european adventure
After a gruelling 3 weeks work at beautiful Barnstaple in England's south west, I packed my backpack for one last big trip before having to leave for home. My six week travels took me from Belgium directly across the continent to Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and finally Greece. Again luck was on my side, as a decision to miss out on seeing Berlin kept me a day ahead of the floodwaters that were to ravage central Europe, and would have left me stranded in the process... These photos, I hope highlight some of the quirkier aspects of this part of Europe as well as some of the stunning scenery I encountered.
Brussels
One of the very few lively parts of Belgiums capital
Fresh seafood display, Brussels cafe.
Munich
Touristy but still good fun, Munichs beer halls served up a fine brew.
The national pastime...Germans getting it all off in the huge and green Englischergarten.
Great way to spend an arvo...somewhat obtusely listening to an Oompah band playing from a six storey Chinese pagoda in the packed Chinischer Turm Beergarden.
Bretzels..the perfect snack to have between steins.
Its not all beer and bretzels. Bunks in Dachau concentration camp. Despite these solemn reminders, Munich was expecting a weekend of trouble from large groups of neonazis who had gathered to run amok.
Vienna
The Hunderwasserhaus. A wonderful apartment building designed by the inspirational artist...Hundertwasser.
The Hundertwasser inspired "toilet of modern art"
The magnificent Stephansdom cathedral
The Hofburg (imperial palace) and attendant 'old world charm' tourist traps
Sunsets like this on streets like these certainly filled me with a new appreciation for this wonderful city.
Bratislava
Slovakia's capital has a vibrant 'old town' filled with cafes and leggy Eastern European blondes.
Of course the communists couldn't help themselves by adding some really nice urban design of their own.
The old town has some unusual and beautiful recent additions.
Budapest
Buda Castle seen over the river Danube
The elaborate and very relaxing Szechenyi Baths
Lovely warm water massages your back and leaves you with a grin
Somewhat less that happy lion at the nearby Budapest Zoo
The traditional (ie fat nude locals) Rudas baths had a fantastic ambience in the 16th century bathing room.
The bloke on the right is still rueing the relatively recent overthrow of communism
No matter, he could always make the trip out to the communist statue park on the city's outskirts
The wonderful gothic parliament building was threatened by the rising flood waters after I left
The main market hall is now really only frequented by tourists
I made a very long detour to Kestheley in the west of Hungary to see the famous thermal lake Heviz (probably shouldn't have bothered)
All photos copyright Nick Taylor 2002.