Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya

I arrived in Kenya almost two weeks ago to start my master’s research project on slum upgrading. First stop was Nairobi where I stayed in the Kahama Hotel, which I recommend; only a short walk to the downtown if you don’t mind hawkers, highway traffic, and possibly getting lost. Once downtown you will appreciate the order of things; a grid system of streets, maintained parks, and modern (dating mostly from the 60s and 70s) buildings. While I was nervous for safety reasons, I found the downtown very comfortable. The streets are bustling with government and office workers going to a fro. In addition there are all the services that you could want; I was able to buy and set up a cell phone, do some photo copying, and purchase an internet dongle all within a morning. It was also worth taking a trip to the Kenya National Museum, which has very interesting animal displays and a short history of Kenyan. The most fascinating were the prehistoric human fossils.

One scary moment happened after I had returned from the hotel. I started to hear gunshots being fired and looked in the distance and saw the hawkers I just passed throwing rocks. I asked the cleaning lady what was going on. “Ohh, it is just the council people. They are firing tear gas at the hawkers. I am not sure why, because after the council people leave, the hawkers return 30 minutes later”. While I certainly find hawkers annoying, I think that perhaps the local government should spend more time setting up stalls for them rather then moving the problem around.

After a few days I flew to Kisumu to start my work.  My professor had arranged a place for me to stay at an apartment, which I very much appreciated. It was certainly better than my place in Ghana with running water, electricity that does not go out, a tv, a kitchen, and a security guard. Oh, and very few bugs and no lizards. However, the landlord could be a little bit better at the upkeep as the facet leeks, the walls need some patching up, the toilet sort of flushes, and the furniture is pretty rickety. But to be honest, this place is better than I expected. Plus it is in a safe neighbourhood, only 5 minute walk from a real mall with a grocery story, and about 20 minutes walk to the downtown.

But ah, the sounds of Africa. There is first the sound of the ultra evangelical church right next door to the apartment with a preacher that sounds like a crackling (these guys always seem to yell beyond the capacity of the speakers) lion with the congregation whaling to the music. Oh, and yes, this church goes three times a week; Sundays is 4 am till 9pm. Then there is the car wash; all you need is some water and a power washer and you are good to go. Next is the highway one plot away. And finally there is the call to prayer at the local mosque. And sometimes you get all these sounds all at once. Oh, and did I mention there is a bar right next to the church?

Kisumu downtown is nice with a modified grid, creating several nice squares and parks. It feels like a colonial frontier town on the lake. There are lots of shops and nice restaurants. However, I don’t think I have ever seen so many different banks on a main street; there must be at least ten of them. Unfortunately, there is not much of a waterfront as the railway cuts the city off from the water. But if you walk down to the harbour, there are some fish restaurants and…people washing their cars in the lake; guess they don’t like the price of the car wash near my place.

I did take a tour of the east end of Lake Victoria with a local guide. He pointed out some birds, fish, and a mother and baby hippo which was cute. The water is pretty green/brown but I understand this is due to all the run off from the surrounding hills and the city which creates a lot of sedimentation and algae blooms. As a result, most fishermen go further out in the lake to catch the big fish such as tilapia and Nile perch (an introduced spices). I was saw a few of the larger boats that carry cargo to other parts of Lake Victoria such as Tanzania and Uganda. There are currently no ferry boats running; the one the British carted up to the lake piece by piece from Scotland in the early 1900s is still floating at dock; it one day may become a museum. It was a pleasant boat ride and the guide Ibrahim was very knowledgeable.

I am impressed with the variety of modes of transportation here. You can take a bus, a van (matatu), a taxi, a tuck tuck, a motorcycle, and even a bicycle. I appreciate the use of bicycles but with the crazy traffic I prefer the tuck tuck. Not worth the risk!

In terms of safety; I have not witnessed any threats in Kisumu since I arrived. I understand that Kisumu is a much safer city than others as the locals abhor violence. I am also in a good neighbourhood with lots of foot and car traffic. I of course take the necessary precautions like locking my door and avoiding going out at night alone. The violence I hear about appears to be either politically related or along the boarders of Kenya.

As to the people, Kenyans are a friendly and respectful lot. I rarely get “hey mzungu!” or hassled while I am walking along the street which is so nice. I have gotten to know a few of my neighbours apartment in the apartment building. Also, the women showed me into my apartment even showed me how to cook chapattis and meat soap.

However, Kenyans can be reserved to the point that it is painful; quite the opposite of Ghanans who are very boisterous and playful. Other than the enjoying of certain foods such as fish, ugali (corn floor made into a something like coarse mashed potatoes), chapatis, and barbequed meat, I do not see much other cultural traditions on display. No strange ways of making food, no traditional clothing, no outbursts of dancing.

Let me tell you about African time. In Ghana, I got used to African time being about 30 minutes to 1 hour later. Kenyans take it to the extreme! Whenever I plan something with a Kenyan male; they are usual about 2 hours late. And this one professor was almost 10 hours late! So, I ask my friend why this is and he says that it is impolite for people to end their conversations before it has gone through its proper course. I appreciate that but it makes it difficult for anyone to plan their day if everyone is late for everything. I understand that males are much worse for this then females; I assume this is because males have less family responsibilities here.

Having an interesting time here but miss the Family and Friends Back Home

Nicaragua

Back in May of 2008, I went off on another trip and this time to visit my girlfriend in Nicaragua. No, Leah is not Nicaraguan herself but she decided to go on a four month tour of Central America.

Nicaragua is considered the second poorest country in the western hemisphere after Haiti. Reading the history of the country it seemed that it had been in a continual state of war. There were the Spanish conquistadors, the wars between the conservatives and liberals, American interventions, the Sandinista revolution and the Contra war. And in between all that were earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes. However, it looks like the country may have finally turned a corner and is now considered the safest country in Central America. In addition, the people are proud and are not going to allow any outside nation or corrupt leader ruin what they have achieved.

Managua

I arrived in Managua and after getting through customs I could see Leah waiting for me. She looked like something straight out of a Roxy advertisement; blond curly hair, hippy outfit and a super deep tan. After exchanging a Hollywood moment it was off to the Best Western Hotel which was only across the street from the airport. Next day we got up and started on our adventure.

Our first destination was the Managua bus station which ended up living to its reputation for sketchiness. As soon as the taxi driver opened up the trunk of the car, two guys went and grabbed our bags. Not very amused by this, I ran after them leaving Leah to pay the driver. Fortunately, they were just being overly eager for us to get on their bus and not out to snatch our stuff. After looking at their packed vehicle we decided on another more comfortable one to take us to Granada.

Granada

Upon arriving in Granada we tracked down Hostel Oasis which was only a few blocks away from the bus station. We went through the front gate and found ourselves in a beautiful interior court yard with the rooms facing onto it. There was a swimming pool, free internet, a garden, and self serve beer and pop (just write down your room number). My favourite was of course the hammocks tied to the pillars around the court yard. Reading a book and swinging in a hammock while drinking a beer is the perfect way to relax after a long day.

Speaking of hammocks…they were definitely a staple of Nicaragua. You would often see them strung out in front of Nicaraguan homes and at most hostels. At one hostel, you could pay $5 to sleep in a hammock for the night. Not sure how comfortable that would be.

After dropping our stuff off, we walked to Granada’s town square to check things out. Around the square were a few fancy hotels, some beautiful cultural buildings and a stunning Catholic church. In the square itself there was a gazebo (took Leah and I the longest time to remember what one of those was called?!), some statues, benches, and a few fountains. The locals were selling some tourist items, snacks and drinks. This was a great place for to sit back and people watch, especially the old dudes as they discussed life. As we would continue our travels, it seemed that if you were going to be any sort of town, it was a requirement to have a town square with a church anchoring it.

From the square we then headed down a street that led to the shores of Lake Nicaragua. This tidy little road, with amazing restaurants, but a general lack of locals would be nicknamed by some as Gringo Street. On this day however, we were surprised by a parade of cowboys and cowgirls riding there magnificent horses. Intermingled with the horses were a couple bands, street performers, and ladies pushing beer carts. It was kind of surreal considering this was our first day in Granada. After following the crowd to the water, we headed back up to have dinner at a fusion restaurant. We would end up finding that Nicaragua was full of restaurants with delicious food, great ambience, and at affordable prices.

The next day we went to visit a few of the many beautiful churches in town. The San Francisco was attached to a museum which had a very detailed model of the city. I stared at it for about ten minutes to Leah’s amusement. Later we headed to La Merced where we were allowed to go to the roof and also the bell tower to get a view of the city. We were literally on the edge of the bell tower with a metre to spare before you would have thrilling end. From there you could see all the colourful buildings with there internal courtyards and the surrounding volcanoes.

I found Granada to be a very picturesque city that was perfect for tourists. However, it seemed that the centre of town was more of a living museum rather than a gathering place for the people. You would have to go to the local market to find the locals going about their everyday life. With its narrow lanes, corrugated metal roofs held up by wooden poles, the market held all the necessities such as fruits, vegetables, fish and Leah’s favourite…mmm…meat (not).

Mombacho

The following day it was a stop at Cathy’s Waffle House and on to hike Volcano Mombacho. A massive off road passenger truck took us up a windy road and stopped off a coffee plantation where we tried the local brew…hmm…I don’t understand why you guys drink this stuff. After buying a pack of coffee for my mom (yeah, I am sweet) we got back in the truck and met up with our guide Alex at the rangers station. He would be the one leading us up and down the trail that must have been the inspiration for the Stairmaster. Talk about buns of steel at the end of 3 hours…and Alex wasn’t even breathing hard in his jeans and t-shirt. The gruelling hike would take us to see some wonderful views of the surrounding area including Granada and Volcano Lake. We also saw wildflowers, butterflies and smelled the rotten egg goodness coming from the volcano steam vents. We celebrated our accomplishment by going to a restaurant called Nectar and watching some kids break dance on the street.

Masaya

Our next destination was Masaya to check out a couple of cultural markets. The chicken bus…oh, wait you have not heard of these yet. Well, they are converted school buses that are now used as public transit. While not the most luxurious or fast way to travel, they are cheap, more comfortable than a Ghanaian tro tro, you get to rub shoulder to shoulder with the locals (literally) and of course they bring back memories of when you were a kid.

The bus stopped at the station, which was a large open dirt field. After talking to a few people we figured out where to head to get to the market. Masaya looked like a decent enough place but its narrow sidewalks and traffic did not allow for strolling; you had to keep on your toes or you might get hit by something. The market was surrounded by an old wall where you finally get a bit of peace from the chaos outside. The amount of souvenirs was mind boggling. I ended up buying some wine holder, cigars, and a belt. Then we headed back to the bus station where we found a more authentic market where they were making souvenirs. Back at Granada we went to a Café and watched a friendly drunk guy serenade the passer-bys.

Ometepe Island

The following day we went for breakfast at the Garden Café which ended up being Leah’s favourite restaurant. We chatted with a Canadian who was running his online business from Nicaragua while making American cash. Pretty nice idea. After we headed to Ometepe Island via the chicken bus and ferry.

On the ferry, we met a three fine people from Utah who were travelling around South and Central America. They called themselves the non-Mormon support group and we would later play cards and drink rum with them at the hostel. We headed to Charco Verde but were warned that it was not the most exciting place in the world by our friends…and they were right. The beach was not the nicest and there was really no hiking around. It also didn’t help when we were trying to sleep there were people outside our door partying, bugs bouncing off the wall, dogs barking and…and a rooster crowing?! Well, the next day we left right after breakfast for Santa Cruz and found the El Encanto hostel.

El Encanto was such a treasure. A dirt road led up a hill to the hostel which was situated on a small farm. The friendly owners were Helen from Australia and Carlos from El Salvador and they hooked us up with our own little cabin. They also had a fine restaurant with tasty meals. After having a bite we headed to the beach and had a nice warm swim. However, we did not choose the best spot to lay our towels as little spiders wrapped their cobwebs around us. In then evening we played cribbage and watched the sunset from the restaurant patio.

Volcano Maderas

The following day we decided to hike one of Ometepe’s two volcanoes called Maderas. We met our guide Felix who was about 40 years old, wore rubber boats and only spoke Spanish. Being young and fit and wearing our sporty clothes we thought we could easily keep up with this veteran. Well, Maderas proved to be one of the most difficult hikes we had ever done. The trail included very few switch backs, was not very well maintained and at times muddy. And Felix was always waiting for us. We would later learn that he hikes the volcano every day.

Nevertheless, our efforts were rewarded. We walked through the jungle and saw a hummingbird’s nest, some beautiful views, and hieroglyphs. After four hours we reached the volcano’s crater where there was a lake. On the way back we saw some howler monkeys whose calls rumbled through the trees. Felix amused us by calling them tigers. At the end of eight hours a coke never tasted so refreshing.

Eye of the Water

Next day we rented a couple of bikes and rode along the beach to a place called 'the Eye of the Water'. A smart entrepreneur went and damned up a spring and created a very pleasant swimming pool. Surrounded by jungle it was very refreshing place to cool off. I made one impressive splat on the water as I swung off a rope. Leah was very amused. On the way back we rode past a bunch of the locals who were playing soccer on the beach.

Leon

After leaving Ometepe, and another stop in Granada, Leon was the next destination. In some ways it had a similar feel and character as Granada; big churches, public squares, internal courtyards, nice restaurants, markets, etc. However, the city felt more alive and engaging than Granada. As you walked around the streets you saw many murals depicting the history of the revolution along with a good dose of anti-American graffiti. Nicaraguans would frequent the same bars and restaurants as the tourists. The central square had live entertainment in the evening and much of the crowd were locals. They also had a few universities. No wonder this place was the political, artistic and academic hub of Nicaragua.

The first day we went and got ourselves familiar with Leon. We checked out the central square and visited the biggest church in Central America. The roof provided a great view of the city. Then we headed to Prison 21 which was a prison during the Somoza dictatorship. It is now a memorial to the political prisoners and a Traditions and Legends museum. The place has a bit of a dual personality; there were murals depicting how prisoners were tortured and then there were really amateur mannequins presenting the myths and legends of Nicaragua.

Later, we went for some food at a pub called the Shark Pit and happened to notice a Flames jersey hanging on the wall. In the evening we saw the new Indiana Jones; Harrison Ford is still Indy but otherwise a disappointment.

We stayed our first evening in Leon at Bigfoot Hostel. This was one of the sketchiest hostels I have every stayed in. Our room had a vault like door, no windows, a mattress on the floor, a small wood bench and all illuminated by a dull incandescent light bulb. They must have used this room for a torture scene in a movie. The washrooms were not much better. I was thinking that maybe we were spoiled in Granada.

Next day however, we went across the street and miraculously found a room at Via Via. This place was easily as nice as Oasis Hostel in Granada and even had a restaurant, bar, pool table and foosball. The tour guide office, run by a couple from Netherlands, offered us lots of good advice.

We continued our tour of Leon. Our first stop was the Casa de Cultura which was a centre that supported the arts in Leon. There were some Nicaraguan paintings, sculptures, and school children practicing traditional dance. Next was the Leon Art Gallery which was had many outstanding paintings from Nicaraguan artists. Easily as good as any other art gallery I have seen.

We took a break and had some tasty licuados (smoothies) before meeting up with Harry, our Dutch tour guide, who gave us a history tour of Leon. Harry and his wife were an interesting couple. They had been volunteering in a slum in Guatemala on and off for a year. After things got a little tense with the gangs they moved on to Nicaragua and helped Via Via set up a tour office. They focus of their tours is on meeting the locals and learning the culture.

We first checked out the oldest church in Leon. After we went to see a former fort/prison used during the Somoza era. Situated on a hill, we could see a wonderful view of Leon. The site is now falling into disrepair but it is hoped that it will one day be a tourist site. However, in the opposite direction we saw a very sad sight where some people were scouring a landfill for what they could use or sell. There is thought about moving the dump to another spot however, it is not understood how this will affect the people living in the area.

In the evening we went to a café/bar. There was some great live music and the owner was the singer. It was another place where there was a great mix of both locals and tourists.

The next morning we ended up getting a surprise. Typically the rain in Nicaragua came either early in the morning or in the early evening. However, this day was a lot different; it would not stop. We eventually heard from Harry that a tropical storm was heading our direction. By the end of the morning it was just pouring down and we decided to stay put and enjoy a cigar while watching the storm.

After finishing our stogy, we eventually decided to go and check things out. Most of the shops were closed in the street but hey, why don’t we check out the Sandinista museum?! Funny enough it was open and we were welcomed inside by some Sandinista party members. The museum was held in a grand building that was a former headquarters for the Somoza government. The exhibits were held in one room and while there was an abundant amount of information, it primarily consisted of newspaper clippings and photo copies taped onto construction paper; it looked like something from a high school project. A Sandinista gave us a tour and Leah showed off her Spanish skills by translating what he was saying. The guide stated that they wanted to make this a proper museum but helping the people must come first. Got to respect that. After, they took us to the roof of the building where we could see the rain and wind blowing off the neighbouring buildings.

On our return, we stocked up at the local super market as we weren’t sure what the next day would bring. We ended up finding that we were not the only ones as locals were doing the same. The highlight of our purchases was Leah picking up a Jesus candle to keep us through the night. Soaking wet, we headed back to the hostel and changed into dry clothes. Later in the evening I would join our fellow hostellers for a few beers by candle light. It almost felt like WWII with our meager provisions and the pounding of rain outside.

Poneloya

Well, we survived the night and the next day was a sunny one. Unfortunately, the volcano boarding trip (yes, like snowboarding but down the shale of a volcano) we had reserved was canceled due to muddy roads. Instead we went to the pacific coast for some swimming. After listening to some sweet 80s tunes on the bus (seemed that everyone still had their old cassette players) we arrived at the beach. Poneloya looked like it got the brunt of the wind and rain with roofs torn off and trees uprooted. However, the restaurant we stopped at looked untouched. We took a walk along the beach and enjoyed the crashing of the waves. However, swimming was little bit dangerous as you were slammed down by the crashing water.

Cockfighting (yeah, you heard me)

I had seen the advertisement for cockfighting and jokingly suggested it to Leah. She of course dismissed it right away. But our trustworthy guide, Harry, would later convince us by saying “you get the meet the family who runs the place, checkout the farm, see the roasters, and eat some local foods”. We were like 'awesome, let’s do it!'

We arrived at “the farm” which is more in the suburbs of Leon then out in the country. There were a few trees, bare dirt, a shack, and a small ring with stands. We were given the local rum (cough, cough, hard stuff), soft tacos, and coke. The owner came by and spoke to us and yes we saw the roosters. Then we got to see the fights…

So, this is not your typical boxing match. In a boxing match you win by knock or by score. Not here…you win, and only win, if the opposing roaster dies. Kind of sick really but when you are poor and do not have much money, a rooster fight is cheap entertainment.

At first it is interesting to watch the whole process. For example, the roasters have a claw on the back of their leg to fight with. The owners cut it off and replace it with a small blade. Also, there is a swing rooster that they show the two fighters to get them riled up. Then they put the roosters next to each other and off they go. The crowd would like be any crowd watching a hockey fight or ultimate fighting. The difference though is that something dies at the end.

After feeling disturbed enough, we sat and chatted with other travelers and then made it back to our hostel.

Final Night

To recover from our shock, Leah and I ended up going to a fabulous restaurant with wine, an entrée and desert. It was a great way to end the trip.

To the Airport!

I got dropped off at the bus station in Managua and went to find a taxi. I had previously asked Harry how much I should expect to pay to get to the airport. If you are a total tourist, no more than $5 he said. Fine, I offer the driver $5 (my bartering skills are not so good in Spanish) and off we go. He ends up picking up 2 other people along the way! And then charges me $6! I sucked it up knowing that in Canada it would have been a $40 cab ride. Love how Nicaragua keeps you on your toes.

Hong Kong

It has been a while since I have written here. Well, the latest adventure was to Hong Kong to visit my sister and brother-in-law who are living there. As soon as I get off the plane the smell suddenly brings me back to Taiwan; a fragrant smell that is a mix of flowers, moisture, incense, Chinese food, and sewer. Anne Marie and Tom met us at the station and took us to their apartment. It is a small but decent one bedroom in the 8^th floor of a 20 storey building. I got the sleep on the floor (on a very comfy mattress I might add; thanks Anne Marie).

This city of 7 million is almost the definition of cosmopolitan. You would be hard pressed to find a building that was less than 10 stories tall unless you went to the country side. One building might even house a school and then residential on top. Many of the big banks in the region have their headquarters here in their grand tall skyscrapers. What was nice about the residential towers was that they were very slender which allowed for light to reach the street. You would also find all the big name clothing stories such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Gucci, etc. Their bill boards were every where. The one that seemed a little ridiculous was that 20 storey sign of a guy in a pair of Calvin Klein tighty whiteys…ewww!

What was also a surprise was how hilly Hong Kong was. It is built on the side of a rocky and hilly island! The roads tend to follow the contours but sometimes the streets would run perpendicular to them. Talk about a steep climb to the next street. Sometimes I wondered if the only reason that Hong Kong exists at all, is because it was the only land that the Brits had to work with. Supposedly, Queen Victoria found it amusing that her Admiral was so proud of having gained a rock island from China.

The Hong Kong people seem very go, go, go. They have business to do. And I was surprised that with the amount of fashion outlets, everyone was dressed rather conservatively. No anime here.

A couple of interesting places we checked out in the City included the ladies market in Mong Kok (say that fast), a street lined with antiques, and Lan Kwai Fong (the expat place to hang out and have a drink).

Trains, planes, automobiles and….

This city is crisscrossed with transportation networks. There is the metro, trams, buses, mini-buses, ferries, and even helicopters. Skywalks take you between buildings and roads and the airport is a hub for the region. It is amazing to watch the waterfront and see a helicopter, a plane, and boats all simultaneously. There is just no excuse not to take public transit for where you need to go.

One adventure for us was the airline we had flown on, Oasis, went out of business. Fortunately, I had had a good conversation with a flight attendant on the flight over and she notified me of the liquidation of Oasis. Otherwise, we would have arrived at the airport with no way home. We booked another flight with Air Canada in the end.

Octopus Card

Pure genius I tell you! The octopus card in Hong Kong has to be one of the best inventions since sliced bread. Like London, you can put money on this card to use to pay for public transit. Just place by the scanner, beep, and go. What is better though is that you do not have to fill out any forms to get one. Just go to the 7-Eleven and add some money to it. If you lose it, well, maybe you lost $20. Not only that though, I even understand you can use the card to buy groceries and other goods. None of this pin and signature stuff. Scan and go! I even saw a pop machine that took the card! Hello world!? Shouldn’t we all be using this?

Outside the Big City

A nice aspect of Hong Kong was because of the high density and because of the amount of hills; there was a lot of open space preserved. We hiked up one of these lush hills to the “peak” to get a view of the city. I was expecting something like Mount Royal in Montreal at the top. Unfortunately, we were greeted by a large viewing tower and two malls?!

We were also able to visit this one village that is called Tai O. The people have their homes built on stilts along the inlets. I guess after one fire, the government was willing to build new accommodations for everyone. Well, the locals protested and they still live on stilts. There were also the legendary pink dolphins to see. Hmm, I have concluded they are mythical after spending 30 minutes on the water in a boat and not seeing anything. What a great way to bring in tourists. After we off course had to go to the Outlet mall. Yay! Outline Mall! It was not so great but the food court was fun. The mall was surrounded by 20 storey condos.

Another day was spent in Stanley; a nice but touristy town along the ocean. The place reminded me of a town in Croatia. There was a picturesque waterfront with shops and such. We also toured through the market and bought a few goodies. My dad and I had to stop and enjoy a Chinese beer.

Lamma Island (which has no Lamas, booo) was another place we visited. We took a four kilometer hike between two of the towns. There were a few beaches along the way and even the coal fired power plant…time for a family photo. The end town was where we stopped at an amazing vegetarian restaurant (see I am not always a carnivorous meat eater) and chilled out to folk tunes and looked through the library of books.

Food

I had heard some rumours that the food was not so good in Hong Kong. I beg to defer…it is amazing! And so much variety too. It could be because Tom and Anne Marie know where to go but I am not sure. We tried everything from Dim Sum to vegetarian to Sichuan. Had to love the fruit slushy and yogurt desert, mmmm! Not so hot was the dish that had chicken feet and a chicken head on it. Probably our favourite was the hole in the wall Indian restaurant. Along with great Indian there was pizza! The Tandori pizza was my favourite.

Zhuhai, China

For me, the highlight of the trip was Zhuhai in China. There is just something about developing countries that make travelling way more interesting. Perhaps it is because you are seeing a way of life different from your own. Anyway, I was not really sure what to expect when I arrived. All I new was this city was one of China’s first Special Economic Zones (where taxes and regulations are reduced to attract companies) and it has gone from a fishing village in the 1980s to a city of 500,000 people. The Lonely Planet made the joke that the only fishnets you will find around here are the ones on the hookers, ha, ha!

When we arrived, I was surprised by the place. The city was really well laid out with grand avenues, buildings that were built proportionate to the street, large parks, and a waterfront promenade that stretched from one end of town to the other. Along the pedestrian only street were a variety of flashy shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants. The bars were interesting as they were just small square tables that were manned by a couple of cute girls. You could see them drinking and gambling with the guys and sometimes families (?) that were perched on a stole. When my dad and I walked by alone, the girls would calls us over for a drink at their bar, ha, ha. Of course we were good.

The one thing you had to be careful about was crossing at the crosswalks. Cars paid no attention to them and would just zoom right through. You watched the locals as they made it across one lane, stopped, waited for the cars to go by, and then on to cross the next lane. Reminded me of the old Atari game Frogger.

The most fun was in the maze of back lanes which acted as a market for the locals. You would see everything from places to eat, tea shops, food vendors, antique stories, etc. You felt like you were really seeing how life was in this town. I was surprised that something so haphazard could spring up in such a new city. Where was the planner!?

I was expecting to see a lot of variances between rich and poor. However, most people seemed to be pretty middle class, easy going and friendly. You would see in the markets people playing Chinese card games and others strolling along the waterfront. One garbage collector found a glass fishing float and gave it to Tom. The guy even went into the ocean to clean it up!

Fun times were also at the restaurant we found after a long day of shopping. There, we were waited on hand and foot! First are the hostesses who are dressed in tradition slim fitting, long slit up the side, traditional (?) Chinese dresses. They take you to your table where a server takes your order. Then there are two busers who stand only a few feet away to help you with anything you need.

I ended up buying a tea pot at a tea shop. I was really surprised at how expensive tea pots could be; up to $200 sometimes! They were beautiful though. I ended up paying maybe $25 for my own.

It was too bad we were only there 1 night; would have been great to explore more. It was back to Hong Kong and then next day back to Canada. Anne Marie and Tom were supreme tour guides.

Mostar

Originally, I had planned to head to Italy after Croatia. However, travelling through Western Europe just seemed too easy especially after Ghana. Clare, from Britain, and I decided to head to Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Her and I had been running into each other continuously from Hvar to Korcula to Durbrovnik.

We had been recommended to go to Majdas’s Guesthouse by a couple of Swedes. When we arrived in Mostar, we were going to give the place a call to pick us up (calling card says free pick up) after heading to the bank. However, on our way to the bank, a white panel van rolls up asking if we were going to Majdas’s Guesthouse. We say yes and he says hop in. So, what would you do in this situation? Well, we decided to hop in the van. Fortunately, it was the real deal and we were not taken to some secluded area and beaten to death.

We are amused to find that the guesthouse was run by a friendly family of a brother, his sister, and mother. We met an American girl named Justine there and we invited her to do a tour of the town. There we would run into a Canadian named Mike who had previously met in Hvar.

In town we discovered the beautiful Stari Most old (now new) bridge. It is a structure you could stare at for hours. This bridge was completely destroyed during the Balkan war and has since been rebuilt with money from donor countries. If you give some money to one of the macho speedo wearing local divers, he will leap off the 21m high bridge for you. However, there are consequences to jumping off the bridge yourself with out paying. According to one American I would later meet, he jumped off the bridge, swam to shore, and then was beaten up by the divers in speedos.

Some background on Mostar. This place was mostly home to Bosnians (Muslims) and Croatians (Catholics). During the war, the Serbians laid siege to the city. However, the Bosnians and Croatians were later able to repel them. In turn, the Croatians then decided to try and use military force to push all the Bosnians to one side of the river. The result was a lot of damage to mosques, churches, bridges, and buildings along with many deaths. Today, there are still evidence of the war with shelled out/bullet holed riddle buildings, graveyards, bad memories, and bitterness. However, donor countries have provided aid to help rehabilitate many of the old mosques, churches and other buildings damaged during the war.

The guesthouse also gave tours of the surrounding area. So, the following day about ten of us piled into the now familiar white panelled van where we would be taken to a secluded area and killed…just kidding. Instead the brother took us to a small town called Pocitelj where we visited a mosque, climbed a medieval tour, and had Turkish coffee. Then it was off to a winery and finally to the amazing Kravice Waterfalls where we swam around the falling water. The brother, our guide, was very informative and funny. One joke was that he was going to take us to see Boris and his harem. Well Boris turned out to be a rooster.

In the evening we all went out for dinner at a local restaurant. We had each picked a dish for ourselves but decided we all had to try…fried brain…yay! It was surprisingly good taste but the texture was well…like brain. Later we would sit on cushions drinking alcohol and then go to a bar located in a cave to drink some more.

All the people I had met were incredibly interesting. Mike and I we were born on the same day, in the same year. I shared a conversation with a French girl who was also a town planner. Then there was the young couple who were planning to do a documentary on Kosovo as it nears independence. Finally, there were Diane and Stacy from Newfoundland; Newfounlanders are always a riot.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik has often been called the pearl of Adriatic. The old town does fit the bill with its limestone medieval wall, limestone street pavers, limestone buildings, and clay tile roofs. The narrow streets lead you to churches, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars, and shops. Residential homes can be identified with laundry being strung out their windows.

Understandably, this place is flooded with tourists and the locals have gone out of their way to make it easy as possible for you to spend your money. Practically every sign for example is in English. Also, in the evening are a number of events including music, performances, and fashion shows. Oddly, the tourist map of the town does not identify places of interests but where “damages caused by the aggression on Dubrovnik by the Yugoslav army, Serbs, and Montenegrians 1991-1992”.

Without an intense search, you would think that all there was to eat in Dubrovnik was pizza and ice cream. Fortunately, I met a New Zealand guy who showed us an amazing sea food restaurant by the harbour. The four of us together shared these huge boles of calamari, squid, and shrimp, downed them with beer, and mopped up the sauce with bread. The only complaint was we had to ask that our beer mugs be topped up after receiving them half empty (or half full?).

Side Note: Filling ones beer mug half full seems to be typical of such countries as Croatia and the Czech Republic. Instead of pouring the beer in slowly, with the glass tilted, they just pour until the foam reaches the top. If your glass ends up half empty, well sucks to be you.

Outside the town walls however is a different story. In fact the rest of Dubrovnik is terribly boring with not much else to see. It seems the people of Dubrovnik were not inspired enough by their old town to make the rest of the city attractive or interesting.

There was quite a disagreement occurring between the hostel I was staying at and the guesthouses located nearby. As you walked up the stairs to the hostel, little old ladies would say “I got a nice room, come see”. While I ignored them, the odd traveller would stop and take a look. However, these guesthouses did not have licences and the hostel would threaten the women with calling the cops if they let a disgruntled hosteller (I thought the place was decent) stay with them.

Another side note: You were often confronted at train stations, bus stations, and ferry terminals by little old ladies who were pushing you to stay at their guesthouse. “I got a nice room, come see” and “it’s close, come, come”.

Korcula

From Hvar I took a ferry to Korcula. This is another fantastic place. The old town juts out into the ocean and has a wall around it. There are a maze of streets on the inside. I thought this would be the place where I would try the local food. I stopped for lunch at one small restaurant where I had dish with boiled beef, potatoes, pees with gravy. The beef was so tender and the Croatian beer washed it down nicely.

In the evening I had a fish dish. When they brought it out I suddenly thought I was in Ghana. There was this blob of potatoes in the middle of the plate, fish on the side, with sort of a soap/sauce poured over it. Fortunately, it tasted a lot better than fufu. The local white wine was also nice.

I made a trip to one a nearby town. The captain of the taxi ferry was super nice and had lots of stories about Croatia. He had also been the captain of a cargo ship for thirty years and travelled around the world. I guess for 2 months running his taxi ferry he can make enough to live on for 6 months. Guess the tourism is bringing in the dollars. Also, he said that he could sell his land that he owned in Dubronik for about 1 million Euros.

The beach I was heading to was supposed to be the best around but I was very disappointed. It was a pretty small sandy beach and it was full of people. Two Aussies girls came along and they were not that happy about it either. They thought it was not secluded enough for them to go topless...now I was really, really disappointed...

I stayed at a hostel run by South Africans. The certainly cram you in there however the bar was super cool. You sit on comfy pillows with exotic carpets on the wall and warm lamps. I ended up meeting again one of the people from the UK I saw in Hvar. We all later went out that evening for a few drinks.

Island of Hvar

Went to the Island of Hvar and stayed at the town of the same name. The town was absolutely stunning with white stone buildings and streets. It seems to be a theme for people to live on narrow back lanes and hang their laundry between buildings. Lots of beautiful yachts are in the harbour.

I stayed at the Green Lizard hostel and it so far been the best I have stayed. Large rooms, a kitchen, chillin outdoor common areas, and so clean. I met a bunch of travellers from the likes of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Sweden. We hit one of the bars where some fellow Canadians got ridiculously drunk.

Ten of us rented a boat one day and took off to a nearby island to swim and sunbath. I got to drive the boat on the way there and no, we did not crash. Well, it was challenging with the two Swedish girls sunbathing on the bow of the boat.

Watch out for sea urchins, one of our crew ended up stepping on one. Ouch! I wore my sandals while swimming after that. The water is so clear and blue and calm. And I cannot believe how buoyant the sea is. You can lie on your back and float with out treading water. The beaches are not especially great here. Most of them are small pebble beaches and the odd sand one. Nothing to make a sand castle with.

That evening there was a power outrages which turned out to be fun. Everyone was walking around town and enjoying the night. Next day some of us went to visit a fortress on the hill of the town and I walked through some of the backstreets of down.

Talk about being hot and humid! It is reminding me of Ghana. I think I saw 35 degrees at one point. I can handle it but being sweaty all the time leads to many showers and doing laundry more often.

About Croatians: The Lonely Planet (or Mr. Planet for some) warned about the high fashion sense of Croatians. Well, they were not joking. The crowd looks like they walked out of a Gucci magazine (especially the women) with Hollywood glasses, black skirts and dresses, expensive jeans, and fancy shoes and all. Lets say I feel a little under dressed. Where they get the money from to buy that stuff, I do not know.

Croatians also keep things clean. The streets are clear of garbage and their hostels are the cleanest I have been to. Someone is always sweeping up in the grocery stores too.

Split...no, not the verb but the city

Wow. This place was not given high enough of a recommendation, which actually is good because most people strolling around are Croatian. The city is centred around an old Roman fortress that was built on the coast. During the middle ages, people moved within its walls to start a new life for themselves. The result is a maze of squares, back lanes, churches, shops, bars, restaurants and apartments. The place is not just some giant tourist site but a community. For example, as you walk through the lanes you see people have clothes lines running between the upper stories. And just when you think you have hit a dead end, you discover a restaurant, a shop, or something else of interest.

Outside the fortress is a beautiful harbour with white stone which blinds the eyes. There is also a cool market with clothes and food being sold. The ocean looked so clear and blue!

I stayed a great hostel called Hostel Split. It was difficult to find as a I walked up and down this one lane. Finally a young teenager asked me what I was looking for and in turn showed me the way. The hostel does not appear to have a sign. When you open the gate, three town houses split off and you go to the one on the right. It was just a tiny place but had lots of character. In the evening, the women at the hostel gave us a tour of the town and showed us a cool bar where you could drink beer in one of the lanes. We had a great conversation with her about Croatia.

Next day it was off to the Island of Hvar.

Zagreb

I do not think that I have ever seen a city with such a distinctive transition between historical neighbourhoods. At the top of the hill is the old town with medieval cobble stone streets, squares, and churches. South is something out of the city beautiful movement with a semi grid of streets, monumental buildings, parks, fountains, and a beautiful train station. Then right across the tracks is a very "modern" area with ugly concrete buildings, ridiculously wide roads with boulevards, and to much useless open space.

Zagreb is great for strolling around. The parks, cafes, bars, and restaurants keep you interested. There is a nice market in the centre of town. I also got some history on the development of the city at the Zagreb City Museum. However, there is nothing in the city that really stands out. One day was enough.

Pecs

Decided to go to a nice little town called Pecs in Hungary. The Ottomans left a few mosques behind and the place is supposed to make you think you are close to the sea. When I arrived, I found myself in the middle of a music festival. I was able to take in a few Hungarian bands that had an interesting array of folk and electronic music. There were also a couple of lazer light shows and booths selling food and wine.

The town has a number squares, churches, and pedestrian streets. Some squares have white marble and beautiful fountains.

The Mecset Templom (Mosque Church) was very interesting. It used to be a mosques but after the Ottomans left it was turned into a Catholic church. It is a square shape with a huge dome on top and is crowned with a star and half moon....oh sorry, that is a cross and half moon.

St. Peter,s Bayilika with its four tours was a great sight. I also went to another former mosque (now museum) and a jewish synagogue. Weird being to three different religious buildings in one day.

I have to say that Hungarian food is winning the best ethnic food contest. Along with pork, chicken, and beef you get onions, tomatoes and lots of paprika mixed in. Yum. Also the goulash is excellent.

Budapest

Budapest appears to have been once a grand city but now things are starting to look a little run down. However, do not let this dissuade you. Once you start exploring, you find many old gems. Plus there are way less tourists!

The first is the many bathhouses in the city. An Aussie and I decided to spend a whole day at the Syechenyi themeral baths which are located in a huge city park. There are a number of saunas, indoor and outdoor pools, and fountains within the grand confines of the building.

The saunas are so HOT that it feels like you are eyes are going to melt (is this healthy!? And then there is the guy at the top level of the sauna reading newspaper). The worst is moving to leave the sauna where your skin feels like it is going to evaporate. To cool off, you jump in a cold pool, then a warmer one, and then finally the hottest. Now you are ready for the sauna again.

The best pool had an area sectioned off like a doughnut. Along the walls of the doughnut were jets which pushed you along in a clock wise direction. Everyone from old to young loved being whirled around like they where in a washing machine.

It was funny seeing the range of bodies (old, young, fat, skinny, hot, not) enjoying the water. Reminded me of the hot springs in Banff.

One church of note is within the castle walls. It is a gothic cathedral. However, the vibrant bright paint on the inside is like nothing else i have seen in such a church. Found out later that the Ottoman Empire occupied Hungary for 150 years and at one point turned the church into a mosque. Guess they the Christains like the paint job.

Another evening was off to the Opera. Spent about $4 which was worth it just for the architecture. You could imagine the place if it was 100 years ago if everyone was in fancy dresses and suits. Fortunately, the opera had subtitles scrowling across a screen; otherwise I would be lost. I think operas are better than musicles.

Then there is the Hungarian Parliament with its big dome. It was very spectacular inside. The funny part is the crown jewels. For some reason, the cross on the crown is bent and no one knows why. So, even the crown on their coat of arms has a bent crown.

Last to note is the Terror House. It was a museum about the Hungarian secret police during the communist era. I was really blown away with this museum as not only did it try and present history but also make you feel it. Almost like a haunted house but more serious (serious people).