On a Tuk Tuk
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
From Bangkok to Singapore to Melbourne
I made it to Singapore last night, and now I am waiting at the airport for my flight to Melbourne. I have made contact with Toni a couple of times so I don't think there will be any problems getting in touch with her once I touch down. I am really excited to be heading to yet another continent, and my first time in the southern hemisphere.
Just making contact, not too much time left to wait. Sorry I have been so bad about e-mailing, I have just been having a really good time, and being lazy about making time to send a couple of messages now and then. Only 35 more days left for me on the road.
Later...Just wanted to let you know that I have safely arrived in Melbourne and met up with Toni, so all is well in the travelers world.
Just making contact, not too much time left to wait. Sorry I have been so bad about e-mailing, I have just been having a really good time, and being lazy about making time to send a couple of messages now and then. Only 35 more days left for me on the road.
Later...Just wanted to let you know that I have safely arrived in Melbourne and met up with Toni, so all is well in the travelers world.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Well I had a fun first day in Siem Reap, home to one of the many wonders of the world Angkor Wat.
On Sunday I went to a Mountain about 1.5 hours outside of Phnom Penh, where there is a series of beautiful temples that overlook the flat Cambodian landscape. It was a day filled with a ton of hiking, free range monkeys, and dozens of little kids following me around with fans pushing each other out of the way trying to be the one fanning me the most. None of them wanted to sell me anything, they simply walked every where I did while holding Chinese fans, and occasionally using them to blow fresh humid air in my general direction. By the time I got back to the tuk-tuk to head home I had about 6 kids following me, two girls of which had followed me all the way from start to finish. I decided to tip the two of them 5 dollars each. By the time I got back to the hotel I was desperate for a little rest, so I found a place to get my reflexology done and enjoyed being pampered a bit.
I took the ferry yesterday from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, and have decided it is definitely the best way to get between the two cities. It took about 5 hours to speed up the Tonle Sap River, but the journey was filled with incredible sights, fun people, and you could literally sit wherever you wanted (which for most people meant on top of the ferry). The wind rushing through your hair, the scenery constantly changing, and a fun group of westerners sailing along the river made for a lot of fun. I just made the mistake of packing my sunscreen deep in my pack that was stored in the engine room so I got a bit of a sunburn. When I say a bit of a sunburn, I mean my face is on fire... hahaha. Luckily, though, my sunscreen (that I am now applying quite liberally) has aloe vera and vitamin E in it, so it relieves some of the pain as well as protecting from any further burning.
This morning I got up to start exploring the numerous temples of Angkor Wat, one of which is the location where Angelina Jolie filmed the first Tomb Raider movie, where she developed her love of Cambodian orphans. I joke that this place must be like a Costco to her where she can buy in bulk because the children will literally follow you everywhere in packs hoping you will buy something. I am sure if you made an Angelina offer they would sell you themselves as well, anything for a couple of bucks.
The temples here are incredible. Beautiful, massive, and so ornately decorated that all of the stone walls have worm hole carvings in them. I walked around a lot today, looking at the ruin, wondering what these structures would have looked like 1000 years ago. The place is filled with tourists, but it is so beautiful and so secluded that I didn't seem to mind too much. While having lunch in a little place near the first temple I stopped at, I met a group of kids from Australia and New Zealand, surprisingly all named Chris (well the three boys where, the girl was named Kirstin, but it is close to Chris). We all had a couple of beers together, shared stories, and decided to hike around a bit more together. By the end of our time there, we all agreed that we had probably taken WAY too many photos seeing as how there is no way to capture the magnificence of the place in any photos. But alas, we all have a couple of hundred photos of Angkor Wat, and we only visited a couple of the temples of the site.
Tonight we are all meeting back up to have a couple of drinks and experience the Siem Reap night life. I am going to go find a cheap place to have dinner before I have to meet back up with them. Cambodia is definitely a must see for any traveler. It is a place like nothing I have ever seen before, and due to its lack of tourism is a place most people will never see either.
On Sunday I went to a Mountain about 1.5 hours outside of Phnom Penh, where there is a series of beautiful temples that overlook the flat Cambodian landscape. It was a day filled with a ton of hiking, free range monkeys, and dozens of little kids following me around with fans pushing each other out of the way trying to be the one fanning me the most. None of them wanted to sell me anything, they simply walked every where I did while holding Chinese fans, and occasionally using them to blow fresh humid air in my general direction. By the time I got back to the tuk-tuk to head home I had about 6 kids following me, two girls of which had followed me all the way from start to finish. I decided to tip the two of them 5 dollars each. By the time I got back to the hotel I was desperate for a little rest, so I found a place to get my reflexology done and enjoyed being pampered a bit.
I took the ferry yesterday from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, and have decided it is definitely the best way to get between the two cities. It took about 5 hours to speed up the Tonle Sap River, but the journey was filled with incredible sights, fun people, and you could literally sit wherever you wanted (which for most people meant on top of the ferry). The wind rushing through your hair, the scenery constantly changing, and a fun group of westerners sailing along the river made for a lot of fun. I just made the mistake of packing my sunscreen deep in my pack that was stored in the engine room so I got a bit of a sunburn. When I say a bit of a sunburn, I mean my face is on fire... hahaha. Luckily, though, my sunscreen (that I am now applying quite liberally) has aloe vera and vitamin E in it, so it relieves some of the pain as well as protecting from any further burning.
This morning I got up to start exploring the numerous temples of Angkor Wat, one of which is the location where Angelina Jolie filmed the first Tomb Raider movie, where she developed her love of Cambodian orphans. I joke that this place must be like a Costco to her where she can buy in bulk because the children will literally follow you everywhere in packs hoping you will buy something. I am sure if you made an Angelina offer they would sell you themselves as well, anything for a couple of bucks.
The temples here are incredible. Beautiful, massive, and so ornately decorated that all of the stone walls have worm hole carvings in them. I walked around a lot today, looking at the ruin, wondering what these structures would have looked like 1000 years ago. The place is filled with tourists, but it is so beautiful and so secluded that I didn't seem to mind too much. While having lunch in a little place near the first temple I stopped at, I met a group of kids from Australia and New Zealand, surprisingly all named Chris (well the three boys where, the girl was named Kirstin, but it is close to Chris). We all had a couple of beers together, shared stories, and decided to hike around a bit more together. By the end of our time there, we all agreed that we had probably taken WAY too many photos seeing as how there is no way to capture the magnificence of the place in any photos. But alas, we all have a couple of hundred photos of Angkor Wat, and we only visited a couple of the temples of the site.
Tonight we are all meeting back up to have a couple of drinks and experience the Siem Reap night life. I am going to go find a cheap place to have dinner before I have to meet back up with them. Cambodia is definitely a must see for any traveler. It is a place like nothing I have ever seen before, and due to its lack of tourism is a place most people will never see either.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Day one in Cambodia, a day I will never forget.
After spending a little over a week in Singapore, recuperating, enjoying the simple pleasures of family life, and basking in the high style of an expat (ex-patriot), I have left the sanctuary of distant (once removed) family and headed for Cambodia. I will miss the luxurious three story house with full private bath and live in maid, but I am sure I will return with ease to my simple travelers life. And, what a way to dive back in, discovering the wonders of the impoverished scenes in Cambodia.
I awoke this morning at 4 am to head to the airport in order to catch my 6:45 am flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. I took a taxi from the Ware’s estate to the airport, but I am pretty certain that by some coincidence another person on the street had also called for a taxi and I had stolen his. Why on earth was someone else calling a taxi at 4:30 am, I will never know. After getting checked in at the airport, having a spot of breakfast, and doing my duty free perusing, I boarded the JetStar flight to Phnom Penh. Other than the 1 hour delay we had at the airport due to a malfunctioning flight computer, the flight was smooth and uneventful.
On arriving in Cambodia, I had to apply for my visa, which consisted of filling out a little bit of paperwork, paying $20 (P.S. Cambodia has its own currency, Cambodian Reil, but everyone wants you as a red devil to pay in US dollars) and waiting for them to hold your passport in the air signifying the completion of your visa. After collecting my pack and making it through customs I had to find a way to my guesthouse, Sunday Guesthouse. As soon as you walk out of the airport doors, hundreds of men with their tuk-tuks are waiting to take you to your destination. How does one describe a tuk-tuk to a Westerner? Tuk-tuks are to Cambodia, what gondolas are to Venice, the easiest and was available form of transportation. Imagine a horse drawn carriage in Central Park, shrink it in half, add a canopy, and age it about 30 years. Then, instead of being pulled around by a beautiful, sturdy horse, picture it being pulled around by an old Vespa. They can turn on a dime, max out at about 20 mph, and dominate the chaotic roads of Cambodia. Driving in Cambodia must be like an exercise in mindful meditation because unless you are paying attention to EVERYTHING going on around you, you are going to die. 'Nough said. The other means of transportation (more popular with the locals) is simply paying a guy to let you ride on the back of his scooter while you prop your feet up on jump seat pegs. Many times you will see three to four people riding this way on one scooter. Dangerous, yes, but totally riding Cambodian style. I am not sure what Cambodians would do without motor-scooters.
After checking in to my guesthouse, which costs about $12 a night for a private room with a private bath, I grabbed a tuk-tuk and arranged to hire the guy and his vehicle for the whole day. Such a request is the norm here with a negotiable fee, but for me hiring the guy for a 5 hour journey cost me $25. We ended up heading out to a small island about 20km outside of Phnom Penh called Koh Dach. Thanks to some advanced research, I knew it was a location I was dying to go to, and thanks to my drivers vast knowledge of the area was an easy trek. Not necessarily a comfortable one, seeing as how the roads in Cambodia range from bad to worse, but it was easy.
After about 45 minutes a driving, we arrived at a ferry “pier” (a steep dirt ramp leading to the river front). We drove the tuk-tuk on to the ferry and headed across for an afternoon of delight. On the ferry, I was offered to have lunch at a woman’s home, roast chicken and rice. I decided, since it was approaching lunch time, that that was a great idea. So once the boat reached shore, she hurried off to start preparing the feast. On the way to her home, we stopped at another home that offered exactly what Koh Dach is known for, wand woven silk scarfs and fabrics. As a foreigner, as soon as my presence was known on the island, I was engulfed in woman offering me their fine silk creations. At one point I think I was cornered by 6 different women and 2 little girls, each wanting me to buy a piece from them. While the items were cheap by US standards, I still didn’t have the money or the room in my pack to purchase a piece from all of them, so after purchasing one silk “table cloth/drape/throw” and two scarves from the first woman to catch me, I had to apologetically decline the other offers in front of me. After collecting my goods, I got back in the tuk-tuk to head to lunch, leaving half a dozen Cambodian women cursing my name. (I actually doubt that, because they were all extremely nice, and just wanting to seize an opportunity for a few extra bucks.) Although I was leaving half a dozen women behind, two of them jumped right on their motorbikes and followed the tuk-tuk to its next stopping point.
Finally we arrived at the petite woman’s home for lunch just as she was slaughtering the chicken I was going to eat later. She laid a mat down in a small thatched hut that sat right on the beach, hovering over the water of the Mekong River, and ushered me to sit inside while I waited for her to finish preparing lunch. About this time, the girls with the scarves had caught up to me, and joined me in the hut to continue their sales pitch. I continued my polite no’s and offered them some of the fruit that had been provided by another woman. My driver (and I am terrible for not writing his name down, but I will see him tomorrow so no worries), the two girls, a random other woman, and I sat in the thatched hut for about an hour enjoying the views and having an impromptu language lesson, both Cambodian for me and English for them.
Once the food arrived, the tuk-tuk driver and I were left in peace to enjoy the delicious feast and enjoy the picturesque scenery. He taught me how to eat the food while I relaxed enjoying his company and that of the stray dogs that appeared to share in the wealth. After finishing eating and cleaning ourselves up a bit, he led me down the river to see some local fisherman pulling in the nets filled with thousands of sardine sized little fish. Once the food had settled, and I had finished stumbling around the sandy shore, we decided to head back. When we arrived at the ferry dock to wait to cross, all the same little silk weavers showed up again, trying to hawk me their goods, but this time I think they got the picture that I was not in the market for any more fabric.
We crossed back over the river to head back into town. The drive is beautiful, filled with stilted houses, elegant and massive Chinese temples, and vans bursting at the seams with passengers. By the time we got back to the hotel, I was ready for a bit of rest, so I laid down for a bit, watched some BBC World news and contemplated what my next move would be. After a while, I headed out to do some walking and find some contact lens solution (not an easy find in an impoverished nation). The streets of Phnom Penh were filled with people enjoying a gorgeous Friday night, getting ready for a fun weekend.
I met a fun couple, Aaron and Sandy (Aaron from the UK, Sandy from Colorado; Both now working in Kuwait), and spent the evening sharing a couple of beers and travel tails. The two of them seem to share in my sense of humor so it was a nice match. The three of us ended up watching Americas Next Top Model (oh yeah, Tyra has made it to Cambodia), and wallowing in the sadness that is Tyra Banks being a US representative in Cambodia.
What a way to spend a first day in Cambodia, but I think it is hard not to have a day like that in a country where the people are exceedingly friendly and the scenery is a mix of destitute and beautiful. Truly the wonders of Cambodia.
I awoke this morning at 4 am to head to the airport in order to catch my 6:45 am flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. I took a taxi from the Ware’s estate to the airport, but I am pretty certain that by some coincidence another person on the street had also called for a taxi and I had stolen his. Why on earth was someone else calling a taxi at 4:30 am, I will never know. After getting checked in at the airport, having a spot of breakfast, and doing my duty free perusing, I boarded the JetStar flight to Phnom Penh. Other than the 1 hour delay we had at the airport due to a malfunctioning flight computer, the flight was smooth and uneventful.
On arriving in Cambodia, I had to apply for my visa, which consisted of filling out a little bit of paperwork, paying $20 (P.S. Cambodia has its own currency, Cambodian Reil, but everyone wants you as a red devil to pay in US dollars) and waiting for them to hold your passport in the air signifying the completion of your visa. After collecting my pack and making it through customs I had to find a way to my guesthouse, Sunday Guesthouse. As soon as you walk out of the airport doors, hundreds of men with their tuk-tuks are waiting to take you to your destination. How does one describe a tuk-tuk to a Westerner? Tuk-tuks are to Cambodia, what gondolas are to Venice, the easiest and was available form of transportation. Imagine a horse drawn carriage in Central Park, shrink it in half, add a canopy, and age it about 30 years. Then, instead of being pulled around by a beautiful, sturdy horse, picture it being pulled around by an old Vespa. They can turn on a dime, max out at about 20 mph, and dominate the chaotic roads of Cambodia. Driving in Cambodia must be like an exercise in mindful meditation because unless you are paying attention to EVERYTHING going on around you, you are going to die. 'Nough said. The other means of transportation (more popular with the locals) is simply paying a guy to let you ride on the back of his scooter while you prop your feet up on jump seat pegs. Many times you will see three to four people riding this way on one scooter. Dangerous, yes, but totally riding Cambodian style. I am not sure what Cambodians would do without motor-scooters.
After checking in to my guesthouse, which costs about $12 a night for a private room with a private bath, I grabbed a tuk-tuk and arranged to hire the guy and his vehicle for the whole day. Such a request is the norm here with a negotiable fee, but for me hiring the guy for a 5 hour journey cost me $25. We ended up heading out to a small island about 20km outside of Phnom Penh called Koh Dach. Thanks to some advanced research, I knew it was a location I was dying to go to, and thanks to my drivers vast knowledge of the area was an easy trek. Not necessarily a comfortable one, seeing as how the roads in Cambodia range from bad to worse, but it was easy.
After about 45 minutes a driving, we arrived at a ferry “pier” (a steep dirt ramp leading to the river front). We drove the tuk-tuk on to the ferry and headed across for an afternoon of delight. On the ferry, I was offered to have lunch at a woman’s home, roast chicken and rice. I decided, since it was approaching lunch time, that that was a great idea. So once the boat reached shore, she hurried off to start preparing the feast. On the way to her home, we stopped at another home that offered exactly what Koh Dach is known for, wand woven silk scarfs and fabrics. As a foreigner, as soon as my presence was known on the island, I was engulfed in woman offering me their fine silk creations. At one point I think I was cornered by 6 different women and 2 little girls, each wanting me to buy a piece from them. While the items were cheap by US standards, I still didn’t have the money or the room in my pack to purchase a piece from all of them, so after purchasing one silk “table cloth/drape/throw” and two scarves from the first woman to catch me, I had to apologetically decline the other offers in front of me. After collecting my goods, I got back in the tuk-tuk to head to lunch, leaving half a dozen Cambodian women cursing my name. (I actually doubt that, because they were all extremely nice, and just wanting to seize an opportunity for a few extra bucks.) Although I was leaving half a dozen women behind, two of them jumped right on their motorbikes and followed the tuk-tuk to its next stopping point.
Finally we arrived at the petite woman’s home for lunch just as she was slaughtering the chicken I was going to eat later. She laid a mat down in a small thatched hut that sat right on the beach, hovering over the water of the Mekong River, and ushered me to sit inside while I waited for her to finish preparing lunch. About this time, the girls with the scarves had caught up to me, and joined me in the hut to continue their sales pitch. I continued my polite no’s and offered them some of the fruit that had been provided by another woman. My driver (and I am terrible for not writing his name down, but I will see him tomorrow so no worries), the two girls, a random other woman, and I sat in the thatched hut for about an hour enjoying the views and having an impromptu language lesson, both Cambodian for me and English for them.
Once the food arrived, the tuk-tuk driver and I were left in peace to enjoy the delicious feast and enjoy the picturesque scenery. He taught me how to eat the food while I relaxed enjoying his company and that of the stray dogs that appeared to share in the wealth. After finishing eating and cleaning ourselves up a bit, he led me down the river to see some local fisherman pulling in the nets filled with thousands of sardine sized little fish. Once the food had settled, and I had finished stumbling around the sandy shore, we decided to head back. When we arrived at the ferry dock to wait to cross, all the same little silk weavers showed up again, trying to hawk me their goods, but this time I think they got the picture that I was not in the market for any more fabric.
We crossed back over the river to head back into town. The drive is beautiful, filled with stilted houses, elegant and massive Chinese temples, and vans bursting at the seams with passengers. By the time we got back to the hotel, I was ready for a bit of rest, so I laid down for a bit, watched some BBC World news and contemplated what my next move would be. After a while, I headed out to do some walking and find some contact lens solution (not an easy find in an impoverished nation). The streets of Phnom Penh were filled with people enjoying a gorgeous Friday night, getting ready for a fun weekend.
I met a fun couple, Aaron and Sandy (Aaron from the UK, Sandy from Colorado; Both now working in Kuwait), and spent the evening sharing a couple of beers and travel tails. The two of them seem to share in my sense of humor so it was a nice match. The three of us ended up watching Americas Next Top Model (oh yeah, Tyra has made it to Cambodia), and wallowing in the sadness that is Tyra Banks being a US representative in Cambodia.
What a way to spend a first day in Cambodia, but I think it is hard not to have a day like that in a country where the people are exceedingly friendly and the scenery is a mix of destitute and beautiful. Truly the wonders of Cambodia.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Loving Singapore
Things are going great in Singapore. Really enjoying every minute of it.
I went to the Singapore zoo today with the daughter of one of Kim's friends. Kelly, the daughter, is getting her degree in musical theatre from Lindenwood University, also in St Louis. It has been fun getting to know Kelly, she is a riot.
I feel like such an old fart here (but love it) because I am up fairly early by my standards, 8am, so I haven't really had any interest in going out late at night. When the kids head to bed, I feel like it is time for me to start heading that way too. Although, Kim and I usually have a Bailey's Irish Coffee and a long talk while we are closing up shop for the night.
After Kelly and I went to the zoo, we headed over to Chinatown and did a little bit of souvenir shopping for me and cloths shopping for her. After walking around the amazing market for a little while and gawking over the incredible swarm of old Asian guys playing chinese checkers in the courtyard, we had lunch at one of the local hawker stands. Hawker stands are a really big thing in Singapore, and I guess throughout Southeast Asia. It is a place lined with different kinds of little food stands so you can get a little bit of everything (including chicken feet) and eat it all for really cheap. Luckily for us, a young girl from Holland pointed us in the direction of one stand that apparently had the best chicken and rice in all of Singapore. It was so well known that Anthony Bourdain had formerly eaten there on his food network show. It was delicious. A perfect lunch, and only 3 sing dollars.
I spent a bit of the evening learning how to play "PURE," a ATV racing game for the X-Box. Carter was quite the instructor, showing me all the different techniques for doing tricks and getting bigger air. I ended up being pretty good and the two of us where able to beat a few of the levels (after about two dozen miserable and hilarious attempts).
Have a few things on the roster for tomorrow, so I will have another fun filled day in Singapore. I really am enjoying getting to know the city.
I went to the Singapore zoo today with the daughter of one of Kim's friends. Kelly, the daughter, is getting her degree in musical theatre from Lindenwood University, also in St Louis. It has been fun getting to know Kelly, she is a riot.
I feel like such an old fart here (but love it) because I am up fairly early by my standards, 8am, so I haven't really had any interest in going out late at night. When the kids head to bed, I feel like it is time for me to start heading that way too. Although, Kim and I usually have a Bailey's Irish Coffee and a long talk while we are closing up shop for the night.
After Kelly and I went to the zoo, we headed over to Chinatown and did a little bit of souvenir shopping for me and cloths shopping for her. After walking around the amazing market for a little while and gawking over the incredible swarm of old Asian guys playing chinese checkers in the courtyard, we had lunch at one of the local hawker stands. Hawker stands are a really big thing in Singapore, and I guess throughout Southeast Asia. It is a place lined with different kinds of little food stands so you can get a little bit of everything (including chicken feet) and eat it all for really cheap. Luckily for us, a young girl from Holland pointed us in the direction of one stand that apparently had the best chicken and rice in all of Singapore. It was so well known that Anthony Bourdain had formerly eaten there on his food network show. It was delicious. A perfect lunch, and only 3 sing dollars.
I spent a bit of the evening learning how to play "PURE," a ATV racing game for the X-Box. Carter was quite the instructor, showing me all the different techniques for doing tricks and getting bigger air. I ended up being pretty good and the two of us where able to beat a few of the levels (after about two dozen miserable and hilarious attempts).
Have a few things on the roster for tomorrow, so I will have another fun filled day in Singapore. I really am enjoying getting to know the city.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Singapore
Singapore is great. The weather is beautiful, and I have been having a fun time being shown around by Kim, and hanging with the family. Yesterday we had to go pick up a sculpture that her daughter, Jackie, had done. It was in a little industrial area of Singapore, and I got to see these incredible artists work on incredible traditional Sing artifacts and status. It was so much fun. My mouth was in a constant "WOW" shape. I was lucky enough to get a piece of the special wood clay that the guys used to take home.
Last night I went with Kim, her husband Robert, son Carter, and daughter Jackie to a neighborhood get-together. I met a lot of their neighbors and school friends and got to tell a few stories of my travels. Plus I received tons of tips on places to go and things to see while I am in Southeast Asia.
Today the family and I went to watch Jackie play a softball game, and Carter play a basketball game. A good time was had by all, and Carter's basketball team won, while Jackie's team nearly pulled back a win in the last inning but unfortunately fell a little short.
The food here is great, I am super relaxed, and excited by everything I see. This place is definitely exactly what I needed at this point in my travels, a little feeling of home.
Last night I went with Kim, her husband Robert, son Carter, and daughter Jackie to a neighborhood get-together. I met a lot of their neighbors and school friends and got to tell a few stories of my travels. Plus I received tons of tips on places to go and things to see while I am in Southeast Asia.
Today the family and I went to watch Jackie play a softball game, and Carter play a basketball game. A good time was had by all, and Carter's basketball team won, while Jackie's team nearly pulled back a win in the last inning but unfortunately fell a little short.
The food here is great, I am super relaxed, and excited by everything I see. This place is definitely exactly what I needed at this point in my travels, a little feeling of home.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Made it to Singapore
I have successfully made it to Singapore.
Wow, this place is really incredible. Plus the hospitality I have been show by Aunt Traci and Uncle Chuck's cousin Kim is awe-inspiring. Way better than the digs I have had on the rest of this trip. Their home is beautiful, they have me in their private guest room with a private ensuite bath, oh, and did I mention there is a maid. This is way out of my normal travel dwelling, but will definitely be fun to do for a few days.
Kim is great, telling me all the things I should see and places to travel to. I am beyond impressed at her experience traveling around Southeast Asia, and can't help but laugh every time this down home Texas woman says something like, "Oh, you would just love Laos. You should really go." Wow, she has been to a place most people can't even find on a map.
Super tired, with an 11 hour flight and a 7 hour time change, so I will have to write more later, but I am safe and beyond comfortable.
Wow, this place is really incredible. Plus the hospitality I have been show by Aunt Traci and Uncle Chuck's cousin Kim is awe-inspiring. Way better than the digs I have had on the rest of this trip. Their home is beautiful, they have me in their private guest room with a private ensuite bath, oh, and did I mention there is a maid. This is way out of my normal travel dwelling, but will definitely be fun to do for a few days.
Kim is great, telling me all the things I should see and places to travel to. I am beyond impressed at her experience traveling around Southeast Asia, and can't help but laugh every time this down home Texas woman says something like, "Oh, you would just love Laos. You should really go." Wow, she has been to a place most people can't even find on a map.
Super tired, with an 11 hour flight and a 7 hour time change, so I will have to write more later, but I am safe and beyond comfortable.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Fond Farewell to Europe and On the Road to Singapore
Well I have a couple of hours to kill before I even need to leave for the airport here in Frankfurt. Hopefully, though, I will be able to sleep on the over night flight. That would be awesome.
I have been having a great time in Frankfurt. I was fortunate enough to meet an awesome local guy, Joe, who has been showing me around the city giving me a bit of history along the way. We went to a big famous indoor market. He took me shoe shopping so he could get a new pair of black dress shoes and I did what I do best, personal shopper. We went to the Stadel Museum, a big art museum in Frankfurt. And finally he took me to a traditional German restaurant, where I ate the Tuesday special (Bratwurst, fried potatoes, and brussel sprouts). We enjoyed apple wine, and finished our meal with two apple desserts. It was amazing. Plus I got to go to one more Christmas Market here in Germany, because one can never see too many Christmas Markets.
It is a strange feeling to have my time in Europe coming to an end. It is a little ridiculous how fast it has gone by, and yet it all seems like it just happened yesterday. Leaving Dallas and flying to Madrid. Laying on the rocky beaches of the Cote d'Azur. Hiking through the hills of Cinque Terra. Sleeping on the street in Zagreb. Roasting in the Bathes of Budapest. The seven hour walking tour in Vienna. Missing a train to Prague and ending up in Poland. Being kicked out of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Getting stuck on a random train platform in the middle of Italy. Enjoying a show in Bern that I didn't understand at all. The train strike in Lyon. Seeing Billy Elliot the night I got into London while my pack waited for me in the theatre coat check. Having Brazilian food in Brussels with Tarcisio. Seeing Zwarte Piet (Santa's slave, always done by a guy in black face) in a bar in Holland. Sitting in a bucket seat on the EuroStar to London afterforking over a fortune and promising them my first born child. Getting lost at a Christmas Market in Berlin. And preparing for the next leg of my journey while enjoying apple wine in Frankfurt. One can do a lot when on the road for three months.
Wow, and I have two more months left. Reading "Eat, Pray, Love" has been fun the past couple of days, comparing my journeys with Elizabeth Gilbert's. Plus it is educating me on whether I want to spend 10 days in a monastery in Malaysia. I don't know what I would call the first part of my trip if I were to write a similar book. WALK, maybe? SEE, possibly? I really haven't "eaten" my way across Europe. Although I enjoy food, I am not much of a lover or connoisseur of food. Unless I was to do a trip about eating my weight in oatmeal raisin cookies as I traversed the world, but I don't think that would be very smart or possible. I don't think the experience Gilbert had in Italy is any thing like what I have gone through the past three months. She seemed to clam down a bit more than I have. I am different now than I was when I started, but I haven't honestly enjoyed every minute of this trip so far. There have definitely been times when I wanted to turn around and go right home, but I have decided to fight on, trying to enjoy the experience in front of me. Gilbert loves food, so what she did in Italy was perfect for her. I think maybe if I was to do a journey like hers, I would have to watch theatre everyday for four months straight. I have come to realize on this trip how much I love what I do and how much I miss it. Being in London, watching shows every night, and having people to discuss it with was just an absolute joy for me. I felt at home again. I felt in my comfort zone.
The next two months will more than likely fly by. Not as much time, but just as many things to see, it will definitely go by in the blink of an eye. I am nothing but excited and feeling a bit adventurous.
I have been having a great time in Frankfurt. I was fortunate enough to meet an awesome local guy, Joe, who has been showing me around the city giving me a bit of history along the way. We went to a big famous indoor market. He took me shoe shopping so he could get a new pair of black dress shoes and I did what I do best, personal shopper. We went to the Stadel Museum, a big art museum in Frankfurt. And finally he took me to a traditional German restaurant, where I ate the Tuesday special (Bratwurst, fried potatoes, and brussel sprouts). We enjoyed apple wine, and finished our meal with two apple desserts. It was amazing. Plus I got to go to one more Christmas Market here in Germany, because one can never see too many Christmas Markets.
It is a strange feeling to have my time in Europe coming to an end. It is a little ridiculous how fast it has gone by, and yet it all seems like it just happened yesterday. Leaving Dallas and flying to Madrid. Laying on the rocky beaches of the Cote d'Azur. Hiking through the hills of Cinque Terra. Sleeping on the street in Zagreb. Roasting in the Bathes of Budapest. The seven hour walking tour in Vienna. Missing a train to Prague and ending up in Poland. Being kicked out of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Getting stuck on a random train platform in the middle of Italy. Enjoying a show in Bern that I didn't understand at all. The train strike in Lyon. Seeing Billy Elliot the night I got into London while my pack waited for me in the theatre coat check. Having Brazilian food in Brussels with Tarcisio. Seeing Zwarte Piet (Santa's slave, always done by a guy in black face) in a bar in Holland. Sitting in a bucket seat on the EuroStar to London afterforking over a fortune and promising them my first born child. Getting lost at a Christmas Market in Berlin. And preparing for the next leg of my journey while enjoying apple wine in Frankfurt. One can do a lot when on the road for three months.
Wow, and I have two more months left. Reading "Eat, Pray, Love" has been fun the past couple of days, comparing my journeys with Elizabeth Gilbert's. Plus it is educating me on whether I want to spend 10 days in a monastery in Malaysia. I don't know what I would call the first part of my trip if I were to write a similar book. WALK, maybe? SEE, possibly? I really haven't "eaten" my way across Europe. Although I enjoy food, I am not much of a lover or connoisseur of food. Unless I was to do a trip about eating my weight in oatmeal raisin cookies as I traversed the world, but I don't think that would be very smart or possible. I don't think the experience Gilbert had in Italy is any thing like what I have gone through the past three months. She seemed to clam down a bit more than I have. I am different now than I was when I started, but I haven't honestly enjoyed every minute of this trip so far. There have definitely been times when I wanted to turn around and go right home, but I have decided to fight on, trying to enjoy the experience in front of me. Gilbert loves food, so what she did in Italy was perfect for her. I think maybe if I was to do a journey like hers, I would have to watch theatre everyday for four months straight. I have come to realize on this trip how much I love what I do and how much I miss it. Being in London, watching shows every night, and having people to discuss it with was just an absolute joy for me. I felt at home again. I felt in my comfort zone.
The next two months will more than likely fly by. Not as much time, but just as many things to see, it will definitely go by in the blink of an eye. I am nothing but excited and feeling a bit adventurous.
Me with Sophie and Andrew (the kids I met in Vienna and ran into again on the streets of Prague) having a pint at a traditional Czech restaurant.
Nick and me in Regents Park in London. Note the cool eyeware.
Shelly, Lauren, and me at Covent Garden in London.
Me on the walking tour in Berlin. Try and find me.Saturday, December 6, 2008
Berlin to Frankfurt
I have spent the past couple of days in Berlin just relaxing and enjoying my time. I think a lot of the stress of travel finally just caught up to me the past week or so, and I needed to take a little break from sightseeing and aimlessly walking around a city for hours on end. Berlin might not have been the best place to do that, seeing as how it is such a lively and exciting place, but I decided to give into my exhaustion and simply take it easy.
Don't think I didn't see my fair share of sights, I did two walking tours, a bit of aimless walking, and went to a couple of Christmas markets, but I just didn't spend my entire day walking around. I also didn't go to any of the infamous techno or fetish clubs Berlin is so well known for, but maybe the next time I'll go.
I am slowly realizing that I am turning into a "granola lesbian," seeing as how a fun night in for me consists of cuddling up with a good book instead of going out to the biggest, loudest club. Does that mean I am getting old?
I have made it to Frankfurt today, and checked into a lovely hostel with good wifi. Calling American Airlines on Skype from the last place made me realize how terrible their wifi was, seeing as how the customer service people on the other end of the line could catch about 3 out of every five syllables I said. It didn't make for a lot of fun.
I am really looking forward to my time in Southeast Asia, not just because it is going to be warm, but I think it will be a good change of pace for me. Not as many "historic sights" to see. I did some research on activities and places to go while I was relaxing in Berlin, so I have a good idea of some of the things and places I wanted to go, plus a much better understanding of the geography. I didn't realize how close I would be to Borneo, in fact, until I saw Borneo on the map yesterday, I really just thought it was some made up fairy tale land that a person got to by flying to the second star to the right, changing planes, and going straight on 'til dawn. And Borneo has Orangutans, so I am totally going to see some awesome primates in their natural habitat. Definitely a reason to get out of bed early, sweet!
I remember Amelie's experience of putting up Christmas decorations in shorts and a t-shirt but now I see first hand why that was so incredible to her. I have definitely run across some really amazing Christmas Lights here in Germany, one that included an interesting (possibly the only good) use of rope light.
I am going to go find some dinner. I have started reading "Eat, Pray, Love" again. So it is inspiring me to eat some really delicious food.
Don't think I didn't see my fair share of sights, I did two walking tours, a bit of aimless walking, and went to a couple of Christmas markets, but I just didn't spend my entire day walking around. I also didn't go to any of the infamous techno or fetish clubs Berlin is so well known for, but maybe the next time I'll go.
I am slowly realizing that I am turning into a "granola lesbian," seeing as how a fun night in for me consists of cuddling up with a good book instead of going out to the biggest, loudest club. Does that mean I am getting old?
I have made it to Frankfurt today, and checked into a lovely hostel with good wifi. Calling American Airlines on Skype from the last place made me realize how terrible their wifi was, seeing as how the customer service people on the other end of the line could catch about 3 out of every five syllables I said. It didn't make for a lot of fun.
I am really looking forward to my time in Southeast Asia, not just because it is going to be warm, but I think it will be a good change of pace for me. Not as many "historic sights" to see. I did some research on activities and places to go while I was relaxing in Berlin, so I have a good idea of some of the things and places I wanted to go, plus a much better understanding of the geography. I didn't realize how close I would be to Borneo, in fact, until I saw Borneo on the map yesterday, I really just thought it was some made up fairy tale land that a person got to by flying to the second star to the right, changing planes, and going straight on 'til dawn. And Borneo has Orangutans, so I am totally going to see some awesome primates in their natural habitat. Definitely a reason to get out of bed early, sweet!
I remember Amelie's experience of putting up Christmas decorations in shorts and a t-shirt but now I see first hand why that was so incredible to her. I have definitely run across some really amazing Christmas Lights here in Germany, one that included an interesting (possibly the only good) use of rope light.
I am going to go find some dinner. I have started reading "Eat, Pray, Love" again. So it is inspiring me to eat some really delicious food.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Snowy Berlin
I just got off the phone with the people at American Airlines RTW, and I am booked on a flight on December the 9th from Frankfurt to Singapore. That way I can get to Southeast Asia but only go to places not in political unrest. Plus it is a non-stop flight, so I don't have to go back to London for any reason.
I am enjoying Berlin. I just think I will come back again in the summer. While the Christmas markets are beautiful and lovely, it just stinks that it is so miserably cold and snowy. I went of a tour of "Alternative Berlin" today, seeing all of the squatter buildings, underground art, and street art. It was a lot of fun but the 3 hours outside walking in the bitter cold were a challenge. It does make one's nice warm hostel that much more inviting. I just think I would have a lot more fun here if I was able to do it in weather that wasn't forcing me back indoors all the time. Even rain is better than biting snow. This has taught me that I should probably only move to a new city during warmer months when I am able to get out and enjoy what I discover, instead of staying indoors waiting it out.
Things are good though, feeling better, just going a little slower the past couple of days, which is fine. Today was definitely a day to sit inside, enjoy a good book while drinking hot cocoa, so I guess it is a good sign that I braved the cold to get out and discover a bit.
Later,
Due to the extra day that I will get in Europe I have extended my stay in Berlin for an extra day, so I will get a total of five nights in the city.
The snow is not sticking to the ground but cold is cold to me at this point. With Southeast Asia just a week away, I am getting antsy to get some warmer weather. I think this is just God's way of making sure that the warmer weather is extra special once I do get there. I was able, though, to brave the weather this evening and spend a couple of hours wandering around one of the HUGE Christmas markets in Berlin. Apparently Berliners are really big Christmas people, so there are about 15 Christmas markets around the city, each featuring a mixture of local food, crafts, and carnival rides. The markets aren't difficult to find seeing as how most of them are highlighted by huge ferris wheels, and I mean huge. The one at the market I went to tonight must have been 20 stories tall. Not small when you consider that it is a temporary structure only erected for the market.
The evening was filled with American Christmas Carols, flashing lights, and the smells of 1/2 meter long bratwurst cooking on the grill. I don't think you can be anything but happy when you walk around a place like that. Plus, I don't think most of the "fun houses" are Christmas theme, so the carnies simply wrapped many of the figures in Santa Claus coats to give it that Christmas charm.
Berlin is lovely, "poor but sexy" as the mayor put it so eloquently.
I am enjoying Berlin. I just think I will come back again in the summer. While the Christmas markets are beautiful and lovely, it just stinks that it is so miserably cold and snowy. I went of a tour of "Alternative Berlin" today, seeing all of the squatter buildings, underground art, and street art. It was a lot of fun but the 3 hours outside walking in the bitter cold were a challenge. It does make one's nice warm hostel that much more inviting. I just think I would have a lot more fun here if I was able to do it in weather that wasn't forcing me back indoors all the time. Even rain is better than biting snow. This has taught me that I should probably only move to a new city during warmer months when I am able to get out and enjoy what I discover, instead of staying indoors waiting it out.
Things are good though, feeling better, just going a little slower the past couple of days, which is fine. Today was definitely a day to sit inside, enjoy a good book while drinking hot cocoa, so I guess it is a good sign that I braved the cold to get out and discover a bit.
Later,
Due to the extra day that I will get in Europe I have extended my stay in Berlin for an extra day, so I will get a total of five nights in the city.
The snow is not sticking to the ground but cold is cold to me at this point. With Southeast Asia just a week away, I am getting antsy to get some warmer weather. I think this is just God's way of making sure that the warmer weather is extra special once I do get there. I was able, though, to brave the weather this evening and spend a couple of hours wandering around one of the HUGE Christmas markets in Berlin. Apparently Berliners are really big Christmas people, so there are about 15 Christmas markets around the city, each featuring a mixture of local food, crafts, and carnival rides. The markets aren't difficult to find seeing as how most of them are highlighted by huge ferris wheels, and I mean huge. The one at the market I went to tonight must have been 20 stories tall. Not small when you consider that it is a temporary structure only erected for the market.
The evening was filled with American Christmas Carols, flashing lights, and the smells of 1/2 meter long bratwurst cooking on the grill. I don't think you can be anything but happy when you walk around a place like that. Plus, I don't think most of the "fun houses" are Christmas theme, so the carnies simply wrapped many of the figures in Santa Claus coats to give it that Christmas charm.
Berlin is lovely, "poor but sexy" as the mayor put it so eloquently.
Monday, December 1, 2008
London on to Berlin
Friday, 11/28/08
Shelley received the package with my new debit card. It had apparently been missfiled at Regents.
I made it to London but every single one of the 6 trains I took today were late, thanks to accidents and train malfunction. I ended up being forced to take the EuroStar again. This time it was 230 euros for a bucket seat. Most of the ride I had to stand. Oh, and it was delayed 90 minutes thanks to a train breaking down inside the Chunnel. What a day!
Monday, 12/01/08
Today I'm flying to Berlin. Will post more from there.
Shelley received the package with my new debit card. It had apparently been missfiled at Regents.
I made it to London but every single one of the 6 trains I took today were late, thanks to accidents and train malfunction. I ended up being forced to take the EuroStar again. This time it was 230 euros for a bucket seat. Most of the ride I had to stand. Oh, and it was delayed 90 minutes thanks to a train breaking down inside the Chunnel. What a day!
Monday, 12/01/08
Today I'm flying to Berlin. Will post more from there.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Cologne, Germany
I had a fun night last night with a couple of Kiwi girls from my hostel last night. As soon as I was finished writing my last e-mail, they invited me up to their room for a calm night in. I hope you have seen the cell phone commercial where the guy is sitting in a hostel in Europe while his inner monologue describes his devastation over not having cell service and being stranded with the "techno twins." Last night the four of us, including several other guys staying in their room, were definitely reenacting that commercial. It wasn't techno music but there was a bit of Queen involved while we all danced around serenading each other with "bohemian rhapsody." It was a lot of fun.
Today was a normal, stressful and unpredictable day of travel. The train that I wanted to take from Amsterdam to Cologne was supposed to leave from the central Amsterdam train station but had been switched to another smaller station for some reason. Because of that, I didn't get on the train that I wanted to get on but was informed that another train left two hours later. So I hoped on the metro to the other station to wait for the 2:41 train. Unfortunately, though, as the time drew closer and no notice of that train was posted, I asked the information kiosk about it. I was told there that there was in fact not a 2:41 train. The next one left at 4:41. So I sat around for another 2 hours waiting. But, I was able to finish another book while I waited, which was fun.
I have made it to Cologne and found a place to stay for two nights. I am going to check tomorrow on buses and the option of a train back to London. There seems to be a fun way to get back to London via train and ferry. I am going to check into how much that will cost me. So far I am very impressed with Cologne. There is a big dome here that looks like a sports arena dedicated to professional musical theatre. It is really an impressive building, I was just turned off when I realized it was now the home to "We Will Rock You." I think that show will follow me to the grave. Happy Thanksgiving Eve.
Today was a normal, stressful and unpredictable day of travel. The train that I wanted to take from Amsterdam to Cologne was supposed to leave from the central Amsterdam train station but had been switched to another smaller station for some reason. Because of that, I didn't get on the train that I wanted to get on but was informed that another train left two hours later. So I hoped on the metro to the other station to wait for the 2:41 train. Unfortunately, though, as the time drew closer and no notice of that train was posted, I asked the information kiosk about it. I was told there that there was in fact not a 2:41 train. The next one left at 4:41. So I sat around for another 2 hours waiting. But, I was able to finish another book while I waited, which was fun.
I have made it to Cologne and found a place to stay for two nights. I am going to check tomorrow on buses and the option of a train back to London. There seems to be a fun way to get back to London via train and ferry. I am going to check into how much that will cost me. So far I am very impressed with Cologne. There is a big dome here that looks like a sports arena dedicated to professional musical theatre. It is really an impressive building, I was just turned off when I realized it was now the home to "We Will Rock You." I think that show will follow me to the grave. Happy Thanksgiving Eve.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Amsterdam
I left Leiden on Sunday and headed to Amsterdam. My time with Meike was great and relaxing. It was so much fun to see her again and see how well she is doing in Holland. Plus I had a private room, so it was nice to have a quiet place to sleep.
Amsterdam is definitely an interesting place. My hostel, like most of the others I have seen, is in the heart of the Red Light district which makes it a very central and interesting place to stay. The Dutch really are ok with almost anything. Even as I was first walking to my hostel in the bitter snow with my full pack, women in their clear glass windows stood trying to get me to take a second look.
The first day I was in Amsterdam it was snowing uncontrollably. So by the time I had finished my day of walking around, I was soaked to the bone. Definitely the first big snow I have seen on this trip.
I really am not a fan of drugs. The thought of putting some strange substance into my body hoping it will relax me or do something else to me doesn't sound like much fun. I would rather just have a coffee in a coffee shop, but in Amsterdam you can have whatever intoxicating substance you want at a coffee shop. Ecstasy, thousands of kinds of marijuana, whatever you can think of (except for the top killers like heroine and meth). It makes me wonder what all of these people are trying to get away from, what it is in their lives they need to dilute with drugs. You don't start taking things like this because you are totally pleased with the way your life is. You are trying to numb something in your mind and it makes me feel a little weird to be surrounded by it so much.
I am definitely picking up on the foreign energy that is Amsterdam (well, at least the Red Light district). I have, however, found other things to do while I am here. So far I have been to the Anne Frank house, and seen the annex where she, her family, and four other Jews hid from the Nazis. You also get to see the original diary of Anne Frank. It is quite a powerful place. I also went to the Van Gogh museum and saw the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings and sketches in the world. Awe inspiring!
Amsterdam has been fun, and would probably been a lot more fun had I been willing to partake in some of its more elicit activities, but that is the choice I have made. I definitely won't be sad to leave, unlike some of the other places I have been.
Monday
Things are going well here. Tried to go on the free Amsterdam walking tour today, but I don't think it actually happened because I met several people trying to do the same tour without any success. I met a guy named Rob from NYC and we ended up walking around a bit before heading to the "Torture Museum" (envision a glorified Torture Museum at Medieval times). At the museum, Rob and I met a girl from Chicago, Emily. The three of us ended up exploring the museum together and poking fun at the elaborate torture contraptions. At the museum I discovered that Emily was a Production Manager/lighting designer for a dance company that was touring in Holland so it was fun to "talk work" a bit with a fellow lighting designer.
After the museum, we all walked around a little bit seeing the national opera house and a small market. There were actually some really fun things on sale at the market like a crying teddy bear that played the drum. It was so sad, yet so cute. I had been expecting lots of "smoking" paraphernalia but was surprised by its lack at the market.
I think I am heading to Cologne tomorrow on the recommendation of some girls I met earlier today. It is really close to Dusseldorf and apparently a little more metropolitan, so easier to get back to London from.
Amsterdam is definitely an interesting place. My hostel, like most of the others I have seen, is in the heart of the Red Light district which makes it a very central and interesting place to stay. The Dutch really are ok with almost anything. Even as I was first walking to my hostel in the bitter snow with my full pack, women in their clear glass windows stood trying to get me to take a second look.
The first day I was in Amsterdam it was snowing uncontrollably. So by the time I had finished my day of walking around, I was soaked to the bone. Definitely the first big snow I have seen on this trip.
I really am not a fan of drugs. The thought of putting some strange substance into my body hoping it will relax me or do something else to me doesn't sound like much fun. I would rather just have a coffee in a coffee shop, but in Amsterdam you can have whatever intoxicating substance you want at a coffee shop. Ecstasy, thousands of kinds of marijuana, whatever you can think of (except for the top killers like heroine and meth). It makes me wonder what all of these people are trying to get away from, what it is in their lives they need to dilute with drugs. You don't start taking things like this because you are totally pleased with the way your life is. You are trying to numb something in your mind and it makes me feel a little weird to be surrounded by it so much.
I am definitely picking up on the foreign energy that is Amsterdam (well, at least the Red Light district). I have, however, found other things to do while I am here. So far I have been to the Anne Frank house, and seen the annex where she, her family, and four other Jews hid from the Nazis. You also get to see the original diary of Anne Frank. It is quite a powerful place. I also went to the Van Gogh museum and saw the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings and sketches in the world. Awe inspiring!
Amsterdam has been fun, and would probably been a lot more fun had I been willing to partake in some of its more elicit activities, but that is the choice I have made. I definitely won't be sad to leave, unlike some of the other places I have been.
Monday
Things are going well here. Tried to go on the free Amsterdam walking tour today, but I don't think it actually happened because I met several people trying to do the same tour without any success. I met a guy named Rob from NYC and we ended up walking around a bit before heading to the "Torture Museum" (envision a glorified Torture Museum at Medieval times). At the museum, Rob and I met a girl from Chicago, Emily. The three of us ended up exploring the museum together and poking fun at the elaborate torture contraptions. At the museum I discovered that Emily was a Production Manager/lighting designer for a dance company that was touring in Holland so it was fun to "talk work" a bit with a fellow lighting designer.
After the museum, we all walked around a little bit seeing the national opera house and a small market. There were actually some really fun things on sale at the market like a crying teddy bear that played the drum. It was so sad, yet so cute. I had been expecting lots of "smoking" paraphernalia but was surprised by its lack at the market.
I think I am heading to Cologne tomorrow on the recommendation of some girls I met earlier today. It is really close to Dusseldorf and apparently a little more metropolitan, so easier to get back to London from.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Leiden, Holland
I have arrived in Leiden and met up with my friend, Meike. She lives about 20 minutes outside of Leiden but is lending me her smaller bike for the two days I am here so I can get around easily. Hopefully I won't suffer some crazy accident with a motorist. Although, I have been informed that a new law as been passed in Holland making any car accident with a bike automatically the motorist's fault. That means, if I do get hit, the person that hit me has to pay for all of my medical expenses. Awesome!
Meike and her fiance, Stephen, are putting me up on a spare bed in their guest room (aka their laundry room) but it is perfect for me. Exactly what I needed. I have gotten to the point where I am a bit uncomfortable with anything too nice. I don't want to make anything dirty with my vagabond self.
I know that Thanksgiving is coming up. I actually got a little worried that I might have accidentally missed it yesterday but was relieved to find out it is next week, exclaiming, "Thank God!!! If I didn't call my mother on one of the biggest American holidays, I might as well get a ticket on the first flight home, because there is no way I can make up for that one."
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Brussels, Belgium
I have been having a great time in Brussels and have made arrangements to meet up with my friend Meike in Leiden tomorrow so I will be able to get to see her. It will be a blast catching up with her since I haven't seen her in over a year.
Brussels is beautiful and a lot smaller than I thought. So many people have told me that Brussels is a bore, but I really haven't seen the boring side of the city. I guess it is because I met these two really fun Brazilian guys my first night in the city. They have both been living here for quite some time, Claudio 20 years and Tarcisio for 10 years. Claudio is a contemporary dance choreographer with his own dance company in Brussels and Tarcisio is an architect/retail manager. The two of them have helped show me around Brussels when they aren't working, and treated me to some traditional Brazilian food the other night. It wasn't a bunch of guys walking around with kebabs of meat either. They told me that was more of a Southern Brazilian tradition.
I got to see the famous statue Manneken-Pis, the statue of the little boy peeing. Seeing famous pieces of art for the first time is always such a weird experience because I walked around for hours trying to find the statue of the little boy only to realize that I had passed it several times. The statue itself is about the size of a cabbage-patch doll and situated in a small street corner fountain. I had been looking for it in main plazas, but was sadly mistaken.
I have really had a great time in Brussels, I guess it all depends on who you meet.
Brussels is beautiful and a lot smaller than I thought. So many people have told me that Brussels is a bore, but I really haven't seen the boring side of the city. I guess it is because I met these two really fun Brazilian guys my first night in the city. They have both been living here for quite some time, Claudio 20 years and Tarcisio for 10 years. Claudio is a contemporary dance choreographer with his own dance company in Brussels and Tarcisio is an architect/retail manager. The two of them have helped show me around Brussels when they aren't working, and treated me to some traditional Brazilian food the other night. It wasn't a bunch of guys walking around with kebabs of meat either. They told me that was more of a Southern Brazilian tradition.
I got to see the famous statue Manneken-Pis, the statue of the little boy peeing. Seeing famous pieces of art for the first time is always such a weird experience because I walked around for hours trying to find the statue of the little boy only to realize that I had passed it several times. The statue itself is about the size of a cabbage-patch doll and situated in a small street corner fountain. I had been looking for it in main plazas, but was sadly mistaken.
I have really had a great time in Brussels, I guess it all depends on who you meet.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Belgium
Belgium is lovely. I am really enjoying it here. Haven't had a single snooty Belgian experience yet. I was warned by many people about the snooty Belgians.
I am in contact with my friend in Leiden, and we are still working out the details, but I should be able to get to Leiden this weekend and see Skkinterclas (Santa) and some really racist black face (Santa's main elf, or slave, is black and they always have a lot of white Dutch dressed in black face as him.)
I am in contact with my friend in Leiden, and we are still working out the details, but I should be able to get to Leiden this weekend and see Skkinterclas (Santa) and some really racist black face (Santa's main elf, or slave, is black and they always have a lot of white Dutch dressed in black face as him.)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Bruges, Belgium
After leaving London this past Sunday, I took the EuroStar to Brussels. I would like to recommend to anyone traveling in and out of London to consider using means other than the EuroStar. If I had been more careful I would have taken a bus, because, while the EuroStar is fast, the bus is a lot cheaper. A LOT CHEAPER. Heck it would have been cheaper to fly, and possibly just as convenient. Since you are taking the Chunnel, a perfect location for a terrorist to do a lot of terrible damage, there is a lot of security to go through when riding the EuroStar as opposed to any other train one might take. Plus there is greater attention paid to passport control. You actually have to queue into a line, which was the first time I had seen that in quite some time. I understand that this is far more efficient than parking the train for a half hour in the middle of the English Channel while passport officials make their way through the train, but I am simply pointing this out to fellow travelers who might not be aware of how the EuroStar works. It would be terrible to pay for such an expensive ticket and miss your train because you thought you could just show up 5 minutes before the train left, like any other European rail line.
I decided, while in London, not to stay in Brussels due to the fact that I could not find reservation in a hostel online. So instead, I spent two nights in Bruges, Belgium. It is a really wonderful place, that I think would be marvelous a bit closer to Christmas. Not to say that it wasn’t fantastic while I was there, but from what I could see, the Christmas festivities were going to be really nice. Bruges is a small coastal port, filled with winding cobble stone streets, placid canals, and shops of every kind. I especially recommend one of many Chocolatiers. Belgians are known for their chocolate and beer, so why not indulge yourself a bit while you are there.
I spent most of yesterday, simply walking around, getting lost, and enjoying the sights and sounds of Bruges. Workers were setting up a Christmas Carnival in the middle of the town square, women were shopping in some of the high quality clothing stores along the tight streets, and tourists hunted for their favorite place to get “the best chocolate” in Bruges. It was wonderful. Very few tourists, even fewer cars, and just a calm relaxed atmosphere.
I loved the fact that most of the restaurants in town had large fires crackling inside, perfectly visible to passers by looking for a warm, comfortable place to rest for the evening while enjoying a fine meal and even better beer. It was just lovely.
Today I checked out of Bruges, a little tired from a night spent trying not to listen to the six Spanish boys I was sharing a room with trading off snoring responsibilities. I realized quickly, that they always snored in pairs, so when one would turn over and quiet down, another would pick up right where he left off. It went on for hours, but you learn ways to tune it out, I just wasn’t doing very well at it last night.
I am sitting on the train to Brussels now, trying to decide if I will stop and stay in Brussels, or if I while continue on to Amsterdam. I am leaning more towards staying, but I am not sure for how long. I would like to stay close to London, so that when I need to head back next week , I will be near enough not to have to work too hard to make the journey back. I guess I will just have to play the next two weeks by ear. What a drastic change from everything else I have been doing on this trip so far… LOL.
I hope all is well back in the states. Only twenty more days until I head to Asia.
P.S. I decided to stay in Brussels
I decided, while in London, not to stay in Brussels due to the fact that I could not find reservation in a hostel online. So instead, I spent two nights in Bruges, Belgium. It is a really wonderful place, that I think would be marvelous a bit closer to Christmas. Not to say that it wasn’t fantastic while I was there, but from what I could see, the Christmas festivities were going to be really nice. Bruges is a small coastal port, filled with winding cobble stone streets, placid canals, and shops of every kind. I especially recommend one of many Chocolatiers. Belgians are known for their chocolate and beer, so why not indulge yourself a bit while you are there.
I spent most of yesterday, simply walking around, getting lost, and enjoying the sights and sounds of Bruges. Workers were setting up a Christmas Carnival in the middle of the town square, women were shopping in some of the high quality clothing stores along the tight streets, and tourists hunted for their favorite place to get “the best chocolate” in Bruges. It was wonderful. Very few tourists, even fewer cars, and just a calm relaxed atmosphere.
I loved the fact that most of the restaurants in town had large fires crackling inside, perfectly visible to passers by looking for a warm, comfortable place to rest for the evening while enjoying a fine meal and even better beer. It was just lovely.
Today I checked out of Bruges, a little tired from a night spent trying not to listen to the six Spanish boys I was sharing a room with trading off snoring responsibilities. I realized quickly, that they always snored in pairs, so when one would turn over and quiet down, another would pick up right where he left off. It went on for hours, but you learn ways to tune it out, I just wasn’t doing very well at it last night.
I am sitting on the train to Brussels now, trying to decide if I will stop and stay in Brussels, or if I while continue on to Amsterdam. I am leaning more towards staying, but I am not sure for how long. I would like to stay close to London, so that when I need to head back next week , I will be near enough not to have to work too hard to make the journey back. I guess I will just have to play the next two weeks by ear. What a drastic change from everything else I have been doing on this trip so far… LOL.
I hope all is well back in the states. Only twenty more days until I head to Asia.
P.S. I decided to stay in Brussels
Saturday, November 15, 2008
London and the Lost Debit Card
Other than the debit card fiasco, which I guess was bound to happen at some point, I have been having a great time in London. So far I have done a different show every night. Billy Elliot, La Cage, We Will Rock You, and last night a show at the National Theatre called To Be Straight With You.
That show was an incredible piece of artwork, and seemed to have an amazing impact on the full house. The show didn't get a full standing ovation, but I think that is due to the fact that the bows were not choreographed/staged in such a way that would encourage the audience to stand. (Although, I was up on my feet as soon as the curtain fell. It was a wonderful display, unlike We Will Rock You, of how technology can dramatically enhance the theatre experience. At one point, an actor was lit using the massive projector while delivering a very touching monolouge and at first, being the lighting designer that I am, I questioned the reasoning for using the projector to do this. Suddenly, though, as the monologue was finishing, they did this incredible effect with the projector where they started blacking out his face and then the rest of his body, so he almost completely disappeared. At that point I knew why the choice was made by the lighting designer. I was really touched by the show, and creatively sparked by the fantastic use of design elements.
After the show, Chris, Shelley's friend who had decided to accompany me to the show and I went out for a drink at a nearby bar. Maybe that is where I lost my card, when I got out my wallet to pay for my drink, but that is a usless subject to discuss at this point. It's lost, it's cancelled, and now I just have to figure out how to get the new one to myself. It shouldn't be too hard, I will just have to make a few travel sacrafices. And this will encourage me to be much more sparing with my money, which is definitely a good thing. If only I could apply for a work visa for the UK while I am over here, then I could just stay indefinitely as long as I had a job. But I guess that would mean I miss out on the rest of my trip, which for the most part I have already paid for. Do you think I can get a refund? LOL.
I will be sad to leave London, whenever that may be. It has been so much fun here, and such a great thing for me. Luckily, as well, I haven't had too terrible a weather while I have been here. My plan, up until now, was to head to Brussels tomorrow, but once I figure out about my card, I will be able to make a more accurate and informed decision on what to do and where to go.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
London, England
Sorry to be out of touch for the past couple of days, but I have just been having so much fun in London that it has been difficult to make the time to blog.
I arrived on Sunday after a train ride through the Chunnel from Paris to London. When I arrived, I had not established a firm time to meet up with Shelley so I decided to do a nice walk (about two miles) from the train station to the Regents College Campus. Once I arrived, I was turned away since it is a highly secure campus so I found an internet cafe nearby and sent Shelley an e-mail. She had already tried to contact me and set up an exact time and place to meet (Starbucks across from King's Cross station at 5pm). I headed that way and to meet up with her. Apparently, though, there are three Starbucks in the King's Cross area and, after going to two out of three of them, I figured I had missed her in the small window of opportunity we had.
With pack still resting on my shoulders, I decided to figure out a show to see and meet up with Shelley at the college after she got out of the show she was attending. I decided to see Billy Elliot and had a blast. I was lucky that the cloak room attendant let me check my luggage with her. The show was simply bliss and a perfect way to spend an evening after a long day of traveling and missed encounters. I would highly recommend anyone to see it and it put into my head how much I missed theatre.
After the show, I decided to see as much theatre as I could while in a country where I understand the language. So far I have seen Billy Elliot, La Cage a Folles, and We Will Rock You. The first two were terrific and delightful. The latter made my skin crawl. I enjoy the music of Queen and thought that I would enjoy the show but it was a terrible waste. At least most other people in the audience enjoyed it. Tomorrow I am going to see a show at the National Theatre. It should be really good and it is not a musical for a change.
I haven't done a terrible lot of touring while I have been here. Yesterday I did several hours at the Tate Modern and today I went to Harrod's to see what it was all about. I did so much of the tourist stuff on my last trip to London, I haven't felt it a necessity to return to any of those places which means I can afford more theatre. Plus, it has been great getting to see Shelley and my other friend Karyn while I have been here. They have introduced me around, so when the two of them are busy with class or work, I have been escorted around by some of their other friends. I am absolutely loving London and I wish I could just unpack my bag and stay for a while (especially now that the Pound is doing worse, making my dollars go a lot further). But, alas, there is still much of the world left for me to see.
I arrived on Sunday after a train ride through the Chunnel from Paris to London. When I arrived, I had not established a firm time to meet up with Shelley so I decided to do a nice walk (about two miles) from the train station to the Regents College Campus. Once I arrived, I was turned away since it is a highly secure campus so I found an internet cafe nearby and sent Shelley an e-mail. She had already tried to contact me and set up an exact time and place to meet (Starbucks across from King's Cross station at 5pm). I headed that way and to meet up with her. Apparently, though, there are three Starbucks in the King's Cross area and, after going to two out of three of them, I figured I had missed her in the small window of opportunity we had.
With pack still resting on my shoulders, I decided to figure out a show to see and meet up with Shelley at the college after she got out of the show she was attending. I decided to see Billy Elliot and had a blast. I was lucky that the cloak room attendant let me check my luggage with her. The show was simply bliss and a perfect way to spend an evening after a long day of traveling and missed encounters. I would highly recommend anyone to see it and it put into my head how much I missed theatre.
After the show, I decided to see as much theatre as I could while in a country where I understand the language. So far I have seen Billy Elliot, La Cage a Folles, and We Will Rock You. The first two were terrific and delightful. The latter made my skin crawl. I enjoy the music of Queen and thought that I would enjoy the show but it was a terrible waste. At least most other people in the audience enjoyed it. Tomorrow I am going to see a show at the National Theatre. It should be really good and it is not a musical for a change.
I haven't done a terrible lot of touring while I have been here. Yesterday I did several hours at the Tate Modern and today I went to Harrod's to see what it was all about. I did so much of the tourist stuff on my last trip to London, I haven't felt it a necessity to return to any of those places which means I can afford more theatre. Plus, it has been great getting to see Shelley and my other friend Karyn while I have been here. They have introduced me around, so when the two of them are busy with class or work, I have been escorted around by some of their other friends. I am absolutely loving London and I wish I could just unpack my bag and stay for a while (especially now that the Pound is doing worse, making my dollars go a lot further). But, alas, there is still much of the world left for me to see.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Paris, France
I am going to type as fast as my little fingers can, on a French keyboard.
I am loving Paris, I just wish I had an extra day or so here, although I don't think my pocket book could withstand the blow. I got in LATE on Saturday and went straight to the hostel. By the time I got to the hostel, St Christopher's, I was ready for a good nights sleep and an antacid, make that two antacids.
The next morning I got up, well rested, had a bit of breakfast, and decided to start my time in Paris at the Arch de Triomphe. Not totally centrally located, but a pretty good starting place. Then I walked to the Eiffel Tower which is currently lit blue at night and has six stars on the side in honor of the fact the France is the current home to the President of the European Union. The blue lighting only lasts from July to January, so it was fun to be here and see it lit up like a Disney castle. On my way to the Eiffel Tower, I was stopped by a gentleman in a car who I assumed needed directions. My normal reply to such a questioning is to say "what" and hold my arms up in a dramatic shrug. But this guy spoke English. It turned out, after several minutes and him "offering" me some "Louis Vuitton" jackets, that he just wanted money. I regretted to inform him that I was by no means a wealthy American. He persisted to ask me for money, so after I returned to him the bag filled with the coats, I opened my wallet for him, and I kid you not, moths flew out. Finally I just walked away as he was asking me to go to an ATM.
I have to admit that panhandling in Paris has become an artful menagerie of cons. A very similar thing occurred to me at the Eiffel Tower. This time it was a young boy put a ring in my hand that he had just picked up off the ground and told me it was good luck and I should keep it. So I took it and as I walked away he asked for a couple of Euros so he could get a cafe. The kid looked about 10 years old and I am not familiar with all French customs, but I wanted to say to him, "You are too young to drink coffee." When I forcefully put the ring back in him palm and said I had no money, he proceeded to tell me to "F*** off" and spit at my feet. I have no idea, but being told by a ten year old to "F*** off" put a really big smile on my face. I guess I just thought it was funny, but I was so impressed at how creative he was at making a couple of extra bucks from a rich tourist. Unfortunately for him, I just wasn't a rich tourist, although I am an easier target because I am alone. It just taught me that NOTHING in Paris is free.
After my visit to the Eiffel Tower, I decided to go on a free (except for the tip at the end) walking tour of Paris. There is a company called "New Europe Tours" (neweuropetours.eu) that has started doing free walking tours all over the continent. I had heard good things so I thought it would be a fun way to see some sights, get some history, and meet some people. My own problem with Paris is its lack of Tourist Information offices so I also thought the tour might be a good way for me to get some more info on other things I was trying to do. The tour was great, I met some nice people, and got all the info I wanted. My main question being "Where are the catacombs?"
I REALLY wanted to do the Catacombs of Paris, so once I had the information that I needed, I headed straight to the metro stop in order to at least find out the Catacombs hours. Unfortunately, it was closed by the time Sauv, the South African kid I was hanging out with after the tour, and I got there. We noted the hours of operation, 10am to 5pm, and decided to meet back there in the morning right at 10. I spent the rest of the evening walking to the Sacre Coure, all 264 steps (yes I counted), hanging out in the artists square observing the really good and the unfortunately not so good artists doing portraits of anyone willing to sit still for 20 minutes. It reminded me of the last time I was in Paris six years ago. Then I walked to the Moulin Rouge and marveled at all of the topless and bottomless bars around the red light district of Paris.
Today when I got to the Catacombs, I was a few minutes late, and unfortunately Sauv and I had neglected to note that they were closed on Monday, so I missed the Catacombs and due to my tardiness, I missed Sauv. So instead I went to the Louvre for several hours, the Pompeidu and did a bit more walking around the city. Now I am doing a bit of planning on how to get to London tomorrow.
On a HILARIOUS note, I just (as in 2 minutes ago, as I was typing this e-mail) ran into Andrew, who I hung out with in Vienna and randomly ran into on the streets of Prague, again, in Paris. That makes two random run ins to him. That is a record for me.
I am loving Paris, I just wish I had an extra day or so here, although I don't think my pocket book could withstand the blow. I got in LATE on Saturday and went straight to the hostel. By the time I got to the hostel, St Christopher's, I was ready for a good nights sleep and an antacid, make that two antacids.
The next morning I got up, well rested, had a bit of breakfast, and decided to start my time in Paris at the Arch de Triomphe. Not totally centrally located, but a pretty good starting place. Then I walked to the Eiffel Tower which is currently lit blue at night and has six stars on the side in honor of the fact the France is the current home to the President of the European Union. The blue lighting only lasts from July to January, so it was fun to be here and see it lit up like a Disney castle. On my way to the Eiffel Tower, I was stopped by a gentleman in a car who I assumed needed directions. My normal reply to such a questioning is to say "what" and hold my arms up in a dramatic shrug. But this guy spoke English. It turned out, after several minutes and him "offering" me some "Louis Vuitton" jackets, that he just wanted money. I regretted to inform him that I was by no means a wealthy American. He persisted to ask me for money, so after I returned to him the bag filled with the coats, I opened my wallet for him, and I kid you not, moths flew out. Finally I just walked away as he was asking me to go to an ATM.
I have to admit that panhandling in Paris has become an artful menagerie of cons. A very similar thing occurred to me at the Eiffel Tower. This time it was a young boy put a ring in my hand that he had just picked up off the ground and told me it was good luck and I should keep it. So I took it and as I walked away he asked for a couple of Euros so he could get a cafe. The kid looked about 10 years old and I am not familiar with all French customs, but I wanted to say to him, "You are too young to drink coffee." When I forcefully put the ring back in him palm and said I had no money, he proceeded to tell me to "F*** off" and spit at my feet. I have no idea, but being told by a ten year old to "F*** off" put a really big smile on my face. I guess I just thought it was funny, but I was so impressed at how creative he was at making a couple of extra bucks from a rich tourist. Unfortunately for him, I just wasn't a rich tourist, although I am an easier target because I am alone. It just taught me that NOTHING in Paris is free.
After my visit to the Eiffel Tower, I decided to go on a free (except for the tip at the end) walking tour of Paris. There is a company called "New Europe Tours" (neweuropetours.eu) that has started doing free walking tours all over the continent. I had heard good things so I thought it would be a fun way to see some sights, get some history, and meet some people. My own problem with Paris is its lack of Tourist Information offices so I also thought the tour might be a good way for me to get some more info on other things I was trying to do. The tour was great, I met some nice people, and got all the info I wanted. My main question being "Where are the catacombs?"
I REALLY wanted to do the Catacombs of Paris, so once I had the information that I needed, I headed straight to the metro stop in order to at least find out the Catacombs hours. Unfortunately, it was closed by the time Sauv, the South African kid I was hanging out with after the tour, and I got there. We noted the hours of operation, 10am to 5pm, and decided to meet back there in the morning right at 10. I spent the rest of the evening walking to the Sacre Coure, all 264 steps (yes I counted), hanging out in the artists square observing the really good and the unfortunately not so good artists doing portraits of anyone willing to sit still for 20 minutes. It reminded me of the last time I was in Paris six years ago. Then I walked to the Moulin Rouge and marveled at all of the topless and bottomless bars around the red light district of Paris.
Today when I got to the Catacombs, I was a few minutes late, and unfortunately Sauv and I had neglected to note that they were closed on Monday, so I missed the Catacombs and due to my tardiness, I missed Sauv. So instead I went to the Louvre for several hours, the Pompeidu and did a bit more walking around the city. Now I am doing a bit of planning on how to get to London tomorrow.
On a HILARIOUS note, I just (as in 2 minutes ago, as I was typing this e-mail) ran into Andrew, who I hung out with in Vienna and randomly ran into on the streets of Prague, again, in Paris. That makes two random run ins to him. That is a record for me.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Tours, France
I have successfully made it to Tours although it was a bit of an ordeal seeing as how some of the French train employees were on strike. I left for Lyon at 10am and got there in plenty of time to get on the 1:26 train that I was supposed to get on in order to make it to Tours at 4:30. I was going to have to make one other train switch just outside of Tours, but it was going to be very easy. I wasn't able to buy all of my train reservations in Geneva like I had planned so when I got to Lyon my first order of business was to find the ticket office. This is when I discovered the strike occurring.
The line in the ticket office was the longest I had seen since Barcelona, but I knew I had no other option, so I started to wait. When I finally got to the front of the line, the train I was trying to catch left in 5 minutes. I did my best to hurry along the reservation process and run to get the train but as I got to the top of the stairs on the platform the train was closing its doors and pulling out of the station. Set back number 1, achieved.
The next step was to go back into the ticket office, wait in the line again, and find another train to get me to Tours. This time the line was a little shorter, but once I was to the front of I was informed the next way from me to get to Tours was a train to Paris-a train that left in three hours at 5pm. So I started to wait. Finally the three hours had passed and I got on the train to Paris. Now, set back number 2. The train to Paris was half an hour late arriving. I did have about an hour between arrival and departure but I didn't mention yet that I was going to have to switch stations in Paris. Switching terminals at an airport is one thing, but in Paris I was going to have to use the metro (switching lines at one point) in order to get my train to Tours. Having an hour would have been great but with the late train I only had about 30 minutes. At first I couldn't find the metro because it ended up being a much larger station than I had anticipated. But I ended up making it to the other station, hopping on my train just as it closed its doors. Amazing!
I was scheduled to arrive in Tours just after 10pm and according to the directions I had to the hotel, it was a ten minute walk from the station so I would arrive at the hotel right around 10:30. Just in time for a great night's sleep. Finally, set back number 3. I made it all the way from the train station to my hotel (which in Tours is actually a hotel and not a hostel) only to discover that my hotel was closed. I rang the bell a number of times in hopes that someone might still be there but to no avail. Finally I decided to walk down the block to the hotel that appeared to still be open, although it was also a hotel that also cost 4 times my budget. Somehow my hotel had made me a reservation there and had paid for my stay there. So in the end, all of the set backs I was confronted with ended with a "free" night stay in a three star hotel with a private room with a private bath... amazing. Today I ended up taking the opportunity to simply enjoy a relaxing day and catch up on some much needed rest.
The line in the ticket office was the longest I had seen since Barcelona, but I knew I had no other option, so I started to wait. When I finally got to the front of the line, the train I was trying to catch left in 5 minutes. I did my best to hurry along the reservation process and run to get the train but as I got to the top of the stairs on the platform the train was closing its doors and pulling out of the station. Set back number 1, achieved.
The next step was to go back into the ticket office, wait in the line again, and find another train to get me to Tours. This time the line was a little shorter, but once I was to the front of I was informed the next way from me to get to Tours was a train to Paris-a train that left in three hours at 5pm. So I started to wait. Finally the three hours had passed and I got on the train to Paris. Now, set back number 2. The train to Paris was half an hour late arriving. I did have about an hour between arrival and departure but I didn't mention yet that I was going to have to switch stations in Paris. Switching terminals at an airport is one thing, but in Paris I was going to have to use the metro (switching lines at one point) in order to get my train to Tours. Having an hour would have been great but with the late train I only had about 30 minutes. At first I couldn't find the metro because it ended up being a much larger station than I had anticipated. But I ended up making it to the other station, hopping on my train just as it closed its doors. Amazing!
I was scheduled to arrive in Tours just after 10pm and according to the directions I had to the hotel, it was a ten minute walk from the station so I would arrive at the hotel right around 10:30. Just in time for a great night's sleep. Finally, set back number 3. I made it all the way from the train station to my hotel (which in Tours is actually a hotel and not a hostel) only to discover that my hotel was closed. I rang the bell a number of times in hopes that someone might still be there but to no avail. Finally I decided to walk down the block to the hotel that appeared to still be open, although it was also a hotel that also cost 4 times my budget. Somehow my hotel had made me a reservation there and had paid for my stay there. So in the end, all of the set backs I was confronted with ended with a "free" night stay in a three star hotel with a private room with a private bath... amazing. Today I ended up taking the opportunity to simply enjoy a relaxing day and catch up on some much needed rest.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Geneva, Switzerland
Made it to Geneva yesterday, and was easily able to meet up with my friend at the train station. We had originally planned to meet at the Tourism Office at the train station, but when I arrived in Geneva I found out that there was in fact no office of Tourism in the Geneva train station. So I just made sure to be sitting in a high traffic area and strategically stuck my legs out into the walkway so people would have to walk around me. This was intended to draw attention to myself, making it easier for me to find. It is the trick of panhandlers on the side of the road and they are hard to miss. With my strategy I was an easy target for my friend, Hannah to spot.
Hannah lives with three other girls in Geneva, two girls from St Louis, and one girl from Seattle. Once I was settled in and had a shower, we all went out to a local restaurant for some amazing hamburgers. After a fantastic dinner, we all made it to a Mexican bar/restaurant in Geneva. It was so much fun to go to a Tex Mex establishment in Switzerland, something that you don’t normally get to see, and definitely something that you don’t get from Lonely Planet.
Because of the big election, Webster had set up a viewing center in the large meeting room on the first floor of the dorms so that students could watch CNN live and get immediate updates on the polls. The festivities, which included free hotdogs and beer, started at 2 am GMT +1 and ended at 8 am. It was such a neat experience to literally stay up through the night trying to watch and see what is happening half a world away. There was definitely a huge sigh of relief when the West Coast polls closed and Obama was officially projected the winner of the presidential election. We got the news around 5 am and after that I was so tired I had to go to bed so I wasn’t able to hear the remarks from the two candidates until today. I read all of the facebook status changes that my friends posted through the evening. Most of the reactions I read on facebook were positive and hopeful, but a lot of people that I went to high school with surprised me with their disgustingly negative remarks on the outcome. Things like “I still believe God has a plan for us, and if it takes 4 years in hell for Americans to wake up, that is what we must suffer through.” WOW…. I nearly deleted this person as my friend because of the incredibly hateful words this person wrote. But then I had to stop myself and say, ‘If McCain had won, a lot of my liberal friends would have written similarly dreadful things.’ Just because someone’s opinions or beliefs are different then mine doesn’t make that person wrong. McCain was a strong candidate and a worthy opponent in the candidacy. I personally did not have that many problems with McCain himself, he has done many things for this country, and I look at what he did as a prisoner of war, and think of the position he would take in the economic crisis, leaving no one behind. But that is all politics.
I really am not the best person to discuss politics, though. I am a world away and am a real Maverick when it comes to a lot of my political and social views, and I will never be able to solve the economic crisis. I have come to accept the economic freefall of America as inevitability, and so I am not terribly afraid of it. Talk about a change. Obama has promised change in the U.S. and there is no change greater than people lining up on streets with soup bowls hoping that the food will last long enough for them to get some. That would be a huge change in society, but is that the change you want? Be specific, be open, and be respectful. Until we all master those things, the changes in America’s future are not going to be good ones. Well I have been allowed yet another rant.
I have been receiving messages from a lot of the people I have met along the way congratulating me on the Obama win which I think is a little weird, but I accept it in the way it was meant. Tomorrow I am heading to Tours, France, a bit of a divergence from my plan of heading to Lyon, but I couldn’t find a cheap place to stay in Lyon. The beauty of this trip is that plans change everyday and I have accepted that. Peace and Good Luck.
More Pictures from the Trip
candles in the duomo in Florence
Florence at night
A lucky statue of a boar in Florence, you were supposed to touch his snout
The Bern Bear 
Bern skyline with the alps in the distance
Hannah lives with three other girls in Geneva, two girls from St Louis, and one girl from Seattle. Once I was settled in and had a shower, we all went out to a local restaurant for some amazing hamburgers. After a fantastic dinner, we all made it to a Mexican bar/restaurant in Geneva. It was so much fun to go to a Tex Mex establishment in Switzerland, something that you don’t normally get to see, and definitely something that you don’t get from Lonely Planet.
Because of the big election, Webster had set up a viewing center in the large meeting room on the first floor of the dorms so that students could watch CNN live and get immediate updates on the polls. The festivities, which included free hotdogs and beer, started at 2 am GMT +1 and ended at 8 am. It was such a neat experience to literally stay up through the night trying to watch and see what is happening half a world away. There was definitely a huge sigh of relief when the West Coast polls closed and Obama was officially projected the winner of the presidential election. We got the news around 5 am and after that I was so tired I had to go to bed so I wasn’t able to hear the remarks from the two candidates until today. I read all of the facebook status changes that my friends posted through the evening. Most of the reactions I read on facebook were positive and hopeful, but a lot of people that I went to high school with surprised me with their disgustingly negative remarks on the outcome. Things like “I still believe God has a plan for us, and if it takes 4 years in hell for Americans to wake up, that is what we must suffer through.” WOW…. I nearly deleted this person as my friend because of the incredibly hateful words this person wrote. But then I had to stop myself and say, ‘If McCain had won, a lot of my liberal friends would have written similarly dreadful things.’ Just because someone’s opinions or beliefs are different then mine doesn’t make that person wrong. McCain was a strong candidate and a worthy opponent in the candidacy. I personally did not have that many problems with McCain himself, he has done many things for this country, and I look at what he did as a prisoner of war, and think of the position he would take in the economic crisis, leaving no one behind. But that is all politics.
I really am not the best person to discuss politics, though. I am a world away and am a real Maverick when it comes to a lot of my political and social views, and I will never be able to solve the economic crisis. I have come to accept the economic freefall of America as inevitability, and so I am not terribly afraid of it. Talk about a change. Obama has promised change in the U.S. and there is no change greater than people lining up on streets with soup bowls hoping that the food will last long enough for them to get some. That would be a huge change in society, but is that the change you want? Be specific, be open, and be respectful. Until we all master those things, the changes in America’s future are not going to be good ones. Well I have been allowed yet another rant.
I have been receiving messages from a lot of the people I have met along the way congratulating me on the Obama win which I think is a little weird, but I accept it in the way it was meant. Tomorrow I am heading to Tours, France, a bit of a divergence from my plan of heading to Lyon, but I couldn’t find a cheap place to stay in Lyon. The beauty of this trip is that plans change everyday and I have accepted that. Peace and Good Luck.
More Pictures from the Trip
candles in the duomo in Florence
Florence at night
A lucky statue of a boar in Florence, you were supposed to touch his snout
The Bern Bear 
Bern skyline with the alps in the distance
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Lausanne, Switzerland
Things are going well in Switzerland. I made it to Lausanne this afternoon, and decided (Since it is a bit of a bus ride back to town) to enjoy a calm, peaceful afternoon. The hostel is very near the lake, so I got out my book, walked to the beach and sat for much of the afternoon reading and enjoying the view of the misty Alps reigning over the glassy water. It was perfect! The weather here, now that I am out of the mountains, is much warmer making it possible for me to return to my loving flip-flops while I walked.
I am not, however, in love with Swiss hostels. There is sort of a monopoly of sorts over youth hostels in Switzerland. They are all operated or members of Youth Hostels International. Basically it means that they are all HUGE, have a restaurant, and are more expensive than normal hostels. The thing is that, because of their size, they are really popular with family vacationers so there are lots of small children around. This tends to make it a bit harder to meet people. But I am simply using this solace to enjoy the view, observing more than participating. Which on the up side is also a lot cheaper than participating. It is also nice to have a couple of lazy days in a row...it is almost a vacation within a vacation. Although, I have stopped using the word "vacation" when I describe my travels. This trip is less about time off and more about opening up to new discoveries and ideas. I just don't think I will ever grow to accept cooked mushrooms, though. I eat them, but not with great pleasure, hell without any pleasure. Even in my most starved moments, I look at cooked mushrooms on a pizza and think "I need the nutrients, but I will never be able to desire that texture." Alas, why I only eat mushrooms in salads when home.
I only have a few more chapters left in the book I am reading, "Random Acts of Heroic Love," given to me by Jules in Poland. I think I will try to finish it tonight before bed. I believe that is the 4th book I have finished on this trip. Not too bad for someone that can barely make it through a "Where's Waldo" without shelving it.
On Tuesday I am meeting up with a friend living in Geneva, so I get two free nights of accommodation there... YAH!!!
Here are some pictures from earlier stops.
From atop on of the spires at Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
I am not, however, in love with Swiss hostels. There is sort of a monopoly of sorts over youth hostels in Switzerland. They are all operated or members of Youth Hostels International. Basically it means that they are all HUGE, have a restaurant, and are more expensive than normal hostels. The thing is that, because of their size, they are really popular with family vacationers so there are lots of small children around. This tends to make it a bit harder to meet people. But I am simply using this solace to enjoy the view, observing more than participating. Which on the up side is also a lot cheaper than participating. It is also nice to have a couple of lazy days in a row...it is almost a vacation within a vacation. Although, I have stopped using the word "vacation" when I describe my travels. This trip is less about time off and more about opening up to new discoveries and ideas. I just don't think I will ever grow to accept cooked mushrooms, though. I eat them, but not with great pleasure, hell without any pleasure. Even in my most starved moments, I look at cooked mushrooms on a pizza and think "I need the nutrients, but I will never be able to desire that texture." Alas, why I only eat mushrooms in salads when home.
I only have a few more chapters left in the book I am reading, "Random Acts of Heroic Love," given to me by Jules in Poland. I think I will try to finish it tonight before bed. I believe that is the 4th book I have finished on this trip. Not too bad for someone that can barely make it through a "Where's Waldo" without shelving it.
On Tuesday I am meeting up with a friend living in Geneva, so I get two free nights of accommodation there... YAH!!!
Here are some pictures from earlier stops.
From atop on of the spires at Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Nadia and Ariane, from Canada, in Italy trying to enjoy the beach on a rainy day
Realto Bridge in Venice
Skyline of Zagreb
Jules pumping water out of a public well in Warsaw
Parliament in Budapest
St James Church in Prague
The Charles Bridge in Prague. Taken from my boat tour. 
Me with one of the members of the Viennese Boys Choir.
Trying to decide what to eat for brunch in Vienna. I had the club sandwich, safe and delicious.
Hoppsburg's Winter Palace in Vienna. You might recognize the big balcony in the center as where Hitler delivered his first public speech in Austria
Me standing at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome
Inside the Pantheon in Rome
The Floor of the Pantheon (Inserted for nostalgia) Saturday, November 1, 2008
Bern, Switzerland via Zurich
I spent one night in Zurich and saw a few of the sights.
I have made it to Bern and having a good time. Yesterday I did a little bit of walking around, tried to go to the Swiss Theatre Museum but I was closed when I finally got there. I am however getting used to walking up and down hills. I decided to not have a crazy Halloween. Instead I stayed in the hostel and caught up on some much needed reading and sleep. I did "crash" the party that was going on in the hostel. Three men were having a joint birthday party, so after the festivities had died down a bit, I snuck in and had a slice of birthday cake. I don't think anyone noticed or cared since there were three cakes and all three of them were only half eaten.
Today I got up and did the recommended walking tour of Bern and got to see the Bear Pit. There was only one bear in the pit, but boy was he entertaining. They must train him to pose for pictures. I was expecting more bears to be there, though. With a name like "Bear Pit" I was expecting to see a violent amount of bears in the pit, you know something that PETA would protest against. I also got to see the big clock tower in the center of town.
I have discovered that I am a big fan of Swiss food. Yesterday I ate at one traditional Swiss restaurant and had a dish that I cannot name but describe simply as what God would eat for breakfast. It was hashbrowns covered with cheese, topped with a mixture of fried onions and cubed ham, and finished with a sunny side up egg capping the mass of food. I thought it was going to be a rice dish because it looked like rossetti but I was not disappointed in the least. I only wish the dish had been a bit more colorful because they say the more colorful the food the better it is for you. I wanted it to taste exactly the same, but with a little green, blue, and magenta or something, to make it healthier somehow. The dish was so good and relatively cheap that I returned today to sample another platter. Today's choice was Veal Sausage, also amazing, I just wasn't loving the gravy that it was covered in, a bit too sweet for my sensitive palette.
Tonight I am going to the Municipal Theatre to see some show in Swiss. I am not really sure what it is called and have no idea what the show is about, but the guy at the ticket office recommended it. I am excited to have a night filled with culture. I took an extra special bath for it! One always needs a good reason to take a long bath. I just recommend long showers in a place where the water doesn't turn off every 5 seconds requiring you to keep one hand close to the button in order to press it every 2 seconds or so. LOL. It always makes me giggle a bit when the showers function the way most public sinks do and the sinks function in a normal, constantly on, fashion. It just seems a little backward to me.
Well, I am off to the Theatre. I sound so much more aristocratic when I say that but you have to remember I am going in cloths that I have worn three days in a row, so it is not so fashionable. Hopefully the person in the next seat can't tell.
I have made it to Bern and having a good time. Yesterday I did a little bit of walking around, tried to go to the Swiss Theatre Museum but I was closed when I finally got there. I am however getting used to walking up and down hills. I decided to not have a crazy Halloween. Instead I stayed in the hostel and caught up on some much needed reading and sleep. I did "crash" the party that was going on in the hostel. Three men were having a joint birthday party, so after the festivities had died down a bit, I snuck in and had a slice of birthday cake. I don't think anyone noticed or cared since there were three cakes and all three of them were only half eaten.
Today I got up and did the recommended walking tour of Bern and got to see the Bear Pit. There was only one bear in the pit, but boy was he entertaining. They must train him to pose for pictures. I was expecting more bears to be there, though. With a name like "Bear Pit" I was expecting to see a violent amount of bears in the pit, you know something that PETA would protest against. I also got to see the big clock tower in the center of town.
I have discovered that I am a big fan of Swiss food. Yesterday I ate at one traditional Swiss restaurant and had a dish that I cannot name but describe simply as what God would eat for breakfast. It was hashbrowns covered with cheese, topped with a mixture of fried onions and cubed ham, and finished with a sunny side up egg capping the mass of food. I thought it was going to be a rice dish because it looked like rossetti but I was not disappointed in the least. I only wish the dish had been a bit more colorful because they say the more colorful the food the better it is for you. I wanted it to taste exactly the same, but with a little green, blue, and magenta or something, to make it healthier somehow. The dish was so good and relatively cheap that I returned today to sample another platter. Today's choice was Veal Sausage, also amazing, I just wasn't loving the gravy that it was covered in, a bit too sweet for my sensitive palette.
Tonight I am going to the Municipal Theatre to see some show in Swiss. I am not really sure what it is called and have no idea what the show is about, but the guy at the ticket office recommended it. I am excited to have a night filled with culture. I took an extra special bath for it! One always needs a good reason to take a long bath. I just recommend long showers in a place where the water doesn't turn off every 5 seconds requiring you to keep one hand close to the button in order to press it every 2 seconds or so. LOL. It always makes me giggle a bit when the showers function the way most public sinks do and the sinks function in a normal, constantly on, fashion. It just seems a little backward to me.
Well, I am off to the Theatre. I sound so much more aristocratic when I say that but you have to remember I am going in cloths that I have worn three days in a row, so it is not so fashionable. Hopefully the person in the next seat can't tell.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Loving Florence
Loving Florence. The people here really love artists. Every time I have my sketch book out, I get lots of attention from tourists and locals alike.
Today I spent about two and a half hours in the Galleria Academia where Michelangelo's David stands in its full 17 feet. It was so much fun and a great thrill to see the beautiful figure. I did several studies of it in my sketch book (which I thought I had lost yesterday and finally found it when I got into bed and realized I had folded it into my sheets).
I went on a walking tour yesterday and refreshed my knowledge of Florentine history. Since I had "Civilization of the Arts: 14th Century Florence," it has been a lot of fun for me to be here seeing all of the sights and art that I studied only in pictures while in the class. I almost felt like I could give tours of Duomo. After the tour was over, I hung out with a couple of people I met on the tour, Fedimma from Ireland and Simon from Australia. We ended up just doing a bit of walking around Florence ending up completely lost at one point but once we found out where we were we enjoyed a beautiful view of the city.
After hiking around the southern part of the city, I headed back to the hostel for dinner (there is a really cheap and reasonably good restaurant at the hostel). While having dinner, I ran into another Irish girl I met on the tour, Nieve. Nieve, her boyfriend, some Japanese kids, and I spent the evening drinking vino and having a great night sharing traveling stories. We ended up being the life of the party in the hostel, ending up with a group of about a dozen. So much fun.
The day before I hiked up to the top of Brunellesci's Dome, all 422 steps. It was breathtaking to reach the top of the dome, the largest dome in the world, looking out over the city. After my class in college where I read "Brunellesci's Dome" the book, it was incredible to see first hand the herring bone brick pattern and the dome within a dome structure. I did get a little freaked out about the heights at one point when we had to walk along the inside edge of the dome, close enough to touch the frescos painted on the ceiling, although I was doing better than the young woman following me.
I had a wonderful time in Florence. It is such a beautiful city, maybe a bit to expensive for me to stay too long, but I think I have made good with my time here. Tomorrow I am heading to Zurich but I am thinking about making a detour through Pisa on my way north.
Today I spent about two and a half hours in the Galleria Academia where Michelangelo's David stands in its full 17 feet. It was so much fun and a great thrill to see the beautiful figure. I did several studies of it in my sketch book (which I thought I had lost yesterday and finally found it when I got into bed and realized I had folded it into my sheets).
I went on a walking tour yesterday and refreshed my knowledge of Florentine history. Since I had "Civilization of the Arts: 14th Century Florence," it has been a lot of fun for me to be here seeing all of the sights and art that I studied only in pictures while in the class. I almost felt like I could give tours of Duomo. After the tour was over, I hung out with a couple of people I met on the tour, Fedimma from Ireland and Simon from Australia. We ended up just doing a bit of walking around Florence ending up completely lost at one point but once we found out where we were we enjoyed a beautiful view of the city.
After hiking around the southern part of the city, I headed back to the hostel for dinner (there is a really cheap and reasonably good restaurant at the hostel). While having dinner, I ran into another Irish girl I met on the tour, Nieve. Nieve, her boyfriend, some Japanese kids, and I spent the evening drinking vino and having a great night sharing traveling stories. We ended up being the life of the party in the hostel, ending up with a group of about a dozen. So much fun.
The day before I hiked up to the top of Brunellesci's Dome, all 422 steps. It was breathtaking to reach the top of the dome, the largest dome in the world, looking out over the city. After my class in college where I read "Brunellesci's Dome" the book, it was incredible to see first hand the herring bone brick pattern and the dome within a dome structure. I did get a little freaked out about the heights at one point when we had to walk along the inside edge of the dome, close enough to touch the frescos painted on the ceiling, although I was doing better than the young woman following me.
I had a wonderful time in Florence. It is such a beautiful city, maybe a bit to expensive for me to stay too long, but I think I have made good with my time here. Tomorrow I am heading to Zurich but I am thinking about making a detour through Pisa on my way north.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Getting to Florence
I had an interesting time getting to Florence. I got up a bit late this morning, deciding I would just have a lazy Sunday morning, since I remembered last night that the Vatican is not open on Sundays. According to the time schedule I have there are trains every half hour from Rome to Florence so I wasn't worried about not getting there.
There was a lovely British woman working reception at the hostel. I had not met her before, normally it is these two young guys from Sweden, so I was a little surprised when I saw her. Checkout was a breeze, since the hostel didn't have lockers or keys, you literally just picked up your things and left. But I decided to stick around and figure out a few things to do in Florence and work on some sketches I had started the day before. I had a lovely chat with the British woman while she cooked eggs for one of the Swedish guys who was suffering from a little hangover. Italy, I point out now, is not an easy place to find good food on a Sunday. I ate MacDonalds twice in one day, sacrilege!
Well I finally decided around 2pm to head to the train station. I throughly enjoyed my extra hour, thank you daylight savings. Once at the train station I had a couple of options of trains, the main choice being whether I wanted to pay for the high speed train or not. I opted to not pay the 15 euro reservation fee for the high speed and just go with the slow train that took an exhausting one hour longer. So like a good traveler I waited patiently for the train to arrive.
To my surprise it was a really full train but I was tired so I slept for most of it. Then we got to Florence. I didn't realize until then that this train did not stop at the main station, S.M. Nouvelle. So I looked at the train schedule to see when the next train headed to SMN was leaving. Well there must have been something wrong with the information signs on the platforms because they were all about 3 hours behind. So I got on the train that looked like it was headed in the direction I wanted, and there were lots of people waiting to get on. I am not sure why but after 2 stops I decided I was not going the right direction so I got off at Zambra. I don't recommend Zambra, there isn't much there besides the slab of concrete known as the train station. At this point, I was worried I wouldn't be able to get back without hitchhiking. I checked the train schedule, and at least this time I knew which direction the train should be headed. I found it funny that the platform was labeled 3 and 4, I don't know where 1 and 2 were. The schedule said there would be many more trains on the way although after further inspection with my broken Italian, I realized most of the trains listed were only for special events. Luckily there was WiFi somewhere nearby and I was able to check Eurail and TrenItaliano schedules to deduce that there was another train coming at 9:53, or in about 2 hours. So I sat and waited, imported some photos, and had a nice chat with myself. It was lovely. At one point another train showed up, and waited for me to get on, but I just flagged the conductor to just keep going. Finally 9:53 came and went but there was no train. Then I started to get worried. But like every train in Italy it was only late.
Finally, two hours later than I expected, I arrived at my hostel. Yeah fun travel days!! Ciao
There was a lovely British woman working reception at the hostel. I had not met her before, normally it is these two young guys from Sweden, so I was a little surprised when I saw her. Checkout was a breeze, since the hostel didn't have lockers or keys, you literally just picked up your things and left. But I decided to stick around and figure out a few things to do in Florence and work on some sketches I had started the day before. I had a lovely chat with the British woman while she cooked eggs for one of the Swedish guys who was suffering from a little hangover. Italy, I point out now, is not an easy place to find good food on a Sunday. I ate MacDonalds twice in one day, sacrilege!
Well I finally decided around 2pm to head to the train station. I throughly enjoyed my extra hour, thank you daylight savings. Once at the train station I had a couple of options of trains, the main choice being whether I wanted to pay for the high speed train or not. I opted to not pay the 15 euro reservation fee for the high speed and just go with the slow train that took an exhausting one hour longer. So like a good traveler I waited patiently for the train to arrive.
To my surprise it was a really full train but I was tired so I slept for most of it. Then we got to Florence. I didn't realize until then that this train did not stop at the main station, S.M. Nouvelle. So I looked at the train schedule to see when the next train headed to SMN was leaving. Well there must have been something wrong with the information signs on the platforms because they were all about 3 hours behind. So I got on the train that looked like it was headed in the direction I wanted, and there were lots of people waiting to get on. I am not sure why but after 2 stops I decided I was not going the right direction so I got off at Zambra. I don't recommend Zambra, there isn't much there besides the slab of concrete known as the train station. At this point, I was worried I wouldn't be able to get back without hitchhiking. I checked the train schedule, and at least this time I knew which direction the train should be headed. I found it funny that the platform was labeled 3 and 4, I don't know where 1 and 2 were. The schedule said there would be many more trains on the way although after further inspection with my broken Italian, I realized most of the trains listed were only for special events. Luckily there was WiFi somewhere nearby and I was able to check Eurail and TrenItaliano schedules to deduce that there was another train coming at 9:53, or in about 2 hours. So I sat and waited, imported some photos, and had a nice chat with myself. It was lovely. At one point another train showed up, and waited for me to get on, but I just flagged the conductor to just keep going. Finally 9:53 came and went but there was no train. Then I started to get worried. But like every train in Italy it was only late.
Finally, two hours later than I expected, I arrived at my hostel. Yeah fun travel days!! Ciao
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Another Day in Rome
Well, I went to the Vatican City today and got to see the Sistine Chapel. But, if you ever come to Rome, I warn you that everything attached to the Vatican has a dress code. I faintly remember someone telling me this but I was not thinking this morning when I was getting dressed, so I put on shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt because I didn't want to get hot again. The biggest faux pas in Catholic dress code is showing bare shoulders, apparently.
As I walked through the Vatican Museum and marveled at the incredible sculpture and modern art, I was filled with the anticipation of getting to sit and admire the marvelous frescos by Michelangelo. When I finally made it to the Sistine Chapel, I was staring up at the ceiling trying to find a comfortable place to sit and observe. You do not often have the opportunity to examine such fine art first hand, seeing the actual painting of Adam touching fingers with God. All of the sudden, I felt a tap on my shoulder and a security guard asked me if I had anything to put over my shoulders. Unfortunately I had left my mink stole in my other purse, so I wasn't prepared to wrap myself up in anything. Upon answering his question, with an answer he obviously didn't care for, I was asked to leave the Chapel. Yes, I was kicked out of the Sistine Chapel. Now I can say, without lying, "I have been kicked out of nicer places than this before." But the whole time the gentleman was telling me I had to leave since I was baring my erotic and sexy shoulders, I kept wanting to say, "Dude, look up! Everyone painted on the ceiling is NAKED!!!!" I held my tongue, though. The experience did, however, make me want to cry. An art student, in Rome, studying the work of one of the greats, forced to leave for dressing too provocatively. I also wanted to point out to the guard that Michelangelo himself, would have probably enjoyed seeing my bared shoulder (and bum, but [pun intended] that is another discussion).
The only thing that really made me mad about the whole incident was that no one until then told me that I was not dressed appropriately. I had gone through a security check point and bought a ticket. Both were occasions where I could have been at least told that I would not be able to enjoy the Sistine Chapel to the degree I was anticipating. Poor form on the Pope's part in my opinion. If the Pope wants me dressed a certain way, he could have at least had the decency to put a bouncer outside his club turning people away who don't live up to his aesthetic standard. Poor form indeed!
After that, I decided not to risk standing in the long line to go to St. Peter's Basilica only to be turned away. It seemed like a pointless waste of time to be rejected twice in one day by the Catholics. Not that I hate all Catholics, just the ones in Vatican City.
I decided, instead, to spend the rest of my day using the brand new smudging stick I bought at the art store yesterday. That was a fun experience trying to explain to the non-English speaking girl at the art store what a smudging stick was. Several times she offered me the same eraser, and I kept saying no, but finally after drawing a quick doodle for her, and using my finger to smudge it, she figured it out. We both shared a good laugh about it while I paid.
I am heading to Florence tomorrow, I am thinking about catching a later train in the day so I can go back to St. Peter's in a tuxedo and possibly make it through the line. But who knows, maybe they will say the cummerbund and bow tie combination I am wearing is too offensive to go through the pearly gates.
Ciao
As I walked through the Vatican Museum and marveled at the incredible sculpture and modern art, I was filled with the anticipation of getting to sit and admire the marvelous frescos by Michelangelo. When I finally made it to the Sistine Chapel, I was staring up at the ceiling trying to find a comfortable place to sit and observe. You do not often have the opportunity to examine such fine art first hand, seeing the actual painting of Adam touching fingers with God. All of the sudden, I felt a tap on my shoulder and a security guard asked me if I had anything to put over my shoulders. Unfortunately I had left my mink stole in my other purse, so I wasn't prepared to wrap myself up in anything. Upon answering his question, with an answer he obviously didn't care for, I was asked to leave the Chapel. Yes, I was kicked out of the Sistine Chapel. Now I can say, without lying, "I have been kicked out of nicer places than this before." But the whole time the gentleman was telling me I had to leave since I was baring my erotic and sexy shoulders, I kept wanting to say, "Dude, look up! Everyone painted on the ceiling is NAKED!!!!" I held my tongue, though. The experience did, however, make me want to cry. An art student, in Rome, studying the work of one of the greats, forced to leave for dressing too provocatively. I also wanted to point out to the guard that Michelangelo himself, would have probably enjoyed seeing my bared shoulder (and bum, but [pun intended] that is another discussion).
The only thing that really made me mad about the whole incident was that no one until then told me that I was not dressed appropriately. I had gone through a security check point and bought a ticket. Both were occasions where I could have been at least told that I would not be able to enjoy the Sistine Chapel to the degree I was anticipating. Poor form on the Pope's part in my opinion. If the Pope wants me dressed a certain way, he could have at least had the decency to put a bouncer outside his club turning people away who don't live up to his aesthetic standard. Poor form indeed!
After that, I decided not to risk standing in the long line to go to St. Peter's Basilica only to be turned away. It seemed like a pointless waste of time to be rejected twice in one day by the Catholics. Not that I hate all Catholics, just the ones in Vatican City.
I decided, instead, to spend the rest of my day using the brand new smudging stick I bought at the art store yesterday. That was a fun experience trying to explain to the non-English speaking girl at the art store what a smudging stick was. Several times she offered me the same eraser, and I kept saying no, but finally after drawing a quick doodle for her, and using my finger to smudge it, she figured it out. We both shared a good laugh about it while I paid.
I am heading to Florence tomorrow, I am thinking about catching a later train in the day so I can go back to St. Peter's in a tuxedo and possibly make it through the line. But who knows, maybe they will say the cummerbund and bow tie combination I am wearing is too offensive to go through the pearly gates.
Ciao
Friday, October 24, 2008
Rome
Yes I am in Rome and I have already been here for one night. It is a little hard to get on the internet here for me because there aren't really a whole lot of outlets in the hostel, so I have to take refuge next to one plug to do anything with my computer.
I am having a blast in Rome. It is a really beautiful city, so I am having a lot of fun just walking around discovering what the city has to offer. Today I went to the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, The Pantheon, the Fontana de Trevi, among many sights. I got a map from Tourist Information and it has the routes of one of the big bus tour companies so I just made sure to hit all of the big sights it stopped at.
Rome is a really remarkable city. Thousands of years of history, millions of people, and an energy that never stops. The current population of Rome is estimated at just over 11 million people. It is hard to believe that in the peak of the ancient city the population was just half of that. (14 AD pop. 4,700,000). Walking around today made me think about the current crisis in America right now. People always say, history repeats itself, so there is bound to be a time when the U.S. would fall. I don't think that is what is going to happen when history repeats itself this time.
I am going to play Devil's Advocate for a moment. What do you think is the greatest success of modern technology?
Incredible architecture? I think we can all say the Romans were pretty good at outdoing most of the buildings we see now.
Economic wealth? Romans had that one going for them as well.
Advanced Health Care? Rome had a population of 4.7 million people in 14 AD, so are we really that much healthier than they are, or are we just better at keeping the sick alive longer?
Maybe, Communication? Well the Romans did have a very elaborate communications network, it just wasn't e-mail.
Indoor Plumbing? Nope, they had that one too.
Again, Devil's advocate, I think it is safe to say, that the only thing we have really been able to do in the past 2000 years is make things happen faster. Faster construction of buildings, faster communication, faster transport, ability to spend your money (or money you don't have) faster. So what is it that I think modern technology has really given us? I would say, technology has made patience a societal impossibility. Apparently nothing is fast enough for us, unless it moves at the speed of light.
Imagine what hell would erupt if a contractor told a company that it would take 200 years to finish construction on its new headquarters. Imagine, again, it taking hours to get to the market where you buy your groceries.
Now, I agree modern technology really has given us some wonderful things. Books, instant information, an international network of business economy and culture. But what about the latter? When Rome fell, there were civilizations in Asia, (i.e. the Turks) ready to take over the fledgling society. (Not that it was very nice about doing it). But now, with the complex web of culture, information, and money, will anyone be left when the market crashes? We witness on a daily basis the effect that the weak U.S. economy is having on the rest of the world. What happens when it collapses? You may be saying there are fail safes to keep that from happening, but I remind you that I am pretty sure that the Romans thought the same thing about their economy. Nothing lasts forever? But will there be a market left once the U.S. fails? I point out the scare raised by the bird flu in Eastern Asia. People were so worried that they would somehow contract it even though they were nowhere near East Asia. How will the world be affected by this travesty? Are you prepared to deal with what that would entail, because I certainly am not!
Will the only people unaffected by this be the nomadic tribes in Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia? They already have a taste of what is required to make it without money... not that they are terribly successful at it, but they have a head start.
Again, devil's advocate. This city just startles me how "advanced" they were, and with the economic and climate problems that we are seeing, I just wondered if there really is a distinction between the U.S. and the rest of the world. What would be left?
Even though I sound like I have been getting really deep on this part of my journey, that thought process was about 30 minutes out of a really great day. I highly recommend Rome. Just expect it to be warm. Even in the middle of October, I was wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, and I was still hot and humid.
Tomorrow I plan on doing the Vatican and the Relics of the Ancient City!!
I am having a blast in Rome. It is a really beautiful city, so I am having a lot of fun just walking around discovering what the city has to offer. Today I went to the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, The Pantheon, the Fontana de Trevi, among many sights. I got a map from Tourist Information and it has the routes of one of the big bus tour companies so I just made sure to hit all of the big sights it stopped at.
Rome is a really remarkable city. Thousands of years of history, millions of people, and an energy that never stops. The current population of Rome is estimated at just over 11 million people. It is hard to believe that in the peak of the ancient city the population was just half of that. (14 AD pop. 4,700,000). Walking around today made me think about the current crisis in America right now. People always say, history repeats itself, so there is bound to be a time when the U.S. would fall. I don't think that is what is going to happen when history repeats itself this time.
I am going to play Devil's Advocate for a moment. What do you think is the greatest success of modern technology?
Incredible architecture? I think we can all say the Romans were pretty good at outdoing most of the buildings we see now.
Economic wealth? Romans had that one going for them as well.
Advanced Health Care? Rome had a population of 4.7 million people in 14 AD, so are we really that much healthier than they are, or are we just better at keeping the sick alive longer?
Maybe, Communication? Well the Romans did have a very elaborate communications network, it just wasn't e-mail.
Indoor Plumbing? Nope, they had that one too.
Again, Devil's advocate, I think it is safe to say, that the only thing we have really been able to do in the past 2000 years is make things happen faster. Faster construction of buildings, faster communication, faster transport, ability to spend your money (or money you don't have) faster. So what is it that I think modern technology has really given us? I would say, technology has made patience a societal impossibility. Apparently nothing is fast enough for us, unless it moves at the speed of light.
Imagine what hell would erupt if a contractor told a company that it would take 200 years to finish construction on its new headquarters. Imagine, again, it taking hours to get to the market where you buy your groceries.
Now, I agree modern technology really has given us some wonderful things. Books, instant information, an international network of business economy and culture. But what about the latter? When Rome fell, there were civilizations in Asia, (i.e. the Turks) ready to take over the fledgling society. (Not that it was very nice about doing it). But now, with the complex web of culture, information, and money, will anyone be left when the market crashes? We witness on a daily basis the effect that the weak U.S. economy is having on the rest of the world. What happens when it collapses? You may be saying there are fail safes to keep that from happening, but I remind you that I am pretty sure that the Romans thought the same thing about their economy. Nothing lasts forever? But will there be a market left once the U.S. fails? I point out the scare raised by the bird flu in Eastern Asia. People were so worried that they would somehow contract it even though they were nowhere near East Asia. How will the world be affected by this travesty? Are you prepared to deal with what that would entail, because I certainly am not!
Will the only people unaffected by this be the nomadic tribes in Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia? They already have a taste of what is required to make it without money... not that they are terribly successful at it, but they have a head start.
Again, devil's advocate. This city just startles me how "advanced" they were, and with the economic and climate problems that we are seeing, I just wondered if there really is a distinction between the U.S. and the rest of the world. What would be left?
Even though I sound like I have been getting really deep on this part of my journey, that thought process was about 30 minutes out of a really great day. I highly recommend Rome. Just expect it to be warm. Even in the middle of October, I was wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, and I was still hot and humid.
Tomorrow I plan on doing the Vatican and the Relics of the Ancient City!!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Krakow & Auschwitz
I have made it to Krakow safe and sound although I think I have come down with a bit of a cold. Probably just from the quick changes in climate the past week or so, or Jules gave me her sniffles.
I met up with Shelley at the hostel last night, and we went out for a late bite to eat, and spent the evening catching up. She is having a wonderful time in London studying but her theatre trip to Krakow has been a little reorganized due to the fact that all the shows she wanted to see here have been sold out. Oops.
We decided today to get up early and take the tour offered by the hostel of Auschwitz Concentration Camp. What a moving experience. Per the request of the museum I did not take any pictures inside Auschwitz, and I really didn't want any pictures documenting what I saw there or me being there. The memory will be enough to serve me for the rest of my life without revisiting the sights I saw.
After an hour and a half bus ride, we were dropped off in front of Auschwitz I, the first camp in Auschwitz out of the three that were completed before the liberation in 1945. It was eerie how modern it felt in Auschwitz I, brick buildings that reminded me of many apartment complexes I have seen in the States. But you quickly remember the horrors that occurred here not that long ago. The first building we were guided through showed the construction of Auschwitz and several photocopies of some of the few remaining Nazi records about Auschwitz. First the camp was built for Polish criminals but a year after its completion was turned into a Jewish work and execution camp. You wander through these buildings on the tour where hundreds of Jews struggled to survive and most often died. We were taken to barracks that still held the original beds where Jews were forced to sleep two to a bed in something half as wide as a twin bed, three tiers high, in good conditions. It was just absolute insanity to me what I was seeing, a place where the innocent were brutally tortured and killed. It may be the first time I actually understood what the word genocide meant.
The most impacting barrack contained relics of the Jews that had been in Auschwitz. The Nazis had warehouses the prisoners referred to as "Canada" where all of the personal items taken from people were sorted and kept. Anything of value was taken by the Nazis to help the funding of the third reich. Now the artifacts remain as proof and memory of the people that were once contained in Auschwitz. In one room they had two tons of hair piled up on display. Braids, single strands, and ponytails filled a massive room incased in glass. My jaw was on the floor and the tour guide pointed out that this was only the hair from about 45,000 people. The approximate weight of the hair from all 1.5 million people executed at Auschwitz would total 67 tons. It will hit you in the gut. Other rooms displayed thousands of glasses stacked together, hundreds of thousands of shoes, luggage, bowls, and many other artifacts that once belonged to the people imprisoned at Auschwitz. Room after room filled with items collected off people after they were sent to the gas chamber.
When the Jews would arrive by train to the camp, they had been promised they were being taken to a better place where they could start a new life. Propaganda was the Nazis greatest tool, but for the Jews it seemed better for them to simply believe the propaganda than believe the stories of what was actually going on. Once on the platform at Auschwitz, SS doctors would sort the people into two groups, ones who looked healthy enough for work and those whom they believed weak. The weak group was led off to take a "shower." Told to strip down, remember where they left their belongings so they could retrieve them later, and rushed into a gas chamber decorated with fake shower heads hanging from the ceiling. These people had no idea what was going on. Lie after Lie.
We walked through the "prison inside a prison" at Auschwitz, Barrack 10. A place where people were sent to be "punished" and judged by the Gestapo. The basement was filled with cells used to starve, suffocate, and cripple men. No one ever left Barrack 10 alive. I can't even explain the feeling you get when walking through a place like that, seeing the etchings in the walls left by men trapped inside.
Finally in Auschwitz I, we were led to the only remaining gas chamber. (All other gas chambers and incinerators were destroyed by the Germans). It was devastating to be forced into this room in a line of tourists, stepping into the room that was the last stop for tens of thousands of people, many of whom had no idea what their outcome would be. They were just going for a much needed shower. It was appalling to see how close the Gestapo's home was to the chamber. A place where he raised a family and kept a garden for his wife. Prisoners could hear his children playing in their front yard as they stripped naked before entering the Zyklon B filled chamber. It was terrifying.
After Auschwitz I, we were taken to Brikenau, the largest of the three camps under the heading of Auschwitz. All of the barracks here were constructed of wood planks by the prisoners themselves. Today very few of the hundreds of barracks in Birkenau still stand, but as you look out over the expansive field, you see grass littered with still standing chimneys of where each barrack once stood. When the area was repopulated after the liberation, people would go to the unprotected camp and steal the wood from the barracks to construct their homes. Many of the homes standing in near by areas are built out of the concentration camp.
That was the thing I struggled the most with internally, the idea of working to preserve this place. In one spot there were actually construction workers re-roofing one of the barracks. At first I was disturbed by the idea of maintaining Auschwitz. But that is when I realized in order to honor the memory of the people that were held in this sick place, you have to remember the terrible acts committed against them by the Germans. It was just such a weird concept to me, "rebuilding" Auschwitz.
Needless to say, Shelley and I were exhausted after our visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, so we had a bit of lunch afterwards, walked around, and had some riveting political and social debates. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget.
I met up with Shelley at the hostel last night, and we went out for a late bite to eat, and spent the evening catching up. She is having a wonderful time in London studying but her theatre trip to Krakow has been a little reorganized due to the fact that all the shows she wanted to see here have been sold out. Oops.
We decided today to get up early and take the tour offered by the hostel of Auschwitz Concentration Camp. What a moving experience. Per the request of the museum I did not take any pictures inside Auschwitz, and I really didn't want any pictures documenting what I saw there or me being there. The memory will be enough to serve me for the rest of my life without revisiting the sights I saw.
After an hour and a half bus ride, we were dropped off in front of Auschwitz I, the first camp in Auschwitz out of the three that were completed before the liberation in 1945. It was eerie how modern it felt in Auschwitz I, brick buildings that reminded me of many apartment complexes I have seen in the States. But you quickly remember the horrors that occurred here not that long ago. The first building we were guided through showed the construction of Auschwitz and several photocopies of some of the few remaining Nazi records about Auschwitz. First the camp was built for Polish criminals but a year after its completion was turned into a Jewish work and execution camp. You wander through these buildings on the tour where hundreds of Jews struggled to survive and most often died. We were taken to barracks that still held the original beds where Jews were forced to sleep two to a bed in something half as wide as a twin bed, three tiers high, in good conditions. It was just absolute insanity to me what I was seeing, a place where the innocent were brutally tortured and killed. It may be the first time I actually understood what the word genocide meant.
The most impacting barrack contained relics of the Jews that had been in Auschwitz. The Nazis had warehouses the prisoners referred to as "Canada" where all of the personal items taken from people were sorted and kept. Anything of value was taken by the Nazis to help the funding of the third reich. Now the artifacts remain as proof and memory of the people that were once contained in Auschwitz. In one room they had two tons of hair piled up on display. Braids, single strands, and ponytails filled a massive room incased in glass. My jaw was on the floor and the tour guide pointed out that this was only the hair from about 45,000 people. The approximate weight of the hair from all 1.5 million people executed at Auschwitz would total 67 tons. It will hit you in the gut. Other rooms displayed thousands of glasses stacked together, hundreds of thousands of shoes, luggage, bowls, and many other artifacts that once belonged to the people imprisoned at Auschwitz. Room after room filled with items collected off people after they were sent to the gas chamber.
When the Jews would arrive by train to the camp, they had been promised they were being taken to a better place where they could start a new life. Propaganda was the Nazis greatest tool, but for the Jews it seemed better for them to simply believe the propaganda than believe the stories of what was actually going on. Once on the platform at Auschwitz, SS doctors would sort the people into two groups, ones who looked healthy enough for work and those whom they believed weak. The weak group was led off to take a "shower." Told to strip down, remember where they left their belongings so they could retrieve them later, and rushed into a gas chamber decorated with fake shower heads hanging from the ceiling. These people had no idea what was going on. Lie after Lie.
We walked through the "prison inside a prison" at Auschwitz, Barrack 10. A place where people were sent to be "punished" and judged by the Gestapo. The basement was filled with cells used to starve, suffocate, and cripple men. No one ever left Barrack 10 alive. I can't even explain the feeling you get when walking through a place like that, seeing the etchings in the walls left by men trapped inside.
Finally in Auschwitz I, we were led to the only remaining gas chamber. (All other gas chambers and incinerators were destroyed by the Germans). It was devastating to be forced into this room in a line of tourists, stepping into the room that was the last stop for tens of thousands of people, many of whom had no idea what their outcome would be. They were just going for a much needed shower. It was appalling to see how close the Gestapo's home was to the chamber. A place where he raised a family and kept a garden for his wife. Prisoners could hear his children playing in their front yard as they stripped naked before entering the Zyklon B filled chamber. It was terrifying.
After Auschwitz I, we were taken to Brikenau, the largest of the three camps under the heading of Auschwitz. All of the barracks here were constructed of wood planks by the prisoners themselves. Today very few of the hundreds of barracks in Birkenau still stand, but as you look out over the expansive field, you see grass littered with still standing chimneys of where each barrack once stood. When the area was repopulated after the liberation, people would go to the unprotected camp and steal the wood from the barracks to construct their homes. Many of the homes standing in near by areas are built out of the concentration camp.
That was the thing I struggled the most with internally, the idea of working to preserve this place. In one spot there were actually construction workers re-roofing one of the barracks. At first I was disturbed by the idea of maintaining Auschwitz. But that is when I realized in order to honor the memory of the people that were held in this sick place, you have to remember the terrible acts committed against them by the Germans. It was just such a weird concept to me, "rebuilding" Auschwitz.
Needless to say, Shelley and I were exhausted after our visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, so we had a bit of lunch afterwards, walked around, and had some riveting political and social debates. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget.
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