Szeged is mostly known for being a university town peppered with paprika and salami. The two edibles are praised in Szeged. And like most of my Eastern European trip so far, my plans are almost always changed due to the cold. Szeged is home to a Paprika Museum. As I visited the Butter Museum in Cork, you would think I would be all over arranging a visit to the Paprika Museum, but unfortunately the weather and time wasn’t on my side. Apparently people only need two hours a day to visit such a museum.

Aside from a dash of paprika and a cut of salami, I brave the frigid evening temperatures to marvel at Szeged’s architecture and squares. When the city flooded, it was given a facelift, redesigned with broad avenues and boulevards. Kaluzál tér is one such redesign, a square covered in banks and pastry shops. I guess you need lots of money for the pastries you will consume. Set up right in the pedestrian quarter of the city, the square is named for the statue at the center, Gábor Klauzál, the minister of agriculture, industry and commerce of Hungary’s first democratically elected government.

I rise the next day to snow and more cold, a trend all over Eastern Europe. Not knowing if my rental car would make it over the mountains in Romania, I decide to forgo the freezing and head back up toward Budapest. Now without a long drive, I can spend more time with Szeged.

The Votive Church is hard to miss while in town, built by residents after Szeged’s great flood. In the snow, the twin-towered confection almost looks posed as a lone man braves the freezing to walk across its square, a square exactly the same size as St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

Inside is an ornate and what some may call gaudy meeting. Home to Europe’s third largest church organ, the Votive Church has the viewer constantly gazing toward the heavens.

Leaving the church and Szeged for that matter, I stop for a classic pastry and coffee before hitting the road. The pastry case is almost like neon in color compared to the snowy, gray scene outside.

By the looks of many residents clad in high-heels, you get the sense Szeged is not used to this dusting of white. And yet, the trams keep on running. This city has been through the unexpected as I quickly learn the meaning of the term in the travel sense myself. You can never plan for the weather.

Have you been to Szeged?

It was the best of times, and yet the worst of times so far on my European trip. I faced the simple spring of hospitality from a hotel and the winter coldness of another. My intuition tends to cry out to me especially when I doubt an upcoming hotel choice. Yesterday morning, I woke up and began re-researching where again I had booked my next night in Croatia. The complicated driving directions had me worried, along with the fact that the accommodation website had completely different pictures than the booking agent I used. Again, my intuition was in alert mood and I suppressed it.

I arrived to freezing Rovinj, Croatia, what is said to be the most photographed city in the country. Its beauty was clear upon arrival. I made my way through the pedestrian-only zone for my allotted 30 minutes to have a car, just to drop off baggage. I found my accommodations, but they had not found me. Several buzzes at the door went unanswered, a traveler’s worst nightmare when you are ready to check in and relax. Aimless waiting outside in the biting cold produced a few stares from locals. Finally I dug through my purse to find the phone number of the owner, only to get no answer. I was beginning to think I would have to find other accommodations in a mostly boarded up city for the winter. This should be interesting.

Left out in the cold...

I went back down to the car to get warm and give my accommodations until 4PM to call. At 4PM on the button I received harsh phone call. The owner didn’t apologize and merely said she missed a call from this number. Who was it? (Obviously one of only two guests probably staying the night.)  I explained how I had rang the bell and had been waiting for 45 minutes. She told me she had been there and to come to the house. Put off from her rude response and lack of apology for not being present, I pressed for an apology.

Lugging my luggage back up the stairs, I met the ill-present owner and still no apology. So I said, “I was beginning to think I would have to find other accommodations since you didn’t answer.” Her response, “Oh! It wasn’t that bad. You didn’t wait that long in the cold. I was helping another guest with their satellite TV.” As I stood probably with a gaping mouth, shocked by her response, she quickly hurried me up the death defying stairs, no wider than a pre-teen.

By the time I was in the room, I think she could sense my dismay. She said, “Ma’am don’t be mad. I apologize”. I explained how off-putting it was to have someone in the hospitality industry not apologize to a guest for literally leaving them out in the cold. I had arranged my arrival time beforehand so she knew when to expect me. Suddenly she seemed to turn the tables, making me feel as though I was wrong in speaking up. She basically told me I could leave and she wouldn’t charge for the night. I said I would think about it, now visibly upset. As I sat in the room for a few minutes, the cold set in. Even with full hat, scarf, coat and gloves, the temperature matched those outside. I was faced with sleeping miserably physically and mentally in a place I did not feel welcome.

Quite the contrary to my first hotel in Rovinj, my welcoming hotel room in Munich

An hour later, I left for a hotel down the road, one I booked just minutes prior. Before I could even reach for the door handle, a woman was opening it for me with a giant smile on her face. I had clearly interrupted her dinner, but she didn’t bat an eye. She was ready for me, even though I had just given them a surprise 6PM booking. Checking in was efficient and I made my way to my heat radiating room.

While dated and lacking the bells and whistles of the first accommodation, I realized what truly matters in accommodations for me: clean sheets, good WiFi, heat, and most importantly hospitality. It was truly the day of two types of accommodations, one with all of the stainless steel appliances, grand art illuminated on the walls and owner who had never heard of apologizing to guests, and the other, simple, dated and yet covered in kindness from every staff member I met.

What I discovered from this unsettling exchange is that travelers should speak up when they are wrongly treated. Inspiring Travelers have also stressed the need for travelers to speak up if there is a problem. If we sit back and let hoteliers treat us poorly, shell out our money for rudeness, we are only contributing to the problem.

And so my night in Rovinj, I went to bed hungry. Unsettled, I just wanted to get some sleep at 8PM. It was the best of times and the worst of times. I woke up to a new day, a day I was proud of standing up for myself and travelers across the globe.

A new day in Rovinj, Croatia

Have you ever encountered such bad hospitality? Is it worth it to stand up for yourself or just avoid the confrontation when you travel?

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Leave your submission in the comment box below, rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. Submissions left past Friday will be carried over into next week’s submissions. I will read all of the submissions and promote them by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“How To Prepare Yourself For A Cruise Ship Emergency” From RoyMarvelous

Submission from Roy

A timely read, Roy lends some useful tips for anyone going on a cruise. He details what to do in the event of an emergency, something anyone going on a cruise should know. His post reminds me that no matter how long you are taking a boat, whether it be a ferry ride of 5 hours of a week long cruise, you should know how what to do in an emergency.

“Mangú, Merengue and Mao: A Day in a Dominican Village” From Chicky Bus

Submission from Lisa

Lisa sets the stage and image of experiencing local life in a Dominican village. From delicious homemade dishes to encounters with locals, Lisa finds out what it means to immerse yourself in this village merely by walking and talking with those who live and breathe it each day.

“The Good, Bad, and Loco: Moving to Madrid (Part 1)” From The Spain Scoop

Submission from The Spain Scoop

Lauren prepares for a move to Spain to teach English. In all of the preparation, she finds upon arrival the good, the bad and the crazy of living in Spain’s capital. I found her words and experiences extremely relatable for anyone who traveled abroad to live in a set location for a time.

“The Colors of California” From This Is My Happiness

Submission from Jenna

Jenna captures several moments in California, highlighting the colors of the state. From beaches, valleys, snow farms and lighthouses, Jenna provides an enough evidence that Californians certainly have a great deal to brag about.

“My Paris 50” From All Things Paris

Submission from Erin

Erin presents 50 things she loves about Paris, providing a nice list for anyone visiting the City of Light in the near future. Complete with cats sleeping in restaurant windows and antique bookstores, Erin paints a picture of her Paris.

Don’t forget to leave your submission for this week in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

I check into my hotel just across from the Trim Castle, obviously the showpiece to this now snoozing town. The Castle brags of its Braveheart fame just merely by appearance. You can see why filmmakers thought it the perfect spot to imagine the past. However, the Trim Castle seems far more proud of its size, restoration and importance.

Serving as Ireland’s largest Anglo Norman fortification, the castle is standing, crumbling proof Trim was not so sleepy in medieval times. Founded in 1173, what I wander around today is mostly from 1200. A green space surrounds this area of Trim, where locals come to walk their dogs. I observe they don’t notice the castle, probably a site they have wandered past their whole lives. It’s funny how with time we forget just how extraordinary our backyard can be.

Across from the castle and the River Boyne is St. Mary’s Abbey, or what is left of it. Cromwell wasn’t kind to this 12^th century Augustinian abbey. However a lone bell tower still stands, albeit in a haphazard fashion, proving you can knock Trim down, but the town can still rise.

I head back in for the evening, but I can’t avoid Trim’s medieval glory. I spot a glow of midnight blue out my window, lights making certain the Trim Castle is still visible through the darkness. And while this was the end of my Ireland adventure, I recognize Trim is the perfect spot from ending and beginning. Quiet, crumbling and stoic, Trim isn’t a big player now, but its remains from the glory days prove that doesn’t matter. It might have been the end of my Ireland excursion, the end of the solo travel glory, but it was also the beginning of a new adventure. The traces of my Ireland trip will still remain, just as Trim Castle seems to say.

Have you been to Trim?

While traveling is an exciting experience, it can be a stressful one before departure. I usually have a million and one things to accomplish, things I put off for more impractical tasks like scrubbing the kitchen sink. I hate to come home to a messy home, especially after experiencing random hotel rooms for weeks. Then there is work. I always seem to have so much to do before a big trip. Emails have not been returned. Articles are still not written. I always swear to myself I will not procrastinate when I have the extra time, and yet I always do. Throw into the mix packing. I have always loved packing, but I never seem to do it right. It is a mad rush to figure out what will fit at 2AM when I have to be up in 3 hours. And for my upcoming trip to Europe, I made a pledge to myself that I would organize, not procrastinate and have a relaxing evening before I take off the next morning.

What I hope to look like the night before a big trip

Just as you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, I doubted I could do this. While I still have loads of work to do, an apartment to clean and a bag that needs to be packed with all manner of winter for Eastern Europe, I have already avoided the stresses of last minute trip preparation by imploring the following techniques. If you too find yourself a crazy mess by the time you get to the gate due to last minute trip prep, you might want to consider trying these tips out for yourself.

Pack One Area of Clothing A Day Beginning The Week Before Departure

A late night packing session hours before you leave might be the most stressful of pre-travel scenarios. This time for my trip to Europe, I started packing last Saturday. I began laying out different potentials to see what would work and what wouldn’t. For me, it is best to focus on one area of clothing per day. Figure out what pajamas you need to take one day and set them aside. The next day might be pants and the next day could be sweaters. I usually go through my layers of clothing so that I don’t forget anything: underwear, pants, tank tops, shirts, sweaters, jackets, socks and shoes. By breaking up my packing over the course of a week, I can do a little bit here and a little bit there without feeling overwhelmed.

Utilize Layover Time

My layover in Chicago will lend me around 5 hours of time. While I would probably love to sit and read magazines for those 5 hours, I have already set my mind to getting ahead on work. Sometimes in the excitement of a new destination, we forget to charge all of our electronics or use the time wisely. I have been guilty of this fact on more than one occasion. If you have free time before your planned exodus from home, don’t waste it, right down to the hours before lift off. I also find on long haul flights that if I am exhausted when I board the plane, I have a better chance of sleeping. Layover time is not the time for just sitting and relaxing. Accomplish something while you can still move around freely. Using time wisely can be facilitated by knowing your airport of layover residence extensively by using apps like Gate Guru. Also, coughing up the price of a day pass for airline lounges can also be worth it if you want a quiet place to work on your layover.

Set Goals and Place The Frivolous Last On The List

I have to paint my nails and toes whenever I leave on a trip. Perhaps it is the 14 year old in me, but it is one of those frivolous things I generally do at the 11^th hour before a flight. This go-around, I have set goals based on their importance. Finishing work and returning emails must come before the frivolous. Cleaning my entire apartment will be last on the list. By setting goals, I only spend the most allotted time to the things of greatest importance. If it’s 6 PM on Friday and I have crossed off the most pressing items on my list, I can then move on to the frivolous.

How do you avoid that last minute travel prep stress and chaos?

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Leave a link to your article in the comment box below rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. I will read all submissions and promote them accordingly by the end of the day on Sunday. If you submit past Friday, I will just carry your submission over into next week’s round of stumbles. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission made the five favorites.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“Re-Embracing My Own Culture” From yTravel Blog

Submitted by Caz

Caz returns to Australia, her initial home, after traveling for years on end. She deals with those feels of reverse culture shock and how she grew to appreciate her own culture once again.

“Snapping Photographs” From That Backpacker

Submitted by Audrey

Audrey shares a powerful encounter with two local girls while in Argentina. After establishing a quick friendship, she pulls out her camera to take some photographs only to have the girls reach out their hands for compensation. What she learns and what the local girls learn is a meaningful travel experience.

“The Importance of Language or Communicating in China When You Don’t Speak Chinese” From The Country Skipper

Submitted by Sabrina

Sabrina shares some rather amusing and comical lost in translation moments while on a trip to China. I found many of her tips on getting by in China without knowing Chinese can be applied virtually anywhere.

“My Night in Prison” From A Dangerous Business

Submitted by Amanda

Amanda manages to spend the night in an old prison in Ottawa without doing anything illegal. A jail turned hostel lends a unique travel experience, one that sends a few chills up spines. She recounts the history of the building and hostel and even includes it accompanying ghost stories.

“It’s Impossible to Find Mexican Food in Europe” From Seek New Travel

Submitted by Kit

Kit laments one of life’s big questions, “Why is Mexican food so difficult for Europeans to produce?”. A travel mystery, she points out some of the strangest Mexican food imposters she has experienced while in Europe.

Don’t forget to leave your submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

The 16-mile driving tour of the park follows Union and Confederate siege lines. The Siege of Vicksburg ended on July 4, 1863, after well over 40 days of battle. Those battles would later lend the Union forces control of the Mississippi River south to New Orleans, cutting the Confederacy in two. No wonder President Abraham Lincoln called Vicksburg “the key”. Lincoln reasoned America’s Civil War could not come to an end until the key was in the Union’s pocket.

And today, this pocket of Mississippi is still the key toward understanding one of the most trying times in American history. A number of monuments from states with soldiers participating in the battle can be seen along the 16-mile drive. They scatter about in places across the battlefield, suggesting memory to the natural landscape.

Some are grand, while others are simple. The sculptures depicting soldiers are to me the most poignant. Sculpture by definition is supposed to evoke realistic emotions. Rather than just a construction of stagnant materials, the expressions and emotions created make Vicksburg that much more real.

The late afternoon sun is starting to get to me by the time I reach the U.S.S. Cairo, one of seven ironclad gunboats named in honor of towns along the upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Hopes of Union forces taking the Mississippi River largely rested in this ship, one that sank just north of Vicksburg on December 12, 1862. Over 100 years later, the ship was painstakingly raised and reconstructed to stand guard, this time on land.

I complain about the heat, but not for long. The Vicksburg National Cemetery is just up the road, home to 17,000 Union soldiers. Around 13,000 are unknown. Trivial complaints about the weather die here where so much life was lost.

Amidst life and death, Vicksburg is a strangely beautiful place. One viewpoint allows you to see the rolling green hills meeting the mighty Mississippi. It isn’t just the river that is mighty here. It is the souls who fought for causes outside my realm of worry today. Behind Vicksburg’s beauty, there are blemishes and scars. It is a place of tragic beauty, where life drives on by triumphant moments of loss.

Have you been to Vicksburg?

On my upcoming trip to Europe, I realized I was far too focused on the price of my long haul flight. I neglected key elements for booking a flight, one that can determine a good 10 hours or a bad 10 hours up in the air.

Learning to fly, with make-shift wings

A Good Seat Can Mean The World

When booking long haul flights, your seat is everything. When I booked my ticket, I took the last seat on the plane, the only one available. On long flights I prefer to be by the window. I believe that it allows more privacy and a nice make-shift pillow to lean against.

The problem with airlines is that they tend to pick a seat for you if you don’t choose yours at booking. As you book your ticket, have Seat Guru open to see the advantages and disadvantages of where you are about to select to sit. There have been far too many times that I have forgotten to check the seat of where I have selected. I then have found a strange metal box taking up all of my legroom or a seat with a great shot of the smelly lavatories. If you are spending hours upon hours on an airplane to cross oceans and continents, your seat should be as comfortable as it can be.

Check The Type of Plane and Airline

Before pressing purchase, research just what sort of plane you are flying. While most airlines have updated their planes for long haul flights to include personal entertainment screens, you would hate to book a flight that hasn’t been updated in ages and features that one giant screen that no one can see.

Make sure you aren't flying something like this

Using search engine sites to book the best airfare can sometimes put you on five different airlines in one journey. The longest flights should always be the best and most comfortable. A quick search of the airline and type of plane will tell you exactly what you will be getting on board.

Consider The Time of Day for Leaving and Arriving

Last month, I came back to Denver at 4PM. I then sat in traffic for two and half hours to get home. When you arrive home or to a new destination, it is important to consider just what time of day you will find yourself. Rush hour morning and evening traffic can make that long haul journey that much more tiring.

If you are leaving in the morning hours from virtually anywhere, that wake up call will be even earlier with traffic to the airport. I try to book flights that are not at heavily trafficked hours to make the day seem shorter and less stressful. If I am worried that I will miss my flight due to traffic on the way to the airport, then I didn’t examine my travel itinerary the way I should have at booking.

Weigh The Advantages and Disadvantages of The Airports of Connection

For most long haul flights of a reasonable price, you are generally going to have to stop somewhere. Sometimes these stops can be for hours, leaving you in a strange airport to wander and roam. If you have a choice of connections, where you will make your stops for long haul flights, be sure to pick the airport you can appreciate for a few hours.

For example, on my way to Ireland, I had to spend four hours in Chicago O’Hare. While I’m sure there are better gates, my section of the airport lacked places to charge phones or to get a decent meal. Most of us want to have quiet places to charge our laptops, phones and iPads before making the long journey overseas. A good meal is also important before boarding a flight for 10 hours if airplane food isn’t your favorite. If you have to spend time in an airport as part of your long haul, do your research about the airport and the terminal you will most likely be in for several hours.

Besides finding cheap airfare, what other things do you watch out for when booking long haul flights?

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Leave your submission in the comment box below. Your submission must be travel related. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit. I will get busy reading and promoting your articles throughout the week. All submissions will be promoted by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back next Monday to see if your submission made my five favorites.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“Maoist Guerilla Bombings and Dramatic Departure from Nepal” From Lash World Tour

Submitted by Lash

After quietly hiking the Annapurna Circuit trek in western Nepal, Lash comes out of being one with nature to find bombings going on around her in Nepal’s capital city. She must get out of Nepal to avoid the Maoist guerrilla activity, making for an interesting tale of luck and the ultimate hairy travel situation.

“Into a Soviet Bunker” From Katie Going Global

Submitted by Katie

Katie journeys into a Soviet bunker, circa 1984, just outside of Vilnius. The site is set up much as it would have been back in the day, complete with yelling guards and gas masks. Katie’s tour in this piece of Soviet history lends tremendous insight into what life was like for those living through this time.

“Last Minute Changes Are Not Appreciated—Morro Negrito Surf Camp” From Ordinary Traveler

Submitted by Christy

Ordinary Traveler recalls their experience with a surf camp in Panama. When the owner unexpectedly changes their accommodations days before departure and then says he won’t refund their money once Christy and Scott decide to abandon the idea, they are faced with some of the worst customer service. Their story is a good reminder to be careful where and with whom you book.

“A Village of Death and Memory in France” From Finding The Universe

Submitted by Laurence

Laurence visits the ruined town of Oradour-Sur-Glane in France, the victim of a German invasion just four days after D-Day. Essentially, the entire population of the town was tortured and killed. Laurence wanders the streets, left as they were on that day. His photographs and words offer a chilling look war firsthand.

“Not Knowing Where I’m Going” From Pack Your Passport

Submitted by Beverley

Beverley deals with a topic every traveler must face at one point or another, uncertainty. As she battles feelings of enjoying having a home base in Australia, she also must tackle her reasons for packing up and leaving that 9 to 5 job to travel. She presents the idea of embracing the uncertainty of life travel lends, even if it might terrify you.

Don’t forget to leave your submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

While I could say this completion of driving coast to coast in America was a boring, flat drive, there are towns along the way that convince the doubters otherwise. One of those towns is Goodland, Kansas. A little groggy from rising at 5AM, I set out to find the home of the World’s Largest Easel. Just a few miles from the Colorado state line, I arrived in Goodland to see this giant roadside attraction.

Measuring 80 feet tall, weighing 45,000 pounds and holding up a reproduction of one of Van Gogh’s Sunflower paintings, the easel is appropriately positioned in the Sunflower State and in the town claiming to be the center of the local sunflower industry. This is no accident. Canadian artist Cameron Cross set out to create all seven of Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings around the globe, placing one in Goodland.

As I ham it up, pretending to be Van Gogh, I can’t help but be impressed by an otherwise nothing town for many. While I know that was Goodland’s intention, attract people who can’t resist an oversized attraction, I’m glad Goodland aided me in achieving the missing link to my coast-to-coast drive.

There is always something to see on nothing stretches, giant easels and all. The tumbleweeds and I might be the only ones appreciating this quirky attraction, but this moment is iconic America. Roadside fixtures like this easel are a taste of this country you only see thanks to a little bit of luck, careful research and an open road. In the meanwhile, I will get back to creating my masterpiece. Van Gogh was a redhead after all.

What is your favorite oversized attraction that you have seen on your travels? Have you seen Goodland’s World’s Largest Easel?