Hitch-Hiking in Czech.....

Ever since I started planning this trip and reading about the Czech Rep. I wanted to go hike/climb through these amazing rock formation mountaind near the border of Poland great, sounds simple right? Yes actually. Went to bed early, had everything organized set my alarm for 7:30. Out the door by 8:00. Caught a tram, boarded the subway, transfered subways, found my bus.... through much sign language and a nice girl who spoke english on the bus and finally got up to help, I was on my way. I knew that the bus was taking me to Trutnov (sounds simple to say, guess again!). From Trutnov I know nothing other than what these mountains are called. I look at all the signs and go to the appropriate number station. On the bus.... for an hour......maybe close to two. All the while it is going in and out of thick, fast, huge snow flakes and then clear skies and sunny(not warm, but sunny). I get off at the right stop, great. The head to the trail is right there- buy my ticket off I go. Smooth sailing. I hurry a little more than I wanted just to make sure that I got back to Trutnov to catch my bus back to Praha in time. I knew there was a bus at 4:00, 4:55, and 5:45. So I hike. It was beautiful and pretty clear the whole time with one 10 min snow storm which was very pretty actually. So there I am waiting at the tiny bus stop to take me back to Trutnov..... Perfect! here it comes, such great luck today, maybe things are turning around for me!

Bus driver informs me through our broken sign language (I am in SUPER REMOTE Czech/almost Poland, NO ONE speaks english!)that neither this nor does any bus go from Adrspach/Teplice to Trutnov and to go back and talk to the information people. I do, no english. She basically tells me by holding up her thumb that I should hitch-hike..... So I do. I just start walking. I am in super mountainous back country, with me and my compas- not great. Still off and on snow storms, nothing sticking just yet but all the same- fridgid! I was prepared clothing wise and thank God! but I still felt like I had frost byte....

About 10-15 cars pass and I feel like one of those dirty people we all see on the road hitch-hiking that you would never pick up. I get it. And then it happends, just like the movies. A car pulls over about 1/2 block in front of me and I wonder "are they picking me up, or just droping someone off?" so I jog a little and the woman opens her door. "blah blah blah- something in Czech" "Do you speak English?" I already know the answer is no. I manage to spit out Trutnov and she motions to the back seat.

I am now sitting in a Leopard print seat covered (all the seats!) car, listening to Faith Hill, followed by Elton John, and then Madonna's "like a Virgin", With an elderly Czech couple. We sit in silence for the 20-30 minute drive through windy mountain roads. They pull over and she motions to Trutnov, and says 6km. I had the man 100 crowns (roughly 5 bucks) and he becomes a little hostile and shoves it back at me, so I it take back...... not wanting to be taken back into the mnts and left. for Czech Bears! I missed the first two busses through getting lost again and then finally caught the third! thank God! Two more transfers, two subways and a tram later I was back at my hostel. Oh I dreamed of this moment hours ago and was very unsure if it would ever come!

The Day I Realized I was an "American"

All along I have thought I fit in pretty well until I open my mouth. I have darker hair- make-up creates darker skin:), until one day while riding the tram in town I realized just how American I am. There are tons of tourists everywhere but from all over the world and very few actually American. I was watching the sidewalk as we passed a stop and it was, "European, European, Asian, Austrailian, South American, European European, AMERICAN, European, European." She stuck out like a sore thumb! Not for any bad reasons, we just have a different bone structure/ look, than anyone European. The fact that my camel back water bottle, red Marmmot Jacket, Green Northface fleece and Mostly white Asics Tennis Shoes didn't give me the clues early are beyond me, but I really though I fit in. I don't!

Berlin!

I absolutely love Berlin! I strongly believe that everybody should visit. The people are friendly enough, it is an enormous sprawling city packed with SO much history! This place is really unbelievable, and quite remarkable what these people have experienced (especially say an 85 year old). A lot of it is such recent history and it is all just mind blowing. Really interesting story to how the wall finally came down. It was an accident- I had never before heard the story.

A man at a press conference was asked a question not on the "pre-approved questions" list, and he didnt know how to answer it. It was about the wall and when will it come down? He remembered a memo he had recieved just before going on stage and was too busy to read it so shoved it in his back pocket. That right there ended up changing the history of the country. He pulled out this memo that he had never previously laid eyes on. It was basically the "minutes" from a parlaimentary meeting that he was undable to attend that day. It explained that the government was to announce some "new freedoms" they were going to allow the public- travel etc- but not really allow it in the end, they just wanted to end the protesting. Well he didnt get that far and just started reading it. "The wall will come down." Well all of the reporters wanted to know when. "When mister, if you are saying there are plans to bring it down then you should know when!" they demanded. He scanned the page for a date- any date- at this point he knows he has made a huge mistake but he has already said too much and the whole world is watching. A date, any date! Ahh, there is one in the upper right hand corner! You guessed it, that was todays date, which happened to be November 9th 1989. He said "well it seems that this will take effect immediately, yes immediately". This re-played on news around the world, every half hour "immediately, immediately, immediately". So of course thousands of Berliners showed up at the gates that night unbenounced to the guards. Two little old women had the right documents to get through, so for the first time in 28 years the gates were opened. Well you cant make 5000 people just stand there so they just booked it through the gates, and almost as fast as it went up, it came down.
Amazing! To think that if he hadnt made this mistake, it could still standing and I would not be here. Crazy, Crazy place this is!

No Hablo E Duestch?

Reason #1 that you are glad you are not with me and also why I should not be alone!

In a club in Amsterdam on Thursday night. Go to the WC (bathroom) and am washing my hands when a woman starts speaking Deustch to me. My response you ask?

"No Hablo E Deustch" (and yes I am spelling Deustch right...)at least there is that.

?!???? That doesn't even start to make sense. No Hablo E Deustch??????

Treacherous...

Many things about Ireland.

My Mom asked if Sara and Jen would be getting a car ever and I shrieked "No, I would trust no one I know to drive here and I hardly trust myself to walk here!" Seriously they have printed in paint on the roads which way to look when crossing the street.... "LOOK LEFT" or "LOOK RIGHT". Very helpful, really, and I still find myself walking directly into oncomming traffic. It is odder than you would think. So other than being dangerous just by "being", then you add a few drinks to the mix.... If you are ever looking for a bathroom in Ireland walk into any establishment and look for the most treacherous stairway, either up or down from the main floor and you will be in luck. Good luck making it back down...:) It's good for everyone that I am leaving tomorrow for Amsterdam. I literally have been nauseaus since I got here. I finally think that tonight I am leveling out. The bus drivers are harsh here and the trains somehow make me want to toss my cookies accross the way. One of you nice people even offered me a bracelette to take care of motion sickness and my exact response was "nah, I never have that problem... thanks anyways" WRONG!
I haven't been hungry or thirsty for a week.

Durable Irish Squirrel

Traumatizing!
Lovely day here in Dublin. First two were pissing rain which was fine because it was when I left Seattle too, so I'm used to it, but having a nice sunny day 'aint bad either :). Guinness tour in the morning and then on to Phoenix Park. At one of the entrances you can rent bikes for about 5 euros, so we did and just biked all over it this afternoon. This park is bigger than Central Park- huge- and just gorgeous. There is a herd of over 400 deer that have called it home for hundreds of years. Gardens, lakes, roads and paths everywhere.... The President of Ireland even resides on the property and it is all just open to the public. So there is obvioulsy security which consists of (two) Garda (police men), tromping around on Clydesdales. None-the-less there is a large police station there and this is where the seen of the crime went down.... oh it is aweful!- Still every time I think of it my mouth gapes open and I cover my entire face with cupped hands cringing........

Me: wearing a purple skirt, green tank top, jut gliding along on my little Irish bike with the wind in my hair an the sun on my face, Sara behind me talking about which path ahead to take. I notice the little innocent squirrel off to the side, right by the path at the base of a tree just enjoying some shade and nibbling on an acorn. I'll be honest the thought did flash through my head "he better stay right there, if he knows whats best for him" and no sooner could I think it than have him dart out into the path, hesitate, (while I am thinking "he'll run away, they always do for my car and such"...) And then he darts farther into the middle of the path with no time for reaction!

I RAN OVER THE SQUIRREL WITH THE FRONT WHEEL OF MY BIKE!!!!!! There is nothing I fear doing more than just that when I am in my car but I never fathomed that I would on my bike. Imagine the gross feeling if you have ever done that in your car (which I haven't!) when you bump over it... EEWWWW! It was my own two hands on the handle bars that felt the bump. His neck/torso just flattened under my wheel and I shreiked, yelled, stopped and covered my face and Sara screamed behind me something shrill followed by "Oh my God! You just ran over a Squirrel" (which I will from now on capitalize out of respect ). He did get up and ran into the bushes very quickly as Sara reassured me he would be fine. I do hope the best for him but was actually more concerned with my own wellbeing! I couldnt keep my mouth shut for the next 30 minutes.
NO WAY!

I think there is probably a squirrel out there somewhere in Dublin tonight laying in a bush suffering from severe internal bleeding and I apologize, but I am going to hope the best and that he is fine and has forgotten all about it by now.......

Riding a bike will never be the same for me...