New Years in Nepal, Welcome to 2011

I have spent the last couple of days here in Kathmandu just relaxing with my buddy Sergio. Tonight will officially mark the end of 2010. Like most I can't help but reflect on everything that has happened. Personally, 2010 has been a year for change. The time to take the plunge and try something new. Not necessarily easy but very different.

2011 will be a new year and a new beginning for most. I for one can't wait to see what's in store. Here is one traveller who is wishing everybody a wonderful new year full of prosperity and health.

As the French say santé...
January 3rd I will be off to Thailand and warmer climates. I'm finally shaking off old man winter.

-Jonathan

Kopan Monastery

My seven day retreat is now done and I am back to the constant sounds of horns and haggling street vendors in Thamel (Tourist area of Kathmandu). The main thing that astounds me is that both locations are in the same city.

The retreat was great for recomposing myself. Sergio and I checked in just a week before Christmas. All meals are vegetarian and plentiful. Surprisingly, the variety was very reasonable. Tofu, beans and some egg are the go-to elements for protein. Unfortunately, we arrived at a point where meditation courses were not possible. So let's just say that it resulted in a lot of reading.

Every morning Sergio and I would:
1. eat breakfast
2. write in our journals
3. read
4. do a CrossFit workout (which I love)
5. Eat lunch
6. Take a walk
7. Stretch
8. Read
9. eat supper
10. Go to bed

I guess the beauty lied in the simplicity. I chose to do the first 5 days in silence. Holy cow was that challenging. You don't realize how much you reply on communication until it's gone. On the plus side, I do feel like it simplified life to some degree. It's almost as though you loose so much of the message while trying to communicate.

Overall, it was a great experience that I really enjoyed. Every morning began with the sounds of birds chirping and the sun on your back. What a wonderful environment.

I will be spending new years here in Kathmandu with some friends we made at a nearby bar. Should be great.

Merry Christmas :)
Your now Buddhist traveller,
-Jonathan

The Annapurna Circuit

I have officially made it across the Throng Pass, the most challenging part of the Annapurna Circuit. Needless to say the last couple of days have been extremely rewarding. After 10 days of trekking I am proud to say I reached a total altitude of 5416m. Very often trekkers will begin to feel sick around 3000m. Altitude sickness can affect people differently including loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Luckily for me I didn't feel any symptoms. At that altitude the air is extremely thin. After taking about 15 quick steps, I was left panting for oxygen...lol...

After 10 solid days of trekking I am in Pokhara relaxing for the next couple of days. Tomorrow Sergio and I will be heading to Chitwan.  

-Jonathan   

Nepal: Kathmandu

Home to the greatest mountaineering in all the world. Kathmandu is a much bigger city then I anticipated. They do a great job of catering to tourists. You can rent or buy almost anything needed to get going. Needless to say every 2nd shop in Thamel (Tourist area) is either a trekking tourist agent or selling mountain gear. Time for a real winter jacket.lol...

I have met up with my best bud serge and we will be leaving Kathmandu tomorrow to do some trekking.

The Annapurna base camp awaits. Should be awesome.

Your Nepalese traveller,
-Jonathan  

India: Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Calcutta & Daljeeling

Welcome to India. This place is unmatched by any other place on earth. Let me try and paint you a picture of the environment.

1. A monkey, dogs & cats running wild
2. A cow wondering the streets and it's shit
3. Four different rickshaw drivers asking you if you need a ride
4. An Indian squatting down by the side of road and whipping it out to have a squirt
5. Multiple starving Indians sleeping by the side of the road that probably weigh 100lbs or 45kg.

All the while rickshaw and car horns are screaming relentlessly 24 hours.

Given the above, Delhi is the ultimate zoo. Needless to say everybody tries to rip you off. But given that a hotel can cost 5$ CDN and a good meal can go for 1.50$ CDN the amount they rip you off is insignificant. The Taj Mahal is in Agra and about 2 hours from Delhi. It is absolutely spectacular. Even walking toward it feels like I've ripped a page out of Aladdin.

Varanasi has a huge river that runs adjacent to it. The Ganga is used in so many way. Here are a few:

-Wash humans
-Brush your teeth
-Cremation remains are tossed in it
-Deceased who can't afford cremation are tossed into it with a rope a rock (mafia much?ha ha)
-Cows bath in it

Dead bodies are burned just on the edge of the Ganga for all to see. Every night locals will hold a ceremony to celebrate this river. Of course the river looks disgusting.

Calcutta was probably the most civilized city I visited. I began to wonder why. Then I found out it was occupied by the English for many years. Probably the first place you would want to visit if you want to ease into India.

Now I am in Darjeeling. I am up in the mountains north of India and bam a bug. I spent yesterday as sick as a dog with fever. Luckily I had A bunch of drugs with me and my fever has subsided. Gastro is part of the Indian purification process. Not a single local uses toilet paper. So your using your hand all the time? Needless to say, hygiene is pretty low on the hierarchy of needs. Especially when you have so little to eat.

In a couple of days I'll be meeting up with Sergio, one my best buds in Kathmandu. Wish me luck in
Nepal...

Your now Indian experienced traveller
-Jonathan

Mount Sinai, Egypt

Mount Sinai is best known as the place where Moses was handed down the twelve commandments.

At the ungodly hour of 1:30am our tour group was awakened in order prepare ourselves for the climb.

After a quick coffee we were off and ready begin the trek. At the base we were offered the possibility of riding a camel up. Of course taking a camel up would relieve me of all my street cred. The challenging uphill climb of 7km took us about 2 hours. Word to the wise, watch out for the camel shit when it's pitch black. Many of you may be wondering why we set off so early. By leaving so early we were climbing the mountain when the weather is cool rather then roasting like a thanksgiving day turkey. Temperatures during the day will easily hit 30+ degrees Celsius. Finally at 6ish the sun peaked it's head out from the horizon and our sunrise was born. Magnificent...

I only have a couple of days left in Egypt and then it's off to India. Can I get one more order of culture shock to go??

Yours truly,
-Jonathan

Egypt: Cairo & Temples

From the second I stepped off the plane, I knew the possibility of culture shock was imminent.

Welcome to Cairo, quite possibly the most chaotic city in the world. Driving in that situation would take some sort of divinity. Honking occurs as often as breaths, not to mention the amount of time people get cut off. Being with mom and sis made the insanity much easier to take in. We had all booked a tour group leaving from Cairo that would take us around Egypt including the Nile.

One of the most notable day trips we have had was visiting the Abu Simbel temple. The temple was constructed to pay respect to king Ramsey the second.  The temple has four statues of the king which show his age when he began his reign (19) and eventually when he died (97). To think this temple dates back 3500 years ago is absolutely overwhelming (I promise to eventually upload a picture of this temple when I have time).

So far Egypt has been far more then I have expected in every sense of the world.

Your now Egyptian world traveller,
-Jonathan

Thessaloniki & Athens (Greece)

Just a quick one today since I can't be sure of the next time I'll be able to blog it up.

I only had the chance to hit up two spots in Greece but I am very happy I did. Thessaloniki had that awesome sunset I showed you guys.

Next was Athens, home of the 2004 summer Olympics. Upon arrival, the city gave me a really dirty impression. But after a good day of touring around the hot spots I have to say I've been charmed. You can judge for yourself, just below left is a shot of the acropolis...

Athens, Greece

Of course I'll have to come back one day to get to those gorgeous Greek islands we always hear so much about.

Next stop, The pyramids...

C ya Montreal
Your favorite world traveller,
-Jonathan

Split, Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Belgrade (Serbia)

How can I really describe the Croatian coast line? It's like the french riviera but a lot more rocky, cheaper and less touristy. Split gave me the impression it was more like Cannes and glamorous. Despite the temperamental weather conditions, it was a great small town with lots of roman ruins to be admired. It felt like you were walking back to ancient Rome. Dubrovnik was interesting because of the castle walls that surrounded old town. Old town was a mix of many different streets that can be impossible to navigate without an excellent sense of direction. They don't call me GPS for nothing, lol. I also took the opportunity to check out a couple of islands while I was there which is part of the attraction. Overall, Croatia had much more to offer then I expected.

Last but not least was Belgrade. Let me begin by saying I had no idea what to expect when travelling to Serbia in general. When I was Budapest I was lucky enough to stay with some friends I made in the hostel. More then anything this gave me a great look at way of life. Typically, Serbs will have two meals a day which are breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is around 11:00am-12:00pm and lunch is from 5:00-7:00pm.

The picture to the above is the family and I getting ready to have breakfast. This was definitely the most filling meal I've had in months.

Also very interesting was the historical aspect of how Yugoslavia war which began in 1991. Given that I was 5 years old (and not a history major) I give myself a pass on being oblivious to the whole situation. Nonetheless, the history lesson was inspirational in order to get an in depth look at the country.




Our breakfast:
The red thing is a mix of roasted peppers. The pink cold cut is ham. The Plate in the top right corner is a type of strudel made with something. I can't tell you what but it was fantastic.

The things that look like three balls of vanilla ice cream are actually a soft cheese. It is made by preparing hot cream. Then once the cream cools, the top solid layer is removed and accumulated to make this cheese. The product is a mix between butter and cheese, absolutely satisfying.


No doubt, a very hardy meal...this definitely gets my personal seal of approval.

I arrived in Thessaloniki Greece yesterday and the weather is less then favorable so it's the perfect time to catch up on some much needed blogging. But on the plus side I did get a ridiculous sunset last night so that made me happy...take a look for yourselves.

Be Well Montreal (I just saw a high of 5 degrees for Sunday, should be a cold Halloween, yikes!)

-Jonathan

Budapest, Hungry and Krakow & Zakopane in Poland

Budapest is an awesome city. Essentially the city is separated into two parts, the Buda part and the Pest side. The two parts are separated by a river in the middle of the city. In every guidebook you will read about the famous Turkish baths in Budapest. On my last day there I had to give it a shot. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Turkish baths are a combination of hot tubs at different temperatures. The coldest would be 20degrees while the hottest would be around 40 degrees. Also part of the experience are saunas and hot steam baths so you get a taste for both extreme dry and humid heat. Many people will tend to stay almost all day bringing lunch and lots of water. Of course you sweat like crazy in there. It's definitely worth a try. Needless to say, I was ridiculously relaxed  when I left.

Krakow is said to be the place to be the heart of Poland. There is a lot of history which includes the home of the late John Paul II. Only an hour away is Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of the main Nazi death camps. I took a tour there in order to get a better understanding of the specifics. There is one word to describe the day "heavy". To think that this genocide happened only 65 years ago is unbelievable. This really gave me a better understanding of the operations on a daily basis. They would shave the heads of all women in order to reuse the hair for building mattresses. Everything was pillaged including gold teeth which was remelted into bars and sent to Germany. I realized exactly how efficient their operations were. What an eye opening experience.

Yesterday I took a day trip to Zakopane. It's location is on the south side of the polish border. Put simply, it's a small town with a great view of the mountains.

Today I am on a bus heading back to Slovenia in order to get to the Croatian coast. Krakow was 4 degrees last night which means it's time to migrate south for the winter.

Until next time
-Jonathan

Ljubljana, Bled, Diaca, and Zagreb

On the train ride from Munich to Slovenia I met a good ol Canadian boy from the prairies. Scott Smith is from Calgary and just graduated in chemical engineering. He decided now was the time to take off and see what else is out there. I guess you could call him my protege since his Europe was my Australia. Scott and I have had almost the exact same itinerary along our European route just in reverse.

Scott and I explored the last couple of days together. The incredible small town of Ljubljana offered a great view from the castle top (eventually I will upload all of my pictures, I swear,lol). Next was the small town of bled which was known for its lake and the gorge. This place just floored me. I guess I can only really think of two words to describe the place "natural beauty". Our third and final day in Slovenia was in divaca. They have a 3km long set of underground caves that you can explore with a guide. It's actually been declared a UNESCO world heritage site which means you know its awesome. Slovenia was so much more then I expected. I guess when you travel to a place like Switzerland you arrive already having that expectation from all the tourist dollars that gets pumped into building a public image. But I had no clue what a place like Slovenia had to offer. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Only a couple hours later Scott and I found ourselves in a whole new country. Welcome to Zagreb, Croatia. Did I mention how much I like the mobility Europe has to offer? After exchanging money for the Kuna we were off to explore the town.

I would have loved to spend more time in Croatia. The coast is said to be amazing. Unfortunately I came to the very serious realization that my Eurail pass is almost expired.

This brings me to the final day use for my Eurail pass. Today I am on my way to Budapest, Hungry to meet up with a friend I made in Stockholm. Tina and I kept in touch and will be travelling together for a while.

For now the next couple of weeks will be completely up in the air. Eastern Europe is my oyster to do with it what I will. One thing is for sure, Oct 30th I will be hoping on a plane to meet Mom and Sis in Cairo, Egypt. Let's see what those pyramids have in store.

Until next time,
-Jonathan

Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Nuremberg and Munich

Some consider travelling alone to be near suicide. Fortunate for me, i don't share this view. It has been some time since I travelled with someone. When Dominique came to Paris to meet me part of me wondered if it wouldn't be a disaster waiting to happen. I am used to just making my own decisions, how would i react to having someone else with me. The good news is that we had an awesome time. I feel like the last two weeks have just flown by before my eyes.

While we were in Berlin and Prague we were sure not to miss the walking tours. They are given by young backpackers who fall in love with the city and need to make a couple of bucks along the way. Since they work for tips, they really do put the effort to make it great. This is the best way to get a historical feel for the city rather then wandering aimlessly. I have to say Prague is a hell of a city. Most people will be the first to tell you it is incredible cheap. Be careful, tourism has pushed prices up quite a bit. However, you can still get a beer in a pub for about 2$ CDN and a picnic for two will cost 3$ CDN.

Vienna is huge into museums. More importantly, the apple strudel is to die for. Keep in mind I have absolutely no sweet tooth whatsoever...

Salzburg and Nuremberg made me officially decide how much I like small towns in comparison to big cities. It's hard to explain and most people will have different preferences. I would say there is no other way then to try it for yourself.

Munich, welcome to Oktoberfest! There is really no way to describe the absolute insanity that takes place. Just the men's and woman's clothing is worth making an appearance. Bratwurst or German sausage is an absolute must for any traveller. There is really no other way to prepare your stomach for 1 litre of beer at a time. Just to paint a picture of just how much this is, imagine a wine bottle and add an extra 25%. Keep in mind you can't order less then 1 litre at a time. Different German beer companies will set up these huge tents that can hold at least about 1000 people. Lucky for Dom and I we were lucky enough to find a place to sit with a bunch of locals. This gave us the chance to soak in more of the Bavarian tradition while eating a typical roasted half chicken. Although many people will disregard Oktoberfest as a "touristy" holiday I still think it is worth doing at least once in a lifetime.

Overall, the last two weeks have been a series of memories filled with good laughs and fantastic landscapes.  

Unfortunately Today Dom and I have parted ways and I am on a train towards Ljubljana Slovenia. I only have 5 days left on my eurail pass. It's almost crazy to think it's been 2 months since I first started trekking through Europe. Western Europe here I come for one last rush...

Until next time,
-Jonathan

Cote d'Azur

Hello,
The last couple of days have been fantastic despite coming from the Swiss alps. I was slightly worried that no place could match up.

I am staying with yet another friend of mine from my exchange in Paris. I have been staying with Katerina for the last couple of days and been taking day trips to Nice and Marseilles (Did I mention that I love this train pass?). Overall, the Cote d'Azur is most definitely all it's cracked up to be. The cities do have many striking similarities, a beach, mountains, and palm trees. The temperature yesterday was about 30 degrees Celsius.  I took a walk last night in sandals and shorts. I must say given the temperature I'm used to in Montreal, that's amazing.

Traveller beware!
I was in Nice yesterday walking on the boardwalk enjoying the scenery of the beach and mountains when all of a sudden I see "some guy" who pretends to find a gold ring. He asks me if it's mine? Then he tries it on and it doesn't fit he asks me where I'm from and hands it to me as good luck. I walk away and maybe 5 steps later he comes back and asks if I wouldn't have a euro or two to give him. Clearly, I told him he can keep his fake gold colored ring. Needless to say, I then checked my pockets to make sure him or someone else hadn't picked my pockets. This is just a lesson to  remind you that you need to be alert or anybody can easily take advantage of you. No matter what people can just see a tourist a mile away.

I am writing to you from the high speed train to Paris to meet Dominique, the plan is to head to Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Munich over the next two weeks. We will also be fortunate enough to catch the last couple of days of Oktoberfest. It is most certainly one of the most touristy things you can do but hey when in Rome. Besides, who knows if I'll ever be in Germany again. Overall, Should be an awesome time.

Until next time,
Be well Montreal/rest of the world (have I mentioned that I love this application that tells me where people are logging in from?)

-Jonathan  

Luzern, Switzerland

What a city... This is the kind of place where you walk out of the train station and say WOW I am lucky to be alive. This place feels like a breath of fresh air...


Here is a picture of my friend Vanessa and I on our way to climb Mount Pilatus which you actually see in the video below.

Last but not least, a video of the view from the balcony. Again this is just a "Holy Cow" moment. This morning was all about drinking a coffee on the balcony and enjoying the moment.

Here is a picture of the view in case the video doesn't work.










Tomorrow I will be off to Interlaken...
Until next time,
-Jonathan

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Leuven

Amsterdam, Holland.

 It has definitely been a while since my last entry but what can I really say? I guess I have just been having a good time. Let's begin with the city of sin, otherwise known as Amsterdam. This city is very much different then any other place I have been in Europe. It may not be the prettiest place on earth but it has a rough kind of charm that is seldom found. How else are you really suppose to react when you overhear someone asking a prostitute if anal costs extra? Of course, just around every corner is coffee shop waiting to sell you everything from pot, to hash to magic mushrooms. With the right company (my friend Aviva), this can be a fun experience. The picture to your left is me eating a raw herring, here is better picture of the fish. I have to admit the fish itself looks absolutely repulsive. But being me I knew I had to try it. In the end it really wasn't so bad, definitely a very fishy taste.


Rotterdam, Holland. Paul and I

Right after Amsterdam I made a stop in Rotterdam to see another old friend from exchange. I have to admit I had a great time in Rotterdam. Not to mention Paul is an excellent cook. Rotterdam is definitely less touristy then Amsterdam but I got the chance to learn  about the history with my personal tour guide. During the second world war, the city was bombed literally to the ground because it had a large port. To this day, the city still has a fire line that outlines the damage around the city.

I am hoping that one day I will eventually get the chance to repay the favor when Paul comes to Canada. That is if I can get him and some of my European friends to cross the Atlantic ocean.

Leuven, Belgium. Walter (Toms roommate), Tom and I

My current location is Leuven, Belgium. I am staying with my buddy Tom who I met on the Camino. He was nice enough to show me around town and teach me about the culture. The last time I went to Brussels for a weekend I had already decided it was the place to indulge in all sorts of fantastic food and drink. One thing most people are not aware of is that French fries are from here. So why the french name? During the second world war, Americans came from abroad and thought Belgian people were french because they spoke french. Just to name a few things worth trying, Belgium chocolates, moules et frites (muscles and fries), Belgium waffles, and of course the beer.





Below you will see three beers with their respective goblets.

With a selection of 652 types of beer trying each one is a fools challenge. However, this doesn't mean you can't try. I have to admit that there is really just every single type/flavor imaginable. Just to name a few, blond beer, brown beer, white beer, lemon, lime, cherry, raspberry, apple, etc...

The trappistes beer tend to be the best. This means that they are brewed by monks. Alcohol percentages vary anywhere from 6 to 12%. I guess when you make a vow of celibacy your going to compensate by making your beer wicked strong.

 Tomorrow I will be off to Bruge, Belgium which has been given the name of Venice to the north. The day after I will be Switzerland. Ready or not, here come the alps.


 -Jonathan

Turku, Finland

Turku Finland is where I am,  it is right along the coast west of Helsinki and it is safe to say it is definitely a smaller town. With time you remember the smaller towns instead of the bigger ones. After a while all the big tourist streets look the same, you see a bunch of vendors but nothing really changes. As for the small towns, those tend to have much more character.  If your lucky you´ll have the opportunity to meet someone who´s from there to show your the ropes. As for me, I was lucky to have a friend here from when I was on exchange. Petri Reima has lived here his whole life, what more could I ask for. Here is a picture of us tonight at his place. Thanks Bud,

I must admit the weather I have been getting here in Finland has been noticeable colder then anywhere else. I guess that´s what I get for going so far north so quickly. The good news is that it´s all south from here, Amsterdam here I come, but not for a couple of days...

-Jonathan

Overnight Cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki

After a quick one night stay in Oslo Norway, I was off to Stockholm. Some of you may ask what's the point of going somewhere if your only going to be there one night?

 Well truth be told I keep telling myself 2 things. One of those things is when the hell am I going to be in Scandinavia again? That being said, I owe it to myself to take advantage. The second thing is you need to pay off this expensive eurail pass ticket.

We all know that eurail tickets don't come cheap, but if you take night trains(save a night accommodation)and go long distances, it can make a lot of sense. Take for example my 14 train ride from Bordeaux to Copenhagen, without a pass it would have set me back over 300€, but with the pass the bill was 33€ and I had a bed. I guess the real question you should be asking yourself is how many stops are you going to make and how far are you going to go?

As for Stockholm, I must say I was really impressed like a waffle (did anybody get that pun?) as to the general layout of the city. The city is surrounded by running bodies of water. At the very center is old town, this is where Stockholm was founded. Another interesting fact, if you translate Stockholm to English you get log and cut. Long ago huge logs were used to build houses. These logs were transported using the river across Scandinavia. By putting a city right at the main passage way, this gave the city an opportunity to charge money for all logs passing through.

After travelling for a fair bit, I have come to realize that some things are true while others are just stereotypes. Perfect example of this being nobody in Australia actually drinks Fosters beer. As for the final call on Swedish women, there is no way anybody can argue that the overwhelming majority are definitely blond.

I will be staying in Helsinki 1 day and then I will be off to Turku to see an old friend Petri from my student exchange in Paris. Feels like ages since I was last gone but who am I kidding, it's only been 3 years.

-Jonathan

Copenhagen

I am here in Copenhagen and there is one word to describe the place...bicycle! A country of 5 million people has 12 million bikes, I'm not a Mathematician but that's at least 2 bikes per person. On top of that bikes are incredible expensive, I saw a very ordinary looking bike for about $1000 Canadian. Unbelievable!

You just bikes everywhere on the streets and yet they still manage to lock there bikes.  They use a small device that locks the wheel and stops you from riding it away but not carrying it away. Moreover insuring your bike is common practice. Brings the idea of the bixi to a whole new level.

Tomorrow will be a quick stop in Oslo Norway, then I will be off to Stockholm, Sweden.

-Jonathan

Bordeaux and Cologne

The last couple of days have been a tornado of travelling.

Now that I am done with Spain, I have decided to head north as quickly as possible in order to catch what is left of summer in the Nordic countries. I left Spain with a stop in Bordeaux. What would fit more then a wine tasting tour, yum!! We visited 2 different vineyards and got a chance to see how wine is made. I am thinking maybe one day I'll give it a shot. Typically, the grape juice is kept in huge containers in order to let the juice ferment where the sugar becomes alcohol. Then the new wine is put in large wooden barrels in order to give it that dry taste. The tour included tasting of newer and older more dry wines so that you can taste the difference in age. Interestingly enough they must replace the oak barrels every couple of years so that the wine can continue to develop a full body taste. After about 1 year of being in a barrel the wine will be bottled. The ideal is to have 12 bottles of the same vineyard and you will open a bottle every so often in order see when the wine reaches it's peak.

So the next you take a sip of wine, remember all the hard work that went into that one glass...

For now I am killing some time in Cologne until I grab an overnight train to Copenhagen..if anybody has any pointers I am all ears.

-Jonathan 

Granada Spain

Lately I have been city hoping from one place to another. I guess you can call it the benefits of having a Eurail pass. You can just hop onto a train to just about anywhere. For the past 2 days I have been in Granada. This morning I took advantage of this free walking tour they do for all the hostels (They work for tips). It was great and they tend to have them at a bunch of different cities.

Let me tell you a couple of things about Granada. So far this seems to be my favourite city in Andalucia. Let me tell you about tapas. Tapas is a sort of like a snack they serve with drinks. Typically, when you go out to a bar you will order a tubo, which is a big beer and that will come with a small snack AKA a tapas. All for only 2 Euros, so typically Spanish people will go to 4 or 5 tapas bars in one night. Some common tapas dishes I tried was jamon with tomato on bread, a fried omelet with asparagus on bread. My favourite was a mini pork burger with a side of chips (very tasty).

Now the history lesson. Spain was overtaken by the Moors. The Moors were believers of Islam. Granada is also home to the Alhambra which is a huge palace where the sultan would live a life of luxury. Eventually you had the catholic church which lead the Spanish Inquisition in order to return Spain to Christianity. Granada was actually the last stronghold before being banished back on the other side of the sea.

The Alhambra in the distance


Tomorrow night I will be taking a night train to Valencia in order to continue my journey through Spain.

-Jonathan

Favourite Sunset Photo

My favorite sunset photo in Fisterre (for those of you who can´t see the video)

One word...Tranquility

Lisbon

The second part of my European tour has officially begun...I am now in Lisbon and making my way across a bunch of cities...I just happen to find a computer in which I can upload pictures so I wanted to take this opportunity to post a couple.

I seem to have noticed a reasonable amount of wear and tear on both my NEW shoes and socks.

 It is also tradition to burn an article of clothing once you reach Fisterre which was perfect in my case.

Last but not least, this is the sunset at Fisterre which made the last 100km really really sweet.

That's officially ends my Camino. I am not sure if I will stop in Faro or go straight to Seville in Spain, if anybody has any suggestion, I would appreciate the comments. Thanks.

-Jonathan

Fisterra

Done!
I am now back in Santiago after the final Part of my trip. I did not stop until I crossed a country and my feat hit ocean water. Fisterre is beautiful, once upon a time it was known as the end of the world. People thought if you were to sail further you would fall off the world.

The total distance I traveled on foot is approximately 860km. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment.  At the very least, it will always be the one thing that I can look back on and say "If I can do this, I can do anything". I am now looking forward to the next part of my journey. It is now time to see what the rest of Europe has in store. Tomorrow, I will be heading to either Porto or Lisbon. I have not decided where I will go tomorrow. I guess that the beauty of a Eurail pass.

Now that you have heard about the Camino of Santiago, I ask you, would you ever consider doing the Camino de Santiago??? or does this just sound all crazy to you.

The Whole Trip Mapped Out

Santiago de Compostella

Ultimate satisfaction is knowing that you have just walked approximately 760km by foot over a period of 27 days. Absolutely wild, there is no other way I can describe how amazing it felt to walk into Santiago today and receive my Compostella or certificate acknowledging my trek clear across Spain.

So Just to recap, A is where I started, B is where I am and where most people will call it a trek, but C will ultimately be my final destination. I was originally planning to take the bus for 100km to the coast but I figured, hey I´ve come this far and I have the time so why not go for the full Monty. where am I? (I finally figured out how to put a link properly, lol)

I am beginning to reflect on the time I have spend here, for the most part it has absolutely flown by, you keep blowing through village after village so quickly you can barely remember there names 1 day later. (I call them villages because you can literally have 50 people living there, maybe 75 if you count the chicken and the cows).

The journey has been 2 fold, on the one hand you have my personal time in which I have reflected and thought about my life and what I want from it. You ask yourself common questions like, what is my purpose here? What am I meant to do? And finally how will decision A or B affect the rest of my life?

On the other hand I have thoroughly enjoyed the people I have met. The people on the Camino have been hands down the most generous and giving people I have ever met of anywhere I have ever been (that's no small statement). I will give you an example, One night at a small Albergue (hostel) we were 6 people and decided that we would all cook dinner together (pot luck). An older Australian couple, an older Korean man, a Canadian Lady and myself. the Iranian Illyad, who was a cook in Denmark decided he would cook for all of us and refused to let us help him.  I must say, that is still to date the best meal I have had when on the Camino, I think I instantly gained 2 Kg, ahah.

Overall, the stories and heart ships we have all shared has touched me in a significantly profound way that I believe is a major reason why pilgrims will gain so much from this experience. An overall great experience to say the least.

Until next time
-Jonathan 

So close...

Here I am early morning ready to get this day started. The only difference is that today is only a 5 km walk until Santiago. The sun is beginning to rise and the road begins to call. However, this is not the end of the road...after Santiago I will continue the die hard path for the last 100km until the west coast of Spain. This will bring me to Finisterre the real end to my Camino. Not much time to take it all in...

Time to get going
-Jonathan

Rabanal del Camino

Hi,

So here is an interesting map showing exactly where I started and where I will be going.

http://maps.google.es/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=st-jean+pied+du+port,+france&daddr=fromista+spain+to:Rabanal+del+Camino,+24722+Santa+Colomba+de+Somoza+to:santiago+de+compostella&geocode=FcSRkgIdexvt_ylNv1OkZdVQDTHAxoJVGGUGHQ%3BFTrzhAId3cG8_ymb49MZ1cxHDTED4JqXlkUfUQ%3BFcg2iAId4Beg_ykDmxOfHlE3DTEg-mvuCYcFCg%3BFb9NjgIdAZh9_ynD0alwRv4uDTFETI2l4-mnJQ&hl=es&mra=ls&sll=42.86488,-4.895865&sspn=7.423347,14.040527&ie=UTF8&z=6

A) is where I started the walk
B) is where I was the last time I blogged
C) is where I am today
D) is where I will finish my journey

Today was very tough, there were no albergues where I really needed one so I had to push a little further and did 37km (I usually do 30ish). This is much more then I am used to, the last 5km were absolutely brutal. The good news is that the weather has been absolutely amazing. Dry heat along with the lack of clouds makes so hot but enjoyable days. After all, it could be raining, in which case my shoes would be soaked and I would definitely be cursing all the time.

I have been doing the last couple of days with Mr. Lee from South Korea, he is University Professor only 1 year away from retirement and he is trying to figure out the next step in his life. I am fascinated by Korean culture and think I will have no choice but to visit when I am in the area. So far the Korean people I have met have been very hospitable and welcoming. I guess this has been my first real encounter with an Asian aside from a buddy I made from Singapore.

One day at a time, I can feel myself getting closer to the end and it will be truly rewarding.

-Jonathan.

Leon Spain

I am here in Leon Spain and have stumbled upon some unlocked WiFi which is very rare. Overall things are going extremely well. I have seen many churches in Europe and I must admit this church in Leon ranks as my number 1. Well this and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Today I stared at the church from the outside and was moderately unimpressed. I walked in and BAM! More stained glass then I could ever imagine. Absolutely magnificent...

Until next time
Jonathan

Before and Camino

Good News,
I have finally been able to get a hold of a computer so here is my before picture. Let´s see what my after picture will look like in roughly 10 months.

The Camino has been going pretty well lately. It seems as though everyday I find a new blister on my feet. The good news is that they are pretty small. The majority my aches and pains in specific areas has now seemed to generalize itself. So the list goes, my heel, hip, both big toes and now the pinkie toes...It´s absolutely unbelievable how walking on average 30 km per day can destroy your body.

I will usually wake up around 6:00am and begin packing my final things, after a quick breakfast I am out the door of the albuerge and have begun my walk for the day. Usually by 2:30pm I arrive at my new albuergue. Albuergue´s are places that Pilgrims will stay which will be quite cheap between 3-7 Euros per night in order to help them along the journey. So far we have been well cared for. Today was an especially tough day since I walked 35km. As soon as we get to the albuergue I shower and wash the clothes I used that day by hand. Then as they dry on the clothes line I will usually read or take a short nap. Seeing as how we all get up so early, these are quite common. 

We usually eat later around 8:00pm. Most places have Pilgrims menu which are about 10 Euros and offer 3 courses and wine/bread included. Let me tell you they are incredibly satisfying. From time to time, a bunch of us will make dinner together. So far I have been fortunate enough to meet people from Spain, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, even South Africa (I know she was travelling during the world cup, what was she thinking).  The fun part is that you get to meet a bunch of people from a variety of different backgrounds. One was an Italian mother doing the Camino with her 11 year old  son. Another was a father(80ish) and son(50ish) son doing the Camino together. They had actually left from Holland and finishing in Santiago. It is absolutely amazing finding out who awaits your and stories that you will hear in the next town. This has been the most rewarding part. This walk gives you the chance to truly think about life and where your place is in it.

This is a picture along my trek at sunrise.

On another note, let me tell you it was pretty wild here when Spain won the World Cup.  Friends of mine in other cities told me they got champagne on the house at the local bar (I however was not so lucky,lol). Viva Espana!

I have a little less then 500km left to walk, an absolute uphill battle. It´s always one day at a time.


Today I am in here.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=es&q=fromista,+spain&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Fr%C3%B3mista,+Palencia,+Castilla+y+Le%C3%B3n,+Espa%C3%B1a&gl=ca&ei=w-Q9TIfjLcLuOYyvgZEP&ved=0CBgQ8gEwAA&ll=42.286961,-4.42955&spn=0.248905,0.438766&z=11

Until next time.
Jonathan.

Camino de Santiago

I am officially 7 days through my trek to Santiago.
For those of your who don´t know, about the Camino de Santiago here is a bit of background info.

I have been diligently trekking 25 km per day with my 22lb backpack. Let me assure you it is no easy feat, despite what you CrossFitters might think. It requires an unbelievable amount of mental toughness. I truly believe that. I have no doubt that overall this will make me a stronger person in every sense of the word. So far the north of Spain has been absolutely breathtaking. The weather is dry and hovering around 32 degrees Celsius.

 A typical will  begin with waking up at 6:00am and having a quick breakfast. By 6:30am my backpack is packed and ready to go. I will generally be done walking by around 2-3:00pm in the afternoon. By that time the sun begins to be unbearable. Let´s just say I am roasting nicely.  I will sometimes take an afternoon nape to recuperate from the 8 hour trek. I will then have a huge supper since It´s impossible to eat enough day to day. My legs are always ridiculously sore. . So far I have not been able to upload and pictures but I will try to get a couple just to touch base.

I am planning to finish the trek in approximately 30 days which is actually quite fast.
Hopefully the Montreal summer is treating you well.
Thanks,

The Paris Conflict

The first leg of my trip has begun with Paris. Two and a half years later I still seem to have this love hate relationship with this city. On the one hand no city can match it's beauty, however the people sometimes leave much to be desired. Not to mention getting around Paris by map is no easy feat...simple roads that cross at 90degrees are nowhere to be found...it can very frustrating when your still jet lagged.

Nonetheless I met up with old exchange friends of mine Caroline and Sebastien. It was great to share a pint 2 1/2 years later. Wild how time flies.. Tomorrow I am off to St-Jean pied du port to begin el Camino de Santiago de Compostella. More on that soon...

Paris

The day is finally here.
In about 20 minutes I will be heading to the airport to hop a flight to Paris.
I do not plan on staying long but I plan on meeting up with a couple of friends I made when I lived there. It feels like ages ago when I actually lived there.

Time to see how the city has changed or not changed.

Almost Go!

Tomorrow I'm leaving on jet plane.
Just getting a few last things in my backpack and then BAM! I'm off.

1. I decided to go with the around the one way plane ticket so I'll have much more flexibility when deciding where I want to go.
2. Travel Insurance is all taken care of ($350.00 later)
3. Vaccinations (CHECK)

Tomorrow at 7:50pm I will be boarding a one way flight to Paris.
Would you believe me if I told you it still hasn't hit me??

The beginning...

Ready set Go!
Time for me to get the ball rolling over what will likely one hell of an adventure.  Here is what's left to do before I blow this Popsicle stand...

I have 3 priorities for now:
1. RTW plane ticket (short for Around the World trip)
2. Travel Insurance
3. Vaccinations

More to come soon...