Frohe Weihnachten

Grab a cup of tea and settle in for the longest Christmas post you could imagine!

Blakely Holidays are never relaxing or restful. While I was thousands of kilometers away from my loving family, this year was no different. In three weeks, I visited London; Calais; Lille; Belgium (drove through); Luxembourg (drove through); Cologne; Frankfurt; Rome; Naples; Pompeii; Milan; and finally, Paris.

If you lost count (because I think I did!), that's 6 countries. In 3 weeks. I averaged 2 countries per week.
Looking at that makes me realize how lucky I am to be able to travel so freely.

Even more than adding to my list of 'Countries Visited', I was able to spend Christmas with a wonderful friend and her beautiful family.

The Hadamczik family welcomed me with open arms for their Christmas.

During my week with them, I experienced some (new to me) family traditions, met some new friends, and even did some sightseeing!
I feel like I should have an entire section of this blog dedicated to my travel mishaps. There are many. From missed flights to wrong trains- something always seems to happen and put a hurdle in my way. This trip was no different. My bus left from Lille, but the trains were on strike. Basically, I had to pack my back in 15mins because the train I was going to take was cancelled and I had to catch an earlier one. The only one that was possible.

But I refused to let my trip start on a sour note- I was going to Germany!

After a seven-hour bus ride, I got on the wrong train. Luckily, the 'ticket-checker' gave me directions to get where I needed to be, and he didn't even fine me!

Sonja, Susi's awesome sister, met me at the train station. She was so sweet, just like all of Susi's family- so kind and welcoming.

Christmas in Germany is different than in Canada. At home, we celebrate on December 25th. In Germany, the first Christmas Day is December 24th, the "Holy Night". In the evening, you have dinner, exchange gifts, and go to mass.
For us, December 24th was a relaxed day. We spent part of the morning wrapping gifts while listening to Christmas music and we even had a skype date. We made heisse schkolade (hot chocolate) and watched a movie before dinner.

For Christmas dinner, we had a three course meal! We started with salmon cakes as well as traditional German black bread with cream cheese and ciboulette. The main dish was wurst (we had a variety to choose from) with some delicious sauce, potatoes, and potato salad. Finally, our dessert was a yogurt-cream dish with a raspberry sauce. Let's just say: YUM.

The gift exchange was also much different. Everyone got a gift for each other, with MarieLuise and Reinhardt giving 2 or 3 to the girls. It was simple and thoughtful. There wasn't an abundance of 'stuff'- it was lovely. They even included me! So sweet.
Finally, it was time for mass! A real German mass- obviously I was stoked! We sang beautiful hymns (hallelujah for the hymn books!) and we even sang "Silent Night" and "Oh Come all Ye Faithful" (my favourite!!) in German. I was just so happy. As I left the service, the Priest shook my hand and wished me a "Frohe Weihnachten." You don't wish anyone a "Frohe Weihnachten." before the service- only after!

On Christmas Day I was able to skype home. It was nice to see everyone. It was almost like I was there. Just without the lack of sleep and much less snow.

The Second Christmas Day (December 25th) means a day of extended family for the Hadamcziks. We were joined by Oma Fine (Susi's grandmother), Aunt Helga, Uncle Helmut, Cousin Eva and Volker. We started with tea and cakes followed by a beautiful long dinner and chatting. They mostly spoke German, but it was so cool. I don't speak the language (although I have been learning a bit!) but I was able to follow along a little bit.

It's nice to be lost in translation sometimes!

On the third day of Christmas, my dear friend gave to me: a trip to a German city!
We did a day trip to Bruhl. We explored a castle,Schloss Augustusburg, which was remarkable. We strolled through the gardens and chatted while enjoying the grounds.

After the Palace, we went to one of Susi's favourite cafes, Duett, for a sandwich and some gossip before meeting up with Fritz, her boyfriend! A great way to spend Boxing Day!

We finished the day off by heading for dinner with the family and Oma Fine. A traditional dinner of schnitzel with great company. I even had my first kolsch- the traditional beer of Koln (Cologne).

After dinner, Susi, Fritz, Sonja, and I headed back to the house for dessert, an eis-elch! Thank you, MarieLuise!
Naturally, we pretended to shoot the moose.

I ended the three days of German Christmas with a skype home into the Power family Boxing Day gathering! Seeing everyone was fabulous!

My German Christmas was lovely. Being away from home, I couldn't have chosen a better family to be with. The Hadamcziks were welcoming and beyond hospitable. They really made me feel like part of the family!

Thank you for everything Hadamcziks! Frohe Weihnachten!

Germany on Dwellable

Brac, Croatia

Arriving on the island of Brac was a disaster.

I went to the little town of Bol. I arrived after 5pm.

I had been emailing a travel agent that the owner of my hostel in Split had recommended. They said "Yes, we have a place for you! Just send your credit card information."

I didn't see photos or anything, so I asked for some more information. They never emailed me back.

By the time I arrived on the island, my travel agency had closed, it was getting dark, and I had no place to stay and little cash.

I cried and then I walked. I walked until I found a man, Boris, sitting in an office. I explained my situation to him and he said "I have a room, you can stay here!"

Too bad I didn't have enough money.

This is when things started to turn around.

He gave me the room at a super cheap price. Then he took me to my room. The room was so beautiful. The first thing Boris told me about it?

"It's safe to drink from the tap."

A man after my own heart.

Tap water for life!

I settled in.

Then Boris came up to my room. He gave me a map, access to his work computer (so I could email Mom!), the time of the ferry and bus I would need to take back to Split the following day, and a restaurant recommendation. He said "Ask for ___, she is the owner. They take Visa and she will show you to a cash machine."

After a LOVELY pasta dinner, I found some cash and made my way to my room.

I stopped at a convenience store along the way. Here was my loot:

Cider and chocolate, yum!

I went outside onto my little balcony and just watched the sky. It was so clear. So peaceful. It has been way too long since I've stargazed.

The next morning I woke up to see the sunrise and get in an early swim at Zlatni Rat, a famous Croatian beach.

How often do you get a world famous beach all to yourself?

I wanted to take advantage of it, but it was forbidden ;)

After a quick 7 AM swim in the Adriatic on November 1st, I packed up and went back to shower and prepare for the trek back to Split- my last night in Croatia.

As soon as I arrived on Brac, I felt at home. I was stressed, but it was stunning. I would never hesitate to recommend it to anyone. The island was amazing and I wish I had been able to spend more time there. The scenery was breathtaking, but the people were even kinder.

The islands truly are the heart of the Adriatic Coast.

They also have cute cats:

Bol on Dwellable

Zadar, Croatia

By the time Tuesday came, I had begun to feel like a Split veteran. I wasn't looking forward to my trip to Zadar.

I arrived lost and lonely after a four hour bus ride.

I was stressed.

When I finally made it to the hostel, I felt like I was in a fun house:

I decided that the only way to remedy my sadness was to go for a little jaunt.

That changed everything.

Zadar old town was beautiful.

My hostel was right in the middle of the action- the very centre of the old town. I could see the sea from my hostel bed. Yup. Heaven.

I headed up to the North Western point of the island to experience the number one reason that I chose Zadar: the Sea Organ.

I had read about the Sea Organ when researching my trip, but no article prepared me for the magic.

I don't even know that I could ever describe it to you adequately.

It was peaceful, calming, magical, exciting, relaxing, and just so magnetic.

I often just spent my free time there. I LOVED the Sea Organ. It was easily the best part of my trip.

I will upload a video to Facebook so you can be so jealous!

Zadar was awesome. I made a new friend, Tracey, from Yukon. I went to a glass museum, markets, visited churches, saw the 'Silver and Gold of Zadar', walked around without any hesitation at night, read a book about sex trafficking (not recommended when travelling solo!), sat on many a wharf, walked through parks, ate ice cream, and started to see myself as a travelling gypsy.
Zadar was even better than Split. Be sure to go. And don't miss the sea organ. Go at sunset and then again late at night. Take a book or a journal and just be your own best friend.

Zadar on Dwellable

A day in: Trogir, Croatia

Trogir was a day trip for me. It was just a 30min bus ride from Split and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, so I figured it would be worth the day.

I took an early bus up to explore. It was so nice. I allowed myself to get lost in the streets. Dipping in and out of private residences (I'm a rebel) to get shots of the beautiful staircases and gardens.

I explored an old fort. It was neat. I was the only one there. It's actually used as a movie theatre now. I think that it was a little over-priced, but it did have nice views!

I did the obligatory visits to the Church, and the Bell Tower, of course. I was able to get a lemonade by the waterside and do some writing. The lemonade was not very good. Too tart for this ginger. But the people watching was prime.

At this point, It had only been a couple of hours. I grabbed an icecream (when in doubt, eat ice cream!) and found myself inside a little shelter in the main square. As I was about to leave, the cutest couple came in- a bride and groom!! They were taking wedding photos. I gave the bride a congratulatory smile. She was stunning and had a beautiful dress. I stayed to watch their photographer take some photos.

After this, I took a stroll through the market, but found myself with nothing left to do. I had planned on taking the 4pm bus back and it was just past 1:30pm. I found myself a private little beach to relax on, before heading back.

As I was walking back to the bus station, I saw this sign:

Homemade wine and olive oil. I want to come back and buy it all.

While Trogir was beautiful, I would only recommend you go for 2-3 hours. It is tiny and you can do EVERYTHING and take your time wandering in that time, easily.

Trogir on Dwellable

A day in: Split, Croatia

8am: Rise and Shine

Walk to the Palace for a little morning stroll. Trust me on this one. It may be busy, but it will be a great way to start. Just get situated. This is how I like to start every trip: get lost. Follow some small alleys (avoid dark creepy ones with questionable men lurking).

By the time you get lost and find yourself again, you will have familiarized yourself with the city and its beauty. The Palace is small enough that you can lose yourself, buy some postcards, have a coffee and be back for the free walking tour at 10am.

10am: Walking Tour
The walking tours meet in the centre of the Palace. There is also a tourist centre nearby. I dipped into the centre to pick up some brochures and maps before my tour. The tour is literally 1 kuna (a penny). Now, this doesn't mean it's completely free. As a former guide, I would say: tip your guide. From what I understood, that's how the guides are paid. If your guide is good, tip well.
My guide was Danko, a history student at the university in Zagreb. He was FABULOUS. He was able to give so many stories and recommendations.

11:30am: Ice Cream
You have, no doubt, saturated your mind with information at this point. You deserve a cone of ice cream. The Croatian ice cream was DELICIOUS. Most spots are 7 kuna for a scoop (1 Euro). Ice cream is always a good idea. Eat it by the water.

Noon: Lunch?
I never ate lunch in Croatia. It's a meal that I replace with ice cream or granola bars.

A better use of your time? Head back to the Palace and wipe that ice cream off of your face! Dip into the Cathedral and buy the 'all-inclusive' ticket. The ticket allowed me access to the Cathedral of St. Dominus, the Crypt, the Baptistery, and the bell tower. All were beautiful and well worth the money. I also visited the Temple of Jupiter.

2pm: Market
The green market is located just outside of the Palace and is well worth a look. You can buy some scarves, lavender, lace, or yummy food!

4pm: Ice-cream!
Grab another ice-cream. You deserve it. Don't worry, you will work it off soon enough.
Make your way to Marjan's Hill. You're going to hike up to watch the sunset over the city. There are so many stairs. It's worth it:

6pm: Dinner!
There are many nice restaurants in Split. I didn't visit them. I was on a tight budget. For dinner I would always head back to the Hostel and head with some other packers. We went to Fyffe (everytime) because it was cheap. The service was meh and the food was okay. But the price and location were nice. We enjoyed ourselves.
We always wanted to eat 'traditional' Croatian food, so we got suggestions from the owner of our Hostel, Filip. We ate Pasticada on our first night!

Every night at 8pm, the restaurant in the centre of the Palace has live music. Go.

Order a wine or hot chocolate and just sit on the steps of an ancient palace and enjoy it.

Split was a great place to spend the first days of my trip. I spent more than a day there. If I were you, I would budget 2 days to really get a feel for the place. This is just one way to see it all, quickly. But in my humble opinion, you should slow down while travelling.

Write, read, people watch.

Enjoy the details.

Traveling shouldn't be about how many places you've been, but about what you learned when you were there.

I learned more in Split than I could have ever imagined.