A Dash through Scotland

"This is a city of shifting light,

of changing skies, of sudden vistas.

A city so beautiful it breaks the heart

again and again."

Alexander McCall Smith

Edinburgh

Anna and me

At the last minute my friend and flatmate, Anna and I decided that I should stop in Scotland to visit her. Brilliant! I had never been to the UK before and I was going to kill two birds with one stone as I was planning to see Ireland too, and before anyone freaks out at me for saying that Ireland is NOT part of the UK, I lump the two together when speaking about that part of the world. My sincere apologies but my stubbornness prevails on this one folks.

I spent less than 48 hours in Scotland; you can't call that as seeing a country but I jammed as much as I could into those precious few hours and was lucky to see quite a bit.

Glasgow

I arrived late into rainy Glasgow but I finally met up with Anna and we walked around some of the town before giving up as the weather was clearly trying to best us in seeing whose will was greater. Ours obviously wasn't; nobody likes being cold, wet and blown away. Fortunately though we found some refuge in the coolest temporary sanctuary; The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. It is one of Europe's top art galleries and, amazingly, it is free to enter.

Just chilling with the King at the Kelvingrove

Afterwards we caught the train to Edinburgh and I immediately fell in love with the city. It's the type of place I can imagine myself living in. I've only had a connection like that with a few places and Edinburgh definitely falls into that special category.

Greyfriars Bobby

The city has a smaller population than what I expected, with only about 450 thousand people but still makes it the second most populous city in Scotland. I think I forget that European countries aren't as big as South Africa sometimes.

I will have you know that during this trip I tried my utmost to master the accent of a true Scotsman and their odd (for me at least) way of pronouncing certain words. For example, 'book' is pronounced with an oo like 'soup'. They roll their 'r's and pronounce 'road' with an 'or' sound like 'board'. I became an irritating parrot; mimicking every funny sounding phrase I heard. The South African accent is by no means easy to learn but I was definitely not having much luck with the Scottish one.

The next day we adventured into the cold city and I was captivated by what I saw. We walked the Royal Mile; a succession of streets that form the Old Town that lead up to Castlehill with the Edinburgh Castle. Not that I even knew that the city had one of those; shows how much I know about the world. The walk is quite famous. Where else could you stroll down the tail of a long-extinct volcano?

Funny faces at the Camera Obscura

We stopped at the Camera Obscura and took some quirky photos of ourselves in the illusion mirrors.

We walked through the German Christmas market and ate traditional bratwurst and chatted in a coffee shop whilst drinking mulled wine, something I'd never fancied before. We visited the Writer's Museum which I thought was pretty impressive. The museum celebrates three well-known Scottish writers; Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. 

Quotes by various authors are captioned outside the
Writer's Museum

Two days is hardly any time at all in the grand scheme of anything so before I knew it I was off to Portugal for another whirlwind of an adventure but my Christmas trip would not have been the same if I didn't visit my dear friend in the land of the Scots; leaving more world wise and only bringing a love of a country into my heart.

Edinburgh

The Land of a 1000 Welcomes

The widest street in Dublin

Ireland is fondly known as the land of a thousand welcomes. I truly got a taste, quite literally, of that little saying on the plane during my journey from Alicante to Dublin when, after showing his true Irish roots, a man also on his way to the city, convinced everyone around us that we had been dating for years and kissed me as we landed; "to keep your mind off the turbulence". It was definitely the most amusing flight I had ever been on and what a great way to start my adventure in Ireland!

Felicity and me

I arrived in Dublin and was  warmly welcomed into the Hamill family with open and loving arms. This was my first Christmas away from my family and although it was hard, I felt as though I was adopted temporarily into this amazing little clan that were kind enough to let me into their home.

I was greeted by a new language; English like I'd never heard it before. Words like "fair play" and "grand" mixing with "slainte" but it was "yer man" that bested me until finally I figured out that it meant referring to a man you don't know the name of. More than once I replied that no, I'm single but thanks for asking.

Finding our way to Glendalough

I had never been to Ireland before and was amazed at how beautiful the country truly is. Sometimes you have expectations of places and they don't always live up to them. I was happily surprised that the country lived up to its reputation.

The cemetery in Glendalough

I've never seen a street
tell me which way to look

The streets were chaos during the Christmas rush; I heard the typical Dublin accent with "quality wrapping papers" as we headed down Henry Street towards Mary Street. At times I would just stop walking and stay in the same spot until people stopped battering me around.



I visited Trinity College and had my first Guiness at Pygmalion. I hunted for my usual magnet and postcard. Dublin itself is a great city but I need to go back to see more of it and really experience what the city has to offer.

"Merry Christmas"

I had my first "traditional" Christmas dinner with stuffed turkey, ham and Christmas pudding! In South Africa, my family celebrates a regular Polish Christmas eve dinner rather than Christmas day. It was my first holiday season away from my family and it was so great not feeling so far from home; I felt at ease and I enjoyed my time with the Hamills.

An Irish sunset

"Wherever you go and whatever you do,

May the luck of the Irish

Always be with you."

An Irish Blessing

The view in Glendalough

What 2013 Taught Me

Open your eyes, look within.

Are you satisfied with the life you're living?

Bob Marley

Without a doubt, 2013 was the craziest and most memorable year of my young life so far. I have cherished and regretted, broken hearts and had mine broken, travelled to 25 amazing cities and lived in 2 different countries.
I've never really believed that people can change, no matter how much I wanted to, but I think that when so many experiences happen in such a short amount of time, one can alter their views of themselves and on life. Here's what 2013 taught me:

1. You have to be true to yourself. People are always going to get hurt by our choices. You will be hurt by theirs. Such is life! Everyone has their own path to take and if we are not true to what we want then we damage ourselves far more in the end.

2. Regrets are sometimes a good thing. Without the little ones, how do we know what it is we truly want. There is nothing worse than being stuck between two decisions you're going to regret either way. Choose the one that will hurt the least and deal with the consequences.

3. If you don't constantly challenge yourself, your life becomes complacent and can be detrimental to your happiness. Take that first holiday alone in a foreign country, read that book that looks too hard to understand, learn that language that interests you.

4. We always say that we have time; we'll do it in the future. I'll go on that road trip next year. I'll start that course in the new term. I'll tell him I love him next time I see him. Well, friends, family and strangers, I say fuck the future! Do it now. Challenge yourself now. Be happy now!

5. The people that want to be in your life make that little bit extra effort to be in it. Those friends that send you Christmas cards when you live so far away, the friends that want to skype you to see how you are, the ones who visit you when you're home for a short time. Friendships that are worth having are worth maintaining. I love the people I have in my life. I'm grateful for them every day. I started living by this little saying this year; quality life means quality people.

6. It's okay to be a little bit selfish. This year I stopped putting my needs and wants second to everyone else. It's all about balance. Don't forget that you are important too. Some people sacrifice so much to give to those that are less than grateful. When do you draw the line and say that enough is enough?

7. If you don't do what makes you happy, what's the point of your life. I found my pure joy in travelling. I decided to make it happen. I wish people would just grab the bull by its horns and do what they want in life! If not now, when?

8. Have goals. Without them, we lose our sense of purpose. With no direction, how are we to know what we have accomplished? Ambition and determination drives us to make our dreams a reality.

9. Don't let society judge you. We all have this preconceived idea of what we're meant to think, meant to look like, meant to wear, meant to be. Stop it! Just stop it. Be a little weird. Wear those crazy orange pants. Get that tattoo. Listen to that music. Whatever you want to do that makes you happy, just do it! Dance in the middle of the street. Talk randomly to a stranger. Just be yourself. It makes life way more interesting.

10. Lastly, and this took me a while to figure out, and I'm talking to you. YOU. The person who took the time to read this to the very end about the ramblings of a random someone somewhere on this earth, whether you happen to know me or not. You are constantly growing; evolving to become the best version of yourself every day. With every good and bad decision you make. Every trial and tribulation. Love yourself. If we do not love ourselves, this trippy ride we call life isn't as cracked up as it's meant to be.

To 2014! And all its new adventures...

My Mishap in Madrid

A mishap is defined as an unlucky accident, which is definitely what I would describe my first couchsurfing experience as. Since starting my life abroad, I have realised how quickly expenses add up when travelling. Accommodation can heavily dent your savings when all you really want is a roof over your head, a warm shower and money in your pocket to do all those touristy things you've been wanting try.

A Spanish New Tork

This is where the idea of couchsurfing comes in.The site connects travellers from all over the world by creating a social media base that allows people to meet, whether you're a local or a foreigner. Locals can host travellers for a night or two on their couch. 

I distrusted this concept immediately. What kind of person allows a random stranger to stay in their home for nothing in return? It seemed an idea that was idealistically great but in this harsh reality we live in, a bit naive and unsafe. 

I was happily surprised though when I went on the website and saw that surfers have to be rated (and therefore trusted) to be considered potential hosts. You can choose who you want to host or decline if you want to; every decision is in your hands, whether you're a host or a surfer.

The scariest fish I have ever seen!

My third stop on my trip around Spain was Madrid. By this time, my accommodation expenses were adding up quite a bit so I decided that I would give couchsurfing a try. My friend Justine is an avid surfer and has had nothing but good experiences. We had a conversation about it before I left, to try and calm my nerves.

Some graffiti in the street

"What if something happens to me?" I said.
"Something can happen in a hostel. That doesn't stop you from going there. Be brave; trust the system and trust your instinct", she replied.
"What system?" I asked.
"Couchsurfing; the system of strangers connecting and trusting each other", she answered.

This conversation stuck with me and I decided to just take the risk and go for it. Boy, was I in for a surprise! I stayed with a Mexican guy that had a great reputation on the site but I was still nervous to stay with a man. Luckily though, he was hosting a German girl too. Yvonne was my saving grace those few days.

My new favourite hangover remedy:
chocolate and churros

Yvonne was already familiar with the city and took me sightseeing and showed me some really great places that I would never have found by myself, like chocolate and churros! How quickly people can bond when put in certain circumstances. I'd like to go back to Madrid and see more of the city from a cultural perspective; learn more about the city itself.

My host took a particular liking to me though and became quite touchy-feely, which made me feel very uncomfortable. I became quite shy and introvert in his presence. How do you tell someone you don't want anything sexual with them when they are allowing you to sleep on their couch for two nights? I honestly did not know how to handle the situation. Thankfully, with Yvonne around, he didn't come onto me too often and we decided to spend our last night at a hostel. I'm really happy we met.

After my stay, I wrote a reference for his profile so that other surfers can know that, although many people wrote positive reviews, I am one of the few that did not have a great time with him. Every reference on CS is important. It allows others to better decide if they want to meet with the person in question.

Yvonne and myself in the main plaza

Trust is something so difficult to attain; to willingly rely on someone and to abandon our sense of control. CS asks us to trust others like us. "We envision a world made better by travel and travel made better by connection. Couchsurfers share their lives with the people they encounter, fostering cultural exchange and mutual respect."

Meeting strangers on couchsurfing can be a terrifying experience. I have no idea what I would have done without Yvonne. She balanced my negative experience with a positive one. Without CS, I would never have met her and I still want to try it again. Many people are genuinely interested in just helping a person out. Millions of people trust the system and I think that the concept is an amazing way of putting faith in humanity.

Zaragoza, the Eternal City

My view from my hostel window. 

After Barcelona, I headed off to Zaragoza; a city I had vaguely heard of but knew nothing about. I was in for a mild surprise as to what awaited me; two thousand years of history, all the way back to the Romans, leaving a legacy of monuments in its wake.

Evening strolls through the old town

My first impression was how radically different the city is to Barcelona. Barcelona hums with energy at all times whilst Zaragoza seemed a city that runs at a slower pace.

I arrived with over 40kg of luggage (my move to Spain made it necessary to lug my bags with me during my two week journey) and, even though it wasn't particularly far from the train station to my hostel, I was exhausted and collapsed on my bed in my temporary home.

Maritza and me

I met a Venezuelan girl and we instantly got on, like a house on fire. The next 24 hours saw our new friendship blossom with all the sightseeing we did. Without Maritza, I would've wandered the city without much direction. She became my non-Spanish, Spanish speaking guide without even visiting the city beforehand. This was the first time for both of us in the city; we popped our Zaragozan cherry together.


The city lies between Madrid and Barcelona in the north of the country, along the river Ebro. It is the perfect mid-journey stay.

The entrance to Aljaferia

Our first stop, and an absolute must-see, was the Aljaferia. This pleasure palace lies in the heart of the city. It was built for Zaragoza's Islamic rulers, roughly around the 11th century. When Christians took over the city in 1118, it became the royal residence of Christian kings. Nowadays, it holds Aragon's (the province in which the city resides) regional parliament. Guided tours are offered only in Spanish so I was quite happy for Maritza to be my own personal translator.

I went on a guided bus tour, mainly because I was too lazy to walk around but I found that it was interesting to see the difference in styles of sightseeing. I prefer walking tours but it's good to try different types to see which you prefer. I fell asleep during the ride; just soaking up the sun. Headphones in my ears, it becomes a bit like a monotonous background hum, I tended to stop listening.

The view of the city from the top
of the Basilica

My personal favourite moment of my stay in Zaragoza was taking the lift to the top of the basilica. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary where, according to ancient legend, Mary appeared to Saint James while he was in prayer. The view from the top of the building shows the city in all its historical glory.

Sunset captured on the Basilica and the Old Bridge

This city is beautifully memorable and definitely should be visited if you are travelling to/from Barcelona and Madrid. It is a place where history and folklore are still alive. When travelling abroad, it is a special experience to find a place that makes you believe that you are connected to a part of the world even though you have no real ties to it. I'm not quite sure why I felt this way to Zaragoza; it was just a great city to visit. It felt to me that Zaragoza draws you in like a child gazing at treasure in a stranger's outstretched hand.

"Because I dream, I'm not crazy"

Hola Barcelona!

People say that once you travel, you're never quite the same and I didn't realise how true that statement is until I arrived at Johannesburg International and felt this wave of surrealism wash over me. Did I really just spend nine, life changing months in Europe? Did I really see all those beautiful cities? This summer I spent my holiday in South Africa after teaching for a few months in Poland. It was great coming home and seeing all my loved ones. Two months flew by and before I knew it I had found a new teaching post in Spain. And this is where my new adventure begins...

The intersection at Universitat Metro

The view on the way
to Park Guell

I started off with a two week trip travelling through the country; not knowing a word of Spanish or anything about the culture itself. Looking back now, I'm surprised at how unprepared I was in moving to a new country, but oh well! All's well that ends well. My first stop was beautiful Barcelona.

Graffiti is permitted only
on the doors of buildings

My first impression of Barcelona, from the airport to the city, was how much I was going to like living in this country, and second; how much the scenery reminded me of home. Spain has this rough wildness about it that looks untouched. I'm not talking about palm trees and sandy beaches, but the desert element that encompasses parts of the land.

It is home to one of the most popular football clubs, FC Barca, as well to the Catalonian community. From Picasso to Gaudi, interesting history to outrageous parties, from beaches to museums; it seems that this famous city has it all. Lonely Planet dubbed it "a mix of sunny Meditteranean charm and European urban style", which seems to fit this metropolis quite aptly.

There are so many amazing sights in this city, but four days were not enough to touch and feel and see everything. I think that some cities need a proper amount of time to really explore what it has to offer. Four days is enough just to touch the surface; see the obvious tourist attractions.

Me in front of the Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia is a large, unfinished church that was designed by famous architect, Antoni Gaudi. His work is evident throughout the city and his name is glorified in architecture and art alike. He died before building was completed and is still being built to this day; cranes tower over its highest peak. I didn't go inside, even though I had planned to. It rained that day and I wasn't willing to stand in the queue for hours but I can just imagine how amazing it must be.






Park Guell is a large tourist magnet for Gaudi fans too. It is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on a hill that overlooks the whole city. I found myself wondering around and thinking that Gaudi had a keen eye for finding the beautiful balance between nature and mankind. The focal points of the park are the mosaic salamander and the undulating wave that creates a long bench with enclaves to sit and socialise. Gaudi incorporated a lot of mosaic into his art, which adds splashes of colour to his structures.

The view from Park Guell

A lot of people are drawn to one of Barcelona's most famous streets; La Rambla. This busy, yet lively pedestrian boulevard is dotted with cafes and restaurants, kiosks and news stands; a street that never seems to sleep. A famous street market called La Boqueria is a prominent landmark on La Rambla and should definitely be visited. It has a vast array of foods that pique your appetite.

The port at sunset

Christopher Columbus
monument

The port is an amazing place to walk around at sunset. The city and hills on one side with the hundreds of yachts on the other; it seems to be the place that attracts locals and tourists alike for a relaxed evening out. The monument of Christopher Columbus, a 60m column, can be found at the harbour at the lower end of La Rambla.

Barcelona is a city that seems to suck you in and never wants to you let go. People love it or hate it but everyone has an opinion, which in itself is impressive. I happened to love it and I will definitely return, just like a love sick bee wanders aimlessly until eventually it finds its way back to its beautiful exotic flower.

The interior of the church Santa Del Mar

A Day in Berlin

Just before I came home to South Africa, I spent a day in Berlin with my new friends I had made while teaching in Poland. It's a two hour drive from Szczecin (Polish city that lies on the border of Poland and Germany) to Berlin.

The Trabant car was very popular during communism
and can be found all over the city.

Berlin was way bigger than I expected but I was shocked at how much I enjoyed spending time in the city. It has an interesting atmosphere; very touristy in the centre but very cool and only a little hipster :)

I enjoyed taking photos of the city

Because I was only there for the day, my super cool friend, Amanda, played tour guide and took me around the major attractions of the city.

We rented bicycles (the city is too big to walk to all these places) and weaved our way through traffic and people. I was convinced I was going to crash. I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid and now I had to dodge killing old grannies trying to waddle on the side walk? No one was hurt except maybe my pride; the saying "it's like riding a bicycle; you never forget" is utter bull crap.






Berlin is the capital of Germany and it's largest city. After WWII, the city was completely divided into 4 zones. West was occupied by America, The UK and France, while the East was controlled by the Soviet Union. A wall was put up overnight that separated the sides. In 1989, the wall was brought down but pieces were preserved in pockets all over the city.

"Madness" found on the Berlin Wall

Checkpoint Charlie was really interesting in my opinion. It was one of the crossing points between East and West Berlin. It's found in the American sector and is now a symbol of the Cold War. In 1961, there was a real cowboy-like stand off (only with tanks instead of pistols) on opposite sides of the barrier. It ended peacefully though.

Me sitting on a piece of the Wall.

Brandenburg Gate is a former city gate but now holds more of a symbolic attraction to the city. It has been the site of many historical events throughout history. I thought it quite amazing that it survived two world wars.

I'm such a tourist

Within the city is the Holocaust Memorial that was designed to commemorate the murder of the Jews at the hand of the Nazis. I found the monument quite cold. Previously experiencing Auschwitz, I thought it was quite unsatisfactory. It's only a short distance from the ruins of where Hitler's bunker is buried.

A quiet Saturday morning

I wish I could have spent more time in the city but I'm glad I was able to visit before I left. Berlin is full of interesting places and one can do so much without getting bored. It's history is astounding; granted most of it is concentrated on WWII but I enjoyed it none the less. Ich liebe Berlin! :)

Berlin Hearts You!