PARIS

Here is the story of my friend who went to Paris...

We took an AIR BERLIN flight from Vienna to Paris which was quite ok. We had great visions of CDG airport but alas we were sent to Terminal 3 which is a kind of punishment meted out to people who travel on budget airlines. From there we took the metro to Gard du Nord, the central station from where we made our way to our - for the lack of words – COMPACT hostel room.

A word of caution about European hotels – they are SMALL. Please do NOT have any illusions of big grand asian kind of rooms. They are small and just about 3 people can fit in and with luggage you can’t but help bumping into each other!!!! And the bathroom is best described in the words of CIRCUIT in the film MUNNABHAI ‘ aandhar aate aate hi khatam ho jata hain ’.

Nevertheless since we had no intentions of spending more then sleeping and changing moments in the room, it was ok.

Since it was pretty late by the time we settled in we went for a small stroll around Montmatre and got our bearings.

It was a Sunday night and the next day was a holiday for the Summer Solstice. What a crowd was there on the roads. I guess all the Viennese citizens might have come here coz there was hardly anyone on the Vienna roads when we left. Also the weather here was excellent and summer had fully set in.

The street café’s were full, kids were playing in the parks, couples were doing what all couple in Paris do – kissing, hugging and expressing their undying love for each other. I just love the way they sit at café’s and can chat endlessly ( interrupted only when they need to kiss each other ) and expressively whilst they smoke. All through our trip I was thoroughly impressed by the way Europeans look forward to summer.

Paris is also a melting point of kinds, quite similarly to London. You have a lot of immigrants from French colonies who have made Paris their home. So to find a ‘typical’ Parisian as shown in movies can be quite difficult. Also this has led to various kinds of cuisines being available to sample. All over Europe, barring the UK I feel there is one staple dish that can be found and that is FALAFFELS / SHWARMA / DIRTY KEBABS / GYROS..same dish other names. Apart from the ubiquitous Pizza that is.

I have never had to mess up my diet as during this trip. There was bread, bread and only bread. No doubt there were options but from a backpacker’s point of view it was quite difficult to get a decent veg wholesome meal. Lucky for us we got one in Vienna.

We hit the sack as we had a hectic day tomorrow and had to cover all the sights and Paris is not a small city.

Early in the morning after much bumping into each other we headed to the Notre Dame, what a magnificent place that is. Post that we walked around the Siene river and since it was an added holiday there were hordes of people everywhere including on the borders of the river. They were sunbathing, rollerblading, cycling, playing the guitars….and doing what all Parisian couple love to do..kissing!!!

We chilled there for some time and then walked to the Louvre. Whilst walking we took in the sights of these small stores that are interspersed through the banks selling antique books, photos, postcards etc run by some very quirkily dressed people. Wish I cold have bought half the stuff they were selling as it was awesome.

I don’t think anything can prepare you for 2 sights in the world – the LOUVRE and the EIFFEL TOWER. both have been photographed extensively and are very well known but to see it in the real is totally another experience. If u want to enhance the experience many times over, then see them in the night when they are lit up….you will flip out.

However for me Paris is about people and people watching. I did a good share of that when I sat at the steps of the Sacre Cour with some cheap wine and a pack of chips for about 3 hours or so. It was a holiday and everyone, including the locals were out. They carried their music, wine, food etc and had a great time singing and dancing. Sitting at the steps was a great experience and totally out of the world.

We also did the ‘touristy’ stuff like walk from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe ( hope my spelling is right ) through the Champs de Eleysses, a bit over rated as per my opinion.

What I also enjoyed were watching the match with the general public on a square where a huge screen was put up. Nothing like it. Though we did go to Roland Garros to get in the atmosphere. I was hoping that we would get cheap tickets but somehow today was’nt my day. They going for 300 Euros a piece and that was like ¼ my travel budget. So we got a couple of pictures outside the centre court and walked away happy with the knowledge that we at least got till here and thanked god for all his blessings.

I also liked chilling at the Place de Concord where there was this huge open air concert happening and the public was out in full force.

Apart from that I would say though Paris is a great city, it is a city not for me. maybe because of the over hype and over expectations that the name Paris has conjured up since time immemorial that one expects far too too much from this city.

So we took a train to Amsterdam.

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VIENNA

Post are rejuvenating break in Salzburg, we proceeded to Vienna – the city of music and opera and all things Baroque. We took an OBB train which got us there in about 3 hours. Needless to say the journey was great and the scenery awe inspiring.

Once again I was trying me level best to look for a farmer or some kind of activity on the well cultivated and huge farms but there was no one on sight. They maybe having some magical elves who do their farming for them in the midst of the night.

Most of the houses had these portable swimming pools, beach chairs, tables etc all set up outside on their yards getting set to enjoy the summer.

We reached Vienna but the welcome was far from ‘warm’. The breeze was blowing and the sky was overcast. Our hostel was a couple of minutes walk away but in this wind chill, it seemed like an eternity. Somehow we made it there without any frostbites.

Once settled in we hit the streets. Quite literally for suchna as her shoe broke on the subway and the braveheart that she is, she walked around the chilly city in socks, even whilst it was raining. Now that is what you call a woman driven with a sense of purpose. What was her purpose????? To sample the famous Viennese pastries!!!!!!

We headed to this place called CENTIMETRE which is kind of a local joint and you can order by what else…the CENTIMETRE!!!! We were gulped down the local STEIGER beer and since we were quite hungry all ordered individual dishes knowing little what was in store for us.

The portions were HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I really mean HUGE!!! They would give American portions are run for their money. Looking at the food made our apprtite go for a toss, atleast I know mine did. Nevertheless it was a great place, full of locals getting away from the cold rain and enjoying some hot food and wine.

Then next day was a tosser!! It was overcast and raining. Until now, by god’s grace we had great weather and this was the first day of crappy weather. Not that it downed our spirits but it was cold as cold could be outside. In our hearts we knew that sometime soon when we landed in India we would all miss this chilly weather.

So we put on our thermals and overcoats and headed for the city centre. We traveled by local trams and subways ass this gives you a sense of the ‘real’ city. Luckily for us in a couple of hours the weather cleared and it was bright and sunny again.

In the interim we took a city centre ring route tram which takes you to all the places of interest and more or less quite had our fill of the sights. Once off we headed for what is Europe’s largest pedestrian shopping street. The fun part of visiting shopping streets is to window shop, look at people, open the sandwich you packed in you hostel dorm, have a swig of the cheap wine bought at the local superstore and see the world go by.

Suchna and me are not big shoppers but what we love to see is the energy of people walking in such streets. There are Buskers who perform trying to get everyone’s eye, the street musicians and dancers and wot not. We caught this amazing group of dancers who were ‘hip hoping’ and they were a riot. We might have spent at least an hour just chilling there and enjoying the atmosphere.

In the evening we headed towards what is known as the BERMUDA TRIANGLE of Vienna. Before this I would like to share with you an observation I had about the ‘weekend culture’ here as well as in a lot of other cities where the subway infrastructure is good.

On Saturdays you will find a lot and I mean a lot of people, be it couples, bunch of friends etc etc waiting for their friends, partners etc outside the metro stop of usually the place where all the bars and clubs are. Seeing them greet each other when the other comes up from the metro is a joy in itself. I could spend an hour or so just watching this sight.

Also you will find the ubiquitous flower sellers who have an ‘ all access pass’ to all the pubs and bars and there are quite a few takers for their wares too. Also you will find a lot of ‘hen parties’ and ‘stag parties’ making their way from bar to the other. Mind you police presence is tremendous and they swoop down on anyone who crosses the line.

The fun part of partying in these cities is that normally about 40 – 50 bars are located in one area making it easy to bar hop and see a lot of different kinds of places at one time. Also the transport infrastructure is in place wherein there are special night buses and trams to help you get home. All this makes places like Vienna a great party zone. But one has to realize that this frenzy only takes place on the eve of public holidays or weekends, other then that, the place is quite empty.

Coming back to our weekend. We first hit a Mexican bar and had a couple of vodka shots as the Happy Hours were going on. ** always a good idea to make FULL use of HAPPY HOURS should you be on a budget. After that we settled down at BERMUDA BRAU which was quite happening and what a farewell night we made it out to be.

The next day our flight to Paris was in the evening so we decided to make the best of the remaining day.

Luckily for us it was a clear sunny day and we headed to the SCHLOSS SCHONBRUNN – the 1440 summer palace of the Habsburg dynasty. It was massive and the gardens surrounding it spectacular. Since it was the beginning of summer they were setting up for the VIENNESE PHILAMORNIC ORCHESTRA to play there. What a setting and it was FREE!!!!!! All in all I guess there was only a crew of 50 people setting up the stage etc, whereas the same thing we would need about 200 people. The level of automation all across Europe, even in the Eastern parts is amazing,

After that we headed to grab a bite in town and it was a GHOST TOWN. Not a a singl soul in sight. Everyone was either at home or had gone out of town. If any Bombay person were to be sent here they would think it was a general strike or something. We could hear ourselves whispering in the streets.

We found this amazing asian pace to eat which was serving buffet all you can eat meals, for people who were just eating bread this was godsent. I have never loved my greens more then I did that day. I can safely say all my fellow travelers felt the same way. It is not that I don’t like bread, but the concept of eating carbohydrates post 7 unnerves me.

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salzburg

SALZBURG

First off please let me give you some trivia on SALZBURG and THE SOUND of MUSIC movie….the English version was only released in Austria 8 years back!!!!! Also it is partially a true story and Von Trapp family does exist and the family moved to the States when the Nazi’s took over Austria.
In the States they used to perform all over before which they performed in the UK. Some other observations about Salzburg and The Sound of Music:-
• The production house thought they would finish the movies in 3 months but owing to bad weather the movie took 11 ½ months to complete. This can be noticed when you realize that they had shot the end at the first schedule and the remaining movies in parts over the 11 ½ months. So basically the children look older in the beginning and look younger at the end!!!
• In the movies they are shown escaping over a mountain which INCIDENTALLLY leads to GERMANY!!!! So that is artistic licensing for you!!!
• Apparently the Austrians have NO FONDNESS for the movies despite it having millions of fans across the globe.
• In Salzburg every year in July / August there is a SOUND of Music festival where about 2 million people visit the city and the current resident population is just 150,000 only. So around the festival time most of the city residents move bag and baggage as the city infrastructure cannot cope with the influx.
• In the movie the butler squealed on the von Trapps but in reality it was he who helped them escape

Now that we are done with that, we can go ahead and enjoy the real Salzburg. It is a medium sized town with the hills all around and the river flowing through…quite picturesque actually.

When we were there we got hit by a spell of cold weather and it was quite windy, not that it dampened our spirits.

We had taken a train for BUDAPEST to SALZBURG and I just cannot compliment the efficiency and service of the Austrian OBB train service. The train was on time, clean and the seats comfortable. Do remember ( talking from this experience ) that normally if the seat is reserved then the destination is marked on the electronic seat number above it. If blank then this seat is unreserved.

After checking into our hostel we headed to look for a lunch place and what a discovery we made – a place called PASTA VINO. I can easily tell you that I have never ever come across such a great restaurant before.

The reason why I am praising it – the people running it. There was the cook / chef / owner called VINCENZO was the most entertaining person I have met. He made the meal so lively and exciting as only an Italian could make it. Regards the food…simply spectacular and the house wine an amazing match. There is no menu and the pasta is cooked fresh, so depends on when you go you may get pasta, spaghetti, fettuccine etc. also there is one option from chicken, fish or veg. the meal is simple and that is what adds to the flavour. It was a GREAT meal.

That night we headed to AUGUSTINER BRAUSTUBL BREWERY.& BEER GARDEN. This place is run by the monks who brew the beer at the same location. What an EXPERIENCE especially for a beer lover like myself. If ever you are in this part of the world DO NOT MISS IT. It is not one of those tourist traps and is so so local that you will stick out like a sore thumb.

The way the system works is that you pick up your glass after choosing from either 500 ml or a 1 litre one. then you pay a grumpy person, for which you have to stand in a huge line. Then again line up to get the beer filled where the person doing this has made it into an art form. Then you head to one of 3 cavernous halls ( outdoors gardens if the weather permits ) and take a place wherever available.

For food you can either choose from 6 food court kind of places and if you want you can get your own food!!!!!! The taste of the beer – PRICELESS!!!!!!!

Another place worth it’s salt is the BIO BISTRO café which sells only organic veggies dishes and is run by an amiable Punjabi from Jammu & Kashmir called Sayal who is based here for the last 20 years.

Other then eating we did actually do quite a lot else. We visited the Mirabell Gardens and the Castle ( though by now I could not make the difference from one castle / palace to the other ) and saw MOZART’s birthplace.

We just walked and people watched and took in the atmosphere as that is what I like the most. There were these people playing chess in the open air on this huge painted chessboard. I met have spent a good part of an hour watching too locals fight it out with their supporters giving them all the possible advice. An afternoon well spent!

Another bit of trivia on Salzburg – the promoter of the all famous drink for die hard party lovers – RED BULL originated from here and has his HQ here. Infact he has an entire island where his HQ is. Also he has an entire Hangar at the local airport where his cars and airplanes are open for public display.

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Olomounc

Leaving Prague we started our journey to this quaint little town. En route we stopped at this place called KUTNA HORA.

At one point of time centuries ago, this town was a very important trading city and was very famous. Over the course of time this place lost its importance.

So the king decided we must make it famous again as we need revenues from tourists so he asked one of his artist to design a CHURCH made of BONES..yup you got that right. A church of bones dedicated to god, and it was a HIT. People started coming in droves and all was hunky dory again.

What an eerie place the church is, the lamps are made of bones and skulls, the tapestries are made of bones and trust me you want to click your picture and move on. All in all a great day stop from Prague.

When we reached OLOMOUNC it was windy and the ‘mard ko dard nahin hota’ type I was, I forgot to carry my pullover for the walking tour of the city and boy! Did I regret it. There is a lot of history too this place, as is to every nook and cranny of Europe and it is a town worth visiting.

We had lunch in this amazing local place where we had the local wine and I rate it quite high. The overall ambience of this place was very basic and not touristy. The service was what we had come to realize of the Czech Republic, cold and efficient. Please shed all illusions of an south east asian beauty smiling at you and willing to pamper you kind of service, after all the communist have left a mark on their psyche.

We walked around town and stayed at this AMAZING place where they had the most amazing breakfast by far. The rooms were clean and huge.

In the night we went to this PLANE BAR which was…this plane converted into a bar ( simple ) and what a rocking time it was.

The other thing about OLOMOUNC was the parks huge and well used. Whilst we were returning from the bar at about 1 am, joggers were pounding the pavements and at it.just amazing.

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Auschwitz and Krakow

AUSCHWITZ

En route to Krakow we stopped at AUSCHWITZ. What can I say? I just pray to god that such history is NEVER repeated. One has to be here to realize what might have transpired here and that would not even be a tiny percentage of it!!!

How can people do such things? The fact that after these atrocities the Nazi’s would go back to their families and enjoy dinner with them and do normal kind of stuff withour batting an eyelid. It was so normal to behave like that!!!!

We did a 3 hour tour of this place which was literally HELL for the jews and one could not but feel for what they might have gone through. There is so so much that can be written about how bad this place was but it would not be enough.

There are two concentration camps – Auschwitz and Birkenau. The first one was Auschwitz but they needed a bigger one as this one was not enough!!!! They designed a bigger, better and more efficient one!!!! Earlier they used bullets to kill but that was getting expensive so they looked for cheaper alternatives and ‘experimented’ with other various methods before settling on gassing them.

The worst part was that the jews that were being killed were never told what lay ahead for them. They were told that they were being taken to other camps and for that they needed to shower and to the extent that the Germans told the Jews to remember where they kept their clothes so they could collect it on the way back………

There is so much that we were told of and one cannot but feel saddened and the atrocities that took place. for me what touched me most was when I saw the rail lines end at the camp, for that literally meant the end of the line for a lot of people.

All I can do is pray that such instances are NEVER repeated again and that the world has learnt their lesson from this horrific time in history.

KRAKOW

If there were ever a city I would want to come back to it would be Krakow. This town bustles with energy and enthusiasm. Basically this is an university town and is the seat of learning for most of eastern Europe. It has about 33 universities and 25% of the population are students.

There are about 1000 bars and restaurants ( you cannot blame me for liking this places ) and some bars go 3 floors underground!!!! We were there for 2 nights and I really don’t know where the nights went by. We used to get lost in the underground rooms only to discover different bar counters and DJ’s spinning some funky tunes. Post Krakow all of us would need some SERIOUS detox programme.

We did an amazing and superbly informative cycle tour where LUCAS rather DR LUCAS was our guide. Post the communist era and lot of people hold amazing degrees but have hardly any work so they take up part time jobs like these. We surely weren’t complaining as Lucas was heads above all the guides I had ever met.

Below are some of my observations, as well as what we did in Krakow:-

• Pope John Paul II was from here and was a cardinal in Krakow before being ordained. They LOVE him and really look up to him. We visited the place where he stayed when he was n Krakow and it is said that from his window he would talk to hundreds of students till 2am!!!!!
• The gardens are just brilliant and so full of life. Everyone cycles here and it is such a perfect place to just ‘be’.
• We ate some amazing falafels and kebabs at the corner stores and they are like what our bhelpuri wallas are to us
• We spent some amazing time watching the festivities around the square as it was the weekend and people from neighboring villages and towns came here to take part in what I felt was a competition of sorts. They were dressed in their traditional clothes and what a photo op that was
• We went salsa dancing and it rocked
• We visited Oscar Schindler’s factory and house. Here also it was saddening to here how the Jews were treated and the atrocities they had to endure. It also saddens one to know that Osacr Schindler who helped save a thousands of Jews died a penniless man in South America.
• There are also stories of how other helped the Jews and despite being threatened, beaten, tortured continued to do so. There was this one lady ( whose name I don’t recollect but is a national hero and also was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize ) who everyday went to the Jewish Ghetto and would try and save one child. This she did for 4-5 years and eventually the germans SS caought her. They broke her legs and were going to hang her but someone bribed the SS and got her released….do you know what she did after that? Once her legs were ok, she went back to the ghetto and started saving other lives. She lived till she was 98 and she said that there never was a bad person, it was only the circumstances that made a person how they were and see forgave the Germans what they did to her. Just amazing. Oh! She did’nt win the Noble though…Al Gore beat her to it for Global Warming!!!!
• Learnt a lot about the history of Krakow and Poland in general and that would take a full day to write down.

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Santorini - Athens

Santorini – Athens – Budapest – Prague

What a leap. From the islands to the centre of Europe. Today was a long long travel day, not that we minded it. The tourist season in Thira had picked up so the airport was a mess ( literally ) and it could do with a major renovation.

We caught an Aegean flight to Athens where we connected to a Malev Hungarian flight which got us to Prague via a transfer in Budapest.

• when u fly these so called full service european airlines you will realize how lucky we Indians are to have so many airlines fighting over us. Literally our Indian carriers and heads over heels higher in comparison to their counter parts in Europe. The only service we got was a glass of water / softdrinks and a bun!!!!

Nevertheless we got to Prague safely and that is what counts. I just wanted to make a point that we are lucky to have what we have in our part of the world.

Prague of PRAHA ( as they call it locally ) airport was awesome and we were out in no time. We were staying at PLUS PRAGUE a great hostel but a couple of metro stops out of the centre.

It was neat clean, spacious and a great place to stay at. They also have free wi fi and hence I can blog easily. They have a great bar ( open all night ) and a kickass atmosphere.

We checked in and headed to the city to get our bearings. Unlike in India where you can see people EVERYWHERE at ANYTIME, in Europe post 6 it is difficult to spot a peron on the road esp in the NON TOURIST areas. Gets quite eerie actually.

Anyways we went into the centre of town and chilled over some great Czech lager and enjoyed a night out on the town.

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Zakopane ( Poland ), picnin in Slovakia and BUDAPEST

Zakopane ( Poland ), picnin in Slovakia and BUDAPEST..have a great week

ZAKOPANE

From Krakow we moved to Zakopane a hillside city which is famous for it’s ski slopes and even more so for it’s ski jumps. The world ski jump cup held here.

We were the for the summer and it was what a picture perfect postcard would be like. I cannot but imagine what it would be in the winters when the small pedestrian’s street would be filled with people walking with their skis and wearing their warm overcoats and chatting over a cup of hot cocoa.

This is a very ‘active’ town as in the number of outdoor sports equipment shops it has. I am a sucker for such stores and I spent a better part of the day going from one store to the other like a kid in a candy store. It was an other thing that Suchna had taken away my money or god alone know what I would have bought.

We also trekked up a hill and the view from there was fantabulous. Just sitting up there and not having to talk or ‘do’ anything is as MASTERCARD puts it….that moment was PRICELESS!!! What a view and once again I was picturing the winter here, which incidentally is PEAK season here.

We stayed at a hotel which I think stopped in time when the communist were still around. Each room had those radios which if sold in the States would go as antiques.

Other then that we just unwound here and did NOTHING. It was a good and much needed break for all of us after the constant traveling.

They have these local cheese stall that has got a huge variety of homemade cheese in all shapes and sizes. These guys here LOVE their cheese and I could see locals taking huge bits of what would have been a years supply of cheese for me. I did taste some and they were very tasty and delicious. This was a cheese lovers paradise.

Also since this is the polish countryside we got a great insight into the local life. They get around in tractors and these have huge trailers attached to them ferrying a host of things for the farm. These tractors are open and normally have 2-3 people sitting along with the driver. Also the local women here wear head scarves and pitch in with the farm work.

SLOVAKIA

I must say I can tick this country off my list as we did stop in Slovakia albeit ina lovely meadow to enjoy a picnic lunch. It was such a great affair as all of us had ‘stolen’ a lot of bread rolls, butter, jam, yoghurt etc etc from the breakfast counter at our Zakopane hotel, and along with some amazing Polish wine we had what was one of the best and inexpensive but memorable meals.

Slovakia is truly a very beautiful country and I am sure that someday it will give the other countries a run for their money in tourism. These were some of the BEST roads I traveled through in my entire life.

BUDAPEST

Here the saying ‘THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE LAST IMPRESSION’ does not apply for us. When we reached Budapest we were not at all impressed and wondered what was so special about this place. it was a run down city and need more then a spit and a polish.

But we were quite wrong…very wrong. The reason for this wrong impression was that we had taken a couple of wrong turns and ended on some random streets. Luckily this mistake was soon sorted out when we found the actual city centre.
We could never have been more wrong. I concur totally with anyone who says Budapest is one of the best and prettiest cities in Eastern Europe. We did a Danube river cruise in the night and what a sight it was to see the palace and bridge lit up. We went crazy clicking pictures, me trying to be artistic and take ‘blurry’ pics et al. also on the boat we could complimentary wine and beer and that was enough to get us going.

After that we went to this AWESOME bar / nightclub. From the outside it was like a garage and you wouldn’t even know what was inside. Once we entered this place it was this kickass nightclub with room after room. It was a industrial shed turned into a club. The interiors were of these old computers and computer paraphernalia and a very grungy kind of look. There were sofas made of cut bath tubs, old PC’s and what not!

Inside there was a projector where they screened movies sometimes and the screen was near a huge open air atrium. What a great place to catch a movie!

The next day we went for this cycle tour, led by one of the most prettiest tour guides have come across. ** I really recommend city cycle trips for anyone who wants to get the feel of the city and places like Budapest have exclusive cycling roads and what a joy it is to use these roads. The cyclist and pedestrian are treated like gods here and everywhere in western Europe.

Hungarians have this history that they have always supported the losing team and this has quite affected their mentality. Also most of their uprising have always failed and that has also affected them.

Notwithstanding this place has some great history and they have built some mind blowing monuments. They also have this statue of a lady called Liberty, who they jokingly call the ‘bottle opener’ because of the shape it is designed in.

They also have this amazing palace and like all other European cities they have a lot of history attached to them. For eg: they have this bridge where the architect proudly claimed that if anyone could find one single mistake then he would jump from the bridge into the Danube. Soon one small boy pointed out a flaw, that the lions at the beginning of each sides of the bridge did not have a tongue. Folklore has it that he jumped of the bridge, but there are some people who say that the architect did make one other tunnel.

The town is actually in 2 parts – Buda and Pest, on either sides of the Danube. Buda is the older part where the palace etc is and Pest is where downtown is.

Another thing about Budapest is that they do not clink their glasses when they cheer. This tradition goes back to the time when the Austrians ruled Hungary and there was an uprising. During this uprising the Austrians killed a lot of Hungarians and as a memory to that the Hungarians swore that for 150 years they would never clink their glasses. It is another thing that 150 years have just passed but the tradition stays.

We also caught the Manchester United v/s Barcelona Fc UEFA Champions League final at this amazing bar in one of the by lanes frequented by locals. The atmosphere was so charged up and a great time was had by all. We had quite a few ( putting it mildly ) beers and by the end of it the entire bar was cheering together and all had become the best of friends. Sumit had bought this red wig which he wore to support Man U but unfortunately it did not help his team win.

Budapest is comparatively much poorer then the some of the other parts of Eastern Europe as is evident from the number of homeless and vagrants on the streets. But if you were to compare it’s beauty, give me Budapest anyday.

Also it was here we had to bid adieu to a lot of friends we had made and especially we would miss Carlos and Owen. These 2 guys really made our trip a grand success and it would not have been even half as fun without them.

A lot of HUGS and KISSES ( carlos’s staple line ) were passed around and over a ginormous pizza ( for 3 euros only ) everyone said adieu. I do hope soon our paths cross again.

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PRAGUE

What a beautiful city. Infact summer brings out the best in European cities and how they enjoy this time of the year. Sometimes it makes you a tad bit jealous about people having 4 seasons to enjoy.

Summer which bring out colour and the entire sense of freedom, lounging in parks, sitting at roadside café’s and enjoying your day doing nothing.
Autumn when the leaves start falling and you start preparing for winter by getting your woolies out. Also the colors around you are blazing from hues of oranges to red and you try and make the most of the last bit of warm weather.

Winter gets you in the mood for Christmas and the festival season. Out come your blacks an dark colours and the sunsets earlier. This is a time to retreat to your fireplaces after a had days works with a single malt in your hand. Also the joy of entering a heated room after a walk in the cold outside, skating on the ice

Spring is when there is a ‘spring’ in your step and you hear the first cries of the robin and you plan your summer holidays. This is a time when the summer ads hit you in the face with images of gardening equipment, pristine blues beaches, bikini ads, sun tan lotions and what not, coz summer is every marketers dream when all and sundry are in a good mood and want to spend.

PRAGUE

Prague was also where all of us met, as in the jolly backpacker group. A motley bunch us but with a great mindset.

Our first evening in Prague we just wandered around and got oriented to the place, the markets the squares, the lanes connected various ‘must see’ sights of the old town and we crosses Charles Bridge ( which we would be doing repeatedly over the next 2 days ).
* always remember whenever in a country you can’t find a loo…look for godd old McDonald’s as they always have them. Some places you got to pay but at some places they let you use it for free.

We did the normal ‘touristy’ stuff like saw the ringing of the clock at every hours, took pictures at every conceivable spot ( that would be me!!! ) and what I liked most is that we wandered around and ‘people watched’. I could write a lot about the famous monuments and must do sights but you would get that in any guide book, so what I thoroughly recommend is to get lost…..literally, in the streets of the old town. And when ever in doubt just look up and orient yourself with the spires of the clock tower.

We did a fair bit of bar hoping but I just cannot write this blog without mention the CROSS BAR….a modern architectural marvel made of all the possible spare parts of cars, electronic items and what not!

It was near our hotel and I am very sure not a mainstream bar after looking at the people there. It was a huge place with rooms and underground rooms you could get lost and the music was techno to the core, but I loved it.

Also there was this ‘suspicious’ aroma in the air of some ‘substances’ which are freely available in places like Amsterdam and that is what added to the entire excitement. Also we were stuck out like a sore thumb, us in our bright clothes whereas all the other were in black with different body piercing ( where all can one possibly pierce themselves amazes me ) and their dogs ..you dogs are allowed in the massive open air areas.

We feasted on boiled potatoes, atleast us veggies and in haze walked back to our hotel. Herein I must mention that Prague is pretty much a safe place esp for women travelers.

In Prague we also went to U ZLATEHO TYGYRA. This is a hole in the wall drinking place in old town which serves only ONE kind of drink and that is beer on the tap. You like it fine, you don’t like it then get out of the way! This place was PACKED with locals and we were thrown out on our first attempt and we managed a table the next day.

It is where the Czech President took the then US president Bill Clinton to show him what the real Prague looks like. Believe me you will think that the guy behind your regular Irani joint is courtesy personified if you were to meet the people serving us here. The service was fast efficient and the ambience..to die for! This is the very reason I travel, to sit at such places and see the way locals go about their daily routine.

One other thing I like about Prague are the trams. They are the best and cheapest way to see what the city is like, as well gives you a peak into the way the locals go about their daily routine. I highly and thoroughly recommend people to use local travel when the visit a city.

They also have this kickass concept where you can tour the city in vintage cars. They are so amazingly restored that you feel where can I buy one of these. There were atleast 40 odd models you could choose from and they were all convertibles so one could enjoy the city as well as have people like me look at you in awe.

I just love the way how people in Europe take tourism to a great level. Wonder why in India we just cant do that.

I can write reams on Prague but will end here as I truly encourage people to visit this amazing place.

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Villa Bugan

Bugan Villa is a world class, five star contemporary resort, comprising 4 spacious three-bedroom villas, set in idyllic landscaped gardens with lotus ponds and private pools. Located in Petitenget, Seminyak, it is only ten minutes walk from the beach, shops and fine dining restaurants. This unique concept gives our owners and guests a sense of privacy and ultimate luxury, superior to a hotel room environment, while having close access to all the facilities Seminyak has to offer.

Bugan Villa uses the highest quality building materials, both stone and wood. Each villa boasts its own private pool, Jacuzzi and three spacious master bedrooms with full size indoor marble bathrooms and outdoor showers, giving our owners and guests the relaxing feeling of bathing in luxury or having a shower whilst gazing into the open sky. The scale of the villas is truly impressive.

Located in Seminyak, away from the dizzy rush and bustle of Kuta - Bali, yet still near to the exciting shopping, restaurants and nightspots. Seminyak is the preferred destination for many tourists and expatriates in the Asia Pacific region who regularly return to Bali for work, holiday or simply to live. read more...

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Lombok Gili Islands One Day Tour

Here is your chance to see some of the natural beauty of Lombok. We begin travelling North following the inland road through the hills and the Pusuk Forest to see monkeys, which line the roadsides (take some fruits or nuts to feed them). Continue down to the coast and to the village of Pemenang.

where you board the outrigger for the 20-minute crossing to Gili Air. This island is renowned for its superb snorkelling, as crystal clear waters and a reef of tropical corals and millions of multicoloured fish surround it. There are numerous small losmens and bungalows dotted around the island that also have simple restaurants where you can buy lunch (lunch not included).

Return by outrigger to the mainland and then follow the coastal road South to Senggigi area. Travel up and over headlands and down through numerous bays; the scenery is stunning. (Approx. 8 hrs.). Read more..

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BANGKOK for PACKAGE

03NIGHTS/04 DAYS PACKAGE

Rs. 58500/*

Rs 58500/- Valid For Minimum 2 Passengers on Twin Sharing Basis

Inclusive Of:

• Economy class return Lahore – Bangkok air ticket.
• 4Star Hotel Accommodation for 03Nights/04 Days.
• Daily Breakfast.
• One Full day Safari tour with Lunch (SIC Basis).
• Return Airport Transfer (SIC Basis).

Terms & Conditions:

• All extras I-e laundry, telephone calls, bar usage etc are not included in above given package.

• Once hotel booking is confirmed then any no show or before time cancellation will result in full nights cancellation charges.

• Above given rates are based on per person and on twin Sharing Basis.

• Seats and Rooms are subject to availability.

• This offer is Valid until 30^th May09.
• Above given package cost is subject to change.
• Any service not mentioned above is not included.

For Further Assistance Please call us at.

Ph: 042-5711734/5

042-5712104/5

Cell: 0321-8417400

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Emirates Airline, increases checked luggage allowance

Effective May 6^th, 2009, Emirates passengers in all classes can check in 10kg more checked baggage than previously allowed, with no extra charges.

The 30kg economy limit compares with 23kg for British Airways passengers, and 20kg for Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific customers.

Existing excess baggage rates apply to checked luggage weighing in over the new allowances, and premium members of Emirates’ Skywards loyalty scheme continue to be entitled to an additional baggage allowance (12kg for Silver cardholders and 16kg for Gold cardholders).

To/From	Standard Allowance
First class	Business	Economy
USA / Canada	2 Pieces at	2 Pieces at	2 Pieces at
32 kg each	32 kg each	23 kg each
Brazil	2 Pieces at	2 Pieces at	2 Pieces at
32 kg each	32 kg each	32 kg each
Emirates Network (excluding USA / Canada / Brazil)	50 kg	40 kg	30 kg

Hand baggage (carry on) policy is unchanged i.e. 7 Kgs in Economy class and 12 Kgs in First and Business class. Similarly no changes to allowance for infants i.e. infants continue to be allowed 10 Kgs in weight concept and 1 piece 23 Kgs in piece concept.

Dimensional restrictions apply to piece concept checked baggage and all cabin baggage. Please ensure to reflect Free Baggage Allowance on ticket accordingly.

Committed to serve you in a better and professional way, support us to help /assist you more.

Please feel free to contact us on below given No’s for further assistance.

Marketing Team

Air Alliance Travels (PVT) Ltd.

Suite # 2-3, Eden Heights

Jail Road, Lahore

Tel: 0092-42-5711734 - 35

0092-42-5712104 - 05
Fax: 0092-42-5712297

Web: www.travel-counselor.com



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