Sorry for having left you in a cliffhanger. (Thanks for the reminder Dustin!) Yes, I made it home safely, but there were some highlights on my way back. So going four days back after our barbeque , when I was still in Milan, Adam and Heather were busy packing for their trip to Manchester, England, and I was packing for my trip home. We were leaving Italy the next day, only I would have to leave several hours earlier. Reason being was I had to take a train from Milan to Frankfurt to catch my flight. Adam sacrificed his sleep to get me out of bed (he knew my bad waking tendencies) at 5:30 am and drove me to the metro station. He also packed me a lunch (with Heather's delicious chocolate cake!) for my train ride. I made it to Stazione Milano Centrale with 15 minutes to spare for my 7:25 am train to Basel, Switzerland. It was so cool to see the landscape change within an hour as the train climbed into the Alps. Boy it was something to behold the jagged peaks and emerald lakes nestled in the valleys. I could only imagine what it would look like in the winter with snow capped mountains. The buildings--farmhouses and other village buildings--were constructed of wood, which was different from houses on the plains. However I could tell I was still in Italy from the train station names. But once the train got into Switzerland, the buildings were quite distinct. They had interesting overhung roofs that had a particular curved profile. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. It was very much how I had pictured tiny Swiss villages in the Alps. Yes, there were cows on the pastures.
I got off the train at Basel, which was a city of 731,000 on the French and German borders in northwest Switzerland. It was noticeably different from the rest of Europe because the streets were clean! Plus the weather was much more pleasant, a reprieve from the hot sticky weather! Although I was in the city centre in the middle of lunch hour, there wasn't a crazy frenzy of traffic and pedestrians. Rather, the city moved at a leisurely pace. And there were very few traffic lights because traffic itself was light. It was really relaxing to walk around the city and hang out before my train to Frankfurt.
The southwest part of Germany was fairly flat and pastoral. Most of it was farmland split up by gravel paths on which people biked. Ah, so very European! The train pulled into the Frankfurt Airport Terminal before the actual Frankfurt am Main station terminus (as it had stated on my ticket) so I quickly jumped off. It was a pleasant surprise how convenient the train was. I'll really miss the European train network because it was a breeze to catch a train and go to another country. And it was a really comfortable ride thanks to the well engineered shocks and struts on the train cars.
My flight was not too eventful, thankfully. I managed to sleep a good chunk of it. And when I got home 10 pm, I was able to sleep some more before work the next day!
Europe was indeed a blast! I had lots of good memories. Thanks to friends over in the UK and Italy and friends like you who read my blog and emailed. There were many things that I learned on this trip. The main thing was the difference in thinking and culture between Europe and North America. There were pros and cons to both. Just from travelling around a bit, I've compiled a list of places I'd like to visit on my next trip to Europe--Switzerland is definitely on the list! I will miss being a tourist as well and sipping on beer on the side of the road. Ah, good times.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
All's Well That Ends Well
This is it! My last full day in Europe. This morning I awoke to Adam putting spices into ground beef. I was promised to be involved with making burger patties and Adam delivered. So Adam and I stamped out patties like Santa's elves toys. This was all for our long-awaited barbeque with Adam and Heather's church at the lake (Lago Maggiore). We got out of the house just in time with all the stuff we needed. The weather was beautiful and we could finally see the mountains that surrounded Milan. They were still snowcapped, so it was awesome to see the Alps as they "should" be.
We picked up some girls from the metro station and then headed off on our road trip to Lago Maggiore. Unfortunately we hit a snag of traffic before the toll booths. Before I go on more, I should explain a bit about Italian drivers. They're crazy! Most of them don't shoulder check and would gladly cut you off. And they love to tailgate, or as they would like to put it "kiss your a--." But picture gorgeous Sunday when all the Italians (and Dutch, Germans, and French) were heading up to the lake region at the same time we were heading up to the lakes. Patience was a rare virtue. I'm still impressed with Adam's driving as he kept his cool and drove aggressively whenever necessary. Man, driving in Europe could drive me nuts!
We got to the lake in roughly two hours. All the Italians and their dogs were at the lake! It was packed, but I guess they were taking the opportunity of the good weather. Adam and I got to work to set the fire up. Argh, argh, argh! There were many Americans who went to the church so it was interesitng to see how they approached fire-making. They preferred to douce the charcoal with lighter fluid, but Adam and I built our fire out of a "labour of love." And when we got our homemade burgers on the grill, it was a moment of hallelujah! Of course our burgers we absolutely delish! Other people brought awesome food as well, like bratwurst and veal burgers.
After the feasting, we had a bit of praise and worship. When Adam lead worship with his guitar, it took me back to the good'ol days of TNF at UCM. I was so pleased to see Adam using his gift in another country, another continent. We sang some old school songs--so good! After the singing, it got really warm, so it only made sense that we jumped in the cool refreshing lake! We were playing water frisbee amidst lake water debris. There was a storm last night, a lot of debris was washed up on shore. We even had a dead slug grace our presence.
After our dip in the lake, it was time to pack up and go home. Not to mention that I was eaten alive by mosquitoes. One thing I forgot to mention was the multitude of mosquitoes in Milan. While we were at home (in Binasco) there were many mosquitoes hanging outside waiting to come in and feast on our blood. Rice patties were near the apartment in Binasco, so that was where the mosquitoes flew in from. But I was surprised at the presence of mosquitoes in Italy. Who would've thought there would be skeeters in Europe? Anyway, we got home in more than two hours, again thanks to the traffic coming from the lake.
Dinner was awesome because we got to finish our leftovers. Fried pollenta was delicious! (I can't wait to put some of those recipes to work once I get home!) It was just so good to chill with Adam and Heather. I will miss them, but they're coming back by the end of the year! Woo-hoo! Milan was such a nice break and good way to end my travels in Europe. I know that I want to come back. But I've been so blessed!
Now I gotta finish up packing. And then I'll catch a super early train to Frankfurt tomorrow so I can catch my flight home. I'll have to sum up in a later entry, but until then, good night!
We picked up some girls from the metro station and then headed off on our road trip to Lago Maggiore. Unfortunately we hit a snag of traffic before the toll booths. Before I go on more, I should explain a bit about Italian drivers. They're crazy! Most of them don't shoulder check and would gladly cut you off. And they love to tailgate, or as they would like to put it "kiss your a--." But picture gorgeous Sunday when all the Italians (and Dutch, Germans, and French) were heading up to the lake region at the same time we were heading up to the lakes. Patience was a rare virtue. I'm still impressed with Adam's driving as he kept his cool and drove aggressively whenever necessary. Man, driving in Europe could drive me nuts!
We got to the lake in roughly two hours. All the Italians and their dogs were at the lake! It was packed, but I guess they were taking the opportunity of the good weather. Adam and I got to work to set the fire up. Argh, argh, argh! There were many Americans who went to the church so it was interesitng to see how they approached fire-making. They preferred to douce the charcoal with lighter fluid, but Adam and I built our fire out of a "labour of love." And when we got our homemade burgers on the grill, it was a moment of hallelujah! Of course our burgers we absolutely delish! Other people brought awesome food as well, like bratwurst and veal burgers.
After the feasting, we had a bit of praise and worship. When Adam lead worship with his guitar, it took me back to the good'ol days of TNF at UCM. I was so pleased to see Adam using his gift in another country, another continent. We sang some old school songs--so good! After the singing, it got really warm, so it only made sense that we jumped in the cool refreshing lake! We were playing water frisbee amidst lake water debris. There was a storm last night, a lot of debris was washed up on shore. We even had a dead slug grace our presence.
After our dip in the lake, it was time to pack up and go home. Not to mention that I was eaten alive by mosquitoes. One thing I forgot to mention was the multitude of mosquitoes in Milan. While we were at home (in Binasco) there were many mosquitoes hanging outside waiting to come in and feast on our blood. Rice patties were near the apartment in Binasco, so that was where the mosquitoes flew in from. But I was surprised at the presence of mosquitoes in Italy. Who would've thought there would be skeeters in Europe? Anyway, we got home in more than two hours, again thanks to the traffic coming from the lake.
Dinner was awesome because we got to finish our leftovers. Fried pollenta was delicious! (I can't wait to put some of those recipes to work once I get home!) It was just so good to chill with Adam and Heather. I will miss them, but they're coming back by the end of the year! Woo-hoo! Milan was such a nice break and good way to end my travels in Europe. I know that I want to come back. But I've been so blessed!
Now I gotta finish up packing. And then I'll catch a super early train to Frankfurt tomorrow so I can catch my flight home. I'll have to sum up in a later entry, but until then, good night!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Milano--in a Flash!
Wow, I know I haven't posted any entries over the past four days, but that points to how relaxed I have been over the past four days. Essentially I've been having really good food at Adam and Heather's and going into Milan with Brett to go sightseeing. It's hard to summarize the past several days, but the key themes would have been food, fun, and fellowship. But here are the highlights:
Brett and I went up to Lake Como Wednesday so Adam could study for his exam. We got there by train. Again not being able to speak Italian was a challenge, but we managed to buy tickets. Lake Como was a resort town an hour plus north of Milan. The actual lake would roughly be the size and shape of Kootenay Lake. There were boutique stores in the piazzas and luxury homes in the hills. Brett said it was a touch reminiscent of Deep Cove, but with more people and development. I was surprised to see it as developed as it was, thinking that it was more wild. We strolled along the lake and got some beer. The sun was absolutely scorching and the air humid. The cold beer was refreshing, but still did not do much to cool me down.
That evening, Brett and I regrouped with Adam and Heather. (We actually met up in the same subway car--how strange and wonderful!) We headed off to a pub in town for an apperativo, which is roughly equivalent to happy hour but you could get unlimited appetizers and hors d'oeuvres with a drink. There was a wide selection, so yours truly was really content. Adam and Heather's friends from church were at the pub so a great time was had by all.
The next day was cathedral day as Adam took Brett and me inside the Duomo, which was Milan's main cathedral dedicated to Mary. The building exterior was thoroughly ornate with many figures and statues. There was a scene depicting David and the killing of Goliath. Inside, the stain glass windows were absolutely stunning. It took 500 years to build the cathedral and one could see why when they see all the ornate work carved in marble.
We went to the Castello Sforzesco, which was the medieval castle that formed the part of the city wall. The interesting feature about the castle was the extensive use of red brick all over. There were parts of the walls that was in disrepair, but I suppose it would have been a way to emphasize its antiquity. Later on that afternoon, we stopped by another cathedral that honoured St. Lawrence. It was definitely not as grand as the Duomo, but it was refuge from the intense summer sun and heat. We also had a "McBeer" at a McDonald's, so that really was an integral part of my experience in Europe.
Friday morning, Adam drove all of us (Heather, Brett, and me) to the nearby town of Cremona. It was an hour or so away by car. The town was famous for being the birthplace of the Stradivarius violin. In fact, there was a museum dedicated to the Stradivarius stringed instruments. Adam and Heather totally went on this road trip just for me. I felt truly special. The museum had all sorts of violins, violas, celli, and double bass, as well as viols and twelve-stringed violin predescessors. Ever so cool! They even displayed the templates and patterns Antonio Stradivari used to create his lovely instruments. We also went by the clock tower in Cremona, which was the second tallest brick tower in Europe. It was hard to miss.
After we spent the morning in Cremona, Brett and I were dropped off in Milan to check out the Last Supper painting by Leonardo di Vinci. The famous painting was on a wall inside a church in Milan. I had reserved tickets to go on the tour a month or so ago because many people want to come to see the painting and they needed to restrict visitors per day. Even when I asked if Brett could come with me, the lady at the front refused. So Brett had to wait outside for me while I went into the church for the tour. The painting was actually done as a fresco on the chruch wall, but di Vinci had used an "incorrect" technique so that was why the fresco painting was deteriorating. The painting had gone through numerous subsequent restorations. The guided tour was very informative and the lady pointed out many things I hadn't noticed before. But her Italian-accented English was somewhat amusing to follow because she sounded very robotic.
Today was Brett's last day at Adam and Heather's so I spent most of the day with him. Adam also wrote his exam today as well. I took Brett to the Papiniano Market to show him all the weird-looking Italian produce. It was one of my favourite parts of town because it was a good place to see Milanese culture live. Then we spent most of the day wandering around Milan. It was really good to just walk the streets and take in the sights because it was the coolest (weather-wise) day of my stay in Milan so far.
After I bid adieu to Brett, I went back to Adam and Heather's to meet up with them. Adam had finished his exam, woo-hoo! so we had to celebrate! We met Adam and Heather's friends Nick and Adrianne for some apperativos in town. We actually went to the "party" section of Milan, which had a number of canals running through. It was very pretty and it was nice just strolling in the warmth of the evening. After stuffing ourselves with appetizers, we went to another place for crepes for dessert. The way Italians served crepes was different as it was similar to beavertails. They were folded in half and coated with icing sugar. Absolutely delicious!
So basically that was a recap of the past four days in Milan. You can fill in the gaps with gelato, broken Italian, running away from the scorching sticky heat, chilling out in parks, and more gelato. The past few days have been a blessing for me because I was very much relaxed. Oh how I will miss Milan....
Brett and I went up to Lake Como Wednesday so Adam could study for his exam. We got there by train. Again not being able to speak Italian was a challenge, but we managed to buy tickets. Lake Como was a resort town an hour plus north of Milan. The actual lake would roughly be the size and shape of Kootenay Lake. There were boutique stores in the piazzas and luxury homes in the hills. Brett said it was a touch reminiscent of Deep Cove, but with more people and development. I was surprised to see it as developed as it was, thinking that it was more wild. We strolled along the lake and got some beer. The sun was absolutely scorching and the air humid. The cold beer was refreshing, but still did not do much to cool me down.
That evening, Brett and I regrouped with Adam and Heather. (We actually met up in the same subway car--how strange and wonderful!) We headed off to a pub in town for an apperativo, which is roughly equivalent to happy hour but you could get unlimited appetizers and hors d'oeuvres with a drink. There was a wide selection, so yours truly was really content. Adam and Heather's friends from church were at the pub so a great time was had by all.
The next day was cathedral day as Adam took Brett and me inside the Duomo, which was Milan's main cathedral dedicated to Mary. The building exterior was thoroughly ornate with many figures and statues. There was a scene depicting David and the killing of Goliath. Inside, the stain glass windows were absolutely stunning. It took 500 years to build the cathedral and one could see why when they see all the ornate work carved in marble.
We went to the Castello Sforzesco, which was the medieval castle that formed the part of the city wall. The interesting feature about the castle was the extensive use of red brick all over. There were parts of the walls that was in disrepair, but I suppose it would have been a way to emphasize its antiquity. Later on that afternoon, we stopped by another cathedral that honoured St. Lawrence. It was definitely not as grand as the Duomo, but it was refuge from the intense summer sun and heat. We also had a "McBeer" at a McDonald's, so that really was an integral part of my experience in Europe.
Friday morning, Adam drove all of us (Heather, Brett, and me) to the nearby town of Cremona. It was an hour or so away by car. The town was famous for being the birthplace of the Stradivarius violin. In fact, there was a museum dedicated to the Stradivarius stringed instruments. Adam and Heather totally went on this road trip just for me. I felt truly special. The museum had all sorts of violins, violas, celli, and double bass, as well as viols and twelve-stringed violin predescessors. Ever so cool! They even displayed the templates and patterns Antonio Stradivari used to create his lovely instruments. We also went by the clock tower in Cremona, which was the second tallest brick tower in Europe. It was hard to miss.
After we spent the morning in Cremona, Brett and I were dropped off in Milan to check out the Last Supper painting by Leonardo di Vinci. The famous painting was on a wall inside a church in Milan. I had reserved tickets to go on the tour a month or so ago because many people want to come to see the painting and they needed to restrict visitors per day. Even when I asked if Brett could come with me, the lady at the front refused. So Brett had to wait outside for me while I went into the church for the tour. The painting was actually done as a fresco on the chruch wall, but di Vinci had used an "incorrect" technique so that was why the fresco painting was deteriorating. The painting had gone through numerous subsequent restorations. The guided tour was very informative and the lady pointed out many things I hadn't noticed before. But her Italian-accented English was somewhat amusing to follow because she sounded very robotic.
Today was Brett's last day at Adam and Heather's so I spent most of the day with him. Adam also wrote his exam today as well. I took Brett to the Papiniano Market to show him all the weird-looking Italian produce. It was one of my favourite parts of town because it was a good place to see Milanese culture live. Then we spent most of the day wandering around Milan. It was really good to just walk the streets and take in the sights because it was the coolest (weather-wise) day of my stay in Milan so far.
After I bid adieu to Brett, I went back to Adam and Heather's to meet up with them. Adam had finished his exam, woo-hoo! so we had to celebrate! We met Adam and Heather's friends Nick and Adrianne for some apperativos in town. We actually went to the "party" section of Milan, which had a number of canals running through. It was very pretty and it was nice just strolling in the warmth of the evening. After stuffing ourselves with appetizers, we went to another place for crepes for dessert. The way Italians served crepes was different as it was similar to beavertails. They were folded in half and coated with icing sugar. Absolutely delicious!
So basically that was a recap of the past four days in Milan. You can fill in the gaps with gelato, broken Italian, running away from the scorching sticky heat, chilling out in parks, and more gelato. The past few days have been a blessing for me because I was very much relaxed. Oh how I will miss Milan....
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Brett Joins the Party
Today Adam and I had the boys day out. In the morning, we checked out an open-air market selling lots of produce in Milan. The produce was really varied and interesting. There was zucchini that had a string-like shape. And the Italians eat zucchini flowers! Melons were different too. There were other leafy greens that were native to Italy. There were also fresh seafood stands stocked with anchovies, mackerels, perch, bass, octopi, squid, eel, tillapia, prawns, shrimp, etc. I really loved that market. And nearby was a Sri Lankan restaurant--you should check it out Srimal!
We walked around Milan for a while. Adam was posing in his new blue Nikes that he got yesterday. No I'm kidding, but everyone in Milan dressed really well. I couldn't help but feel underdressed as a tourist. It was really cool to see the architecture in Italy. There are differences between the architectural styles in England, France, and Italy, although the French and Italian buildings were similar.
We met up with Adam's friend AJ for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. AJ was an American studying in Milan. Really cool guy. After lunch we walked to the hotel Brett was staying at and picked him up. We then drove home and stopped for groceries on the way. Man oh man, driving in Italy is an adventure. People don't shoulder check. A couple of times we almost got run off the freeway.
Heather made this killer tiramisu and we had it for dessert. It was absolutely delicious and it was her first attempt! Adam insisted that this would be the first of many times. I feel so special to have partaken in Heather's successful premier endeavour. Such an awesome way of capping the night.
We walked around Milan for a while. Adam was posing in his new blue Nikes that he got yesterday. No I'm kidding, but everyone in Milan dressed really well. I couldn't help but feel underdressed as a tourist. It was really cool to see the architecture in Italy. There are differences between the architectural styles in England, France, and Italy, although the French and Italian buildings were similar.
We met up with Adam's friend AJ for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. AJ was an American studying in Milan. Really cool guy. After lunch we walked to the hotel Brett was staying at and picked him up. We then drove home and stopped for groceries on the way. Man oh man, driving in Italy is an adventure. People don't shoulder check. A couple of times we almost got run off the freeway.
Heather made this killer tiramisu and we had it for dessert. It was absolutely delicious and it was her first attempt! Adam insisted that this would be the first of many times. I feel so special to have partaken in Heather's successful premier endeavour. Such an awesome way of capping the night.
Monday, July 13, 2009
I Love the Davies!
It was so good to see Adam and Heather greet me at the train station today. They were familiar smiling faces I haven't see for a while. The train ride from Nice to Milan took a tad londer than expected. First instead of taking a direct train from Nice to Milan, I had to take a train to the Italian border (Ventimiglia) and that train was delayed. And then I had to switch to a train going directly to Milan, which was just about to leave when we got to Ventimiglia. The Italian train was quite a bit older than the French one, but still rather comfortable. All the announcements were in Italian, so I felt rather lost. Luckily there were some Frenchmen in the same compartment so they reassured that I was still heading to Milan.
After Adam and Heather picked me up, we stopped at the grocery store, Carrefour to be exact to do some groceries. There was an amazing cold cut selection. There were different kinds of salami and interesting uncooked beef tenderloin cold cut. Adam spotted his favourite wild boar cold cut, so we'll have some of that tomorrow in our sandwiches! As well, we got fresh mozzarella cheese. Afterwards we stopped for some gelato, which was so rich and filling!
The apartment Adam and Heather are staying at is large, bright, and spacious! The balcony stretches the entire length of the apartment--really cool. I was expecting it to be a smaller place but was pleasantly surprised. (It's huge by European standards.)
The highlight of my day was to help out with dinner. Adam made this wicked carpione salad with the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella we bought earlier. The fresh mozzarella was so good. Nothing like what we get in Vancouver. Then it was risotto with chicken and sundried tomatoes. It was really therapeutic for me to cook something at home. I (and my wallet) needed a break from eating out all the time. We paired our meal with this awesome German white wine. Oh so good!
Tomorrow Adam and I will head out to town and go to the large market with fresh produce. I'm really looking forward to that. Then we'll meet a friend of Adam's and then hopefully we'll pick up Brett, who just happens to be in Milan around the same time as me. Hooray!
After Adam and Heather picked me up, we stopped at the grocery store, Carrefour to be exact to do some groceries. There was an amazing cold cut selection. There were different kinds of salami and interesting uncooked beef tenderloin cold cut. Adam spotted his favourite wild boar cold cut, so we'll have some of that tomorrow in our sandwiches! As well, we got fresh mozzarella cheese. Afterwards we stopped for some gelato, which was so rich and filling!
The apartment Adam and Heather are staying at is large, bright, and spacious! The balcony stretches the entire length of the apartment--really cool. I was expecting it to be a smaller place but was pleasantly surprised. (It's huge by European standards.)
The highlight of my day was to help out with dinner. Adam made this wicked carpione salad with the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella we bought earlier. The fresh mozzarella was so good. Nothing like what we get in Vancouver. Then it was risotto with chicken and sundried tomatoes. It was really therapeutic for me to cook something at home. I (and my wallet) needed a break from eating out all the time. We paired our meal with this awesome German white wine. Oh so good!
Tomorrow Adam and I will head out to town and go to the large market with fresh produce. I'm really looking forward to that. Then we'll meet a friend of Adam's and then hopefully we'll pick up Brett, who just happens to be in Milan around the same time as me. Hooray!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Swimming in the Mediterranean
The beach in Nice proved to be everything I had imagined and even more. Unlike typical sand beaches we associate with back in Canada, the beach in Nice was pebbles. However it was surprisingly comfortable to lie on. The sun was gloriously shining and it was so good to bask in its glow. I absolutely needed to stretch out and sleep after these days of hustling around. And contrary to popular belief there were only a few topless women.
After several hours on the beach, I went for dinner with a hostel roommate from the Ukraine. He had a really interesting theory on the economic recession and philosophy on how the world should run. Later on, we met up with another hostel roommate and headed to a pub for drinks. On the way, we stopped by to see some street performers break-dancing and MJ moonwalking. Pretty spectacular tricks!
Nice was a really beautiful place throughout the day. The buildings were painted in pastel colours and there was a definite Mediterranean atmosphere. There were large plazas with fountains and tiled pavement. "Victorian" buildings lined the streets. The most striking feature of Nice was the vivid blue and turquoise of the Mediterranean Sea. The beach promonnade was my favourite spot as I was reminded that Paul sailed in this very same sea and that God created all this beauty and the rolling waves. Nice was very much what I needed in the middle of my trip.
After several hours on the beach, I went for dinner with a hostel roommate from the Ukraine. He had a really interesting theory on the economic recession and philosophy on how the world should run. Later on, we met up with another hostel roommate and headed to a pub for drinks. On the way, we stopped by to see some street performers break-dancing and MJ moonwalking. Pretty spectacular tricks!
Nice was a really beautiful place throughout the day. The buildings were painted in pastel colours and there was a definite Mediterranean atmosphere. There were large plazas with fountains and tiled pavement. "Victorian" buildings lined the streets. The most striking feature of Nice was the vivid blue and turquoise of the Mediterranean Sea. The beach promonnade was my favourite spot as I was reminded that Paul sailed in this very same sea and that God created all this beauty and the rolling waves. Nice was very much what I needed in the middle of my trip.
Je suis arrive en France !
Yes I'm in France after a three-hour train ride from London to Paris. It was a superb train ride. I wish we could have more high-speed trains in North America. Interestingly, my brain automatically switched to French once I got to the train station in London. Amazingly people understood my broken French!
Getting to the hostel in Paris was a bit of an adventure requiring much patience. Many of the vending machines for Metro tickets were broken and of course there was a line of tired and confused travellers. A bunch of us moved from line to line, hoping that the machine wouldn't break down. Eventually got on the Metro and found my way to the hostel.
It was 9 pm when I settled for dinner. I think I had the best meal so far in Europe: le canard fris avec les pommes sallinaires. (I've butchered the spelling.) Then I headed off to l'Arc de Triumphe. As soon I got out of the Metro station, the magnificent structure was totally in my face that I couldn't help but have an actual realization that I was in Paris, France. Took lots of pictures. Yep, traffic going around the Arc was chaotic. Saw some near misses. I was joking with some French soldiers about how there weren't any traffic lines painted in the pavement. I guess I got a bit carried away and I swung my arm with the camera. The camera slipped off and went straight to the pavement. I totally outdid Cyndi Hunter. The camera broke but thankfully the memory card was still intact so I could retrieve the pictures. I was definitely heart-broken but I was able to get a film camera on Champs-Elysses. After lArc de Triumphe, I went to see the Eiffel Tower. Another really impressive structure. There was so much steel in that tower! By then it was past midnight, so I didn't stay out too late because I had to catch a train to Nice early this morning.
Now I am in Nice right on the lovely French Riviera. Oh everything looks like the pictures on TV. I took the TGV with a girl from Texas I met at the hostel. She just so happened to be going to Nice as well. We swapped stories of our travels in Europe. She's been in Europe for almost two months now and she's ready to go home in several days. Both of us are eager to head to the beach because the weather is absolutely gorgeous!
So I'm gonna end off this blog entry and head out to the beach. Off to Milan tomorrow. Woo-hoo! Salut!
Getting to the hostel in Paris was a bit of an adventure requiring much patience. Many of the vending machines for Metro tickets were broken and of course there was a line of tired and confused travellers. A bunch of us moved from line to line, hoping that the machine wouldn't break down. Eventually got on the Metro and found my way to the hostel.
It was 9 pm when I settled for dinner. I think I had the best meal so far in Europe: le canard fris avec les pommes sallinaires. (I've butchered the spelling.) Then I headed off to l'Arc de Triumphe. As soon I got out of the Metro station, the magnificent structure was totally in my face that I couldn't help but have an actual realization that I was in Paris, France. Took lots of pictures. Yep, traffic going around the Arc was chaotic. Saw some near misses. I was joking with some French soldiers about how there weren't any traffic lines painted in the pavement. I guess I got a bit carried away and I swung my arm with the camera. The camera slipped off and went straight to the pavement. I totally outdid Cyndi Hunter. The camera broke but thankfully the memory card was still intact so I could retrieve the pictures. I was definitely heart-broken but I was able to get a film camera on Champs-Elysses. After lArc de Triumphe, I went to see the Eiffel Tower. Another really impressive structure. There was so much steel in that tower! By then it was past midnight, so I didn't stay out too late because I had to catch a train to Nice early this morning.
Now I am in Nice right on the lovely French Riviera. Oh everything looks like the pictures on TV. I took the TGV with a girl from Texas I met at the hostel. She just so happened to be going to Nice as well. We swapped stories of our travels in Europe. She's been in Europe for almost two months now and she's ready to go home in several days. Both of us are eager to head to the beach because the weather is absolutely gorgeous!
So I'm gonna end off this blog entry and head out to the beach. Off to Milan tomorrow. Woo-hoo! Salut!
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