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Treading Through Gaia
Treading Through Gaia

Treading Through Gaia

Leaving footprints around the world, one step at a time. Leia mais🇯🇵Tokyo
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  • Treading Through GaiaSri LankaTreading Through Gaia

    Pidurangala Rock

    9 de junho de 2022, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Riding the tuktuk was one of the best ways to discover Sri Lanka since I was much exposed to the sights and sounds of the country. From Dambulla, we made our way back to Sigiriya so I could do my third and final hike of the day. I had seen Pidurangala Rock from Sigiriya Rock in the early morning and now as the sun was setting, it was time to tackle the other side. Lasantha dropped me by the lakeside so I could do a short walk by the lake before dropping me near the trailhead of Pidurangala. I had to pay for a ticket and actually take off my shoes since I was entering sacred grounds. There were cave temples here as well, similar to the ones in Dambulla. It was quite fun though a bit uncomfortable to be hiking barefoot. I felt very much grounded as I stepped on soil, rocks and leaves. I was hiking barefooted for a long time and was wondering until which parts were considered secret as I had already passed a couple of cave temples already. I decided to just put my shoes back on and made my way up until I arrived at a mountain-carved reclining Buddha so maybe I hastily put them back on a bit too early. I paid my respects and started the climb up again, the final ascent becoming much more difficult with steeper boulders that required some scrambling. At the top, I was rewarded with an even more magnificent view. Sigiriya Rock towered over the Sri Lankan country side and commanded much attention with it's shape and size. There was also a lone monkey near the cliff-edge that became my photo subject of the day as I took shot after shot, trying to get the best photo composition. The summit was windy and there were a few other people hanging around. I saw a huge group of people and a camera man taking a groufie so I offered to take their photo instead to which weirdly enough everyone started clapping. After my good deed of the day done, I sat down and meditated a bit and gave myself time to wind down from all the activities for the day. I couldn't believe I managed to pull off this much hiking. As I waited for the sun to set, I was suddenly approached by a bunch of girls from the group a while ago. Turns out, they were from an English language school and I assume they were quite curious about foreigners and were quite keen on practicing English. They were from a village a bit further away and I actually haven't spoken to anyone my age as well ever since arriving in Sri Lankta so I enjoyed exchanging some pleasantries with them. Though it felt a bit awkward as I was completely surrounded and I was being bombarded with questions left and right. I was also offered some peanuts to which I graciously accepted as I was quite famished after all the hiking and a small lunch. They said I have to try Kottu, one of the famous dish of Sri Lanka so I made a mental note of this. The girls soon left and I was happy to be alone again but it wasn't over as around four guys soon came over and stood awkwardly so I invited them to sit with me. We made some small talk before they excused themselves as it was time for them to leave. Now, I was finally alone for real. It looks like the sunsets were eluding me for most of the trip no matter how much I chased them as it was another cloudy day. I was quite satisfied with that monkey shot anyways so I took my time to just relax and explore the area and decided to start heading back down as it was getting dark. On the way down, I made some small talk with a couple before overtaking them. I safely made it back and Lasantha was already waiting to take me home.

    Back in Habarana, I got to experience the blackouts which happened every day across the whole country due to the economic crisis. The government had to cut power for 2 hours per day to save energy and costs. I quietly ate my dinner with an emergency light, it wasn't all that bad since the night was cool and breezy.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaSri LankaTreading Through Gaia

    Dambulla

    9 de junho de 2022, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Before going to Dambulla, I opted to grab some lunch first as the hike did use up a lot of my energy. I requested Lasantha to take me somewhere cheap and we ended up in a bakery where I ordered two kinds of bread and hoped it would be enough for the rest of the day. I treated Lasantha his share as well. We also had to refuel our tuktuk and it was then that I saw just how dire the overall situation was for the Sri Lankan people. The fuel shortage extended all the way to Habarana and the lines for the fuel extended several kilometers, these tuktuk drivers probably had to line up for several hours or even the whole day just to get their share of gas. Tourists get first priority and Lasantha was able to squeeze directly first in line, with much of the other drivers letting us pass. There were even soldiers stationed at the station to probably keep the peace as tensions were quite high.

    Dambulla was a short ride away from Sigiriya with a tuktuk and Lasantha dropped me at the starting point and told me to meet him at another spot so he could take me to the Golden Buddha. I told him that I wanted to hike there instead so he can just wait for me there. The Dambulla Cave Temples were the main attraction here and the Golden Buddha was an added bonus that I didn't even know existed. I was starting to feel the fatigue as I started to do another hike up to the caves. On the way up, there was a lady offering some flowers to give to Buddha, she said give how much you want so I gave her a dollar which I thought would make her happy but it was much to her dismay. On hindsight, it was probably worthless. I still didn't have much rupees me at that time unfortunately. At the entrance to the temples, I had to leave my shoes at the shoerack outside, and the signs explicitly mention that it is not allowed to bring them inside the bag. The moment I saw a rugged fellow "guarding" the shoes, I knew I had to cough up some more cash aside from the ticket that I already bought. I entered the compound and was immediately approached by a tour guide. He was following me around and started to explain stuff to which I cut him off and told him that I don't need a tour guide so off he went all disappointed. I really wanted silence to appreciate such places and the cave temples were exactly that. It was quiet, without people and the cave interiors had a different level of energy. There were a lot of Buddha statues in various positions and Buddhic cave paintings coated the cave walls and ceiling in hues of red, black and gold. I left the flower I had at one of the altars for Buddha. There were around four caves that I went from one to the next, meditating in front of Buddha at the most grand one. There was a small group having a tour and every time they were about to reach my cave, I would go to the next one just to keep the tranquility going. I left the temple grounds to get my shoes back and I asked this local family how much to give the guy since they also got out of the temple at the same time as me. They advised to just give whatever so I just gave the lowest denomination I could. I continued on to the other side of the mountain for a trek to the Golden Buddha. There were much more monkeys hanging around this trail and I have no idea why but there were a lot of couples chilling here as well.

    The Golden Buddha here is advertised as the world's largest Buddha statue in the Darmachakra Mudra. It was pretty huge indeed, as I was approaching it, there was a lone monk who passed by me. Lasantha was there waiting and showed me a way deeper inside to get a better view. At this point in time, the sun was overbearingly hot but I managed to snap a couple of good photos. Lasantha was telling me that he can take me to the lakeside near Pidurangala Rock for a walk but there was still a lot of time before sunset and I wanted to visit Popham's Arboretum which was 3 kilometers away so I convinced Lasantha to add that to the day's itinerary.

    I didn't know much about the Arboretum except for the stuff I read online in that it was a good nature trail. They said that there was a choice to donate or not but it turns out it wasn't voluntary so I don't think they should be calling it a donation. I tried to fill my canister with some water but it always ended up full of ants. I have no idea why but I still chose the longest trail which would take more than an hour to complete despite the fact that I was climbing the whole day and was going to be doing another hike later in the day. I was following the signs which was all color coded, yellow being the one I chose which extends to around more than 2 kilometers. I once again found myself all by my lonesome but this time entrenched deep within the bosom of nature. My shoes crept on dried leaves as I pushed on deeper and further away from civilization. It was definitely meditative to just keep walking without any thoughts, I was simply just another living being making my way around. There were a lot of wildlife all around especially birds and insects. At times, when the wind stopped blowing there would just be total silence which sometimes made things a bit unsettling. I might have taken a wrong turn or two and had to back track to find the right sign posts again but I eventually finished the whole trail and found myself back at the starting point. I was served tea and after resting for a bit, we headed off.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaSri LankaTreading Through Gaia

    Sigiriya

    9 de junho de 2022, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Waking up to my first morning in Sri Lanka, I was greeted by a hearty breakfast on the veranda. I ate while feeling the morning breeze and enjoying the fresh air which was a far cry from Colombo's. Lasantha was going to be my tuktuk driver today and our first stop was Sigiriya Rock. On the way, I had realized I had forgotten my wallet and only had dollars with me instead. I didn't want to waste any more of Lasantha's fuel so we pushed on forward with me hoping that things would turn out alright. Lasantha exchanged some of my spare dollars for some Sri Lankan rupees so I could afford the entrance tickets for Sigiriya Rock which was actually pretty expensive but I would say it was well worth it. Even just the grounds itself was amazing, there was a huge gathering of monkeys just walking around the pond and I just went full photographer mode already, taking note of how other photographers took their shots. The tour guides were out in droves and I was approached by one almost every few minutes until I made it to the road leading up to the actual rock. It was massive and a sight to behold. I helped a Spanish couple take some of their photos and I let them take mine. There were a lot of ruins and caves below the rock and I tried my best to go around and try to see every corner and angle I could take a shot from before beginning the first hike of the day.

    It was a great feeling to get the body moving and it wasn't too hot or sunny so I was able to hike up with a pretty good pace, taking minimal breaks in between. The hike were mostly just stairs, some ancient and some recent. The threat of the hanging wasp nests made me a bit weary especially seeing some first aid tents stationed at one of the checkpoints. Once again, I felt extremely lucky to have this otherwise crowded tourist spot all to myself. There were a few other hikers but I rarely crossed paths with them until the famous lion statue. During the ancient times, a giant lion stood guard at the final stairway leading up to the fort built above the rock. Hence why Sigiriya Rock is also known as Lion's Rock. How an ancient kingdom was built on top of such a peculiar location remains such a mystery for me. I waited for a few tourists to pass by so I could take a photo of the claws, the only thing remaining from the lion statue before finishing the rest of the hike. Reaching the top of a hike is always a satisfying feat, all in all it took more than an hour from the bottom to the top. The remnants of an ancient kingdom was all that is left at the summit, mostly the foundation and some man-made pools. Not much walls were left standing but it was quite fun to imagine what it must have been like. They were a couple of dogs just chilling at the top and some random dude who was meditating which was a pretty good idea except his form was all wrong. It was cloudy so the I was able to explore the area without frying to a crisp. At the other end of the summit was a path leading to an octagonal pool and more caves. The surrounding area was pretty much covered in trees and lakes with a giant Buddha statue standing out the most, his hand blessing the exact direction of Sigiriya which I am sure is not a coincidence. I could also see Pidurangala Rock, I was planning on hiking this at sunset to see Sigiriya from another angle. Once I was satisfied, I started to hike down and was led to another part of the rock that contained some ancient cave paintings of the wives of the king. There were a lot and the guide showed me a special wife that had the "Mona Lisa" eyes, eyes that seemed to look at my direction, no matter where I situated myself. The way down was much peaceful, still without any people except for the occasional vendor trying to sell me some weird contraption. Lasantha was there waiting for me just as we discussed earlier so I followed him to his tuktuk so that we could go to Dambulla next.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaSri LankaTreading Through Gaia

    Habarana

    8 de junho de 2022, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    The train was so hot and cramped at first, I was worried if I was gonna make it at this rate but as the windows opened and everyone got settled in, the temperature became much more manageable. Still, it was a non-airconditioned train ride so I was really getting the full local experience. I thought I was lucky enough to be seated next to the window but as it turns out I had the alley seat as someone else took it. The train ride was overall pretty pleasant, it also got a bit boring as I was conserving my battery and listening to some tunes. It got a bit more fun when I discovered I could sit by the train doors with a nice view of the country side and feeling that fresh breeze. Time passed by and soon the sun was setting beyond the horizon of the fields and mountains and it made the train ride absolutely worth it. I started to get a bit angsty as night settled in, I was hungry and thirsty but still had a couple of more hours before Habarana. I was in contact with Lasantha, the owner of the homestay I had booked in Agoda.

    After some grueling hours of waiting, I finally touched down in Habarana and Lasantha was right there waiting for me. Habarana at this time was pitch black, it was provincial and even less developed than Colombo but in this case, this was a good thing as it is much closer to nature. Lasantha drove me to his home where I was showed my room which also didn't have air-condition much to my dismay. We talked a bit at the veranda outside while I waited for dinner which was all Sri Lankan cuisine. I was so hungry, I chowed down and ate as much as I can while we got our plans in place for the days ahead. It also turned out that they did have an air-conditioned room that I had to pay a bit of extra for to which I obviously did. Now with this, I was quite satisfied and finally ready to unwind and rest.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaSri LankaTreading Through Gaia

    Colombo

    8 de junho de 2022, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Coming to Sri Lanka was pretty difficult due to the economic crisis happening. My inward and outward flights were cancelled so I had to double down and buy even more expensive tickets since only Sri Lankan airlines was left operating and they total monopoly on the prices. The flight from Bangkok were mostly Sri Lankans and I could literally count the number of foreigners with my hands. The airport was desolate and I could definitely see the effects of the financial crisis. I was the only person in immigration and the guard barely made any effort to check and just let me in without checking if I had the required insurance. As I passed through customs, one of the guards held me off just because I only had a backpack with me. I was a bit nervous they would find my edibles but I was able to get off scot-free, my bag however lost one of its zippers while passing through their machine. There were a bunch of money exchanges competing with each other for every dollar the tourists are bringing. The taxi drivers also were quite ready to try and get me to take a ride with them but I already had plans to take the cheapest option: the bus. I had a simcard with me and I was asking for directions on where to take the bus and one of the guards told me that the bus I wanted to take was taking off and advised me to run after it. I thought if he was being serious but I did run after it and it did stop for me. So with this, I am quickly getting accustomed to the Sri Lankan way. Enjoying the internet for the first time while on the road with a 5 dollar sim card was pretty epic. Colombo was somehow meeting and missing my expectations. It was definitely one of the most impoverished places I've been to so far. More than just dirty, it was also lacking a lot of infrastructure and development in general. As I got off the bus, one of the tuktuk drivers managed to get me to ride with him even though the train station was only a couple of meters after using the suffering and poor country card. I gave him some extra nevertheless. After getting my ticket at the counter, I ate some bread and waited for around 2 hours for the train to Habarana which was going to be another 6 hours or so.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaFranceTreading Through Gaia

    Paris II

    2 de outubro de 2021, França ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    This day was going to be a bit difficult, I was going to be lugging my bag around the whole day. My first stop was the Covid Test Center again to get my test. It went without a hitch though it did hurt my wallet. Afterwards, I went to Trocadero Square to see one of the popular views of the Eiffel Tower but ended up getting caught by the security for using child tickets and getting a fine of 30 euros which was also my last ticket too. So close to being homefree, ouch. The view was even obstructed by walls so after that I went to Champs Elysees to see the Arc de Triomphe which in a bizarre coincidence was all but covered in white cloth. I was under the impression that it was under construction but turns out it was a limited time art exhibit called Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. After seeing both those spots, I went to Montmarte for brunch. I walked around these very picturesque roads and was able to get really good photos. I stopped by the Sacre Cour which was one of the main spots of Paris, hearing someone play La Vie En Rose on the accordion seemed to really complete the whole Paris experience. It was definitely one of the most crowded places I've been to, the smell of weed as a guy lit up, performers standing on the stairs and trams going through the crowds. It definitely wasn't the best place to be, but the views of Paris was amazing and right in front of the stairs where I was sitting was a lovelock bridge.

    I was supposed to meet with Juliette today but she was busy and directed me to the Generator Hostel where she wanted to take me for some rooftop views of Paris. I went up and the views were indeed very much worth it, it was for free and I got to see Sacre Cour again from afar with a very light blue sky. After resting for a bit and using the wi-fi, I felt the familiar feeling in my stomach that my trip was finally going to be over and it was time for me to start heading to the airport to which I did, but not after dropping by the testing center only to realize that it was now closed once again. Long, long walks back to the train station, it was crowded and hard to find the right train as nobody seemed to have any idea which train was going where. An old man started to ask me for directions out of all people, but I somehow did find the way so I brought him along with me. Dr. Karla, he introduced himself, a scientist. We talked a bit on the train as I helped him carry his bag. On the way, our train stopped and we had to change mid-way to which I guided the old doc to the next bus that was taking us to the airport, reassuring him throughout that we were gonna make it. We passed by a huge sunflower field along the way. When I got to the airport, I spent a lot of time just helping the guy finding his check-in counter and his boarding gate to which we ended up going around in circles, wasting a lot of time, my time to be exact. We did make it just in time for his flight which was good, I gave him some of my melatonin as he was afraid he wouldn't get any sleep and I got on my plane to Istanbul. He wanted to talk to me some more but I told him there really wasn't time anymore, I promised to send his nephew a postcard from Japan to which I did when I got back.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaFranceTreading Through Gaia

    Normandy

    1 de outubro de 2021, França ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Woke up extra early today just before the sunrise and made my way to Gare Du Nord station to catch my train to Mont Saint Michel. I was able to grab some breakfast and got on the train just in time. It was an opportunity to just relax and unwind after days of walking around. It was a very long ride taking more than 3 hours. It fell asleep for a bit and woke up to the sunrise before drifting back to sleep. I ate my breakfast and watched as the scenery of Paris switched to the French countryside. The weather was cloudy and rainy even, I was a dreading it a bit the day before but turns out the weather added a lot of drama to my shots and I learned to embrace it instead of working against it.

    After arriving at the station, we got on a tram that took us all the way to Mont Saint Michel. The views were absolutely stunning. There were some Japanese girls on the bus seated in front of me, and I switched seats with another person so they could all sit together. Mont Saint Michel loomed larger and larger until we were dropped off a few meters away from it. Instead of going straight it, I went around the castle instead, it was low tide and its surroundings were just barren land whereas it would otherwise be surrounded by water. The backside of the castle provided amazing shot opportunities as well, it was my first time incorporating strangers to my shots. The landscape shots were particularly amazing because of the cloudy rainy weather.

    I soon went through the gates of Mont Saint Michel, there were some people but I could imagine what this place must have been like during peak periods of tourism. I counted myself lucky as I walked the cobblestone road that soon split into several more possible paths. It was fun to explore and get lost, taking in such a unique atmosphere. The road goes up and they eventually lead to the Abbey. I wanted to take a peek but it unfortunately cost money to go in so I opted to just explore the castle grounds some more. I was able to circle around a lot of places and even saw some chickens in a nearby garden. Soon, the rain started to pour and I took refuge in one of the watch towers by the ramparts with some other people. It was tranquil, the sky was dark and the rain was pouring, nary a soul in sight. I stayed here for a long time before deciding to try to get some more shots when the rain stopped only to end up in the same place as the rain got stronger again. I dropped by an empty restaurant and got a snack and sat by the window at the back part. I took the tourist route backdown and I was able to get a stuffed bunny for Janelle. One of the shop owners was surprisingly Japanese so we talked for a bit. I walked around some more, getting some really nice shots of the moody atmosphere. After a couple of hours, I realized I should also get an early dinner as I would be getting home very late. I got an overpriced sandwich combo before going out back to the castle grounds. The weather provided better quality shots and I was able to find an excellent shot with a crevice for the foreground that led to Mont Saint Michel. It was quite chilly with the wind but it still felt pretty good, I waited for the tram to take us back to the station and I was dropped off somewhere near the visitor center instead. I asked for directions and realized the bus was still coming at a much later time, so I walked around town seeing that there were a lot of odd painted cow statues. I ended up in a giant souvenir shop. It was empty at that time as well but they had a lot of amazing objects about Mont Saint Michel. I waited for the bus for an hour or so and was now on my way to the train station. From there, it was pretty smooth sailing and I finally got to my train going back to Paris. There was a lady on the platform that seemed to be in trouble as there was no way for her to get anywhere from where she was. The train ride back was definitely tiring, I was able to rest again while reviewing the photos I took for the day. After arriving, I took another bus back to my hostel and slept like a baby.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaFranceTreading Through Gaia

    Paris

    30 de setembro de 2021, França ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    I arrived France already a bit later than expected but I still hurried off to execute my action plan nevertheless. I started off with the Covid Center to try to get information about getting my Covid test but found out they were closed already so it was a bit last minute but I decided to just take it on the morning I was leaving. I purchased a ticket pack for the metro but it was for children to try and get a discount. It worked and I started to make my way to the locker rentals that I had pre-booked online. I put my clothes in there and carried just the essentials with me as I began my walk around Paris. I got to see the Pantheon and started off at Notre Dame and its surrounding attractions from parks and statues. The French architecture was really something else, the windows and balconies of the apartments had pretty flowers and the streets had just the right amount of greenery. I also got to see the Louvre, Palais Garnier, Sainte-Chapelle, and Hotel des Invalides. I had a plan to take a photo of the Eiffel tower from the Pont Alexandre bridge during the sunset and that is exactly what I just did. After, I headed to the park to see the Eiffel tower up close as they lighted it up. It started to get a bit chilly so I went to go find some dinner which ended up being the raw meat dish that I wanted to try in Poland, taking the bus back to the lockers area after and making a mad rush for it as they were closing soon, making it only by a few minutes, just in time to get my stuff and catch a bus back to my hostel. My hostel was pretty nice and cozy with curtains as well, it was the cheapest one around and I was pretty satisfied.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaBelgiumTreading Through Gaia

    Bruges

    30 de setembro de 2021, Bélgica ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    I had planned on stopping by the famous Bruges, often compared to Venice. It was a short daytrip and I must admit it was very rushed, just for the sake of getting that flag. I got on the bus that took me to the city center. I walked briskly with my whole backpack and was able to see most of the spots on my list as Bruges was small. Starting from the famous Belfry to its bridges and canals, its cobbled streets and the gondolas cruising around. It was really as romantic as they say. I had Belgian fries for a quick lunch and went to walk some more, I got the shot I needed in Rozenkai so it was definitely an amazing time all around still. I waited for my bus back to the train station, accompanied by an older lady that helped me a bit. I got on my next train to Paris.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaNetherlandsTreading Through Gaia

    Kinderdijk

    29 de setembro de 2021, Países Baixos ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    For Kinderdijk, I had to take a train ride to Rotterdam to board a boat that takes me to a harbor near Kinderdijk. I found the way to the pier and waited to get on the boat which made for a pleasant ride before I had to transfer to another smaller boat. The smaller boat took me to Kinderdijk. I got off and started at the visitor center to go to the bathroom and use the wi-fi for a bit before I started my walk into the Unesco Heritage site. It was peaceful, devoid of any people which gave it the area this forlorn eerie feeling yet the overall emotional state was of jubilation. There was a stream flowing beside the path and from almost every direction stands a giant looming windmill. There were also other trails going in and around the area that led to even more amazing views of windmills. The edible I took was already hitting pretty well and I found myself enjoying the walk even more. I took frequent breaks to take photos and just absorb what I was seeing. I went to most of the windmills I could go to, doubling back to check out some more here and there and in order to not go off to far from the trails. I somehow ended up on a walking trail that seemed to extend to nearby farm fields and from then on the grass grew taller and acted as walls to both sides, changing the atmosphere completely. I knew I also had to catch the last boat leaving so it was hard to tell just how far this trail extended so I decided to head back as the skies grew a bit darker, it started to rain. On the way back, the rain caused a rainbow to appear, not just one but a double rainbow that arched over a windmill. It was a beautiful shot. I was able to catch the last boat on time and head back to Rotterdam for my train to back to Amsterdam.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaNetherlandsTreading Through Gaia

    Rotterdam

    29 de setembro de 2021, Países Baixos ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I had to drop by Rotterdam from Amsterdam to catch a boat to Kinderdijk. As I got off, I stopped by a Chinese restaurant to get lunch out of all places. It was quite nostalgic and comforting to be in a Chinese environment and taste Chinese dimsum though the prices were of course still expensive. After eating, I dropped by another coffeeshop to purchase an edible for Kinderdijk. The walk to the pier was pleasant and chilly but I found my way and waited for my boat.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaNetherlandsTreading Through Gaia

    Zandvoort

    28 de setembro de 2021, Países Baixos ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Zandvoort beach was just a few minutes away from Amsterdam, it was an amazing place. It was quite cold that day, the clouds hid the sun which made it even cooler. A bit windy too since it was at the beach but still very beautiful. I ate some of the truffles waited for it to hit. The trip started off smoothly until it was apparent that I was tripping but not too strong, maybe because I wasn't able to refrigerate it properly or it just wasn't up to par with my experience. It was still a wonderful time and I was blessed to see one of the most beautiful sunsets yet. It truly was an amazing time. I remember feeling quite envious of the Dutch as they have all these things just at the palm of their hands, such a beautiful country. I went to a nearby coffeeshop to buy another joint as I couldn't find mine. I had trouble lighting it up with the wind but I was eventually able to get it and smoked while watching the sunset. At night, the beach lights were very vibrant, I went home shortly afterwards to rest and reset as I was going to Kinderdijk the next day.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaNetherlandsTreading Through Gaia

    Zaanse Schans

    28 de setembro de 2021, Países Baixos ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    I got up the next morning and grabbed my stuff, turns out I wasn't able to put the truffles in the fridge unfortunately. I got to the train station and made my way to Zaanse Schans first to see some windmills, I had a nice Dutch breakfast before heading into the site. It was really pretty, with windmills built by the waterside and a small village inside that also had connecting canals. Supposedly, there should also be tulips if I went on the right season. I looked around for a bit and made my way to Zandvoort beach afterwards.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaNetherlandsTreading Through Gaia

    Amsterdam

    27 de setembro de 2021, Países Baixos ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    When I got to Amsterdam by train, it was still raining a bit when I got out. A bit chilly as well, I made my way to find my hostel, aptly named This Hostel. It was a capsule pod type of hotel and it was very pricey but it was smackdab in the middle of the city center which made it a very convenient place to use as a base. I checked in and chilled out in the room for a bit before heading out. I took a peek at the dancing houses of Damrak, and took a walk around the city. It wasn't crowded and it was really beautiful. Walking around the streets, bridges and canals was an amazing experience. I stopped by one of the famous coffee shops, Prix D'Amie, and got a OG Kush joint and their own brand of lighter. Of course, my main goal was to try out their magic truffles so I made my way to Azarius to purchase their strongest one, Psilocybe Valhalla. There was a line outside and I met some funny dudes who were also keen on trying it out. I was dismayed to hear that they ran out but the lady checked again and there was still some stock. I bought a pack and put it in my bag before I dropped by another coffee shop to buy an edible. I ate it on the street and made my way to the gardens where I relaxed for a bit to take in the scenery, I walked around a bit more until the edibles started to hit. I was walking all around the garden until I made it back to the entrance and started to make my way home. I stopped by a burger restaurant to eat dinner but wasn't allowed to go inside as I had no vaccination certificate. I ate outside in the cold but it was a pretty good meal. Afterwards, I made a lap around the red light district, it was definitely an interesting place. After passing through the barrier that separates it from the rest of the town, everything else started to turn red, the signs and its associated shops. The ladies of the night were just there by the windows, it was a very unique experience. I got back home just in time to catch a shower and go to sleep.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaGermanyTreading Through Gaia

    Berlin II

    26 de setembro de 2021, Alemanha ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    One of the most magical moments that happened to me while traveling in Europe was this day in Berlin. Originally Evie and I had wanted to go to the bridge in Kromlau but seemed like destiny had other plans. We went out to eat some Croatian food while these brave wasps would just straight up land on my food. We got back to her place but she was having problems with her stomach and ended up being out of commission for the rest of the day. It seems like I had also missed the bus going to Kromlau and I was just honestly pretty tired after traveling for so long. I decided to go on with plan B which was going with Yoko to the flea market. Turns out it was a pretty good decision, the flea market was awesome filled with so much spiritual, cultural, and artistic craftsmanship. I had a lot of fun just going around and even bought Janelle a plant hanger. I bumped into Yoko a couple of more times before going to the area where there were a bunch of people doing Conga drums. It was definitely a sight to behold, people of various color, origins, age, and bodies were all dancing in an almost drunken stupor. Yoko smoked me up again and we were passing around joints left and right. A funny old man named Robbie was just so pissed drunk, he was hilariously doing the silliest things. There were obviously some people on drugs as well. At one point it became too unbearable to just watch and despite my tired legs, I danced my heart out with everyone, even busting out some breakdancing moves. We stayed here until the sun set and the cops had to come over and break up the group. Yoko and I went out to find some food, he bought a grinder from this Rasta vendor that I helped pick. We got home pretty tired and I went to bed pretty satisfied. I think Evie was staying at her boyfriend's that night so I had the room all to myself until morning.

    In the morning, I went inside Yoko's room to get my laundry and packed my things. I wasn't able to say good bye to Evie as she was nowhere to be found. I headed to the main station to catch my train to Amsterdam but ended up getting on the wrong bus which already gave me a bit of anxiety but I was able to make it just fine.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaGermanyTreading Through Gaia

    Berlin

    25 de setembro de 2021, Alemanha ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Earlier in the day, I had a flight from Budapest. Things were supposed to go well but I didn`t realize my ticket needed wi-fi in order for the QR code to get scanned. Luckily, there was someone who overheard and let me borrow his hotspot. I got on just fine and made it to the airport. Things were going pretty well until I got scammed a couple of times by the vending machine as well. Super annoying but I got on my flight to Berlin.

    From the airport, I made my way down to the train terminal and took the train going to the city center. It was a pretty pleasant train ride, I managed to escape paying for anything once again. From the city center, I took a bus going to Evie`s place. I got to her neighborhood, it was nice and quiet, a bit chilly with some autumn foliage. The problem was, Evie didn't tell me what unit number her flat was so I was just stuck outside the apartment. I've been waiting for a while, contemplating whether to actually start knocking on each floor's unit but after a bit of back and forth, Evie finally called out from above. It was really nice to see her again, we picked up right from where we left off back in Tokyo. It was really easy to hang out with her, a bit eccentric and wild sometimes but hey she's one of my best friends. We started by going to a nearby bakery, running and catching the bus. I ate some raw meat inside bread which was pretty good. We went to town and saw some of the famous spots of Berlin. I had two impressions on Berlin, compared to the other European cities I have been to so far, Berlin was by far the dirtiest and the most dull. The architecture was pretty flat and gray. There was graffiti everywhere in all corners, some I wondered how they even got there in the first place. We went to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews that also doubled as an art exhibition that was meant to give you a disturbed feeling. Brandeburg Gate, Bode Museum and the bridge leading to it, the TV Tower and several parks. We covered a lot of ground and surprisingly finished most of my spots in Berlin in a few hours. We went to eat some curry fries before going off to find an antigen test for Evie so she could enter some establishments. Even the train and bus had graffiti inside them, according to Yoko (a character appearing later in the story). Berlin itself is an artwork as the whole city is painted in these crazy graffiti. We went to the station where Evie was meant to get an antigen and from the get-go in the park, I made eye contact with one of the black dudes and knew that he was a dealer, two of them there. Tempting but nahh. After we got her antigen, we went to the hipster area of Berlin, we stopped by Cafe Luzia. A really hipster cafe with a slick interior but we were just having drinks outside. The stank of weed pretty strong. We took a long time catching up here, talking about various topics from spirituality and dreamwork, travel aspirations and life in general. I did invite her to come with me to Amsterdam but I have no idea then if she was serious about it or not. As it got dark, we went out to find dinner and ended up in this awesome Thai restaurant. We were meeting with her boyfriend and her other friend Yoko. We got to this crazy underground party place inside some abandoned area and there were tons of different party bunkers to choose from, we tried scoring some weed but I just opted not to as it was such a hassle to find a grinder and everything. Her boyfriend came soon afterwards and the three of us exchanged some drinks together but it seems like Yoko, who was actually the person who told us to come here, wasn't going to make it. We got bored after a while as the place wasn't exactly playing the best music nor were the people partying at all. On our way home, we passed by a guy playing this awesome guitar riff and we were just mesmerized by his work. We even opted to stay for a bit longer and even gave him some money. We went back to our place and I immediately could tell the difference in airquality coming from Berlin's city center to Evie's peaceful neighborhood. Berlin was hella dirty.

    We went back in to her flat and I was finally able to meet Yoko. He's Nigerian and we got on along pretty well from the get-go, during our introductions, I mentioned that Tokyo has a pretty strong Nigerian community as well and one of my really good friends, Sophie, was half-Nigerian and half-Japanese. Yoko was intrigued and wanted to see what she looked like so I showed him a photo of Sophie's Instagram. Yoko invited me for a smoke sesh and I happily agreed with a tub of ice cream, we talked deep about life and one of my most memorable nights of a jamming sesh happened here when I let Yoko listen to one of the songs I was really into at that time, Om Ganesha, by Mose. We were both stoned and eating ice cream and just seeing how much he jammed to the music made me so happy, we were both vibing hard throughout the song and he would just comment at how good it was. Afterwards Evie cameout a bit tired as she was trying to sleep so we turned it down and I also said good bye to Yoko as I was also a bit tired. I went to have a shower and went to bed on a makeshift couch Evie had made for me which was actually pretty comfortable.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaHungaryTreading Through Gaia

    Budapest II

    24 de setembro de 2021, Hungria ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The second day was much more relaxed, I had a good dream that told me to let go of the fact that I lost some money and to just focus on enjoying the day. My day started with me going to the nearby store to buy some breakfast. I sat myself on a bench overlooking the Danube river, across the bridge that I would be taking to go to the other side. After eating a coupel of sandwiches, I went up the bridge and was switching sides because both sides offered an awesome panoramic aerial views of the city. It was a long bridge and a bit windy as well, I enjoyed the walk and got to the first stop of the day: Gellert Hill Cave. It's a church situated inside the hill. I would have liked to go around Gellert Hill as well but it was closed due to some renovations so I continued on towards to Castle District.

    It was surprisingly empty, maybe because of a weekday and because of Covid. I made my way upwards and found an elevator in one of the alleys, normally there would be a huge line and waiting time here but seems like today's my lucky day. The castle district offered even better views of the city, I could see the Parliament Building all the way from the top. The grounds were huge and I easily let myself get lost at awe at the history and architecture all around. Some of the main highlights was definitely Buda Castle, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. It was difficult to take photos of myself without other people but it worked out pretty well and I was able to get awesome angles. After a pleasant walk around the castle district, I bought Janelle and myself some Halta's painted eggs as a souvenir. These eggs are painted in a town called Halta as the name suggests. It's meant to bring good luck and traditionally hanged around the kitchen as a symbol of life. I walked around the castle grounds some more before taking another way down the other side, I followed the staircase all the way down until it led me to a nearby park that's split by more stairs. I let myself rest by the bench here, watching people try their best to go up the steep slope. I was quite hungry (pun intended) and was looking for more traditional Hungarian food to try as so far I wasn't disappointed at all. I was able to land myself in a bit of a fine dining, Michelin star restaurant after a couple of minutes of waiting for it to open. Once again, another awesome meal in Budapest, I've had some of my best meals here to be honest. It was also pretty cheap considering everything. I overheard a tour guide talking about the thermal baths in Szechenyi, one I was also quite keen on trying.

    After lunch, comes the long walk. I also quite enjoyed this moment as I had this strong feeling inside of me that was screaming "Wow, I am really here going around Europe" and it was an amazing feeling. I followed the river all the way to the bridge at the top, taking frequent breaks whenever needed. I crossed the bridge to the other side and had to still walk several blocks until I reached the park where there Vajnahuyad Castle was. I was able to get some good photos even though the sun was too bright. From there, I went to the much awaited thermal baths to take off all my fatigue but was greatly disappointed when I realized they weren't renting any swimwear and that I had to buy so that means I just ended up becoming so fatigued for nothing. I tried to cheer myself up by getting myself some delicious icecream and ate it while watching some guys play ping pong at the park nearby. I definitely didn't want to walk all the way back so I risked taking the train and was able to get out safely without encountering any guards to check for tickets as I didn't even know where to buy tickets. My next problem was my bladder. It was difficult to find a bathroom in Europe as most of them charge money, but I made a big brain move and went to a 5-star hotel instead, from their lobby I went to their awesome bathroom, free of charge and even lounged a bit to use their wi-fi and catch up with some people before heading out. I was hoping to catch the sunset but it was such a cloudy day, I didn't think it would appear so I started to make my way back, seeing a lot of funny statues along the way. Halfway back, I realized that there was going to be a sunset judging from the sky's colors and started to head back down to the river docks. I managed to grab myself a bench and was able to absorb the beauty of it all. On the way back, I got sucked in to another fancy restaurant for dinner, more Hungarian finedining. Amazing food as always, definitely my top country in Europe for delicious food. I made my way back to my hostel and was finally able to take a nice shower and some much needed rest.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaHungaryTreading Through Gaia

    Budapest

    23 de setembro de 2021, Hungria ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    As soon as my bus from Bratislava arrived in Budapest, I made my way over to the tram that would take me to the city center. I finally had my comeuppance however from attempting to dodge paying for transportation ever since Warsaw. I was sat next to two punk-looking youths. I saw this big guy with a fanny pack and shades enter the tram and my instincts gave off a bad sign but I didn`t pay attention to it that much. As soon as our tram set off, the guy faced towards the two guys and asked to see their tickets, it seems like they gave of counterfeit tickets and got into trouble, my helpless lookin` face-ass seemed to also caught his attention so when he did ask to look at my ticket, I also didn`t have any to show. Now, I had to pay the fine which was like 20 euros at that time and I didn`t have any Hungarian forints on me too so he took me to exchange some money. I didn`t even try to weasel out of this one, we went to two exchanges but they were closed. The third one was unfortunately open and I didn`t get such a good rate too. Anyways, I did pay for the fine and I was also pretty close to my hostel so I walked towards there and went through the main market place. I got to my hostel, checked-in and dropped of my things and went back out to try and explore the city. All was just done through walking and relying on Maps.me for offline navigation but I eventually made it to the Shoes of Danube and the Hungarian Parliament Building. On the way, I went by several landmarks such as St. Stephen`s Basilica which was partially covered due to some sort of event that was happening that day. I was lucky enough to catch the sunset and it made for excellent photo opportunities and lighting for both the shoes and the parliament building. I hanged out around here for a long time until the sunset fully to which I went to the back streets and had some traditional Hungarian food such as catfish. I was very happy with my dining selection that night. It was quite unfortunate that I opted not to bring my jacket with me as now it was starting to get very chilly. I decided to follow the river on the way back and was able to see the other side of the river bank come alive with bright lights. I was also able to grab some nice photos of Szechenyi bridge, another famous bridge that connects both side of the river in Budapest. I got back home a bit tired but I was nevertheless very satisfied.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaSlovakiaTreading Through Gaia

    Bratislava

    23 de setembro de 2021, Eslováquia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    I finally got to Bratislava, unfortunately there weren't any lockers for me to put my stuff in so I had to lug them with me as I explored the city. It was only a short stop-over but more than enough time for me to see the main sights. Luckily, they also had wi-fi in the touristy areas. I got on a tram and got off at one of the stops near the castle. I walked up some stairs and through a park until I got to one of the main gates with outstanding design leading up to the castle grounds. Bratislava castle was very white and squarish I would say. The courtyard made for a nice photo op though, it was empty after all. After the castle, I went down to the streets once again, taking photos of whatever caught my eye like odd statues and interesting buildings. I got to the main square and found a Slovakian restaurant, perfect to get a taste of their cuisine. Eliska, my Slovakian friend, recommended me to try Halusky, their national dish. I asked the waiter if they had some and they did so I sat down outside the restaurant and had some halusky. It was pretty much like mac and cheese with a very strong cheese, a bit salty bit still pretty good. I asked the waiter for directions to the bus stop I was going to as the name was different but turned out my hunch was right and that they were the same.

    One of the other main spots I wanted to check out was the blue church which was also on the way to the bus station. I got to see the church and had a seat at one of the stairs nearby. It was closed and still not much tourists, I had a nice opportunity to enjoy some peace but I got a bit conscious as I might be blocking the way so I proceeded on to try and find the bus stop. I took frequent breaks sitting on whatever bench I could find as my bag was quite heavy. I was even inside an apartment's lobby to just sit down on their comfy couch and to use their free wi-fi. Turns out the bus stop I was looking for wasn't there so I had to rely on my other map apps to find the right one. I got there just on time though, we waited for my bus which turned out to be for students hence its affordability. The ride was a bit long and cramped, but I was now heading to Budapest.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaAustriaTreading Through Gaia

    Vienna II

    23 de setembro de 2021, Áustria ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    A straightforward third day, woke up early and caught bits of the sunrise before taking the tram to the main station. I was going to catch my train going to Bratislava. I got on the train just in time and had my trusty bread from yesterday for breakfast. Seated in front of me were two business when with a powerful perfume, it was ghastly. Once again, the sim card I bought with Mareike failed to give me internet but hey I got this far without it, might as well just push through.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaAustriaTreading Through Gaia

    Hallstatt

    22 de setembro de 2021, Áustria ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    I woke up extra early to catch the train going to Hallstatt. I really liked the rooms for the place I was staying at, big and private beds with burgundy curtains and there were just three of us in one room so it wasn't too loud. I ended up accidentally flooding our shared bathroom due to my shower curtain positioning. The water even reached the carpet of the main bedroom. I scurried off to get to the main station, getting on the wrong bus in the process which made me even a bit more panicky but I got there just fine, even had time to buy some McDonald's for breakfast. I was a bit worried as today was supposed to be a rainy day and I had wanted to get some sun for beautiful pictures. The train ride was actually very comfortable, too comfortable in fact as I didn't realize I was sitting at first class. When the ticket checker came to confirm my ticket, I realized I was in the wrong place and was asked to move to forward to the other cars. I passed by a small restaurant bar in one of the cars before making it to the seats for "normal" people. I was still able to get a window seat luckily. Most of the ride was very chill, I used it as an opportunity to get some much needed rest after numerous days of continued traveling. It was a long ride, watching Austria's country side as our train cruised along was something I truly enjoyed. As we approached Hallstatt, the scenery started to morph into something more grand. Mountains loomed huge and combined with these blue lakes made for such a picturesque scenery, There were some houses and pastures with sheep along the way as well. After a couple of more stops, we finally arrived at the other side of the lake. I went down to the docks and grabbed a roundtrip ticket and got on the boat that would take us to Hallstatt's port.

    The boat ride was very pleasant, seeing the lakeside town loom closer as we passed each wave gave me a nice idea what I was in for. As soon as I stepped down the boat, this sense of surreal excitement started to creep in. It was such a wonderful place, I remember I was still texting with my mom on my phone then, I was sending her these photos I took from the boat and she was really proud of me. First things first, I had to grab some lunch. I went to the first nearby restaurant to see what they had and was waiting for quite a bit but when I checked the menu, they only had breakfast so I used the bathroom and left to find some food. I decided to also start exploring as well, all the houses here were residential and all of them had these amazing coloring, blooming flowers, and wooden finishes. Just going around the narrow streets and alleys, going to wherever it leads was one of the best ways to explore, just getting lost in this small town. I was able to find some churches, a cemetery and even a waterfall. I took the non-tourist route and ended up going up a lot of stairs but it was quieter with no people. I later backtracked and took the tourist route and saw a lot of shops. I was quite lucky to have come here during Covid as there weren't that much tourists. Usually there would be thousands of Chinese tourists, made apparent by the signs around Hallstatt in Chinese. I circumnavigated the lakeside as well, they made for awesome pictures. There were a lot of swans hanging around the lake which added even more beauty to Hallstatt. I reached the end of the town and decided to have some pizza. It was so big actually, I almost couldn't finish it but it was also very delicious and a bit pricey but such is Europe.

    After having lunch, I went outside again back to the grocery store I passed by before and bought hazelnut bread for breakfast the next day. I hanged around here for a bit, just trying to let the time pass as it was raining very hard and the train I was planning on getting on was still a bit later in the day. After taking shelter in the grocery store, I went and sat by a bench under a tree that overlooked the lake, the rain was still drizzling but the tree was a good natural umbrella. I was worried about the rainy and cloudy weather but I realized they added so much drama and mood to my pictures, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I was planning on taking the postcard photo of Hallstatt at a specific time frame in the day when the sun would come out a bit so I just spent a lot of time visiting the various stores in the tourist road and staying inside the church for when it started to get to cold or rain. I then made my way to the hill overlooking the town pass the opposite side of the docks. I staked my position and waited for the opportune time to take photos, taking a lot of them from various angles. After I was satisfied, I went back to my trusty church and waited for the boat to take me to the train station at the other side of the lake. There, I waited with another person in the waiting room and finally got on the train which took us back to Vienna with a nice sunset behind us, as if it were saying good bye. I had to transfer to another train and then our train did get delayed multiple times before we reached Vienna.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaAustriaTreading Through Gaia

    Vienna

    21 de setembro de 2021, Áustria ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The bus ride coming to Vienna wasn't the most pleasant one, I didn't get much sleep but hey at least I got to where I needed to be. With the sun rising, I was quite ready to tackle this day though my circumstances would beg to differ. I had noticed that the simcard I bought in Poland wasn't working at all, this was a huge problem as I had no idea how to reach my hostel from my bus stop nor did I have any Euros on me at that time as I had just arrived from Poland which had a different currency so I couldn't take any public transportation unless I found a currency exchange but it was still too early. With some feelings of dread, I got off the bus a bit lost, to my surprise there were also some people who were as lost as I am. One of them, a big scruffy guy was trying to figure out if he was in the right place, I gave his tickets a look and told him that he had to take another connecting bus to get to his location which was already paid for in his ticket, I redirected him to the correct bus stop. Next was an African man who also asked me for directions, which was pretty funny cuz I was just as lost as he was. He needed to get to the Nigerian embassy, now I had no idea where that was but I do know we need to find some place with wifi. I learned that his name was Vincent and as we walked a couple of meters, I found a free wi-fi connection, just my luck! I helped Vincent use Google Maps and told him to screenshot and not close the app so it would just stay there, we went our separate ways afterwards as I booked an Uber to my hostel. The driver asked me to put on a mask and I did and we had some small talks about Japan. I got to my hostel and once again I had no wi-fi and was having a hard time entering the front door as it was locked. I paced around back and forth to the bakery nearby as it had free wi-fi. I tried contacting the owner several times and I was finally able to get a hold of him and he told me to go upstairs. How dumb of me really, the upstairs one had a pin where I could put in my code and was finally able to check in and leave my belongings. I took a nice shower and set off, still very tired and sleepy but my friend Mareike was waiting for me.

    The walk was very pleasant, being surrounded by the amazing architecture of Vienna, it's wide streets and musicians scurrying about made me feel really happy that I was here. I wasn't really sure where Mareike was hanging about and I got a little worried if I was keeping her waiting for too long as I didn't have wi-fi to confirm her location. She had also just gotten to Vienna as well to start her Master's degree so it was a new city for both of us though maybe not so different for her as she did come from Germany (judging from personal experience, I'd say Vienna is so much more beautiful than Berlin, however). We went around the various tourist attractions littered around the town's center such as Hofburg, the Vienna State Opera house, Rathaus, St. Charles Church and St. Stephen's Cathedral. All of them were amazing architectural feats. St. Charles Church had an amazing water reflection photo op while St. Stephen's gothic style was something new for me. I also grabbed breakfast as well as exchanged money at a place with a not so good rate. The clerk was Filipino, I noted.

    We had lunch outdoors, it was autumn and there were children playing outside. I was a bit chilly, I finally got to order schnitzels. Much to my dismay, it wasn't anything special at all just a fried pork chop. Afterwards, we went to two different Hundertwasserhaus, a whacky and artsy designed building by a famous architect. We then went to the park to chill for a bit, a lot of children were on these scooter things and trying to go up these skateboard rings. We went to a grocery to try and buy another simcard. To end the day, we went to the Museum of Sound which was a visual and audio interactive museum. There wasn't much people there and it was actually really fun to go around and try the various exhibitions and to get to know the famous musicians of Austria such as Beethoven.

    We went to her dorm afterwards so that we could set up my simcard and no surprise it still wasn't working. We decided to try one more time to go to a nearby mall to try and get it fixed. We took the metro going there and the clerk tried but it wasn't really going to work out. We went to have dinner instead, big burgers which were my treat and we talked about dreams and lucid dreaming. I walked her back to the station and walked the way back to my hostel which was actually very close.

    When I entered, I heard the familiar language of Japanese so I popped in the lounge room to say hi and went back inside my room to end the day.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaPolandTreading Through Gaia

    Warsaw III

    20 de setembro de 2021, Polônia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    After we finished the roundabout trail, Wiktor took me to Warsaw's tallest structure, we took this elevator all the way up and got some amazing views of the city however it was just so cold and windy up there, I couldn't stay too long. Wiktor had to go tutor someone so we had to partways for now but I will be seeing him again later. Now, I had a lot of time to spare and nothing to do as I wasn't too keen on walking around with my backpack out in the cold so I grabbed a mango shake at the nearby cafe and just let the time pass me by until it was night. Karolina and Kuba had gone to a shooting range today and I was waiting for them to come get me. It was interesting to look at the people walking by, their fashion was definitely a bit high end and on point. Karolina and Kuba soon showed up and we went to this other mall's food court to eat dinner. We chowed down and Wiktor soon also caught up. Kuba's accent is so funny and I really like him, he's even funnier while stoned. After eating, I rode with Wiktor again to the bus station. The three of them waited for my bus with me, and we said our farewells as I got on the night bus going to Vienna. It was bittersweet but I was ready to continue on.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaPolandTreading Through Gaia

    Kampinos

    20 de setembro de 2021, Polônia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    The following day, I needed some nature so Wiktor and I decided to go around Kampinos National Park. I took the bus to Wiktor's neighborhood and I got to see his home. It was so homey, most of the interior was made of wood. I got to see Kacper's and Wiktor's room, their living room and such. I got to eat some delicious breakfast at their place, some kind of pickled fish on bread. Sam also recommended me this Polish vodka as he was actually part Polish and Wiktor had this exact one so I tried it and it was actually pretty good. As we finished up, we got some more snacks at their local convenience store and drove to the park's trail entrance. It was peaceful, it was only us there so we walked and walked and were just present with nature. We talked here and there, even going deep into spirituality as well as other stuff about the world. Nature never really fails to help raise me up.Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaPolandTreading Through Gaia

    Warsaw II

    19 de setembro de 2021, Polônia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    The next day was much better, it wasn't raining anymore and I could feel some sun in the air. I left my kitchen-bedroom and saw that Karolina and Kuba were still sleeping. I went to the bathroom to freshen up, grabbed my things and hit the road. I walked a bit to the bus stop, it was still quite to cold. I was just hopping in and out til I reached old town once again where I was supposed to meet with Wiktor. This time, I was feeling the familiar exhilaration I get when visiting a new country. Without the rain and fog, I was able to see more clearly just how beautiful and intricate this site was even though I had just been here the day before. Walking the streets and alleyways and getting clear and crisp photos really made my day. I spent most of the morning just going around and getting these empty photos as the usual crowd still hadn't arrived. I grabbed a burger for breakfast and there were these two birds just chilling around me so I just gave them some bits and pieces. They were very friendly, even grabbing it from my fingers with their tiny beaks. I saw some lovelocks on some railings as well as the royal gardens. I also did a little bit of church hopping as a means of escaping from the cold, but it also provided a bit of insight on the religious practices of the Polish though Christianity is nothing new for me.

    I was meeting with Pawel and Polly today, it was actually Pawel's idea to go to the museum. He even bought the tickets for Wiktor and me. I met up with them in this place called the Palm. I took a bus there and sat at the nearby park. I saw them from across the road and had a mini-reunion in the middle of the crossing. It was so fun to meet so many familiar faces, Pawel was always such a funny guy and Polly, a bit more level-headed. They made a great couple. Turns out both of them turned pescatarian, Pawel over a bet. They took me to this restaurant by the river which had awesome vegetable and fish which was right beside the museum. I also learned about the meaning behind Warsaw's name. I had just thought it was because of the fact that it was ravaged by the Nazi's back in World War II as in it Saw War which garnered a huge laugh from Polly. It was actually based on a legend of a man and a mermaid who fell in love. Var and Zawa, which is actually how you would read Warsaw in Polish.

    We went to the science museum where Wiktor was waiting for us after he did a number 2. Natalia came to pick us up and we took some photos while waiting for our timeslot to go in. The science museum was super fun and really worth it, much better than my original plan of going to the TeamLabs-esque place. Natalia was super knowledgeable and showed us each exhibition, explaining the science behind them. We watched a robot story show, and played with a lot of stuff just like little kids. Pawel was so funny as always, he had to leave a bit earlier though. After spending a couple of hours inside, we said goodbye to Natalia and decided to walk Polly home.

    It was a nice and gentle walk, it took us across a very peaceful park. Polly invited me and Wiktor up to her place which we happily accepted. Their place was so unique, it had so much life and warmth and style. It was like being in another world to be honest, I was so impressed with their design direction. She served us some tea while we talked and enjoyed each other's company. Soon Wiktor and I left to go meet his friend at the park to get some greens. It was quite a fun journey as well as I got to ride the Polish metro and also bike across town albeit mine had a flat tire. Wiktor exchanged bikes with me the second round going back.

    We had to catch up with Karolina, she was waiting near the restaurant where we were going to eat a lot of traditional Polish food. She was reading a book by the bench and I tried to sneak up on her but she saw me a bit too early. Wiktor, Karolina and I went to the bottom floor of the restaurant where we ordered a bunch of food, all pretty good to be honest. It felt just like back when we were in Japan. It was really a nice and touching reunion.

    We later went back to her place and Wiktor rolled some joints, we smoked and enjoyed watching funny variety shows until early morning. I had a pretty good sleep that night after such a fun and fulfilling day.    Leia mais

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  • Treading Through GaiaPolandTreading Through Gaia

    Warsaw

    18 de setembro de 2021, Polônia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    After a long airplane ride, I finally touched down in Poland. It was raining and very cold. I was in touch with Kuba, Karolina's boyfriend, before coming to Poland. I was staying at their place for the duration of my stay in Warsaw. I tried to get a simcard but the clerk was so rude and in the end I couldn't get it to work, it was so annoying and I had already wasted some money. I was talking with Wiktor telling him where we could meet near old town before the wi-fi disappeared. I had missed the bus going to old town while trying to get wi-fi but ended up losing both opportunities. I tried to go outside and wait for the bus again in the cold rain. Not gonna lie, it was a bit of a stressful start. Eventually, the bus did come and I went in seamlessly, not even having to pay though this was my bad. It would soon become a prevalent theme while traveling around Europe. Seeing Poland firsthand was exciting, a country I didn't know much about was now unraveling itself before me. Slavic/Baltic influence was pretty strong, in both its language and culture. Most of the buildings were a bit bland and not so developed but old town was absolutely stunning.

    I got down and went to the plaza, where I agreed to meet Wiktor. I stood there in front of the statue, hoping Wiktor got my message, trying to find wi-fi. Surprisingly, he showed up at the nick of time right behind me. It was such a nice reunion, he has changed so much from a teen now almost looking like a scruffy man. I was quite guilty for making him wait but now it was all good, my next problem was letting Kuba know that I am now hanging out with Wiktor and can't make it to his place yet. This was solved through Wiktor albeit he wasn't too fond of my decision. Wiktor and I hanged around the old town, going through some alleys and seeing the remains of the castle. He shared some bits and pieces of the history of the place, the significance behind the statues and buildings. We decided to go meet up with his brother, Kacper. It was a long but fun walk, filled with a lot of catching up and laughter. Kacper and his fiance at that time, Natalia both welcomed us into their new home. It was still in the works but I could really appreciate the aesthetics. It was very minimalistic and I really appreciated their non materialistic approach to home ownership. We settled in and had a brief chat before going to pick up the apartment keys from Kuba and to try and find another sim card. We drove to Kuba's apartment and was able to say hello, I got the keys and off we went to one of Warsaw's main malls. Wiktor did most of the talking and we tried several shops and decided to go with T-mobile. I got my simcard and off we went back to Kacper's place for dinner. We ordered traditional Polish food from UberEats and it was actually all pretty delicious, they had dumplings and sour soup. I ate my fill while we exchanged a lot of cultural background concerning Japan and Poland. I learned a lot from them both especially their views on social media. From Natalia's words, "I don't really see the need to look at what's going on in other people's lives or to share about mine own" and it really hit well for me, I soon deleted Facebook after coming back and it was actually pretty good. It was also quite a coincidence that Natalia works at the Copernicus Science Center which was the place Wiktor and I were going to the day after so I was quite looking forward for her to show us around. We talked for a bit more before we said our good byes. Wiktor drove me back to my place.

    At this point, I was already quite tired but to my surprise Kuba was in there with his friends having a bit of a drunk poker party. His house, his rules I guess but I just wanted to sleep at that point. I had no choice now though as I had to just vibe with them for a bit while waiting for Karolina to come back. She did apologize but hey, I don't really have any right to demand anything as I was just crashing at his place for free. They kept offering me shots but I kept refusing as I wasn't really in the mood to drink but then one of them invited me to smoke and that I was down for. Karolina soon arrived, we were very happy to see each other and she quickly fixed up a place for me to sleep which was moving a sofa into the kitchen. It smelled very European in there, I both liked and disliked the set-up, even with the door closed they still were pretty noisy until like 2AM where they left. I didn't get much sleep at all that night.    Leia mais

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