Spirituosengeschäft, Sachertorte and other long words

We, well I, the sole travel planner, were/was drawn to Vienna mostly because it was there.  German culture/influence and the Hapsburg family have eluded me my whole life (ok well until I met the one charming Swiss guy). 

So Vienna is there. On the map.  With the gifted guidance of my former roommate and one time Viennese resident Natalie we would also be there. With a map. 


There was a bit of excitement in leaving Eastern Europe, if only for three days (Hungary and Slovakia both deserved some good time). Unfortunate, we left Prague in such a state that Vienna was a heavily greased and floured blur.


We stayed in the super super awesome apartment of Christian, Gregor and Karina.  The apartment was in a good location, right by Schoenbrunn Palace, which we went to our first day in the city. 

That evening we went out with our host Gregor to a house part of his friends.  Gregor warned us that the house was in the poor section of town but to us it was glorious.  He is friends (girls) lived in an old three floor house.  The house next door was vacant so we didn’t have to worry about being too loud as we sat in the enclosed courtyard listening to music surrounded by candles, good food and a selection of drinks.

Gregor’s friends spoke good English and were friendly and we met up with them the next night to watch the USA v. Japan women’s world cup championship.  My fascination and overly romanticized view of  World War II  led me to read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and I just started Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts, both books about WWII. My recent reading lead me to make the private comment to Kate that "some alliances are hard to kill (Germany/Japan)" as mostly everyone in the bar was cheering for Japan. I don’t like losing but when I saw the faces of the Japanese champions I thought of my adorable little Japanese students. 

The next day we took a tour of Vienna, relaxed (we were pretty warn out) I honestly don't remember much of the tour and it was the one tour all summer that WE ACTUALLY PAID FOR.

Great so we are tired, full on fatty schnitzel and the best chocolate cake ever and have to bike 400 miles.  WHAT DO I DO TO MYSELF.

EstoLatUania

 The time has come to crusie (bus) through the Baltics. But wait, crusing is suppose to be easy.  You know what is not easy?  Enter/exiting Russia.

The Russians loved us.  They didn't want us to stay so badly we were kicked off a bus and given a map in Russian that lead us to this classy hotel!

I've already written about how it is nearly impossible to get a visa to enter Russia and now, the exit story.  This whole scandal was foreshadowed with a joke that this would actually happen.  Kate joked that we would be stopped at the boarder and and said well I hope we cross it the next day because our visas will expire. Mind you, our visas entitled us to a 90 day entry, we just chose to write July 5 and, oh no, July 4 as the date we were exiting.  July 4 turned out to be a problem because our bus left at 10:30pm on July 4 (happy birthday America from a really long bus ride in the USSR, wooo!).  Since the Estonian/Russian border is 4 hours away from St. Petersburgh, we did not make it out of Russia on July 4 and Russian women start to tell at Kathryn "problem, problem!".  We were the last people in line to cross the border, in fact I already had I was just waiting for Kate, and we were the only ones not allowed to leave.  Kate had to go to a bank and pay a 600 ruble ($20) fee but since it was 1:30 am (a whole hour and a half past her visas' expiration!) we had to spend the night at hotel.  The somewhat nicer border guard led us up the hill and pointed towards a hostel.  Now most border towns are known to be sketchy and this hotel fit the mold.  Fortunately, the stupid border guard led us to a closed hotel so some drunk Russians called us a cab and we got to a cute family run hotel.  We spent the night, at some breakfast and finally made it to Tallinn just 12 hours behind schedule.

Tallinn is actually great.  I say actually because I know American folk may not be able to locate it on a map and therefore you probably assume it is not great.  No, it is very quaint, clean, and tourist friendly. Best of all, the speak excellent English.  Our highlight was probably the (free) tour we went on with an excellent guide who I assumed was part fairy.  Estonian is one of the most atheist nations and its people spent a long time running through forests and worshiping trees. Kate and I "made friends" with a boys choir which walked into the same restaurant as us in St. Petersburgh (we were joyous to hear English) and then again at a Medieval restaurant (established in 1307 and survived Danish/Swedish/Russian/German/Soviet invasions!) in Tallinn.

Tallinn- Pretty sweet!  The people were extremely nice!

Another country woo!

Next was Riga, Latvia.  We stayed at Frank's Fun Hostel which pretty much says how this leg of the trip went.  Enter hostel, get free welcome drink, drink contraband Russian vodka, go to Latvian bar, meet Latvian boys... did I mention I like Slavic men a whole lot? Don't worry I didn 't do anything Frank (the hostel owner/Mr. DeLucia/my future dog) wouldn't approve of.

Baltic hangover?  We'll do anything to sit, even paddle a boat.

Now we are Vilnius, Lithuania which is scary.  Just a little sketchy. Perhaps it is because we arrived at 10:30pm (still light out, thanks Baltic summer) or maybe it completely empty bus station and strange looks we've been getting from people on the streets.  Tomorrow is another day and hopefully we can see the brighter side of Vilnius.

This is an "independent" republic in Vilinus.  On the anniversary of the day they (unsuccessfully) declared independence they do a  passport check at this point!

I must note, I have heard an overwhelming amount of 80s music this past week.  Perhaps it because in Soviet times (as the locals and now I like to say lamentably) Western music was representative of evil capitalists and their threat to global stability.    Except the Beatles, who were good Brittish Communists (says our tour guide).

Blame it on the alcohol.

Day 2 of 38?

Let it be known that this post is being written before I have had a single sip of alcohol in Russia.  This will change in approximately 30 minutes where I plan to do a taste test of every Russian beer.

You know what happens when you travel with a Bostonian?  You go to Dunkin' Donuts in every country.  Kate lives int he boonie town of 8 million people, Hangzhou, which does not have a Dunkin. Considering there's 2 on every block in Boston, she is deprived.  So we started our day on a 10 am Dunkies run.  Along our way we pass many drunks (the healthy non-begging kind) and the street beer cars are opening up for the day.

Apparently the Russians have a serious alcohol problem which results in 40,000 deaths a year.  This contributes to the average life expectancy for Russian men clocking in at 61!  That's so young for a developed country! Compare that to 74 for Russian women! Those poor Russian widows.  Well then, those women can't be bangin' hot and have everything.

This furthers mine and Kate's point that we are not in Asia anymore.  This is a subjective point because anyone who looks at a map will tell you, Russia is in Asia. However, its roughly 99% WHITE.  There are people from the Caucuses and even some "Asians" but nope. WHITE.  Also, since everyone, well especially the men, suffer from an alcohol addiction, the country suffers from a surplus of women!  Compare this to India and China were selective abortions and adoption leave the country with a surplus of men (in my opinion too many men = WWIII).

Kate and I were told that the men who survive drinking copious amount of alcohol are actually "courteous" and "chivalrous".  I'm sorry I don't think I know what those words mean. I lived in Miami and China those words mean nothing to me.  Maybe I would consider a Russian mail order husband but the laws of supply and demand and natural selection (Russian chicks>>>>>>> hotter than me) are both against me.

In other news, Soviet Comunism collapsed due to poor operational management, a continuing problem as demonstrated by the 30 minutes it takes for a Russian Dunkin' Donuts employee to toast a bagel.  Thus, Kate and I missed our morning tour.  So we wandered Red Square on our own.  It was very impressive!  St. Basil's Cathedral is possibly one of the coolest and best preserved site I've seen.  Pictures to come!

MOCKBA

Greetings from Moscow!

I would greet you in Russian but I don't know how.  In fact I only know three words kame'n' (rock), nozhyci (scissor) and bumaga (paper).  Kate and I learned these words (and actually a few others) in the local languages of Korea, Japan and China. We make good bar buddies.

It is actually quite difficult to get around Moscow without knowing any Russian. At least the "real" Asians recognize their language is difficult and post bilingual signs.  I thank my days in the Greek system for being able to pronounce some words.

The first sentence of the Moscow section of Lonely Planet Russia says that "Moscow is a city of superlatives.  It is the most expensive and rudest city in the world".  Well so far the Russian have come across as far and away more polite than the Chinese and the prices have been bearable.

What they didn't mention is that the Russians are SMOKIN HOT.  Every single one of them.  Life is not fair.  I've also been in white people withdrawl.  However, I have seen white people in Asia, lots of them.  In Russia I have to look long and hard to find a minority.  Even the maids are white.  That SHOCKED me.  I haven't seen a white maid since.... forever.


Today Kate and I walked to the Kremlin only to be told most of the exhibits were closed for the day.  We settled on seeing the Cathedral square and getting some hearty Russian food.  Tomorrow we have a free tour, and want to see the Pushkin art museum and Museum of State History.

I bought THE BEST THING EVER.  It's so good I don't even know if I want to tell you. Sigh ok I will tell you.  UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HURRICANE BABUSHKA DOLLS.  Yes, babushka dolls with 5 players from the University of Miami football team painted on them, one inside the other. In RUSSIA.  Price does not matter.  I would buy them for everyone but my bag already weighs me down and might combust.  GO CANES.

Anyways we are off to paint the town red (get it, red, Bloshevicks, Commies).  Sunset is at at eleven freakin o'clock and rises at 4:30 so rest easy, there are few opportunities for me to get mugged (again).

Goodbye Zhongguo!

I am leaving China. I AM LEAVING CHINA!!!

The excitement is only half-hearted. China has never been, and will never be home, but we had some good times.  There are so many opportunities here.  I wish I wasn't so lazy or bus with school work that I could have became more involved in things.  Yes, I know there's still time!  I don't have a plane ticket and I can walk back from Europe! Perhaps we will meet again but for now, I will pay tribute to the best and worst of Shanghai.

What I will miss:

• (Some of) My students.  They really are adorable.
• This city is safe.  Dirty, but safe.  
• The clean subway.  It's still no Hong Kong but it gets you there fast.
• Hao laoshi (yes her last name is Hao as in "good" teacher) and other Chinese people thinking I know more Chinese than I actually do.  I guess I will still have this in America since people have wild assumption on how well I speak Chinese.
• 3-4 co-workers I made my top 3 list.  At least I made some friends in China.  I know, I am a clingy judgmental girl who at the end of the day, likes to surround herself with similar people.
• Milk tea.  I think I will go get one after I write.  In a very dark time in my life I was up to one a day.

What I won't miss:

• Pollution.  GROSS
• Terrible weather.  The winter was so cold and now the heat and humidity are deadly.  Plus there is never any escape; the insulation sucks and so do the air systems.
• Illiteracy.  I like to read.
• The repressive rules of my school.  I'm Catholic.  I feel guilt. If someone tells me to be at work from 8-4:30, I generally am, even if it involved endless hours of boredom.
• Fake shit.  I can't believe I own it.  My will power is weak. My whole theory on Shanghai is that its not just the designer bags, clothes, and shoes that are fake.  It's EVERYTHING.  the food, the alcohol and I even think this whole feel of Pearl of the East is a load of bullshit.  You can't be Hong Kong or New York or even Tokyo you faker.
• My Chinese friends.  What Chinese friends?  We're just too different. No one wants to date a Chinese man, not even a Chinese girl which is why they pathetically cling to foreign guys. The chicks are either just plain boring, or way too slutty, even for me.
• Finally, my roommates.  I feel awful that my last goodbye to them was filled with cusing me out for being lazy and rude since I left a few things in my room as I was moving out.  I was stressed.  I needed to get out of that hell hole. Plus, there was no security desposit to get back and knowing these kids honesty, if there was, I would never see it.  I'm not actually that rude but I simply don't care about them.  I've never burned bridges before so this is something new.  Anyways, go to hell bitches.