Archive for August, 2009

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Not Ljubljy jubbly

31/08/2009

I decided to try the trek through the Forest this afternoon to get to the city centre and have a butchers about. It was quite a good work out and I enjoyed it. It did all go a bit Blair Witch Project though a few times as I seemed to be on paths that bared no resemblance to my map, deep in the woods, and with nae bugger about. All was well though and before long though I came out into Tivoli Park just on the edge of the main part of the city.

Unfortunately this was the highlight of the day. I’ve not been very impressed with Ljubljana really, it’s pretty in little patches but there’s not really anything of interest to see (or at least I didn’t come across it) and it didn’t seem to have much of a vibe about it (or at least I didn’t pick it up).

My attempts to find decent priced and healthy food today hasn’t gone very well either. The Slovenians clearly aren’t too big on pasta (or at least pasta for under 10 Euros, okay I’m going to stop doing that now as it’s quite annoying isn’t it). So being very hungry at 20:00 I decided to settle for some more modestly priced cevapici. This didn’t go too good either though as the girl said she spoke some English when she actually meant she spoke none. I thought I’d ordered when I said “cevapici” and she corrected my pronunciation, so after I’d been sat for a good while listening to ’100 Broken Windows’ era Idlewild and finished my nice pint of Union and still nothing had arrived, I got the gist that it wasn’t coming. When I tried to enquire what was happening I soon realised I’d have about as much luck if I asked her what she thought the pros and cons were of the Revie Plan. Hungry and demoralised I resigned myself to my fate of another bit of cheap and easy fast food.

The bloke behind the counter at Smacky’s said “Have a nice day”. How can I have a nice day at nearly 21:00?

So Zagreb tomorrow, my ticket was only about 12 Euros and it’s a 3 hour journey. That’s more like it after €65 to get here from Vienna.

As I can’t find a web service to display my route as I go (or at least one that I can pipe into this site), here is an old skool (poor resolution, as I’ve had to rotate the image) version showing where I’m up to at the moment.

route

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Posted in Slovenia | 4 Comments »

Boring boring Citeh

30/08/2009

If Faithless’s classic dance thumper ‘Insomnia’ had of been about a Yorkshireman with sexual frustration issues rather than penned regarding a sleeping disorder, the chorus may have been ‘I can’t get no sheep’. The reason this occurred to me is I had a rather nasty case of it (the sleeping disorder that is) last night, not what I needed.

I think I was agitated because I checked-in late and couldn’t get my stuff sorted. I didn’t really want to turn the light on and wake up 7 other people (though some people don’t seem to give an aardvark about doing that) to put valuables in a locker, dig out my earplugs (which meant when I did finally nod off other people getting up woke me not too long after) etc.

Right, that’s my little whinge out of the way.

I went to the supermarket before to try and eat a bit cheaper and healthier but apparently they shut at 12:00 on a Sunday, crivens. My diet at the moment is like ‘Supersize Me – The European Tour’. Actually, I’ve lost weight because of skipping so many meals but the insides can’t be too good, am not looking forward to my first run when back on Albion soil.

Right, that was the last little whinge honest, I swear on my prized Gerogiou Kinkladze highlights VHS.

I’m going to get rid of my Boingo subscription as I’ve not used it once on this trip. It was okay in The States as pretty much every McDonalds hosted Boingo supported wireless, so all you had to look out for was the golden arches and emails were on their way. This isn’t the case in Europe so the only way to find a Boingo spot is to go on their website (as it happens they don’t have any in Slovenia) which kind of defeats the object. Se ya Boingo.

I’ve managed to find a pub called England Pub (maybe the geezer who owns China Restaurant in Vienna is the proprietor here too) showing the Pompey vs City game. What’s more that unlike my abode for the next few days, it has Wi-Fi. Which gives me the opportunity to publish this (as well as yesterday’s post).

I love the new City 3rd kit, actually I like all 3 of the new Umbro kits. Never mind on the pitch, City are really getting everything right off it at the moment under the new regime, like the new website, free match streaming, reduced ticket prices in important cup games to ensure a full stadium etc. They actually seem to treat the fans as just that, rather than generic customers. Refreshing to those on the inside.

They made a right move in getting rid of Sulaiman Al Fahim. How much of a tubbsy plonker did he look in a Portsmouth shirt with his name on the back, he’s like an Arabian Mike Ashley.

Another solid if unspectacular performance from City for a 1-0 win. There’s clearly a lot more to come from those players, that’s the scary bit for other teams after 3 straight wins without conceding a goal, and 5 if you include The Carling Cup and a friendly against the perrenial footballing underdogs, Barcelona.

Am just having another pint to leech the wireless, the Villa vs Cottagers (George Michael is captain) game in the background providing some interest.

This blog post is hot to trot and my interest in the Villa game is waining (actually it wained entirely 3 minutes in when Fulham conceded and 2 fantasy football clean sheets went amiss). So I’m just going to make my way back to base, rest up a little and figure out the best way to approach Zagreb.

Tomorrow I’ll have a proper look at what Ljubljana has to offer.

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An Alpine Adventure

29/08/2009

Another 4 hours sleep was last night’s count. I must be acclimatised to it now though as I don’t even feel that bad, it could prove to be a useful skill. The average man sleeps for 194,821 hours during his lifetime Not me, you can skim a cool 84 thousand off of that.

I’m just on my way to Ljubljana now. I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a long day. It’s supposed to take 6 hours with 1 change which would get me in at about half 9 tonight but there’s a murmur of potential delays due to problems between Graz and Maribor. If so I’ll miss my connection which would mean an extra change needed and another couple of hours on my journey.

Now I’m solo travelling again I’m going to try and be good and take it easy, as much for my budget as my health. This last week has been way over what my daily spends should be. It’s easier said than done to be a hermit in the hostel environment though.

The one I’m in tonight should help though, it’s in a bit of a remote location I think. It’s a 50 minute walk or somet through a forest to get to the city. Crikey.

I take the sleep thing back. Ruddy knackered now.

I’m not sure what part of Austria I’m in but it’s a very large, green and pretty valley that I’m going through. I think I’m on the edge of the Alps.

I just went past a Lindt factory, umm, how nice is Lindt chocolate.

I must have drifted off while listening to the Filmspotting podcast which is no reflection on that show as it’s excellent. A mere 10 minutes later and I was awoken in a dazed state (maybe there was even a bit of dribble on the go) in Graz by the conductor tapping me on the shoulder and banging on in German and a bit of English about something to do with a bus. I got the gist and then had to leg it to take my cramped place on the awaiting bus outside.

It didn’t start very well as the driver managed to stall the veichle straight away in an extremely violent fashion. If I was back in Blighty I’d have a whiplash compo claim in before you can say Iggy Pop is a sell out. I think the paper work might be a bit tricky round these parts though.

All this for the none too cheap rate of 65 Euros.

The good news is that the bus made it in time for the connection. The bad news is that the conductor just stung me for €3 for a reservation fee. What’s having a ticket for the train if it’s not a reservation? I don’t trust these sneaky Slovenians already.

I’ve been doing a little route planning and here is a very very rough order of future destinations to take me as far as Italy:

Ljubljana-Zagreb-Sarajevo-Belgrade-Bucharest-Istanbul-Sofia-Skopje-Tirana-Athens.

Then from Greece I would look to get a ferry to the south-west of Italy.

All that would probably take around a month. Then I would still want to do Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Morocco (possibly) and France after that. So maybe another 6-8 weeks for that which would take me up to around the end of November. Then a few weeks in Manchester to sort stuff out and if I could afford it, a few more in Cuba on route to New Zealand where I’ll be looking for graft.

I’ve pretty much ruled the Central America expedition out now as it’s not financially viable, so a much bigger than first planned European campaign could be a good compromise.

All this is just speculating though, it all just depends on how the money is holding up so I’ll just play it by ear.

It’s 22:09 and I’m in a Smacky D’s in Ljubjlana. I’d rather not have fast food but it’s late, I’m famished and tired and I don’t fancy wandering the streets looking for a gaff serving cheap pasta (I could murder some pasta).

It’s not a very good one though. They say I can’t upgrade my coke to a milkshake if I pay the difference, outrageous as that is a standard request I have granted often. The beauty of McDonalds is their consitency the world over. When you take that away, well then you’re heading down the Wimpy route.

It’s now midnight and I’m finally at the hostel after an hour waiting for a bus. Phew. Not impressed is my first impression though, no Wi-Fi!!!

That’s just reminded me, someone asked me the other day what Wi-Fi stands for and I wasn’t sure (because after checking, it doesn’t actuallly stand for anything). Geoff voiced his own guess though, Wireless Fuc*ing Internet.

I’m not too sure what today’s photo is of readers. It was in the Natural History Museum in Vienna. My best guess would be a mobile Nazi casino.

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Posted in Austria, Slovenia | 2 Comments »

Riot on an empty street

28/08/2009

How good were City last night in the 2nd half? Taggart must be feeling very nervous about derby day and beyond. Yup, Sir bacon face will be chewing his Wrigley like there’s no a week next Tuesday I thinks.

Last night we went to a very cool club called Flex. It’s just a shame that the tunes were ones of a techno variety, I think so anyway, but I techno notice of that sort of pap so it was possibly acid-monkey-trance for all I know. It was however the loudest music I’ve ever heard, it literally hit you as a wall of sound, forcing you to dance whether you wanted to or not by violently shaking you with an evil bass.

It didn’t matter though as we probably only spent about 10 minutes actually inside the club. There was a large outdoor bit on the River Danube where we spent our time. A good night was had indeedy.

I said the other day that Cass (one of the marauding Scots) was a good muscian; well judge for yourself as here’s some of his stuff with his band Signals. I reckon they’re ace.

Today isn’t much fun for me as it’s one of the practical get on with stuff sort of ones. The lads have all gone down to some lake or other watery type feature for a swim, a great idea in this weather. But it’s clothes washing, hostel booking and transport planning all the way for me.

I have just bought a camera though. I was in 2 minds on whether to do it or not as it’s not the sort of outlay you want to make in my position, but I couldn’t find anywhere to repair my CyberShot and it’s a bit daft travelling for another 2 months without a memory capturer isn’t it.

The cheapest one i could find was a Casio for €80 but there was a much better looking Samsung one for another 20 so I opted for that. It’s the Samsung Digimax i5 and I don’t think it’s great (it’s only 5 mega pixies) but it’ll do for now at least. I didn’t actually realise it’s 2nd hand until I had a proper look at it when I got back and then read a review saying it was released years ago. In my defense, all the signs were in German! Still, it’s not really a great idea to go camera browsing with a hangover.

With the 2GB memory card I needed it cost me 108 Euros (about 95 quid) in all. I’ve likely been ripped off a bit but there weren’t many alternatives so I’m not too fussed.

So I’ll be back on my lonesome come tomorrow but I’ve had a good few days with these sound lads, plus being on my own again will be better for my liver, wallet and fat back.

Chores done and I’m just off out for a few well earned bevvies now.

‘Headmaster’ is the best drinking game on the planet, even the card game ‘Pig’ takes a beating off this one. Basically when one person puts their head on an inanimate object (or an animate organic one for that matter) you have to not be the last to do it or face the consequences. You get one shot each at this each which you can covertly strike with at any time, so awareness is needed. It sounds moronic but it leads to dramatic sprints down a street so not to be the last person to plant your swede on the bonnet of a BMW, school girl like giggling follows.

Am in a Chinese restaurant now with the imaginitive name of ‘China Restaurant’. The crispy beef and egg fried-rice with some viciously spicey condiment went down a reet treat it did.

A few awful Tenerife like bars were next up. But they were quite a good laugh for novelty value in short doses.

After that we wandered about for a while trying to figure out which venue was most deserving of our patronage, as aliens in a city often do. It was getting late so we just opted for Flex again. It wasn’t a bad call as the music was infinetely better, it was alternate but with an edge to it and dance leanings. Any club that plays a remix of King of Convenience’s ‘I’d rather dance with you’ can’t be bad.

It’s 05:53 and we’ve just got in and Geoff has the hairdryer on the go after a little bit of rain, bit daft is Geoff you see. He is also a comic genious susceptible to moments of divine inspiration. He does the Bullshit Billy Connolly Tour better than Des McClean himself.

Night night.

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Oh, Vienna

27/08/2009

Today we’ve just been trundling around Vienna and I’ve been quite impressed with the city. It’s full of huge statues and buildings that are very grand and laced with opulence. It’s quite frustrating to not have a proper camera, the iPhone is okay for a few snaps but the res is low and there isn’t even a zoom.

It’s absobloodylutely ruddy roasting here so to get off the streets for a bit we went to the Natural History Museum for €3.50 with a student card. Good value I’d say as the place is housed in a gloriously fancy and massive building.

It hosts all sorts of bizarre exhibits and while some of the stuff was a bit dull there was plenty to make it a worth while visit. My favourite bit was getting to see live piranhas, I’d love to have got away with whacking a can of Spam in there and watching the carnage ensue.

Right, am just off to the Travel Shack again to watch The Citizens steal the Palace’s crystal. Up the blues.

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Posted in Austria | 4 Comments »

Willo

26/08/2009

I feel surprisingly sprightly after only 4 hours kip. Am just on the train to Vienna now, is only an hour away so it’s a wee tiddler after some of the monsters I’ve been on.

1 hour later and it’s hello country number 8.

The hostel is pretty nice. I’ve just been sat in a lovely summer garden at the back with the sun-a-shining and listening to one of the Glaswegian lads (Cass) I’m knocking about with put out his tunes on the guitar. I was well impressed with his style of playing and he has a good voice on him too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him doing very well sometime soon.

I’ve booked an extra night in Vienna which will take me up until Saturday and then I’ll be looking to make my way to Slovenia. Down, down, deeper and down eh.

Tonight it’s more football on the idiot box for a change, these lads are all Celtic fans (apart from Geoff who’s St Mirren all the way) so they’re after watching the 2nd leg of the Arsenal game obviously. Forgive me Del, but It’d be a lonely life as a traveller if you hold people’s footballing affinity against ‘em. Though first and foremost a City fan, the team I look out for once past Hadrian’s is Gers.

Do you know it’s nearly 16:00 and I’m yet to eat a thing yet, this is becoming an all too regular occurrence. I’m off to remedy it now.

Actually I didn’t remedy it until around 4 hours later but when I did I had a belter cevapcici at a gaff named Mariahilferbrau (I can’t find a link). I’d already tried this dish many years ago in Bosnia and it was even better 2nd time round. The various meals everyone else were scoffing looked just as tantalising.

Am now watching the Arsenal vs Celtic game in Flanagans (it’s a Bermudan bar by the way, hold on, wait a minute, no I got that wrong, I can confirm that’s it’s actually an Irish bar) where I’ll also be taking in the Carling Cold Cup game of Crystal Palace vs The Mighty Blues tomorrow night. It’s not going too swell for my new pal’s team though, with them being 4-0 down on aggregate.

One of many graduates from the academy of footballing excellence has just entered the fray so all is not lost for them, the fearsome Willo Flood. He has the physique of a 9 year old and the boat-race of a 74 year old.

Game over and Celtic well beaten. Hell of a strike by Donati at the end though mind.

After that it was down to The Travel Shack which is just round the corner from the hostel. It’s like a hostel bar without the hostel, well worth a look if you’re a backpacker as that’s what it’s geared up for.

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Posted in Austria | 2 Comments »

Walking wounded

25/08/2009

Okay, so once again I’ve changed my plans as I seriously didn’t feel like travelling this morn after another 5:00 am finish last night. I’ll take an extra night here and a lazy day in Bratislava and head to Vienna tomorrow. The appropriate hostel booking modifications have been made without a hiccup.

Last night I went to a couple of bars with the Scottish lads after the end of the Liverpool game and then a bobbins club called Channels which we only hung about for 1 drink as it was, erm, bobbins.

Then I became a member of Olympic Casino (member 572 4922 in case you’re interested) but to my credit I resisted flittering my travel funds away. Little lucky Geoff came out with 70 Europeans from an outlet of 10 though in roulette, so that added a bit of excitement.

After all this hi-jinx I was a little tired this morning so once I’d sorted the hostel stuff out it was back to bed until 14:00 or so. Back to work time sure is going to be a culture shock.

In the evening I done something I swore I would never do again after Riga, I went on a walking tour. I now swear never to go on another one again, at least until next time anyway. This tour lady started off by showing us a bog standard as you ever might care to imagine building that apparently pre 1985, was the tallest building in Bratislava. I’ve seen bigger bungalows. The standard was set.

Bugger, my camera has had it. The lens isn’t coming out properly so it’s all blurred. With many months of travel in front of me I’m going to have to sort somet out pretty shortly. Costly no danger, shudder.

Right now I’m playing a variety of card games (switch, bullshit, rummy. blackjack, Texas hold ‘em, pig and scabby Queen being amongst them) in the hostel with those Glaswegian lads, a good bunch to be sure. Many of these games were new to me but they were all good and pig is the surely the most fun you can have with a 52 deck that doesn’t involve a game of strip poker, 17 bottles of Jack Daniels, a Sony handycam and the Swedish girl’s beach volleyball B-team.

Many hours later and I’m finishing this post off at 4 in the morning.

The Glasgow contingent are also heading to Vienna tomorrow so I’ll have a few travel buddies while I work out how get to get to Slovenia.

Over.

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Liverpool y El Diablo

24/08/2009

Note – This post has gone up a day late as I was struggling to finish it off at 5 in the morning.

I’d already heard I wouldn’t need very long to see Bratislava as it’s pretty small, this proved to be the case. Coupling this with the fact I was cream crackered from the previous week’s exertions, I decided to have a lie-in (though it consisted more of lazing and dozing than the full on shut-eye I craved) and after doing lots of researchy stuff on the Internet I didn’t leave the hostel until about 4 in the afternoon.

After a couple of hours ambling I’m happy and don’t feel like I’ve missed out on stuff like with some of the previous cities I’ve drifted through. That said, I like Bratislava. Although there isn’t really much to see (apart from the unusual cool statues littered about the old town) it’s a pretty place and has a nice relaxed vibe about it.

While wandering I came upon a temporary stage with a decent size crowd round it, the event being Slovak Blues. Dreadful it was, some languages just don’t lend themselves well to music.

After more walking I found a cool little bar (which I forgot to take the name of so can’t provide a link to) hidden out of the way of passing tourists and am just giving a pint of Saris a 2nd chance (everything deserves a 2nd chance don’t it – apart from Gary Glitter, Joey Barton and Marmite) now as the one I had last night with my tea was horrible. To be fair that one was out of a can and this draught offering is improved though still not great. No 3rd chance will be allowed.

Now I’m just going to find a little cafe for some grub and I might see if I can find somewhere showing the Mickey Mousers vs The Villains game. It’ll keep me off the streets and out of trouble for a few hours. Plus I’ve a vested interest in it with the pubescent spotty shiner sporting Spaniard that is F.Torres, being my El Capitano in the fantasy footy stakes. Double hat-trick please Nando.

The cafe I found (Sibyla) met the 2 requirements I had – 1 it was fairly cheap and 2 it served a national Slovakian dish I was after, Bryndzové Halušky. Budvar wash-down.

I caught the game in El Diablo (The Devil would be the English from Spanish translation, lovely). After half time 5 lads from Glasgow came in, I got talking to them at that was the end of the quiet night. It turned out they’re not only in the same hostel as me, but also in the ‘Dublin’ suite like myself, though the dorm next door. Told you Bratislava is small.

Wien (in German) tomorrow, or Vienna in my (and very likely your) tongue.

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Country number 7

23/08/2009

I can safely say that the hostel in Krakov is in the top 2 or 3 hostels I’ve ever stayed at. The staff are so much fun. There’s one gay (I presume) guy from near Gdansk who is hilarious, he wouldn’t ever serve me until I pronounced the beer name correctly (something I’m incapable of doing with my accent and tendency to mumble slightly).

So after a repeat of the previous night where I just sat round the hostel drinking and talking to people from many different nations, I once again have a nasty hangover.

My route today is Krakov-Katowice, Katowice-Breclav and finally Breclav-Bratislava. I’ll get in at about 7 this eve.

I’ve only booked 2 nights (and tonight shall be a quiet one!) in Slovakia and have booked another 2 in Vienna. Right now I’m going to decide my route after that by consulting my rough guide, but my rough plan is Ljubljana in Slovenia and then Zagreb in Croatia.

I’m a firm advocate of keeping the British Pound but the omnipresent Euro on the mainland does have significant advantages. When you’re only in a country for a few days it’s difficult to judge how much of the currency you’ll need and not end up taking some of it to the next country where it will be redundant.

So while waiting for my next train I just bought 3 bottles of water, some rubbish earphones I don’t need, a bottle of Sprite, a big box of chewing gum and some tictacs when all I wanted was a single bottle of water (which in my dehydrated state I was in desperate need of). This is because there was a minimum 20 Zlotys charge to use a card but this was better than using an ATM as the minimum you can take out there is 50. Bring on the Euros again.

With all this water and Sprite I’m now dying for a pee, only I don’t have the 1 Zloty required. A nightmare scenario.

I’m still trying to get my head around this Google AdSense stuff and it’s as simple or as complicated as you want to make it (I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse but I’m naturally curious and inquisitive so I tend to go for the latter). It seems in the couple of weeks I’ve been in the Blogsherpa program I’ve had 400 and odd impressions (page views) but only 3 advert clicks (not really suprising when you consider that with a post on Riga the advert might be for a Mosambique safari) which has earned me the grand total of 45 pence. But hey, that’s the equivalent of around 250ml of Zwiec round these parts, so not to be snivilled at.

I just listened to a podcast on Simon Bolivar. What an interesting fellow.

The photo is of the bar I watched the footy in yesterday.

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Grandstand

22/08/2009

I’m feeling somewhat tender this morning as I was up to 5 in the morning drinking in the hostel and talking to randoms from many nations while supping cheap beer. Was okay.

This hostel is ace actually but my rant on the key (as in Yale, not crucial) situation yesterday was well justified as vindicated by events today. This morning (well not really as it was well past noon) I heard a lot of scuffling about below and it transpired that my bunk mate couldn’t get into his locker built into the underside of the bed. This is because I had the key for the lock in my jeans pocket attached to a Kenyan rhino keyring and the actual room key, why this was I know not. They unscrewed the hinge on the fitting (worryingly, rather easily) and got in that way. It wasn’t until I handed the room key in on the way out (as is protocol) that all became clear. Madness I tell you, madness.

Sorted my train ticket earlier, so tomorrow I’ll be heading to Bratislava, pretty much all day ‘n all. I better watch my alcohol intake tonight as it leaves about 11:00 am, a scandalously early hour for a train to depart if you ask me.

In an effort to feel like I’ve actually seen some of Krakow I went up St Mary’s Basillca before, ooh err Missus eh. On my adventures so far I think I’ve climbed nearly every sort of tower, turret, belfry, spire and steeple imaginable but this mudda was hard work, obscenely steep and considerably claustrophobic. They should put a sign up at the entrance saying “Warning – Climbing this mudda while in an overhang state may lead to you believing that you have swiney”. By chance I’d timed it well though as when I got to the top a lone trumpeter was playing a tune that breaks off mid way through to commemorate a 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city. I like stuff like that.

Not happy, I scouted out this place an hour and a half before the KO of the Manchester City vs Wolves game (while wearing a City top I might add) and asked if they were showing Manchester City vs Wolves game in my best Queen’s, they said “Yes”, cook a cat I thought. So when come 16:00 I was greeted by The Pie Eaters vs The Rags I wasn’t happy and went to enquire about the matter. They just said “But you said Manchester”, I replied “I don’t want to watch this shower of shite do I”, they didn’t respond. Though I actually am doing that very thing as what’s the alternative? Severely miffed.

Ohh man, I hate watching this lot in a pub full of prawn sandwich scoffers with not a Manc in sight. One of them just started up with ‘Gary Neville is a red’ in a distinctly un-Mancunian accent. I thought about countering with ‘The Neville Family’ but I’m considerably outnumbered so it probably wouldn’t have been wise.

I’m going to list the full lyrics of the aforementioned terrace song as it’s one of my personal favs:

(To the tune of The Addams Family)

—

De da de da
De da de da
De da de da
De da de da
De da de da

Gary and his brother
Make love to one another
They’ve both had their mother
The Neville Family

—

Splendid stuff.

On another sport related note (some travel blog this eh), I don’t know too much about cricket (though I do have a passing interest for many reasons I won’t bore you with) but it’s everywhere at the moment with The Ashes. Anyway, my point being – How micro-second instantly dis-likable is Ricky Ponting. That was a rhetorical question that was. Rhetorical aside the answer was, and you needn’t phone a friend (crikey I’ve turned into Harry Hill – minus the specs, large collar, wit, baldness and Doctorate), very.

The Missionaries of Rhythm are the best break dancing crew I’ve ever bore witness to, much better than the stuff I saw in NYC where you’d maybe expect the cream of the crop circles. An awesome (and that is a word I only use once a year on the grounds of terminology taste) show. It never ceases to amaze me that people can be so good at one individual thing when I can be so bad at so many. Check ‘em out here. You might want to fast forward a bit and I’ll point out that the lineup I saw was slightly different but probably even better.

Umm, I’m hungry now but I feel like Joseph of Nazareth as I’m wandering around plenty but I can’t find a barn serving hotpot. Quiche Lorraine was on my mind from the same gaff as last night but on entering I was told my Zlotys were no good as they have a full reservation, charming that is.

I can hear that trumpeter from the tower again somewhere in the distance, that’s put a grin on my swede.

I’ve stumbled upon a Chinese restaurant via a chance right turn and just gone for soya noodles with beef, it didn’t take me long to order as I was half an hour away from picking up a can of Pedigree Chum (or at worst a Pot Noodle) from the local Polish equivalent of The Late Shop. Ruddy famished.

Very nice it was and cheap as, erm, noodles too.

I chuffin’ hated Grandstand as a kid. Steve Rider was clearly not a football man and why the rubber duck would I give a flying chimpanzee about downhill skiing (uphill would be like climbing St Mary’s Basillca on a snowboard) in Zurich or archery in Wrexham when I’m sat in Gorse Hill contemplating whacking the Binatone on because Grandstand is duller than Michael Owen’s memoirs to be.

So Krakow seems a cool place and is the 3rd of 12 cities so far that I have a desire to visit again sometime soon. That’s a 25% hit rate people.

The pic is of an unusual scene I walked past earlier. Surely that laptop bag contains Semtex, gaffer tape and an alarm clock? Someone should really call Team America. I’d do it myself but it’d cost a fortune on O2 roaming rates.

PS You can’t call me a bitter nosed blue because I acknowledge that Owen goal was sublime, all be it reluctantly. Of greater importance, City are still sitting pretty and as a City-Card holder I got my gratis diamond encrusted Rolex in the post the other day from Croque Monsieur (sorry, I mean Sheikh Mansour). Nice one Shakin’.

PS again. I just heard the trumpeter once more from my dorm window. It’s really nice hearing something of historical substance in the distance when you know the exact spot that it’s originating from. I like this.

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