Got a late start due to bathroom situation. Was the last person out of the room area around 9:00am, because I waited for everybody else to finish before emerging from my room to use bathroom. Light switch to bathroom was on the outside. What an insane arrangement!
Some smartass (one of the rude Germans), as he was leaving, turned off the light while I was taking a shower. I shouted "hey!" and he turned the light back on, laughing. Wonderful neighbors! Fortunately, they were checking out. Bathroom floor was awash in water, the bathmat was gone, and I had forgotten to ask about towels earlier, so I had to towel off with a dirty shirt.
Later, the proprietor would loan me a towel. Would also get into a minor political discussion with him. He was possibly 30 years old and, noting that I was from California, asked my thoughts on our "gubernator" (governor), ARNOLD (Schwarzenegger). He seemed very enthusiastic about this former Mr. Olympia, who was born in Austria. Told him I thought ARNOLD was influenced too much by his wife. Proprietor then said, “but she’s a Kennedy!” Decided I had said too much. Next time he brought up ARNOLD I said I thought he was doing a decent job considering the state’s problems. That’s all the political talking I did for rest of trip.
Didn’t do as much as I should have this day. Was too late to take the one English language tour of the altstadt. Should have substituted one in another language, since I don't really listen to the guide's comments, anyway, but I didn't. Had asked the proprietor of the guesthouse to recommend an internet center, only to find it was closed (at 10:30am on a Friday)! Asked him for others and he suggested two, neither of which he was very familiar with.
Walked into the first of his recommendations and found a small business with maybe ten computer terminals, ALL occupied by very dark skinned blacks! Proprietor and all customers were the identical skin shade of black! [Maybe they were all Nigerian bankers!] Discretion seemed the better part of valor in this case, so I beat a hasty retreat out the door, with the proprietor wishing me “guten tag” as I left. Which reminds me-- blacks are rare in Europe! The final internet center I went to was fine, but a long way from the guesthouse. It was in the modern part of the city and run by a young Indian gent.
Went to a large department store and tried to buy a simple, cheap, hard plastic cup-- none available! Tried to buy a replacement for the cell phone electrical adapter that I thought I had left back in Budapest, but only the reverse adapter was available. Found the proper battery for my camera, but it would have cost $30, which was double what I would have paid back home, so I passed. [I should have bought it anyway, because I was stuck using many, many AA alkaline batteries for the rest of the trip and they don't last long in a modern digital camera.]
Bought a replacement notepad for the one I had lost-- not really a good replacement-- but I was taking up the valuable time of a very patient salesman on a trifle. Made an expensive mistake when I bought two shirts for $30 total without thoroughly inspecting them-- they had no sleeves! I would never wear anything like that, certainly not in public. Ended up leaving them in my room with tags on (unworn) with sales slip and the note “Frei -- Guten Tag!”. Hope the cleaning lady can use them or get refund. I couldn’t-- I was to leave too early in the morning.
Ate a late lunch at a place recommended by a guidebook, the “Picasso Restaurant”. Had an inexpensive but filling bowl of tuna pasta. Later ate dinner at same place as the night before and guessed again about what I was having. This was the best restaurant meal I had the whole trip but I can’t remember what they called the dish!
Got some items at a supermarket. Had forgotten that stores often charge for bags in Europe when I got in the checkout line. After I got through the checkout, I asked the clerk for a bag. She acted quite annoyed and went to get one. I realized that I was supposed to get one while in line and put it in as part of my purchase. Someone in line actually handed the bag to the clerk and she put my stuff in it. I took it and walked away. The clerk then shouted something at me and I realized that it cost money. I paid her the .07 euro, while everybody glared at me!
Finally found the missing electrical adapter but misplaced the cell phone for a while-- I was ready to spit nails! Eventually found the phone and was able to start charging it. Went to bed!
--END 6 JULY--
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