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Posts from Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Posts from Base Camp

Some Final Words on the Balkans

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I had originally intended to say goodbye to the Balkans with a lengthy post about food.  However, I’m going to pre-empt that discussion for a moment with some late-breaking news about the region.

"Living Room" of my hotel in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
“Living Room” of my hotel in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

As you have probably heard by now, torrential flooding has created massive devastation in Serbia, Bosnia and, to a lesser degree, Croatia.  Many people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.  Landmines are now once again a concern, as they have been disturbed by landslides and flooding.  Reconstruction will be a long and difficult process, once the immediate health and safety threats are overcome.

In my previous blog, I expressed the hope that the upcoming World Cup would be helpful in the Bosnian reconciliation process.  It seems that the flooding and an unexpected gesture from a tennis player may accelerate the process before that (and on an international level).

Novak Djokovic of Serbia is currently ranked as the 2nd best tennis player in the world.   Last weekend, he won the Rome Masters tennis tournament and a $500,000.00 paycheque…and donated all of it to the victims of the floods.   Most notably, the money (along with another $600,000.00 raised through his charitable foundation) was to be shared by the countries affected by the flooding.  This cross-border gesture has in turn prompted the Bosnian national soccer team to support Djokovic on the court and for Djokovic to declare his support for Bosnia & Herzegovina at the upcoming World Cup.  There also has been unprecedented cooperation between Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina in dealing with the aftermath of the flood.

I don’t think anybody expected events to unfold this way.  Let’s hope that others show similar leadership so that the old “divisions” may finally be put to rest.

Now, a few words about food…

Meat stuffed with meat (prosciutto) and cheese, with a Shopska Salad, in Žabljak, Montenegro
Meat stuffed with meat (prosciutto) and cheese, with a Shopska Salad, in Žabljak, Montenegro

Any discussion about food in the Balkans needs to begin with the omnipresent ćevapčići – a sausage-shaped minced meat.   I ate this in both Sarajevo (on a platter with other “real” sausages and pickled cabbage) and Split (in a warm pita with raw onions and ajvar sauce).  However, the dish I ate most was Wienerschnitzel…or bečka šnicla, as it usually appeared on menus (see my earlier post on “A Crazy Road Trip” for a photo).   The name bečka šnicla puzzled me at first, until I realized that many of the Slavic languages refer to Wien (Vienna) as “Beč“.   It was always excellent – the Austro-Hungarians certainly left their culinary mark in this part of Europe.  Anyone who has travelled here will not be surprised to read that I also enjoyed burek (filled pastry) and dolma (stuffed vegetables) on more than one occasion.

Dolma with pickled salad and a limunada (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Dolma with pickled salad and a limunada (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

However, I also enjoyed some interesting beverages in the Balkans, primarily due to lemons!  In Bosnia, I drank limunada on several occasions.  This is roughly equivalent to “lemonade”, but it is so sour that they bring out a jar of sugar for you when serving the drink.  Later, in Croatia, I rediscovered pivo s limunom.  The exact name and formulation changes from country to country, but I had previously enjoyed it in German-speaking countries as Panache or Radler…where it is one-half beer and one-half lemon/lime soda.  It tasted good after a long day of skiing in the Alps and I now discovered that it also fit the bill after a long day of walking under the Adriatic sun. 

View from my dinner table in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
View from my dinner table in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

I think today’s ultimately hopeful post is a nice way to conclude my reporting on the Balkans.  On May 29, I’ll be heading out on another adventure to a place I have never visited before.  It wasn’t one that I had planned well in advance; after returning from Italy in March, I decided to let fate (in the guise of seat sales) dictate where I would visit in the spring.  It all happened very quickly and I am quite happy with how it turned out.  In fact, my next destination is logically connected to both Canada and the Balkans.  It will also be a great place to watch the opening matches of the World Cup.  Stay tuned for details!

Durmitor National Park, northern Montenegro
Durmitor National Park, northern Montenegro

 

   

Posts from Base Camp

Bosnia & Herzegovina, War and Soccer

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Looking back on my trip to the Balkans, it turns out that Bosnia & Herzegovina (“BiH”) has left the greatest impression on me.  Croatia and Montenegro are stunningly beautiful countries, but I mostly felt like I was on vacation while there.  For those countries, that is definitely a good thing.  By contrast, BiH was a real intellectual challenge…something that isn’t often associated with a vacation.

Second World War Monument (Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Second World War Monument (Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

The war in BiH officially ended in 1995 with the Dayton Accord.  I say “officially” because it is extremely difficult to suddenly end such a devastating war and then carry on with normal living as if nothing had happened.  Even now, 19 years later, the war is still in the face of almost everybody in BiH.  There are “war tourists” who want to know what happened.  The political boundaries are based on the front lines as they stood in 1995.  There are paralyzing disputes about which sites (if any) from the war should be developed for tourism.  There are still bombed-out carcasses of buildings throughout the country.  And, as I was to find out during my “Siege of Sarajevo” tour, people are still dying from landmines.

Bombed-out building on an otherwise rebuilt street (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Bombed-out building on an otherwise rebuilt street (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

I didn’t mention the landmines in my blog at the time.  Among other reasons, I didn’t want to overdramatize what had happened, given that it was only my first full day in BiH.  I wanted to believe that BiH had moved on from the war.  But after spending a week there, I realized that mentioning the fatality wasn’t overdramatizing .  It is simply the reality of today’s BiH.

Land mine warning - Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Land mine warning – Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

As you will recall, I visited the crumbling bobsled run from the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.   High up in the mountains, about a one minute drive  away from where we parked to walk down the bobsled run, our tour leader pulled over on the side of the road.  There was a driveway and what appeared to be an abandoned (but still standing) house.  Cars occasionally passed us – this wasn’t downtown, but neither was it far from the hillside suburbs of Sarajevo.  Our guide explained that, less than 3 weeks ago, a man was killed near the edge of the driveway by a previously-undetected  landmine.  It happened about 12 metres from where we were parked.  It was an extremely sobering way to spend the first full day of my trip.

In another town, I was given an apparently comprehensive sightseeing map.  Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the largest (religious) building in town wasn’t on it.  The building had been there for many years – clearly, it was omitted because it belonged to a different religious group.  With such persistent reminders, in addition to ongoing landmine fatalities, the war is indeed still being fought.

Bird's Eye (heh) view from a minaret in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bird’s Eye view from a minaret in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Next month, BiH will participate in soccer’s World Cup.  This is an incredible accomplishment and marks the first appearance of BiH at this prestigious competition.  I’d like to believe that this presents an opportunity for BiH to focus on what binds them, rather than on what divides them.  I recently watched the movie “Invictus”, which showed the unifying power of sport in the South African context.  Nelson Mandela saw South Africa’s rugby team as an opportunity for South Africa to move on from the miserable past of apartheid.

I’ll certainly be watching BiH closely in the World Cup.  I don’t know for certain whether the team roster includes players from each of the groups that make up BiH, but it would be wonderful for each of those groups to be cheering for the same team, just like South Africans eventually did in “Invictus”.

Another view of the Old Bridge (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Another view of the Old Bridge (Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Posts from Base Camp

Staying in Shape for Travel

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I do a lot of walking (and eating) when I travel, so I try to stay in peak travelling condition by being very physically active when I am in Kingston.  Hockey lasts all year, while soccer has just started and curling will end this week.  I supplement these sports with brisk walks in and around the city. 

Today’s post contains some photos from my local wanderings.  A favourite local destination is Lemoine Point, which is also home to an increasing number of wild animals.  

IMG_1210
Lemoine Point, Kingston (March 2014)

We used to see deer from time to time but they are now almost an everyday occurrence.  All of the deer in this post were spotted on the same trail, at approximately the same time of day. 

Lemoine Point, Kingston(February 2014)
Lemoine Point, Kingston (February 2014)

When Lemoine Point is too wet or muddy, there  is a (mostly paved) waterfront trail between Lake Ontario Park and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.  It is a good place to cool off, as the wind really keeps the temperature down.

Lake Ontario Park - Kingston, Ontario (April 2014)
Near Lake Ontario Park – Kingston, Ontario (April 2014)

Running north from the built-up part of the city is the K&P Trail.  The most interesting part of this former railway is the long climb between Jackson Mills Road and Cordukes Road.  We walked the entire trail between Kingston and Harrowsmith last fall and are walking north of Harrowsmith this spring.   

Next Tuesday, I’ll be leaving on a lengthy (almost three weeks) overseas trip .   As always, I won’t specifically identify my destinations in advance on this blog.  One interesting aspect will be the use of two different alphabets, as well as at least four different languages (in name, if not necessarily in substance).  While there, I hope to see some professional soccer, as two of the countries I’ll be visiting will be participating in this year’s World Cup and two others narrowly missed qualifying.  However, the most important thing will be experiencing a beautiful region with a tragic recent past.

Posts from Base Camp

Adventures in International Dining

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I’ve been back in Kingston for a few days now but wanted to share some more photos and stories from Washington D.C.

After visiting the Pentagon on my last full day in Washington, I went on an Ethiopian lunch quest.  I have been a huge fan of Ethiopian food ever since my friends Keith and Erika introduced me to it in Toronto in the early 1990s.  My favourite Ethiopian food so far has been in Winnipeg, of all places.

Many of you will know this, but just in case…Ethiopian dining generally consists of a series of somewhat curry-like, and often spicy, “sauces” served on a very large crepe/pancake called injera.   Injera tastes a little bit like sourdough bread.  You eat with your hands;  tearing off pieces of the injera and scooping up the sauce with it.  You get extra injera on the side but the idea is to also eat the injera that held the sauces.

The Old Post Office (Washington, D.C.)
The Old Post Office (Washington, D.C.) – I went to the top for a view of  the city.

I read that Washington D.C. has the second-largest Ethiopian population of any city in the world…including cities in Ethiopia!  Ethiopian restaurants were allegedly ubiquitous; one D.C. company even offers an Ethiopian food tour!  Surely, I would have no trouble finding one for lunch.   I decided to travel to the Adams-Morgan neighbourhood – it promised an eclectic mix of ethnic eateries, record stores and artsy shops.   It sounded somewhat like Queen Street West in Toronto (before the national chains moved in).

My record shopping was successful.   Alas, I was getting very hungry and I could only find 2 Ethiopian restaurants after a long search.   One looked very appealing but was closed for another four hours.   The other claimed to be open but I couldn’t see any customers inside.  Disregarding one of the cardinal rules of travel dining (“avoid if nobody else is eating there”), I took a quick peek inside.  It was dark – I think most of the light was usually generated by the wall of (dark) TVs near the bar.  A friendly server confirmed that they were in fact serving lunch and that I could have a seat in the “dining room”.

Well, the dining room had definitely seen better days.  It featured a “rustic” 1970s wood-panel/abandoned sports bar look that had nothing to do with Ethiopia.  Not even a faded travel poster!  Only one customer (drinking tea but not eating food) was there, but he left as soon as I sat down.   I tried not to look too closely at the place; thankfully, the absence of light made close inspection difficult.

I didn’t have the heart to leave, and I was really really hungry, but was eating here really a smart thing to do?  I considered the consequences – the most harm would likely come from dodgy meat.  I decided on the vegetarian lunch platter – a series of lentil- and spinach-based sauces on injera.  My anxiety increased somewhat as the server spent a very long time on the phone discussing the secretive delivery of a package to an apartment building.  I couldn’t help hearing the extensive conversation about Apartment 105, as there was still nobody else in the restaurant.

I needn’t have worried – while it wasn’t the very best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had (the injera was somewhat powdery and two of the sauces could have used some warming), it was good enough and I cleaned up everything on my very large plate.  One of the lentil/berbere sauces was especially red, spicy and delicious.

Soviet and American nuclear missiles - National Air & Space Museum (Washington, D.C.)
Soviet and American nuclear missiles – National Air & Space Museum (Washington, D.C.)

I spent most of the afternoon wandering “Embassy Row” and Georgetown.  There are nearly 200 embassies here, in addition to various international organizations such as the Organization of American States.  Even the smallest nation has an impressive embassy building, while some of the larger ones have massive office blocks.

Canada’s embassy is downtown rather than on Embassy Row.  It is functional rather than visually appealing, although Canada (like most of the larger countries) also has a separate home for its ambassador near Embassy Row.  These generally are designed to impress, even though an increasing amount of international diplomacy and negotiation is now carried out by private lobbying firms on behalf of nations.  I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures of diplomatic buildings – there was a very heavy security presence.  The Russian and Syrian ones felt especially tense.

Canadian Embassy - Washington, D.C.
Canadian Embassy – Washington, D.C.

I ate dinner at a tiny Japanese/Korean place in Crystal City, Virginia.  I properly researched it beforehand and knew that I had nothing to worry about!

I’ll be back in a few days to share some nice Kingston-area photos and drop a few hints about my next trip.  It’s the longest one yet (almost 3 weeks) and, from a linguistic perspective, will be the most challenging one so far too.

Posts from Base Camp

Italian Leftovers

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

As I have chosen to write this blog in “real time”, some interesting topics and photos inevitably get overlooked because they weren’t at the top of my mind when I was writing my blog posts.   Before heading out to my next destination, here are some of those overlooked items from Italy.

This was my first visit to the enormously popular cities of Rome and Venice.  Even in March, the mid-day tourist crush in these cities could be quite daunting.  The best sightseeing moments were early and late in the day, when the group tours had left and quiet contemplation was possible.  This is probably true for all major tourist sights, but it becomes critical during the warmer months when crowds and confusion are much more uncomfortable.

Swiss Guards at St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican City)
Swiss Guards at St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City)

As they have been for hundreds of years, the Swiss Guards are entrusted with the protection of the Pope and the Vatican.  They really are Swiss and there is a competitive selection  process for young Swiss who wish to fulfil this role.

The Pantheon is probably the best-preserved building from the glory days of the Roman Empire.  Below is a temple built in the Forum nearly 2,000 years ago for a Roman power couple; it remains more or less intact despite many attempts to pillage it over the centuries.

Monument to XXX and YYY, The Forum (Rome)
Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina, The Forum (Rome)

Cortina d’Ampezzo has a reputation as a haven for the Italian glitterati but we were fortunate to find very affordable accommodation right on the main pedestrian boulevard.  The Hotel Montana (see photo at top of this post) was family run; in fact, the manager represented Italy several times in curling world championships…so he had a special affinity for Canada and Canadian curlers!

Even better, the hotel was right across from the bell tower that could be seen from anywhere in the surrounding mountains.  This really helped in orienting ourselves, as the Alps are notorious for distorting your perception of time and distance.

Basking in the sun, just below the Lagazuoi summit (Passo Falzarego)
Basking in the sun, just below the Lagazuoi summit (Passo Falzarego)

The weather in Cortina remained warm throughout the week.  While I prefer skiing in deep powder, I also enjoy skiing in slushy snow and being able to ditch the jacket (albeit briefly) was a fun little indulgence.  We encountered almost none of the ice that often plagues skiing in Eastern Canada.   As you can see, there  also were very few skiers on the slopes!

And just because it’s such a unique city, I think it is entirely appropriate to include another photo from the back “streets” of Venice.

Venice
Venice

I’m taking a break from the blog for a few days but will be posting again once I arrive at my next destination.  It’s actually not that far from Kingston but for some reason I (and many other Kingstonians) have never visited it.  Stay tuned for the details!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Style Q&A

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Thanks to everyone who has been checking out the blog so far.  If you like, there is now a place in the margin of this blog where you can sign up to receive e-mail notifications of any new posts.

Only a few days until departure!  In the meantime, Ian B. has posted some interesting questions on my “About Me” page….and here are my responses.

• Do you think you will be staying in more hotels or hostels?

The Orient Hotel in Victoria, Prince Edward Island, Canada (2009)
The Orient Hotel in Victoria, Prince Edward Island, Canada (2009)

I hope to stay mostly in locally-owned accommodations that have some character.  This translates to a lot of simple hotels, B&Bs and “pensions”.  Hostels are always an option, especially in remote areas, although I’m not keen on large dormitories.

• Once you are in a country, how do you like to travel around most? Trains? Buses? Walking? Hitch-hiking and depending on the kindness of strangers?

For travel between places, I prefer trains because it is a lot easier to walk around during long trips (and to keep track of luggage). However, for short distances, I like to walk as much as possible.  You see so much more of your surroundings when you walk.

• Do you stick closely to your itinerary or give yourself leeway to get taken off course as you are exploring?

There are certain “can’t miss” sights and experiences that I want to make sure I see .   However, I try to stay in most places long enough to have some free time to explore and see what happens.  The weather often plays a role in this, but I also make decisions based on what I think has been missing from the trip so far.  This leads to your next question…

• What do you think you will visit more: cathedrals or soccer stadia? 

Soccer
Brazil v. Sweden (Stockholm, 2012)

It will probably be about equal in the end!   I think the key is to have balance.  Too much of a good thing can lessen the magic.

I will say that going to a soccer game is a great way to truly experience a local culture (and be entertained at the same time).  I’ll try to see as many games as I can, although most teams play only once a week and it can be hard to coordinate that with my travel schedule.

• Do you like to try out new tastes in each stop or hunt down familiar flavours?

I definitely prefer to try out new tastes that are specific to the region I’m in.  However, there are certain limits:  mayonnaise and tripe (together or alone), for example, are out of the question.

• When you need to ask a local a question, are you the kind of traveller who would rather risk offence by asking (perhaps poorly) in the country’s native language or risk offence by asking in a lingua franca? (English, French etc.)

If the local language is French or German, I will try my best to ask in that language.  If it is another language,  I will learn about 10 key phrases in that language before I arrive…including “Do you speak English?”  I think it’s important to at least try to speak the local language, however poorly, when you first approach someone in another country.

• Do you think you will go into a McDonald’s just once to try one of the unusual items they have on the menu in other countries?

It is a possibility, although it’s more likely that I would go to a restaurant chain that we don’t have in Canada.   Going to a local chain might also prove to be helpful later in that trip!

Posts from Base Camp

The Travel Checklist

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

OK, I admit it.  I am a travel geek and have recorded every trip I have ever taken.  I know how many countries I have visited and how many times I’ve been to each of those countries.  In fact, because of the vastness (and proximity) of Canada and the United States, I have recorded the same information for all of the provinces, territories and states of those two countries.  Alas, if this becomes the basis of your travel planning, it becomes a “checklist” approach to travel…and I am trying to avoid falling into that trap.

Having said that, I’m not going to throw out my travel records.  Tallying up the number of countries visited is an interesting, though easily manipulated, way to measure how much one has traveled.   Although my travel decisions will (hopefully) not be guided by these statistics, I will continue updating my lifetime travel stats as the year progresses.  And yes, when the 12 months are over, I will probably calculate how many countries I visited during this special year.

I will also admit that one of the destinations under consideration for my travel year is Saskatchewan:  the only Canadian province/territory that I have never visited.  But I won’t go just to check it off the list…there must still be something special for me to see or do that justifies a visit.  Will it make the cut?  Stay tuned and see!

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Planning my Itinerary

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

For many years, I’ve had a list of places I’d like to visit during a year of travel.  However, even though a year sounds like a long time, I quickly began to realize that there simply wouldn’t be enough time to see every place on that list.  It also was important for me to truly experience each place, rather than race from city to city and from country to country.  Other considerations included climate, prices, visa requirements, safety, and some important family events that I didn’t want to miss.   Logistically, this has turned out to be more complicated than any project I have ever undertaken…but the complications have also made it an extremely rewarding exercise.

As of today, I have booked five trips and have a pretty good idea about several more.   Nothing beats the feeling of committing to a destination and knowing that imagination is about to become reality.

So what’s the itinerary so far?  As excited as I am about sharing my plans, I’ve decided not to set them out here in advance.  I’d like to share the thrill of discovery with you…and I can’t properly do that if you already know where I’m going!

Some of my destinations will be on the wish lists of many other people.  There will also be places that few travellers ever visit, much less *plan* to visit.  These less-heralded destinations are often the best, as they don’t carry the burden of unrealistic expectations.  They also tend to have fewer tourist traps and other barriers to genuinely experiencing the local way of life.  Regardless of where I go, I hope that my blog postings reflect the thrill and privilege of being “someplace else”.

Posts from Base Camp

Welcome to my Blog!

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

ORIGINAL TEXT (February 18, 2014):

After working as a lawyer for 15 years, I decided to devote an entire year to a lifelong passion:  travel.   This blog will record my adventures and hopefully enable you to share some of the wonder and excitement that I experience while traveling.

The first couple of posts will talk about my itinerary and about some travel traps that I want to avoid.  After that, I intend to post in more or less “real time” while I am on the road.   Stay tuned… and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments!

UPDATE (January 11, 2016)

After finishing my year of travel, I posted a number of “year-end” entries and decided to continue the blog in its current form.  I now write  about my ongoing journeys as well as other travel-related topics.  However, as I resumed working after the end of my travel year, I now also include some “flashback” posts from pre-2014 trips.

The copyright for all content on this blog site is owned by Pierre Vanderhout.