Auschwitz and Birkenau

Yep, as you'd expect, it was decidedly un-fun. It was also one of the most moving experiences of my life.


Desolate. silent. chilling. etc.


Is it just me, or does selling pork products at a jewish concentration camp seem a little... unexpected?

Krakow

There are over 650 bars dotted around this central square of krakow, a city of 1 million people.


And sorry j - I took not one single photo of any of them.


So you'll just have to imagine all those nights I spent drinking hot spiced vodka in groovy little places filled with vintage sewing machines or retro socialist paraphernalia or arty shots of indian street urchins.


But don't worry, with any luck there'll be a return visit. And next time I'll remember to pack my party juice.

Warsaw

Smog. Still my all-time favourite singer, not to mention an ever-reliable travelling companion.


Would you believe, his song "feather by feather" describes perfectly my warsawian experience (including the butoh course I took with the incredible atsushi...)


"You spend half of the morning/Just trying to wake up
Half the evening/Just trying to calm down"


"And you live for the same things/we live for the same things"


"A cloudburst seems rarer every time..."


"And it's crow vs. crow/A brawl in mid-air"


"Beak click on beak clack..."


"No reason is there/But for the brawl in mid-air"


"And if you're losing your wings"


"Feather by feather"


"Love the way/they whip away/on the wind"

(ok i must admit most of these photos aren't mine, they were taken by yassiek... thank you y!)

Zakopane

So, someone once said that when it comes to skiing there's a difference between what you think it's going to be like, what it's really like, and what you tell your friends it was like.


Not sure I agree - I knew I'd be petrified, I was petrified, and I have no qualms telling you it was PETRIFYING


But this was my first proper snow experience. And, may I say, the stuff is rather breathtakingly beautiful.


Indeed, it inspired a series of arty shots of me with hot beer. And you gotta be happy with that....

Bergamo

I stopped by on my way to the airport.


I met a crazy toothless priest on the bus - that was fun.


I started taking photos of other tourists - cause I got so sick of empty vista shots.


I went shoe shopping - finally succumbing to italian fashion madness.


ITALY - I AM OUTTA HERE

Milano

Soo...



economic capital of italy. lots of young people earning big money...



... and spending even more.



there were also a few socialists, with whom I enjoyed organic wine on election night.



They drank a toast to their 'compagni in australia' (compagni = comrades. I didn't have the heart to explain that Australian Labor isn't really like the Italian left - hey, any excuse to drink good wine)

Lago di Garda

Biggest lake in Italy, major tourist destination.

In the summer, that is.

I felt very intrepid, alighting a regional bus in the middle of nowhere and walking down a highway for an hour without a map - i figured if the lake was that big i couldn't miss it, right?

Wrong.

Padova

University towns - yay


With kids who take smokos en masse...


and buy second hand clothes...


and create angsty political graffiti...


and still find time to fall in love.

(Then again, the padlock thing happens all over Italy - people throw the key in the water as a symbol of their undying love for whoever. I've heard that hardware stores near italian bridges sell an awful lot of boltcutters too, but maybe that's just a cynic's myth)

Verona

Yeah, Verona is not a bad little town.


Even if it does have a slightly overrated balcony ("romeo, romeo" - you get the idea).


And the worst hostel in Italy (with beige blankets that were... shall we say... suspiciously stained).


After all, its not everyday you get to watch a bunch of randy tourists rub the copper plating off juliet's right breast.

Venezia

I know it's generic, but I really love venice.




But this time round, I spent much time away from the water.


Watching french video art.


Pondering latvian sculpture...


And exceeding my daily biscuit quota by 210%.

San Marino

So, like the Vatican, San Marino is an independant state.


And on a clear day you can see croatia.


And their church is very concerned about umbrellas.


And it was pretty much deserted except for this fella.


And they sold HEAPS of toy guns, for some reason.


And that is about all I remember.