BACK IN CANADA

berlin was fantastic, thea was perfect host and fed me full of tasty sweets and good food

glad i was there
it was like going home after my mad travels
a place of reflection before continuing on. . .

paris was perfect the second time round
more expensive than berlin, for sure
but my resolve to relearn french is stronger yet again

it seems the most canadian thing to do.

and i am canadian after all. . .

i got to go to an art gallery opening at the national gallery for an artist (american) named peter doiag
very paint what he sees
framed snapshots of the places in his life
large large works and extermely intimate in an endearing way

went to my favourite brasserie for lunch, need to find a place in edmonton just like it. . .or go back to paris

caught the last train to the aeroport and spent the hight on a hard bench
good thing i can sleep anywhere well
traveling all day
catching more time and extending my day as i travelled into the west

sat in a bar in minnapolis and had lovely conversations with a number of people
got quite drunk as i waited for my plane to edmonton

arrived back in edmonton last night
late late
got a ride in with shirley who was visiting family in nebraska
so grateful because airport shuttle was shut down

canadian customs unpacked all my bags looking for. . .who knows what somekind of contraband

on monday i will head out to beartrap lake for the month of june
working and swimming is how i plan to spend most of my time
wish me luck




Take Care

Love, Ruth

Edmonton, Alberta


~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

a little report

Lviv was gorgeous and i meet two beautiful people, Sejal and Damien, both seperately and though i am over having to leave them i am glad i had a chance to spend perfect days with each of them-high pride
i arrived in chernivsti brighted eyed from a sleeper train early saturday morning found my hostel and threw down my stuff and went walking. so pretty and small small. not use to foreigners and so i attracted a lot of stares-they could see me coming a miles a way. not exactly sure of the reason probably for the same reason i could see difference in them.
there were five crazy belgians staying in my room who were there for the Motocross event. In the evening after i had walked and they had come back we all went out and played pool-took a crazy taxi that went so fast down twisty streets i was sliding into everyone else in the back.
the next day sunday as it turned out they had 'backstage'passes to this motocross thing so after some hesitation, Luba (the girlfriend of one of the hostel owners) and I met them there. It was an amazing day - of all 5 senses -smell, hearing. . . big eye candy, not what i would ever do in Canada but an interesting experience.
after the beligians on a marathon ride across country to warsaw to fly home, we meaing the hostels owners and i as well as a local friend went carrousing through town. It was a crazy night and i probably got drunkier than i should have- but the next day monday we spent the day wandering in the shady parks and playing in the Prut river realizing that i would never have time to get to odessa this local fellow i met said that he knew of a town where there were a lot of sorochans but then he had to work and we did not have time to further the connection- this is my lack of followthrough though to be fair to my dodgey self it is not really what i set out to do and i had not alot of time.
i spent tuesday arranging transportation and being scared by Paul's stories of not arranging thing soon enough, i am not sure why he did that becaause i always have safe while travelling and short order trips are my speciality who knows where you will want to go next?
i spent wednesday on the most beautiful tour through the mountains. there are tightly packed little villages and whenever we stop i was amazed that what i thought would be isolated was full of life. i met a man on the bus who has family near smokey lake and i said i would try to help him with those connections if possible.
this is the day i left the ukraine and a small place called chop-this is looks like a suburb of a bigger place which is very modern small city called uzgerod. went to open air bar and ended up 'speaking with werid old ukrainian men who thought that even though we had no shared language if they just repeated often what they were saying i would understand. it was funny experience and i am glad that they were polite. the border crossing was too much to experience-big burly men come storming onto the train and order all the documents out and checking bags for . . .drugs, alcohol and other contraband
crazy day in budapest, trying to find a place to change ukrainian money, not so easy, maybe the ukraine is not as friendly as i thought, at least not with their immediate neighbours. had a delicious breakfast of a donair and fanta sitting on a couch outside of the train station this is how i end the day as well people probably thought i was mediatating this time sitting cross legged on the steps.
mostly of this sunny and hot hot day was spent walking walking.
gloomy and grey day in prague, it is big tourist place, looking carefully i see lines of where people like me may go for fun, problem is my fun is a dodgey kind and can be practiced anywhere at this point i am churched and beautiful building out. i need to practice remembering to go full throttle to what i want and remembering that yes travelling is about letting go and connections.

i am ready to go home though i have a plan for what i want to do next?

motercycling though the tatra and carpathian mountions. . .anyone want to join me?



Take Care

Love, Ruth



~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

ukraine is a strange and completely different world
very interesting
i am leaving chernivtsi and heading for budapest
i leave tomorrow at 8am and take the bus to uzhorod i will stay the night and find my way to chop the next day and then the train to budapest
wish me luck


Take Care

Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

statues in krakow

yeah to the sun

lviv was so fabulous. i loved it. i was not even intending to go and iam so glad i did. first day met a nice if very american American we walk out together and then as good experience would have it he introduced me to a beautiful woman named saget from kenya who had been working in london for two years and was now taking off on lovely adventures through romania and south south south. it sounded good. sounded like something i should do...
i also met the most lovely man named damien from New Zealand.
Here's to the connection continuing- it is amazing how when you meet some people it is immediate liking to . . .

the city was great too and now i am in chernivtsi and i shall see what i find . . .
okay i am off


AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THEA!
Take Care

Love, Ruth



~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

lovely evening in lviv

i am in lviv, after a lovely evening drinking beer and waiting for mybus it was nice night trip to the border and a longish wait to get passports checked.
the roads are crazy here, bumpy like a stegosaur's back
i took a minibus into centre and then a taxi to the hostel, i thought i would use the local expertise of the cabbies and yes spend a little more money but save a lot of stress and time
i love it here
i may stay
fair warning!

Take Care

Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

onwards and more pictures even though i do not have a camera

it is most exciting to see the beginning of my trip before i am even finished. these pictures were taken by a korean woman i met in norway she was studying computer systems and information transfer-something something.

this was near the habour in Oslo looking south





ACTION SHOT -this was the best tasting latte ever and still some on the corner of my mouth





an amazing art park, this is what edmonton should do -more pictures later




this is Myoung buying candy, i cannot remember why she has a picture but do you really NEED a reason to buy candy?

UPDATE

yahoo!

a celebration- the charger has come in the post and it is finally in Poland.

thank you postal service

it has been a lovely side trip

so tomorrow i will catch a ride with jim to good bye lenin hostel in zakopane and on wednesday early into kracow to catch a train or bus to the ukraine

ginger life

there is much in life to be satisfied
i need to remember that i am on vacation and though i will have to work hard when i get home
it is in my nature to spend time
the mountains are beautiful and though i am beginning to itch to move on and see what the Ukraine holds for me

this place is a very chilled out place
i am trying to avoid going to a Slovakian bank because i will not be here too too longish
i walked up in to the hills above the village.
gorgeous sun just breaking through and clean laundry on the line-yummy mountain freshness sounds like a commercial
there is the sweetest dog named wally here and he could convince me to stay a while longer

by wednesday i should be in the Ukraine. . .

for now i am content in the sun

okay i am more than content. . .went for a wander again now i have gone in every direction from the village. walking walking down the road looking for a path to take me across the river to the mountain side-very shaky log bridge about 20 feet up. up up up to an alpine meadow, sitting on a rock eating an apple and bit of fluffy bread, yoga in Slovakian field-easier to do downward dog on a bit of a slant, caught in the rain- warm though and it didn't last long
there was a huge storm here 4 years ago trees fell and many tore right out of the ground
there is still a lot of damage visible and clearing to do.

walked home to the gin. monkey in sunshine
beer on the porch. such a delight.







Take Care

Love, Ruth














~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

---

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the ginger monkey in zdiar

i really love this country, actually any country as long as it is country not city.
there is goodness in the air
i am glad to be here
where am i exactly?
the ginger monkey in zdiar, slovakia
high tatras
high spirits

Take Care

Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

more mountain beauty

still in zakopane it is sunnier today and i ventured further into the town site not getting wet was such a treat.
my charger has not arrived through the polish postal service.
slow like. . .cold syrup
i know it will not arrive before monday now so i will make a weekend trip to another place in the tatras this time on the slovankian side of the border.
a woman who works here said that it took a week from warsaw to receive a package. it is a similar distance to berlin so maybe i get lucky early next week

Take Care

Love, Ruth


~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

pretty good

today is is a reading day. i found an english book in the hostel -blood letting and other miraculous cures by vincent lam- and it is grey and cloudy and cold. so i am under a blanket on the porch reading and gazing up at the tall trees.

yesterday was spectacular and sunny. i walked up into the tatra mountains with a fellow named Marcel. it was good because i walked further with him then i would have gone on my own. we walked and sat and walked and talked. gorgeous views and rosy sun-kissed cheeks

after the day we finished at a local restaurant near the hostel
warm spicy beer
dill soup from Transylvania. . .so good
sauerkraut with tender tender pork in wine
and to finish cherry vodka

if i had to forget my battery charger some place and have to wait for it to catch up i am glad i am here.


Take Care

Love, Ruth


~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

zowie! i am in zakopane!

i am arrived and tucked away in the sweetest little hostel, nestled in the valley of zakopane, poland at the base of the tatras
this is an amazing place and the bus service is fantastic.
to get through the town from place to place there are these micro-busses
like glorybound minivans but they zip from stop to stop and get you where you need to go. and with a few well written place names and some pointing and gestures the drivers are very friendly and helpful to stray canadians.
i walk a little way into the park but it was afternoon when i arrrived here and thought as a very nonexpert in the ways of hiking i should wait until morning and hopefully better weather. so instead i wandered in the woods for awhile, the flowers are just beginning here and there ae the sweetest baby flowers.
after this it was a matter of walking down the road and locating a grocery- beer and (thankyou to thea) kafir (yogerty type thing) and cucumber made a nice addition to the kubasa i got in kracow. though i was yelled at (or at least lectured strictly) by a drunk old man in polish of course and i could not understand and this seemed to make him more upset. he was harmless though i thought it best to let him go first down the road with me at a good distance, which he did in a wobbly fashion and walked right in the local pub. i do not know if they would have feed him more.
supper was tasty goodness and i watched television again. . .the bbc news and then some sappy hallmark movie about americans being kidnapped by mad spanish men.
there are so many scrappy little dogs running around, every house seemsto have one, i have made friends with the pup who seems to live closeto the hostel.
if i have to wait for presents from germany someplace, then this is the best place to do it; better idea then staying in the big city. hopefully it will be here sooner rather than later because it is beauty FULL and i want to take pictures. the eye will have to do for now.


Take Care

Love, Ruth
~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

as if you did not have enough to look at. . .

here is where i am going:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakopane

here is where i am staying. . .

http://www.goodbyelenin.pl/zakopane/index.html

Take Care

Love, Ruth
~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

i know i am travelling fast

okay

sometimes not a lot of detail is good

was in kracow
lovely city
beautiful sunshine today. . .walking walking
many vegan restaurants in this city, do not know why
had supper at one tonight
might be enough to turn me from my carnivore ways
also got lost though not badly and not really because i knew the direction to head in. . .
a helpful polish fellow must of misinterpreted my playful expression of wonder at being lost as confusion and offered assistance, so i thought it would be rude to no accept and i was whisked (by my own feet) faster into the centre of the city.

tomorrow i head into the polish mountains

i know i am travelling fast but i have limited time and want to reach the black sea before it is time to go home. . .

Take Care

Love, Ruth

Edmonton, Alberta
757 -5459
~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

the cheque went through with no problems
lots of money in the bank
my banking card does not seem to be working in polish banking machines. . . .and it is sunday and a long weekend and it is raining. . .
it will be sorted by monday but until then. . .no $$zlotys$$ for me

Take Care

Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

okay made it to polandsmells

okay made it to poland
smells of garlic sausage and canola fields

got here very late
and nice fellow from train helped me find my hostel
it was not difficult to find but he seemed like he wanted to help and it was easy to accept
of course then it turned out the hostel was actually full and i had to find another
it was very easy as well
though some how from there to here i lost my beautiful scarf
(and i was just saying to thea how i chose it with such care to come from canada becase it was both colourful and warm -ieyah-yah)
i will go look for it today on a walk back to the first hostel-if i find it great joy and if not i will find another -maybe in ukraine.
i also forgot the camera charger in berlin and so now must be very careful in turning off the camera. forgetful ruth.

i off to look through the city.

thea i will let you know later today where to mail the charger and then just let me know the cost and i will pay you when i return to berlin

okay off i go.

Take Care

Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!

may day in berlin

look at the google news of may day in berlin
many police, many bottles of beer on the ground-no good for bare feet.

wait until you see the pictures!

berlin is good, nice to see the friendly, beautiful face (also very stressed from exam deadlines) of thea

next day i will continue to poland and then ukraine.

Take Care
Love, Ruth

~Life is Mad Love! Das Leben ist wütende Liebe! La vida es amor enojado! La vie est amour fol! La vita è amore pazzo!