The Adventures of Amanda

Friday, 29 August 2008

The sun doesn't shine

The sun doesn't shine in London
The clouds are permanently set
So dull, so weary –
Her people march lazily in her shadow.
No sunrise, no sunset.

The clouds push down,
Unemployment rises, inflation rises.
Nobody smiles, eye contact is minimal, wrinkled faces distort.
A trail of smoke lingers from every hand with its mandatory cigarette,
While rain comes down and dampens our clothes and our spirits.

The hiyas, dyouknowwhadimeans, the youalrights?
The queues, the crisps, the chips, the pints, the stodgy food
No wonder they drink so much, smoke so much, eat so much, complain so much.
Her only hope, is to break through the grey,
And escape by plane to a cleaner, warmer salvation called Europe.

Apparently there were good days
Where the summers here were dry and long.
But the only summers I remember,
Are in the place where I come from.
And I ask myself this question, where do I belong?

By Amanda Home.

Friday, 8 August 2008

Turkey - 30th July to 4th August

Photo album 1 - Istanbul site seeing
Photo album 2 - Istanbul cats

Turkey -the land of honking cars, no road rules, no seatbelts, ruled by a city of homeless cats. If you like corn, pretzels, icecream, spirographs, shoe shining and kebabs - you have come to the right place - there's one of these stalls or trolleys every ten metres. Drinking tea, smoking waterpipes and playing boardgames is a must. Singing, dancing and clapping along at dinner if you're out at a restaurant is the norm. It's so vibrant, colourful, full of life and fun.

Here's what I got up to:

Wednesday: got up stupid early and hauled arse to Heathrow. The flight was fine. Landed in Istanbul. The longest passport control queue awaited me. Dropped off my bags and headed off to the Grand Bazaar which is one of the biggest indoor maze of markets I've ever seen. Had some tea at this lovely cafe restauarant run by some young boys. Walked down to the water by the Old Town, stopped at an *amazing* pastry shop where I had CHOCOLATE baklava - which was insanely yummy. B then stopped off for a shave at a barber shop, then we went back to the hotel, had drinks on the terrace and headed out and had tea and smoked a water pipe whilst listening to music and watching a Turkish dancing man spin around, and around, and around.. And then headed to bar for some drinks with the lovely Barman "Murat" and had a late dinner.

Thursday: checked out the hotel and checked into a deluxe suite at the Marmara hotel - which was just *stunning*. Thank you B. The views from our room were breathtaking. We had panoramic views of the Bosforus (waters). Went for a swim in the pool and relaxed in the sauna and jacuzzi. We then went for a walk down the Istakal - a big stretch of shops, restaurants and cafes. We then walked to the music district, full of music shops with guitars etc. Bought a cute skirt. That night we ran around looking for the sunset. We found a flower stall that had *purple* flowers, so B bought me a purple rose :) We then ran around found a place to see the sunset which turned out to be outside a tv station and government building - the security guards didn't really like us being there, so we moved along and found somewhere for dinner. Afterwards, we went to this place called the Crab Cafe where a Turkish Metal Band was playing. They took traditional Turkish songs and beefed them up metal style - they were actually an amazing band, and the guitarist played these insane solos. I got up and danced even though I didn't know the music - it was great music and very catchy. More dancing and more drinks, the night paused as the police came through and checked everyone's ID. And then more dancing and drinks :)

Friday: Hangover from hell. B dragged me down to the exclusive lounge floor for deluxe suite guests and we had a buffet breakfast. I felt like a pile of junk. Some food and a swim soon got me moving again. Eventually went to the "stripey" restaurant, where all the decor and furniture was covered in red stripey material and the food was INSANE and fresh and delicious. More walking around side streets and back streets. Got a manicure and a pedicure (total bargain). Back to the hotel, and down to the Fish Market Street to a traditional Turkish restaurant for fresh seafood and traditional live music and singing and clapping. We then found a comfy cafe and had tea and a waterpipe and B taught me how to play draughts..

Saturday: we went to the Palace Topkapi - which was stunning and had great views of the Bosforus. Then onto the Ayasofya a converted mosque from Byzantine times. Amazing inside to see the mix of architectures, religions and styles. Back to the Grand Bazaar and lunch at our favourite cafe. Caught a tram and metro back to the hotel and got ready and went to the Sunset Grill for cocktails (note, you don't actually get to see the sunset at this place). We then came back to the hotel and went up to the Hotel Restaurant and had a absolutely beautiful dinner.

Sunday: yummy toasted Turkish sandwiches for brekky, then off to the old town to the Turkish Bath - lots of bubbles and scrubbing and washing. Then off for a ferry ride around the Bosforus which was lovely, back to the hotel and dinner at the stripey restaurant again for our last night. Then more tea, draughts and waterpipe..

Monday: off to the airport and back to grey, rainy crappy London :(

So that was my trip - probably one of the best holidays I've had.

PS: I'll be coming back to Australia in December - and I have no idea if it's going to be short or long term - everything's up in the air as I'm still waiting to hear about my visa. All I know is I'll back on 1st December.. In the meantime, I've got lots of more trips planned - going to Switzerland at the end of this month and staying with my cousin, and hoping to cram in a couple more weekend trips - to Vienna and Barcelona before time runs out!

Friday, 25 July 2008

Photos - Cotswolds, Bath and Belgium

Cotswolds & Bath photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133220&l=87f0e&id=863765297

Belgium photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133212&l=8dfe7&id=863765297

Will post more soon.

Tuesday, 3 June 2008

I love Berlin

I've just gotten back from Berlin and I LOVED IT.

It's green, it's beautiful, it's old, it's new, it's clean, spacious, unpolluted, not overcrowded, there's hardly any cars, there's no traffic, it's cheap, there's outdoor beach bars everywhere and beautiful deep foresty parks, winding "Sprees" (canals)... it goes on and on.

Then there's the history. The Prussian era, French influences, World Wars, the Nazis, the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, rebuilding and rebirth. What an amazing place and the whole world has come together to build a new Berlin and it is truly spectacular. New buildings by world class architects are everywhere. Old buildings are being rebuilt. Most of the buildings in Berlin are less than 10 years old including what look like the oldest buildings. This city has such a beautiful personality and truly blossomed from the ashes it had to emerge from. This city truly puts London to shame!

Here's what I got up to. Firstly - the weather was PERFECT. Blue skies. 30 degrees. Stunning. On my first day, we did a bus tour, and then checked into the hotel. Then I walked into the city Centre into to the Hackescher market area with loads of outdoor bars, beach bars, shops, covered courtyards. More random wanderings and ended up on Museum Island. Afterwards, had a beer in an outside bar outlooking the river and museums. Just gorg. And its the law that beer cannot be altered with preservatives or additives in the beer making process - so strangely I really like German beer. Afterwards, back to our hotel, which was in the Turkish Quarter of Gesundbrunnen (really yummy kebabs there - nice and light, not heavy and greasy).

Saturday, I did a walking tour from 10.30am to almost 6pm. Our tour guide Tom was like a walking history book. I felt like I was on the best school excursion ever! All those boring modern history lessons in highschool suddenly came to life through our very animated guide - I was enthralled. We started at the Ostbahnhoff train station which is MASSIVE. The architecture was amazing and the majority of it is actually underground, so the grand building you see from the outside, is only a proportion of the real actual size. Then onto the Reichstag and another history lesson (or a few history lessons). Then onto the Brandenburg gate. And onto many many more buildings.. more stories, more history, Checkpoint Charlie - its just endless. Stood above the bunker where Hitler shot himself. We saw so much. At the end of the walking tour, we went to the stop of the Reichstag building to the glass dome and watched the sunset. Afterwards, we found a guy with a bike and sat in the back while he peddled us into the Tiergarten to an outdoor beer garden in the middle of this massive mysterious thick forested park. It was dusk, and I felt like I was stuck in some sort of dream, racing through this park. We also passed the victory column (with the big angel on top) and it was closed off to traffic because they were filming a movie there (loads of movies are filmed in Berlin). Anyway, we some beers and headed back to the hotel. Interestingly in the day time in this massive park, there's nude sunbathing, of course segregated into straight naked sunbathing, and gay naked sunbaking.

On our last day we went to the Topography of Terror - an outdoor photo exhibition. Then onto the Jewish Museum with a detour into a market and then onto the East Side Gallery - a part of the original Berlin Wall, still standing and preserved with amazing art and graffiti. I never realised there were 2 parts to the wall - the east and the west with a sandy no mans land in the middle.

Anyway, I have 2 photo albums of photos -make sure you check them both out and everyone - you HAVE to go to Berlin - amazing beautiful city - keen to go back in a flash...

1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122406&l=805ae&id=863765297

2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122401&l=31255&id=863765297