go with that momentum and write another post. To add some context, we are now in Innsbruck, and rented an apartment off of airbnb.com (thanks to Rymay!). For less than a hotel price, and much nicer than a "zimmer" or "pension" or whatever they call them here, we got our own 1 bdrm apartment with a kitchen, washing machine, living room etc. The problem though, is the internet comes from the apartment across the hall, so im sitting with my back against the front door on the floor in the hallway for the best connection. See the dedication!!!
Seme the past month that I could fill in about our experiences would be:
- Meteora definitely was cool. The place itself was over run with 60 year old cruise ship type group travellers, which is always annoying, but by getting the book jess mentioned we definitely spiced things up a bit. The town we stayed in had like 500 people in it, and was mainly there just to serve as a hotel stop for people who didnt want to do just a day trip to the monastaries. Im very very glad we did it the way we did though, because having dinner at the family run place, staying at a hotel where the owners literally livein the hotel, and watching the sunsets in the evening completed the experience more than just hoping on a bus to and from athens. A must do for greece travels for sure!
-Croatia was very nice. Zagreb was only for 1 night so I couldnt say much about that, but Split and Dubronik were definitely all they are cracked up to be. The lack of commercial tourism in Split was a bit shocking at first, as trying to get from Split to Bol beach on Brac island was literally impossible save 1 ferry at 4pm each day (with no return). I almost felt like I should move there and start a tourist company! What a life eh?! Diocletians palace in the middle of Split was right in line with old town San Sebastian, inside the city walls of Dubrovnik, Venice streets etc. Walking around in 4 story stone wall streets 1-2 meters wide with no cars is always fun no matter what you are doing. Throw in some cool shops, cafes and bars, and you have a recipe for a fun evening! They had live music every night in the center, which we went to twice, and the food was the best we had seen in quite a while.
- Germany was a shock as well, but for the crappy weather, not the lack of tourism. The amount of historical walking tours, bus tours, bike tours, segway tours, skateboard tours, piggy back tours, etc in Berlin was ridiculous. Luckily our good friend trip advisor saved the day again and we went on two tours (one overview, one cold war) with Mike from Insider Tours. He was a kiwi turned German who enjoyed his job more than anyone I have ever met in my life. His father in law was a soldier and border guard in east germany, and his mother in law was an engineer in the government, allowing him to pass on some inside stories that you oculd just never hear from normal tour guides. His inlaws bothed longed for the 'good old days' of communism, and balked at capitalism's unemployment, crime, and poverty. Not like when there was no crime, no poverty, and no unemployment in east berlin.................... Berlin had a lot of great museums that were entertaining even to Jess and I, mainly I think because we could relate to it so much more. Its so frustrating standing in the parthenon with 8000 cruise ship old people when you know its rebuilt, recleaned, remodeled etc versus walking through a museum full of escapes from East germany that you know happened 20-50 years ago. The people who dreamt and built amazing contraptions (which they have on display and are real) to go over or under the wall, and the schemes to go through the borders are so impressive. Plus the people who did it are still alive to tell about it! Its so much better documented. I guess that is obvious, but still, Athens I still feel was a scam better left to books and imagination versus paying to 'see it', and Berlin and Germany is right there in your face realism. We both really enjoyed it.
-Finally, the Nurburgring was a really awesome day. I wish I could have gone longer and for more days. The problem with the ring is its very insiders club. Its open to tourists most days, but lots of them for only 2 hours. For these 2 hours there is everything from race cars to motorbikes to men in work vans driving around. Hence why I paid extra to go on a track day when it was only purpose built cars on the track, no bikes and no vans. The best time to go though is when its 'closed\. We went in the off hours and there were stunning Bentley's, Audi R8s, and ferraris racing around by themselves. I have no idea how or why they got on, but I wish I was in that club. The track day there was about 150 cars in total, and I had the worst car out of everyone for sure. As there is no insurance, I was surprised and impressed with how many people were willing to take their 200k Porsche GT3's, Audi R8's, and Ferrari F430 Scuderia's on the track. I was able to get my car up to 197km/h on the straigh stretch, but people were blowing by me constantly. Its one thing to see an Audi R8 on the side of the road, or accelerating from a stop light, but I had never heard the noises I heard when one drives by you at 300km/h. So powerful and loud, and so refreshing to see people actually race race cars. Granted I would NEVER take my car on the ring anytime soon, as its so scary I would quite likely die, but after years of practice, I could see it for sure. We also saw the Sauber F1 team show up for next weeks race there.
One last thing, for anyone who watches top gear. Episode 2 Monaco filming missed us by 1 day. It's probably the closest I will ever get to JC in my entire life. We walked the track the day before it was closed for practice, and they drove the course that next day after practice was over. When they have the scene where James and Hammond are on those yachts (and they show one that has a glass pool on the back), we were standing in that same spot 24 hours earlier! So timely, and so close to actually seeing them! Too bad...
View through wall one to wall two. In between being the 'death strip' where they would have shot you if you tried to enter. Small price to pay for no unemployment, no poverty and no crime though!!
Something I liked about Berlin. When they rebuilt a lot of stuff they didnt clean it. They used as much of the old building as possible, and then just patched in new stuff. This building is charred and full of bullet holes, but what better way to remember? Also that is Mike being his usual passionate self.
Wall 1 with guard tower. If you make it over that they shoot you.
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