Phew….I’m not sure how I finally got back to my lovely apartment and am sitting upright writing to you all. What an exhausting day its been. Ridiculously so. I have to work out a better way.
So, I set off this morning to a delicious bakery I’d espied yesterday. And it was delicious in terms of their pastries and cakes. But their coffee was shit, made by one of those press button machines. To add insult to injury a huge Chinese tour group walked in…I counted 35 and then gave up. They created chaos, the little café. Its 2 staff just could not cope.
Then I set off to walk up to the new town centre to pursue the Art Nouveau trail. On the map it all looked fairly straight forward albeit a bit of a hike, but I thought manageable. That is until I turned the wrong way at a crucial point, got lost and had to retrace my stupid steps. I finally found the gorgeous park I was supposed to have walked through when the heavens opened and it bucketed down, and I mean bucketed. I took shelter under a tree for as long as I could but there was no getting away from it. I was drenched to the bone…again. I’m getting used to this caper. It is true to say that when the bucketing stops, the sun comes out and warms you up so you dry quickly. But it’s miserable at the time.
Eventually I found my way to the streets famous for their beautiful Art Nouveau buildings and resumed the walking trail. Up and down the streets I went looking at the gorgeous, brilliant and creative architecture that really does take your breath away. They are highlighted frequently by drab, ugly soviet apartment blocks on the other side of the street.
But by this time I was really feeling exhausted. I found a very sweet, eclectic, atmospheric little café but it didn’t serve much so I had some small, rather heavy little pancakes and a glass of wine, just to sit for a bit. Then walk, walk, walk some more to see what I wanted to see.
I then thought I’d get a taxi back….wrong!! The only taxi’s I saw on the road at all were the Uber equivalent here, Bolt. But you have to order them online and to get the App you have to have a European phone number, which I had decided not to do this time. So, what to do? I knew I couldn’t walk all the way back. So, I purchased a tram ticket and marched off to find the tram stop. Another hike. But I got there. All I can say about the tram is that it is harder than a Melbourne tram to step onto. Massive great steps. Anyway I did it and it dropped me outside the old town. Walking back through the familiar streets it felt like being home and a huge relief. I stopped at one of the restaurants that I couldn’t get into last night and they said they could take me from 5 -7. So I came back to the apartment for an hour to regroup and went out to eat. I had Zucchini soup and steamed mussels. Could have had the same meal anywhere in the world. (Restaurant was Domini Canes).
Not only am I tired but I’ve got these little bites all over me, had them for a couple of days now. I don’t think they’re bed bugs because I got them before I came here but they are itchy and very annoying. The really good thing is that my hip seems to be holding up well…touch wood!!
I hope these missives aren’t getting too boring, they feel like they are to me. But you just have to stop reading them. I’m now going to shower and hop into bed. xxx