Tis the season to be...lonely?

During my morning breakfast (at noon) today, I noticed an article in the G&M about relationships during the holiday season. Apparently, Christmas brings out the loneliness in people - specifically women. In fact, we miss having a man around so much that apparently the use of gigolo services increases by 25% during the month of December.

At first glance, I scoffed and pitied the poor women who needed a little lovin to make up for the lack of a companion during the holiday season. But upon further reflection, I realized that I am not so different at all!! Mon, the "strong and confident woman", is also missing a male companion as of right now, and is defintiely feeling it. I hate to use the word lonely, and I won't admit to it, but there's definitely a void that I never noticed before. And as I've admitted to Amal - I miss having a guy around. There, I said it - and I won't say it again.

But having a relationship is something that can't 100% be replaced by anything else. I've got a great family, friends, job and a chance at polishing up my own self, and I don't even mind spending time alone with just a book, or music or movie. But being with someone is an addiction, like to a drug - once you have one taste, you know what you're missing when you lose it. It's especially noticeable when all of a sudden all your friends have some love interest on-the-go (when did that happen?!?)

I am not the type to just go for anyone - I would rather be alone than to fake some sort of relationship with someone I am not completely crazy about, and I hope to never reach that point of desperation. But my self-righteousness is lessened of late - I have realized that while being alone is great, I am weak/strong enough to want someone else to share my life with. Someone who happens to be tall, dark and handsome, with a great job and family values, who can be modern and traditional at the same time, and who will be loyal for the time that we are together. And to be honest, until that guy comes along, I will continue to fill the void in my life with new experiences and make it as full as I can without him.... and avoid the gigolo clubs until I really, really need them.

Anyone need some last-minute Christmas ideas?

This is the FUNNIEST SNL skit I've ever seen!! Uncensored and everything...

Really? Him?

Does this really look like a man who can lead our country?

Take a good look: he looks like a little boy lost in a playground, seducing the Canadian public with those puppy dog, watery eyes.

With the federal elections not too far in the distance, and the Conservative Party losing ground every day, it seems that the Liberals are well-positioned to win those elections. Which means the timid Mr. Dion will likely be our next Prime Minister.

I’ve been getting more involved in politics recently, what with more than half of my friends either a candidate for or supporting provincial/federal parties. I’m really trying to be passionate about it, but it’s difficult for me to choose sides – I’m a fence sitter, which really isn’t allowed in politics. You choose one party, and then stick with them for life while mocking the opposition.

I was actually a Michael Ignatieff supporter for a while – he’s from my ‘hood, he’s an academic and easy on the eyes. But a few speeches later and I lost my inspiration and stopped following the Liberal Leader race.

Watching the coverage this weekend, I was still convinced the whole time that he would win. However, when it came down to the last ballot, Michael lost that confident smile he had been sporting throughout the whole election and I finally admitted that Dion might win.

It’s just that when you really think about Canada and its reputation, and the current situation we’re in, I can hardly see this man as an assertive, articulate speaker. I’m even going through a French phase (in that I love them and would move to Montreal in a second), but I’m neither inspired nor confident in the new leader. Picture him trying to fight the bully that is the US, or gain an audience with Chinese leaders (Harper had some trouble) or invoke fear into terrorists hearts when we join the fight on terrorism.

I can’t believe I’m going to say this… but next time, I’m voting Conservative.

Fergie - Billboard Awards 2006 Performance

If you watch Fergie on this video, she
a) doesn't move at all
b) looks like she's going to trip on her heels when she walks
c) forgets her lyrics, especially during the her "rap"

This girl is either drunk or high - Will.i.am has to follow her around and fill in the lost lyrics (she even glances at him every so often like a scared puppy).

I can't believe more people didn't notice this!!

Evolution of Dance

I laugh out loud everytime I see this video... the guy is actually talented.

I learn more from the radio in transit to work than I actually do AT work

So apparently myth is true… although it doesn’t seem so much a myth because if you watch any group of women, they prove that it has to be a bona fide fact (every episode of Sex and the City is based on this fact).

Women talk more than men do – 3 times more!

A study stated that on average, women use a whopping 20,000 words in one day, while men barely use 7,000. This brings about an interesting debate…

Do men use less words cause they’re smarter, dumber or just unable to express themselves? Do women use more words because they’re more emotional, and therefore need to voice those feelings? And is this something we should equalize/ attempt to narrow the gap, or is it just one of those differences between men and women that we all love to analyze…

When I compare my mom and myself to my brother and dad, I can definitely see the difference in word use – it’s actually a common spat in our family – my dad tries to get a word in but my mom is too quick for him.

To me, the more you speak, the more you have to bullsh*t – how else can you account for the extra word use? I must say, I have long been a fan of saying more in few words – I have put conscious effort into not talking as much (I find this makes me seem like I understand everything at work while I really don’t have any idea what they’re talking about). I also find people (a.k.a. women) at work who talk too much annoy not only me, but make me doubt their real capability since the BS factor seems to be so high.

Really, some self-control is needed at time- in my male-dominated workplace, I keep myself in check to make sure I don’t sound like a ditz. Once I leave that office though, it’s time to relax – I say let everyone speak! It really takes greater skill to be able to verbalize what you’re saying… anyone can shut themselves up. Otherwise, one day bottling up all that “talk” might turn you into a crazy on the streets of Toronto that just talks to him/herself…

Pho? How bout NO

If evil were to take form as food, it would be Pho.

I'd like to add that I am really trying to be experimental with food choices - I definitely tried a lot of different foods in Europe, and I attempt to keep an open mind (as much as I can complain while I do it).

I knew Pho and I weren't meant to be when I smelled the coriander in the mix - I don't know what it is, but coriander makes me... I won't get graphic. Not only that, but the smell sticks with me for days after. *Shudder*

Then, Dirk (my coworker) pointed out the pieces of tripe or stomach or whatever it was... I swear, my imagination got the better of me and I couldn't eat anymore.

Good news though - I couldn't eat anything the rest of the day - looks like I found that secret method for sticking to that diet my trainer tried to put me on.

P.S. This post is not meant to offend any Vietnamese people - I'm sure you're all lovely, and that other choices on the menu were delicious, but yuck.

Has someone been reading my blog?

It seems my tirade against O.J. Simpson's TV interview and book made a difference - both have been cancelled today! This is the first time that media has listened to me - and about oh, 10 million other people.

And in the meantime, we count another beloved star making a nosedive in their reputation - Kramer, from Seinfeld, was doing stand-up and was getting heckled by some (apparently) black people, because he went into a shameful verbal assault against them. It seems like he had a mini-crazy moment - possibly pulling an Anne Heche, circa 2001, or maybe a Mel Gibson, circa raging alcoholic. Either way, somewhat unfortunate. Check it out on www.tmz.com (with video!)

"IF I did it" - BS by OJ Simpson

I know I said I’d write about happy things… but the truth of the matter is that happy things are often boring, rare, and I’m unable to rant about them. They just don’t get me into the Mozone, you know?

Hence my next subject – I read about O.J. this morning: he is writing a book and interviewing with Fox about the murders he “didn’t” commit. He will write/discuss how he would have done it IF he was the one that murdered Nicole and Ron.

I don’t understand how people can watch this bull. How can you watch someone describe a murder that he obviously committed with the smug satisfaction that he did not get charged nor will ever be charged? This is an actual quote from the interview: “I have never seen so much blood in my life. I don’t think any two people could be murdered without everybody being covered in blood.” I don’t even know what to say to that… I only hope that his kids aren’t watching, because not only am I disgusted that someone would give this loser any more attention for being a murderer, I am infuriated that the US judicial system would allow for something like this to happen – he should be stopped and silenced forever.

I rest my case.

After canvassing for 6 months and having an amazing team to support him, Andrew’s hard work paid off last night. Although he didn’t actually beat the incumbent/offensive John Filion, he got an amazing 35% from his ward.

Needless to say I am slightly hungover and very tired this morning… my night ended around 1:30 (not bad for a Monday) after traveling home on the subway from Yonge and Sheppard and making several pit stops along the way.

Whatever happened, it was all worth it – I’m proud to say I worked on a campaign for a guy like Andrew. As Pat would say, “a real class act”.

E-Day is finally here...

After helping Andrew out for the past few months, the day is finally here - election time!

Go out and vote, and then come celebrate Andrew Miller's successful campaign in Willowdale - he deserves it!

On a side and completely unrelated note, I just read an interesting article on CNN about Toronto, professors and weed - we should be proud that we got into international headlines with this story.... riiiiiiight.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/11/13/canada.professors.reut/index.html

Good ol' TTC...

So although I bitch about commuting, it definitely gives me a chance to satisfy my obsession with Sudokus, books, music and people-watching for about 2 hours every day.

Although most days I'm either touched or amused by people's actions, the past few days have made me realize that a) riding the subway is like a microcosm for the "real world" and the type of people in it b) (continuing on that thread) there are a lot of "weirdos" in Toronto and c) there are a lot more homeless people than I realized (now that it's cold outside, the homeless keep to warmer areas).

A touching moment was yesterday, when an elderly couple got onto the subway, snuggled together and both fell asleep during the ride. It sounds cliche, but it was cute since they were doing it without any false pretense.

Some scarier experiences were when I saw a group of teens harass another teen (damn bullies), then myself got assaulted on the same day. Some guy started touching me, and then following me off the subway - thankfully a pair of knights in shining suits saved me with their white briefcases. A modern day fairy tale perhaps?

The worst part of my commute was yesterday, when I was coming back from Spanish class - as I was entering the subway, sirens were going off behind me and following me up to the entrance. I was trying to get to the Westbound trains at Yonge/Bloor, and as I was transferring through, I noticed a commotion and a man perched on a railing in the tunnel looking like he was ready to commit suicide. Turns out the sirens were cops trying to come stop him...

EIther way, it really saddened me that this actually happens - I mean, I'm not naive enough to think that suicide is more common than the public assumes, but to actually see someone desperate enough to do it in PUBLIC is a tragedy.

On that note, I've decided to write about happier things from now- it seems my blogs always end on a sad note, which is not an indication of me at all. Sooooo.... next blog: rainbows and puppies and raindrops on roses.... you get my drift.

Finally...

It has finally happened!

TMZ (www.tmz.com) has just reported that Britney Spears filed for divorce from Kevin Federline - anyone who knows me knows that a) I love keeping up with Hollywood gossip b) I always loved Britney and c) K-Fed is white trash.

This is my superficial side coming out, but I am glad that she finally got rid of him. And she waited til she looked good and caused a stir last night on Letterman to do it.
http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/07/holy-crap-brit-is-hot-again/

You go girl! (I can't pull that off can I?)

GAH!!!

I lost my mother%\*$& in cell phone on the subway - I'm an idiot!!

I thought I'd try and vent on the blog to deal with this major annoyance. Oh, and to mention that I am a predictable human being: it seems the 5 Stages of Grief apply to me: I passed Denial about 2 hours ago, when I couldn't believe that it happened to me, and tore through my purse/bag/car/clothing (with odd stares from fellow subwayers). I am currently, and obviously, going through the Anger stage - if any of you were here with me right now... well, you don't want to be.

Beware of stages 3-5: Bargaining (yeah right), Depression (ouch) and Acceptance (very far away). Don't say I didn't warn you.

Release therapy - literally.

Apparently this man strikes so much fear into people's hearts that they get turned on.

On my way to work this morning, I read a little blurb in the Metro about increased condom sales and bookings at "love motels" in South Korea recently. I'm not kidding - the article wrote that "despite the South Korean's apparently blasé reaction" to North Korea and nuclear situation, South Koreans are actually "seeking solace in sex".

I don't really know what to say... usually I would say that people have their own way of dealing and that I don't understand, but finally, this is a grieving process that I can appreciate.

Something tells me that in about 9 months, the Metro might report an unexplained "increase in babies born" in South Korea…

Mon the mom? Highly unlikely.

Being a parent scares the crap out of me.

Not that I am thinking about it becoming a reality anytime soon - I'm still proud to say that I am in a selfish phase in my life, and that raising a child is nowhere near the realm of my possibility.

I have seen my share of bad parenting, and especially horrible parenting, through disasters in our (formal) social circle, through children at my mom's school and just through personal experience at my own schools. When it comes down to it, a lot of parents should have either waited, or declined the role in the first place. It's common sense that the environment that you grow up in creates the kind of person you are, with a few exceptions that break the mold.


I love the Cosby family - if I could choose a fantasy family of my own, I think they'd be a lot like them. I'll never forget the episode when Theo talks to his dad about not being smart enough to do well in school, and that he should be able to choose his own path in life, which doesn't necessarily have to be so hard. He talks at length about loving him no matter what he studies, and that his dad should accept that. A Full House episode would have called for a pat on the back, and a "don't worry, honey, you can settle for mediocrity if that's what you want" moment.
Cosby, on the other hand, replied with the unforgettable "that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!". Classic... it sounds exactly like my dad, and it was refreshing to know that there were other kids out there trying to take the easy way out and the parents to nip that kind of mentality right in the bud.

Anyway, I digress once more... my blog is inspired by an article I read this morning. It seems there is a study saying that autism could be caused by too much TV at a young age: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1548682,00.html?cnn=yes. These kinds of studies freak me out, since it puts one more thing on the ownice of the parent. I am by no means a control freak, but remembering all the "dos and don'ts" of parenting make me realize I am far from ready or willing to become a mom. Or I could try to adopt a child from Malawi, but it seems that's fraught with even more problems than having my own.

I think that being selfish, single and lovin it is the way to go for me - no mini-Monika's for now.

What are you smoking?

With my office (partial) view into the building courtyard, I was surprised to see a large number of people frequenting (props to Adam) the outside walkway. It was pouring rain, and cold, and I couldn't figure out why people would subject themselves to an unpleasant environment.

...Then, I saw the magic sticks. People were obviously in need of the hit of tobacco and the trade-off between smoking and getting wet was an easy decision to make. I was and am surprised by how many addicted smokers there actually are - living in the suburbs, and hearing all the anti-smoking laws has deluded me into thinking that nobody smokes anymore, but one visit to downtown toronto during morning coffee or lunchtime definitely clears up the confusion.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really not one to loudly judge the smokers - even I have casually 'experimented' with cigarettes/cigars, and don't feel guilty about it. I don't think I can really understand people with a full-blown habit, that required a morning smoke to get through the day - then again, I'm not the type to have an addictive personality, so apparently I "will never understand".

Smoking provides some kind of high that people need, hence the addiction - find a new high! Listen to Brooke Shields (whose 80's advertisement against smoking I find highly amusing), whose "looks are spoiled" by the cancer stick. It can't possibly be the white jumpsuit and cheeks the colour of a fire truck that are ruining her vibe... Brooke Shields circa 1985 has a lot to teach you all, take notice and dump those cigarettes (especially the ones that you stick in your ears, those can hardly be good).

I'm inlove...

It has happened, and much, much sooner than I thought it would:

I have met someone, and I'm completely infatuated after only a few days.

Bold statement? Yes. But this male is exactly what I was looking for. First of all, he's incredibly low maintenance - he is completely happy (from what I can tell) with just hanging out with me, and doesn't need anything fancy to be content. He holds himself with a quiet dignity that few possess, says a lot using very few words. Of course, he's extremely good-looking, but a little too territorial sometimes (he would rip the competition to shreds, literally). Although it's only been a few days, he has been there to tuck me into bed and wakes up to greet me in the morning.

Want to see this gorgeous specimen? He's really one-of-a-kind:

Meet Moe.

Homecoming definitely felt like coming home...

Sigh... I didn't realize how much I missed London until this weekend - although I didn't have time to think about missing it, given that I had 24 hours to celebrate my return.

This picture (my most favourite) is the perfect image of what the weekend was - passed out but still showing school spirit (on the left) and lookin fly (our actor friend on the right). Sadly, this is the scene at the beginning of the trip, but it was definitely worse on the way home (I almost joined them, and I was driving).

The weekend started off with the football game, which I am proud to say we won, but I didn't make it through - it rained almost the whole time and I got my sick ass frozen to the core up until half-time. After driving some soaking boys and myself back to the apartment, we di dsome shopping and chilled up until we realized we were late getting to the bar at 8pm! The Frog had a 45 minute line-up, which we quickly manoeuvered around by paying the bouncer the equivalent of cover at a Toronto bar, and got in immediately.

The Frog is by far the best bar I have been to, and that includes Toronto bars/clubs as well - it never disappoints. The crowd was great, cheap drinks and more cute guys than I've seen in one night. We kept it a girls night, which was the best - Amal and I partied hard til closing, and got few hours of sleep that night. The next morning, we dragged our hungover bodies to Starbucks, and on the way home hit Barakat's, which completed the customary London weekend - keeping it traditional is comforting.

To sum it up - I saw almost everyone from our graduating class (one friend even flew up from LA just to be there) and London is an amazing place to party it up. Amal and I decided that we are definitely visiting sometime soon again, and embracing the early arrival time, cheap drinks, familiar faces and the one crowded street on the way home from the bar. Thank God we chose Western... who knows what might have happened if we were U of T'ers (no offense lil Deboz)...

Weeeeesteeeern

How excited am I? Almost 6 months since my last class and 4 months since grad, I get to visit my lovely alma mater - and under the best circumstances. I don't like purple, or watching sports, sitting out in the cold or drinking beer ("it's so good once it hits your lips"), but for some reason Homecoming weekend brings out the best in me and I become a fan of all of the above - until the game clock strikes 0, and I drag myself home without one of my high heel "slippers".

Moving along... I am driving up Saturday morning with a carload of Western Alumni, and meeting up with the old crowd to watch the game and proceed to party until Sunday morning. I'm sure there will be many stories after this week - London always guarantees a good time, especially at the Frog. I'm going to be there for all of 24 hours, but oh, how glorious each hour will be...

To be or not ... what?

I had this discussion in Europe, and it’s been on my mind since then…

You can argue that people should always be working on improving themselves – through self-discovery and –reflection, the point of our life is to eventually reach a perfect version of ourselves. Or at least that we can accept and be happy with.

So the question is, how do I choose what this “ideal Mon” should be like? I have definitely identified what could be classified as character flaws, but how much of those are something I should embrace? Basically, should I be accepting of how I was born, or should I constantly be trying to change who I am? On top of that, I find there are different versions of me too – when in a different environment, or mood, or whatever.

A lot of people have responded that you should always be changing your personality to rid yourself of flaws, but I find that’s also what makes someone interesting. Really, the worst thing you can do is be boring, or to make people indifferent to you.

Therefore, I have chosen to keep my impatience, my ill-timed jokes, my inappropriate comments and my ever-changing moods as character-enriching qualities. You’ve all been warned.

Get your sexy on...

I had to comment on my random thought of the day...
Being newly single (1 month or so), I have suddenly been immersed in the dating scene - or rather, the complexities of what it means to date. Most of my friends are single, but definitely have more dating experience than me - despite being 23, I was always a late bloomer, and am a few years behind other people.

Interestingly enough, playing catch-up can happen pretty quickly - it seems that there are a lot of single, young people out there. First, I get my daily dose of it every day on the way to work, and during breaks and lunches (did I mention I have a weakness for guys in suits?). Second, websites like Lavalife have showed that there are a lot of people out there looking, albeit I consider LL the indirect, kinda "chicken" way out (I'm trying not to knock it til I try it).

As always, I digress - my point here is: what is the quality that attracts people to another? After speaking at length on this topic with Sam, we decided that it's definitely confidence. Obviously the man (in this case) needs to have something to work with, but the ability to be secure in yourself and in your ability to satisfy your partner is crucial. Since the person has no doubt in themselves, this leaves no room for the partner to doubt them either.

Just to be clear, being confident does not include an overly large ego or being cocky - in fact, often truly confident people will not talk about themselves, but just exude self-assuredness.

This will weaken my argument, but I thought about this while watching JT perform at the VMA's this year. So many people hate him, or criticize his dancing, but he doesn't care - and his performance is always stronger because he's so sure of himself. Hence "bringing sexyback"... we love JT.

Delayed diatribe (def. prolonged, bitter and abusive discourse)

I didn't want to do it... I exercised self-control... I even realize that by writing about it I'm giving it even more attention... but it HAD to be done!!

I can't stand Paris Hilton. Even more than Diddy.

I don't even know when the Paris media obsession started. All I know is that when she first became popular, I was trying to figure out who the heck she was. But I was still indifferent. I got annoyed with her show, and with the "That's Hot" repeated everywhere - of course she could only put two (three?) words together at a time. She showed a lack of imagination and lived a life of true gluttony, in every sense except literally - the burgers she advertised so expertly will never really be eaten by Paris Hilton. My annoyance turned to anger when she badmouthed Lindsay Lohan - I hate to admit it, but Lindsay is my favourite young drama queen, so I got her back.

But yesterday, my indifference--> annoyance--> anger turned into rage. She was driving under the influence, and evidently did something wrong since she got arrested. Instead of apologizing or doing some sincere and instant damage control, she announced that "it was nothing" and that all this attention has been "hurting her feelings".

I don't even want to say anymore... I'm angry, if you couldn't tell.

On a happier note, I am spending tonight with my friend Sam and hitting up a party with people from my school, and heading out for some good old-fashioned partying (with dancing hopefully). Tomorrow, Sam and I are heading to Yorkville to shop, but really to catch sight of all the stars in town for the Toronto Film Fest. When telling my coworkers about my weekend plan, I came off somewhat stalkerish - but the key is to look for many stars as opposed to just one (which we are doing). And catching up on our reading in the neighbourhood Starbucks.

Finally, I have officially become a part of my office - I have a nickname! Normally, it's "Mo", but during my ghetto, high street-cred moments, I become "Deboz". Both make me sound tough, which is definitely the attitude I would like to portray.

Deboz out. Boo-yeah.

I have become a geriatric...

...and I've developed the need for a cane as well, apparently.

Obviously, this week is one where many students go back to school, and often to a living of freedom, sleeping in, drinking and going out - oh, and being surrounded by people their own age. I didn't really miss Western until I realized that the past 2 weeks have been the exact opposite of the life I used to have.

It has actually been less than 2 glorious weeks that I have been employed, and I love every minute of it. I always thought of myself as a "non-worker", but CGI has been absolutely fantastic! The office, the people, the location... I've even been doing some relevant work. However, this lifestyle has me yawning at 9pm, up at 6am and lacking the social life that I so carefully put together up til now. Emails are definitely the only form of communication, partnered with some msn chatting (since I get it at work). I spent my first weekend as a working girl sleeping, watching movies, shopping for work clothes and... well, there was some partying, but I was hardly up to my "hardcore" standards.

I am assuming (and hoping) that once I get into the rhythm of things, I will get used to only sleeping a few hours and actually going out on weekdays. I mean, when am I supposed to fit in extra currics, a boyfriend, a family, or even a life?? I'm not as alarmed as I sound, but that's only because I am half-asleep...

Monika out.

Dear blog, I have not forsaken thee

It has been almost a month since I have written... what a slacker I am. However, my excuse is that I was entirely undisciplined and focused on going out, sleeping in and shopping. (I am not even trying to make myself sound good.)

However, my new life activity is much more responsible and appropriate to support my lifestyle: work. I just started my new job at CGI yesterday, and it is a fantastic feeling! I will not lie that I am financially motivated to do well: Europe and my recent "summer lovin" weeks have left me considerably lighter in the wallet.

Other than it being all about the money (thanks Ivey), I am also excited to be keeping busy and contributing to some greater cause other than myself. My coworkers (thus far) are great, mostly men, but I like to be the differentiating factor anyway. Getting up in the morning is not as painful just now, but I can only imagine my change of opinion once winter comes around and it's pitch black outside.

I found that ever since I got back from Europe, I have a new attitude towards life. Sounds like a general sweeping statement, but I can feel the difference in my positive/laissez-faire reaction to events that would normally infuriate me. The change is probably imperceptible to anyone but me, but I am either much happier (no, it's not drugs), more confident or just blasé (in the most positive context possible).

I hope that this attitude stays with me, and I'm inclined to think it's a permanent change... although everyone tells me to give it a few weeks or until my boss first yells at me... here's to wishful thinking that that won't happen anytime soon.

Canada

I got back to Canada on Sunday night - the flight passed by quickly, with pockets of laughter, anger and annoyance. I didn't even know that so much could happen on a plane, until this flight, where I was placed in the middle seats of the plane, right between two families with infants (oh, the joys of babies crying in harmony). There was the anger. Then a grumpy old German lady decided to take up my arm room and give me 'tude, from which stemmed my annoyance. However, all my emotions were numbed as soon as they put the movies on. Watching Antonio Banderas cured me of any advanced mental states (in both Take The Lead and Zorro 2). When Failure to Launch came on, I got really excited - granted it's not the best movie, but Zooey Deschanel makes me want to be a lesbian - no joke, she is my huge girl crush of the moment. I laughed out loud until I cried during that movie.

Anyway, coming home was exactly what I thought - in a word, bittersweet. It was great seeing the family, and they were so enthusiastic that I couldn't help but be infected with the "joy of loving Monika" as well. My parents left for up north on Monday afternoon (they can't stand the city knowing that the new cottage is sitting empty). I have had the luxury of having the place to myself, and have enjoyed eating Nutella, pizza and watching TV for the past 2 days. I decided to get rid of all my negative habits and cravings at once - my poor body is confused, I can feel it.

We also had the best timing to meet up with my cousin Veronika, who was in TO for a few days this week. We haven't seen each other in a few years at least, and when we met up, it was like we were kids again - the days of jumping on the bed and listening to Mariah were unforgotten, although we didn't go down that road this time out of respect for our delicate bed frames. We had the greatest time with her, and found out that her sister (cousin as well) is engaged!!! How quickly we grow up... although I am nowhere near that point in my life at all. On a side note: Congratulations Maria!!!

This week, I'm basically focused on making my tiny room as livable as possible for the next few months, as I am living at home when I start work. I was 100% sure I would be living in an apartment in downtown TO by now, but unfortunately logic took over my independent spirit for now. Some good investments in an iPod and books will make the commuting bearable.

The transition from my European lifestyle to my Canadian one is slow but steady - although I can feel that some of the European influence is permanent. My perspective on life in North America is forever changed - I can't describe it very well, since it consists of little things, but I am now positive that I will end up in Europe for some portion of my life, if not permanently. I am so glad I did this trip, and that I traveled by myself: I made the arrogant presumption that I knew myself completely before this trip, and had the pleasure of discovering aspects of my character that I didn't know existed. Most surprisingly, that I am completely comfortable being alone, being independent and meeting new people. I encourage anyone (especially girls!) to travel alone at some point, as it expands the bubble that you live in a little more.

This picture is from the Karluv bridge in Prague, taken a few days ago. This is my favourite picture of me in Europe, since I can remember that at this point, I was feeling absolutely happy, confident and proud of finishing my trip. I can't wait to travel again and bring back those feelings at least one more time.

Frankfurt (apparently you're not allowed to say Frankfurter unless you are physically in Frankfurt - weird eh?)

My last post in Europe. I am going to try not to dwell on this sad fact while I fill my last night with as much excitment as possible. (But I'm still sad, I can feel Europe withdrawal already.)

Well, this night I spend in Frankfurt, since I am flying home from here. Frankfurt is not really "delivering" the way I thought it would. When I got here, I was positively surprised that my hostel was a stone's throw away from the train station and metro. However, there were some lewd pictures in some store windows on my way here, but I didn't really think anything of it. I mean, I'm in Europe right? Back to that in a moment...

I got to my hostel, and decided to go sightseeing right away. Frankfurt is a very modern-looking city, with ancient churches in between tall skyscrapers. I don't think I've seen anything like it in Europe yet! The nightlife here was great too - I walked downtown around 9, and there were already parties and people having fun in the streets.

I walked back along the river, and then along my street again, and noticed the number of neon lights spelling out words such as "sex", or "erotic", or "peep". I also noticed a high percentage of male visitors on the street, which were not there before. Upon looking in my guide book, I noticed that I was smack dab in the middle of the red light district of Frankfurt! No wonder there were pictures of breasts all around me... Dad and Mom, don't worry - this wasn't an "in your face" kind of red light district, it was... as decent and clean as a district like that can be.

Either way, I think I am calling it an early night - it's funny how midnight seems much too early to go to bed right now. My plane leaves early afternoon, but I've heard that the airport in Frankfurt is tourist attraction in itself, so I will count that in to my tour.

I don't want to dwell, but I will really, really, really miss Europe. My heart is not ready to go back, but unfortunately my wallet and career are. I also would like to mention that I have about 5 Gigs of media from my digicam, so be careful if you ask to see pictures, because I WILL show them all to you. Even the portraits I took of my "20 km a day" feet. A very detailed portfolio. Be ready!

Praha

This picture is literally the view from my hostel: it was right downtown, by the Karluv bridge, and finding it was a challenge. It turns out the hostel was above a shop, and you had to go through a tight ceiling'ed stairway, which took you up and down, and finally would lead you to reception, and then your room. The location was fantastic, and I had the perfect base from which to start my tour of Prague.

I am ashamed to admit that I actually went to bed pretty early (1030 or so) on Thursday night, but not before I went to visit the city for a few hours. Prague's winding streets and alleys are one of a kind, with a surprise literally at every corner. I was woken up at around 1 am, by a group of 4 Brazilian guys, whose beds I had taken over with my bag (since no one else was in the room). The boys were nice enough to move the stuff for me, so my sleep wasn't so interrupted.

The next day, I planned out a walking tour for myself, which included walking south to the river, than across the bridge (most Legii) and take a tour through the park and the castle. I stopped by to eat some lunch, and as I was approaching the castle, the rain started to pour in buckets. I took shelter under a cafe umbrella, but the owner stared me down, so I kept walking and took shelter on the stairs under a random building. I just started and finished Labyrinth on the 9 hour train over, and was feeling a little angry towards Catholics, so I was surprised to find that the shelter I chose was actually the side part of the huge St. Nicolas church in Prague. It was a nice break from the pouring rain, I must admit.

After visiting the castle, I took the metro to the east side of Prague, where I indulged in some window and actual shopping. I walked back to my hostel, and didn`t realize how late it was: I was supposed to meet a friend at 7! On a side note, my friend Will from Western just landed in Prague (he's Czech) on the 28th, and that's the evening that I was going to be there to, so we met up for some Czech food and drinks. We used to work together in London and he's a fellow Western Alum. It was great to see a familiar face, and we did tons of catching up that evening.

Once I got back, I packed everything, and left Prague this morning for Frankfurt: another fantastic 7 hour train ride. I must say though, the Germans know how to build their trains - second class on this train was not even comparable to first class on a Polish one. When we finally got to Frankfurt, I didn't even want to get off. Sigh, but I have to face reality: Frankfurt is my last stop before I fly home to Canada. That's right, I am thisclose to concluding my trip already.

I'll be spending the last hours trying to enjoy myself as long as possible. Frankfurt better deliver!

Poland concluded (sniff, sniff)

(This is one of my most favourite picture of all time - just Adam, Ewa and I goofin around and acting like crazy kids, and causing havoc.)

After writing a novel on Sunday, I decided to give the blog a bit of a break, and focus on spending time with the family and soaking in the Polish vibe.

Basically, for the past 3 days, I have been shopping and walking around Warsaw with Ewa, and having a fantabulous time with my little "sister". Even though she is only 14, you can already tell Ewa is at that point where she is becoming an adult and wanting to discuss serious things (and fun things like boys and make-up of course!). I love seeing little glimpses of the kind of person she is going to be - it makes me think back to when I was a teenager and everything that I went through at that age too (and how bitchy I got at times too).

Shopping, walking and talking doesn't sound like much of a challenge, but I feel I need to remind you all about the weather situation in Europe. It is honestly 32 degrees or hotter during the day, with absolutely no rain for the past 3 weeks. Apparently this heat wave is the hottest it's been in 200 years, and it's not pretty. Prague is apparently worse, with average temps being 35 - yay for me.

Anyway, Ewa and I would obviously stay up late at night too, and although I had to be at the train station this morning at 7:30, last night was no exception. I am proud to say I have turned Ewa into a true Wedding Crashers fan, which does our family proud. This morning, exhausted from no sleep, the whole fam (Grandparents, Ewa, and Ciocia) escorted me to the station, and once the train rolled in, the floodwords started. I am really, really going to miss them - Ewa especially, since she is my little sis. Needless to say, no one looked pretty, and I only calmed down once the train actually left.

The train ride was long and hot, with a lot of annoying men causing trouble. I got off the train, sweaty and tired, and was greeted by a man urinating right in front of me. Once I safely averted the urinary crisis (and was temporarily blinded due to too-much-exposure), I looked up and ahead of me. I can already see what the fuss is about: Prague already looks absolutely gorgeous! The architecture, and layout of the city is definitely worth all the praise. I am staying in a hostel right in the middle of downtown, right by the Karlova bridge (apparently the tourist centre). I am pumped for Prague!

Just wanted to take this chance to wish the Happiest Birthday to Jess, who turned 22 yesterday - I hope you're ready to party (I am, it's been too long) when I get back!!

Adam's trip to Poland, concluded

(This is the final of 5 posts I have written in a row. There is obviously a lack on consistency, but I hope you all enjoy them!)

After our nap and meal, we decided to make the most of the 3 days that Adam had left in Warsaw. We had to cut out the trip to Lodz, to visit our uncle and party - sad days, but I'm sure there'll be other times. We got our stuff together, and went to visit our Ciocia Ela at work, and from there to the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. We were both extremely impressed at the quality and effort put into the museum - the sounds effects, video testimonies and documents depicting the Uprising were powerful. I won't go into detail about the history of it, only to say that Poland is often the butt of WWII jokes when we probably put up the biggest fight against the Germans (considering our limitations). The Uprising started August 1 and lasted for 63 days: Poles organized themselves to attack the Germans, using sewers as a means of secret transport. About 18 thousand soldiers were killed, and 120-200 thousand civilians murdered - most of the people participating in it were young, Warsaw Intelligentsia. I think Adam and I learned more about Polish history on this trip than the combined knowledge we have about any other country.

We took the evening to travel around Warsaw - metro and bus - with our Grandma. After the walk, we came back, changed into nice clothes and went out onto Nowy Swiat (similar to Bay and Bloor in Toronto). It felt nice to actually wear fancy clothes and dress up for a change!

The next day, we included Palac Kultury (like the CN Tower) in downtown Warsaw, followed by a trip to family friends on the outskirts of Warsaw. I lied before, by the way: this was by far the hottest weather I had travelled in (far worse than Buda-buda). It was great to see the Grosiki, since they are like family on my mom's side. Once we got back to our base at the grandparents place, we drove with our aunt to pick up our cousin from her camp trip in Italy. She came back tanned, thin and somewhat happy to see us (it's soooo not cool for a 14 year old to get picked up by her mom and cousins, duh).

Basically, we spent the rest of the time with Ewa and having tons of fun - it makes me wish I had a younger sister (uhh, and made me appreciate that I have a younger brother too). We visited our great-aunt at her cottage, then our grandparents cottage and finally went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. The whole day made me realize how much I want a big family, and that I hate only seeing them once every 3 years.

The grandparents let us have the apartment that night, since they stayed at the cottage, and Adam, Ewa and I were pumped to go out and have an empty place. Of course, right after the movie, we were all so drained that we bought some junk food and stayed up til 3 watching movies. Watch out, everyone, the Debowski's really know how to party!

Today was a day of relaxing, with lots of walks and then a frenzy of lunch, packing and waiting in line at the airport. Adam checked in at 4:35, with his flight leaving at 4:55, so there wasn't much time for goodbyes. There seemed to be a void when he left: Adam, I think that they like you better than me. You will be very missed here. Not by me. I will see you in a week - great.

My trip is not over yet though - Poland for 3 days (I'm determined to take on the town with Ewa), then Prague and Frankfurt. T-7 days and I'm definitely feeling it!

Robbie, oh Robbie

I failed to mention that since we were served really slowly at the Hungarian restaurant, and since we were already running late, we left the restaurant at 9:15 (with his show starting most probably around 9). I was stressed out the whole time, with the only part of my body enjoying itself being my mouth and stomach. Adam could tell I was on edge (it wasn't hard to see), so we said a quick goodbye to Roby and ran outside to get going. We got a cab, who got us there by 9:25, which was not so late into the concert.

Here's where I'm an idiot. You don't have to tell me, because I know. When I bought the tickets online, I didn't print them out (lack of printer) but wrote down the confirmation number. I was under the impression that the ticket office would be near the entrance, open and ready to confirm my number and let me in. Wrong. The entrance to the stadium was a bunch of big, Hungarian men who didn't give a crap that I had a number: they wanted tickets. I panicked slightly as we went in search for an open office, which obviously didn't exist. We finally asked some cops for an internet cafe with a printer, and they pointed us in the direction of a roof, which I think was meant to be a joke, which I obviously didn't find funny. At this point, Adam and I had been RUNNING around for probably a kilometre or two, looking sweaty and dishevelled. We ran into the first sign of life we saw, which was some fancy hotel. Surprisingly enough, the concierge escorted us to a private room, gave us printer paper and we got our tickets.

Close to ten, we finally ran back to the ticket entrance and got in! Robbie was still going full force, and by some magical luck, started playing all my favourite songs right then and there. I was lulled by his fantabulous voice, good looks and ability to make any girls he wanted flash him on camera. My hero! In all seriousness, it was the best concert I have ever been to - just the experience of being in Budapest, with 70, 000 other people and it being our last night on the trip.

The way back was another story - completely unable to walk in my heels, we followed the thousands of people to a main intersection. The subway was, of course, closed, and we had no idea how to get back. Every bus and tram stop was packed to the brim. We started walking off in search of an ATM for cash for a taxi, and found neither. We finally walked so far that we were off the map - bad for directions, but good for getting on a bus. We got on one that came 1/2 hour later, and drove a few stops down where we were crushed like sardines in a can. I was at the back of the bus, facing outside in the heat and painful, painful shoes. Stopping and going, up and down, heat coming from everywhere and lack of air can make you very cranky (which I am sure is on Adam's list of "What Makes Monika Very Bitchy"). We didn't even know if we were on the right bus, but a few stops later, we got off, and managed to grab a cab back to the hostel. We were supposed to be going for beers after the concert, but what with the experience thus far and the fact that I didn't meet Robbie, I was not in the mood.

The next morning, our roomies were even worse off than we were - completely sunburnt and dehydrated from standing in line for 12 hours, they were exhausted, but managed to get 4th row standing and amazing pictures. They promised to send them to me, and after talking about it, I realized how great of a story we all had - I will never forget that night (my feet won't either I'm sure). It was the perfect end to a fantabulous 9 days of traveling with Adam! Our flight back was a measly 1 hour, and we rejoined our grandparents for the final days in Poland.

We ate a huge meal and took a nap first of course...

Budapest

I think we saw the city of Budapest in a record-breaking amount of time - we maximized every hour we had there. We got to the city after 5, and by the time we checked in and found our hostel, it was about 7.

We immediately went to eat dinner just down the street, which was one of the most delicious and well-served meals I think I've had. As much as Adam likes to eat and eat well, I can't complain - the places he chooses are fantastic. We quickly realized that we know nothing about Hungary or Budapest, that Hungarian is NOTHING like Polish (which we thought) and that going from Canadian dollars to Zloty to Euro to Forint is more confusing than it seems.

We met up with an American guy named Roby - he was on a Europe trip as part of a scholarship he won for college (smart guy) but mostly traveling. He joined us on a Pest tour that evening, which went from 9 to 1am. We walked to whole way, and when we got the river, were surprised with what we saw. Every important building in Buda and Pest was illuminated to look beautiful, so that I felt I was in a postcard the whole time. We couldn't really capture it with the digicam, but I don't think Adam nor I will forget it.

The next day, I learned that Robbie Williams was touring Europe and was going to perform in Budapest that night. I am a huge Robbie fan - I don't like smokers, and I don't like tattoes, but Robbie can do whatever he wants and all is forgiven. (Robbie, if you by some small chance come by this posting, I wanted you to know that. I also know you like Polish girls - that's me.) More on him later. Mmmmm...

Anyway, I am losing focus... we visited Buda from 10-3, in what was probably the hottest weather I have ever travelled in. I don't think I have mentioned this, but Europe is going through a humongous heat wave, with temperatures at about 35 degrees. Needless to say, it's really, really hot - but what can you do. Anyway, that day must have been 35 or over, with no clouds. We walked all around Buda, including up onto the hill with the castle and church. After working up a sweat and appetite, we walked to a restaurant in Pest. While talking to all our neighbouring tables, we found out that everyone and their mother was going to the concert (people drove from Germany just to see him!) which got me really excited.

The first best part of the day was right after we ate - we took the tiny metro to north Pest, where we went into the spring baths that are popular there. Szechenyi baths is one of many, but a big one: it had about 9 baths, not to mention saunas, spas and fountains. The picture up top probably says it all. I don't think any of you will really understand what it feels like to dip into one of those pools after a brutal day in the sun and just float around in the water. I got a pedicure too, as a much-needed therapy for my flip flop-wearing, Europe-traveling feet. We really need those kinds of baths in Toronto (lunch break anyone?).

We spent 2 glorious hours just floating around, walked back to our hostel (with a detour to buy sexy shoes for me... ok, for Robbie) and got ready at the hostel. We were also starved after our unsatisfying lunch meal, and ate a local place to sample some Hungarian food. It was also served very late (more on that later), but was the best food I had had so far (trumped the restaurant from the night before fo' sho'). My fish meal had paprika, which is the national spice of choice - delicious.

From there, we went to see Robbie... running a little late (as usual) and in what turned out to be a long, exciting and exhausting night.

Wien

We were not really supposed to spend time in Vienna, but since our train to Budapest would have lasted 9 hours, and we would have to transfer train stations in between, we decided to be craaazy and stay there for about 18 hours (including overnight). I felt that I was cheated by Vienna (and more specifically the Viennese coffee) so I decided that it was time the city repayed their debt to me and showed me a good time. I also forgave the coffee.

Adam and I got to Vienna at 6ish, and by the time we checked into our awesome hostel (really, one bathroom for 2 people compared to one for 35 is heaven) it was around 8. We took a walk downtown and saw Vienna by night: the Museums Quarter, the Ring streets, ate some Wiener Schnitzel (Adam) and unknown dumplings (me) and Karlsplatz. The next morning we decided to take the 2 o'clock train to Buda-buda, and had 3 hours in the morning to work it speedily. We visited the Hofburg, Stephansplatz, etc. but also included Cafe Central, a well-known cafe which even has its own brew of coffee. Finding it took a while, since it was covered by construction, but inside it was the classiest, most luxurious place I've ever been: I felt like a complete bum. It was then that my 2 week-long and very intense war with Viennese coffee was laid to rest, and I actually enjoyed an espresso (my 5th coffee in, oh, 20 years). Adam, coffee-addict that he is, ws in heaven. I think we took 5 pictures (and the Hofburg got one).

We thought we were doing well on time, but needless to say, we were BOOTING it at 1:45 for a 1:55 train with a huge bag of last minute groceries (needed to appease the "Adam hungry beast" which I discovered earlier - not pretty), 2 bags and my backpack. I think I burned a day's worth of calories. We were really lucky, since the train was 5 minutes delayed, and we made it and managed to catch our breaths before we left.

I have been learning a lot about the brother I thought I knew so well. Here's a mini digression I dedicate to all of you as the "What I Learned About My Brother, Part 1":

1) He needs to eat. ALL THE TIME. He is NEVER full. If he says he is, he's lying. If you think he is, he will amaze you with the quantity of food he is about to eat. If you are with him, plan for a food break every 2 hours unless you want to see the Hungry Hulk unleashed. (I say this out of love for you bro, and out of concern for everyone else.)
2) His engineering degree is coming in quite handy as he teaches me the delicate science of making a broken mp3 player work. First take the battery out, and put it in again. Next, smash the thing with all your might and try to turn it on. Repeat if necessary.
3) His kindness is often misinterpreted for aggression due to his size and voice. When on the train, he offered cookies to the young girl sitting next to us. His delicate mumble of "want some" sounded more like a deep, loud, murderous grunt of "huh", after which her mom moved subtly away from him. Our first impression on the Hungarians must have been a scary one.

Vienna amazed us, but Budapest was more than we could have hoped for - Europe is truly beautiful and unique.

Auschwitz and Birkenau, Krakow

It has been over a week since my last post, but I have been trying to remember as much as I can so that my memories are accurate.

We bought tickets for an English-speaking tour on Sunday to go visit Oświęcim and Brzezinka (the Polish names for Auschwitz and Birkenau) since we knew that our time was limited in Krakow. To get into the mood, we took a tour of the Jewish area in southern Krakow, where ghettos were created in the war and where most of Schindler's List was filmed. We walked around, and examined the remnants of a culture that is pretty much extinct in Krakow (what with most of the Jewish people either being driven out into concentration camps or moving out after the war).

The tour started with a bus ride for about an hour, with a video depicting the footage taken when the camps were finally "liberated" by the Russians. What was most interesting about that was that the actual footage was replaced with fake footage in 1946 (after the war was over) with the residents of the concentration camps having been cleaned, cared for and fed for a year and cheering when they saw the Russians come. In reality, these people were the living dead, and when the Russians came to free them, they had lost hope and looked unable to feel anything but despair.

Our tour guide was a Polish girl who spoke English very well, and who was obviously very emotionally involved in the whole tour experience. She kept telling us about little-known and random facts, like how using the bathroom was a privilege and lasted all of 10 seconds a day, with SS men watching over you and counting to 5 with a gun. The lack of privacy and dignity is one thing, but then cleaning out the septic tanks in your one item of clothing... well I don't even want to think about it. Another interesting thing I found out was that the warehouses used to store all the stolen items (suitcases, clothes, shoes, jewellery) were all called "Canada". Apparently the prisoners thought of Canada as the land of plenty and freedom, and the warehouses of valuables represented the wealth that Canada had. Makes you appreciate your country more - imagine someone using the place as you live as the symbol of a better life? That definitely stuck in my mind.

The size of Birkenau was staggering - the rows and rows of barracks in the fields makes you face the reality of how many people were actually living in the hell of the concentration camp. The railroad tracks that went on and on stopped in the middle of the camp, and we actually stood at the very spot where Nazis would segregate those who were ready for hard labour from those to be sent to the gas chamber immediately. The far side of the camp had a huge memorial built there, where they built a stone likeness to every kind of burial possible - gravestone, urn, etc. They wrote an inscription in every language that was represented in the camp, which basically said that we should never forget what happened and that history is more than likely to repeat itself. I find it ironic that this memorial was built not long after the horrors in Bosnia and Serbia, and Rwanda.

I was pretty much silent the whole time, but I think I stopped myself from really understanding the reality of the camp. It hurts me that all this happened on Polish ground, since it creates an area of true evil that existed in Poland. I was also surprised that so many Polish people were killed in the camps: until about 1942, mostly Polish political prisoners and gypsies, homosexuals and other foreigners were killed and tortured in Auschwitz. Once the Germans perfected the art of killing was when the mass murders of Jews began.

After 6 hours of the tour, it felt really good to leave - I was relieved to return to my normal life, and even try to joke around once we got back - I can't imagine what it would be like to be completely hopeless. I can truly say that I appreciate everything more now, and will never forget what I saw and read about. Auschwitz should be witnessed by as many people as possible, especially all the ignorants that know nothing of our history and those that refuse to accept that this happened.

To regain some positivity back into our lives, we dragged our emotionally-drained bodies to enjoy Krakow by night. Once we got back, we chilled with the boys from the hostel again and went to bed. I didn't even complain (except to myself) about the smells, noises (snoring and other) and mess that boys make - they must all have amazing moms!! I was woken up several times that night by some classy guy who fell asleep drunk, with his hands down his pants and shaking his bed with loud snores. No comment.

To finish, Krakow is definitely as described - gorgeous, well-preserved, and full of history. It is Poland's little darling, and seems to be the center of all other touristy areas - 1-2 hours from Auschwitz, Zakopane, Wieliczka, the late Pope's humble beginning place... I am almost tempted to say it's prettier than Warsaw, but it's hard for me to be disloyal. It will make the right impression on you if you choose to visit Poland!

Next: Vienna - barely made the train, with no food, 6 hours... you can only imagine Adam's delight at those kind of conditions!

Krakow - the party town of Poland

Hey all,
I'll be making this a quick one, to regain my control over my blog after Adam's novel of an entry.
Adam and I finished our stay in Zakopane this morning, after a huge rain out and decrease in temperature. We tried to be troopers and keep visiting places, but the rain and 10 degree weather just made everything hard to bear. We did however, drink beer to keep warm, and therefore had a fantastic time. Adam was convinced that our landlady (Ania who owned the house) was sneaking into our room to steal his underwear (sounds crazy, but actually is based on an earlier event in which she found his cleaned laundry and threw it out the window to him- yes, Adam was as freaked out as much as all of you are by that image).

Either way, we passed out last night, and woke up this morning at 7am in order to make it to the top of the highest peak in Zakopane, which is about 2km up in the mountains, and requires a 20 minute cable car to get to the top. We waited for a while, but managed to get up to the top by 9am in order to beat the crowd. Lemme tell you, the crowd were all idiots for waiting, because the only thing we saw when we got up there was fog and rain, and we were literally IN a cloud the whole time. We tried to walk over to the border to say that we made it to Slovakia, but we ended up FREEZING our asses off (literally, since with the wind it was about -2). We settled for saying that we threw a rock across the border, and came back to enjoy the feeling of warm blood in our bodies. We made it back, took our bag from the hotel (with Adam throwing suspicious looks at Ania the whole time) and took a bus to Krakow.

So far, we have walked around Krakow and enjoyed talking to people in our hostel (who, to my delight, are all Australian boys) and also frozen in the cold weather that has made its way here. The 35 degree heat that we had in Warsaw would be a great welcome compared to this - I constantly have to take vodka shots to stay warm (and how sweet it is).

Tomorrow, we will be going to Auschwitz, which will no doubt be a sobering experience, but in the meantime, we are making drinks out of our grocery booze and enjoying a Saturday night in Krakow. Here's to a fantastic weekend in Poland - cheers!

Guest Post by Adam - Zakopane

Hello All,

It is mini Debowski writing as a guest on Mon's blog... Hi! We are currently embarking on our third night in Zakopane, and are full of beer and perogies and pancakes. I thought that since I'm around for this part of Mon's journey and I love Zakopane sooooooo very much that I would make an appearance for my fans and let you know how this wonderful town is doing with us in it.
We got here Wednesday afternoon after a 6 hour train ride from Warsaw. Other than the ridiculously early wake-up (not used to the time yet) , getting on the train was easy and Grandpa (a.k.a. Dziadek) made sure we got on no problem. We were pretty worn out the whole way and had a nice adrenaline rush for about 8 minutes, until one of us pondered: "ARE WE THERE YET?!" After some philosphical talks and frequenting of mp3 player use, we arrived.

We got here to 30-degree weather and a million people asking us if we needed a room. We ended up taking a few wrong turns and winded up at this beautiful renovated house with a room for two for relatively cheap. The woman was a Grade A Bitch, but once we got her out of our hair we liked the place. That night we hit the town and took a train up this light hill and had a beer. We got our first breathtaking view of the place, something like this picture.


The next day we were champs! We climbed up an ashphalt-ish type road to get to Morskie Oko - a big lake in the middle of the mountains. It took us about 1h40min (40 minutes faster than average ;) to get there. After that we booked it up a much harder slope for another hour to get to Czarny Staw ("Black Pond"). Since we were going pretty fast for about 3 hours, we felt very accomplished. The place we got to looks like the picture below.

I don't know how to describe this place except for absolute heaven. Despite the huge difference in culture (almost every aspect) and looks we got for speaking english (constant throughout so far), I felt immediately at home like I've never done before and did not want to leave. We took many pictures here and have lots to show. I immediately took a pic with my phone and set it as my background, and something tells me it will be there for a while. Although Canada is great and you can't deny how good of a place it is to live, here is where I feel I belong. It seems as though I'm going back to Canada to work with the eventual goal of ending up here, swimming in that water (which you weren't allowed to do... booooooo). It was quite an emotional experience for me... as much as the walk down was a physical one.

We really gave-her on the way up but were slooooow on the way down and chose the more scenic (meaning the exact same way but slower with more pictures and people-watching) route for the way home. We got back to our room, took a hot shower, and went out for traditional Polish food and a beer. They serve beer here with a shot of concentrated raspberry juice which is awesome. Mon had tea with a shot of liquer and we proceeded to walk down the strip with a buzz and appreciation for where we were.

Today's wake-up was a little later, and we got rained out of everything. A real curse (and blessing in disguise) pointed us back to perogies and beer.

It's hard to convey how great this place really is. It seems that I've inherited the thirst-for-thin-air gene from my male ancestors (Marek and Stasio as far as I know) because leaving here is going to be painful. Although other parts of Poland (Krakow and Auschwitz), Vienna, and Budapest will surely be great, I will always be a visitor everywhere but here and feel that this is a place to spend later days. Despite totally sticking out (people look at us speaking English, and then Polish like it's never been done before) , we feel very belonging.

I also feel belonging amonst the legions of ridiculously attractive Polish women. OH MATKO!!! There are beautiful, well dressed, and conveniently liberal women EVERYWHERE and I can't help but talk about them all the time, even though I'm here with Mon. Even the older women are fabulous, and seem to maintain themselves very well. Let me assure you that seeing them in short shorts climbing up a slope faster than I can has NOTHING to do with my love of Tatry... It seems this is further proof that I am in fact my father's son. =)

Tomorrow we are off to Krakow and will surely have more great things to say! Auschwitz will no doubt be an emotional experience that I'm looking forward to as well. Travelling with Monika is great... and that's not me being diplomatic as she reads what I write. =) Needless to say, we are laughing all the time.

See everyone soon!
Adam

To eat or not to eat...

Yes, my friends, it is time to become patriotic and describe my time in Polakland. I have been here for about one week, and I have been restless since day 2 since I am used to moving along every day. Adam got to Warsaw on Saturday afternoon, and it has been a party ever since. He eased up the line of questioning from me to him, since my grandparents like to talk (while I am not used to it all the time). Him and I went out "na Starowke pod parasole" (to the old city to sit under the umbrellas of patios), and have been doing that every night since then.

We got a chance to chill with our little cousin, who is not so little anymore. Ewa is an adult, and an hot one at that!! I feel proud to have a model in the family, while Adam feels the need to protect her from all those aggressors in downtown Warsaw. She is really turning into a chick with attitude, and I love that we can finally chill with a family member our age.

We also met with Piotrek, our uncle, and our new little cousin, who is also not so little - an adorable, joy-for-life kind of child who made me realize that I actually AM capable of loving kids. He has the biggest, bluest eyes I've ever seen and I'm sure will be a heartbreaker in a few years.

My blog title is a result of the constant battle I have with my grandparents, and most people in Poland. Because there was always a lack of food, they eat every meal as if it were their last, and base their whole respect system on whether or not you eat enough of someone's meal. I, as a girl and also as someone who just doesn't eat that much (relatively), am suffering! But once I learned how to adapt, it all worked out.

Today, Zakopane - which will require a longer explanation later.

P.S. Adam says hi to everyone!

The Motherland

Anyone ever watch a little show called Seinfeld? I feel like I’m in an episode of it 24/7. My grandparents have been married for 52 years, and no doubt are still in love and the ultimate couple, but are the funniest, more random and Seinfeld-like couple in the world.

I’ve been here for 2 nights, and my second day today. I sometimes feel like they forget I’m there, and I’ve stepped into a conversation they were having without me. They constantly talk over each other, remind each other that it’s their turn to speak, and then continue speaking. They also comment loudly about politics and the weather, and are the most patriotic of anyone I know. It’s truly hilarious just being an observer.

We stayed up late again last night, which surprisingly was due to their interest in keeping conversation, and not me being cruel and keeping the grandparents from their sleep. It was a serious conversation, and my grandfather was reminiscing about life when he was a boy, and witnessed family members being murdered by German soldiers, and walking to school and seeing bodies on the way. I couldn’t even imagine living through that time, and I must say, I am so, so grateful that none of us had to. I spent most of the night horrified, and seeing how deep the scars of war can last on someone – my grandfather is now 77, but is still sad and angry about events that occurred when he was 7. His life was basically forever damaged by Germans and then Russian communists – he was denied the right to a life as a Christian, a Polish man, an intelligent engineer and more importantly as a good human being. These stories have stiffened my resolve to visit Auschwitz, and to never forget what my own grandparents have gone through, since we are so damn spoiled and ignorant of events that happened not so long ago.

On a lighter note, Poland is on the agenda for the next 3 weeks... family time, but also time to party it up! Adam and I are travelling around Poland , visiting everything and everyone we can. We have an adorable cousin who we have yet to meet, and my uncle and aunt are also excited to dump him on the grandparents and have fun Polish styles. It’s my first time to see Poland from an independent standpoint – I am older, with no parents, and am excited to discover the nightlife here. I really think that Warsaw, and most of Poland are seriously underrated as a place to visit.

If anyone is in Europe, I would be HAPPY to show you around Poland the right way – if you’re in the area for the next 3 weeks...

Vienna: The view from my room

My last entry ended on me getting to Vienna on the evening of the 3rd, and being really excited to see it. I am sad to announce that my plans were not realised that day, and my trip took an unexpected turn since that evening.

I was feeling pretty crappy that night, and went to my room to chill and go to sleep like the old person I am. My roommate came home soon after, a girl from Denver, Colorado who has been studying in Milan for the past 6 months. Michelle is a music major (piano), and once I looked past the fact that she actually liked Milan, I found she was an awesome girl. We had tons in common, and talked for a while before bed and decided to visit Vienna that morning together before her plane ride back to Milano.

We left the hostel around 11, and walked around downtown Vienna for a few hours. It is really beautiful there, and I could tell right away that you would need at least a week to properly visit the huge city. There were little surprises everywhere too – we were visiting the Hofburg in the downtown square, when we looked down and saw ancient ruins from the 17th century that were unearthed during some construction. It’s safe to say you would never find something like that in Canada! That was a great surprise.

A more unpleasant surprise began once we moved on from downtown. Michelle and I were feeling a little tired, so we decided to try to some world-famous delicious Viennese coffee. We had a huge fancy cup, with lots of cream and were on our way. Michelle had to catch a bus at 3, so we started walking back. On the way, there was a guy playing piano for charity on the sidewalk, and Michelle started small talking with him, piano major to... piano sidewalk player guy. Next thing I knew, she was playing her heart out in front of a department store on the busiest street in Vienna – it was awesome! We walked back after that, said goodbye and I went to take a nap in my room.

The unpleasantness begins from there: I was rudely awakened by my body going through hell, and refusing to let me sleep through it. I won’t go into much detail, but I had some MAD food poisoning and was in and out of consciousness for the next 10-12 hours. Dreams became reality, I had some hallucinations (which would have been amusing in different circumstances) and had nothing left in my body after some time. I woke up the next morning, decided to skip Hungary for the time being, and crawled to the train station to book my ticket for that day to Poland. I was really, really disappointed in myself for not going on, but I also found out that being sick can be the ultimate test when you’re travelling alone. I am proud to say that I didn’t call for mommy or cry for help from anyone, so I am pretty sure I passed it. As for coming to Poland, I was looking forward to seeing family one day sooner than expected.

Poland, in a word, is comforting. On the train ride over, I finally risked eating some solids and went to the dinner wagon to get some food. The smell of dill, sauerkraut and potatoes was so familiar that I felt like I was back home again. Whatever the saying is about the power of scent, it’s true – I could literally see my childhood after inhaling the air in the wagon.

Although I hadn’t spoken directly with them in days, I knew my grandparents would be at the train station, an hour early, and positioned strategically to find me at any point. I saw them right away – no change, same expressions, even some of the same clothes. In Poland, time always seems to stand still. We stayed up til 3am just talking and gossiping and it was great – my grandparents are the coolest.

The Motherland doesn’t know what hit it yet...

Austria con't

On a side note, my posts seem to be going out of order, and I can't figure out the German way to fix it, so Italy was actually BEFORE Austria.

I finished my stay in Innsbruck this morning, and said a reluctant goodbye at 9am to the lovely town and mountains. I got on a 2 hour train, and traveled to Salzburg, where I set aside 5 hours to walk around and see as much of the city as I could. Salzburg is bigger than Innsbruck and has a totally different vibe - lots more tourists, and you can hear Mozart everywhere you go. Although the Altstadt (Old city) and parks were beautiful, I am more glad to have stayed in Innsbruck an extra night and enjoved the view. 5 hours was enough, and I took another 3 hour train to Vienna, where I am staying for 2 nights. The area I am in is really close to the train station, which I am thankful for since I am getting perma indentations from my backpack.

I really am glad I splurged and bought the first class train pass for Eastern Europe - it's the little things that make a difference, like being able to nap in more space all around. I also went shopping for the first time since I got to Europe.

It was a good day!
Tomorrow, Vienna....

Austria, Innsbruck

My friends, this picture is me today (well, not actually in the picture, but I wanted to give you all a visual).
After a nice, real breakfast this morning, Erin and Nahleena left for Amsterdam, and I got another night in Innsbruck in our lovely Gasthof. I decided to have an adventurous day, and I saw a brochure in the tourist office on my walk through town. Before I knew it, I was booking a trip to just outside Innsbruck (Naustift or something), into the Alps and going paragliding. An older, tough-looking man picked me up at noon, and we drove for about 20 mins. We got to a tiny village, obviously a ski town during the winter, with mountains all around it and a glacier peeking out on one side. We rode a lift to 2 kilometres above sea level, with a bunch of other (male) paragliders who kept laughing at my face getting paler and paler and using their German-talk to comment oh-so-discreetly.

We got to the top, and Raymond dressed me up in gear, which I felt made me look fat (as did all the other men) and strapped me in. By the time he got me into my harness and standing with the parachute ready to run, I had forgotten all my girly idiocy and focused on "not dying". It's funny how I can forget my own name when faced with a steep slope and a forest just in front. Raymond's precise directions were "run until you don't feel the ground anymore", which I heard but didn't really understand. We started on 3, and I almost tripped when the parachute lifted us straight up, and kept going until we were about 600m in the air. We were going at 40-50 km/h, and it was the most relaxing and invigorating experience I have ever had. Raymond kept it interesting by making 360 degree circles a few times, and took tons of pictures for me. I have some videos of the flight, which lasted about 1/2 hour, but felt like 5 mins. I absolutely would recommend it to anyone: it's not scary at all, and refreshing to see the world from another angle. I didn't even feel like I was that high up until I would look down and see how small our shadow was.

Since then, I have tried to find a grocery store and walk around, but Austria really follows the "nothing open on Sunday" rule. I have amused myself by sipping cappucino and eating apple strudel and people-watching. Innsbruck is really amaying, and I don't feel as bad about missing Interlaken so much now that I've been here.

Tomorrow, Salzburg and Vienna for a few days: very excited to see the rest of Austria!

P.S. Happy Belated Canada Day... I didn't forget you...

Italy - The Mess

So I haven't written in a while for two reasons: I have had limited access to the internet, and I have been so rageful the past few days that if I had written anything this would have been an R-rated blog.

So basically, I spent my third day in Switzerland in Zurich - Alexis and I had a coffee with his aunt in the morning, went to the train to get my ticket to Milan and walked around the city. There were some great views, and even greater stores, most of which I didn't even go into. I did buy myself an authentic blingin Swiss watch, and helped my Swiss host find some business clothes. I left Zurich at 5ish, and got to Milan at 930. As we were entering the Italian "fashion capital" train station, there seemed to be a smell of urine in the air, partnered with graffiti and ghetto train wagons littered around the place. Long story short, my directions to the hostel SUCKED, and the bus they told me to take was apparently one of the most dangerous buses in Milan at night. The nice convenience store girl led me a different way, but her directions were not great. After an hour of being lost in the Metro, I called my hostel and asked for directions - it's hard to communicate when the guy at reception speaks NOT ONE WORD of English. Even I spoke more Italian than he English. After another hour of wandering, and help from a nice gua named Fabio (no resemblance to his namesake which we all love) I found my way, only to be told that my reservation didn't exist. I opened a can of whoopass (second time in my life), got a room, took a cold shower and went to bed.

My plan was to get out of Milan the next day, and as I woke up, imagine my surprise at finding my roomies to be 2 boys. One was leaving for Venice, while the other asked me if I was at all interested in taking a day trip with him. Still in my pj's, I agreed, got ready in 10 mins and we were off. We hit the grocery store to get fruit and bread, and got to the train station. This trip was Italy's saving grace - for the time being. We hit up Cinque Terra, which is a recently discovered cluster of 5 villages on the Mediterranean. Andrew and I LOVED it - we walked around, attempted the cliff walk from the first village to the next, but it would have taken too long. We did work up a sweat with the miles of stairs, and then refreshed ourselves by bathing in the Sea for an hour, getting some local pizza to go and heading back on the train. The 3 hour train back was supposed to get to Milan at 1045, and we ended up being stuck, in the dark, for an additional 3 HOURS. I won't even comment.

The next day, I got my ass out of Milan (having gone to bed at 4, since we had to walk from the train station at 3am). The train from Milan was of course delayed and I missed my train to Innsbruck, being forced to wait for 2 more hours. I am getting mad just thinking about it, but I was also lucky - I got myself a seat in 1st class, and met 2 girls from Toronto who were going to Innsbruck as well. Nahleena and Erin were travelling around Europe too, except they are closer to being done the trip while I'm not even halfway done. We exchanged war stories, and they offered me the chance to stay in Innsbruck with them that night. I looked up a place in my guide and we all found the Gasthof Innbrucke together.

However, Austria deserves itw own entry, so I will end on that. In short, I am definitely not going back to Italy anytime soon - until I am older, and have cash to throw around so I don't have to stay in the ghettos and deal with Italians negative attitudes to students. (You should see them with Americans!! They actually refuse to serve them.)

P.S. No offense to any Italians.

Switzerland: Teil 2

I really have no words to describe my experience in Switzerland except to say 1) I now believe in love at first sight and 2) Je suis amoureuse de la Suisse.

Alexis and I started our day from his apartment: me, taking a while to wake up and feeling the fondue from the night before (being lactose intolerant and all). We got ready and left Chaux-de-Fond at 930ish, and got to Neuchatel to stop by his mom`s place for directions. After getting yelled at for blocking a truck on the itty-bitty streets of the town, we left for Bern.

The way to Bern was scenic to say the least, with lovely paysages and an efficient highway. The words "amazing", "insane" and "awesome" have been completely overused in my vocabulary: I feel like Tom Cruise describing my relationship with Katie. I can now relate to old Maverick - when something is so amazing (or fabricated, choose your battle), I am limited to how I can choose to describe it. Really, until I show you all pictures, or you all visit this gorgeous country, you will not understand my amazement. Bern itself was a small, touristy and quaint town, and although it is the capital, is really small and concentrated. The parliament building, the political center of Switzerland, has a HUGE banner stretched over the whole thing that says nothing but "Futball Reiglen", which translates to "Soccer Rules". How patriotic and fanatical! Ha, ha.

We had a coffee in the downtown area (which cost about 10 dollars), and then walked around a bunch while seeing the apartment where Einstein lived while creating the theory of relativity. We also trekked up the hill in our warm clothes (it was supposed to rain and be cold) and took some amazing pictures of the view. The Aare, the fast-moving river, is clear blue and makes the city look especially beautiful. We ended off eating a nice dinner in Bern, near the square and on the patio to enjoy the city before we left.

Lucerne was our next stop: the most unique part of the trip was visiting the bear pits. Yes, bear pits: bears are the city`s symbol, and they have 3 of them in these deep pits that are easily watched over from the sidewalk - they seemed perfectly happy laying around and showing us their bellies (bear equivalent of the finger? I wouldn`t be surprised...). We also did some nice window shopping (I stopped by a parfumerie) and had a drink of water at the local cafe. The view from Lucerne was even better than Bern, since it has a huge lake and a view of Mt. Pilatus (snow-capped mountain just behind the lake). We left Lucerne at 6 to make good time to Zurich for about 730.

Sigh, Zurich... I haven`t even seen the city yet but I am in love with it. Alexis`aunt and uncle live there with their 3 children (Xavier, Vincent et Diane). We drove through the non-moving traffic and for what it seemed like forever up a hill, until we reached their house. Keep in mind, mostly everyone here lives in apartments. The house, however, is an older, incredibly unique and spacious house in the north part of Zurich, and it overlooks the whole city and lake. Alexis`uncle is a director at a large bank Suisse (can`t remember which, there are too many here) and works in Geneva during the week while the family lives here. Alexis`aunt, Nicola, is possibly the best woman I have ever met in my life. She is the most welcoming and enthusiastic person, and made me feel like I belonged right away. She showed me my guest room (huge) and told me I could do whatever I wanted. I joined her and Alex quickly, and we drank white wine from their family vineyard while talking about how she met her husband and about Switzerland. The kids were home already, so we ate outside on the lawn, overlooking Zurich (and neighbouring HQ of FIFA, yes FIFA). A delicious light meal with more wine, and great conversation - thank God my French is decent, but I spent most of the time listening in fascination to the stories they told.

After dinner, Xavier (who is quintlingual) took us to the park nearby, where a bunch of FIFA players were having dinner at the restaurant, and we took pictures of the landscape and watched a thunderstorm approaching. We got back to the house, where Nicole served us with two different types of liqueur - one made from plums and another from cherries. By chance, we drink a very similar one in Poland called Sliwowica, and I downed the shot right away. They laughed their French butts off, because they were all sipping the damn thing (I showed my Polish side). The incredibly intelligent children went to bed without being told, gave me 3 kisses on the cheek, and promised to keep in touch. The rain ended our night of shots, tea and dessert, and we separated off into bed when I decided to actually book my hostel for Milan for the next 2 days.

My steadfast loyalty to Canada has wavered since being here for the past 36 hours. This country is truly amazing, and the different sights and cultures that you can experience by driving a few hours is unbelievable. De plus, Alexis and Nicola started telling me about regions they visited in Canada - apparently we have some sights to be seen in Quebec and Ontario too !! I think I will start to visit my own country before I decide to move, since there is so much I didn`t know about my own neighbourhood.

Tomorrow, visiting Zurich (up close) and then Milan in the evening... now to sleep off the wine and spirits...

Salut and Cheers!