Week 54 - Zanzibar

Our nightly view of Nungwe, Zanzibar!

Jumbo!

We are now in Africa and enjoying this remarkable place; grant it, we haven't gotten off the tourist trail yet, but that will be later in Tanzania! In the mean time we are going to appreciate some of the most famous places this continent offers!

You may wonder why I haven't titled this post - Tanzania, well, Tanzania indeed owns Zanzibar, but historically speaking, Zanzibar has been its own entity, albeit owned by many different empires, mainly and most recent before Tanzania, the Omani! The Arabian architecture is evident as you stroll through Stone Town - Zanzibar's capital. Another group of people who have settled in Zanzibar are Indians and we were sure happy to see them as we arrived and read the menus of Zanzibar. Whilst most of the Indians in Zanzibar are very well off, the restaurants have really picked up their cuisine and provided us delicious spicy food. In the past the main route to Zanzibar was by boat from India and many spices were traded here, some of which you can still smell in the markets and see in Zanzibar's cuisine.

Speaking of India, I would have to say it was the last place in our travels we have seen such amazing clothing the women wear. Whilst also very conservative in dress they wear these stunning garbs when swimming. The colors are an amazing array of the rainbow and left me staring, not in culture shock, but in true interest.

Electrifying, well, that's not a good way to describe Zanzibar during the moment due to its shortage of the sparky utility. Power cuts are a daily occurrence and it's not uncommon for the electricity to drop 10 times/night! In fact, in December, "coincidentally" before the elections, the Tanzania to Zanzibar power cable was severed and Zanzibar was without electricity for three months!

Our path - Dar es Salaam > Stone Town > Nungwe

Friday - Slave Market: Not the most beautiful start to a day, but I'll tell you more soon. We landed in Dar es Salaam around 0630 and made a bee line trip to the port and headed to Zanzibar. I am never one to skip the main city, but I hear in Africa things are different. From what I saw of Dar, I wasn't excited, but who knows, maybe if we gave it a chance, possibly on the way back. Once in Stone Town, Zanzibar, we didn't realize it was the high season and stupidly didn't book accommodation. Nothing too tragic, but it took a while to find a place, whilst dodging the many touts. Eventually we were settled in a room with a stunning view and started our exploration of this labyrinth town. The most impressive site of our trip was the Slave Market where the abolition of slavery was delayed until the 1870's, making this location the last known slave market. Seeing the tiny quarters where so many people were held was gut wrenching. We later went to Mercury's for drinks and dinner - named after Zanzibar's most famous person - Freddy Mercury! After we stumbled upon a night market which was a seafood paradise! We had just eaten, but still found room for a grilled calamari and a crab claw the size of Marina's hand ($6)!

Saturday - dalla dallas: After a taxi "issue", we caught the local bus from Stone Town to the northern most point of Zanzibar, called Nungwe. The ride was a very cool and authentic experience. We sat next to a local businessman who spoke excellent English telling us about his time in Wales, during which we had live chickens two seats from us. Once in Nungwe we found a nice hotel and made our way to the beach. The turquoise waters reminded me of our recent trip with the family to Aruba. The rest of the day was all about relaxing on the beach, having a few drinks and a delicious seafood dinner that evening.

Sunday - Diving the Indian Ocean: Zanzibar is well known as an excellent place for diving so we figured we would try our luck. Before we even entered the water we saw multiple dorsal fins only 50 meters away showing a good sign of marine life. No not sharks again, these were curious dolphins checking out the dive boats. The dives were stunning, and we saw a huge variety of fish, a turtle, giant groupers, blue lion fish, and spectacular fields of coral. We used the rest of the day once back on land to repeat the previous days lazy behavior, sun, drinks, and seafood!

Monday - Rock Lobster & Barracuda: Well, I can't really report on what we did today as it wasn't much. We were at the beach early and soaked in lots of sun. Besides my Russian lesson and Marina's completing a few chapters of English we didn't do anything productive. This was our last day of rest before we take on the continent. For dinner tonight we had a fabulous meal - Rock Lobster and Barracuda - all for the price of a Burger King meal for one in Oslo!

So what's next - tomorrow we are heading for Moshi and the task of climbing the biggest mountain and also volcano, in Africa - KILIMANJARO!

Until next time,

Kwa Heri,

Dan and Marina

Week 53 - France & Luxembourg

Stunning Strasbourg

Luxembourg City

Vianden Chateau

Vianden from above

Bonjour, Moien,

Back in London now and all ready to rock off to the cradle of civilization - AFRICA!!!

However, we aren't there yet, so let me tell you about my trip to France & Luxembourg last week.

I'm sure most of you know all about France so I'll concentrate on the Alsace region where I traveled. This area has been a constant fight between the French and Germans exchanging hands many times. From the look and feel, its certainly French, however, its German roots are firmly secured in its cuisine. Unfortunately it wasn't the lovely Bavarian cuisine that I am now addicted to! If you have a hankerin for raw-looking pork knuckle or organs, you will love Strasbourg! They have such a bizarre cuisine.

Sunday - Baeckoffe: I arrived in Strasbourg, France before dark and made my way out to enjoy the splendid French architecture. There are only a few countries in the world that give me a great feeling just being there and France is certainly one of them. In typical European fashion, the old town is surrounded by a river and is the center for Strasbourg's history and entertainment. In the center of the old town is the towering Notre Dame cathedral with its cool Gothic architecture. Having had a few late nights in Munich, I was keen on an relaxing time. I managed to weed through a few restaurants not finding any food to my liking, which is impossible in the rest of France and managed to locate the town's specialty - Baeckoffe. The dish is a concoction of several types of meat including potatoes cooked in a wine sauce. Pretty decent food, especially with a glass of Bordeaux, however, they snuck in a pork knuckle...

Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest countries, although it packs a serious financial punch for its weight. Known as a tax haven, its not surprising to see the numerous expensive German cars flying down its hilly streets. Luxembourg City, its capital is set in a very dramatic setting with numerous peaks and valleys offering a superb view in most areas of the city.

Luxembourgeois is a very bizarre language. At times, I thought it was Russian. The language, to me, does not resemble, French, German or Dutch, despite the proximity of where these languages are spoken, however they do seem to have some of the same words. As you will have seen above and below (next to the French), good morning and goodbye are very unique. If you have a chance, you need to hear this language!

Monday - Plaza de Armes: France was just a short stint and my real excitement was getting to Luxembourg to complete my last European country. My first footstep in Europe was in May 2000, with Rob Glynn in Paris, France and I haven't looked back since. I'm not sure why I left Luxembourg until the last of the 44 countries, but I can say it certainly wouldn't be last in a ranking of interesting places on the continent! I arrived in Luxembourg city by early afternoon and made my way out to see its sights, hoping that if I ticked them off, the next day would be for the countryside. My self-arranged tour took me past the Grand Ducal Palace, Notre Dame cathedral - yes Europe has a few of these things, the castle ruins, and several of its squares. Just as in most South American cities, Luxembourg City has a thriving Plaza de Armes which has numerous outdoor cafes full of post work groups and couples dining.

Tuesday - Vianden Chateau: I woke up early to head out of Lux city and to see the countryside. My first stop was this remote country area near Bourscheid Castle. Due to my comments on the last blog about the ease of travel in Europe, the gods punished me and I spent a good 90 minutes looking for my trail through the Ardennes up to the castle. Only about 40 miles away was the famous Battle of the Bulge. Eventually, I was on my path and hiking up to the castle which is in a state of disrepair, but still showed remnants of its glorious past. The castle dates back one thousand years and allows great views of the surrounding Luxembourg countryside. Later in the day, I took a train and bus to reach the town of Vianden; a pristine European town, featuring a beautifully restored landmark called the Vianden Chateau (however looks like a impressive castle). Besides having an amazing setting in this gorgeous little town, you can walk through the castle and view the rooms in their original state and function. Later that night I went out for dinner and drinks with a few Koreans talking about their travel stories in London and our stories from Korea.

Wednesday - Air France: I had an early flight, waking up at 4:30, nonetheless I made it back to the best wife and best city in the world!

What's next for us - On Thursday we fly out to Tanzania! So we look forward to hitting the beach in Zanzibar and diving it's electric blue waters!

Wish us luck on our next adventure in Africa!

Au Revoir, Addi

Week 52 - Norway & Germany

Did anyone see the Vikings?

Oslo Opera House

The top of Mt Zugspitze with Jon Lurie

Enjoying a Beer Garden with Kenny and Rob

Partying with the Panter

Guttentag!

I cannot tell you how comfortable travelling Europe has been, great efficiency and the many conveniences. Good news, Marina has successfully gained her necessary visas for Africa, so we are rearing to go; however, will enjoy the next two weeks in Europe. The European summertime is incredible!

My path thus far: Oslo > Munich > Garmisch-Partenkirchen > Munich

Norway, Europe's second richest country, is very well off indeed. Norway's tourists always complain about the price of beer and well the price of EVERYTHING in Norway; so let me elaborate: Beer (pint) is $13-18 EACH!! I didn't eat at Burger King, but a Whopper meal is $16!
Perpetual daylight, Oslo is north enough to be free from any true darkness during the summer months. The sky is dark blue from 11pm - 3am when the sun starts to rise; very enjoyable when exploring Norway's capital.
Summer houses: Norwegians and especially Oslo's residents go to their summerhouses on the fjord for boating, swimming and relaxing. For my next trip there, I want one!

Sunday - Boxing: By 8pm I was checked into my hotel and was out seeing Oslo. I found a sports bar to watch the Haye v Klitchko fight. There I met quite a few Norwegians that took this lone solo traveler under their wing. Although Haye didn't win, most of us were cheering for him and had a good night.

Monday - 4th of July party: Being Sunday (the 3rd), I suppose the Americans in Oslo, there must be a lot of us, threw a huge party in central Oslo with lots of BBQ stands, live music and a car show.

Tuesday - All nighter: I was glad to get a good sleep the night before as this was going to be a long day. My bus to the airport would leave at 4am to the airport so I didn't keep my hotel room; you can guess these aren't cheap either. I spent the day seeing Oslo's sights. Notably, the Viking Museum with its original ships, the Framm museum showing Norway's explortion of the North & South poles including the actual ship which they sailed, also the Kon-Tiki museum which is a tribute to Thor Hezerdahl who sailed all over the world in a boat made of papyrus reeds. Later I toured the Nobel (Peace Prize) museum and then the Royal Palace, which was open just for a month in July. Towards the end of the day I took a Fjord cruise seeing many of the summer houses and gorgeous scenery. If anyone is wondering, a fjord is just an underwater valley which typically provides numerous islands. Around 11pm I went out to have a few beers and more Norwegians again were very hospitable taking me into their group which quickly killed the hours before I needed to get my bus. They distracted me enough to not leave early and when I reached the bus station, the room containing lockers (and my bag) were LOCKED!!! You can imagine how I felt! Thankfully a cleaner showed me an open door allowing me to get my bag, just 10 minutes before the bus left. There was not another bus for 4 hours and I can only guess what a 90 minute taxi in Norway would cost...

Deutschland - aka Germany!!!!

I've been to Germany a few times before so I knew what to expect, however the biggest surprise has been the food. I have somewhat written off German food, but every meal I've had has been delicious! The general theme of food is pork, beef or chicken, with potatoes and gravy. Maybe I'm just missing this type of food, but it has been excellent! I can say, I love Bavarian food!
German Beer - I don't need to tell you how good this stuff is, its arguably the best in the world, my rankings put it just after Belgium as the number two. One piece of advice when getting beer in Germany - don't order a Radler! It's not beer! Brits - think Shandy... yuk!
Olympic Bid -Sadly, Germany had prepared numerous festivities for their win of the 2018 winter Olympics, but Korea spoiled our party :( However, people just seemed to get on with it and still have a good time in the beer gardens.

Tuesday - Garmisch: Jon Lurie, who shared the best man job with Raj for my wedding was arriving in Munich that night to hangout for the next few days. Until then, I needed to kill about 9 hours in Munich, remember I hadn't slept the night before. I did a fairly good job, but wisely, I noticed a lot of people sleeping or relaxing under trees in the parks of Munich. Not being in South America, I felt pretty safe and enjoyed a few hours of fantastic sleep! Jon landed as planned and soon we were in route to the Bavarian town of Garmisch. We didn't waste time and were soon out enjoying Germany's tastiest product - BEER!

Wednesday - Zugspitze: Well, I'd like to add the Zugspitze to the list of mountains climbed on this trip, but we took the lazy way up. On top, nearly 3,000 meters high (10,000 feet) is Germany's highest beer garden where we indulged in both delicious beer and filling food. Today was the day when Germany lost the Olympic bid, but that didn't keep us down, in fact, Jon had his first ever Jagerbomb!

Thursday - Neuschwanstein castle: Leaving Garmisch we drove to see the place Disney modeled their castle after. Neuschwanstein is the perfect example of Bavarian architecture! We spent the night in Munich visiting beer gardens along with Jon's friend Christian; such a great time!

Friday & Saturday - Munich's kicking nightlife: For the weekend I stayed with a good friend from MessageLabs - Kenny Abe. During the day visited a posh beer garden in the suburbs and then headed to Lake Starnburg. There we rented a boat with a few of his friends, swimming and cruising around. Both nights we went to happening bars staying up to the early hours. Felix Panter joined us on Saturday night making the weekend a cool MessageLabs DACH reunion!

So what's next; I will go to Strasbourg, France; then up to Luxembourg for my last European country. When I say last, yes, I will return to London, but more interesting - I will have now seen every country in Europe! I am pretty excited, so bring on Luxembourg!

Auf Wedersehen

Dan

Week 51 - Spain

Well, only for a day, but I guess I should still say Hola!

We didn't make it back to London on Monday as we hoped. All I can say is Caracas airport, aycarumba!

Although, missing our connection in Madrid wasn't such a bad thing. Our airline put us up in what is a seriously nice hotel, easily a 5 star. We swam in the rooftop pool and later enjoyed delicous food and all you can drink wine! This was a better finish to our last night for TRIP-PART 2.

Since then we enjoyed our time in London catching up with everyone! Happy birthday again to Jon Hurst!

So what´s next - while Marina is working on a few visas, I'm going to Norway, Germany, and Luxembourg. So stay tuned for a new and exciting European blog.