okay, so it's been omg... i just realized. it's been one week exactly since i've come home. and what a way to come home it was too.
let's say being awake for 30-4o hrs to try to get home is NOT an ideal way to end a fabulous vacation. actually, i find it hard to call my vacation a 'vacation.' it seems like such a trivial word for the adventures i had. okay let's call it my adventures. so it was especially painful to get home, but my original flighth plan was vienna to london, london to vancouver. i was suppose to get to london from vienna on the same day that the plane to vancouver was taking off. well the vienna to london flight got cancelled due to fog at heathrow. that threw a huge tail spin into everything. basically, i sat in line at the ticket office for 2 hrs to try to get an answer. i walked away with a BA flight number and was told to go to the check in counter to get on it. at the check in counter i was told i needed a ticket from the ticket office and had to go allll the way baack and line up yet again, but couldn't leave until i got a plane ticket. HASSELLLLLL. yea okay so i ALMOST freaked out, but didn't b/c a nice french man that i was talking to was behind me in line.
anyway, i finally got a ticket to london, but no ticket from london to vancouver. i had to square that up when i go to heathrow. well the flight to london from vienna was delayed by 2 hrs, so i was in that airport for about 7+ hrs before i could get on a plane!
by the time i got to heathrow, i had missed my flight by about 30 mins! oh how i was hoping that the flight was delayed b/c everything else was. no such luck. at the ticket counter, i found out i could catch a plane, that evening, to NY, and then in the early AM catch a flight to vancouver. there were no direct flights the following day, eveyrrthing full, the next direct flight was 2 days later... this was definitely an option i was considering. i had already spoken with alex, we both thought it would be awesome to see each other one last time before i left... but i felt so... so stressed and under pressure, tired from trying to get home, that i said okay fine i'll go with the NY flight. plusi think i would've had to pay extra for the direct flight 2 days later.
O M G never again, am i doing a inter connected flight like that. i'll pay the extra and leave the hassel. i still can't believe i had to go to the states to get h ome! PONY. states is freakin' bollocks.
so when i got to NY, my bag was lost! it didn't make it with me, how horrible. i got hasseled at the exit of baggage b/c i had no address on the customs form, well maybe b/c i'm leaving in 5 hrs for another flight asshole!! and i had to line up at a BA counter to get my voucher to stay overnight at a crappy holiday inn, and then another line up to file a missing bag... gahhhh by the timei got to my overnight hotel room, i had 4 hrs to nap before waking up to catch the flight home.i twas not a restful 4 hrs, it was a sleep 30 mins, wake up, sleep 30 mins wake up... was worried i would miss that flight!
i finannlllyy made it home, luggage less, sleep deprived, and with cankles like you wouldn't believe. it looked like someone had stuck a balloon under my skin it was gross!
luggage finally arrived 2 days later. i called the delivery man my santa claus. i hugged my bag and lovingly unpacked all my souvenirs and gifts...
sigh. so horrible way to end it, only regret was not staying with alex longer, but my god what a fantastic time we had. not to discount vienna where jayme took the time out of his crazy, insane schedule, to show me vienna, definitely appreciate that.
all in all, it was fab. absolutely fab. i really miss that euro vibe... that culture, that history. i was talking about this with one of my bosses who's european and she understands how i feel. she said when she comes back from visiting home, when she's back in vancouver, she feels... empty inside, like no depth etc, vancouver is a wonderful city, but it's soul is not old enough for me to feel as deeply entrenched in it as i could be. especially after haering how jayme lives in linz, the cultural and creative innovation he gets to have every day, the creative muses that alex has at his disposal in the UK... i need.... i need i want something bigger than what i can find here in vancouver.
i guess... this is my last post, unless i decide to post some photos here.... but until the next trip... ciao.
xoxoxo
Monday, October 20, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
oh ya!!
you would be proud of me, i was on my bike today, and i braked just in time before riding right into traffic!! i saw the stop bike sign at last minute and my brakes actually worked... narrowingly missing getting hit by cars is my specialty... ooo yaaaa...
"this is the last time..."
by keane...
last email to parents. pasting it here incase i forgot details from earlier...
---
hi people, well todaz was mz last day in europe.
this morning i went to the modern art museum and architecture museum. the modern art one was good, in a nice building, the architecture was jsut a room wiht a LOT of viennese architectural historz. good content, but lacking of building models, which is what i was hoping to see. hehe i alwazs got the student rate on all the places iäve been going to. i feign that i forgot mz student card at home. hey man, they ask me if iäm a student first! of course to save money i save yes. even alex did it and he looks way older than i haha.
after the 2 museums, i wondered over to the main market where thez sell food and other goodies. also a good place to just eat b-c there are a bunch of different little äcafesä and bz äcafesä i mean like little places to eat not necessarilz starbucks style cafe. i ended up eating a traditional type of food, a pancake or crepe style. very good, it was filled with spinach, ham and covered with a light cheese sauce, on the side were sliced tomatoes and cucumber. to drink i had vasser = water (i picked up some german-austrian language from jayme before he left) and had a glass of sturn. omg sturn is soooo good. itäs young wine that is not quite ready to be used for real wine, so itäs fermented and made into a juice-alcohol. very delicious, you can only have it for about 7 weeks out of the year b-c of the grape season, and onlz suppose to have a little bit, like 2 glasses max, otherwise it makes you poo lots. jayme said lots of ppl told him this, told it to him very seriously, i guess itäs not a laughing matter when youäre sitting on the toilet.
after eating i went to the seccession house´where gustav klimtäs the beethoven frieze is located (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beethoven_Frieze) it was reallz really beautiful, i think out of all the paintings iäve seen all over, this is one of the ones that have reallz made me think, pause and be inspired. the painting is on the wall of a room, on all four walls, almost like a panorama. iäll show you the pamphlet when i am home and you can see the "story". couldnät take photos in there, so i might actually try to find a souvenir at the airport that shows some part of the painting.
after that, i tried going to the belvedere, a huge museum with more of gustav klimtäs paintings. the most famous is the kiss (http://theotherhand.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/klimt_the_kiss_1907_8.gif)
i got to a train stop, but wouldäve had to walk and then i tried taking a closer train but that seemed to take too long to wait, and i was getting cranky and tired and decided not to go see it.
instead i went to cafe museum for one last cappucino and sachetorte, famous chocolate cake, very yummy. mum and dad that is when i called you and talked with you for about 25 minutes.
after that i went walking back towards the city centre where all the stores and tourists are, and i was going to go straight back to the hotel after getting a quick sausage and beer, but decided to wonder more as the weather was so beautiful and i wanted to have one last look of the city. i ended up eating dinner at a chocolatier restaurant! hah thez specialize in chocolate and macaroons. no i ddinät eat chocolate for dinner. i had soup, gnocchi (italian dumpling), salad ( too much dressing didnät finish it) and then for dessert had 2 macaroons. sooo good. pistachio and chocolate flavor. theyäre very small, just the right size.
after that, i was going to go back to the u-bahn (metro) to go back to the hotel, but i heard classical piano music playing!! finally i can hear free music, i found it a pianoist playing piano in the middle of the street with people in a U shape group behind her. the piano was a black upright with the top opened up and also on top of a platform with breaks. she plays and someone else collects the money for a CD called viennese music on the street. she also has a donation box. it was really, really, good, veryx hypnotic to watch her play, to watch her fingers move like that across the keyboard... i use to play like that... i stayed for 5 songs, i recognized one b-c itäs one of my favourites (how lucky for me to hear it) and the others sounded familiar. she was a asian girl and spoke austrian-german when she told the audience of the names of the pieces. hah maybe that is what i should do. play music on the streets to make a living in vienna!!
okay, i should go shower, have to get up early. bags are packed, well i have to pack one more thing, i found an alessandro mendini corkscrew man for onlz 30 euros yay!! it will match the super anna g, u know , the italian corkscrew lady that we use, she has the superman costume... i brought it back from italy... well now she has a boyfriend.
okay ciao!Love, Helen
----
last email to parents. pasting it here incase i forgot details from earlier...
---
hi people, well todaz was mz last day in europe.
this morning i went to the modern art museum and architecture museum. the modern art one was good, in a nice building, the architecture was jsut a room wiht a LOT of viennese architectural historz. good content, but lacking of building models, which is what i was hoping to see. hehe i alwazs got the student rate on all the places iäve been going to. i feign that i forgot mz student card at home. hey man, they ask me if iäm a student first! of course to save money i save yes. even alex did it and he looks way older than i haha.
after the 2 museums, i wondered over to the main market where thez sell food and other goodies. also a good place to just eat b-c there are a bunch of different little äcafesä and bz äcafesä i mean like little places to eat not necessarilz starbucks style cafe. i ended up eating a traditional type of food, a pancake or crepe style. very good, it was filled with spinach, ham and covered with a light cheese sauce, on the side were sliced tomatoes and cucumber. to drink i had vasser = water (i picked up some german-austrian language from jayme before he left) and had a glass of sturn. omg sturn is soooo good. itäs young wine that is not quite ready to be used for real wine, so itäs fermented and made into a juice-alcohol. very delicious, you can only have it for about 7 weeks out of the year b-c of the grape season, and onlz suppose to have a little bit, like 2 glasses max, otherwise it makes you poo lots. jayme said lots of ppl told him this, told it to him very seriously, i guess itäs not a laughing matter when youäre sitting on the toilet.
after eating i went to the seccession house´where gustav klimtäs the beethoven frieze is located (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beethoven_Frieze) it was reallz really beautiful, i think out of all the paintings iäve seen all over, this is one of the ones that have reallz made me think, pause and be inspired. the painting is on the wall of a room, on all four walls, almost like a panorama. iäll show you the pamphlet when i am home and you can see the "story". couldnät take photos in there, so i might actually try to find a souvenir at the airport that shows some part of the painting.
after that, i tried going to the belvedere, a huge museum with more of gustav klimtäs paintings. the most famous is the kiss (http://theotherhand.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/klimt_the_kiss_1907_8.gif)
i got to a train stop, but wouldäve had to walk and then i tried taking a closer train but that seemed to take too long to wait, and i was getting cranky and tired and decided not to go see it.
instead i went to cafe museum for one last cappucino and sachetorte, famous chocolate cake, very yummy. mum and dad that is when i called you and talked with you for about 25 minutes.
after that i went walking back towards the city centre where all the stores and tourists are, and i was going to go straight back to the hotel after getting a quick sausage and beer, but decided to wonder more as the weather was so beautiful and i wanted to have one last look of the city. i ended up eating dinner at a chocolatier restaurant! hah thez specialize in chocolate and macaroons. no i ddinät eat chocolate for dinner. i had soup, gnocchi (italian dumpling), salad ( too much dressing didnät finish it) and then for dessert had 2 macaroons. sooo good. pistachio and chocolate flavor. theyäre very small, just the right size.
after that, i was going to go back to the u-bahn (metro) to go back to the hotel, but i heard classical piano music playing!! finally i can hear free music, i found it a pianoist playing piano in the middle of the street with people in a U shape group behind her. the piano was a black upright with the top opened up and also on top of a platform with breaks. she plays and someone else collects the money for a CD called viennese music on the street. she also has a donation box. it was really, really, good, veryx hypnotic to watch her play, to watch her fingers move like that across the keyboard... i use to play like that... i stayed for 5 songs, i recognized one b-c itäs one of my favourites (how lucky for me to hear it) and the others sounded familiar. she was a asian girl and spoke austrian-german when she told the audience of the names of the pieces. hah maybe that is what i should do. play music on the streets to make a living in vienna!!
okay, i should go shower, have to get up early. bags are packed, well i have to pack one more thing, i found an alessandro mendini corkscrew man for onlz 30 euros yay!! it will match the super anna g, u know , the italian corkscrew lady that we use, she has the superman costume... i brought it back from italy... well now she has a boyfriend.
okay ciao!Love, Helen
----
the plan
go back to playing the level of piano i use to play and make a killer living in vienna. then travel to paris to work at shakespere and co, and then become an au pair for a super rich family...
not quite ready
to say goodbye. i was feeling the same way when i left paris 5 days ago. i felt like i was losing a part of myself that i had found while in london and paris. i couldnät bear to leave the city or my dear friend. i still feel as though a part of me is still there... "we'll always have paris..." but how long before i see either of you again? what will become of me as i go back home? how /where will i find inspiration in city with a superficial culture that sometimes feel as though it has no depth? this is the first time iäve ever been away from home where i actually do not miss the city. iäve alwazs felt ahhh itäs nice to be back in vancouver or iäm looking forward to seeing the mountains and the trees... instead i feel a bit... resigned. i guess thatäs why iäm furiously blogging my feelings and emotions so i donät forget what iäve learned and felt along the way.
inspired
1) by gustav klimt's the beethoven frieze at the secession house. unfortunately the wiki does not show the image that most awed me: "the ideal kingdom" "The Arts lead to the Ideal Kingdom, and the onlz place where True Happiness, Pure Bliss and Absolute Love can be found." the wall to wall painting took my breath away, it made me rethink about going to the belvedere to see "the kiss" except i tried to go there, but was so tired from walking, couldn't figure out the transport, that i decided to just appreciate what i already saw and go sit at cafe museum for one last cappucino and sachetorte.
2) by continuing to walk around the centre square of vienna, to not just give up and go back to the hotel to sleep, otherwise i wouldäve missed the beautiful sunset behind the church, the chocolatier restaurant where i had my last meal, and finally, the pianoist playing in the middle of the street. i stayed for 4 songs, each one better and better (meaning i recognized them or have heard parts of the movements before). watching her play so effortless with such skill and technique reminded me of my own playing in a former life. i use to play like that, i use to be really really good, now iäm just another insignificant cog in a wheel that use to play excellent piano... wow didnät mean for that to sound so bitter, but i think this vacation (and i do need a real do-nothing vacation after this vacation) really gave me the kick up the butt to try to accomplish more than what i think i am capable of...
we'll see how long that sentiment lasts...
2) by continuing to walk around the centre square of vienna, to not just give up and go back to the hotel to sleep, otherwise i wouldäve missed the beautiful sunset behind the church, the chocolatier restaurant where i had my last meal, and finally, the pianoist playing in the middle of the street. i stayed for 4 songs, each one better and better (meaning i recognized them or have heard parts of the movements before). watching her play so effortless with such skill and technique reminded me of my own playing in a former life. i use to play like that, i use to be really really good, now iäm just another insignificant cog in a wheel that use to play excellent piano... wow didnät mean for that to sound so bitter, but i think this vacation (and i do need a real do-nothing vacation after this vacation) really gave me the kick up the butt to try to accomplish more than what i think i am capable of...
we'll see how long that sentiment lasts...
museum quartiers
"... because beauty is nothing more than the beginning of something terrible that we can barelz tolerate and we admire it so much because it calmly refrains from destroying us..." Werner Hoffman 1963.
design quartiers - modern art museum. what a great space, not b-c of the art, but b-c literally the space lets in light but seems brooding at the same time.
alex, that video with the meat sex, from the tate, was there... letäs just say i walked into that exhibit, saw it, saw the other stuff by the same artist, did my head swirl and walked out. one too many meat sex videos...
"if design is merely an inducement to consume, then we must reject designs; if architecture is merely codifying of bourgeois model of ownership and society; then we must reject architecture." Superstudio, 1971.
wasnät so impressed with the architecture museum, not b-c of itäs content, but b-c of how much written content there was and lack of models that were there ...
key to concession museum fees. think and look little will get you student rates even when you "forget" your card.
design quartiers - modern art museum. what a great space, not b-c of the art, but b-c literally the space lets in light but seems brooding at the same time.
alex, that video with the meat sex, from the tate, was there... letäs just say i walked into that exhibit, saw it, saw the other stuff by the same artist, did my head swirl and walked out. one too many meat sex videos...
"if design is merely an inducement to consume, then we must reject designs; if architecture is merely codifying of bourgeois model of ownership and society; then we must reject architecture." Superstudio, 1971.
wasnät so impressed with the architecture museum, not b-c of itäs content, but b-c of how much written content there was and lack of models that were there ...
key to concession museum fees. think and look little will get you student rates even when you "forget" your card.
Friday, October 10, 2008
last day
to soak in any type of culture from vienna. all iäve really done so far is drink. drink coffee, water, and beer, not in that particular order per say. oh and eaten weiners, cakes, and chocolate... ya, if i havenät gotten rollypolly from paris, iäd have to bet the few dazs iäm in vienna may take care of it. ok ok, well i shouldnät say i havenät done anzthing, we did see every big monument in vienna that is so incredible massive and breathtaking, and we did do the MAK... and tomorrow i am going to museum quartiers, will look for franz schubertäs house, and may go see the last kiss by gustav klimt, but still... i think my dear friend alex would be shocked by what time i got up this morning. 10am, alex, 10 AM!!! i know, iäve finally crashed and have the 17 hr go go go days with less t han 7 hrs of sleep each night has finally kicked my bum.
paris leftovers
on the RERc to versailles.
american women - "... so cute... i love how there are little surprises and discovery everywhere in this city... like when we went to that store and we thoguht it was so small from the outside, but when we went inside it was 2 floors!"
pause. alex and i look at each other.
me to alex - "... that was so profound..." <-- insert sacastic tone
me -"are we snobs?"
alex -"we're just smart. i wish i was dumb"
me -"i'm dumb in vancouver"
alex -"i wish i was dumb so i could be happy"
hah ignorance is bliss, until it slaps you in the face. pony.
american women - "... so cute... i love how there are little surprises and discovery everywhere in this city... like when we went to that store and we thoguht it was so small from the outside, but when we went inside it was 2 floors!"
pause. alex and i look at each other.
me to alex - "... that was so profound..." <-- insert sacastic tone
me -"are we snobs?"
alex -"we're just smart. i wish i was dumb"
me -"i'm dumb in vancouver"
alex -"i wish i was dumb so i could be happy"
hah ignorance is bliss, until it slaps you in the face. pony.
ballet
i went to the oper house to watch a ballet, onegin. i have to wiki to reallz find out the true storz, but basicallz itäs about love,lost, and the guz being an idiot and the girl realiying he reallz is a cad. hah i love those stories. guys are morons, even across the continent and in tights and ballet shoes.
it was mz frist time ever to watch a ballet. i was super impressed, set design was amazing, the dancing was beautiful. it was onlz 8 euros. iäm happz.
it was mz frist time ever to watch a ballet. i was super impressed, set design was amazing, the dancing was beautiful. it was onlz 8 euros. iäm happz.
klutz
okay so todaz i made it thru without falling off a bike, even when i rode it tonight around some back streets, no idea where i was going, but nonetheless i didnät crash and burn. however, i did practicallz face plant on some steps in a store and then hit my head on a stonewall in a church at stephenplatz... sadface, my head hurts.
i bought more bandages just in case...
i bought more bandages just in case...
fruit?!
this isnät the first time iäve realized this or thought about it, but itäs been about 14 dayzs or so since iäve last had anz tzpe of fruit... and if i had it was on a piece of cake. iäd be more worried if i wasnät so regular... first thing i am going to eat when i get back is a grape... ahhh grape.
vienna
too lazy to retype my adventures, hereäs mz email i posted to mz sister basicallz explaining whatäs been going on since i arrived. basicallz iäm all banged up, and hope to come home in one piece. at the moment, i am taped up with bandages and high spirits.
------
hi dawn, zaz the postcard arrived!! yay. i guess taht didnät take too too long... i had been posting cards in the mail everz daz since i sent yours, so mz friends should receive theirs shortlz i guess. i had posted one for dad, only, b-c i think he w ould appreciate it as he doesnät like "stuff" but i ddi get him a lacoste shirt, suspenders and a hat from paris.
okaz so i didnät tell the parents t his, but yesterday, we went for bike riding around the citz, b-c zou can rent citz bikes and i totallz crashed and fell on pavement!! how emabrassing. mz elbow jammed into mz funny bone and so i started laughing and gasping in pain at the same time. jayme was there. a stranger asked us if we needed help but i just needed like 5 mins to catch mz breath. iäm okay, nothing boroken, just extremelz sore. thank goodness i brought polysporin, but bandages are not big enough. itäs quite a shiner, my elbow. i fell so hard that my silver ring from tiffanys that i wear all the time is a little bit scratch. so i fell on mz right elbow and my palms. onlz the elbow looks bad. mz knee is a little sore. i got up and biked more after that, it was the brake on the bike, i didnät pull hard enoguh. so funny. ironic b-c right before i fell i was saying i have the biggest grin on mz face b-c iäve alwazs wanted to ride a bike in europe!! haha iäm such a dork. OOOoo and we went to the MAK modern art museum, and sat in the cafe for about 2 hrs just chilling, and i totally walked right into a clear glass door in the bathroom. like my forehead just bashed right into it and made the loudest noise. luckilz nobodz saw me, but omg it hurts. i can feel it now if i wiggle mz forehead, very painful. haha whatäs wrong iwht me?? iäm just glad i am ´klutzy at the end of the trip and not in the first 2 weeks... good god i hope i last thru the next 2 dazs on my own!! sorrz for all the tzpos, the kezboard is all germanized...
k love you, will tryx to be extra careful today. i will rent a bike again and hopefullz will not fall ot get hit by a tram.. kidding! sort of.. love zou!
-----
ciao
------
hi dawn, zaz the postcard arrived!! yay. i guess taht didnät take too too long... i had been posting cards in the mail everz daz since i sent yours, so mz friends should receive theirs shortlz i guess. i had posted one for dad, only, b-c i think he w ould appreciate it as he doesnät like "stuff" but i ddi get him a lacoste shirt, suspenders and a hat from paris.
okaz so i didnät tell the parents t his, but yesterday, we went for bike riding around the citz, b-c zou can rent citz bikes and i totallz crashed and fell on pavement!! how emabrassing. mz elbow jammed into mz funny bone and so i started laughing and gasping in pain at the same time. jayme was there. a stranger asked us if we needed help but i just needed like 5 mins to catch mz breath. iäm okay, nothing boroken, just extremelz sore. thank goodness i brought polysporin, but bandages are not big enough. itäs quite a shiner, my elbow. i fell so hard that my silver ring from tiffanys that i wear all the time is a little bit scratch. so i fell on mz right elbow and my palms. onlz the elbow looks bad. mz knee is a little sore. i got up and biked more after that, it was the brake on the bike, i didnät pull hard enoguh. so funny. ironic b-c right before i fell i was saying i have the biggest grin on mz face b-c iäve alwazs wanted to ride a bike in europe!! haha iäm such a dork. OOOoo and we went to the MAK modern art museum, and sat in the cafe for about 2 hrs just chilling, and i totally walked right into a clear glass door in the bathroom. like my forehead just bashed right into it and made the loudest noise. luckilz nobodz saw me, but omg it hurts. i can feel it now if i wiggle mz forehead, very painful. haha whatäs wrong iwht me?? iäm just glad i am ´klutzy at the end of the trip and not in the first 2 weeks... good god i hope i last thru the next 2 dazs on my own!! sorrz for all the tzpos, the kezboard is all germanized...
k love you, will tryx to be extra careful today. i will rent a bike again and hopefullz will not fall ot get hit by a tram.. kidding! sort of.. love zou!
-----
ciao
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
tears
i just said my goodbyes to alex. the shuttle car i coming in 5 mins to take me to CDG. i have tears in my eyes... tears for the city that's been good to me and most importantly tears for the memories that i have gained in the last 14 days with alex.
alexandroos, alexi, alex, you've been a dear dear friend, the best travel partner, i couldn't have asked for anybody better to show me london and to cause the mischief we have along the way all the way to our last night in paris. this has been sooo well not pony, it's been the bollucks :)
paris je t'ame, alex, je t'aime.
we will see each other again. farewell.
alexandroos, alexi, alex, you've been a dear dear friend, the best travel partner, i couldn't have asked for anybody better to show me london and to cause the mischief we have along the way all the way to our last night in paris. this has been sooo well not pony, it's been the bollucks :)
paris je t'ame, alex, je t'aime.
we will see each other again. farewell.
gutensomething
going to vienna, have NO concept of language, will be alone for 2 days/2 nights... will be off the grid. if i'm not at work on tuesday morning... you should be worried.
ciao.
au revoir
au revoir paris. je t'aime.
i'll always have paris. i'll always have paris with alex. we'll never forget our experiences, the moments, and the hilarious laughter that follows us each day after a philosophical conversation or when we're being absolute snots and refusing to recognize an american accent as anything other than boorish... or when we're secrently dissing a douchebag vancouverite with a digital slr who can't use it and has no chance in hell of ever getting the german blogs... 6 hrs at the louvre will always render me senseless and insane, i'll always treasure the emotions from starting at masterpieces of work, of feeling the bitter chill of standing on top of the eiffel tower, of drinking wine every night and being 'dangereux' helen of lamb, of crepes de chocolat, and of the quiet moments in montmarte....
i'ts not just aurevoir to paris, but au revoir to my friend, alex. my companion for the last 2 weeks, we've had moments that only the two of us will ever remember and realize how graet they were.
scary black guys, douchebag vancouverites, annoying american accents, benelop, mental insanity at the louvre, and thank you, alex, for your utter patience as i trot thru all the lingerie and perfumerie shops as i become that core consumerist you absolutely hate, but i will always be the ever faithful yours truely helen of lamb.
alexandroooss, we'll always have paris. and of course london ;)
i'll always have paris. i'll always have paris with alex. we'll never forget our experiences, the moments, and the hilarious laughter that follows us each day after a philosophical conversation or when we're being absolute snots and refusing to recognize an american accent as anything other than boorish... or when we're secrently dissing a douchebag vancouverite with a digital slr who can't use it and has no chance in hell of ever getting the german blogs... 6 hrs at the louvre will always render me senseless and insane, i'll always treasure the emotions from starting at masterpieces of work, of feeling the bitter chill of standing on top of the eiffel tower, of drinking wine every night and being 'dangereux' helen of lamb, of crepes de chocolat, and of the quiet moments in montmarte....
i'ts not just aurevoir to paris, but au revoir to my friend, alex. my companion for the last 2 weeks, we've had moments that only the two of us will ever remember and realize how graet they were.
scary black guys, douchebag vancouverites, annoying american accents, benelop, mental insanity at the louvre, and thank you, alex, for your utter patience as i trot thru all the lingerie and perfumerie shops as i become that core consumerist you absolutely hate, but i will always be the ever faithful yours truely helen of lamb.
alexandroooss, we'll always have paris. and of course london ;)
montmarte
after seeing montmarte i feel like i've seen a good variety of paris, not to say i've seen it allll, but a good amount and have a good feeling of what all the districts feel like.
walking up the hill to sacre coeur and seeing the spectacular panoramic view was a fitting 'almost-ending' to the trip. it seemed to sum up the city's grandeur and my own wonderment that i have found here.
paris, je t'aime.
montmarte higlights - wondering aimlessly in the quiet streets, the panoramic view, and the relaxing 2 hr lunch in the non-touristy area.
walking up the hill to sacre coeur and seeing the spectacular panoramic view was a fitting 'almost-ending' to the trip. it seemed to sum up the city's grandeur and my own wonderment that i have found here.
paris, je t'aime.
montmarte higlights - wondering aimlessly in the quiet streets, the panoramic view, and the relaxing 2 hr lunch in the non-touristy area.
la defense
at la defense at 10pm, nobody around but a few people and wicked architecture.
alex - "k, let's let these guys go by before we continue... not to sound totally racist, but those black guys scare the shit out of me... !!"
me - hilarious laughter from me ensues.
alex - "seriously, they scare the fuck out of me!"
me - ROFL
jumping photoshoot continues at la defense.
alex - "k, let's let these guys go by before we continue... not to sound totally racist, but those black guys scare the shit out of me... !!"
me - hilarious laughter from me ensues.
alex - "seriously, they scare the fuck out of me!"
me - ROFL
jumping photoshoot continues at la defense.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
a different kind of pretty
alex - "parisian girls are a different kind of pretty."
me - "they're the natural, no make up pretty, beautiful. but vancouver has a lot of pretty girls too..."
alex - "ya, they do, but it's a slutty kind of pretty..."
me - pause "HAH so true..."
hah it's true, i see more naturally, no make up beautiful girls here than at home where it's make up hooched up city... omg are we ever slobs, wiht our lululemons and sweats that we wear on the streets. everbody here is so slicked up, no slobs, no joggers, they're dressed nice, even if it's just jeans or wahtever, they don't look like slobs! now i sound like a snot, but it's just an observation, north americans are more laid back (uh hum some can say lazy...?) i'm not trying to be a hypocrite as i've worn sweats out of the house, but the perspective i've gathered is it's b/c we're more... lazy, we don't care? or is that how it just appears...? i'm rambling...
me - "they're the natural, no make up pretty, beautiful. but vancouver has a lot of pretty girls too..."
alex - "ya, they do, but it's a slutty kind of pretty..."
me - pause "HAH so true..."
hah it's true, i see more naturally, no make up beautiful girls here than at home where it's make up hooched up city... omg are we ever slobs, wiht our lululemons and sweats that we wear on the streets. everbody here is so slicked up, no slobs, no joggers, they're dressed nice, even if it's just jeans or wahtever, they don't look like slobs! now i sound like a snot, but it's just an observation, north americans are more laid back (uh hum some can say lazy...?) i'm not trying to be a hypocrite as i've worn sweats out of the house, but the perspective i've gathered is it's b/c we're more... lazy, we don't care? or is that how it just appears...? i'm rambling...
electrelane
no shoots, no calls. (album)
the music i am listening to as i write and wool-gather all my throughts from yesterday and today. they're from briton, where all the best have come from.
the music i am listening to as i write and wool-gather all my throughts from yesterday and today. they're from briton, where all the best have come from.
10 yr old whiskey
is the bollucks. i've turned british, sorry but the slang has rubbed off on me, and you'll be hearing it more later as i come home.
but seriously, that moment in the bookshop, le temps retrouve, was outstanding, like straight out of paris je t'aime. i couldn't believe what was happening. and yes 10yr old whiskey is soo smooth, it didn't burn, i didn't choke. it was beautiful.
but seriously, that moment in the bookshop, le temps retrouve, was outstanding, like straight out of paris je t'aime. i couldn't believe what was happening. and yes 10yr old whiskey is soo smooth, it didn't burn, i didn't choke. it was beautiful.
paris is the bollucks
okay, so i've just written a super long ass email to my family, too tired to reiterate here in a witty manner, so i'm copying and pasting.
----
bonjour ma famille,
okay so let's recap yesterday, b/c we got back really late and i needed to shower and blow dry hair so alex could sleep. so no time to email or call home.
yesterday we went to two cementaries to see some famous dead peopl's graves. first we went to cimatere montaparnesse. actually this one was a mistake, i thought all the famous ppl were here, but there are two cemetaries. the other one is in pallais chaise or something lke that, basically on the opposte side of town. this first cementar was nice. very quiet, ver little people, very peaceful. we saw jean paul sartre, a poet/writer. then we saw man ray (famous graphic designer) and then alex and i were looking for oscar wilde and chopin's grave, b/c i totally touhght this was the lace that had their last resting place. i accidently fonud lacoste and longchamp's graves... we spent about 2 hrs looking thru all the graves for wilde and chopin. i thought alex was going to cry when we coudln't find it. he needed to find wilde's grave to justify that he is meant to be a writer haha. it was kind of funny seeing him lose it b/c i had given up on ever finding chopn's grave, i started eating malt balls and following him b/w all the gravestones haha. eventually i saw 2 guys etching on a grave, i guess enforcing the names on the grave and i asked him where wilde and chopin's grave was. it was in the OTHER location. basicall, we had a map and the map didn't show wilde and chopin's graves, so we had asked some ppl who had worked there but they said if it's not on the map they don't know. so i had this theory thinking that it's hidden ou of respect or something. i totally thought their graves were there. i din't knwo there were two famous-ish cemetaries. alex had even asked me 3x, but i kept insisting i was right. i was following my guidebook, but i read it totaly wrong. hahahaha it was kind of funny b/c we spent longer at that place than we had anticipated. hahaah so the two guys i had asked for directions, were very kind and gave us a map of the otehr cemetary and directions on how to get there.
we had a late morning before the cemetary b/c we needed to get ome eextra sleep, starting to burn out, so we spent about 11ish-2ish at the first cemetary, we wanted to do the catacombs, but running out of time b/c we wanted to get to the other cemetary. so we skipped the catacombs and went straight to the other cemetary. it takes awhle on the metro to get anywhere, well not a long time, but travelling b/w places all the time really eates up site seeing time and b/c the other place was across town, it took about 30 mins to get there. so when we got there, it was a lot bigger cemetary, but luckily we had a plan of who's grave we wanted to see.
we saw: oscar wilde, chopin, edith piaf, a. mogliani, jim morrison, bizet, and some movie ppl i don't remember their names, but they were film pioneers so says alex.
you know waht's digusting? tour groups who go in large groups to the 'famous' graves. it's kind of disgusting b/c it's not a tourist attraction, i mean other ppl are buried there. you can see families actually sweeping leaves off the graves, taking care of it. granted, alex and i were there to see and take pictures, but we we also made sure we reflected on why we wanted to see them and their significance. we paid respect, not to see a tourist attraction. the first cemetary was great, b/c when we happen to come upon the gravs by accident and realizing omg do u know who this is, that was a great moment. at the 2nd cementary we were more methodical b/c we had spent so much time wasted at the first place looking for oscar wilde and chopin, but they weren't even there haha.
after the cemetaries, it was close to 6pm, we headed over to the pompidou. pompidou, is a 70's style building by renzo piano and richard rogers (famous architects), it's a modernist building, comissioned by president pompidou who was a patron of the modern arts etc. so we saw a lot of modern style art. iw as happy b/c we saw smoe works by an italian industrial designer, ettore sottsass. mum , he's the one who designed that salt and pepper shaker with the oil and vinegar set i bought for myself and for cheung-ee.. anyway his silver steel one is in the museum. ya that set is quite famous, don't ever throw it out. i thnk it's in my room right now. i should use it one day... oh ya and then we saw a bunch of picasso and other modern art i had studied and learned about in school. the building looks like a building taht's been built inside out. all the pipping and steel is on the outside. i thnk it's... visually stimulating and interesting, unique, noting else lke it, but not beautiful in the traditional sense.
for dinner, we went back to the latin quarter b/c we just feel familiar with it and that is wehere a lot of restaurants are. b/c it was so late i didn' twant too much, but i had a craving for beef fondue. i thought it was iwht cheese actually it's raw beef cooed in a fondue pot of oil. kind of fun, kind of.. too much eat. it also came with a bake potato. the meat had 4 diff dipping sauces. i also had a crepe afterwards from a diff place. there are tons of crepe places all over.
okay so that was yesterday. we were so tired, we passed out on the bed.
tis morning it was a solo day. i wanted to go to roland garros, the tennis stadium and so i left alex to wonder the streets by himself haha. actually he got to sleep in so he was quite happy about that. i took the metro to the outskirts of the city to get to teh stadiun. omg i've fulfilled one of my life long dreams, of being at the stadiun. granted, it was not during the tournament, but i got a tour of the grounds, and thru one of the main courts. we go tot walk thru where the layers walk thru when they arrive. we went into the men's locker room i got to touch nadal and federer's lockers (mum the handsoe boys who play tennis that you've seen). they get their regular lockers b/c well they're at the tournament every year haha. when we were out on teh court, which is played on red clay, i took tons of photos. i'm not allowed to run onto the cout b/c i wanted to run out and touch the net and everything, so i had to settle iwht just touching the ground wiht my hands and taking photos o fmy feet on the red clay, but cuoldn't run into the court.. oh well. it was still really amazing.
the lace also has a tennis museum, it had the trophies and past videos of some tennis play, old racquets etc. they also had a tennis store... yup, you bet i bought some souvenirs!!! i got a tennis jacket and a top, and then the tennis towel from this year.
after the tennis tour, i took the metro to champ elysee, yes mum, i went shopping for you and for us. i went into the LV store. it's the flagship store, the headquarter store. it's AMAZING. like design and the look of it is amazing. of couse all the bags, shoes, clothes is beatiful. but the layout of hte store is ver nice. i was only able to take a few photos of hte inside before security (which are everywwhere ) stopped me. the rproduct is out in the open not beind glass, so you can touch, but soooooooo many ppl there. had to wait a bit before i could get helped. yes mum, i bought you an LV wallet. i bought you like it b/c i really like it and i thnk i have good taste hah. and yes... yes i did get myself a wallet too. hey man, i saved up for it, don't lecture me!! hehe love you. okay so today is a sunday so almost everything was closed even on champs elysee. i'm glad LV was open, i was worried it would be closed. i didn't buy anything else, mainly b/c all the shops were closed and b/c there was nothing else on that big fancy street i wanted. i walked around, but ti was SOOO windy about 60km or over wind,s, i coudln'tw alk in a straight line. when it's windy like that i've learned that it means the rain will come soon. sure enough it did. i was getting so tired i decided to drop the bags off at the hostel before heading out again. i had to meet alex at st michel for dinner, and had about 2.5 hrs to kill. when left the hostel i figured i needed to get some sugar in me b/c as you may have guessed, i hadn't eaten anything. ihey hey i am okay, it's not lke that every day, just today i was on such an adrenaline rush i dind't feel hunger, when i shop, i don't stop, i just get things done. so by around 5ish, i stoped by a patisserie near the hostel and bought ac roissant and chocolat eclair. cafes were closed so i couldn't get a baguette sandwich. oooo my eclair fell on the ground as soon as i picked up the bag :( c'est domage. it just fell out and plop ion the ground.. the little old french lady saw what happened and was kind enough to give me anoter free of charge i've noticed in paris, despite what ppl say, ppl here are quite nice, sense of community, and are really generous at heart.
anyway, so i am eating my eclair and waking to the metro, and i decided to explore more of the latin quarter. i was going to gallerie lafayette b/c i need to buy a sweater, but it's closed, sunday, darn sunday, so i get off in the latin quarter earlier than the stop we usually get off at and start (this is where my internet just timed out and i lost 12 mins of writing!!!!!!!!!! okay i'm starting again... but it will be less story-like as i'm tired of writing now...) wondering around. this is where my true paris moment has started. as i'm wondering aronud i come upom the pantheon. this is the structure that alex and i see from our balcony into the distance. despite it being uphill, i felt like this is rigth that i should go up and see it even though i don't really knw what it's about. turns out there is a beautiful church nearby, and the pantheon is huge, larger than the one in rome. it's quiet, streets are dead, it's a sunday, everything closed. i take my photos and wonder around more. by this time i'm looking for anything to be open to kill time before i meet alex at st michel... in the distance i see a bookstore that is open, but it looks different more old, less chain-like than the other places. 5 paces away i see a book on the mkaing of paris je t'aime (the movie). at that very moment, all my paris moments with alex came flashing back. i realized this book is the one great souvenir that he and i will have as we are the only ones on this earth that realize what we've experienced was amazing adn special in paris. the book is for him it's to heavy for me to carry, alex is the film guy and loves the movie so this is perfect, and also as a gift for me to thank him for his hospitality in london. it was 10 euros, so don't freak out. okay have to hurry, but in a nutshell, the buildup to my true paris moment was inside the shop:
shop keeper, super old, offers me tea, as if we were in his home, so lke nice hospitality i look at books, shopkeeper so cute and nice, tells me stories, i take a photo with him, his friend who seems to keep in everyday given the famliarirty of it all, takes to him, his english is better, i drink a little bit of a 10 yr old whiskey with them, tells me more stories, bookstore has been around 30 yrs, shopkeeper is a poet, i leave the store feeling as though i've just had THE moment of paris that i had been wanting and it just felt wonderful.
ookay okay, you can lecture me now, i know don't take drinks from strangers, you never know what's in it. anyway i KNOW, i have no excuse other than... it was just one of those moments of like... you just go with the flow and it all felt right... okay i'm sorry i won't do ti again! appreciate my moment please.
anyway, so i meet up with alex at st michel. i've never been so happy to see someone. we both realized how lonely it is to see a city by ourselves, given how much he and i have talked and joked with each other along this journey.
we head back to the latin quarter for dinner, and i had french onion soup, rabbit, and creme bruelee... SOO good and the food was not the best part! beside me on the banquet seating was a little kitten sleeping!!!!!!! it belongs to the owner, his/her name is benelop. its' soooo cute, veyr nice, peacful, clean. didn't bother me as i ate. alex wanted to steal it and cal it picasso hehe. reminded me of blackberry but smaller. it was black and white. feet were white. very small. the waiters were teh best out of all the nights, good vibe to them, honestl friendly. i took photos with them.
kay back at hostel, need to show alex what i bought for show and tell and then sleep.
tomorrow is another chill day we're going to exploe montmarte.
love you all.
ciao
----
long days, but beautiful, paris moments. no, i'm not looking thru life wiht rose color glasses, if anything, i'm starting to realize what's really important and what i truely value...
----
bonjour ma famille,
okay so let's recap yesterday, b/c we got back really late and i needed to shower and blow dry hair so alex could sleep. so no time to email or call home.
yesterday we went to two cementaries to see some famous dead peopl's graves. first we went to cimatere montaparnesse. actually this one was a mistake, i thought all the famous ppl were here, but there are two cemetaries. the other one is in pallais chaise or something lke that, basically on the opposte side of town. this first cementar was nice. very quiet, ver little people, very peaceful. we saw jean paul sartre, a poet/writer. then we saw man ray (famous graphic designer) and then alex and i were looking for oscar wilde and chopin's grave, b/c i totally touhght this was the lace that had their last resting place. i accidently fonud lacoste and longchamp's graves... we spent about 2 hrs looking thru all the graves for wilde and chopin. i thought alex was going to cry when we coudln't find it. he needed to find wilde's grave to justify that he is meant to be a writer haha. it was kind of funny seeing him lose it b/c i had given up on ever finding chopn's grave, i started eating malt balls and following him b/w all the gravestones haha. eventually i saw 2 guys etching on a grave, i guess enforcing the names on the grave and i asked him where wilde and chopin's grave was. it was in the OTHER location. basicall, we had a map and the map didn't show wilde and chopin's graves, so we had asked some ppl who had worked there but they said if it's not on the map they don't know. so i had this theory thinking that it's hidden ou of respect or something. i totally thought their graves were there. i din't knwo there were two famous-ish cemetaries. alex had even asked me 3x, but i kept insisting i was right. i was following my guidebook, but i read it totaly wrong. hahahaha it was kind of funny b/c we spent longer at that place than we had anticipated. hahaah so the two guys i had asked for directions, were very kind and gave us a map of the otehr cemetary and directions on how to get there.
we had a late morning before the cemetary b/c we needed to get ome eextra sleep, starting to burn out, so we spent about 11ish-2ish at the first cemetary, we wanted to do the catacombs, but running out of time b/c we wanted to get to the other cemetary. so we skipped the catacombs and went straight to the other cemetary. it takes awhle on the metro to get anywhere, well not a long time, but travelling b/w places all the time really eates up site seeing time and b/c the other place was across town, it took about 30 mins to get there. so when we got there, it was a lot bigger cemetary, but luckily we had a plan of who's grave we wanted to see.
we saw: oscar wilde, chopin, edith piaf, a. mogliani, jim morrison, bizet, and some movie ppl i don't remember their names, but they were film pioneers so says alex.
you know waht's digusting? tour groups who go in large groups to the 'famous' graves. it's kind of disgusting b/c it's not a tourist attraction, i mean other ppl are buried there. you can see families actually sweeping leaves off the graves, taking care of it. granted, alex and i were there to see and take pictures, but we we also made sure we reflected on why we wanted to see them and their significance. we paid respect, not to see a tourist attraction. the first cemetary was great, b/c when we happen to come upon the gravs by accident and realizing omg do u know who this is, that was a great moment. at the 2nd cementary we were more methodical b/c we had spent so much time wasted at the first place looking for oscar wilde and chopin, but they weren't even there haha.
after the cemetaries, it was close to 6pm, we headed over to the pompidou. pompidou, is a 70's style building by renzo piano and richard rogers (famous architects), it's a modernist building, comissioned by president pompidou who was a patron of the modern arts etc. so we saw a lot of modern style art. iw as happy b/c we saw smoe works by an italian industrial designer, ettore sottsass. mum , he's the one who designed that salt and pepper shaker with the oil and vinegar set i bought for myself and for cheung-ee.. anyway his silver steel one is in the museum. ya that set is quite famous, don't ever throw it out. i thnk it's in my room right now. i should use it one day... oh ya and then we saw a bunch of picasso and other modern art i had studied and learned about in school. the building looks like a building taht's been built inside out. all the pipping and steel is on the outside. i thnk it's... visually stimulating and interesting, unique, noting else lke it, but not beautiful in the traditional sense.
for dinner, we went back to the latin quarter b/c we just feel familiar with it and that is wehere a lot of restaurants are. b/c it was so late i didn' twant too much, but i had a craving for beef fondue. i thought it was iwht cheese actually it's raw beef cooed in a fondue pot of oil. kind of fun, kind of.. too much eat. it also came with a bake potato. the meat had 4 diff dipping sauces. i also had a crepe afterwards from a diff place. there are tons of crepe places all over.
okay so that was yesterday. we were so tired, we passed out on the bed.
tis morning it was a solo day. i wanted to go to roland garros, the tennis stadium and so i left alex to wonder the streets by himself haha. actually he got to sleep in so he was quite happy about that. i took the metro to the outskirts of the city to get to teh stadiun. omg i've fulfilled one of my life long dreams, of being at the stadiun. granted, it was not during the tournament, but i got a tour of the grounds, and thru one of the main courts. we go tot walk thru where the layers walk thru when they arrive. we went into the men's locker room i got to touch nadal and federer's lockers (mum the handsoe boys who play tennis that you've seen). they get their regular lockers b/c well they're at the tournament every year haha. when we were out on teh court, which is played on red clay, i took tons of photos. i'm not allowed to run onto the cout b/c i wanted to run out and touch the net and everything, so i had to settle iwht just touching the ground wiht my hands and taking photos o fmy feet on the red clay, but cuoldn't run into the court.. oh well. it was still really amazing.
the lace also has a tennis museum, it had the trophies and past videos of some tennis play, old racquets etc. they also had a tennis store... yup, you bet i bought some souvenirs!!! i got a tennis jacket and a top, and then the tennis towel from this year.
after the tennis tour, i took the metro to champ elysee, yes mum, i went shopping for you and for us. i went into the LV store. it's the flagship store, the headquarter store. it's AMAZING. like design and the look of it is amazing. of couse all the bags, shoes, clothes is beatiful. but the layout of hte store is ver nice. i was only able to take a few photos of hte inside before security (which are everywwhere ) stopped me. the rproduct is out in the open not beind glass, so you can touch, but soooooooo many ppl there. had to wait a bit before i could get helped. yes mum, i bought you an LV wallet. i bought you like it b/c i really like it and i thnk i have good taste hah. and yes... yes i did get myself a wallet too. hey man, i saved up for it, don't lecture me!! hehe love you. okay so today is a sunday so almost everything was closed even on champs elysee. i'm glad LV was open, i was worried it would be closed. i didn't buy anything else, mainly b/c all the shops were closed and b/c there was nothing else on that big fancy street i wanted. i walked around, but ti was SOOO windy about 60km or over wind,s, i coudln'tw alk in a straight line. when it's windy like that i've learned that it means the rain will come soon. sure enough it did. i was getting so tired i decided to drop the bags off at the hostel before heading out again. i had to meet alex at st michel for dinner, and had about 2.5 hrs to kill. when left the hostel i figured i needed to get some sugar in me b/c as you may have guessed, i hadn't eaten anything. ihey hey i am okay, it's not lke that every day, just today i was on such an adrenaline rush i dind't feel hunger, when i shop, i don't stop, i just get things done. so by around 5ish, i stoped by a patisserie near the hostel and bought ac roissant and chocolat eclair. cafes were closed so i couldn't get a baguette sandwich. oooo my eclair fell on the ground as soon as i picked up the bag :( c'est domage. it just fell out and plop ion the ground.. the little old french lady saw what happened and was kind enough to give me anoter free of charge i've noticed in paris, despite what ppl say, ppl here are quite nice, sense of community, and are really generous at heart.
anyway, so i am eating my eclair and waking to the metro, and i decided to explore more of the latin quarter. i was going to gallerie lafayette b/c i need to buy a sweater, but it's closed, sunday, darn sunday, so i get off in the latin quarter earlier than the stop we usually get off at and start (this is where my internet just timed out and i lost 12 mins of writing!!!!!!!!!! okay i'm starting again... but it will be less story-like as i'm tired of writing now...) wondering around. this is where my true paris moment has started. as i'm wondering aronud i come upom the pantheon. this is the structure that alex and i see from our balcony into the distance. despite it being uphill, i felt like this is rigth that i should go up and see it even though i don't really knw what it's about. turns out there is a beautiful church nearby, and the pantheon is huge, larger than the one in rome. it's quiet, streets are dead, it's a sunday, everything closed. i take my photos and wonder around more. by this time i'm looking for anything to be open to kill time before i meet alex at st michel... in the distance i see a bookstore that is open, but it looks different more old, less chain-like than the other places. 5 paces away i see a book on the mkaing of paris je t'aime (the movie). at that very moment, all my paris moments with alex came flashing back. i realized this book is the one great souvenir that he and i will have as we are the only ones on this earth that realize what we've experienced was amazing adn special in paris. the book is for him it's to heavy for me to carry, alex is the film guy and loves the movie so this is perfect, and also as a gift for me to thank him for his hospitality in london. it was 10 euros, so don't freak out. okay have to hurry, but in a nutshell, the buildup to my true paris moment was inside the shop:
shop keeper, super old, offers me tea, as if we were in his home, so lke nice hospitality i look at books, shopkeeper so cute and nice, tells me stories, i take a photo with him, his friend who seems to keep in everyday given the famliarirty of it all, takes to him, his english is better, i drink a little bit of a 10 yr old whiskey with them, tells me more stories, bookstore has been around 30 yrs, shopkeeper is a poet, i leave the store feeling as though i've just had THE moment of paris that i had been wanting and it just felt wonderful.
ookay okay, you can lecture me now, i know don't take drinks from strangers, you never know what's in it. anyway i KNOW, i have no excuse other than... it was just one of those moments of like... you just go with the flow and it all felt right... okay i'm sorry i won't do ti again! appreciate my moment please.
anyway, so i meet up with alex at st michel. i've never been so happy to see someone. we both realized how lonely it is to see a city by ourselves, given how much he and i have talked and joked with each other along this journey.
we head back to the latin quarter for dinner, and i had french onion soup, rabbit, and creme bruelee... SOO good and the food was not the best part! beside me on the banquet seating was a little kitten sleeping!!!!!!! it belongs to the owner, his/her name is benelop. its' soooo cute, veyr nice, peacful, clean. didn't bother me as i ate. alex wanted to steal it and cal it picasso hehe. reminded me of blackberry but smaller. it was black and white. feet were white. very small. the waiters were teh best out of all the nights, good vibe to them, honestl friendly. i took photos with them.
kay back at hostel, need to show alex what i bought for show and tell and then sleep.
tomorrow is another chill day we're going to exploe montmarte.
love you all.
ciao
----
long days, but beautiful, paris moments. no, i'm not looking thru life wiht rose color glasses, if anything, i'm starting to realize what's really important and what i truely value...
Friday, October 3, 2008
a visual feast
so i love paris. it's a visual feast for the eyes. buildings are beautiful, food is yummy, heck even the people are beautiful. everywhere i look, there are attractive looking people.
tall, attractive looking people. i feel short, homely, and undesirable.
tall, attractive looking people. i feel short, homely, and undesirable.
an enlish lady
i'm turning into quite the enlishman, or english-lady in this case. key words i've learned.
"bollucks" - apparently can be used in many contexts, good and negative.
"slick" - pretentious, fancy, dressed up. that's slickkkk.
"pony" - crap. that's pony. personally, i think this is my favourite.
"bollucks" - apparently can be used in many contexts, good and negative.
"slick" - pretentious, fancy, dressed up. that's slickkkk.
"pony" - crap. that's pony. personally, i think this is my favourite.
eiffel tower
don't go up at night. at least not in october. okay well no, it's lit up beautifully right now, decked out in european blue and gold stars, but holy mofo is it ever cold and windy. plus having a compact digital camera trying to take night shots did not help. however, despite the cold, my crap ass camera, well not crap ass, but it's certainly not the canon rebel slr, i enjoyed my time up at the top. it really is quite an architectural wonder.
what did ruin it were all the PDA action around. public displays of action. i'm all for PDA, i heart PDA, however only if it's really me doing the PDA action. in the most romantic city in the world atop the eiffel tower, i did expect some lip locking, but seriously, every corner i turn?! i think alex and i have sunken to a new depressed low. seething with bitter jealousy. hah, well maybe more him than me. bollucks.
what did ruin it were all the PDA action around. public displays of action. i'm all for PDA, i heart PDA, however only if it's really me doing the PDA action. in the most romantic city in the world atop the eiffel tower, i did expect some lip locking, but seriously, every corner i turn?! i think alex and i have sunken to a new depressed low. seething with bitter jealousy. hah, well maybe more him than me. bollucks.
mona lisa
so what's up with everybody saying the mona lisa is a lot smaller than they thought? after speaking with many ppl about it, before we saw it, we had assumed it was a 8.5 x 11 portrait, instead it's like 4x that size and despite knowing how anti-climatic it may be once we feasted our eyes on it, it really was quite a site to behold. we spent a good half hr taking it in, enjoying the moment, of course this was amongst all the elbow and bum pushing b/c so many ppl were there.
her eyes really do follow you all around. like a ghost. or just an incredibly great piece of art work.
her eyes really do follow you all around. like a ghost. or just an incredibly great piece of art work.
when i go nuts
i giggle and laugh uncontrollably making the most inappropriate comments.
this is what happened today after walking and spending 6 hours at the louvre. alex and i just went absolutely mental after 3 hrs. we walked thru ALL of it. bollocks to those who say it takes 4 monthes to view every single piece of art. clearly they haven't witnessed what we do. the viscreal room scan. you're in and out of a room in 10.5 seconds. come onnnn if you've seen one flemish painting of medieval netherlands, you've seen them all.
i think we were so delirious with cultural and sensory overload that we were walking willy nilly all around and saying the stupidest shit. at the time, it was the most hilarious, politically incorrect crap that i don't ever dare repeat for fear of getting my ass kicked.
this is what happened today after walking and spending 6 hours at the louvre. alex and i just went absolutely mental after 3 hrs. we walked thru ALL of it. bollocks to those who say it takes 4 monthes to view every single piece of art. clearly they haven't witnessed what we do. the viscreal room scan. you're in and out of a room in 10.5 seconds. come onnnn if you've seen one flemish painting of medieval netherlands, you've seen them all.
i think we were so delirious with cultural and sensory overload that we were walking willy nilly all around and saying the stupidest shit. at the time, it was the most hilarious, politically incorrect crap that i don't ever dare repeat for fear of getting my ass kicked.
paris day 2
coming out of our introverted shells and speaking with ppl at the hostel during breakfast.
3.5 hr walking tour. walk. rain. red douchebag. pretentious asshole from vancouver. rain on me. jumping photo. ridiculous laughter.
jardins de tuileries.
d'orsay. van gogh, whistler, monet, manet, renoir. surrounded by the most significant works with the most insignificant people.
rain.
crepe.
dinner. italian. 1.4L of wine, pizza, caprese.
shakespere & co. too profound and significant for words. surrounded by books.
finally found 'the' latin quarter. will go back for food tonight.
3.5 hr walking tour. walk. rain. red douchebag. pretentious asshole from vancouver. rain on me. jumping photo. ridiculous laughter.
jardins de tuileries.
d'orsay. van gogh, whistler, monet, manet, renoir. surrounded by the most significant works with the most insignificant people.
rain.
crepe.
dinner. italian. 1.4L of wine, pizza, caprese.
shakespere & co. too profound and significant for words. surrounded by books.
finally found 'the' latin quarter. will go back for food tonight.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
paris
j'ai a paris. paris is everything i could hope for. i love it. our hostel is magnificent. oop-paris.com. will blog moe later. just wanted to say we've arrived not without any mishaps (will detail later).
i've said good bye to london.
bonjour paris. common ca va?
i've said good bye to london.
bonjour paris. common ca va?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
good bye
last day:
harrods. make more money to at least look like i can afford anything inside. enjoyed the experience. wish my retail spaces were more amazing like that.
rain. bring an umbrella.
oxford square. i want to live at top shop. or have top shop come to me. next time must visit primark and selfridges. block a whole day for oxford street next time.
british museum. best space to have a serious conversation with a friend. the library in the museum is the place to be. a sense of self-worth and realization of one's own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. a sense of calm in the parthenon rooms. transcendent moments and peace.
belgo. chambar could learn a lesson on how to do belgium atmosphere right. i heart belgos and mhh belgium waffle and mussels.
good bye.
harrods. make more money to at least look like i can afford anything inside. enjoyed the experience. wish my retail spaces were more amazing like that.
rain. bring an umbrella.
oxford square. i want to live at top shop. or have top shop come to me. next time must visit primark and selfridges. block a whole day for oxford street next time.
british museum. best space to have a serious conversation with a friend. the library in the museum is the place to be. a sense of self-worth and realization of one's own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. a sense of calm in the parthenon rooms. transcendent moments and peace.
belgo. chambar could learn a lesson on how to do belgium atmosphere right. i heart belgos and mhh belgium waffle and mussels.
good bye.
Monday, September 29, 2008
last minute thoughts
my time in london is quickly coming to a close. i'm venturing off by myself tomorrow for a day of shopping!! hells YES it's about time. i've been a good girl, didn't buy anything this entire time, not that i've had time to stop and shop seeing as how we've been motoring thru the city like tourists on crack, but before i forget or not have time tomorrow night, here are some thoughts.
it's a dirty city. love it, but it's dirty. my hair is gross every day and let's just say when i blow my nose it's not quite the right color... then again i came across the same problem in rome, so i'm glad it's not just me being a fruit here.
the tube system is fantastic and super easy to use. though i should probably hold off on saying this one as i'll be navigating myself tomorrow. sadface. i want my reliable friend to guide me around!
4.5 days is just simply not enough days to see london. there's SOOO much to see and do and i don't care what all you've i've been to london and hate it people think, really, i wish i had another week to see and do everything... wimbledon (oh don't get me started on that, i wanted to but it really really did not work out), tower of london, more plays and musicals, more shopping, more museums and churches.
food. i could eat at a different restaurant every night and still not discover all that there is. there's soo much to eat i wish i could eat my way thru the city. the little piggy in my wishes it so.
it's a dirty city. love it, but it's dirty. my hair is gross every day and let's just say when i blow my nose it's not quite the right color... then again i came across the same problem in rome, so i'm glad it's not just me being a fruit here.
the tube system is fantastic and super easy to use. though i should probably hold off on saying this one as i'll be navigating myself tomorrow. sadface. i want my reliable friend to guide me around!
4.5 days is just simply not enough days to see london. there's SOOO much to see and do and i don't care what all you've i've been to london and hate it people think, really, i wish i had another week to see and do everything... wimbledon (oh don't get me started on that, i wanted to but it really really did not work out), tower of london, more plays and musicals, more shopping, more museums and churches.
food. i could eat at a different restaurant every night and still not discover all that there is. there's soo much to eat i wish i could eat my way thru the city. the little piggy in my wishes it so.
sunday edit
right... more recap of sunday.
design museum and shad thames street. little hidden gem of a street and museum in the city. after a maddening day of saturday culture, seeing modern design again felt like a breath of fresh air. seriously, you all must visit this place. it felt like the inspiration i needed and was craving for after a a couple of years of being out of the scene. am i going to turn on illustrator when i get back home? no. but my appreciation level for the 'joy of use' has definitely elevated. that and my computer can't support CS3. yes i know, i'm so living in 2004.
i still can't believe i saw a real mondrian red blue and yellow, a work by kadinsky, and pollock's i feel as though my education was validated by that visit.
ok i'm tired. don't want to remember sunday anymore.
design museum and shad thames street. little hidden gem of a street and museum in the city. after a maddening day of saturday culture, seeing modern design again felt like a breath of fresh air. seriously, you all must visit this place. it felt like the inspiration i needed and was craving for after a a couple of years of being out of the scene. am i going to turn on illustrator when i get back home? no. but my appreciation level for the 'joy of use' has definitely elevated. that and my computer can't support CS3. yes i know, i'm so living in 2004.
i still can't believe i saw a real mondrian red blue and yellow, a work by kadinsky, and pollock's i feel as though my education was validated by that visit.
ok i'm tired. don't want to remember sunday anymore.
i'm super keane on you
O M G keane at the forum tonight was the best night i've had on my trip so far.
the forum is great, it's in north london in a shabby area, building looks like shit from the outside, even the awning that says forum is horrible, but once you go in, after a super long line up, wow what a great space. think of a theatre, not a movie theatre, but play and opera theatre space. this is really how going to concerts should be like!
transcendent moments were everywhere. singing with alex and the crowd to bedshape, somewhere only we know, and everyone's changing while drinking my carlsberg, swaying back and forth to the last song from their new album, epic. absolutely epic night.
one of the best concerts i've been to in awhile!
the forum is great, it's in north london in a shabby area, building looks like shit from the outside, even the awning that says forum is horrible, but once you go in, after a super long line up, wow what a great space. think of a theatre, not a movie theatre, but play and opera theatre space. this is really how going to concerts should be like!
transcendent moments were everywhere. singing with alex and the crowd to bedshape, somewhere only we know, and everyone's changing while drinking my carlsberg, swaying back and forth to the last song from their new album, epic. absolutely epic night.
one of the best concerts i've been to in awhile!
mexicana
okay so a day's worth of culture washed down by a bottle of corona and a tequila shot. hey, when in rome do what the romans do... except i'm in london and we were eating at a yummy mexican place, so when in a mexican joint, drink tequila?!
:( and yes i became the little piggy when i out ate alex at dinner... sigh... i hope i'm not a rollypolly when i come home.
:( and yes i became the little piggy when i out ate alex at dinner... sigh... i hope i'm not a rollypolly when i come home.
british museum
okay, so i appreciate the british museum a bit more than the V&A, even though both places are really just spectacular ornate buildings filled with 'stuff' that the british had pillaged from every city and town they had visited... but the british museum has the elgin marbles so i feel like i've come full circle with the parthenon. i've seen it in person, i've seen the 'real' objects in the museum in athens, and now i've seen what the british has.
except, some heads of some statues are in the neatherlands... go figure. close enough i guess.
okay, so i'm not trying to dumb down my experience, but it's SOOO MUCHHH culture to take in, in 3-4 days. it's over load. ALL over london is sensory overload. i need longer in this city!
except, some heads of some statues are in the neatherlands... go figure. close enough i guess.
okay, so i'm not trying to dumb down my experience, but it's SOOO MUCHHH culture to take in, in 3-4 days. it's over load. ALL over london is sensory overload. i need longer in this city!
V&A
i'm quite museum out. if i see another silver spoon that's worth over 1000 quids i'm going to scream. okay, i get it, people back in the day lived outrageously and luxuriously, but to see every ornate dish, clothing, furniture that existed back then makes me realize how antique roadshow will never go out of style! oh ya. i love that show.
the V&A aka victoria and albert building is great, fantastic, great open space, great little garden, i just don't know if i have the patience to spend the whole day there going over every little item. instead, we spent. 1.5 hrs trotting thru the halls.
oh one fab discovery was some modern industrial design. hello joe columbo and ettore sottsass. i shall never be tired of you! how i heart thee.
the V&A aka victoria and albert building is great, fantastic, great open space, great little garden, i just don't know if i have the patience to spend the whole day there going over every little item. instead, we spent. 1.5 hrs trotting thru the halls.
oh one fab discovery was some modern industrial design. hello joe columbo and ettore sottsass. i shall never be tired of you! how i heart thee.
harrods
can i leave home and just live at harrods? it would be like living at charlie and the chocolate factory, except there's a 'factory' of sorts for every food and consumer good type under one roof. oh, and i would need a black american express card...
buckingham
buckingham, schmuckingham... i wish my house was that ornate and spectacular. i'd throw a party everyday just to shove it in people's faces how awesome my house is. so awesome, it should be on cribs.
totally missed the changing of the guards due to some st. paul adventures. oh well. i heckled the still-standing guard behind the gates. apparently i shouldn't call them 'bobby'
totally missed the changing of the guards due to some st. paul adventures. oh well. i heckled the still-standing guard behind the gates. apparently i shouldn't call them 'bobby'
st pauls
me - "so seeing how old st paul's is, how long do you think it took them to realize they needed to put those spikes up so birds won't sit on the building and shit on it all day? and then wouldn't it suck to be the guy who has to clean up hundreds of years of bird poop?"
alex - "goooood question, good question. there has to be answer for that. pay a guy 20 thousand a year just to research that exact fact. it's important!"
it took over 500+ steps for us to get up the dome of st pauls. pretty freakin' spectacular. though perhaps not the same as the vatican's duomo. still... 500+ steps, i'd say i got my exercise in for the day and burnt off the beer calories already!
(sad face.. actually probably not as i sit here typing with cankles. dehyrated, too much walking, not enough resting!)
the whispering gallery is quite neat. i 'spoke' to alex from the other side of the circumference. it was like talking to a ghost. they should call it the ghost circle.
alex - "goooood question, good question. there has to be answer for that. pay a guy 20 thousand a year just to research that exact fact. it's important!"
it took over 500+ steps for us to get up the dome of st pauls. pretty freakin' spectacular. though perhaps not the same as the vatican's duomo. still... 500+ steps, i'd say i got my exercise in for the day and burnt off the beer calories already!
(sad face.. actually probably not as i sit here typing with cankles. dehyrated, too much walking, not enough resting!)
the whispering gallery is quite neat. i 'spoke' to alex from the other side of the circumference. it was like talking to a ghost. they should call it the ghost circle.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
note to self
sunday:
st pauls. must revisit when fully open.
tate modern. mondrian, polluck, and kadinsky my favourite. can't believe i saw the famous red, blue, yellow original by modrian. absolutely floored.
gherkin 10 min random photo shoot.
walked over tower bridge.
design museum. absolutely epic. must share location with all design friends.
random church.
globe theatre. merry wives of windsor. funny. standing in the yard not recommended after a long day of being on the feet.
pint of beer at porterhouse.
must revisit mexicana restaurant when it's open.
hope alex doesn't hate me for tiring him out.
st pauls. must revisit when fully open.
tate modern. mondrian, polluck, and kadinsky my favourite. can't believe i saw the famous red, blue, yellow original by modrian. absolutely floored.
gherkin 10 min random photo shoot.
walked over tower bridge.
design museum. absolutely epic. must share location with all design friends.
random church.
globe theatre. merry wives of windsor. funny. standing in the yard not recommended after a long day of being on the feet.
pint of beer at porterhouse.
must revisit mexicana restaurant when it's open.
hope alex doesn't hate me for tiring him out.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
sun in my bum
if only. we got lucky yesterday and today as it was bright blue skies with beautiful sun. i could've worn a t-shirt and shorts today if i wanted, instead i was wearing a long black coat. ya i'm s.m.r.t.
and... it looks like i get more sun tomorrow!!!!
for those of you not reading this right as i type it and should that url change, that's 1 big sun (icon) for sat, 1 sun w/half cloud on sun and mon and then rain tues, but hopefully it'll change to big fat sun again.
EDIT: sad face. i was just informed today is saturday... so really... tomorrow is half sun half cloud?! sad face.
and... it looks like i get more sun tomorrow!!!!
for those of you not reading this right as i type it and should that url change, that's 1 big sun (icon) for sat, 1 sun w/half cloud on sun and mon and then rain tues, but hopefully it'll change to big fat sun again.
EDIT: sad face. i was just informed today is saturday... so really... tomorrow is half sun half cloud?! sad face.
absolutely tanked
but not drunk tanked, just incredibly tired. alex estimates that we've walked about 2-3 miles today, but not in distance, just from walking ... and running to and from destinations, thru tube stations, thru westminster abby...
oka okay so the day started off with us running thru waterloo station ala jason bourne from the bourne films. no joke. we had 3 mins from the railway train to get to the london eye for our 'flight' b/c we booked a time online. actually, b/c we're such geeks we may renanct the running except this time film it b/c seriously, it looked crazy, we were jumping around and dodging people left right and centre. quite ridik. also found out how incredibly out of shape i am!
well it turned out the time we booked, as long as we validated our tic by 1030 we could ride it whenever we wanted until 9pm. the morning was super, b/c the weather was extremely hazy, thought we would've wasted an eye trip on poor weather, luckily as we got closer to the city the sky was clearing up, just not as clear as we wanted it ot be at 1030. b/c we had our tix from the bus tour, yesterday, we decided to wait out gorgeous weather and take a river tour on the thames instead.
that turned out excellent. our commentator had the great british wit, droll humor, and very knowledgeable about all the buildings around us. the boat dropped us off at the tower of london and we were going to take the tube over to westminster, when we came across a naval memorial and park. quite a surprise, yet extremely sad. the memorial was for rememberance of all the naval soldiers during ww1. all the boats and the sailors names were inprinted into the walls of the memorial with rememberance day-like wreaths around. it's incredible the amount of boats that were used the war and how many had been lost. as i walked around reading all the names, a bell pealed in the background and my entire body got goose bumps. standing in the memorial (open space with surrounding name walls), albeit sad, was peaceful despite being right next to a road.
next we went to westminster abby, holy cripes, that thing is huge. like hi, can we build any higher?! quite an enginnering feat, i'd like to see man build something that crazy WITHOUT the machinary we have today! this was around noon time, we were starving so we went into a corner store to grab food, btw the corner stores sell liquor! love it, but did not buy it. we sat on the lawn in front of the abby eating our lunch. i dont know if it's b/c i've been to italy a couple of times and the vatican a couple of times, that though the abby was impressive, i still felt that nonchalant, de-sensitised feeling... i was impressed, but i didn't get the same WOW moment i got when i first walked into the vatican. anyways, abby awesome. up next, portobello market!!
portobello market is great, it's in notting hill. the area is beauuuttifful. the architecture is different, a lot more modern facades to the buildings, but still has that georgian-english field. the market stretches on for blocks selling everything from clothes, jewelery and compasses. it was lke walking thru an antique road show episode or just a super huge and awesome garage sale.
after the market we went back to the london eye to try to get on it before we had to go to picadilly circus for our play.
sigh sorry, brain getting tired, details of the day starting to get more difficult to jot down, but we do have plenty of photos and videos!
we just got back from seeing the play, the 39 steps (hitchcock movie turned into a comedy play...), it was funny, but i was so tired i think i might've noddded off intermitantly.
oOOooo i found the best ramen so far, not that i was actively looking for it, but we went to a restaurant called waggamamas (waggamamas.com or something like that, go google it), but it was a great eating experience, cheap, and yummy all at once!! i would go back again and again. i have pics of that as well, those will follow shortly...
okay i can feel my eyes sinking further into my face. i can't believe i lasted 32+ straight hrs yesterday, today was literally non-stop 13 hr day, tomorrow may be even longer. going to st pauls, harrods, tate modern, design museum, albert and victoria museum, and seeing a play at the globe theatre.
ciao.
oka okay so the day started off with us running thru waterloo station ala jason bourne from the bourne films. no joke. we had 3 mins from the railway train to get to the london eye for our 'flight' b/c we booked a time online. actually, b/c we're such geeks we may renanct the running except this time film it b/c seriously, it looked crazy, we were jumping around and dodging people left right and centre. quite ridik. also found out how incredibly out of shape i am!
well it turned out the time we booked, as long as we validated our tic by 1030 we could ride it whenever we wanted until 9pm. the morning was super, b/c the weather was extremely hazy, thought we would've wasted an eye trip on poor weather, luckily as we got closer to the city the sky was clearing up, just not as clear as we wanted it ot be at 1030. b/c we had our tix from the bus tour, yesterday, we decided to wait out gorgeous weather and take a river tour on the thames instead.
that turned out excellent. our commentator had the great british wit, droll humor, and very knowledgeable about all the buildings around us. the boat dropped us off at the tower of london and we were going to take the tube over to westminster, when we came across a naval memorial and park. quite a surprise, yet extremely sad. the memorial was for rememberance of all the naval soldiers during ww1. all the boats and the sailors names were inprinted into the walls of the memorial with rememberance day-like wreaths around. it's incredible the amount of boats that were used the war and how many had been lost. as i walked around reading all the names, a bell pealed in the background and my entire body got goose bumps. standing in the memorial (open space with surrounding name walls), albeit sad, was peaceful despite being right next to a road.
next we went to westminster abby, holy cripes, that thing is huge. like hi, can we build any higher?! quite an enginnering feat, i'd like to see man build something that crazy WITHOUT the machinary we have today! this was around noon time, we were starving so we went into a corner store to grab food, btw the corner stores sell liquor! love it, but did not buy it. we sat on the lawn in front of the abby eating our lunch. i dont know if it's b/c i've been to italy a couple of times and the vatican a couple of times, that though the abby was impressive, i still felt that nonchalant, de-sensitised feeling... i was impressed, but i didn't get the same WOW moment i got when i first walked into the vatican. anyways, abby awesome. up next, portobello market!!
portobello market is great, it's in notting hill. the area is beauuuttifful. the architecture is different, a lot more modern facades to the buildings, but still has that georgian-english field. the market stretches on for blocks selling everything from clothes, jewelery and compasses. it was lke walking thru an antique road show episode or just a super huge and awesome garage sale.
after the market we went back to the london eye to try to get on it before we had to go to picadilly circus for our play.
sigh sorry, brain getting tired, details of the day starting to get more difficult to jot down, but we do have plenty of photos and videos!
we just got back from seeing the play, the 39 steps (hitchcock movie turned into a comedy play...), it was funny, but i was so tired i think i might've noddded off intermitantly.
oOOooo i found the best ramen so far, not that i was actively looking for it, but we went to a restaurant called waggamamas (waggamamas.com or something like that, go google it), but it was a great eating experience, cheap, and yummy all at once!! i would go back again and again. i have pics of that as well, those will follow shortly...
okay i can feel my eyes sinking further into my face. i can't believe i lasted 32+ straight hrs yesterday, today was literally non-stop 13 hr day, tomorrow may be even longer. going to st pauls, harrods, tate modern, design museum, albert and victoria museum, and seeing a play at the globe theatre.
ciao.
Friday, September 26, 2008
alive but still awake
hi i've been awake since the last post i sent off.. . i thnk i've been awake for about 30 hrs straight now, but my mind is so fucked up i can't even do the math. anyway london is awesome, i went on the double decker tour 2 hrs. sorry, just came back from indian food, and lots of wine. a bit drunk, hair wet from shower, so tired, yet full day tomorrow. want to sleep, can't, must blow dry hair, and oh so.. well just hasn't really hit me i am in freakin' lndon. actually some of the places remind me of london.... oh i have pics i've taken about 20o pics so far, weather is amazing. i climbed a lion statue at trafalger park. hah... man i am so editing this post tomorrow when i am not this sloshy. generous family my friend has, amo amo amo.
london eye tomorrow, thames cruise and a bunch of other fun things!! yay for sunn weather in london. ciao ragazzi......tiamos lots
london eye tomorrow, thames cruise and a bunch of other fun things!! yay for sunn weather in london. ciao ragazzi......tiamos lots
Thursday, September 25, 2008
au revoir!!
i like how my mum yells out to the house that i am leaving... almost... like a song? prayer like? i guess it's a buddhist thing??? random.
i went pee and queen elizabeth was staring back up at me. hah no joke. i can see the pounds thru my money belt that will be strapped around my waist for the next 18 days. mmhhh hygene. bet you're questioning the location of the cash you have in your wallet now, don't ya?!
alright, time to leave for the airport.
hearts you all. miss you already.
i went pee and queen elizabeth was staring back up at me. hah no joke. i can see the pounds thru my money belt that will be strapped around my waist for the next 18 days. mmhhh hygene. bet you're questioning the location of the cash you have in your wallet now, don't ya?!
alright, time to leave for the airport.
hearts you all. miss you already.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
come play with me
okay so i've created a travel blog for those who would like to follow me around london, paris and vienna.
am i excited? HELLLSSS YAAAA
as it hit me yet? actually no. still not really.
i think it doesn't help that i haven't packed yet, and i'm sitting here in gross work out clothes after an intense 2.5 hrs of tennis playing... seriously, my hair is dripping with my sweat. my mum thought i went swimming in my clothes. mmhhh i wonder if the french loves sweat?! bonjour boys.. boOOOOnnnJOUR!
and i'll actually try to update this while i'm actually over there. pictures may have to come when i am home.
please hope i come home with the same amount of underwear.
am i excited? HELLLSSS YAAAA
as it hit me yet? actually no. still not really.
i think it doesn't help that i haven't packed yet, and i'm sitting here in gross work out clothes after an intense 2.5 hrs of tennis playing... seriously, my hair is dripping with my sweat. my mum thought i went swimming in my clothes. mmhhh i wonder if the french loves sweat?! bonjour boys.. boOOOOnnnJOUR!
and i'll actually try to update this while i'm actually over there. pictures may have to come when i am home.
please hope i come home with the same amount of underwear.
cheerio!
london bridges is falling down, falling down, falling down, looonndon bridges falling down, my fair lady... as long as i am the fair lady and it doesn't fall down on me!
t-17 hrs before take off.
t-17 hrs before take off.
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