Gothenburg was a pleasant surprise - nice pedestrianised streets and cool architecture, topped off by a huge shopping centre bustling with culture - there were three big things going on inside the shopping centre:
1. An exhibition of the 'Rites of Life' project, chronicling rites of passage across world cultures..the photography was top notch, and there were short descriptions of the context for the photos in each section...really intersting and moving stuff.
Check out the website: http://www.ritesoflife.com/
2. Some kind of food competition - people making all kinds of shapes - animels, cars, animals in cars....no, there were alot more...out of all kinds of stuff...and bread made into things like mooseheads...
3. The Gothenburg Wind Orchestra playing a lunchtime recital of lots of cool stuff..
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Denmark to Sweden
Trying to escape the rain in Denmark I trained most of the day and found myself in the far north, at Frederikshavn...timing my arrival to perfection, I battled a snow blizzard, the wind blowing in exactly my direction, even when I changed direction, all the way to the tourist office - only to watch the weather mysteriously calm as I stumbled, soaking wet and half frozen, into the warm office - where the staff were anxiously eyeing the clock with only a few minutes til their weekend.
After some fruitless calling around by the helpful lady the best room we could find was way out of my price range, so heading to Sweden on the late ferry seemed like a good idea.
And there began my next battle with the weather - again, timed to perfection, this time the not quite snow, but still frozen rain, began to fall just as I stepped outside in search of a payphone - my mobile was stubbornly refusing to work, and was quickly dropping power bars with each attempt. The payphone was no friendlier - instructions in Danish and a broken 6 key..which I needed thrice...got me no closer to a bed in Gothenburg.
After some more battling the eleements, again, after thoring in the library (free internet) I was soaked to the bone, I eventually found another payphone - things were looking up. This one accepted my money, and the number I dialled worked...there was a bed free, at the expected exorbitant hostel rate in Scandanavia..so off to Sweden it is!
On asking the hostel woman the most important question - how do I get to the hostel - I received the very helpful response...'hmm, its kind of complicated, just ask someone when you get there'! I was later to find that this must be part of the swedish hostel association's handbook - it was the stock response from each hostel, but I wasn't so lucky to have all of them in my lonely planet!
Not the best sign, luckily this place was in my guidebook so I had a good idea of where to go. On arriving, it became obvious that a pair of US girls were also heading to the same hostel, so we trudged together through the snow - yay! - and found the place fairly easily.
After a day in Sweden I feel qualified to make the following observations...
- things do not run quite as smoothyl as in, say, Germany...for example the Swedes have a brillant train seat reservation system - there is no marking on the actual seats...so those of us who don't have a reservation rush to find a seat, only to have someone come along and say its theirs, after confusion ensues, you get up and find another seat...and the process continues until three minutes before the next stop...and then starts again!
- they are the first country in europe to understand pedestrian crossings...they slow down, and stop in plenty of time, even if you aren't half way across the road already
- they have lots of tv shows sub titled, instead of dubbed into swedish - brilliant!
After some fruitless calling around by the helpful lady the best room we could find was way out of my price range, so heading to Sweden on the late ferry seemed like a good idea.
And there began my next battle with the weather - again, timed to perfection, this time the not quite snow, but still frozen rain, began to fall just as I stepped outside in search of a payphone - my mobile was stubbornly refusing to work, and was quickly dropping power bars with each attempt. The payphone was no friendlier - instructions in Danish and a broken 6 key..which I needed thrice...got me no closer to a bed in Gothenburg.
After some more battling the eleements, again, after thoring in the library (free internet) I was soaked to the bone, I eventually found another payphone - things were looking up. This one accepted my money, and the number I dialled worked...there was a bed free, at the expected exorbitant hostel rate in Scandanavia..so off to Sweden it is!
On asking the hostel woman the most important question - how do I get to the hostel - I received the very helpful response...'hmm, its kind of complicated, just ask someone when you get there'! I was later to find that this must be part of the swedish hostel association's handbook - it was the stock response from each hostel, but I wasn't so lucky to have all of them in my lonely planet!
Not the best sign, luckily this place was in my guidebook so I had a good idea of where to go. On arriving, it became obvious that a pair of US girls were also heading to the same hostel, so we trudged together through the snow - yay! - and found the place fairly easily.
After a day in Sweden I feel qualified to make the following observations...
- things do not run quite as smoothyl as in, say, Germany...for example the Swedes have a brillant train seat reservation system - there is no marking on the actual seats...so those of us who don't have a reservation rush to find a seat, only to have someone come along and say its theirs, after confusion ensues, you get up and find another seat...and the process continues until three minutes before the next stop...and then starts again!
- they are the first country in europe to understand pedestrian crossings...they slow down, and stop in plenty of time, even if you aren't half way across the road already
- they have lots of tv shows sub titled, instead of dubbed into swedish - brilliant!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Things I'm Gonna Miss
Although it feels like only a few days have passed since first arriving in beautiful Salzburg, I have come along way since September 12....although not necessarily in my knowledge of German! I have travelled to Linz, Vienna, Innsbruck, London, Switzerland, Spain and Italy...not too bad! and there is plenty more travelling to come.
I have climbed mountains, skiied mountain(s), and seen many more mountains!
I have immersed myself somewhat in Austrian culture - all its beer loving, lederhosen-wearing, socially closed and seemingly ill-mannered quirks...and learnt alot about the other European cultures represented among the exchange students: Czech, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, German, Swiss, Spanish, Mexican, New Zealandish, Norweigan, Finnish, Swedish, French...!
After 4.5 months on Salzburg there are alot of things I'm going to miss...alot Good, some bad, and a few just plain Ugly!!
-risking your life everytime you cross AT a pedestrian crossing!
-eeeeverything being closed on Sundays
-being greeted with "Gruss Gott" in every shop
-the peaceful silence of tuning off to 90% of the verbal noise going on around you...because you can't understand it!
-the wonderful mountains of the Alps all around...living in the shadow of the mighty Untersberg
-catching the S3!
- the knowledge that, if I had the money and motivation, I could be in a whole other country in no more than 3 hours
-living 60 seconds walk, with only 10 steps not in a building...from my school
- seeing the Festung (Castle) towering over the old town, and in the distance from Urstein
- saying I live in "Puch Urstein"! (say Poooock Ooo-er-st-I-n)
- certainly not least the wonderful Salzburg International Church and the brilliant friends I have made there....and the lazy Sunday afternoons that followed
But most of all, the wonderful people I have been blessed to spend this semester with, from all over the globe - and especially the cultural stereotypes they have bought.....thankyou guys!
Just a few points to sign off:
-Vegemite is the best thing to put on toast, &
- Pavlova is Australian, because
-Everything good comes from Australia! :P
I have climbed mountains, skiied mountain(s), and seen many more mountains!
I have immersed myself somewhat in Austrian culture - all its beer loving, lederhosen-wearing, socially closed and seemingly ill-mannered quirks...and learnt alot about the other European cultures represented among the exchange students: Czech, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, German, Swiss, Spanish, Mexican, New Zealandish, Norweigan, Finnish, Swedish, French...!
After 4.5 months on Salzburg there are alot of things I'm going to miss...alot Good, some bad, and a few just plain Ugly!!
-risking your life everytime you cross AT a pedestrian crossing!
-eeeeverything being closed on Sundays
-being greeted with "Gruss Gott" in every shop
-the peaceful silence of tuning off to 90% of the verbal noise going on around you...because you can't understand it!
-the wonderful mountains of the Alps all around...living in the shadow of the mighty Untersberg
-catching the S3!
- the knowledge that, if I had the money and motivation, I could be in a whole other country in no more than 3 hours
-living 60 seconds walk, with only 10 steps not in a building...from my school
- seeing the Festung (Castle) towering over the old town, and in the distance from Urstein
- saying I live in "Puch Urstein"! (say Poooock Ooo-er-st-I-n)
- certainly not least the wonderful Salzburg International Church and the brilliant friends I have made there....and the lazy Sunday afternoons that followed
But most of all, the wonderful people I have been blessed to spend this semester with, from all over the globe - and especially the cultural stereotypes they have bought.....thankyou guys!
Just a few points to sign off:
-Vegemite is the best thing to put on toast, &
- Pavlova is Australian, because
-Everything good comes from Australia! :P
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