The backpacker with a suitcase

Oops! I've been traveling and haven't been blogging. Time to set that straight.

With reference to my earlier post "something's brewing", well indeed something was. I've taken a huge plunge, left my job and cozy life in Goa and will shortly be getting back to the studies in Portugal. Exciting times lay ahead.However,before I do shift base to Portugal I am currently traveling a little bit with my twin brother Karl and his wife Astrid.

We are currently in Brussels and heading to Leuven for a day. Up until now we have covered Brussels, Gent, Bruges,Liege and Maastricht. No prizes for guessing that Bruges has been the most gorgeous city. This fairy-tale like town has it all; canals, cobblestone streets, gardens, parks, windmills, horse carriages, exactly like out of a fairytale. I have no qualms in saying this town ranks way higher than Venice in my book.

After we finish with Belgium,we head to Prague for three days and then onwards to Lisbon. While Astrid and Karl carry their backpacks  I have to lug around two suitcases and honestly I feel like the weirdest backpacker ever!

Oh and I love Belgian fries.

Something's brewing

It's been a long time since I've posted on here. I guess when I stop travelling, I stop posting. I shouldn't though.........................stop travelling that is!

I've been suffering from itchy feet for a while now but haven't been able to do anything about it. Well, I did make a short trip to a nice hill station in Karnataka in India in March, but it was just too short and came in between a horrendously busy time at work, and hence other than a breather (and a weekend getaway) it wasn't much else.

How often have we read "Travel! You can always make money. You can't always make memories". But don't you need money to be able to travel?? That's the darned part! Christopher Mckindless in "Into the Wild" makes it seem so easy. But it's not!

So that would explain this long hiatus from my last backpacking trip Work, earn, save, travel, repeat! That's how I go about it! And maybe that is the best way. It brings more zest to the travel, a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of "I have worked for this!"

But it's been more than eight months now and something had  to give. Maybe I have something planned albeit a little different. It may come as a surprise but I'll wait before I tell you what it is! Whatever it is though, something's definitely brewing!!

I'll see you in two months!

Cheers!

Mark

United Nations News Centre - Southeast Asia: UN rights office appeals for halt in executions for drug crimes

United Nations News Centre - Southeast Asia: UN rights office appeals for halt in executions for drug crimes

Adeus Lisboa!

So, its my last hour in Lisboa. In a short while I will be leaving back for home. I leave with mixed emotions; sad that my holiday has come to an end but also happy to go back home refreshed after a fantastic holiday.

This trip has been memorable one as I after a while I have traveled alone  and once again it was a fantastic experience. I've never felt as confident of independent travel as I did this time around. Indeed, there are many advantages of traveling alone which I will go through in  separate post.

This trip gave me an opportunity to revisit a country I love traveling to, meet old friends, make new ones as well as discover new places. I go back happy, confident and refreshed.

Where will I go to next? Stay tuned!

A strange occurrence

So yesterday I went to Fatima as a visit there was long overdue. I didn't go with much expectations as I heard the place was very commercial. However I'm glad I did go, as contrary to what I had heard, I had a lovely time there. It was was so peaceful!

Well, soon I was back at the bus station waiting for my bus and suddenly there were these 3 Indian men who came walking towards me. One of them was trying to say something but I ignored them. However, the guy then came up to me and said " Sir, sir! You are from Goa no? Portuguese Consulate no?" I looked at them shocked and  nodded my head not knowing what to say but finally I did say "yes". The guy then said "Sir, you attended to me at the consulate twice. I remember your face very well". I was so amused by now and started laughing. They introduced themselves and said they were from Daman and we there on holiday. The chat ended with them inviting me to visit Daman when I got back.

Now what are the odds of that?

Marky in Barcelona

I took an early morning flight from Madrid to Barcelona. Leaving Madrid wasn't easy and a couple of my new  flatmates were up early to say goodbye to me. A huge thank you to Jose and Carole and Carole's flatmates for making me feel so comfortable while I stayed in Madrid.

The flight to Barcelona wasn't long. It was hardly a one hour flight. I had already booked a three night stay at Kabul hostel, recommended by many of the travelers I had consulted online. Off the airport bus and a walk down the La Rambla, I was at Plaza Real, an old quarter in a charming  part of town. Kabul hostel was perfectly located. I checked into a 20 bedded dormitory and there were already signs that Barcelona was a place with a crazy nightlife. All around me, slumped on their beds were young travelers, who had definitely had a long night. It was 1:30pm and they were out cold.

Kabul hostel is a perfect Backpackers hostel with plenty of facilities, games, a bar, a lounge area with funky furniture and full of backpackers all with one mission, "party till you drop". Making friends was easy and fun. Nights out with these fun youngsters from all over the world was a great experience. The couple of nights that I did go out, were unforgettable. Barcelona has a buzzing nightlife, great pubs and clubs all over the place. A night out at Opium, one of Europe's most famous clubs was a highlight of my visit to Barcelona. I have to admit, I let the sightseeing take a back seat and rather spent my time making friends, have fun conversations and sampling a variety of foods.

Even though I didn't go sightseeing much, I did walk around town and the old quarters and honestly, Barcelona has the most breathtaking architecture I've seen till date. Owing to the sunny weather I was able to spend an afternoon at the beach which was absolutely packed with tourists. When on the streets of Barcelona, you hear so many different languages, see so much street art and musicians and fancy restaurants serving mouth watering food. This is truly a cosmopolitan town with a strong Catalan flavour to it.

I will miss Barcelona.

Halla Madrid

Three days in this wonderful city was all I spent but  it was mission accomplished. Touring the Santiago Bernabeu and watching a captivating Flamenco concert rounded off what was a splendid three days in Madrid.

Jose and Carole were great hosts to me. Everytime I went back to their apartment I felt I was entering my home. Indeed, what leaves a lasting mark on you is not the monuments that you visit but rather the people you meet and the warmth that they bring  you when you are in foreign land. Once you have that warmth, the monuments that you visit have more meaning, epitomizing the culture and civilization of the country or city that you are visiting.

Worth a mention is the beer in Madrid. It just tasted so different and so good that 1 glass was never enough. Jose also took me to try "sidra" at a traditional Asturias taverna, which I absolutely enjoyed. The pouring of the sidra into the glass involves a special technique that is hard to master but I did okay for a first time.

I gorged on the delicious "jamon" , drank beer, and wandered the streets of Madrid while trying every now and then to practice my Spanish.

The visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium of the Real Madrid football team, was a special experience. Yes, I'm not a supporter of Real Madrid, but as a football fan, there is nothing about the Santiago Bernabeu not to love. I couldn't believe I was actually there. Too bad I couldn't watch a game there. However, I didn't miss the opportunity to touch the turf, photographing myself while at it, a special feeling. LOL!

The last few hours that I spent in Madrid was at the Las Carboneras where we were captivated by the fantastic flamenco artists on display. Indeed, the sound of those heels tapping into the wood still resonate in my head while I write this.

I'm now at the airport boarding the flight to Barcelona. Once again, it will be my first time in Barcelona. Come on Barcelona!! Show me what you got!!!