Month: July 2003

Well Said

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Dober Dan.

It seems that I really can’t get enough of this place and I am now back (for the 3rd time) in the every friendly Slovenia. This time I am in Maribor in the north, but it has not failed to impress. In fact I could hardly be happier. My “winging it” has landed me in the most amazing room I have ever stayed in in my entire life. I have a double bed with silk covers, en-suite with array of shampoos and towels, 2 desks with trendy lamps, a radio and a phone. It was almost too much for me to cope with and for a grand total of 16 pounds. Don’t worry I have plenty of photographic evidence.

Strangely though it is off season here and so not much is happening. Tomorrow Im off to Zagreb then back to Luljana for a week or so.

Since I last managed to write I have been making the most of my time and I have:

Spent a day at the Aushwitz concentration camp which was very educational somthing that will stay with me for a long long time.

Spent a day 125 meters underground in part of a massive Polish salt mine. The place is 700 years old, huge and comes complete with underground monestaries and concert halls – all carved out of salt.

Spent 4 days in the mountain town of Zakopone in the Polish Tatra mountains. However due to bad hangovers and even worse weather I didnt even see one mountain. I’d imagen this makes me one of a very few Englishmen who have travelled all that way to do – absolutely nothing. A title I am quite proud of.

Been back to Krakow and…

Spent an amazing two days in Vienna watching open air theater and looking around the city. However it’s the kind of place where money just seems to evaporate every time you move – so I didn’t hang around.

I am going to head for Zagreb in Croatia tomorrow and then back to my favorite city of all – Lubljana where, I will probably settle down for a few weeks.

Eddy.

PS Just to make you all feel better it has been raining most evenings for the last week or so.

PPS – If your ever here in Maribor and you are in a hurry don’t wait for the traffic lights to cross the road. Seriously – I grew a beard today crossing 3 roads.

Posted from: www.bearder.com

I am trying to like Americans – I really am, but I am sat here trying to upload some photos and a whole group of American blokes have just come in to play computer games. Not only are they paying to play shot-em-ups whilst in one of the most beatiful cities I’ve been to, but they are screaming as loud as possible right in my ear. They seem to believe that this is actually a real military operation. Quote “I’ve seen a bogey over there ..1 o’clock” “…I see him man, OK he’s wasted ..oh shit!”

Really, if they keep this up the little pixel dudes on there screen will be the least of their worries. Bogey Bearder will use his keyboard to waste’em all.

Oh and I’m now in Krackow in Poland. The place is heaving with people but it’s no wonder. It has a fascinating history and plenty of sights for the tourist. My hostel is like a Hotel and it is ‘cheap as chips’

Bye for now and hope you like the new photo’s.

“…They’re snipering too …Jesus Christ!”

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Hello again.

I have found me another Internet cafe so I figured it was time for an update. I am now writing from Bratislava in Slovakia. If you are anything like me I guess you are thinking ‘Where on earth is that?’ Well, it’s just accross from Austria in fact, Bratislava is only about an hour from Vienna. The place has the most Soviet style concrete tower blocks I have ever seen in my life and I am staying in a dodgy student halls, just out of town. However, the sity center has a huge castle and loads of historical buildings and museums etc (lots of swords). The place is also super cheap and its only costing me 4 pounds a night and less than a pound a pint. Tonight I am going to work my magic on a disco boat on the Danube!. Also since my last message in Budapest I have have 3 visits to the hot spa baths, a walk around ‘Heros square’ and we managed to find our way to an open air Lou Reed concert on Tuesday with a small grouop from our hostel – pretty cool. Tomorrow moring I am heading to Krakow in Poland, so i’ll write again soon. IB

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Hello from Budapest. This place is pretty dam cool. I had no idea what to expect from this place as I had not done any reading, but the place is pretty impressive. Firstly it is huge, it straddles the Danube River and everywhere you look there is an old, impressive and usually huge building. The strange thing is this place is really empty and compared with other capitals it is so quiet. We have however, managed some good nights out and once again they put on a grand fireworks display in our honour. Am off for a thermal bath now.

Posted from: www.bearder.com

I know, you got my email 3 times, but I thought I’d better not email you all again to appologise! Yesterday afternoon we visited the tunnel musem which is the remains of a tunnel that the Bosnians built to supply the city during the 3 year siege – it was pretty remarkable. Today it has been raining so we’ve dumped our bags and we are just about to get some food and then walk up to see the old Olympic Stadium. This evening at 7 we have an overnight train to Budapest. IB

PS – despite everything thats happened here this Internet cafe is still full with teenage geeks blowing each other up playing Doom etc

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Yay! – I’ve found an Internet Cafe that lets me use a CD rom and install programs. I was starting to think they didn’t exist.

Me and Tim have moved up from Mostar to Sarejevo and this place is doing surprisingly well. Although there are still many scars of the recent war, the place is a mix of old traditional shops, crafts and religous buldings along with young trendy and lively bars.

Being 80 Muslim finding a beer isn’t always simple, but that does’nt seem to stop them having fun. Had a traditional meal last night and then watched the funniest (worst) live Turkish singer.

This morning we’ve been looking around the city center and the Sarejevo Art Gallery. It is quite emotional being here though and this morning we also saw a precesion of 3 lorrys of exhumed bodies from Srebrenica massacre being moved though the city. The whole place stood still and raised there hands in respect.

We’ll probably be here till the weekend since there is a lot to see and then head for Budapest in Hungary. IB

Posted from: www.bearder.com

Hello from Mostar (Bosnia)

Firstly lets get my degree result over with …I got a 2.1. As you might imagen I am quite happy.

Ok, now thats over what else have I been doing? Well. quite a lot. Having considered my options below, I decided to scrap them both and get a ferry all the way up to Northern Italy and meet my brother Tim and Adam in Trieste. This actually worked out really well as I got a free nights accomodation (on the deck) and saved time waiting for them. From there we spent 2 nights in Piran on the Slovenian coast before heading to Pula on the Croatian cost. Both places are excellent with the benefit of the crystal clear Adriatic and some stunning weather. Pula has a fantastic Roman Ampitheater.

After a few big nights in Pula Adam had to head home and me and Tim got a Ferry down to Split in the Dalmatia. The Plan was to meet Alan and Wayland (2 Irish Guys) and Marisa from Pula. However, like muppets me forgot to get off the ferry (it is easily done) and ended up in Hvar Island.

However this turned out to be the best thing we have ever done as the place is amazing. It has to be one of the most perfect places I have ver seen and all the women there are stunning – honestly it is ridiculous. Add to that the miss Adriatic beauty contest, fireworks disply, fassion show and MTV Europe they laid on for us and you will get an impression of the fun we had. Anyway, we have now left the coast and after an epic journey we have made it to Mostar in Bosnia.

Admittedly we have only just got here, but the damige to this place is shocking. No amount of reading would prepare you for the state of this place. Within meters of crossing the Croatin border all you can see for miles is the remains of houses. The place has literaly been flattened. We arrived in Mostar at 9ish with no accomodation and no idea what the place would be like. Well, it is just like everything we have seen. In ruins. Everywhere you look there is a demolished house and those still standing are covered in bullet holes. However, all that aside the Bosnian people are some of the friendliest and helpful people I have met. We were met at the bus stop and offered accomodation and took a walk around the town at about 11pm. The place is covered in restaraunts and bars just like any other town and the place actually looks quite fun.

With no Bosnian money we couldnt get any food or drinks, but that is all sorted now and we are catching the train up to Sarejavo this evening then after a few days we are heading to Hungary where I will be loosing Tim and becoming a solo again.

Hope everyone is well and remember to keep emailling me as its always good to here from you lot back home,

Eddy.

PS – I have hundreds of photos to upload but these crappy email places keep disabling the CD drives …grrr!

Posted from: www.bearder.com

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