more than
tea and scones
Saturday, August 06, 2005
WHY I LOVE EUROPE
Every day, to signal that they're kicking us out, the staff at the refuge hostel blast music really loud. I already like their choices. Yesterday was Neil Young. Before that, Elvis Costello (You can imagine where this is heading already)Guess what was playing today?
Tom Waits! I nearly started screaming when I heard Singapore come on. I didn't bring enough (30 is not nearly enough) so I just can't bear to leave at this moment. And to have them play my favorite CD? (I'm currently grooving along to Jockey full of Bourbon. This is such a dream!)
I love Europe!
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Location: Copenhagen, Denmark (last day)
Wearing: Jeans, shirt, jacket
Day's Activities: Listen to Waits! (I just got up. I think the plan for today is to walk to the main train station across town, then over to Christiana)
Thing you miss: All my Waits CDs. They're absolutly perfect for traveling.
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Jody at 10:35 AM
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Ra-Ra-Refugee
So I made it up to Copenhagen alive. So much to report!Berlin was awesome beyond words. If I could have stayed there right till I go to Norway, I wish I would have. But no, adventurous me, I have to actually see new cities.
So I left Berlin yesterday with a friend I made in the hostel who just happened to be going to Copenhagen also. We must have boarded a super train, because an hour after we got on, they made this big long anouncement in german (or danish, I really have no clue anymore) and everyone started to stand up and pack up. We started to freak out, since it was a 5 hour train trip, and everyone was leaving. But magically, the train drove onto a BOAT!!!, and we had a nice hourlong ferrie ride across real water! It was the coolest thing ever!
Anyway, back on our supertrain, the rest of the trip north was uneventful. Once we got here, things got a little worse though.
The copenhagen (or københaven, as they write it. Which sounds pretty accurate with my allergies at the moment) public transit system is the stupidest system ever. Literally, half an hour of staring at maps and asking officials, and we finally resorted to just jumping on a train, and hoping that was the right one. (it wasn't, of course, so that caused even more problems) Eventually we made it to the right stop, found our bus, and a nice old lady pointed us in the right direction to the hostel.
The hostel is beyond words. After raving about how awesome my first place in Berlin was, think of somewhere that's the exact opposite. First of all, if you thought having 40 people in the same dorm room was bad, try having nearly 300! Ok, picture our highschool gym. Now fill it with bunk beds. Now put cubicle walls around them in groups. (but without the nice, sound-absorbant padding, just the hard wood) Throw in loud groups of drunken males peering in the shower-curtain doors, a few screaming babies (who the FUCK brings a baby to a hostel!?!) and a retarded group of giggley teenage girls in the box next to ours, and you can imagine the kind of night that I had. It totally had the feeling of some kind of temporary evacuation camp, and I think it honestly was their homeless shelter. A lesson to you that, just because it's the cheapest place in town, it may not be the best.
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Location: Depressingly dark internet cafe in copenhagen, Denmark
Wearing: skirt, multiple shirts
Day's Activities: so far, woke up (or rather, gave up trying to sleep), went for a walk in the area. Later today I'm going on a tour of Christiana, and maybe finding the little mermaid sculpture. (I always remember it from playing Carmen Sandiego)
Thing you miss: NO SMOKING!! (more on that next)
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Jody at 11:15 AM
Monday, August 01, 2005
From Africa
So I made it to Morocco, Im still alive. Tons to report but no time...Ill update later. Anyways, Im alive and having a blast. Im in Checheszwan...its in the Kif mountains. Its not as dangerous here as I originally expected. Tomorrow I plan to do some laundry at the local river -they have washboards and basins set up all along the river here.-------------------------------
Location: Morocco
Wearing: Long sleeve shirt, long pants, headscarf -it was 40C today but it is inappropriate for women to reveal their shoulders, knees and hair
Day's Activities: wander around
Thing you miss: price tags in shops -everything here is barter, name your price...
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jenny at 9:30 PM
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Moroccan Dreamin
In about 3 hours I will be on a bus headed south to a new foreign land. I am not alone however, I have met 2 other females to accompany me and *BONUS* most accommodation (spell check isnt working for me today, I cant decide if its 2 Cs or 2 Ms or if I should toss in another A) is covered thanks to this nice man who is loaning us his family for the week. I only planned on spending 2 nights here in Granada, but seriously, it rocks so much that Ive been here a week and really dont want to leave. My hostelmates rock so much, all we do is drink and play card games and break for a siesta. There isnt much touristy stuff to do here, so its pretty relax. Yesterday, I walked to a Teiteria (Sheisha bar-where you smoke flavored tobacco from a hookah), then bought a nose ring and picked up an orange for lunch and that was my day. The hostel even cooked dinner for me!Yesterday I enjoyed some flamenco, it was quite fascinating. The dancer had so much passion and anger towards the music, she was throwing herself around, slapping her thighs, stomping her feet and twirling like a crazed tornado...Im suprised she didnt give herself whiplash as she flew across the room.
I lost last nights card game so Im stuck wearing this Gilligans Island floppy hat (aka: the Shithead Hat), its quite humiliating...I was forced to wear it out last night! I have declared one more card match before I leave, as I am determined to lose the Shithead hat and reclaim my title as "second laster".
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Location: Granada...still If anyone is ever in Granada, go to FUNKY BACKPACKERS! Best hostel ever, they even fold your laundry. Plus, they make the best Mojitos!
Wearing: Linen pants (only whores reveal their knees in Morocco)
Day's Activities: roll out of bed, shower, haul ass upstairs for breakfast, move from the breakfast table to the couch, lounge, brush teeth, check email, return to the terrace for a card game...eventually Ill taxi my way to the bus station
Thing you miss: I miss not having to worry about stinging nettle -its everywhere out here and it deserves that name!
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jenny at 9:47 AM