Some pics and words from my Europe trip V2

[joshg123]

Following on from my similarly titled thread in September.

So, came back to Australia for 2.5 months, and decided ill go back over again. The workshop always has a week or so off work, but we were meant to get a new roof so i decided ill take a couple of extra weeks and go check out winter europe. PS - as said before im no super photographer, i take these to keep me reminded of the things ive done.

Took off on Christmas day, currently writing this from my hotel room in Moscow about to fly back tomorrow.

My goals this time round - To spend some more time with my friends in Austria, do some skiing and have a bit of a relax, spend some time with family friends in Munich and see a bit more of that neck of the woods, and also to visit Russia.
Like Ukraine, i dont have many reasons for wanting to come here but its somewhere ive not been before and glad ive come to see it.

Travveling solo this time meant it cost a little more, especially here in Russia but i should still get away with this trip for under 4.5k

1st stop - Austria,

1st time walking in full snow was certainly interesting but i got over it after a few days. However i dont really feel the cold so was just walking outside in jeans and a jumper, to be promptly told off by my friend and made to wear a beanie and gloves.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0282.jpg

Cold cat was not impressed with a snowball heading its way

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0285.jpg

Where my friends live, is a little town called Leoben, in central Austria. Its pretty much smack back on the alps and is an amazing sight each time you wake up in the morning to look out the window and see snow covered alps.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0298.jpg

Had to do a bit of sliding on the hills, however i was rather shocked at the flimsyness of my provided kart (mine was the red one). I tried to jump it however gave my tailbone a nice old bruise and broke one of the steering ski's off the underside of the kart. Im now told these are not meant for jumping.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0335.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0337.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0375.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0339.jpg

NYE was celebrated in typical Austrian style, a friend had a small wooden hut down by a frozen lake. We drank a bit and played a few drinking games (i think the language barrier gave me a slight disadvantage, it was game over around 10pm). Midnight in Austria means fireworks, and a lot of them. Ill upload a video of one that didnt go off, blew up in the stand. Rather amusing.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0406.jpg

Had a few relax days, went to Vienna and did some sightseeing there however forgot my camera. Boarded a train to Germany on teh 7th. Met up with my friends up there, another expensive meal bought by them ( i was getting used to free meals at this point). Made a trip to Bmw world and the Bmw museum.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0420.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0423.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0435.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0461.jpg

As i was staying with my friend, who's a uni student in Munich. Had a few good evenings of going from pub to pub with a few of her friends. Suprisingly most students over there enjoy having conversations in English (this suited me fine as i cant speak German). Passed the rest of my time visiting some old Nazi buildings and some of the landmarks of Uni. Most germans are well educated and are not upset or embaressed to talk about Nazi Germany or WW2. I visited the section of university where the White Rose group handed out its leaflets and was aressted, visited Hitlers old office building (now a music school).

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0503.jpg

Munich town hall, a seriously detailed building.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0518.jpg

Learnt to navigate the underground and S bahn systems whilest there and made my way out to the airport on the 11th. Jumped on my rather dodgey airplane to Moscow. The flight was rather interesting, i was seated with a rather large Russian man who had 5 carry on bags, he stuffed them into someone elses overhead locker and squashed another large Russian mans chocolates. Pushing and shoving resulted combined with some loud russian words, eventually they shook hands and sat down and we could then take off. The large russian man i was seated next to, then opened a litre bottle of whisky and started drinking it straight out of the bottle. 2 hours into the 2.5 hour flight, that bottle was empty..... only in Russia.

Now landing in a Eastern European country is quite a scary experience, overcrowded arrival areas and passport controls that are only in Russian make navigating your way through the airport farking difficult. Got my bag as fast as i could and hotfooted it through customs (which is a green door or a red door) where i met my driver i organised through the hotel to pick me up, again not a word of english was spoken by said driver but i tip my hat, he was a carpark master.

In daylight, i went and visited all the usual tourist attractions that Moscow has to offer. Red square, St Basils, Kremlin...... pictures are pretty self explanitory.

View from hotel roof, they sell cars in multi story buildings, john hughes eat your heart out.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0530.jpg



http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0542.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0543.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0553.jpg

Words cannot accuratly describe the different atmosphere here compared to most other countries i have been in. Its only a Eastern European country that could have a feel like this, this place has its soviet history all over the place. All through the metro stations, buildings, red square are soviet hammer and sickle, red soviet stars are everywhere. The winter snow slush gives you the impression that your in a really dodgey place, however after a few days you can begin to appreciate the Russian way of life, unlike Ukraine the public transport system is pretty safe. Prices are awesome, for a entry to the subway system (unlimited travel) is about 30py6 ($1). And a bus ride for about 12km is also 30py6. I suppose with 8million people using the subway every day, they can have it pretty cheap.

Whats interesting, and ill try and refrain from rambling here. Most people ive spoken to here, prefered the Soviet times (post Stalin) in comparison with the lives they have today. Yes they appreciate the freedom they have with purchasing, travel, and lifestyle.... But in todays times, prices have gone skyrocketing and jobs are hard to find, buildings are falling apart and no one has any money to repair them. In the soviet times, im told everyone had a job, you were paid fairly well and could buy all the supplies you needed for you and your family to live. There was an efficient health care system. State housing was clean and in those times pretty modern. Now people are working two jobs, just to feed the family, the trains in the metro are rusting to bits and still have "Property of the CCCP" written on them. When i was at school, for some reason i only absorbed bad images about the Soviet system, only once your here and you talk to people who lived in both sytems can you understand that there were some good aspects along with the bad.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0564.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0566.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0569.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0631.jpg

I also got the opportunity to visit Lenin's grave/bed. A rather strange feeling comes across you as you walk into a room, with 4 armed russian guards to see the actual body of one of the most influential people of this part of the world. Some 60 years on they keep pumping the chemicals in, keeping his body in shape. Some say it costs millions of government money to keep him this way every year. I counted 14 guards from the entry to exit. Your told as you enter, smoking, laughter, hands in pockets, standing still and photos are forbidden. All i can show you is a photo of the outside

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0545.jpg

Today, i visited the War and Technic museum, which has a private automotive collection next to it. 500py6 (approx $17) gets you in for 2 people. Some strange pieces of soviet engineering in here.

Had to catch a rickety old mercedes bus through the suburbs out to the middle of nowhere.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0571.jpg

This car below, is soviet built purely for use by top party officials in parades. Not one of these cars were ever sold to the public. They set up a whole production line of these to make something like 120 units, i think they borrowed a few bits and pieces from other makes.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0580.jpg

This tank was designed to fly, they towed it behined a plane and released it at 250m height. The tank was then to glide to the ground silently and creep up on enemies. According to the information in front, they did actually get it to tow behined a plane but the loose translation is that the plane was so fucking big it would get shot down very easily so they stopped designing winged tanks.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0592.jpg


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0600.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0603.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0604.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0609.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0610.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0613.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0620.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0621.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0628.jpg

On the way out, i couldnt quite fathom why someone would have a shark airbrushed on the side of their Porsche Cayenne.... so i took a photo

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0625.jpg

Old, and current KGB building. Behined me was the damage from the explosion in teh Moscow subway that killed 30 people circa May '10. They havent done anything about it, just closed the enterance to the subway.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0649.jpg

A little later this afternoon, i went exploring some of Moscows famous subway stations. Now these photos in no way compare to whats out there on the web but ill show you anyway. Most of these stations were decorated in a different style, all of which i though were rather impressive.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0634.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0642.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0644.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0639-1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0643.jpg

And continued on to red square for some evening shots, and a horrible coffee.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0655.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0657.jpg

Looking from Red Square, across moscow river.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0661.jpg

Old goverment operated department store.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0660.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0662.jpg

And finally, an unlucky mercedes owner, left unattended out the front of the KGB building enterance

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/joshg123/Europe%202010%20V2/100_0647.jpg

Hope you enjoyed the photos, and maybe this will inspire you to travel a little also. This part of the world is sooooo different from Perth/Australia.

[Satan]

awesome dude!

[ED40]

Interested read man, cheers for posting. Russia looks so old school! Did you fly a Tupolev into Russia? lol

[Risk10k]

Thats a pretty epic tourist run! Any photos of the german hookers?

[magic1]

thanks for taking the time to show us these pics josh.:)

[6LtrJet]

great post josh, it should promote people to get out of this shithole country town we call home/Perth and see the what the world is really like......

[Lonewolf]

awesome writeup and pics!

[MMM]

Great thread!

[Adr3naL1N]

Interested read man, cheers for posting. Russia looks so old school! Did you fly a Tupolev into Russia? lol

most of europe looks old school....and it is

nice pics dude, russia looks like an interesting place to visit, didnt make it there when i went to europe, maybe next time

[Halle Terry]

Great thread, and very interesting commentary, I'm sure I'm not alone, but feel free to write more about your experience!

PS, which country had the best white flange?

[Deke]

i love europe so much , all the countrys are so old but thats deffinatly what i like about it. iv been to czech, holland and switzerland, but i still yet to go in the winter and experience snow.

[joshg123]

great post josh, it should promote people to get out of this shithole country town we call home/Perth and see the what the world is really like......

6 months ago, id totally agree with thinking that perth is a 'shithole'. But after visiting some of the places ive been and having conversations with locals we have it good in aus. I did a days work at a Mechanics shop in austria, speaking to their head mechanic, whos been working with him 20 years earns 1500 euro a month! Compare that with a fitter or mechanic salary here, even at the bottom end of the scale we would earn double.
Cost of living over here is incredible also, they earn half of what we earn but food, accomodation (apartments etc), petrol, cars etc are all like perth prices. They have no extra cash to spend on racing cars, no ps3's, no big lcd televisions.

After seeing what ive seen over the last 6 months, im not calling perth a shithole.



Great thread, and very interesting commentary, I'm sure I'm not alone, but feel free to write more about your experience!

PS, which country had the best white flange?

Ukraine for sure, every 17-24yo over there is definatly worthy of attention, russia sorta comes in there also, but russian girls seem to be angry. As soon as a Ukrainian girl hears you speak fluent english and are from a western country, your the best thing in the room.....

Followed closely by Austria, all tidy girls.


Thanks for the comments, its no problem to take the time. I wasnt game enough to venture out at 10pm in the russian suburbs so wrote this up instead.

[Gladio]

Good read and pictures. Looks like so much fun!

[grogers]

some good shots there!
would love to go there one day :D

[BokboKGuN]

Nice write up! Would like to ask if theres the language barrier when communicating with people from ukraine, russia etc?

[1cut808]

Thanks for sharing.....

[Fukushima]

keen for world cup there in a few years!

[Fryman]

awesome write up mate! perth aint no shithole, just one big zlpy country town..

some of those places you've been to would take some courage to adventure to. Its not for everybody

[joshg123]

Nice write up! Would like to ask if theres the language barrier when communicating with people from ukraine, russia etc?

Ukraine and Russia are a new level of difficult due to the Cyrillic alphabet, combined with the strangeness of the russian language. Germany/Austria/Northern Italy (last trip) are quite easy places to get around, German and English share many words, simmilar words and if you dont know the word, they only have 2 or 3 extra letters compared to our English alphabet. Russian always confuses me with its backwards R, which means 'ya', back to front N, our numeral 3 is a sound in their alphabet as is 6........ On Friday i solo navigated the subway stations, i was just playing 'match the symbol' and found my way around like that....

I ended up eating at maccas and KFC the last few days, for two reasons. They were the closest to the hotel, and most young people at least know a few words (allthough they get shitty when you talk english i found). I gave up trying to go to Russian resteraunts and Bars, i was out in Domodedovo which is a fair way out of the normal tourist areas......... i tried to order a meal at a resteraunt and ended up with half a litre of beer, facepalm.

[Joe]

Thanks Josh!! What a fantastic photo journey.


And continued on to red square for some evening shots, and a horrible coffee.

I will not be visiting Russia.

[Risk10k]

i tried to order a meal at a resteraunt and ended up with half a litre of beer, facepalm.

Hahahhahaha, thats pretty win!

[Milhouse]

i tried to order a meal at a resteraunt and ended up with half a litre of beer, facepalm.

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ik6gExiV1qzr6txo1_500.jpg

[[Jacek]]

Good to read :D

I've had a little experience with eastern europe last year when I went to visit my family in Poland.

We had just come from Germany and landing in Poland was, like you said, a scary experience. My girlfriend and I actually got worried, thinking that we had just wasted the next 2 weeks of our trip. But, as it turned out, after a day or two we were in that eastern European rhythm and it was an awesome experience! Speaking fluent Polish helped also.

[Macca]

Ukraine for sure, every 17-24yo over there is definatly worthy of attention, russia sorta comes in there also, but russian girls seem to be angry. As soon as a Ukrainian girl hears you speak fluent english and are from a western country, your the best thing in the room.....

Followed closely by Austria, all tidy girls.



Pics are taking ages to load, my isp told me it wasn't an issue with them!

[Gleeso]

Thanks for the read. Would never of thought of ever going there, but just to experience the different ways of life I think I may venture there one day.

Anymore pics from the BMW Museum/World?

[Lozzle]

Awesome pics and write up, thanks for the read. Am heading to Europe in 6 weeks for some wintry wanderings but I seriously wish we'd been able to include Russia in the trip.

[urabus]

Next time you are over that way go to St Petersburg aswell. Same sort of attitudes but much more modern and well thought out city. I thought Moscow was awesome and the Russians are certainly a very proud people.

The story goes that that KGB building goes as far underground as it does above ground. There is also a cool nightclub literally a few hundred metres up the road called "propaganda".

Apparently only something like 5% of tourists ever go back to Russia for a 2nd time. Compare that to London where it is probably at something like 90%.

Thanks for the photos. I loved the place.

Brendon