Sick of smoke

Being sick on a three country, week-long tour of Eastern Europe is bad enough, but adding second-hand smoke to the equation when you have a sinus headache, clogged ears and a sore throat can make it even more miserable.
While non-smoking policies are catching on in restaurants and public places (Slovenia just passed the ban) they still have a ways to go.

To my sensitive schnoz its seems as if smoke is carried in the air like pollen in the springtime wind.
For instance, on a five hour train ride between Zagreb and Split, I felt like I unwittingly smoked a cigarette an hour. Obviously I don't smoke, (quit that when I was 20) and I was sitting in a non-smoking section.

It wasn’t an indifferent passenger lighting up. It was, of all people, the female train conductor who between duties of checking tickets and handing out sandwiches would slip into her “office” at the very end of the train, and sneak a smoke. Not a problem if it wasn’t connected to the last car which carried one of the designated non-smoking compartments where I was seated. There are first class and second class smoking cars on the train, but she chose to ignore those. Perhaps, in the face of public scrutiny, like many disgruntled smokers, she feels compelled to resort to covert measures to carry on her unhealthy habit.

Then later, upon arrival in Split, the owner of the restaurant where we ate dinner dangled a cigarette from his lips speaking at our table about the merits of the smoking ban that will take effect in Croatia in September. When pressed for details he flippantly said he didn't care about it and didn't know how he was expected to enforce it.
When he wasn't spewing carcinogens in his customers' faces, he blows smoke as the head of the Split tourism bureau.

Eurail Passes Grow Up

As a college student I did what so many kids my age did, bought a Eurail pass and set out to see Europe. It's still the same, execept for the name. The Eurail Pass is now called The Global Pass, a bit of a misnomer because it covers just 20 mainland European countries.

There are also options to travel within two to five adjacent countries or simply see just one country.

The options can be as daunting as a Chinese menu when you are stumped choosing one from Group A and one from Group B.

There are several ways to slice and dice your pass, but mainly the trick is to plan where you want to go first and for how long and then figure out how many of those days you want to travel on the train. It could be 15 days in say, a period of one, two or three months.
This year Croatia and Slovenia were added to the Global Pass. The train tracks between Zagreb and Split actually bank in such a way that the train tilts around the curves to shave time off the trip.

Eurail passes are good for passengers who want the train trip to be part of their experience and are not in a hurry to get to their destination. Passes also benefit the budget traveler because they carry added value—freebies or discounts on boats, cable cars, museums.

In this day and age of low-fare carriers, it may not be a fair comparison to pit train travel versus intra-European flights. The planes might get you there faster, but unlike the trains, if you see the landscape breeze by at eye level, you’re in big trouble.

Benefits of the trains that you can’t quantify include arriving directly into city centers, carrying as much overstuffed luggage onboard as you want provided you schlep it yourself, and you can work, chat or sleep for long periods of time.

Going To Bled

I have felt so run down on this trip, I spent a good deal of my time in bed. Even though I was so tired, I decided to go to Bled.
Bled, a not to miss site an hour from Ljubljana—is a beyond scenic island in the middle of an Alpine lake. The must-do touristy thing is to walk the 99 steps up to the medieval chapel. Grooms have been carrying their brides up these steps as a centuries old ritual.
The only way to cross the lake is on an unsteady Pletna home-built boat that is rowed by a skilled oarsman.
After visiting the island and a row back to the mainland, we headed for the Castle, which is now a museum and has a restaurant with a drop dead view.

Bled, Slovenia

Llovely Ljubljana

Arrived into Ljubljana by train from Salzburg, a five hour ride. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, a former republic of Yugoslavia till it became independent in 1991.
Stayed at the City Center hotel just a few blocks from the old town which is very compact and has a dense display of Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture. The focal point of the town in the three bridges that cross the Ljubljanica river. Each side of the river is lined with shops and lots of cafes.

Very young city, one fifth of the population is University students, a vibe that feels very safe. We were there for some sort of graduation ritual, where all the seniors where walking around in packs blowing whistles. It’s a supremely walkable city and the mid May weather has been divine. Slovenia is known for its surprisingly good and cheap wines. Take a cable car to the top of the castle –a great vantage point for taking pictures.

The wow of being here doesn't come from one specific sight, but the knowledge that you are somewhere that for so long was behind the iron curtain. It's one of Europe's vibrant new "sleeper" cities, that is finally awakening to curious tourists.

Ljubljana's Downtown

Ljubljanica River

Shops Along The River

Tourist Von Trapp

Arrived in Salzburg, the city of Sound of Music. Boy, they really market it for what it's worth. Have tours that take you to all the sights in the Julie Andrews movie.
Big news is now the villa that originally belonged to the Von Trapp's, the family that the movie is based on, is being turned into a B&B. Its located on the outskirts of Salzburg and has been operating for years as a monastery. The monks are moving out to a newer, larger spirituality center nearby and have rented out the villa to a local couple who will be the proprietors of what's being called simply Villa Trapp. They're putting about a $1 million into it and it is slated to open in late July. It will have a library, 14 rooms and suites, with some original furniture that belonged to the Von Trapps.
Baron Georg Ludwig von Trapp lived in the villa with his family from 1923 to 1938, before it was confiscated in 1939 by the Nazis and subsequently lived in by SS chief Heinrich Himmler until 1945.

Villa Trapp With New Owner's Son

Staircase Inside Villa Trapp

Original furniture of the Von Trapp's

Schonbrunn Palace

Took an early evening private tour of Vienna's Schonbrunn Palace, the most visited attraction in the city. This beautiful baroque building has quite a history, dating back to the Middle Ages. For the most part, it represents the imperial reign of the Habsburg monarchy.

Luggage: Found

After 30 hours, my luggage showed up at the Hotel Altstadt here in Vienna. Had the front desk handle it, because jet lag, and a sinus cold conspired to keep me down and out for the morning. The key to not panicking was waiting the requisite 24 hours before checking with them. Just knowing it was coming was a big relief. Went happily traipsing around the city with the knowledge that it would be the last day I would have to wear the same pantsuit on this trip. Went to a pharmacy for meds. A beautiful day in Vienna today. Haven't been for about 8 years. Very civilized and refined compared to the grit of Colombia, although I miss that edge just a bit.
Tomorrow morning....train to Salzburg.

My Pharmacist In Vienna

Lost Luggage

Quick turnaround from Colombia. Now in Vienna, Austria. Flew Alitalia to Vienna via Milan. Originally scheduled for the 5:40pm on KLM to Vienna with a five hour layover in Amsterdam. But due to Mother's Day traffic on the Van Wyck, got there late and the flight was closed.

So KLM put me on Alitalia. Had to switch from Terminal 4 to Terminal 1. Plenty of time to check my bag. Arrived in Milan, connected to Vienna and upon arrival no black Tumi duffle bag on the carousel.
So now I'm on the hunt with Alitalia for my missing bag. Luckily, I carried on all my electronics, computer, digital still camera, and video camera. Tripod is in the lost bag.

So far, nothing from Alitalia. They haven't even located it yet. They say it takes 24 hours to know something of its whereabouts.

I'm going to sleep on it for now.

Colombia Money Matters

The Colombian monetary unit is the peso. Right now the exchange rate is about 1700 to the dollar. Compared to the Euro and the Pound, it's very favorable for Americans. I won't call it a steal, but it makes for a very reasonable trip. Certain items, such as food purchased off the street, like a fresh fruit cup of mango, pineapple and papaya are big bargains for under $1.00. Compare that with the $4.50 I pay back home in NYC at the corner bodega.
Entrees at nice restaurants range from $12.00 to $20.00 for grilled steak, trout or even pasta.
My best finds were shopping for gifts at the local markets. In Bogota, I bought two beautiful, well-made, fashionable leather belts for about $30 each. I know these would cost at least a $100 at Bloomingdale's.
My favorite purchase is a great pair of yoga shoes that I found at a tourist shop in the Coffee Triangle. They are hand made by the Kuna Indian women and each pair is unique. They cost $30. I would have paid up to $200 for them if I saw them on sale in NYC.
Colombian Emeralds are one of their largest exports, but I'm not an expert on their value, however I didn't see anything worthwhile for under $400, and the nicest jewelry cost thousands.
It is important to have cash on hand for all purchases not made in the nicer restaurants. I made several withdrawals from ATM's as Citibank's are prevalent and heavily guarded in Bogota.
I paid a 2% internaional withdrawal fee. Upon departure, tourists have to pay what's called a "pleasure tax" of 9000 pesos, or about five bucks. You pay it right at the airline ticket counter.
Other taxes are included in the price of your ticket, but you have to go to a separate booth before you check in, show your ticket and get a waiver to present to the agent at the ticket counter.

Kuna hand-made shoes

Handmade Bags From A Tabio Artisan

Emeralds

The Wax Palm Forest

About 12 miles from Pereira, the gateway to coffee country is the Valley of Cocoras--home of Colombia's national tree, the Wax Palm which can grow to about 270 feet tall.
This verdant area is overwhelmingly beautiful. First we passed through a town called Salento, and then took a dirt road toward our lunch destination, the restaurant Bosques De Cocoras. With a trout farm down the road, we had the most amazing trout, served on a fried plantain pancake, and either grilled with garlic butter or smoked.
After lunch we mounted some horses and took a ride through the valley, enveloped by the stunning scenery.

Colombia's National Tree, Wax Palm

Horse Back riding in Cocoras Valley

Grilled Trout specialty dish

The swinging town of Salento

Coffee Triangle

Flew to Pereira, about an hour west of Bogota. This area is known as the Coffee Triangle. The three departments (like states) that make up the triangle are Quindio, Risaralda and Caldas.
Its a total area of about 13,325 km and the coffee highway is a road that begins in Caldas and ends in Valle de Cauca.
Along the way there are several "fincas" or farms that tourists can visit to watch how coffee is harvested. Much of it demonstrates the old fashioned way of shelling, drying and roasting coffee. You can also stay at the fincas, which can cost as little as $30 a night with two meals.

In Quindio, there is a theme park that celebrates everything coffee as well. It has an eco-friendly walk that shows you the process, has rides and entertainment. Disney it isn't, but its worth an afternoon.

Coffee Theme Park

Val and Satch at Work at a Coffee Farm

Ready to Harvest

Staying in a Finca

Dining And Nightlife

Bogota has a surprisingly hopping nightlife and there are several areas that are particularly active and bars say open until 3 am. Most of them border the east of the city that is at the foothills of the mountains.
From north to south, those areas are the Usaquen, Parque 93, T-zone and Macarena districts.
You will find everything from Irish pubs, to martini bars and dance clubs. The very first Hooters is just opening up in the T Zone.
To get there, the best bet is to arrange a cab with your concierge, in each direction. Its not advisable to hail one off the street. If there is a taxi line in front of the establishment, that's usually a safe option.

Partying in the T-Zone

As for dining in Bogota, "comida tipica" is very popular and its easy to find slabs of meat hanging over open fire pits in the traditional parilladas or grills. They also add a lot of salt in their dishes and one kind of soup, called Ajiaco, is a salty potato laden crčme soup with a quarter of a corn cob and chicken. It can easily serve as a meal on its own.

Although carne, or meat, is a really big part of their diet, you can find some relief with more stylish restaurants that serve ceviche and other fish dishes.

Parillada

Restaurante con "comida tipicia"

Lunch in Tabio

Trucha...Trout

Empanadas

Funzipa Restaurant in Zipiquira

Bordering On Danger

As I am learning on this trip, the perception is not the same as the reality, however, anyone considering a trip to Colombia should be aware of a few common sense tips.
Avoid the border areas with Panama, Venezuela and Ecuador. This is where the bad guys hang out in the mountainous, heavily forested jungle areas. Driving a car on your own is really not recommended.
Sticking to the main cities is the best bet. Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Cartagena all are quite safe, but take precautions as you would in any foreign city.
Organize any local tours and arrange for taxis from your hotel concierge.
Keep a low profile as an American. Dress appropriately. Aside from clubs and bars at night, Colombians dress conservatively.
Don't flaunt your jewelry, watches, or money.
Respect the fact that this is a country that has different politics and customs than ours.

Meeting The President's Son

Toured the historic center of Bogota on day 2, visiting the neighborhood known as "Candelaria." It is a vast area that includes some of the most impressive colonial buildings lining Plaza de Bolivar. Within the maze of streets is the Botero museum--Botero is a favorite son-- and checked out a really pretty boutique hotel called the Opera, right next to the historic Opera house which is under renovation for the next three years. Ran into a U.S embassy official from Texas who said that this area is safe by day but considered a "Red Zone" at night, muy peligroso!

It seems the whole city takes on a whole new undercurrent at night--but we found a pocket of partying and safety known as the T-Zone, a pedestrian area shaped like a T with restaurants and bars lining both of the streets. We noticed extra tight security and learned that Jeronimo Uribe, son of the president was
at the very same bar as our group.

Our very connected guides managed to introduce me to him and I told him that I respected the strides his father has made in cleaning up the country in his
administration. Later on, in an Irish bar, we saw a woman who was held hostage for five years by the FARC rebels. She was released just three months ago.

So far, not a dull moment in Bogota.

Val chats up Jeronimo Uribe, President's Son.

Unexpected Stops

Awakened to find downtown Bogota pretty empty because it was a holiday and the streets were open to bicyclists. Its a tradition they started called "Ciclovia" that is catching on around the world. We headed out of the city for a town called Zipaquira about an hour outside of Bogota. Zipaquira is famous for the Cathedral of Salt. Its a former salt mine that has become an underground cathedral. It is massive. It has all the stations of the cross carved out of salt and several naves. After a 45 minute walk you find the main cathedral with an amazing floor to ceiling cross. This is Colombia's premier attraction and it didn't disappoint.
Everywhere you look there are armed officers and this has done nothing to ease my colleague Satch's pre-conceived notions and fears that we are really putting ourselves at risk on this trip.
Stopped for lunch at a local restaurant "Funzipa" that is in a cavernous restored stable. All the dishes are "comida tipica" and the potatoes, coated in salt, are boiled in huge circular pans fired by coal ovens.
Next, it was on to Guatavita lagoon in the countryside. It is a sacred place that was discovered by the Chibcha Indians and carries many legends.
On the way home, our van was stopped by policia carreterra--the highway police. Apparently, our driver didn't have the proper documentation for the vehicle.
Both our tourism escort Andrea and our guide Jorge joined our driver Alejandro outside the vehicle to sort things out with two young officers. This suprise twenty minute stop didn't sit well with Satch, who was ready to bolt when the two armed officers pulled out their bandanas and fixed them under their eyes frito bandido style, and headed toward the van where we were sitting. Turns out, things were resolved and they were ready to hop on their motorcycles, but first wanted to shake hands with the two nervous American journalists in the back seat!
We all had a pretty good laugh and headed back to our hotel Tequendama --A Crowne Plaza property, to find extra security because President Uribe was visiting for some reason.

Satch and His New Friend

Colombia, S.A.

Buenos Dias de Bogota!
I am on a week's trip to Colombia, S.A. Will be blogging daily about this up and coming tourism destination. Yes, its on the state department list of travel warnings. yes, 300 people were kidnapped in Colombia last year. None in Bogota. that's down however from 3500 in 2002. so things are improving.
Leaving today on a tour of the sights of the city with tourism representatives. Traveling with my colleague and videographer Jon "Satch" Satriale who has his reservations about this trip.
more to come...