I had no idea I would come across surfing in the English Garden in Munich. There's a river through the park which has fast flowing water that's apparently ideal for surfing on. My train here from Zurich arrived almost exactly on time. The weather's not great, but I have five nights.... so there's a reasonable chance of a sunny day to take some photos of the Rathaus, the Glockenspiel and so on.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Cover Her Face
When I woke up this morning it was pouring with rain. It carried on raining until lunchtime. Luckily, I had a book to read to pass the time (although I did venture out briefly during the downpour to get some breakfast from the supermarket). "Cover Her Face" is a detective novel by P D James which I found on a Piccadilly Line tube train to Heathrow Airport the other day. Inside the front cover someone had written "Free book. Enjoy ! Best regards, Andy".
It took me a while to get into the story, but I've now read about one third of the book. The detective, Adam Dalgliesh who was played by Roy Marsden in the British TV adaptation, has begun questioning members of a family about the murder of their maid. Most British families do not have maids, by the way. This story was written in the 1960s.
When the rain eased off I got out my Micky Mouse umbrella (which I'd bought to keep the sun off when I visited Hong Kong Disney a few years ago) and went walking. I still had things to see. After strolling up Bahnhofstrasse to the station I went through to the other side and found the Swiss National Museum. Having experienced more than two months of museums, cathedrals and other such sites I had a strange aversion to going inside. So I simply photographed the building and continued my stroll in the park grounds alongside the river. Walking back into town later I spotted the Polybahn. It's a funicular railway like the one Wellingtonians call the cable car. I took a ride up to the terrace to see the view over the city, then walked back down via the university.
Niederdorfstrasse is preparing for the Old Town festival, which begins this evening. Now the rain has passed, it should be a success. That also means I probably won't get much sleep tonight ! There are stages being set up for bands. I do have earplugs, but I want to be sure I'll hear my alarm in the morning. My train to Munich leaves at quarter past nine.
It took me a while to get into the story, but I've now read about one third of the book. The detective, Adam Dalgliesh who was played by Roy Marsden in the British TV adaptation, has begun questioning members of a family about the murder of their maid. Most British families do not have maids, by the way. This story was written in the 1960s.
When the rain eased off I got out my Micky Mouse umbrella (which I'd bought to keep the sun off when I visited Hong Kong Disney a few years ago) and went walking. I still had things to see. After strolling up Bahnhofstrasse to the station I went through to the other side and found the Swiss National Museum. Having experienced more than two months of museums, cathedrals and other such sites I had a strange aversion to going inside. So I simply photographed the building and continued my stroll in the park grounds alongside the river. Walking back into town later I spotted the Polybahn. It's a funicular railway like the one Wellingtonians call the cable car. I took a ride up to the terrace to see the view over the city, then walked back down via the university.
Niederdorfstrasse is preparing for the Old Town festival, which begins this evening. Now the rain has passed, it should be a success. That also means I probably won't get much sleep tonight ! There are stages being set up for bands. I do have earplugs, but I want to be sure I'll hear my alarm in the morning. My train to Munich leaves at quarter past nine.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
back on the travel trail
After a week in Britain, seeing my parents again and catching up with friends in London, I'm now in Zurich. What a lovely city. It's a pleasure to walk around the Old Town, along the banks of the river and those of Lake Zurich with the mountains in the distance. The weather is perfect - sunny and hot. As I write, there's a jazz band playing outside the window of my hotel/hostel.
The only thing is, Zurich is so expensive !!! I'm having to adjust to a new currency. One Swiss Franc is the equivalent of about 63 British pence. The Franc is pegged to the Euro at a fixed rate (which I think is 68 Euro cents). Tonight I sought out the cheapest Chinese restaurant/cafe and had chicken with cashew nuts and vegetables. That, together with a bottle of water, cost me 19 Francs. That's a few pennies short of £12, or the equivalent of $26 NZ. It was served on a paper plate too. Mostly, I'm getting my meals from the Co-op supermarket near the main train station.
On Saturday morning, I have my train to Munich. It should be a very scenic journey. There I'll start spending Euros again.
The only thing is, Zurich is so expensive !!! I'm having to adjust to a new currency. One Swiss Franc is the equivalent of about 63 British pence. The Franc is pegged to the Euro at a fixed rate (which I think is 68 Euro cents). Tonight I sought out the cheapest Chinese restaurant/cafe and had chicken with cashew nuts and vegetables. That, together with a bottle of water, cost me 19 Francs. That's a few pennies short of £12, or the equivalent of $26 NZ. It was served on a paper plate too. Mostly, I'm getting my meals from the Co-op supermarket near the main train station.
On Saturday morning, I have my train to Munich. It should be a very scenic journey. There I'll start spending Euros again.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sheremetyevo Airport
I have to admit, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport has one of the most luxurious business class lounges. The food selection isn't the most extensive, but the furniture and the surroundings are pretty posh. The train here was modern and fast. Security procedures were laid back, although I can report that I've now had my first full-body scan of this trip. My passport was checked thoroughly. The way it was looked at, I imagine they get a lot of forgeries being presented. So, I'm on my way back to Britain for a few days, with a connection through Helsinki.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Photo Post : Moscow Metro
Prospekt Mira.
Belorusskaya.
Mayakovskaya. 
Ploshchad Revolyutsii.
Krasnopresnenskaya.
Kievskaya. Moscow Metro
Dear Moscow Metro General Manager,
I wish to complain about your Metro network. Those escalators are so very long. It takes about three minutes of standing on the on the moving stair case to get down to the bottom. I know the stations were designed to double up as air raid shelters, but seriously, who is going to drop bombs on Russia ?
Also, the trains are far too frequent. Just think of poor tourists like me who are trying to take photos of the wonderful stations, waiting patiently for the crowds to clear. Just as they're about to, another train arrives and hundreds more people spill out in front of me, making it almost impossible to get a good shot. I would say the two minute gap between the trains is too short. Could you please double it to four minutes ?
And another thing ! Don't you realise that it's like an art gallery down there ? You could be charging people a lot more to access the Metro. I mean, the equivalent of 50 British pence (or $1 New Zealand) is virtually nothing for use of the network and an unlimited journey to any one of the 200 or so stations. I suppose you believe in running a fast, reliable and cheap metro system to promote public transport ! The London Underground charges about £4 for a single journey within just one zone. You could up your prices a bit, especially considering the beauty of so many of the stations.
Finally, when I'd finished taking my photos (mostly on the brown circle line) I wanted to exit the station. There were large numbers of people standing around merrily photographing or posing for pictures and blocking my way. Could you please not allow these tourists to take photos ? You could do what the London Underground does and say that flash photography is banned and punishable with a big fine. Apparently it upsets the train drivers in London, or goes against their health and safety somehow.
Thank you kindly.
I wish to complain about your Metro network. Those escalators are so very long. It takes about three minutes of standing on the on the moving stair case to get down to the bottom. I know the stations were designed to double up as air raid shelters, but seriously, who is going to drop bombs on Russia ?
Also, the trains are far too frequent. Just think of poor tourists like me who are trying to take photos of the wonderful stations, waiting patiently for the crowds to clear. Just as they're about to, another train arrives and hundreds more people spill out in front of me, making it almost impossible to get a good shot. I would say the two minute gap between the trains is too short. Could you please double it to four minutes ?
And another thing ! Don't you realise that it's like an art gallery down there ? You could be charging people a lot more to access the Metro. I mean, the equivalent of 50 British pence (or $1 New Zealand) is virtually nothing for use of the network and an unlimited journey to any one of the 200 or so stations. I suppose you believe in running a fast, reliable and cheap metro system to promote public transport ! The London Underground charges about £4 for a single journey within just one zone. You could up your prices a bit, especially considering the beauty of so many of the stations.
Finally, when I'd finished taking my photos (mostly on the brown circle line) I wanted to exit the station. There were large numbers of people standing around merrily photographing or posing for pictures and blocking my way. Could you please not allow these tourists to take photos ? You could do what the London Underground does and say that flash photography is banned and punishable with a big fine. Apparently it upsets the train drivers in London, or goes against their health and safety somehow.
Thank you kindly.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Fiction and Fact
What are Holmes and Watson doing in Moscow ? I came across them this afternoon as I was walking alongside the Moscow River towards the White House. The building was attacked and left with black scars during the crisis in 1991, when elements of the military tried to seize power and Mikhail Gorbachev was put under house arrest. Boris Yeltsin, with popular support, saved the day and famously climbed aboard a tank outside the White House building.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Photo Post : Moscow
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
An old car, parked near my host family's apartment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in one of the buildings known as Stalin's Seven Sisters. 
Pocari Sweat. I'd been carrying around this packet of power since I was in Japan, to mix with a litre of water and make a sort of energy drink which replaces lost salts and electrolytes on hot and sweaty days. Today was such a day. 
One of the fairy-tale themed statues in the watery area of Alexandrovsky Park. Young people (and some older ones) like to jump in from the bridges here.
Kremlin guards. 
Hare Krishna devotees having a dance in Arbat street, which is pedestrianised. All the best cities have pedestrianised malls. I wonder how the destruction of Wellington's Manners Mall is coming along !A Communist day
Despite the smoke, I joined the queue to file past Lenin's body. I suppose it took about 45 minutes of waiting in line. The time spent inside the mausoleum is more like 45 seconds, since you're not allowed to stop. Outside, a man with his young son tried to push in. I challenged him and he used broken English to say something about how they had limited time because they had a flight to catch at Sheremetyevo airport. After that he kept back a little, and at least they didn't push in in front of me ! The body itself is like a waxwork dummy because of the chemicals used to preserve it. After viewing Lenin, visitors see the graves of Stalin and other dead Presidents. My translation of the cyrillic alphabet allowed me to recognise Konstantin Chernenko's name.
In the afternoon I went to Sculpture Park (near Gorky Park) to view some of the old Soviet era statues and monuments which are now kept with a range of other statues and sculptures.
Smoke this morning
When I got up this morning, there was smoke in the air. Not a lot, but visibility was reduced and it did smell as though someone had had a bonfire. Some people were wearing masks, but most were going about their business as if nothing was out of the ordinary. During the day, it lifted. In the afternoon was back to clear skies. The wind direction had changed, probably. I was determined not to let my 7 Rubble mask go to waste... so I put it on for this picture.Saturday, August 14, 2010
Rubble
Moscow is treating me well. The air is clear, but the temperature remains high. I see there could be rain in the next couple of days, which would cool things down. Anyhow, I'll be in London on Wednesday evening. London is where my next potential hassle awaits. A strike ballot among workers at the British Airports Authority threatens to disrupt my Heathrow-Zurich flight later this month, and potentially my transit through London to Buenos Aires in September. Talks are scheduled, so I hope to hear that the pay dispute is settled.
Oh, remember my missing padlock after the flight from Madrid to Helsinki, transiting Budapest ? I have concluded that the lock was deliberately broken or cut off in Hungary (where I'd read about thefts from luggage in transit at the airport). Initially I had thought that nothing was missing. Now I realise that £20 in cash has gone. It's fortunate that I'd decided to carry the Euros cash on my person, which I'd put aside for my accommodation here in Russia. I guess the thieves work on the premise that if they just take a small amount of cash it could take a while for passenger to realise what's happened. Even then, there's no point making an insurance claim because of the excess. Cash in a checked in bag probably isn't covered anyway !
On the subject of cash, I come back to Rubbles. Rubles are pronounced (by Russians who speak English) as Rubbles. Like Barney Rubble from the Flintstones. I'm not spending huge quantities of them, although foreigners' prices for entry to tourist sites are higher than for Russian citizens. However, it will cost 700 to get into the Kremlin armoury. That's £14, or $28 New Zealand dollars. Visiting Lenin's waxy body is free, but you have to queue and can't take a camera in. I'll either do that today or tomorrow.
People don't seem to take much notice of tourists. I've had no-one approach me on the street looking to change money, or sell me services or other things. The only people who have come up to me have been looking for directions to somewhere, and I've been unable to help. My Russian is limited to a very few words.
Oh, remember my missing padlock after the flight from Madrid to Helsinki, transiting Budapest ? I have concluded that the lock was deliberately broken or cut off in Hungary (where I'd read about thefts from luggage in transit at the airport). Initially I had thought that nothing was missing. Now I realise that £20 in cash has gone. It's fortunate that I'd decided to carry the Euros cash on my person, which I'd put aside for my accommodation here in Russia. I guess the thieves work on the premise that if they just take a small amount of cash it could take a while for passenger to realise what's happened. Even then, there's no point making an insurance claim because of the excess. Cash in a checked in bag probably isn't covered anyway !
On the subject of cash, I come back to Rubbles. Rubles are pronounced (by Russians who speak English) as Rubbles. Like Barney Rubble from the Flintstones. I'm not spending huge quantities of them, although foreigners' prices for entry to tourist sites are higher than for Russian citizens. However, it will cost 700 to get into the Kremlin armoury. That's £14, or $28 New Zealand dollars. Visiting Lenin's waxy body is free, but you have to queue and can't take a camera in. I'll either do that today or tomorrow.
People don't seem to take much notice of tourists. I've had no-one approach me on the street looking to change money, or sell me services or other things. The only people who have come up to me have been looking for directions to somewhere, and I've been unable to help. My Russian is limited to a very few words.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Photo Post - St Petersburg
Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood.
St Isaac's Cathedral.
One of the many ornate buildings in the city centre, along Nevsky Prospekt.
One of my helpers, Peter, and his girlfriend Helen. Inside the cathedral in the Peter and Paul Fortress complex.
Looking across the square to the Winter Palace, State Hermitage Museum.
Absinthe, by Pablo Picasso. 
One of the Roman artefacts in the Hermitage collection.
One of the trick fountains at Peterhof.
Enjoying the grounds of the lower gardens.State Hermitage Museum
I spent pretty much the whole of yesterday inside the wonderful State Hermitage Museum, admiring the treasures and the buildings themselves. It is overwhelming to see so many works by Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Picasso, Matisse etc etc. In addition, there's a superb collection of ancient Egyptian and Roman pieces.
I'd followed the advice of a guidebook and pre-purchased a ticket online. The print out meant I could bypass the long queue and exchange my voucher for a ticket, getting me straight in.
My time in St Petersburg has been made so easy by Margarita and Julia at the English Speaking Union. I'd been put in touch with them through my friend, Joyce, in Wellington. My presumption had been that I would go to meet them for tea and cakes or some lunch. They have gone out of their way to arrange things for me. I've had English speaking Russian students to accompany me on two days, and another member of their organisation to show me around the extensive and elaborate gardens of Peterhof. I was my own guide in the Hermitage, although I did have some copied pages from the guidebook to help me around.
So, tomorrow I will go to Moscow. I've bought two face masks as a precaution. For the past two days, however, the air has been clear and firefighting efforts have made a lot of headway. Forecasts say smoke could waft back to the city intermittently over the coming days, and the heatwave will continue into next week.
If the worst comes to the worst, I will heed the health advice and stay indoors. My host there has been taken ill, however, and I hope she will recover soon. Instead, I've been placed with another family. Their apartment is a couple of metro stops closer to the centre, which is a bonus. That metro station is, however, one of the ones that was targetted by suicide bombers earlier this year.
I'd followed the advice of a guidebook and pre-purchased a ticket online. The print out meant I could bypass the long queue and exchange my voucher for a ticket, getting me straight in.
My time in St Petersburg has been made so easy by Margarita and Julia at the English Speaking Union. I'd been put in touch with them through my friend, Joyce, in Wellington. My presumption had been that I would go to meet them for tea and cakes or some lunch. They have gone out of their way to arrange things for me. I've had English speaking Russian students to accompany me on two days, and another member of their organisation to show me around the extensive and elaborate gardens of Peterhof. I was my own guide in the Hermitage, although I did have some copied pages from the guidebook to help me around.
So, tomorrow I will go to Moscow. I've bought two face masks as a precaution. For the past two days, however, the air has been clear and firefighting efforts have made a lot of headway. Forecasts say smoke could waft back to the city intermittently over the coming days, and the heatwave will continue into next week.
If the worst comes to the worst, I will heed the health advice and stay indoors. My host there has been taken ill, however, and I hope she will recover soon. Instead, I've been placed with another family. Their apartment is a couple of metro stops closer to the centre, which is a bonus. That metro station is, however, one of the ones that was targetted by suicide bombers earlier this year.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Quick update
Yesterday the internet wasn't working at the accommodation where I'm staying. I immediately assumed it was my fault ! Had I been online too long and used up their data allowance ? Had I accessed some international website that's banned in Russia, and been punished ? In fact, they'd simply forgotten to pay the bill and had been cut off !
Now I'm on an intermittently available free connection, so I'll be fast with this update.
I can now withdraw cash from ATMs -- yay ! I have found a shop where I can buy a new combination lock for my bag. I still don't know about Moscow. People tell me the situation is forecast to improve in the next day or two, but there are still completely conflicting forecasts online. My decision will be made tonight. I think I probably will go, but I'm not entirely sure. I know the airports are all open and functioning well.. so visibility must have improved. Perhaps I'll visit a pharmacy today and buy some face masks.
Now I'm on an intermittently available free connection, so I'll be fast with this update.
I can now withdraw cash from ATMs -- yay ! I have found a shop where I can buy a new combination lock for my bag. I still don't know about Moscow. People tell me the situation is forecast to improve in the next day or two, but there are still completely conflicting forecasts online. My decision will be made tonight. I think I probably will go, but I'm not entirely sure. I know the airports are all open and functioning well.. so visibility must have improved. Perhaps I'll visit a pharmacy today and buy some face masks.
Monday, August 9, 2010
St Petersburg
Monday night... I'm in Russia. I was supposed to get here by 1st Class rail travel with Finnish Railways. Two hours into the journey the conductor announced "I have some really bad news. Because of electrical problems on the line, we have to go by bus" ! It took three hours longer than planned.
My next difficulty... my ATM card is not working in Russian machines. I have tried six different banks. I called my UK bank, and was assured there is nothing wrong with the account. So, it's the card itself ? I will try my NZ bank card tomorrow. I do have 30 Euros in cash to exchange.
My further difficulty... my substitute padlock is also broken ! There are three number wheels to set the combination. One of them spins freely and doesn't click onto any number. So I am now using the cheap Chinese lock that was supplied with the bag. It's completely useless of course, and could be broken off by a child. So, I must buy a lock here in Russia.. assuming I can get any money out.
My MAIN difficulty.. the ongoing pollution in Moscow. I will decide in the next 48 hours whether to go there on Friday. If not, I can spend the time here in St Petersburg. It would mean having to cancel a flight from Moscow to London and book another from St P to London.
There continue to be conflicting forecasts. Some say the situation will improve mid-week. The BBC website's forceast has rain from Wednesday. Others have brilliant sunshine and no rain for the next ten days. I don't want to put my health at risk. It would be a shame, though, to get so close but miss seeing Moscow... always assuming there is enough visibility to actually see anything there !
My next difficulty... my ATM card is not working in Russian machines. I have tried six different banks. I called my UK bank, and was assured there is nothing wrong with the account. So, it's the card itself ? I will try my NZ bank card tomorrow. I do have 30 Euros in cash to exchange.
My further difficulty... my substitute padlock is also broken ! There are three number wheels to set the combination. One of them spins freely and doesn't click onto any number. So I am now using the cheap Chinese lock that was supplied with the bag. It's completely useless of course, and could be broken off by a child. So, I must buy a lock here in Russia.. assuming I can get any money out.
My MAIN difficulty.. the ongoing pollution in Moscow. I will decide in the next 48 hours whether to go there on Friday. If not, I can spend the time here in St Petersburg. It would mean having to cancel a flight from Moscow to London and book another from St P to London.
There continue to be conflicting forecasts. Some say the situation will improve mid-week. The BBC website's forceast has rain from Wednesday. Others have brilliant sunshine and no rain for the next ten days. I don't want to put my health at risk. It would be a shame, though, to get so close but miss seeing Moscow... always assuming there is enough visibility to actually see anything there !
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Photo post : Helsinki
Band playing in Esplanade Park.
Some quite expensive fruit on sale in Market Square.
Tall ships.
Helsinki Cathedral.
Senate Square.
Smog concern
I've spent the past two days in Helsinki, where I've visited both cathedrals and eaten reindeer. I also went on a day trip to an island fortress, Suomenlinna.
When I arrived here, late on Friday night, I was alarmed to discover that the padlock was missing from my bag. I can't be certain, but I think the contents had been gone through as well... although nothing appears to be missing. On the flight to Helsinki I was in transit at Budapest. On board the Malev flight I'd been reading in the Budapest Times about airport workers being arrested for stealing from passengers' luggage. Anyhow... I need a new padlock. I've got a spare one I can use for the time being, but it's not particularly strong.
My other concern at the moment is the growing air pollution in Moscow. I will travel by train to St Petersburg early on Monday morning. I'm due to take a domestic flight from there to Moscow on Friday (the 13th!) and stay for five nights. The TV reports I've seen talk of increasing contamination with carbon monoxide and other pollutants from the fires. Visibility is very poor and the heat is extreme. If things don't change soon I don't think it'll be worth going to Moscow. Once I take such a decision I'll have to change my flights. It's easy enough to extend my time in St Petersburg, but I'll be sad if I have to miss out on seeing the capital.
When I arrived here, late on Friday night, I was alarmed to discover that the padlock was missing from my bag. I can't be certain, but I think the contents had been gone through as well... although nothing appears to be missing. On the flight to Helsinki I was in transit at Budapest. On board the Malev flight I'd been reading in the Budapest Times about airport workers being arrested for stealing from passengers' luggage. Anyhow... I need a new padlock. I've got a spare one I can use for the time being, but it's not particularly strong.
My other concern at the moment is the growing air pollution in Moscow. I will travel by train to St Petersburg early on Monday morning. I'm due to take a domestic flight from there to Moscow on Friday (the 13th!) and stay for five nights. The TV reports I've seen talk of increasing contamination with carbon monoxide and other pollutants from the fires. Visibility is very poor and the heat is extreme. If things don't change soon I don't think it'll be worth going to Moscow. Once I take such a decision I'll have to change my flights. It's easy enough to extend my time in St Petersburg, but I'll be sad if I have to miss out on seeing the capital.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Photo post : Budapest
Visiting Gul Baba's tomb.
Looking across the Danube at the Parliament building.
Doctored street sign, indicating where pedestrians and cats should walk.
Doctored street sign, indicating where pedestrians and cats should walk.
Szechenyi Bridge over the River Danube.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
at the airport again
This update comes to you from the business lounge at Sofia Airport. I have a two hour delay on my flight to Budapest. A shame, because I was only due to have a 24 hour stop in the Hungarian capital (and that was only because of a schedule change, giving me Budapest as a bonus).
It means I have time to put down some more thoughts here.
Yesterday, as I sat in the square between the mosque and the mineral baths, I noticed that sweeping the streets in Eastern Europe is still women's work. Years ago, in 1989 and just months before the fall of Communism in Romania and Nikolai Ceauscescu's execution, I saw plenty of women working in the streets with brooms made of old twigs tied to a pole. More than 20 years later, in Sofia, this work is still done by women. The broom is a little more advanced, but the apron and the hunched back look the same.
I also noticed that the door to the mineral baths building was open today. No-one was going in or out, however, so I assume it is still closed for renovation. Apparently it has been for years. A security guard had told me so and demonstrated by making a "closed" sign with his hands.
By the way, I did get to go inside the mosque. I was charged 2 Leva as a visitor. A Leva is about the equivalent of a New Zealand dollar. To give another example of how cheap Bulgaria is... a sit down meal in a Chinese restaurant (soup, chicken with cashew nuts, boiled rice and a soft drink) cost me 13 Leva. That's less than 6 British Pounds.
When I was sitting in the squar, pondering things and watching people go by, an old man with a walking stick and broken shoes came and sat beside me on the bench. It struck me that while I had time on my hands because I'm travelling and not working, he has time on his hands every day because of his age and not being a worker any more. I wonder whether this is how he passes his time every day. Sitting, watching, thinking. What do old people think about ? Do they reflect on their life and see in others what they themselves used to be ? How does it affect them, having so much time and so little to do ?
Also yesterday, Monday, I went to the National Gallery for Foreign Art. The guide book I'd taken notes from said it was free on Mondays, but there was actually a 4 Leva charge. Inside were paintings mainly from France, carvings from India, Africa and Myanmar (Burma), and sculptures mainly from Russia. The most striking painting was by a German called Franz Von Stuck. "Lucifer", painted in 1891, shows the Devil sitting and with piercing eyes.
It means I have time to put down some more thoughts here.
Yesterday, as I sat in the square between the mosque and the mineral baths, I noticed that sweeping the streets in Eastern Europe is still women's work. Years ago, in 1989 and just months before the fall of Communism in Romania and Nikolai Ceauscescu's execution, I saw plenty of women working in the streets with brooms made of old twigs tied to a pole. More than 20 years later, in Sofia, this work is still done by women. The broom is a little more advanced, but the apron and the hunched back look the same.
I also noticed that the door to the mineral baths building was open today. No-one was going in or out, however, so I assume it is still closed for renovation. Apparently it has been for years. A security guard had told me so and demonstrated by making a "closed" sign with his hands.
By the way, I did get to go inside the mosque. I was charged 2 Leva as a visitor. A Leva is about the equivalent of a New Zealand dollar. To give another example of how cheap Bulgaria is... a sit down meal in a Chinese restaurant (soup, chicken with cashew nuts, boiled rice and a soft drink) cost me 13 Leva. That's less than 6 British Pounds.
When I was sitting in the squar, pondering things and watching people go by, an old man with a walking stick and broken shoes came and sat beside me on the bench. It struck me that while I had time on my hands because I'm travelling and not working, he has time on his hands every day because of his age and not being a worker any more. I wonder whether this is how he passes his time every day. Sitting, watching, thinking. What do old people think about ? Do they reflect on their life and see in others what they themselves used to be ? How does it affect them, having so much time and so little to do ?
Also yesterday, Monday, I went to the National Gallery for Foreign Art. The guide book I'd taken notes from said it was free on Mondays, but there was actually a 4 Leva charge. Inside were paintings mainly from France, carvings from India, Africa and Myanmar (Burma), and sculptures mainly from Russia. The most striking painting was by a German called Franz Von Stuck. "Lucifer", painted in 1891, shows the Devil sitting and with piercing eyes.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
photo and video post
In Borisova Gradina (garden) on a Sunday afternoon it seems all of Sofia come out to relax in the sun and walk among the trees in this park. Children play on trampolines or inside giant beachballs (Zorbing) on water.
The park also contains the neglected Mound of Brotherhood, where there's a 42 metre high obelisk celebrating socialism. It has statues and icons of partisan figures around the base.
Video Post
As I was walking back to my hotel today, past the Presidential Palace, I noticed they were changing the guards.. so I crossed the road quickly and made a video of this lot going off duty.
Sofia Photo Post
St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the most spectacular building in Sofia.
Mineral Baths building, sadly closed for restoration.
Presidential Palace guards.
Watching over the city, the statue of Sofia - holding a laurel wreath and an owl, the symbol of wisdom.
Sunny Sofia
Bulgaria's capital (at least the central part) is easy to navigate -- despite the street signs being almost exclusively in the Cyrillic alphabet. It's nice and compact, making it very walkable. It's not beautiful like Budapest or (somewhere I've yet to see) Prague, but it has its share of striking buildings.
One of the poorer countries in the modern Europe, Bulgaria has some stark contrasts. There are plenty of people begging, and those who've approached me on the street are either money changers or women trying to sell their services. Alongside this are the young from well-off families in their posh cars and the expensive international brand retail outlets.
Most people in shops and cafes can speak English, and there's a big German influence in the products on sale. Things are generally cheap. 1.5 litres of bottled mineral water costs the equivalent of 90 New Zealand cents, or 40 British pence.
One thing to watch out for.. there are plenty of loose paving stones ! Construction work is concentrated on building a new line for the metro train system, which means traffic disruption in places.
One of the poorer countries in the modern Europe, Bulgaria has some stark contrasts. There are plenty of people begging, and those who've approached me on the street are either money changers or women trying to sell their services. Alongside this are the young from well-off families in their posh cars and the expensive international brand retail outlets.
Most people in shops and cafes can speak English, and there's a big German influence in the products on sale. Things are generally cheap. 1.5 litres of bottled mineral water costs the equivalent of 90 New Zealand cents, or 40 British pence.
One thing to watch out for.. there are plenty of loose paving stones ! Construction work is concentrated on building a new line for the metro train system, which means traffic disruption in places.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)