Last year I was counting down the hours (months in advance) to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. I love love this event!
Thank you Ludus Tours and especially Jess, Adam, Jim, Ashley, Cagney, Raffa, Rich, Anne, Salma and Michael for all the memories!
How does European culture, the world’s largest party, world class food, girls in dirndls and the best beer you have ever tasted sound?
This is an experience of a lifetime.
The German’s do it right! They have been celebrating Oktoberfest since 1810 when Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildurghausen. Today, Oktoberfest in Munich is the largest festival in the world! More than six million visitors take part each year and consume more than 1 million gallons of brew! And yes, for those of you who couldn’t wait to ask, most Bavarian women (and more and more foreigners) wear traditional dirndls – though the Halloween style (lower cut and shorter skirts) are becoming more and more common. And men, for those of looking for an excuse to wear leather pants… this is the place! All jokes aside though, Lederhosen look really comfortable…
Today is July 6th the opening day celebration of Running of the Bulls in Pamplona Spain. Unfortunately I am not there... but here are some posts and pics from last year when I was working at the event:
Running of the Bulls “… a delirium that doesn’t stop, a communion with absurdity.”
I arrived in Pamplona, Spain, a week before the start of the San Fermin Fiesta, also known as Running of the Bulls. It was hard to believe that the quaint little city of only 300,000 people, with no regular night-life, would play host to an additional 700,000 people and one of the craziest parties imaginable.
The changes throughout the city became rapid in the days leading up to start of San Fermin. The fences which lined the Bull Run seemed to sprout and grow over night. Shop owners along Estafeta began boarding up their windows on July 5th to protect their property from the inevitable damage the Encierro always causes.
While the Hemingway bar in Plaza del Castillo and the endless beverage choices along San Nicholas and Jaurata Street became our regular hangouts, nothing in Pamplona compared to walking the course that turned into the Encierro (Bullrun) route on July 7th at 8 am. Starting at the Arga river, where the night before the run the Bulls cross from their holding pens to the Corralillos, up Santa Domingo, past Ayuntamiento, around the infamously dangerous Curva de Mercaderes, down Estafeta, all the way through Old Town to the entrance of the Plaza de Toros, cannot be walked without thinking of the Bulls and the brave that choose to run.
Legendary Bullrunner Matt Carney said: “You give of yourself when you run the bulls… you let it all go… your time, your money, your belief, your life, your self, into the wild forms of joy and fiesta.”
The night before the Chupinanzo, I stood looking out on to Estafeta from our second floor balcony. It was noisy (nothing compared to the volume that San Fermin brought) as many locals and a handful of foreigners shared food and wine. The street was buzzing, the current inhabitants seem to feel the energy and anticipation of the week’s activities to come.
On July 6th at noon the rocket, the Chupinanzo, was fired, announcing the commencement of Fiesta. The Plaza Consistorial in front of the Ayuntamiento (town hall) turned into a mob scene. “The crowd is a young, exuberant, undisciplined legion armed with an arsenal of cheap champagne that is poured and strayed over everyone within firing range” (Ray Mouton).
The following nine days occurred in a blur of red and white. Bulls ran and died every day and night, horrific goring’s occurred daily, crowds cheered Spain to World Cup victory, the streets were filled with endless music, and the free flowing sangria fueled the young and old who partied every hour with out stopping.
“Pamplona is the last legal drug… a delirium that doesn’t stop, a communion with absurdity.” Carmen Rigalt, El Ruedo
Again super late on the blogs...I just left Singapore on my way home and stopped for one night. See below for the first time I visited:
I was so excited to see my little Teggy! This was her first big trip to Asia and I figured Singapore was more her kind of city: architecture and diverse culture focused. As it turns out I was wrong. The Singapore we experienced centered about speed walking and food - more my thing than hers.
Singapore is famous for being a mix between the West and the East. I couldn't agree more. A stroll down any street or short ride on the MRT shows visitors how racially and religiously diverse this city is. Even the architecture seems to demonstrate how multiethnic the culture in Singapore is. Different neighborhoods, roads and even buildings on the same street have obvious influences from traditional Asia, victorian Europe, sky scrapping New York and even Vegas!
This first video is a quick look at what Tegan and I enjoyed most in Singapore.
This second video is another Two Minute guide. Instead of suggesting where to sleep or eat, I have focused on things I wish I knew before I had planned, packed and arrived in Singapore - so please pass it along to anyone you know heading there. After filming and editing the one thing that I did not stress enough was how HOT Singapore is! I know Tegan agrees...The blog probably should have been called "Sweaty Sisters in Singapore"! So if you need to cool down, I suggest heading to Sentosa Island or the beach at East Coast Park.
This picture was taken on the beach at Sentosa Island, it is my favourite picture from the trip! Tegan, thank you for being such an amazing travel buddy. I miss you already and wish you were here! This picture will always make me laugh :)
I left John and flew to Bali just in time to beat my brother and his friends to the hotel. It had been two months since I had seen David and in that time he had been busy growing one of the nastiest lumberjack beards I have ever seen. If you know David, then you know this did nothing to hide that annoying (only if you are his older sister), yet very charming smile.
David was traveling with three friends I instantly liked (well except one...) and knew they would love Bali. I only got to spend one day with them before flying to Singapore to renew my tourist visa and meet Tegan. We made the most of it: bungee jumping, day-drinking, beach volleyball and clubbing. I learned a couple lessons that day: beers at 10 am are necessary before bungee jumping, locals only put a beer on a volleyball game if they know they will win, they sell the beer they bet, taking a nap after day drinking but before you want to go to Sky Garden is a bad idea, and if there is a McDonalds within 100 meters everyone will meet there at the end of the night.
I had a great time with them but was happy to leave - there is no way I could keep up with them for a month!
Before David returned to Calgary, Tegan and I were finally able to catch up with the group in the Gili Islands for some snorkeling, spear fishing, and partying.
The airline industry in developing countries is known for being let's say anadventure. Indonesia is no exception and having a private plane flown by your boyfriend and a couple friends is also no exception to the rule.
Here is the video of our flight from Kupang to Bali to Pangandaran:
VVO was due for maintenance in Pangandaran, a little surf town in Java; perfect opportunity for a little vacay!
John and I have matching Lululemon Backpacks... so cute! John thinks I am a geek...
After spending a couple of days flight planning and getting the proper approval from various airports (or airspaces...obviously I had nothing to do with this part) we had a plan: depart Kupang at 5pm, watch the sunset from the sky (pearl harbor anyone?) and stop in Bali for the night to continue to Pangandaran the next morning. If you know me at all you know how my life revolves around where my next meal will come from. I was excited to see the Indonesian scenery from the sky but I have to admit that after a couple of weeks in Kupang, all I could think about was a proper fruit salad in tourist friendly Bali (without the cheese and mayo dressing that is impossible to avoid in Timor)!
But of course last minute approval delays meant we didn't get to the airport until 7pm. Just before we took-off we were told the plane could not spend the night in Bali. It is not possible to carry enough fuel to safely make it to Pangandaran without stopping and the runway there does not have lights so you have to land one hour before/after sunset/sunrise. So in other words the trip was not possible that night.
The following morning we decided not to rush. We had a leisurely breakfast (best avocado shakes are in the Kupang airport!) and decided to make the most of the trip instead of stressing. That was barely possible...after landing in Bali we had one hour for lunch before we had to be in the air. We had to leave Bali no later than 4pm in order to get to Pangadaran before dark. We did not get departure approval from Bali until 3:59pm!
As the sole passenger with my personal Susi Air crew I was barely aware of these disturbances and was able to enjoy the ride - for the most part. The boys decided to take advantage of not having any passengers (I guess I didn't count) and to my disappointment refused to wear their uniforms (or aviators)! But that was not the worst of it... They proceeded to take turns practicing dramatic dives, emergency recovery procedures and other scary things at 10,000 feet! Ah!
It was an amazing trip! From Kupang to Bali the sky was clear, the water a deep turquoise color (the one us westerners love) dotted with the golden coasts of the small tropical islands below. The eerie Javanese landscape was equally as breathtaking but quite the opposite in content. The clouds were low, their bodies broken up only by the tallest jagged mountains. I was in such awe I couldn't even take a picture when the giant crater mouth of what we believe was Mt. Semeru (the tallest volcano in Indonesia) suddenly appear directly below us.
The trip was amazing, definitely something you don't get to do everyday! Unless of course you are one of the Susi boys. What a beautiful country and a cool job! My camera died over Java but we landed safely in Pangandaran just before sunset. We enjoyed a couple days of sun and surf before John had to return to Kupang and I went to Bali to meet my brother.
A couple notes about the video: Yes I am wearing aviators – someone had to! I have been told numerous times how uncool it is for pilots to wear aviators… And, John you are welcome, it took all my self-restraint not to include Highway to the Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins in the video.
Thank you Matt Dearden for letting me use you Go-Pro footage! And BIG thanks to the Susi boys from Kupang for making my Indo trip :) Charlie, Matt and Tomo and of course John!
Ubud is known as the cultural centre of Bali. What does that mean? Tourist flock here to experience the real Bali, which is apparently expensive clothes, cheap art, trendy cafe's and spas. To me the city of Ubud is just another tourist town which has exploited it's uniqueness. Don't get me wrong I am all about the shopping, eating and spaing (not sure that is a word...) but it's not cultural! The streets are crowded with tourists and locals taxi drivers are constantly harassing you - almost as bad as in Kuta. Our taxi driver last night told us it is very slow in Ubud right now. I can not imagine what it will be like in a month when the high season kicks off.
Amazingly, only meters from the main roads of Ubud are miles and miles of rice paddies. I think the rural area around Ubud must be the Indonesian equivalent to the Canadian Prairies (am I getting homesick?). But instead of endless fields of golden stocks there are green terraced hills and palm trees as far as the eye can see. Roosters, ducks and dogs wander the hills freely. The locals are legitimately friendly, every one giving you a quick smile and wave before turning back to their work. It is refreshing not to hear "transport?" every 30 seconds. This is the real Bali to me: farming, livestock, bugs, mud and smiles. The only things the locals offer you are ripe bananas and fresh coconut. Despite the gently rolling hills and cool breeze from this morning's rain we are sweaty and the coconut water is hard to pass up.
Tegan and I don't see another bulai (translates to albino) until we stop at the Sari Organic restaurant in the middle of the rice paddies. It is exactly the same as it was last year: slow service, friendly staff and tasty fresh food. Tegan is strangely at home here. Well perhaps not strangely, she has always been an old soul and had an inner hippie. The restaurant is busy with people all looking to experience the same thing: the real Bali. We might feel more authentic because we are in an organic restaurant in the rice fields but the cynic in me can not help but feel that we are in the next level of tourism - tourism that is delicately hidden from the traveler's eye. I am not naive enough to think the orange, banana, and mango smoothie I am enjoying right now was created with a local consumer in mind.
Enough ranting! I actually love the touristy side of Ubud: after a gourmet organic salad, vanilla bean or coconut latte and a relaxing massage I am in Heaven! I just hate it when people think that is the real Bali. Taking a break from the paved shopping streets in Ubud, the muddy paths through the fields are refreshing. I am worried they will disappear and become paved for future tourists. Will there still be my real Bali (animals, mud, bugs and smiles) for those who want to find it here?
I have been without my computer for over a month now! I am returning to Kupang on Saturday and have footage, photos and blogs from my private flight to Pangandaran, Singapore, Java, Bali and the Gili Islands! Lots of vlogs to come! Thank you for following :)
The day this picture was taken I had a little but of an epiphany... Kupang is actually beautiful! Once the weather cleared and I got out of the city I realized how stunning this place is and how I have been grumpy and taking it for granted. It only took me 3 weeks of being in Kupang to figure it out so I have decided to make a TWO MINUTE TRAVEL GUIDE for Kupang, so travellers can enjoy and appreciate this remote and worthwhile part of Indo.
Kupang is the capital of Nusa Tenggara Timur, come here to escape the tourists (NOT the hey mistas), visit traditional rural Indo, and island hop to nearby Komodo, Alor and Flores.
The two minute video is meant to be a practical video guide on where to sleep, where to eat and what to do while you are visiting. I have spent less than a month total in Kupang and don't pretend to know all the best stops but these are my favorite so far. While I usually look through guide books I prefer to rely on the advice of fellow travelers - not to mention that the Lonely Planet has it all wrong when it comes to Kupang! So, if you or anyone you know is travelling to Indonesia and especially Timur please send them this video!
For directions or more details e-mail me: whyte.victoria at gmail.com.
The last month has been a little hectic... well hectic for me... I had something to do everyday :P
John's parents came to visit. We travelled around Bali - going white-water rafting (in a sketchy Indo raft that deflated numerous times), visiting a spice garden (where a Mongoose eats, digests, and poops rare and exotic coffee beans - "it's a bit nutty..."), we bartered at the Ubud market, bought art and indulged in four hand massages (yes it is worth the extra $7/hr)!
We also left Bali and spent a couple of days in on of my favourite places in the world: Gili T. So obviously instead of focusing on taking video I chilled out, hardly even took pictures and just enjoyed myself.
I have made a photo album with a sampling my 6 weeks in Indo so far. Below are a couple of my favourite pics or click here: Facebook for the full album.
Jeanie and Ted (John's Parents) at one of our favourite restaurants in Bali.
The beautiful stars of Ubud's traditional Fire Dance
I miss my cat Sam! Much to John's annoyance I have a little obsession with feeding all the cats and dogs. People are so cruel to them and there so many strays here that many are starving :(
Gili T - Here John's parents generously spoiled us in a private villa on the beach! Gili T has one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen and is a perfect 35 minute run around the whole island.
On Kera Island just off the coast of Kupang.
There are only a handful of inhabitants on this small island, beautiful children make up a large majority of them.
On Kera Island just off the coast of Kupang.
This was the only person I saw working on the whole island!
Fisherman in Kupang
WHAT NOT TO DO IN KUPANG: Go to the Kingstone...
This place is just like a regular dark club at home except there is a small slit in the wall at the back that looks into a room full of 'wokring girls'.
It is disgusting.
Just outside of Kupang
View from Pantai Laut in Kupang
The day these last two pictures were taken I had a little but of an epiphany... Kupang is actually beautiful! Once the weather cleared and I got out of the city I realized how stunning this place is and how I have been grumpy and taking it for granted. It only took me 3 weeks of being in Kupang to figure it out so I have decided to make a TWO MINUTE TRAVEL GUIDE for Kupang, so travellers can enjoy and appreciate this remote and worth while part of Indo.
I am now eagerly awaiting the arrival of my brother and sister in Indo!
On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi is gunned down by two Sikh bodyguards. The murder sparks riots in Delhi and for three days Sikh families are targeted and killed in retribution for the Prime Minister’s death. It is into this chaos that fifteen-year-old Maya and her Sikh father, Amar, arrive from their home in Canada. India’s political instability is the backdrop and catalyst for Maya’s awakening to the world. KARMA is the story of how a young woman, straddling two cultures and enduring personal loss, learns forgiveness, acceptance and love.
According to Cathy, KARMA is the organic result of three years work, over 300 poems and two trips to India. On the author’s website she retells the story of her introduction to India. My recent experience in rural Timor with the curious crowds is nothing compared to Cathy’s experience with mobs of people in India.
I also found it interesting that the author was actually traveling in India a week before and a week after Indira Gandhi’s murder and the violent aftermath. At the time, Cathy’s love affair with the country was severely tested. She has said that if she was ever going to set a novel in India, her characters would have to face the brutality, racism, and superstitious beliefs of the nation. Maya, the main character, does just this. According to Cathy, “KARMA takes not only the reader on an incredible journey across a passionate country but the writer too, offering her an opportunity to fall in love with India once again.”
I have never been to India and knew almost nothing of the country’s history, before I read KARMA. In fact, the only thing I was certain I knew about India was that I loved butter chicken and the result of eating too much…loose motions as it is referred to in KARMA ;). But I didn’t know anything about the events that took place in 1984.
This novel is not only an entertaining read but provides a historically accurate account of one of the bloodiest massacres in India’s modern history. Despite the dark subject matter, the author’s poetic language, vivid descriptions, and captivating story line offers the reader a beautiful non-stop adventure through India.
When I first heard about the novel I was a little apprehensive to pick it up. It’s labeled for young adults and written in free verse. But from the first chapter it is evident that this novel will appeal to a much larger and older audience. And I barely even realized that I was reading poetry until I had to stop and re-read a phrase because it was so beautifully written.
KARMA took me through a range of emotions. I experienced fear, devastation, fury, and heartbreak with the main character Maya and the people of India. But it is not all sad. I laughed, rolled my eyes, and experienced the first-love thrills when Maya meets Sandeep. The introduction of Sandeep’s character offers a relief from the horror and sadness that Maya, and vicariously the reader, is experiencing. (Without giving anything away, the introduction of a nomad’s son Sandeep, is well timed to create some comic relief for the reader.)
For those of you who have not read Cathy’s first book or seen the play Lost - A Memoir, you will read past page 358 without stopping. But for those of you who have read Lost, you might notice a very small reference to it.
KARMA by Cathy Ostlere will be released on March 31st – just in time for national poetry month - so do yourself a favour and grab a copy.
As travellers know, it is common practice to share and trade books with each other as we move through a country. Because of this significant title I hope to start a “Where will you take Karma” tradition by passing my author signed copy on. I am hoping that other readers will be as moved by Karma as I was and will help this novel travel the world - but not before taking a picture with the book sending it to Cathy. I hope that no matter where YOU are in the world when you read Karma – that you will do the same.
