Ugh. (Yep, that's the name of this one).

Well! Have we got some stories for all of YOU! First off, by the title of this post I'm sure you already get the sense it's going to be the best one ever and SO TOTALLY AWESOME. Ha, think again! 
First off, if any of our lovely blog followers/readers are from the countries of Masadonia, or Albania...the LAST thing we want to do is offend you or put your country in a negative light. We go to every single place with an open mind, so this didn't necessarily have to do with the country itself, we're just simple writing of OUR experience.
That said, we didn't have much fun. We really wish we could say we had a blast, we really really do. But that just wasn't the case. It all started with us being situated in Croatia, trying to plan our route to get to Santorini Island, Greece. It has been a place we both dream of going, so we tried REALLY hard to make it work. After many tiring and confusing hours, we realized that since there weren't any trains running into Greece, and the bus route was way to complicated and way too long, we had to give up. It sucked. It was a moment neither of us wanted to come too, but looking back we really did save a LOT of money and time, so we've come to accept that that's just the way the cookie crumbles. But! We didn't realize Greece was out of the question until we were already a quarter of the way there! We took a bus to Skopje, Masadonia; which was the coldest bus ride of our entire lives and to our delight we were stuck in the back with a dude who insisted on smoking while in his seat. Ugh. (Told you!) So, we were kind of thrown into an Eastern Europe culture shock stepping off the bus. No one spoke English, you're instantly bombarded with guys wanting you to support whatever business they're throwing out at you, and it's just a complete different atmosphere from everywhere we had been so far. We missed the bus we wanted to catch by literally 10 minutes, so we were kind of forced into spending a night there. We did so at a hostel called Art, which had good intentions and a super cool vibe, but holy dyna were those beds NASTY. We're talking so bad that we used our own clothes as pillows and blankets. To top it off, our room had a beautiful broken window! (We can just feel the jealousy oozing out of you!). Although, we did have a really cute, giggly, dimpled-cheek Mexican woman staying with us. And we got free breakfast. And Masadonia is incredibly cheap. We went out for supper, which we estimated would be about $60 in Canada, was only $13! The 10 bills also have really pretty peacocks on them, so we made sure to each keep one. The weather was really cold, dreary and grey when we were there so we fixed our homesick woes by going to Amigo's Cantina! (Saskatoonians will pick up on this one). We stuffed our faces with chimichangas, rice and beans for REALLY cheap. It ruled.
So, because we cancelled Greece, we decided to head straight over to Italy. We were to get there by Ferry, but had to take it out of the port in Durras, Albania. Hmm, there really isn't a lot to say about this place other than the fact we really wanted to leave. Something to keep in mind is that we ARE two young, Caucasian females, and the only travelers in sight. We make sure to keep safe wherever we go, but when little children come chasing after you literally digging in your purse trying to steal your belongings, it's pretty hard to keep a calm mental state. The most heartbreaking thing is having to tell starving children to leave you be. Ugh! (Again!) Durras isn't pretty either. Not compared to all the other breathtaking places we've been in Europe. People harassed us, men stared, and we didn't have anywhere to go for about 15 hours because our ferry didn't start boarding till 8 pm. But, after seven cappucino's and two RedBull each, we FINALLY were able to hustle our butts onto the ferry. We practically ran up the ramp, smiling super big. It was relieving to get into our teeny tiny, but oh so cute room on the boat. Very "Titanic". It might have been one of the best sleeps of our lives. And once we woke up and had breakfast, we  were docking into Bari, Italy's port!
We truly wish we had better things to say about these places, because we HAVE heard good things  about them. Unfortunately, our experience just wasn't a good one. But! To not make this entire post depressing, we'll leave you with a funny little story...
We first arrived in a city about half an hour from Durras, so in order to get there we had to take a minibus. What is this you ask? Well, one would think it would just be a smaller version of a bus, right!? Kind of. It is. But it's run by two guys, one driving, and one with his head out the window yelling at passerbys the destination of the bus to see if they are wanting rides. It only cost us the equivalent of $2 to drive almost forty minutes. But those forty minutes, OH DEAR LORD. We were lucky to be some of the first ones in this ten person ride, because we were thankfully able to sit down as it would have been impossible standing in there with our huge backpacks. I think we each both had about an inch and a half of room to ourselves. The thing should have a warning on it: CLAUSTROPHOBIC PEOPLE; GET LOST. WE PACK THIS THING LIKE A CAN OF SARDINES. If bad driving, too many people in one space, lack of oxygen and your feet falling asleep isn't just the cherry on top, this is. A boy about 12 years old, who runs down the road and every chance he gets; bursts the back doors open. It became about a ten minute painful struggle of the boy opening the doors, the driver getting out to close them and the boy continuing to be a little shit-disturber. (Excuse my French). At the time, we just sat there wondering what the heck we got ourselves into, but now we look back on it all and realize we got some pretty good stories! 

M & B

Croatia

From Austria, we decided it was time to start heading South! We had heard only  but wonderful things about Croatia, so off we went! From Salzburg we had to take a 14 hour night bus to Split (our first Croatian destination). It was a bus ride from hell. First off, we don't think many people enjoy being on a bus for that amount of time. Second, we usually each have 2 seats to ourselves (able to stretch out and sleep), yea not on this baby! Bailey was stuck with a woman who insisted on spreading her legs out as far as they could go, and I was situated next to a man I swear was a part of the Mafia. We got about 3 hours of sleep each, and the bus was really really hot. Fun had by all! 

Arriving in Split, was like heaven on Earth! We stepped off the bus and had to start takin' off some layers! Plus 18 degrees and sunny! Yay! We were oh so very happy. Another thing that made us happy is that Croatia is cheap! Compared to all the other countries we had previously been in, we felt loaded here. Our hostel was cheap and as a bonus we had it all to ourselves! Nice room, big kitchen, and a lovely little veranda to hang our freshly washed clothes on. Like having our own apartment. We had been pretty hustle-bustle so it was really nice to just relax. And doing so on a beach doesn't really hurt. We were only about a 10 minute walk down to the water, so most days we sauntered down threw the market and got to laze by the sea for as long as we liked. :) 

Theres a large, large hill in Split called Marjan. It has about 3000 steps, but trust us it's worth it! The view from the very top is breathtaking. Mind you, our breath had already been taken climbing our bums up the hill! (that was a bad joke). Anyways, the hike was at times a struggle but it was fun and refreshing and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! From the top you can see most of Split, as well as all the surrounding islands. Seriously, SO beautiful. Blissful moment indeed. Our last evening, we sat along the water, drank some Stella's and watched the sun set over the horizon with sailboats casting their shadows upon the light. Perfection if we do say so ourselves. 

From Split, we headed to Dubrovnik (capital of Croatia). The bus to get there took us on a crazy, windy coastal road. But beautiful view! Although, at some points it was really quite nauseating. At one point I had to close my eyes and keep telling myself "we're just on the highway to Humboldt, we're just on the highway to Humboldt" (anyone who has driven it knows it's the straightest road ever). But we made it to beautiful Dubrovnik, and once again stepped off the bus loving the sun and the warmth. We stayed at Dubrovnik Backpackers Hostel, owned by the sweetest, kindest old couple ever. And the BEST THING EVER, the hostel had a KITTY! We're pretty huge cat freaks, so this made our life quite complete. It was the cutest little thing ever, that loved to follow us around and cuddle. 

We spent lots of time down by the harbor, which is beautiful! The Old City part of Dubrovnik is awesome. You feel like your in a completely different place, lost somewhere thousands of years old. There are so many little alley ways and old stairs leading you to the coolest tucked away cafes and stores. Our last day in Dubrovnik, was plus 22 degrees. We of course headed to the beach! Copacabana Beach! ("At the Copa! Copacabana!", c'mon you know the song!). On our way back to the hostel, the weirdest most awesome thing ever happened. We walked down a residential/beach house kind of area and we saw a pretty little kitty. Then! There were two cats. Then, all of a sudden five cats. All different colors, all so cute! We walked, they followed. It was awesome. Then, we look back and there is cats literally coming out of every bush, from under every car, everywhere! We just stood there, would take a few steps, another cat would emerge. It got up to 15 CATS. We aren't even kidding. One five. Fifteen! They kind of just all sat there and surrounded us. So yes, you may now refer to us as "the cat whisperers". 

You have cat to be kitten be right meow ;)

M & B

Austria

We went from Prague to Vienna, and to be honest don't really have that much to say about it. We were there only one night so we weren't really able to see or do to much, which sucked. We stayed at Wombat's hostel, which was nice but pretty distant from the city centre. It was really cold while we were there, but we braved it out and went and checked out the Imperial Palace. We also went to The Zoo! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Actually, none of those animals were there. Ha. But! There were koalas, giraffes, hippos, penguins, monkeys, and the most beloved elephants. 

Hmm, what else to say about Vienna. We ate a lot of pizza, and did I mention it was cold? Yea, that's about it then! 

From Vienna, we went to a place where THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!! (You just sang that in your head, didn't you!?) Yep, we went to Salzburg, Austria. The place overflowing with all things Sound of Music related! We literally came to this city, just because of the movie. It was our childhood, we were practically spoon fed  Do-Re-Me. And still to this day, it is one of our most favorite musicals. 

We stayed in a hostel, which was pretty cheap and so nice it should be called a hotel, called the Meininger. We made friends with an awesome couple Amberley and Jason, as well as some lovely lads Steven and Matt. They had us laughing for hours, and also not want to eat a burrito for a long, long time. (Not even going to try and explain). Salzburg is an absolutely beautiful place, nestled within a valley surrounded by mountains and trees bursting with delicious fall hues. The place kind of reminded us of Banff. A European Banff! 

Now! On to the goodies. Our tour started bright and early, so we grabbed some breakfast and headed out! It was such a beautiful, crisp fall day. We were very lucky! First off, the tour guide was THE BEST tour guide in the world. Hilarious, knowledgeable and super friendly. The tour was about 4 hours in total and we spent some time in Salzburg, seeing famous monuments and locations used in The Sound of Music, such as the pond where Maria and all the children fell out of the canoe, the bridge that her and the children filmed some scenes on, and the glass gazebo where the oh so familiar "16 going on 17" was shot. We ventured out into the countryside and made some stops along the way with the most beautiful views! The tour also showed us The VonTrapp house, as well as the trees and road the movie had the children swinging and frolicking around in their curtain clothes. We made a stop in a neighboring town and got to see the famous church used in the wedding scene of Maria and The Captain. All in all, it was really quite awesome. We were filled with so much happiness, both of us ALMOST started tearing up listening to the soundtrack on the way home. Don't judge us. 

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!

M & B

Prague

Prague rules. Like super lots. It's got a really cool vibe to it and is incredibly beautiful. The architecture is amazing and there is so much to do and see, we wish we could have extended our stay! 

We slept nice and easy at an awesome hostel called Blind Eye. The staff was great, rooms were great, and we even got to watch Step Brothers while we were there! Triple great! Anyways, we spent most of our time wandering the city and hanging out in Old Town. Checked out some cool cafes as well as famous sites, not to mention climbing a very large hill to get the most amazing view of the city! As recommended by some lovely friends and family we made sure to grab some bites to eat at a place called Bohemia Bagel, as well as Cafe Louvre (best squash soup ever). 

Our last night in Prague we went on a pub crawl, which to save our parents from going grey early, we'll just say it was lots of fun :). 

One not so fun thing that happened though at the end of our Prague trip, was that my wallet got stolen/accidentally lost. It really, really, really sucked. Thank god just my money was in it and not my passport. Bailey should have gotten some kind of honorary medal for being so wonderful helping me out until my parents dumped me some cash through her account. Mucho appreciated! 

Ending on a funny note. People often tell us how jealous they are of our trip. And I mean, it is really awesome. Something not so much to be jealous of; having 10 cents to your name, our hair looks like birds nests because we haven't washed it in 7 days, all your clothes smelling like..I don't even know, and having crappy sleeps on buses to finish that lovely list off! Oh well, such is life! We're happy. 

Love, 

M & B

Krakow, Poland & Auschwitz

After being in Germany for a solid month and a few days, we decided it was time to spread our wings. We never really had Poland in mind as a place to visit, but we really wanted to do a tour of Auschwitz/Birkenau Concentration Camp. I'll get to that in a second. 

Things to know about Poland in October. It is REALLY cold. It has SNOW! To be honest, it has a bit of a depressed feeling looming over it. It's super cheap, which rocks. Having supper at The Hard Rock Cafe in Krakow is delicious, cheap and will 100% guarantee in giving you a lovely little food baby. The Old Town area is pretty! 

Now, about Auschwitz. It's difficult to write about it and put it into words, but I will do the best I can. Throughout school and such, me and Bailey had both shared an interest in learning about WWII. We knew going to the worlds biggest and most famous death camp would be difficult, but it was what brought us to Poland, and something we knew we wanted to experience. Let me tell you though that it is the most overwhelming, heartbreaking, unsettling and eye-opening experience. With the tour package we did, we got a guided tour of the Auschwitz Museum, which was full of all evidence and records and belongings of the lives lost during Nazi terror. We also were taken to the Auschwitz/Birkenau camp. Which is what people of the world have seen pictures, videos, etc of. The barracks and crematoriums are located here. It was so unbelievably sad walking the grounds knowing that exactly where your feet were stepping, millions of innocent others took there last. There are certain things we saw that can never be erased from our minds, and certain emotions we felt that can never be forgotten. You can truly feel all the lost souls. Walking out of the gates at the end of the day was filled with many mixed feelings. Confusion and sorrow for all those we never got to do it, but also so much thankfulness for the gift of life we're blessed with. Go hug your parents, tell someone you love them. Spread kindness everywhere you go and shut hatred down just as often. Love every single breath that enters your lungs, because this life is much to precious to take for granted. 

Love, 

M & B

Saying goodbye to Germany!

We won't share every detail of our last night in Berlin, but just get the picture that it was everything you hope for during your last night in one of the worlds most glorious cities. We didn't get back to our apartment till 7 am (which honestly is the norm there), and realized we had to be up at 8 am to clean our place and pack our bags. So that's super fun! Not. Bailey got about a 20 minute snooze in, while I went into zombie mode and did sinks full of dishes and cooked up all the food we had left in our apartment. Yep, we had pasta for breakfast and walked down the street eating bags of popcorn. 

That's way in the past though, so fast forward and we're in Flensburg, Germany! Bailey did a three month exchange a few years ago here, and lived with the Broderson family. Our dear friend Janna, whom was her exchange partner, sadly wasn't home during our stay. But she's in Australia, so we'll let her go easy this time ;). Just jokes, we did miss her and would have loved to spend time together but at least we got to have a short but sweet Skype date! 

Bailey mostly showed me around her little German hometown, which is SO cute! We spent some evenings with her friends from there, which was loads of fun! Our last night there, we decided to go to a movie. (We were actually just really cold and wanted to prolonge our freezing bike ride home). Anyways, we went to the film called Bachelorette or something, and yep, we went to it in German. No English subtitles either. It was fun though. We got to make up what we would like them to be saying, and we just laughed when everyone else in the theatre laughed. It worked out great! 

We were very fortunate to stay with the Broderson's and they made us feel very welcome! They provided us with everything we needed and more! We miss them already!

Until next time, 

M & B