Big Day Out: Saskatoon

I've been back in Canada for almost a year now and was supposed to be leaving to return back to Japan next month.  Due to circumstances out of my control, unfortunately this won't be happening.  I don't see any travel plans in the near future because of health problems and for anyone who knows me, this is pretty much my version of hell.  As someone literally addicted to travel and who was/is seriously considering trying to make a career out of it in the near future, this has been pretty tough and no one quite understands this feeling quite like other like-minded individuals.

But then I got to thinking as to exactly what it is about travelling I love so much.  It isn't about going to exotic locations where you don't understand anything.  Nor is it about jumping on a plane or lying on a beach or spending a ton of money.  It can be these things, but it doesn't have to be.  Last summer, I went travelling in Canada for the first time in my life (well, the first time that it was just for the sake of travelling, rather than going to visit someone or in transit to somewhere else).  For the longest time, I wasn't interested in seeing my own country, simply because it wasn't different enough.  But as I've travelled more, I've realized travelling is about seeing something new, even if it means going to a festival or museum in your hometown you've never gone to or a restaurant with different cuisine you've never tried.  How many people actually go sightseeing around where they're from (I mean unless you're a Parisian, hopefully you've hit up the Louvre!).  When I left Europe, I realized I didn't really do much local sight seeing in any of the four locations I'd lived, so I made an effort to change that when I lived in Japan.  It's too easy to get caught up in daily life and it's always nice to know a little about the place you're currently calling home.

So a few weeks ago, when I found out the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon (where I currently am) was holding a free day, my broke ass was pretty excited!  And even doubly excited when I found out there was also a winter festival with ice sculptures on in the city!

The Western Development Museum has four branches around the province, yet this is the first time I've ever been to one.  The point of the museum itself is pretty self explanatory: it records the early and ongoing development of the province, with each branch focusing on something different (ie. agriculture, economy, transportation, or people).  The museum also offers short courses in things like blacksmithing.  There really is something for everyone.  Admittedly, I was pretty bored at the beginning; it was just like walking through my dad's shop at the farm, full of old horse harnesses and the like.  But once I learned the 'Boomtown' exhibits were actually old buildings from the early settler days, I was a little more impressed.  There's also a huge display of vintage cars and farm equipment, as well as more modern exhibitions, which made me feel pretty old.  I was particularly interested in the section on the Dirty 30's and anything after that, as it reminded me a lot of stories I heard growing up.

This free day was actually part of the city's Heritage Festival, but a little internet research dug up the fact that this year marks 65 years of the Western Development Museum in the province, and as such, anyone turning 65 this year gets free admission on their birthday, as well as a gift.  As well, to mark the anniversary, on Sunday, April 6, 2014, admission will only be 65 cents.

The second part of our big day out was taking in the ice sculptures near the Farmer's Market which were part of the PotashCorp WinterShines Festival.  This festival goes on for just over a week at the end of January, right in the dead of a prairie winter, when we all need cheering up the most!  This was the first time I've been to it, and found out about it just before it was finished for another year.  There's a soup cook off, ice park and sleigh rides for the kiddies, and all sorts of other fun wintery events.


All in all, it was a great day and did the job of curing the winter blues, even if just for a few hours.  I'm here until at least August, but if there's one time of year I do love in Saskatoon, it's the summer.  For such a small city, it really does have a lot of great festivals: the Fringe Festival, the Jazz Festival, Taste of Saskatchewan, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, and of course Folk Fest, just to name a few...I'm
looking forward to it!

Afternoon Fling in Firenze

In honour of Valentine's day, I felt it was time  for a love story, inspired by true events:

I had been visiting my friend Ade in Bologna where she was teaching at a preschool.

After spending a weekend together partying, she had to go back to work, but I was staying on in her flat for a few more days and decided to take a day trip to Florence.  I caught the train in the morning and arrived, unsure of what there was to see, not having researched it at all.  By this time in my amateur travelling career, I was learning to just wing it and see where the day took me.  I stopped at a cafe in the train station, lured by the smell of coffee beans and stood at the counter sipping on a bitter espresso while quickly glancing through a brochure for the city I had just picked up.  Throughout my travels in Europe, I had also become a fan of Boticelli, so the Uffizi Gallery seemed the place to go.

I walked out of the station into the bright, crisp October air, heading in the general direction of the Uffizi.  After not long, I stumbled upon the Duomo, one of the 'Big Three' of Italy.  Not having planned to go to Florence at all, I at first didn't realize what I was looking at, but it was so beautiful, I couldn't help walking around it, snapping pictures from every angle.

Surrounding it were stalls, mainly selling souvenirs, but some with painters as well, inspired by one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  A man called out to me and I ignored him.  I had just come from Istanbul weeks earlier and was well versed in ignoring the cat calls of eager men.

The painter left his stall and approached me.

"You're beautiful," he told me.

I mumbled a word of thanks and tried to continue on my way but he kept on.

"Can I paint you?  You have beautiful eyes."

This was a new one and made me stop for a split second, which was all the encouragement he needed.  He decided to change his tactics.

"Where are you going?"

I finally looked at him, until now he had just been in the corner of my eye.  I hadn't wanted to make eye contact, for fear it would encourage him.  He was short - for a man, meaning he was only a smidge taller than me - , in his forties, average build, brunette hair with a few silver wisps.  And the most beautiful gray eyes.  He was wearing loose jeans and an old worn blue, red, black, and white leather jacket, the kind that was popular in the 90's.  I couldn't speak for a second, I was so taken aback by this gorgeous man who had just called me beautiful.  I had never been attracted to older men, but it looked like that was about to change.  My wariness was wavering.  I told myself he was just a stereotypical Italian man, who knew his way around women and probably hit young naive tourists on a daily basis.  But I didn't care, because out of the crowd, he had chosen me today.  Whether it was because I was alone and easy prey, or because he truly thought I was beautiful, I didn't care.

I hesitated, before replying, "I'm looking for the Uffizi Gallery."

"I'll take you there."

And without waiting for a response, he stepped into stride along side me and I had no choice.  He left his painting stall and motorbike as though he did this sort of thing every day, which he very well may have.  Perhaps he gave a nod to one of his fellow painters to ask them to keep an eye on his things and I just hadn't noticed.

I don't remember his name anymore, but he spoke perfect English and was from Albania, not Italy, although he had been living in Florence for years.  We started walking down a small street of cafes and shops.  Suddenly he asked me if I wanted some wine.

I looked at him.  "Uh..."  It was barely noon on a weekday.  Without waiting for an answer, he walked into a cafe.  I followed, thinking we were going to sit down and have a glass....maybe with lunch.

He bought a bottle and when he asked for two paper cups, the clerk handed them to him from a stack without blinking an eyelid.

Admittedly by this point, I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable and like I was never going to actually get to the Uffizi, but I didn't say anything and followed him quietly.  Thoughts of underground sex trades were starting to run through my head and I regretted wearing a mini skirt to walk around on my own.  I reminded myself we were in public.

We eventually came to the river and started walking across the Ponte alle Grazie.  We stopped and he pointed out the next bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, first built around 996 and the only bridge in the city not destroyed by the retreating Germans during World War 2.  It is one of the few remaining bridges still lined with shops, as was the Medieval style.  Beyond it is the St. Trinity Bridge, the "oldest elliptic arch bridge in the world".

As we crossed the river, he pointed to the right and showed me where his apartment building was.  To my relief, we turned left at the end and continued walking along the river a ways, before he stopped and set the two cups out on the little wall and filled them with wine.  He handed me one, touched his to mine, and said "Cheers".

For a long time we didn't say anything, just sipped at the wine and gazed out at the breathtaking scene in front of us.  The dry, orange leaves that had already fallen off swirled at my feet as the breeze picked up a little and I shivered.  He took off his jacket and draped it across my shoulders.  Then he hopped up on the little wall and pulled me into him.  We stayed like that for awhile, he shielding me from the wind and me staring at the river over his shoulder.  After what seemed like an eternity, I began pulling away. And then he kissed me and I felt my stomach doing flip flops and my head spin, like it was my first kiss.

He eventually hopped down off the wall and took my hand.  The bottle of wine was finished and I suppose he had to get back to work.  We walked back across the river and not long after he pointed down a street and said, "The Uffizi is down that way."  We had passed it earlier.

We couldn't have know each other more than an hour, but somehow, it felt so much longer.  He must have seen the look on my face because he held my face in his hands, looked into my eyes, and whispered, "I'm so happy I met you today.  I hope to see you again one day in Florence and you will let me paint you."  He kissed me on the lips one last time and was gone.

I was the definition of speechless and stood, watching him walk away with his hands in his pockets, wishing I could form the words to ask him for some way to contact him.  It was the information age after all, and there were no excuses.  He turned and saw me watching him, gave a small smile and wave and just like that, he was gone in the crowd.

I spent the rest of the afternoon looking at art so beautiful it's been known to make people pass out.  But I couldn't take my mind off my Albanian painter.  In the early evening, on my way back to the train station, I passed by the Duomo again, but his stall was gone.  I began to think my story of an afternoon stroll along the river in Florence with a painter and a bottle of wine was just a figment of my imagination, it sounded so cliche.  That night I returned back to my friends flat and told her all about as she listened in disbelief.

"Ziggy!" she screamed in that passionate Italian way of hers.  "How could you not get his e-mail?!  You are his muse! We must go back and fine him!"

A few months later, I found myself on the train through Florence again and had the overwhelming urge to get off and have a look around the Duomo, but I didn't (if only because I was with my father).  To this day, my painter remains one of my favourite travel memories, for the pure cliche of the story and for knowing that somewhere out there, there remains at least one old fashioned, romantic man, who wants nothing more than to create a good story.  Needless to say, I didn't see much of Florence, but I'm pretty sold on the city and the men

.

Bucket List 2014

Before I left for Europe in 2007, a co-worker asked me what my travel goal was.  I hadn't really thought about it; I had a travel bucket list (consisting of: EVERYWHERE), but I hadn't ever really thought consciously of a goal.  I replied to him 'I want to live on every continent'.  Seven years and two continents later, this is still my goal.  Although I sometimes feel like I haven't accomplished much travelling (this scratch map I got as a gift made me realize just how big the world is and just how little I've seen), when I think back to things that used to be on my bucket list that I've now seen or done, it's a pretty good feeling.  Just because I didn't have a physical list to check them off, doesn't mean I haven't accomplished things I wanted to.  I've taught English in Japan, been in a film in Scotland, heard a muezzin calling to prayer in Istanbul, been ripped off in Budapest, brought in the New Year singing karaoke in Seoul, slept on a beach in Australia, camped in the Rockies, seen the sun set from Santorini, caught a midnight train from Paris, seen sumo in Osaka, eaten pizza in Naples, harvested potatoes in Switzerland, paid $12 for a shower in Hong Kong, lied to immigration officials, missed flights, been sick, slept in countless airports and NEVER had my luggage lost OR anything stolen (knock on wood).  I've also done a lot I never planned on doing (ie. becoming a ninja in Kyoto), but that's part of the joys of travelling!  So here's my current, ever-evolving list of travel aspirations:

1. Work on a kibbutz in Israel - The hippie/farmer in me has wanted to live and work in one of these communities for a long time.  I have a feeling I'll say I'll stay for a month and end up not wanting to leave it sounds so up my alley.

2. Travel the Trans-Siberian railway - Being part Russian, I've always wanted to see where my grandmother's family came from.  I would love to be able to go to Russia with my grandma, but seeing as she's 96, I don't think that will happen.  So that plus my love of train travel combined sounds like the perfect adventure for me!

3. Volunteer/live in India - India is definitely up there in my top places to travel and has been for a long time as well.  Because of my interest in pursuing a second degree in international development, one of my travel goals has been to volunteer along the way. In India, I particularly want to go to Goa, the old hippie hangout of the 60s and 70s (see a hippie trend here?)

4. Take a safari in East Africa - Africa is one of those places that everyone I meet who has gone there says it will steal your heart and you'll never want to go elsewhere.  Perhaps this is my excuse for leaving it waiting for so long.  But no trip to Africa would be complete without seeing the great migration on the Serengeti in the summer months.  The whole goal of volunteering goes for here as well.

5. Travel more of Europe (particularly Scandinavia and Eastern Europe) - After living in Europe for two years, there's so much more I want to see.  Some of my favourite cities I've ever been to are Prague and Budapest so I'd love to see more of Eastern Europe.  As well, a lot of my best friends while living in Australia were from the Scandinavian countries, so I really want to be able to visit them again.

6. Travel across Canada - It's confession time.  Before this past summer, I had only been to two provinces in Canada (besides seeing the insides of airports).  I guess the lure of somewhere far away and exotic had me saving every penny to hop on a plane out of here again!  So of course, I'd like to see my own country a bit more and visit friends and family along the way.

7. Egypt and the Sahara - A great wonder of the ancient world...need I say more?

8. Go to the Antarctica - This is so very expensive and so very far off into the future but no bucket list would be complete without it! Perhaps via South America?

9. Study Spanish in South America - Spanish is one language I've always wanted to learn because it's used in so many countries around the world.  Instead of doing it as a minor at school, why not just go live there and learn it by immersion?

10. See Morocco -  Ever since I was in Spain, I've been kicking my butt I didn't head over to Morocco...perhaps one day.

11. Climb a mountain (either Everest, Fuji, or Kilimanjaro) - After the past few years, health is becoming a new found priority of mine, so perhaps one day this can be a reality.

12. Go to Petra - I'm not an Indiana Jones fan BESIDES the fact that this was in the movie.

13. The Amazon River and Rainforest - I've been obsessed with going here every since I was in elementary school playing The Amazon Trail in computer class (perhaps I should do The Oregon Trail as well?).  I also really loved Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Perhaps these games are what started it all...?

14. Stay in an ice hotel - There's one in Quebec, there's one in Sweden...seeing as these are both on this list, there's no excuse!

15. Angkor Wat - Because lost cities are where it's at!

16. Macchu Pichu - Speaking of lost cities...












17. Easter Island - ...and uber remote islands.

18. Rio de Janeiro - I've dreamt of seeing the Christ the Reedemer statue ever since I dated a guy who had it on his favourite T-shirt...weird reason, I know.

19. NYC - In keeping with the whole "let's see some things on my own continent" theme.  I've never felt particularly drawn to North America, but the more I travel, the more I realize travel is about going somewhere you've never been, it doesn't necessarily have to be across the ocean where you don't understand the language.  And I really like RENT.

20. Cruise Ship - I don't want to GO on a cruise ship, it's not really down with my style of travel.  Rather, I'd like to work on one, or better yet, volunteer on the Peace Boat.

21. Great Wall of China - Because it can be seen from space!!!!












22. Return to Australia/New Zealand - Last October marked my ten year anniversary of setting out in this weird and wonderful world on my own.  Australia holds a special place in my heart for many reasons; it was the first place I lived overseas and first place I travelled on my own at the mere age of 20.  It showed me what travel is and inspired me to do more.  As cliche as it is, it's where I found myself, or at least a huge chunk of me.  Ever since I left in 2004, I've said I'll be back and I hope to make that dream a reality soon.  Plus, I never actually saw New Zealand in the year I was there (too busy partying...hey, I was 20!)

23. Backpack Central America - I need to continue practicing that Spanish I learned in South America as I work my way back North!

24. Go to California - If I had to choose any State to visit, this would be it.  So many cool cities (LA, San Fran, San Diego), great weather, and everyone I've ever met from Cali has been so stereotypically Californian (laid back, down to earth and awesome!)  I wouldn't mind timing it in order to hit up Coachella as well.

25. Victoria Falls and the Devil's Pool - The Falls alone look amazing, but the Devil's Pool (a sort of natural infinity pool formed right on the edge of the waterfall during the dry season, which you can sit in if you dare) looks like an amazing experience.

26. Galapagos Islands - I may not be using my science degree, but I'm still a bit of a geek deep down. Ever since first learning about Darwin's Theory of Evolution as a youngster, these islands have been on my hit list.

27. Open a hostel - OK, so this is YEARS down the road, but I already have it all planned out in my head.  The problem now is where to settle down to actually have it!  We all know the best hostels are run by former travellers.

28. Get a better blog/be more dedicated to it - This is something I'm hoping to do within the next year.  New domain, much more regularity to when I post, and hopefully better writing!

I should probably stop at some point, I could really go on forever...go to the Olympics, learn to swim (so I can surf and scuba dive)...the list really is endless.  If I can come back to this post in a year and cross a few things off I'll be more than happy!  And hopefully I'll have discovered a few more amazing places to add.

Travel Hacks #1: Solid Liquids

The first time I went abroad alone was to Australia for 6 months (which quickly turned into 10).  My main suitcase was a massive 32 kg.  This was 10 years ago and luggage weights were much more lenient and generous if I recall correctly.  I remember a bus driver loading it for me and asking if I was moving for a year...no, only 10 months.  This was even before I travelled with a laptop, digital SLR, etc.

Since then, I've learned to pack much more efficiently, even though I'm still a girl and not as compact as many travellers...I love my girly things and electronics and there are just some things you can't sacrifice when on the road for extended periods of time.  When I first went to Japan 3 years ago, my whole life was on my back in less than 17 kg (that's almost cut in half!).  Now I have an apartment full of stuff there spread out in 3 locations, just waiting for me to come back, and the luggage on the way back is going to be packed to the limit (mainly full of quinoa, toothpaste, and deodorant).

But living abroad and travelling are different things and when I'm travelling, I have my whole world on my back and want to make it as light as possible.  So the next time I went abroad to Europe in 2007, I changed a few things.  The thing which probably made the biggest difference was solid liquids, and since then, my back (and knees!) has really thanked me.  I even managed 2 weeks around Spain with only a school sized backpack.

The only solid shampoo and conditioner I've used is from Lush.  I'm sure there are others out there, but considering it's the one I was first introduced to and I have no problem with it, I've stuck with it.  Lush is also in 51 countries around the world, so no matter where you are, you're bound to be able to hit one up soon if you run out.  There are around 8 different shampoo bars, giving you lots of choice for your needs, 2 conditioner bars, and 1 all in one.  You can even buy a convenient carrying case for them.  While I love the idea of Lush, the smells aren't always something I want a whiff of everytime the wind blows.  I tried a few different bars before I settled on "Ultimate Shine" as my favourite, both in terms of smell and how well it does the job.  Retailing for around $12 Canadian, it may seem a lot, but keep in mind, even with every day use, these bars last me at least 3-4 months.  The conditioner (featured on the right in the picture), is called "Jungle".  It costs a little less, but honestly, once this bar is gone, I probably won't be purchasing another one, as it doesn't really seem to condition the way a liquid does and makes me smell like a hippie (more than I want to anyway).  If you're a guy (or a girl who's not picky), of course you can just make do with a bar of soap for all your cleaning needs.

The other solid liquid which has saved my life is solid perfume.  This not only lightens the load, it also relieves the stress of packing expensive glass bottles of perfume (I've never done this, but know of people who have with disastrous results).  These are a little easier to come by, but once again Lush carries them.  The only one I've tried by them is "Vanillary" and I really liked it.  The $10 tube lasted over a year of weekend getaways and 3 major trips (ie. a few weeks in length).  Currently, my travel perfume is The Body Shop's "Love Etc." Another option for perfume are miniature samples.  As a Sephora junkie, I have a ton of these lying around thanks to the free samples from all my orders.  It's also a great way to get samples of anything else you might need, such as face creams.  But, if you go into any Sephora store and linger in the perfume area long enough, they're bound to offer you a few samples to try.  I haven't done this yet, but the tops of these bottles look easy enough to take off and fill with your own perfume at home once they're empty.  One of these little bottles will definitely last a week or more. Stay tuned for more travel hacks coming soon!