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!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Goodbye London
It's my last day in London. As I come to an end on this leg of my Europe trip, I've learned a few things:
1) The Tube goes everywhere, but you'll get there on their schedule. And yes mind the gap and be prepared to leap.
2) Look right, then left before crossing the street. And disregard the walk signal.
3) It's okay to speak up and wave energetically in a restaurant. Otherwise your server would not notice you.
4) Say "thank you" instead of "thanks"
5) Beer in hand makes cultural transitions more understandable.
I'm off to pack my stuff. I'll head out to a pub to have a nice leisurely lunch. The weather is slightly overcast, but probably warm enough for sitting outside. Then I'm off to catch the Eurostar train to Paris! Hopefully my next blog entry will be from Paris!
1) The Tube goes everywhere, but you'll get there on their schedule. And yes mind the gap and be prepared to leap.
2) Look right, then left before crossing the street. And disregard the walk signal.
3) It's okay to speak up and wave energetically in a restaurant. Otherwise your server would not notice you.
4) Say "thank you" instead of "thanks"
5) Beer in hand makes cultural transitions more understandable.
I'm off to pack my stuff. I'll head out to a pub to have a nice leisurely lunch. The weather is slightly overcast, but probably warm enough for sitting outside. Then I'm off to catch the Eurostar train to Paris! Hopefully my next blog entry will be from Paris!
Last Blitz in London
Wow, my time in London is drawing to a close. I guess I was saving "the best" of London for the last full day: the British Museum. I mentally prepared myself that I wouldn't be able to see all the exhibits in one of the largest museums in Europe due to my time constraint so it would be okay to skip some exhibits. Plus my feet would probably tire out before my eyes and brain. Happily I went to all the exhibits I had wanted to check out. There were the Rosetta Stone, Partheon, and mummies upon mummies. Of course I saw other artifacts but those were the highlights. And I went on a fairly comprehensive whirlwind tour and was done in record time: two and a half hours with some change to spare. If I was staying in London longer, I would've visited the British Museum over several days to truly observe the exhibits, as admission to the museum and any other official UK museum is free. (Londoners have it easy!)
Since I had some extra time, I visited the nearby Cartoon Museum. The Brits are obsessed with Margaret Thatcher! Maggie was quite the influential prime minister during the economic depression in the '80's--you can choose to like her or hate her. Needless to say she was the butt of many jokes and an obvious target for caricaturists. Again, some of the cartoons and comics in the museum were too British for my understanding, but the Brits like their humour like their scotch: dry.
I dropped by the National Gallery to finish checking out the Impressionists exhibit. Ah, the perks of free admission to museums. Afterwards, I went out for dinner with Danielle. We had Italian in Leicester Square because all the drinking holes were packed with patrons and their pints of beer overflowing onto the street. It was sad to bid adieu to her, but all good things must come to an end. Actually I got to see her off at Victoria Station. In fact, the station staff at the turnstile saw that Danielle and I were trying to extend our goodbyes so he let me onto the platform. What an awesome thing to do! So I got to chat with Danielle a bit more before she actually had to board the train. And yes, Danielle, the guy let me back out with no issues. What a cool guy!
Alright it's off to bed for my trip out to Paris tomorrow.
Since I had some extra time, I visited the nearby Cartoon Museum. The Brits are obsessed with Margaret Thatcher! Maggie was quite the influential prime minister during the economic depression in the '80's--you can choose to like her or hate her. Needless to say she was the butt of many jokes and an obvious target for caricaturists. Again, some of the cartoons and comics in the museum were too British for my understanding, but the Brits like their humour like their scotch: dry.
I dropped by the National Gallery to finish checking out the Impressionists exhibit. Ah, the perks of free admission to museums. Afterwards, I went out for dinner with Danielle. We had Italian in Leicester Square because all the drinking holes were packed with patrons and their pints of beer overflowing onto the street. It was sad to bid adieu to her, but all good things must come to an end. Actually I got to see her off at Victoria Station. In fact, the station staff at the turnstile saw that Danielle and I were trying to extend our goodbyes so he let me onto the platform. What an awesome thing to do! So I got to chat with Danielle a bit more before she actually had to board the train. And yes, Danielle, the guy let me back out with no issues. What a cool guy!
Alright it's off to bed for my trip out to Paris tomorrow.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Museum Fatigue
St. Paul's Cathedral was my first stop this morning. I went on the tour inside. I knew from attending last evening's service there were many carvings and statues around the sanctuary. However it was really on the tour that I found out what/whom these statues were commemorating. Most of the sculptures were memorials to Britain's fallen soldiers from various battle campaigns. They were done in the classical Greco-Roman manner, so semi-clothed Greek mythology characters held dead or dying soilders in their arms. I thought it was slightly intriguing that a Christian church would have classical Greek and Roman mythological characters inside the church.
I also got to climb up 300+ steps to get to the dome of the cathedral. It was an ideal spot for looking at London and its skyline. It was such as reward to enjoy the breeze after huffing and puffing to get up there. Down in the crypt, there were more caskets and tombs commemorating dead soldiers. I guess London really like to remember the war.
I was ready for some art, so I headed off to Tate Britain. The galleries mainly showed British art from 1400's to 1900's. Many pieces by JMW Turner were on featured. The modern and contemporary art was limited, mainly because the modern stuff was housed at Tate Modern. So I went to the nearby pier to catch a ferry to Tate Modern, which was on the other side of the Thames. The weather was glorious today, so it was a great day to be on the water. Tate Modern was housed inside a former steam power plant. The entrance to the museum used to be a hall with turbines. In fact, the overhead crane and rails were not removed, but kept as part of the structure of the building. Some of the pieces in Tate Modern challenged my definition of art. As I went through the exhibits, I chuckled at some of the pieces Graeme had mentioned. I'd like to think I'm fairly art savvy, but many times I had to question the artistic merit of some of the pieces.
I left Tate Modern with really sore feet and an even sorer mind. Seeing there was still some time in the afternoon, I zipped over to the National Gallery to see some "real" art by masters like Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Gauguin and others. Sure my feet were still sore, but my mind cleared up a bit.
Here's a warning to you all: steel-toed hiking boots are not designed for walking on concrete or pavement for nine hours. After all the trekking around museums, I went to an Indian restaurant for some much-needed curry. So good....
I also got to climb up 300+ steps to get to the dome of the cathedral. It was an ideal spot for looking at London and its skyline. It was such as reward to enjoy the breeze after huffing and puffing to get up there. Down in the crypt, there were more caskets and tombs commemorating dead soldiers. I guess London really like to remember the war.
I was ready for some art, so I headed off to Tate Britain. The galleries mainly showed British art from 1400's to 1900's. Many pieces by JMW Turner were on featured. The modern and contemporary art was limited, mainly because the modern stuff was housed at Tate Modern. So I went to the nearby pier to catch a ferry to Tate Modern, which was on the other side of the Thames. The weather was glorious today, so it was a great day to be on the water. Tate Modern was housed inside a former steam power plant. The entrance to the museum used to be a hall with turbines. In fact, the overhead crane and rails were not removed, but kept as part of the structure of the building. Some of the pieces in Tate Modern challenged my definition of art. As I went through the exhibits, I chuckled at some of the pieces Graeme had mentioned. I'd like to think I'm fairly art savvy, but many times I had to question the artistic merit of some of the pieces.
I left Tate Modern with really sore feet and an even sorer mind. Seeing there was still some time in the afternoon, I zipped over to the National Gallery to see some "real" art by masters like Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Gauguin and others. Sure my feet were still sore, but my mind cleared up a bit.
Here's a warning to you all: steel-toed hiking boots are not designed for walking on concrete or pavement for nine hours. After all the trekking around museums, I went to an Indian restaurant for some much-needed curry. So good....
Tower to Tower
I guess today could have been termed as my London historical tour. I started off at Tower Bridge, which is the bridge we all see on TV during New Year's. It's a monumental structure spanning the River Thames. The bridge runs between two gothic-style granite towers. The coolest thing is that the middle span lifts up to allow for large boats to pass under. All this is accomplished by steam and hydraulic power. We got to learn about the system as part of the tour. Basically there were massive coal-fired boilers and piston and crankshaft underneath the bridge. The crankshaft powered these hydraulic pumps that circulated water to drive the leaves of the bridge to lift up and down. Pretty cool engineerng! The bridge celebrated its 100th anniversary several years ago. Now the steam/hydraulic system has been replaced by an electric/hydraulic (oil) system with a PLC panel.
After the tour of Tower Bridge, I walked across to get to the Tower of London. It was a defence fortress built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. It was pretty cool to walk in and touch a struture that as stood for almost a thousand years. Sure a lot of the stones have been really worn, but they were still standing. The fortress was also known for a place for executing sovereigns and criminals. Our yeoman warden tour guide tried to spook the kids in the group by emphasizing "And they had their heads cut off from their bodies!" Several kids fell for it every tme. There was also a chapel on the grounds of the fortress where the royalty worshipped. Many of the executed were also buried there too. There was a special exhibit on Henry VIII and they managed to portray him as a valiant warriar and skilled athlete. But sorry, I still think he was a bit of a crazed power freak. The exhibit housed many original weapons and armour used by Henry VIII and company. By the time I was done viewing the exhibit, I felt I had seen enough of medieval England. The line to go in to view the crown jewels stretched for a block's length, far too long for my grumbing stomach and spaghetti legs. Besides, I wasn't really interested in looking at bling.
I dashed off to St. Paul's Cathedral to find that it was closed for visitors for the day. However there was an evening service so I stuck around to check it out. Wow, I though the exterior of the cathedral was grand enough, but the inside was ten times more richly ornamented. It was too bad that no photography inside was permitted. The entire choir was singing at the service and it was hard to not be moved to hear the chorus of voices inside the cavernous church. We got to sing some familiar hymns so it helped me feel more at home. The sermon was on the thin side, but it was an experience to have attended a service at the St. Paul's Cathedral. Oh well, I will have to try visiting St. Paul's tomorrow morning to get the full tour.
After the tour of Tower Bridge, I walked across to get to the Tower of London. It was a defence fortress built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. It was pretty cool to walk in and touch a struture that as stood for almost a thousand years. Sure a lot of the stones have been really worn, but they were still standing. The fortress was also known for a place for executing sovereigns and criminals. Our yeoman warden tour guide tried to spook the kids in the group by emphasizing "And they had their heads cut off from their bodies!" Several kids fell for it every tme. There was also a chapel on the grounds of the fortress where the royalty worshipped. Many of the executed were also buried there too. There was a special exhibit on Henry VIII and they managed to portray him as a valiant warriar and skilled athlete. But sorry, I still think he was a bit of a crazed power freak. The exhibit housed many original weapons and armour used by Henry VIII and company. By the time I was done viewing the exhibit, I felt I had seen enough of medieval England. The line to go in to view the crown jewels stretched for a block's length, far too long for my grumbing stomach and spaghetti legs. Besides, I wasn't really interested in looking at bling.
I dashed off to St. Paul's Cathedral to find that it was closed for visitors for the day. However there was an evening service so I stuck around to check it out. Wow, I though the exterior of the cathedral was grand enough, but the inside was ten times more richly ornamented. It was too bad that no photography inside was permitted. The entire choir was singing at the service and it was hard to not be moved to hear the chorus of voices inside the cavernous church. We got to sing some familiar hymns so it helped me feel more at home. The sermon was on the thin side, but it was an experience to have attended a service at the St. Paul's Cathedral. Oh well, I will have to try visiting St. Paul's tomorrow morning to get the full tour.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
London Crowds
This morning I set out with great intentions to watch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. The guy at the Guards Museum told me yesterday that the changing would taking place at 11 am and it would be the Coldstream regiment (in reds and bearskins), but it's best to be there a bit earlier. I got to the palace gate at 10:30 and there were several rows of people jammed up against the palace gate and fence already. The police and even some on horseback were on hand control the crowds. After waiting for what seemed an eternity, the drums grew louder and louder until the marching band approached. The crowd that had been waiting for more than half an hour jostled each other for a better location to snap pictures of the guards. I wasn't really a fan of being trampled on, so I stayed back and settled for not really decent shots. (But you could still make out the guards behind the iron rail fence.) I stuck around for another forty-five minutes. The actual changing of the guards, ie. switching the two guards standing in front of the palace from one regiment to the other, happened a good forty minutes into the whole ceremony and took only a couple minutes. The rest of the time was filled up with marching/parading/ceremony/band and it still was not over when I left. I'm biased here, but I wouldn't really go back to watch the parading had I known it would take so long and that there'd be such a crowd.
The Globe Theatre--yes, of Shakespearean fame--was a more rewarding experience. The current building was a replica of the original. It was built based of archeological digs, written descriptions. and historical illustrations. I went on the guided tour and we got to sit in on part of a rehearsal of Troilus and Cressida. Really cool to see professional actors work on their craft. I wasn't planning to go see Shakespeare on this trip, but after seeing the performance, I just might have to.
Thick black clouds rolled in late afternoon and the rain started around 5 pm. In fact there was thunder and lightning, and eventually hail. Pebble-sized hail in London in July. Way crazy weather! I was waiting on the street underneath some awning and asked the lady beside me whether or not this would be a common summer occurrence and she shook her head.
When the hail and rain subsided, my friend Graeme showed up. We had planned to go for a pint. Graeme and I used to work at Sandwell, but he moved over to London over a year ago to follow the love of his life. He wasn't really sure of where and which pub to go to, so we hopped onto the Tube and walked around for a while. Now, I haven't really figured out how to cross the street in London. Cars drive on the left side of the road, so usually pedestrians would need to look right first before crossing. But on top of this, London pedestrians don't typicaly obey walk signals. Jay-walking is the norm. But I usually don't jay-walk on my own, only do so when I'm crossing in a group. (Safety in numbers!) So when Graeme and I were walking, I was very much concentrating on chatting and not paying much attention to the traffic. Several times my instinct kicked in and I looked left before crossing and thought there was oncoming traffic and freaked Graeme out. And some times, Graeme had to stop me from crossing because there was a car coming from the right that I had missed. It's a wonder how I haven't been run over yet. And yeah, Graeme told me that cars have the right-of-way. Great!
So we found our watering hole in Victoria and lo and behold, there was an immense crowd outside the train station. Turned out the hail managed to compomise some of the glass in the station ceiling so it was closed. Hundreds (maybe close to a thousand) commuters were stuck in the middle of the afternoon rush hour. We heard some shouting going on, but understandable as I would be frustrated too. Many of the stranded ended up in the pub we were at, but not really an issue as we found a table shortly after. It was a good time catching up with Graeme. And it was interesting to see Londoners get unroudy for a bit, because they are oh-so-cool most of the time.
The Globe Theatre--yes, of Shakespearean fame--was a more rewarding experience. The current building was a replica of the original. It was built based of archeological digs, written descriptions. and historical illustrations. I went on the guided tour and we got to sit in on part of a rehearsal of Troilus and Cressida. Really cool to see professional actors work on their craft. I wasn't planning to go see Shakespeare on this trip, but after seeing the performance, I just might have to.
Thick black clouds rolled in late afternoon and the rain started around 5 pm. In fact there was thunder and lightning, and eventually hail. Pebble-sized hail in London in July. Way crazy weather! I was waiting on the street underneath some awning and asked the lady beside me whether or not this would be a common summer occurrence and she shook her head.
When the hail and rain subsided, my friend Graeme showed up. We had planned to go for a pint. Graeme and I used to work at Sandwell, but he moved over to London over a year ago to follow the love of his life. He wasn't really sure of where and which pub to go to, so we hopped onto the Tube and walked around for a while. Now, I haven't really figured out how to cross the street in London. Cars drive on the left side of the road, so usually pedestrians would need to look right first before crossing. But on top of this, London pedestrians don't typicaly obey walk signals. Jay-walking is the norm. But I usually don't jay-walk on my own, only do so when I'm crossing in a group. (Safety in numbers!) So when Graeme and I were walking, I was very much concentrating on chatting and not paying much attention to the traffic. Several times my instinct kicked in and I looked left before crossing and thought there was oncoming traffic and freaked Graeme out. And some times, Graeme had to stop me from crossing because there was a car coming from the right that I had missed. It's a wonder how I haven't been run over yet. And yeah, Graeme told me that cars have the right-of-way. Great!
So we found our watering hole in Victoria and lo and behold, there was an immense crowd outside the train station. Turned out the hail managed to compomise some of the glass in the station ceiling so it was closed. Hundreds (maybe close to a thousand) commuters were stuck in the middle of the afternoon rush hour. We heard some shouting going on, but understandable as I would be frustrated too. Many of the stranded ended up in the pub we were at, but not really an issue as we found a table shortly after. It was a good time catching up with Graeme. And it was interesting to see Londoners get unroudy for a bit, because they are oh-so-cool most of the time.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"Keep Calm and Carry On"
Yesterday's weather didn't turn out to be as horrible as predicted, but I still went to the London in WWII and Churchill and War Cabinet Museums in the morning. The latter was more worthwhile than the former. The Britain at War Museum had a lot of common goods from the Second World War in London. There was a life-size bomb shelter--way too dark and scary, lots of propoganda posters, gas masks, among other goods. However the Churchill Museum and War Cabinet Museum showed the preserved rooms and their contents that were used by the Churchill and his War Cabinet. Really interesting to see the technology they used back then. There were still rotary dial phones and scramblers. Archaic compared to today of course, but it did the job. There was another section of the museum that was dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill. It turns out he was an amateur painter and his oil paintings weren't half bad at all. It was kinda surprising to learn that a fiesty cigar-smoking man would indulge in such a contemplative passtime.
When I stepped out of the museum, I noticed a nearby building with the inscription "The Institution of Mechanical Engineers." Intrigued, I stepped in to inquire about the purpose of such "institution." It turned out to be the UK's equivalent of APEG. The receptionist gave me a visitor's pass to check out the library. it was housed in a Victorian room with high ceilings and gothic moulding. Although it was small, the library had floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books, some of which I recognized. I had to step out after reading for half an hour.
Later on in the afternoon, I went to the Guard Museum which displayed all sorts of guards' uniforms (yes, the famous red tunic and black bearskin hat) and armament. I was slightly disappointed because by the time I saw the third red tunic, I felt like I had seen them all.
The day ended with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery and a British independent romantic comedy called Looking for Eric. British humour is rather different as some of their jokes went over my head. Oh well, it is a different culture after all. And some humour was a good way to end a day that started with war and destruction.
When I stepped out of the museum, I noticed a nearby building with the inscription "The Institution of Mechanical Engineers." Intrigued, I stepped in to inquire about the purpose of such "institution." It turned out to be the UK's equivalent of APEG. The receptionist gave me a visitor's pass to check out the library. it was housed in a Victorian room with high ceilings and gothic moulding. Although it was small, the library had floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books, some of which I recognized. I had to step out after reading for half an hour.
Later on in the afternoon, I went to the Guard Museum which displayed all sorts of guards' uniforms (yes, the famous red tunic and black bearskin hat) and armament. I was slightly disappointed because by the time I saw the third red tunic, I felt like I had seen them all.
The day ended with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery and a British independent romantic comedy called Looking for Eric. British humour is rather different as some of their jokes went over my head. Oh well, it is a different culture after all. And some humour was a good way to end a day that started with war and destruction.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Little Reunion
Yesterday Danielle and I met up and showed me around London. I haven't seen her for over a year and really haven't heard much from her so we spent a good half-hour or so catching up on the Tube. Her boyfriend Gary was kind enough to come with us and show us the way to the sights because Danielle and I were too engaged in our "Canadian" conversation to pay attention to where we were going.
We enjoyed a relaxing lunch at a pub on the side on the River Thames. I appreciate the Thames because the breeze it provides really makes hot weather bearable. Don't get me wrong, the weather in London has been gorgeous so far. But 30+C to a Vancourite is not entirely pleasant. Anyway, I had my first steak pie in the UK and it was delish! Plus the portion was huge; I was so stuffed afterward. But we walked along the Thames to the London Bridge so I didn't fall asleep. In fact, we walked across the London Bridge. Now before I go into this next bit, I need to give a bit of background. One of my coworkers asked me to sing "London Bridge is Falling Down" when I go over the bridge, and I agreed. So Danielle and I were too ready to belt into song when we were crossing the bridge. Poor Gary was forced not only to hear a couple Canucks make fools of themselves but also to videotape us singing. Therefore the performance is all recorded, ready to greet the world on Facebook.
After we got to the north side of the Thames, we went to the Tower of London, but when we got there it was two hours till closing, so we didn't go in. However, Danielle and Gary took me to the Camden Market, of which I had heard before coming to London. It was an open air market with stalls selling knick-knacks, furniture, records, and food from around the world. The place was definitely buzzing with people. It was very much sensory overload for me as there were kalidescope of colour and cacophony of languages. A part of the Market used to be a horse stable and the stalls (for the horses) were being renovated for market stalls. Pretty clever.
We headed back to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Gary was quite resourceful and told me much about the landmarks and history of London, like Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the famous clock tower and not the tower itself. Another aha moment. We had to part ways because Gary had to pack for his trip to Beijing in a couple days. So I went back to the hostel to take a quick snooze.
It was really fun to see Danielle and meet Gary. Also it was good to be with a fellow Canadian who could relate to the culture transition and joke about the differences in Canadian English and English English. Poor Gary had to endure Danielle's and my pestering on the way we speak and conduct ourselves. "Sorry mate, two against one!" There is a difference in culture, but I'm apprecating it more and more.
So after the snooze, I Tubed back to Convent Garden for dinner: fish and chips! Afterwards, I strolled to Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus. The night was just beginning for Londoners, but I was all ready for bed.
Well today is museum day because of the weather. I'll still have to figure out which ones to visit.
We enjoyed a relaxing lunch at a pub on the side on the River Thames. I appreciate the Thames because the breeze it provides really makes hot weather bearable. Don't get me wrong, the weather in London has been gorgeous so far. But 30+C to a Vancourite is not entirely pleasant. Anyway, I had my first steak pie in the UK and it was delish! Plus the portion was huge; I was so stuffed afterward. But we walked along the Thames to the London Bridge so I didn't fall asleep. In fact, we walked across the London Bridge. Now before I go into this next bit, I need to give a bit of background. One of my coworkers asked me to sing "London Bridge is Falling Down" when I go over the bridge, and I agreed. So Danielle and I were too ready to belt into song when we were crossing the bridge. Poor Gary was forced not only to hear a couple Canucks make fools of themselves but also to videotape us singing. Therefore the performance is all recorded, ready to greet the world on Facebook.
After we got to the north side of the Thames, we went to the Tower of London, but when we got there it was two hours till closing, so we didn't go in. However, Danielle and Gary took me to the Camden Market, of which I had heard before coming to London. It was an open air market with stalls selling knick-knacks, furniture, records, and food from around the world. The place was definitely buzzing with people. It was very much sensory overload for me as there were kalidescope of colour and cacophony of languages. A part of the Market used to be a horse stable and the stalls (for the horses) were being renovated for market stalls. Pretty clever.
We headed back to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Gary was quite resourceful and told me much about the landmarks and history of London, like Big Ben is actually the name of the bell inside the famous clock tower and not the tower itself. Another aha moment. We had to part ways because Gary had to pack for his trip to Beijing in a couple days. So I went back to the hostel to take a quick snooze.
It was really fun to see Danielle and meet Gary. Also it was good to be with a fellow Canadian who could relate to the culture transition and joke about the differences in Canadian English and English English. Poor Gary had to endure Danielle's and my pestering on the way we speak and conduct ourselves. "Sorry mate, two against one!" There is a difference in culture, but I'm apprecating it more and more.
So after the snooze, I Tubed back to Convent Garden for dinner: fish and chips! Afterwards, I strolled to Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus. The night was just beginning for Londoners, but I was all ready for bed.
Well today is museum day because of the weather. I'll still have to figure out which ones to visit.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
I've Arrived!
After being sardined nine hours inside a flying metal tube, I made it to London. Needless to say, the flught was not terribly enjoyable. I guess the complications started earlier in the day when I flew out of Vancouver Friday afternoon when the entire world flew out to Europe from YVR. I suppose all the waiting and lining up are precursors of things to come on my trip.... My advice is don't fly with steel-toed boots. Or if you are in that situation and there is no other alternative, voluntarily remove your metal footwear because it would save a lot of hassle. Basically, I was pat down five times after settng off the metal detector and all this in front of impatient travellers watching this idiot emptying pockets and removing articles of clothing. And then the flight was a lesson on patience and longsuffering. My seatmate insisted on having her elbow in my space. I was already sitting all the way to one side of my seat. Meanwhile people walking up and down the aisle never seemed to have the notion that individuals might not be able to fit neatly into their seats, so of course my other elbow got the brunt of passengers brushing by. On top of that the cabin crew weren't the friendliest, or at least they had a smiling impediment.
Ah, that felt good to rant a little bit. Which brings me to my next point that the English have a different sort of temperament. I notice that they really don't go out of their way to smile. As well they aren't as approachable as I had thought. But I'd like to investigate this further during my subsequent days here. I have to admit the friendliest guy I've spoken to is the customs officer who asked me a whole bunch of random questions but managed to laugh and joke as well.
London definitely has a sense of antiquity. Most of the buildings are Victorian and stone. Beautiful facades and columns for sure. And the rail and Tube networks are amazing. The high speed train that took me from Gatwick to Central London must've been the smoothest train ride I've been on to-date. (I expect the TGV to be even better.) The Underground passageways and platforms remind me of the New York Subway. I haven't gone too far yet to truly appreciate the transit here. (I'm still at the hostel typing this.) In fact, I'm going to the nearby shopping centre to grab some cheap lunch, and then zipping down to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Trafalgar Square for some night scenery.
Ah, that felt good to rant a little bit. Which brings me to my next point that the English have a different sort of temperament. I notice that they really don't go out of their way to smile. As well they aren't as approachable as I had thought. But I'd like to investigate this further during my subsequent days here. I have to admit the friendliest guy I've spoken to is the customs officer who asked me a whole bunch of random questions but managed to laugh and joke as well.
London definitely has a sense of antiquity. Most of the buildings are Victorian and stone. Beautiful facades and columns for sure. And the rail and Tube networks are amazing. The high speed train that took me from Gatwick to Central London must've been the smoothest train ride I've been on to-date. (I expect the TGV to be even better.) The Underground passageways and platforms remind me of the New York Subway. I haven't gone too far yet to truly appreciate the transit here. (I'm still at the hostel typing this.) In fact, I'm going to the nearby shopping centre to grab some cheap lunch, and then zipping down to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Trafalgar Square for some night scenery.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Started Packing
I've officially started packing for my trip to Europe few minutes ago. I take off Friday afternoon, which is less than 41 hours away. This is more "last-minute" than I had hoped. Usually I would've started packing for a trip earlier, but there were several factors that prevented me from getting a head start. But the important thing is I've started packing!
This trip to Europe has been an idea culminating for the past seven months. I've always wanted to visit Europe, but never found the time (or money) to actually realize the dream. But this time around, a couple friends of mine Adam and Heather are returning to BC from Milan after their two years serving a church over there. I've read lots on their life in Milan so I wanted to see how they were living the Italian way. Now that their time in Italy was drawing to an end, I knew I had to get there. Plus there would be copious amounts of delectable Italian food!
Besides Adam and Heather, I wanted to see my friends Danielle and Graeme in London. And Danielle has been in London for a while now, and I haven't seen her for over a year. So I'm looking forward to catching up over tea and crumpets.
It'll do me good to have a change of scenery (and diet). No, I'm really excited to see a totally different world that I only have pre-conceptions of. I'm not a seasoned traveller, but hopefully through this cross-Atlantic journey, I'll get to see more of the world and in turn learn more about myself and God.
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