ERE Travel Thread

[Jean]

@Seppia
Alkohol and Musik facilitated paneuropean fraternity
@Chris
I remember the fortress, I was there in 2006. I really liked it and went there everiday. I didn't know about kajmak, it looks like something I might like.
Is there any spot to swim in the Danube?

[sodatrain]

@sodatrain I am in Lima, would be glad to meet up and would provide recommendations though if it's your second visit I'm sure you are already familiar with the country. Anyone coming to Lima feel free to message me.

Hi Dara - Cool! Ill shoot you a DM.

[Seppia]

@Jean
When you come out of a night of fraternizing, you definitely want to try a pljeskaviča sandwich with kajmak and ajvar.

For fraternizing, my ideal spot in srbija is a kafana. Essentially a traditional restaurant where you eat and drink a lot for a long while, then when everybody is full and … uh… happy, a group of very loud musicians comes in and starts playing really loud and really fast Balkan music.
Then all guests proceed to happily and different degrees of drunkenly dancing for hours on end, usually on the tables.
You definitely, 666% want to do it.
The secret is, while you are having dinner, to ALWAYS drink a full glass of water for every glass of rakija - memorize this as it is a life saver. You will go to the toilet 262736 times. You will still thank me for this advice.

Last, but definitely not least, I suggest you go here for lunch
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iYk7hG6qb9PNBUCY6?g_st=ic
They make roasted intestines, it is FANTASTIC. Assuming you are in for this kind of stuff, I mean not everybody likes it.
But if you do, this is going to be a life highlight.
They also serve very good sweetbreads and general cevapi / karadjorjeva etc in case you like something tamer

[Jean]

@seppia
thanks a lot, that's exactly the info i wanted.

[Seppia]

No problem at all! If you know people in Belgrade, they will know kafanas where to bring you for sure, but if for some reason they don’t, I can ask.

[Jean]

no one in the group is from belgrade, so a good address would be great if you have access to such information.

[Seppia]

I have received a few suggestions

I would suggest to check if they have music (usually at night on Friday/Saturday you’re fairly certain they do)
The ones outside the center are the best apparently

https://maps.app.goo.gl/q1pV8f21AgRvqEmt5?g_st=ic

This one is close to the intestines place https://maps.app.goo.gl/3M8vgJH21oYuyGqFA?g_st=ic

https://maps.app.goo.gl/sojc2ujwZNcWNg3Y8?g_st=ic

[sodatrain]

Looking like I'll be in Norway and I presume a Sweden in late June. Traveling with my kids for most of the time. Would love to meet up for coffee or something. Intestines.... maybe not.

[rube]

I'm planning to visit Toronto for about a week in the second half of June. Previously my visits to Toronto were work related, now it's purely pleasure with visiting some friends and enjoying the city and perhaps a little outside Toronto

I would love to meet forummites for a chat and drink, a hike or another nice activity in or around Toronto. On previous trips I organized ERE meetups downtown Toronto and if there is enough interest, I hope we can do it again. If you're up to meet-up, let me know!

Previously my employer paid for the hotels, but these Toronto hotel prices are, well, insane for ERE-style/budget. I am looking at AirBnB to stay, hostels with dorms are hardly cheaper and it's too far from my comfort zone to sleep as a late 40's male in a dorm with 9 other persons
I might look into couchsurfing though and see if I can try this for a few nights to see if I like this. If anyone has tips about ERE-style accomodation in Toronto, it is appreciated.

[sodatrain]

As a late 40s male .. I get the hesitation towards hostels. Check out the different accomodations available at the hostels. Sometimes you find Japanese style-ish capsules, sometimes it's a 4 person room, sometimes they have private rooms available for a reasonable cost. I've stayed at a couple in the last year or so and it's been better than I expected.

[basuragomi]

@rube, try university residences that operate as hotels in the summer like TMU and UofT. Looks like TMU charges about $160/night.

You could also camp at Bronte Creek Park ($50 + transportation to get there) or Indian Line Campground ($60 but has TTC access). You can rent camping gear from MEC or I could lend you a tent/hammock. Have to book very soon though. There are also gurdwaras.

I'm available for meeting up if it's before June 21.

[Frita]

As @basuragami said, you could get single rooms with shared bathrooms and the other hostels perks. Just a quick search:

https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/s?q ... s=1&page=1

I am 55 years old, as is my spouse, and we don’t mind staying in a dorm for a few nights if we are running and gunning during the day. (I have had no problem staying in a hostel dorm by myself either.). It’s not the same as being younger, just different. A private room is always preferable, for sure, and doable for longer stays.

My suggestions include choosing a NON-party hostel, a room with no more than 8 people (4-6 is best.), the bed curtains and shelves, introduce yourself to roomies and make any coordinations, and follow standard hostel etiquette. Also, consider starting in the dorm and moving to a private later in the stay, if cost is a factor.

[rube]

@sodatrain @basuragomi and @frita thanks for the tips and generous offer to lend tent/hammock.
I looked into all the options and found a few good options, one of the best options was (indeed) a private room in a studenthostel that turns into touristho(s)tel during the summer. But the better choice (I think) was a room in a private house through Airbnb. In June I'll find out if it was a good choice .

@basuragomi I'll be able to meet before the 21st! I'll send you a PM.

[sodatrain]

Hey Folks - I'm passing thru Iceland, Denmark, and Sweden in a couple weeks. Any forumites in those countries that might want to meet for a coffee?

[grundomatic]

I will be in Chattanooga, TN, for the next two weeks if anyone from that area wants to meet up.

[2Birds1Stone]

I will be driving cross country from NY towards the Seattle area, departing sometime between August 14th and 21st. Planned route is NY->PA-OH-IN->IL->WI->MN->SD->WY->MT-WA. If anyone along that general route wants to hang, hike, drink coffee or has a safe place for us to park and camp for the night, holler.

[dizzy]

@2birds1stone I live in Philly, hit me up if you go through there.

[dizzy]

@jean or whomever- I've been through the Balkans several times, and around people many times- the main style of music I play (in the US) is Balkan, or at least in part (I believe our official description says we are also cheesesteak, jazz, and punk inspired)

In Belgrade you want to go to Skadarlija (flower) street, yeah it's touristy but cute old houses and tons of kafanas, likely to be playing traditional music.
If you are really into trad music may I suggest going to Guca music fest or taking the train down to Vranje and basically just showing up to the town center every day to party with whomever is getting married (don't worry about timing, you'll hear it)

[AxelHeyst]

EDIT: My plan is set now, I'm sorted.

I'm going to be bumming around the PNW this Dec 16 ~ 20th. Landing in Seattle, but happy to roam wherever public transportation can get me.

Also, if anyone has recommendations for cheap accommodations (hostels, camping cabins/hipcamps, etc) for someone traveling w/out camping gear in the area, I'm all ears.

[Laura Ingalls]

Any hints on how to keep London ERE compliant-ish other than skipping it? Any forumites going to be there late January/early February?