13 September 2017
I have been slow to attend to the blog. This lapse has been due to poor internet access at some of our apartments and some very long days of exploring, leaving me with little motivation to write at the end of the day. All has changed with new accommodation in Dubrovnik along with sunshine and warm days.
So my latest ramblings:
Trains in Europe
There seems to be two types of trains in Europe, those that are new, fast, quiet and comfortable and the others. Our trip from Salzburg to Zagreb included both types of trains. We also enjoyed our passports being checked twice at the same time. One official stamped our departure from Austria and moments later another official stamped our passports for our entry into Croatia,
Accommodation
We have enjoyed accommodation that would have challenged Sir Edmund Hilary with regard to stairs and spiral staircases. Signage displaying the entrance to the apartment can also be a challenge. On one occasion I believe Hillary would have used oxygen considering the height of the apartment. We have also learned that ‘studio apartment’ means you are in the roof and must spend most of your time standing at an angle to avoid hitting your head on the sloping ceiling.
I will confess all the accommodation has been our decision.
Toilet Story
Every travel tale needs a toilet story.
I had cause to use a toilet in one of the cities we visited. On entry a woman stepped out of one of the cubicles. I stopped in my tracks shocked that I was in the wrong place. A quick check of the plumbing and I was reassured I was the one in the right place. She however was a little confused. I thought it was time I developed a more European outlook on these matters and not be offended about who was using which facilities.
There was more to come.
The Plitvice lakes are pretty crowded but I was amused that even here the men had to queue for the toilet. I took my place in the queue and eventually made it into the building at which point I discovered it was a group of young women in the men’s toilet that were holding things up. It seems they didn’t want to line up with the women as that queue was too long.
The young French women were waiting for a cubIcle which was not what I required. I stepped out of the line and made my way to the alternative facilities and with great focus and attention was able to block out the conversations of the young ladies enabling me to complete my mission and to get the hell out of there. Being a bit European in these situations does help.
Plitvice Lakes
These lakes are stunning. They are the result of water flowing through limestone mountains creating to travertine or tufa weirs that hold back the lakes. The scenery is amazing however it seems most of the tourist world has discovered these wonders. The crowds are overwhelming especially when it comes to navigating narrow pathways with a constant tide of humanity on the move.
Museums
We have now seen advertised the following wide range of museums most of which we have not visited:
Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Naive Art, Museum of Broken Relationships, Sex Machines Museum, Museum of Communism, Museum of War of Independance, Museum of Terror, Museum of Medieval Torture, Museum of Torture, Apple Museum, National Museum, Museum of Fine Arts.
It would seem there are museums designed to provide a cultural experience, there are those that remind us of the dark side of history and then those that provide a more voyueristic view of current culture.
Travellers Neck
You can always pick the local. They are focussed and moving in one directions; they know where they are going and how to get there.
Now consider the traveller. Rarely do they know exactly where they are going. They pause to check the traffic and the direction it’s coming. They are reading street signs and even street numbers. They are embuggerance to the normal flow of life.
It is through this process of constant scanning and checking where one is headed that develops the Traveller’s neck. Traveller’s neck is the development of neck muscles caused by the constant left-right and up and down motion of the head.
A Traveller's Tale 