I had two visitors this past Saturday. My brother Ted and a friend from Northeastern, Jaime. Jaime came in Friday afternoon. It was really too late to go sight-seeing, since it was dark, so we thought maybe we could go to Greenwich and watch the new Bond movie. So we went to wait for the 177 bus. This turned out to be a problem, as it never came. There was a woman that had been standing there for at least 1o minutes longer than us, we waited for probably 30 minutes and it still hadn't come. She was still standing there when we left. Instead we went to the Hob for awhile, until it was time to retire.
The next day Jaime and I met my brother by Parliament, and I took them around to some of the major sights. Parliament and Westminster, down to Buckingham, then to Trafalgar and onto Piccadilly. Jaime really really wanted to see a musical while she was in town and she was able to convince my brother to go see Spamalot. So they bought half-price tickets. We walked to the theater and I dropped them off. I decided to take advantage of the time and I went to the National Gallery. I'm not big on fine art, but it was something I had wanted to go to. There were some paintings I really liked, they mostly revolved around Greek mythology. Then some of the rooms were just painting after painting of Jesus or Mary or other biblical scenes, it got repetitive.
After the Gallery and Spamalot, I took them to Soho. We walked around a while until we came upon Leicester Square, where we decided it would be good to try and see the new Bond. We went and saw the showtimes, but the closest one was three to four hours away. So we went for food. We found this place in Soho that was a French/Italian restaurant. I got the foie gras as a starter then the coq au vin as the entree. It was pretty good and reasonably priced. After dinner we went back to Square and bought tickets, then saw the movie. It was OK. I might've liked it more had I remembered more of Casino Royale, since Solace was almost a sequel.
After the movie it was pretty late so we went back to New Cross and hit the hay. I had to wake up at around 5 in the morning to make sure Jaime got on the correct bus so she could get to London Victoria so she could take the Gatwick Express to get her flight.
So everyone is gone. Though my papers are technically due on the 5th, I leave for Amsterdam on the 4th. I have a lot of work to do.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Turkey Day
Thanksgiving started like most post-Sandwich Thursdays - in a haze. It was a little worse this time, because my brother, Ted, was in town. I hadn't gone to a show as I usually do on Wednesdays. So we were at the Hob earlier than usual, then we went to Sandwich.
We woke up and went to the green, where there was an American football game going on - the Pilgrims vs. the Indians. The Pilgrims won. We even got a Brit to play, though the first time he got a pass, he threw it forward again because he was used to rugby. The game lasted maybe an hour.
Ted went back to sleep for a little and I went to go help with shopping and cooking. And by helping with cooking I mean standing around drinking water and occasionally basting the turkey. Pretty soon everyone started showing up. We probably had around 20 people in the D4 kitchen. It turned out pretty well.
We had the turkey, of course. We had mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, scallops, mac & cheese, cranberry sauce, stuffing with Italian sausage and bacon, many pies and types of dessert, lots of wine. It was a great spread, huge. And we ate most of it. The Brits there loved the holiday. After we ate our first plate, they asked us what now? And we said more food. After we had all eaten enough and we were all in food comas, they asked again, what now? We said this is it. They replied by professing their new found love for the holiday. Later on in the night, people would hover around the food with forks, slowly picking at food and at the turkey. Everything was so good and there was still so much. The rest of the night we just sat around, talking and drinking. It was a great Thanksgiving.
We woke up and went to the green, where there was an American football game going on - the Pilgrims vs. the Indians. The Pilgrims won. We even got a Brit to play, though the first time he got a pass, he threw it forward again because he was used to rugby. The game lasted maybe an hour.
Ted went back to sleep for a little and I went to go help with shopping and cooking. And by helping with cooking I mean standing around drinking water and occasionally basting the turkey. Pretty soon everyone started showing up. We probably had around 20 people in the D4 kitchen. It turned out pretty well.
We had the turkey, of course. We had mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, scallops, mac & cheese, cranberry sauce, stuffing with Italian sausage and bacon, many pies and types of dessert, lots of wine. It was a great spread, huge. And we ate most of it. The Brits there loved the holiday. After we ate our first plate, they asked us what now? And we said more food. After we had all eaten enough and we were all in food comas, they asked again, what now? We said this is it. They replied by professing their new found love for the holiday. Later on in the night, people would hover around the food with forks, slowly picking at food and at the turkey. Everything was so good and there was still so much. The rest of the night we just sat around, talking and drinking. It was a great Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Dublin
Dublin was the second weekend in a month long stretch of no rest. I'd be there two nights with Scott and Jen, then Debi, Sam and their friend Lidia would join us on Saturday night.
Dublin was my first experience on the infamous Ryanair. I had heard so many warnings about them; dodgy takeoffs, dodgy landings, bad customer service... I had no problem with them at all. The Irish woman at the check-in desk was probably the nicest airline employee I've ever met, and she just started the long run of incredibly nice and helpful Irish that we came across during our time in Dublin.
The city was... ok. It was very Americanized, lots and lots of pizza and hamburger joints. After I got back, I was talking to my friend Liz about it, and she thought it was a lot like Boston, which I have to agree with. It didn't have that European city feel to it. What added to the Boston feel was the streets. Though on a loose grid system, the streets change name every block, so if you're looking for a certain street you might not find it. So my advice? Buy a map. Of course, we got into the city when it was dark and rainy and we couldn't find our hostel... Not the best beginning. When we were wandering around, we did see a city map hanging in a window. While we were trying to get ourselves oriented, this guy walking down the street and stops and asks if we need any help. Incredibly surprising, no one would do that in the States.
We eventually found our hostel and settled in. Then we went out to the Temple Bar area. As we quickly found out, Dublin is a pretty damn expensive city. We went to this pub and ordered Guinness & beef stew for 16 euro. It was really good, but... it's stew. Granted, we were in a big tourist spot, but other places we went were still expensive. Later, we learned that if we wanted to save money, we should've stayed on the north side of the river.
For the night, we went to this one club type place and sat up on the roof the whole night, just drinking Guinness and talking. The great thing about Guinness in Ireland, that in addition to it tasting magnificent, is that's a domestic beer and therefore cheaper. A little slice of heaven. As I went up to get another round, the bartender started talking to me in an incredibly heavy Irish accent. It was a bit hard to understand him. But what I really got out of this conversation was a lesson about Budweiser. He told me that whenever he went to the States, he could never find a pint of good Budweiser. I say, what do you expect, it's a crap beer. He insists that it's not and gives me a sample. And you know what? It was really damn good. They should sell that stuff here.
The next morning was our sight seeing day. First, we stopped at a hotel/restaurant on the corner of our street and got an Irish breakfast, which was of course amazing. Then we walked to Trinity College. We didn't go see the Book of Kells or anything. None of us were that interested and we were trying to not spend too much money. The campus, however is gorgeous. The courtyard you first walk into is beautiful and the architecture was very cool.
From there we walked down the street to Dublin Castle. Again, we didn't go in. The Castle didn't seem too big or unique. Though the courtyard, I thought was impressive, just like at Trinity. Then we walked even further down to Christ Church Cathedral which was pretty impressive. I kind of wanted to go into this, but money and time concerns didn't allow for it.
We were going to go to the Guinness factory with my friend Ashley, who is there for a year for her major. So while we were waiting for her, we went to this pub across from the church called the Bull & Castle. It had a pretty good beer selection and while a little pricey, was still better than most places we had seen. We finally met up with Ashely and her friend and walked to the factory.
The factory is massive. It's seven flights, five of which are a self-guided tour. It was pretty impressive, but if you've been on one brewery tour, you've been on them all. It was basically the same as the Sam Adams tour, except more interactive and just bigger. But the story was the same. On the top floor is the Gravity Bar. It give a 360˚ view of Dublin. It was dark, so we couldn't see much, but it was still a cool sight. And the Guinness at the factory is really all it's made up to be. It was like the nectar of the gods.
After that we walked back, with Ashely leading, and somehow ended up on the other side of Trinity. We went to a pub and had dinner. I just had fish and chips, which was the first time I had an order of that while abroad. Again, nothing special, especially for the price. This is when Ashley and her friend went home, since they live outside the city and apparently the bus service is horrible.
So we headed back to Temple Bar. I had somehow developed a massive headache by this point, yet we still went to a club for several hours. The club was nothing special and actually kind of annoying. While we were walking back we saw a hot dog stand and we each got a 4 euro hot dog, which kind of made everything better. I felt like I was at a ball game paying those prices for a hot dog. We were in a deep sleep until around 4am when some of the people sharing our room came back and were generally incredibly loud and rude. They did not whisper, they turned lights on, one of the guys started tickling a girl, they were taking pictures with the flash on... generally just being wankers. It sounded like there were a bunch of them, but when we woke up the next day and met them, it was just four kids from Wales.
On Saturday we got up around noon and got ready. We were supposed to meet the other group of people around the Spire. We went to a cafe right on the corner by the Spire, had another Irish Breakfast them met up with Sam, Debi and Lidia. The plan was to go to the Jameson factory. So we walked over the factory. Lidia and Jen didn't want to do it, so they went shopping and I went through the factory with Scott, Sam and Debi. Again, the factory was pretty standard stuff, except I learned a little bit more about Whiskey. Plus, there was free Jameson at the end. We then went to the bar downstairs and got an Irish Coffee, because we had heard they were amazing, which they were.
After that we had to walk back to their hostel to drop some stuff off and meet back up with Lidia and Jen. We were trying to figure out where to go that night and eventually decided to go back to the Bull & Castle. We went upstairs and were able to secure a long picnic table to seat all of us. We had a nice long night there. Met many many friendly about around the bar and outside. They even had Sam Adams, which was a nice surprise. They also had the best food we had in Dublin. And all we got was an appetizer sampler. I think that's a good comment on Dublin's food. It was a good night, we left and walked the girls back to their hostel, got some pretty tasty pizza and went to bed. Then we flew home.
Picture link added on the right.
Dublin was my first experience on the infamous Ryanair. I had heard so many warnings about them; dodgy takeoffs, dodgy landings, bad customer service... I had no problem with them at all. The Irish woman at the check-in desk was probably the nicest airline employee I've ever met, and she just started the long run of incredibly nice and helpful Irish that we came across during our time in Dublin.
The city was... ok. It was very Americanized, lots and lots of pizza and hamburger joints. After I got back, I was talking to my friend Liz about it, and she thought it was a lot like Boston, which I have to agree with. It didn't have that European city feel to it. What added to the Boston feel was the streets. Though on a loose grid system, the streets change name every block, so if you're looking for a certain street you might not find it. So my advice? Buy a map. Of course, we got into the city when it was dark and rainy and we couldn't find our hostel... Not the best beginning. When we were wandering around, we did see a city map hanging in a window. While we were trying to get ourselves oriented, this guy walking down the street and stops and asks if we need any help. Incredibly surprising, no one would do that in the States.
We eventually found our hostel and settled in. Then we went out to the Temple Bar area. As we quickly found out, Dublin is a pretty damn expensive city. We went to this pub and ordered Guinness & beef stew for 16 euro. It was really good, but... it's stew. Granted, we were in a big tourist spot, but other places we went were still expensive. Later, we learned that if we wanted to save money, we should've stayed on the north side of the river.
For the night, we went to this one club type place and sat up on the roof the whole night, just drinking Guinness and talking. The great thing about Guinness in Ireland, that in addition to it tasting magnificent, is that's a domestic beer and therefore cheaper. A little slice of heaven. As I went up to get another round, the bartender started talking to me in an incredibly heavy Irish accent. It was a bit hard to understand him. But what I really got out of this conversation was a lesson about Budweiser. He told me that whenever he went to the States, he could never find a pint of good Budweiser. I say, what do you expect, it's a crap beer. He insists that it's not and gives me a sample. And you know what? It was really damn good. They should sell that stuff here.
The next morning was our sight seeing day. First, we stopped at a hotel/restaurant on the corner of our street and got an Irish breakfast, which was of course amazing. Then we walked to Trinity College. We didn't go see the Book of Kells or anything. None of us were that interested and we were trying to not spend too much money. The campus, however is gorgeous. The courtyard you first walk into is beautiful and the architecture was very cool.
From there we walked down the street to Dublin Castle. Again, we didn't go in. The Castle didn't seem too big or unique. Though the courtyard, I thought was impressive, just like at Trinity. Then we walked even further down to Christ Church Cathedral which was pretty impressive. I kind of wanted to go into this, but money and time concerns didn't allow for it.
We were going to go to the Guinness factory with my friend Ashley, who is there for a year for her major. So while we were waiting for her, we went to this pub across from the church called the Bull & Castle. It had a pretty good beer selection and while a little pricey, was still better than most places we had seen. We finally met up with Ashely and her friend and walked to the factory.
The factory is massive. It's seven flights, five of which are a self-guided tour. It was pretty impressive, but if you've been on one brewery tour, you've been on them all. It was basically the same as the Sam Adams tour, except more interactive and just bigger. But the story was the same. On the top floor is the Gravity Bar. It give a 360˚ view of Dublin. It was dark, so we couldn't see much, but it was still a cool sight. And the Guinness at the factory is really all it's made up to be. It was like the nectar of the gods.
After that we walked back, with Ashely leading, and somehow ended up on the other side of Trinity. We went to a pub and had dinner. I just had fish and chips, which was the first time I had an order of that while abroad. Again, nothing special, especially for the price. This is when Ashley and her friend went home, since they live outside the city and apparently the bus service is horrible.
So we headed back to Temple Bar. I had somehow developed a massive headache by this point, yet we still went to a club for several hours. The club was nothing special and actually kind of annoying. While we were walking back we saw a hot dog stand and we each got a 4 euro hot dog, which kind of made everything better. I felt like I was at a ball game paying those prices for a hot dog. We were in a deep sleep until around 4am when some of the people sharing our room came back and were generally incredibly loud and rude. They did not whisper, they turned lights on, one of the guys started tickling a girl, they were taking pictures with the flash on... generally just being wankers. It sounded like there were a bunch of them, but when we woke up the next day and met them, it was just four kids from Wales.
On Saturday we got up around noon and got ready. We were supposed to meet the other group of people around the Spire. We went to a cafe right on the corner by the Spire, had another Irish Breakfast them met up with Sam, Debi and Lidia. The plan was to go to the Jameson factory. So we walked over the factory. Lidia and Jen didn't want to do it, so they went shopping and I went through the factory with Scott, Sam and Debi. Again, the factory was pretty standard stuff, except I learned a little bit more about Whiskey. Plus, there was free Jameson at the end. We then went to the bar downstairs and got an Irish Coffee, because we had heard they were amazing, which they were.
After that we had to walk back to their hostel to drop some stuff off and meet back up with Lidia and Jen. We were trying to figure out where to go that night and eventually decided to go back to the Bull & Castle. We went upstairs and were able to secure a long picnic table to seat all of us. We had a nice long night there. Met many many friendly about around the bar and outside. They even had Sam Adams, which was a nice surprise. They also had the best food we had in Dublin. And all we got was an appetizer sampler. I think that's a good comment on Dublin's food. It was a good night, we left and walked the girls back to their hostel, got some pretty tasty pizza and went to bed. Then we flew home.
Picture link added on the right.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath - Finally
>I'm walking down a street that looks like any other, when all of a sudden the opening drum beats of "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin are blaring out of some unseen speaker system. A little strange, but I quickly realize this is good walking music and I fall into a rhythm, only to have the song stop after about 30 seconds. Then after a couple moments, the song starts again. All of a sudden, I'm hit with the realization that this is not an awesome song blaring out of some unseen all-powerful stereo system, but it is in fact my ringtone, and I am, in fact, dreaming.
"Hello?"
"Tris, are you coming?"
"What time is it?"
"7:05"
"Crap, I'll be right down."
This is what Club Sandwich does to your Thursdays. Lord Sandwich takes all your plans for Thursday and utterly destroys them. It doesn't matter if your plans were ambitious, like a tour of three of England's popular tourist attractions, or something simple, like get to Goldsmith's Cafe by two. Sandwich crushes these plans. If you do happen to get done what you had planned, Sandwich still makes sure that you will feel at your absolute worst while accomplishing your plans. You will think you're going to pass out, or fall over; maybe you'll even think, in your melodramatic state, that you will die.
Despite all this, Sandwich is the place to be on Wednesday nights in New Cross. The Hob has 20% off drinks all night, yet no one really goes there. It's Sandwich, or you're staying in getting work done. Sandwich usually involved an hour or two of pregaming, then standing in line for a little until you're let in around midnight. Then you dance hard for three straight hours, with little to no water and lots of drink specials. Then things are blurry and then you wake up exhausted physically and mentally.
This is what I was dealing with at 7:05 in the morning on Thursday October 23rd. Usually, you get to sleep in on Thursdays. No classes, nothing to do except sleep off Sandwich. Getting less than four hours of sleep is not a good move.
It wasn't planned this way. I was going on the bus tour with Cait, Scarlett and Jen. We had gone to our theater class and then the show, like every Wednesday. There was a general consensus, at first, that we wouldn't go to Sandwich that night. We had to leave New Cross around 6:45 to get to pick up spot by 8, that's way to early. By the time we got off the train from London Bridge though, we all knew we were going to go. And this is why we were all running very late that morning.
I got ready and downstairs so quick that I forgot my ticket. We had a cab waiting for us, since there was no way we could take the bus. We were almost in the cab when I had to run back upstairs to get my ticket. We got to the hotel where the bus was supposed to pick us up at and we all just kind of sat or stood around with that post-Sandwich look on our faces. What didn't help is that it was a stereotypical English weather day. Overcast and rainy.
Eventually we get picked up, taken to another drop off point where we get on the bus that will take us on our tour.
First stop Windsor. The castle was nice, nothing especially outstanding, at least in my opinion. They turned the moat into a nice garden type area, which was nice to look at. The girls loved the guards, of course. I liked the church best, but we barely had time to see it, which is a problem on these tours. Since three locations had to be packed into a short window, not much time was allowed for at each site. For Windsor, I would've liked to walk around more and stay in the church. It also would've been nice to explore the town a little, instead of just the castle. As it was, we were getting close to the departure time, when we got caught by the changing of the guard and had to wait for about ten to fifteen minutes before they would let us pass.
Our next stop was Stonehenge. The site is extremely underwhelming. You can't get close to the stones, which in part I understand because they don't want people touching them or climbing on them, but they could let us get a bit closer. We were so far away it was hard to appreciate how massive the stones actually are. It's also right next to a highway. I went expecting ancient, mysterious, mystical Stonehenge to be this peaceful place, yet I couldn't get past the cars whizzing by. The tour could be improved by shortening the time at Stonehenge and extending time at either other site.
After that we went to Bath. The drive to Bath was a long one. In between trying to sleep, I was able to see bits and pieces of the Cotswolds. That is something I also would like to do, travel through there, it was very beautiful. Another problem with tours, is the tour guides. Does anyone really listen to every single word and fact they say? They go on and on and on. You can tell they don't like their jobs, they're just repeating everything like an encyclopedia. The humor they interject to make it seem like they're enjoying themselves comes off as condescending sometimes. It's OK to tell us when we're passing an interesting site or something like that, but stop with the rambling. This happened in Greece too. It was why I was reluctant to do a tour like this, but I also knew that I would never get anyone to go on day trips either. Do tourists like this? I hope I never do one again.
Bath was a really cool town. I would've like to spend a day or two there. The Roman Baths were really cool and I really liked the Abbey right outside also. I would've loved to explore the town more. We had about 45 minutes after we were done with the Baths, which is enough time to walk around a little, but not enough to really explore or browse the numerous shops. I could've used more time here than the tour could ever allow.
One more complaint about tours is the lunches. When we booked the tour, we were told that we could book with or without lunch, we did without lunch. We assumed we would eat in the town of Windsor or something on a free lunch hour or whatever. No, they took us to this roadside country pub. Nothing else around us. That's fine, the food was good, but why even make lunch an option if there's no where else to eat? It's a complete racket, tour groups and restaurants hooking up. That happened in Greece, we'd pass through these small little towns and you could see all the good local restaurants, and we'd wind up at some buffet. Yet another reason why being a tourist sucks, but being a traveler is awesome.
As always, pictures added on the right. Up next, Dublin...
"Hello?"
"Tris, are you coming?"
"What time is it?"
"7:05"
"Crap, I'll be right down."
This is what Club Sandwich does to your Thursdays. Lord Sandwich takes all your plans for Thursday and utterly destroys them. It doesn't matter if your plans were ambitious, like a tour of three of England's popular tourist attractions, or something simple, like get to Goldsmith's Cafe by two. Sandwich crushes these plans. If you do happen to get done what you had planned, Sandwich still makes sure that you will feel at your absolute worst while accomplishing your plans. You will think you're going to pass out, or fall over; maybe you'll even think, in your melodramatic state, that you will die.
Despite all this, Sandwich is the place to be on Wednesday nights in New Cross. The Hob has 20% off drinks all night, yet no one really goes there. It's Sandwich, or you're staying in getting work done. Sandwich usually involved an hour or two of pregaming, then standing in line for a little until you're let in around midnight. Then you dance hard for three straight hours, with little to no water and lots of drink specials. Then things are blurry and then you wake up exhausted physically and mentally.
This is what I was dealing with at 7:05 in the morning on Thursday October 23rd. Usually, you get to sleep in on Thursdays. No classes, nothing to do except sleep off Sandwich. Getting less than four hours of sleep is not a good move.
It wasn't planned this way. I was going on the bus tour with Cait, Scarlett and Jen. We had gone to our theater class and then the show, like every Wednesday. There was a general consensus, at first, that we wouldn't go to Sandwich that night. We had to leave New Cross around 6:45 to get to pick up spot by 8, that's way to early. By the time we got off the train from London Bridge though, we all knew we were going to go. And this is why we were all running very late that morning.
I got ready and downstairs so quick that I forgot my ticket. We had a cab waiting for us, since there was no way we could take the bus. We were almost in the cab when I had to run back upstairs to get my ticket. We got to the hotel where the bus was supposed to pick us up at and we all just kind of sat or stood around with that post-Sandwich look on our faces. What didn't help is that it was a stereotypical English weather day. Overcast and rainy.
Eventually we get picked up, taken to another drop off point where we get on the bus that will take us on our tour.
First stop Windsor. The castle was nice, nothing especially outstanding, at least in my opinion. They turned the moat into a nice garden type area, which was nice to look at. The girls loved the guards, of course. I liked the church best, but we barely had time to see it, which is a problem on these tours. Since three locations had to be packed into a short window, not much time was allowed for at each site. For Windsor, I would've liked to walk around more and stay in the church. It also would've been nice to explore the town a little, instead of just the castle. As it was, we were getting close to the departure time, when we got caught by the changing of the guard and had to wait for about ten to fifteen minutes before they would let us pass.
Our next stop was Stonehenge. The site is extremely underwhelming. You can't get close to the stones, which in part I understand because they don't want people touching them or climbing on them, but they could let us get a bit closer. We were so far away it was hard to appreciate how massive the stones actually are. It's also right next to a highway. I went expecting ancient, mysterious, mystical Stonehenge to be this peaceful place, yet I couldn't get past the cars whizzing by. The tour could be improved by shortening the time at Stonehenge and extending time at either other site.
After that we went to Bath. The drive to Bath was a long one. In between trying to sleep, I was able to see bits and pieces of the Cotswolds. That is something I also would like to do, travel through there, it was very beautiful. Another problem with tours, is the tour guides. Does anyone really listen to every single word and fact they say? They go on and on and on. You can tell they don't like their jobs, they're just repeating everything like an encyclopedia. The humor they interject to make it seem like they're enjoying themselves comes off as condescending sometimes. It's OK to tell us when we're passing an interesting site or something like that, but stop with the rambling. This happened in Greece too. It was why I was reluctant to do a tour like this, but I also knew that I would never get anyone to go on day trips either. Do tourists like this? I hope I never do one again.
Bath was a really cool town. I would've like to spend a day or two there. The Roman Baths were really cool and I really liked the Abbey right outside also. I would've loved to explore the town more. We had about 45 minutes after we were done with the Baths, which is enough time to walk around a little, but not enough to really explore or browse the numerous shops. I could've used more time here than the tour could ever allow.
One more complaint about tours is the lunches. When we booked the tour, we were told that we could book with or without lunch, we did without lunch. We assumed we would eat in the town of Windsor or something on a free lunch hour or whatever. No, they took us to this roadside country pub. Nothing else around us. That's fine, the food was good, but why even make lunch an option if there's no where else to eat? It's a complete racket, tour groups and restaurants hooking up. That happened in Greece, we'd pass through these small little towns and you could see all the good local restaurants, and we'd wind up at some buffet. Yet another reason why being a tourist sucks, but being a traveler is awesome.
As always, pictures added on the right. Up next, Dublin...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Past Week
Last Wednesday the Black Keys were in town. A group of 7 of us went to the show, held at the Carling Brixton Academy. It was an older place, like the Orpheum in Boston. Unfortunately, the show was also like the one in Boston. There was no standing to be had in the balcony, not because people didn't want to, but because we were forbidden, which is lame. The Keys' timing also seemed off at first and Pat's bass drum was waaaaay overpowering at times. They also had the sub-standard set list and absolutely horrible encore. But still, it's the Keys, so I can't complain.
On Thursday, Kendal came in. After bring her stuff back here, we went to Soho just to walk around. We ate at a pub right by Leicester Square station. I had a Steak and Ale pie with an Old Speckled Hen. Both items were delicious. After walking around there some more, we started heading back, but got off at Waterloo to walk along the South Bank. So we walked along, past the Eye and over the Westminster Bridge to get a view of Parliament. Once we were satisfied there, we came back to New Cross and went to an Obama victory party. It was supposed to feature cigars and champagne, but only champagne made an appearance. But there was some nice food, raw salmon on watermelon, chicken stuffed with cheese and bacon... tasty stuff.
Friday we woke up and went to Westminster. We looked at Parliament and went into Westminster Abbey. Outside the Abbey is gorgeous and I appreciate all the history located just inside the Abbey, but its almost too much. It's too busy inside. I prefer Notre Dame much more over Westminster Abbey. The interior is just so much more peaceful and beautiful. After the Abbey we started walking through St. James's Park before turning back and going to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. The War Rooms I had already seen, but this time I had the audio tour which enhanced the experience. The Churchill Museum was all new to me though and I wish we had gone there earlier in the day because I did not see enough. The Churchill Museum is so interactive, it's incredible. And not interactive in an annoying kiddy type way. Lots of multimedia, the highlight which is a giant board in the middle of the room where you can surf through major dates of his life and history. Amazing stuff. After the War Rooms we went to Trafalgar and got a quick bite to eat at Pret a Manger. From there we walked through the Admiralty Arch along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, which at least to me, was quite unimpressive. Then we went back to New Cross to hit up BBQ night at the Hobgoblin.
Saturday we just took the train straight to London Bridge. From there we walked to and across Tower Bridge and over to the Tower of London. I've seen the Tower before, but again, an audio tour enhanced my experience. We also went into the display of the Crown Jewels, which I hadn't seen. The Jewels and the coronation ceremony... all a little over the top, if you ask me. It was amazing though how intricate the crowns and scepters were. We spent five hours there. I bought some mead, because mead is delicious. From there we walked through London, past St. Paul's until we found a pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. This place was rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire. It has not changed much. There is no large bar area, just small rooms, sometimes with tables or just a bar. Very old wood, sawdust on the floor, low lighting, a very very cool place. We had dinner in what was called the Chop Room, a place Dickens used to eat in regularly. We had a cheese plate as an appetizer and for my main course I had Scottish roast beef with horseradish and Yorkshire Pudding. It was so good. I cleaned the plate. After this we slowly slowly worked our way back and went to Sam's, since she was cooking mac & cheese and having people over. A jolly good time was had and I eventually made room to try some of her excellent dish.
Sunday we went to the Museum of London, which was horrible. I wasn't ready for it to be so kid-oriented. And even the parts that were supposed to be for adults, it was very simple. For me, it never really showed me anything new. By the time we got to a place in time where I might have learned something, I was so bored and annoyed with the general layout of the museum, that I didn't care to read anything. Most of the time, when a museum is trying to tell a story, they have it organized so you know where to go along a basic timeline. In this museum, it was just sort of go wherever you want, which is not a good idea. Half of the museum wasn't even open, it was closed for renovation. After this we went to the Sherlock Holmes museum, which is a recreation of his house on 221B Baker Street. I don't know any of the stories or anything about him, but it was a pretty cool place. Everything was made up to be as it would've been in his times. They had someone playing Watson who greeted people and took pictures with them. On the third floor there was a bunch of wax/plastic (?) figures from famous stories. A decent place. After that we went to Picadilly Square, just so she could see it. We went to Aberdeen Steak House right off the Square and got the sampler with the worst potato skins ever made. We were supposed to go out to dinner, but that fell through, so we want back to the Hobgoblin and got some Thai food.
Getting her to airport on Monday was a pain. We woke up at 7:15ish but we didn't get out of the flat until a little after 8. Standing on the platform, we had to let three trains pass us, we just couldn't get on. There was no room. The aisles were packed with people. So eventually we had to take the bus. We jumped on the 436 to Paddington, which took a good 75 minutes, at least. So we get to Paddington at 10:15ish, we had originally planned to be at Heathrow around 9:15. At this point, we're resigned to the fact that she won't make her flight, since cut off for check in is at 10:30. Still, we get on the Express and get to Heathrow. We go to the check in desk, are led to a couple different places and eventually they let her check in, but tell her she has to book through security and the airport and everything. Somehow, she gets on and all is fine. Helluva morning. To make up for it, I went out for sushi with Sam and Gareth that night. The sushi was on a conveyor belt and you just picked what you wanted off the belt. It was awesome.
And now I leave for Dublin later today, Ted's in on Sunday, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Jaime is in on Friady and then I leave for Amsterdam the Thursday after. Where has the time gone?
P.S. Pictures have been added to the "London" album, the link is on the top right.
On Thursday, Kendal came in. After bring her stuff back here, we went to Soho just to walk around. We ate at a pub right by Leicester Square station. I had a Steak and Ale pie with an Old Speckled Hen. Both items were delicious. After walking around there some more, we started heading back, but got off at Waterloo to walk along the South Bank. So we walked along, past the Eye and over the Westminster Bridge to get a view of Parliament. Once we were satisfied there, we came back to New Cross and went to an Obama victory party. It was supposed to feature cigars and champagne, but only champagne made an appearance. But there was some nice food, raw salmon on watermelon, chicken stuffed with cheese and bacon... tasty stuff.
Friday we woke up and went to Westminster. We looked at Parliament and went into Westminster Abbey. Outside the Abbey is gorgeous and I appreciate all the history located just inside the Abbey, but its almost too much. It's too busy inside. I prefer Notre Dame much more over Westminster Abbey. The interior is just so much more peaceful and beautiful. After the Abbey we started walking through St. James's Park before turning back and going to the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. The War Rooms I had already seen, but this time I had the audio tour which enhanced the experience. The Churchill Museum was all new to me though and I wish we had gone there earlier in the day because I did not see enough. The Churchill Museum is so interactive, it's incredible. And not interactive in an annoying kiddy type way. Lots of multimedia, the highlight which is a giant board in the middle of the room where you can surf through major dates of his life and history. Amazing stuff. After the War Rooms we went to Trafalgar and got a quick bite to eat at Pret a Manger. From there we walked through the Admiralty Arch along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, which at least to me, was quite unimpressive. Then we went back to New Cross to hit up BBQ night at the Hobgoblin.
Saturday we just took the train straight to London Bridge. From there we walked to and across Tower Bridge and over to the Tower of London. I've seen the Tower before, but again, an audio tour enhanced my experience. We also went into the display of the Crown Jewels, which I hadn't seen. The Jewels and the coronation ceremony... all a little over the top, if you ask me. It was amazing though how intricate the crowns and scepters were. We spent five hours there. I bought some mead, because mead is delicious. From there we walked through London, past St. Paul's until we found a pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. This place was rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire. It has not changed much. There is no large bar area, just small rooms, sometimes with tables or just a bar. Very old wood, sawdust on the floor, low lighting, a very very cool place. We had dinner in what was called the Chop Room, a place Dickens used to eat in regularly. We had a cheese plate as an appetizer and for my main course I had Scottish roast beef with horseradish and Yorkshire Pudding. It was so good. I cleaned the plate. After this we slowly slowly worked our way back and went to Sam's, since she was cooking mac & cheese and having people over. A jolly good time was had and I eventually made room to try some of her excellent dish.
Sunday we went to the Museum of London, which was horrible. I wasn't ready for it to be so kid-oriented. And even the parts that were supposed to be for adults, it was very simple. For me, it never really showed me anything new. By the time we got to a place in time where I might have learned something, I was so bored and annoyed with the general layout of the museum, that I didn't care to read anything. Most of the time, when a museum is trying to tell a story, they have it organized so you know where to go along a basic timeline. In this museum, it was just sort of go wherever you want, which is not a good idea. Half of the museum wasn't even open, it was closed for renovation. After this we went to the Sherlock Holmes museum, which is a recreation of his house on 221B Baker Street. I don't know any of the stories or anything about him, but it was a pretty cool place. Everything was made up to be as it would've been in his times. They had someone playing Watson who greeted people and took pictures with them. On the third floor there was a bunch of wax/plastic (?) figures from famous stories. A decent place. After that we went to Picadilly Square, just so she could see it. We went to Aberdeen Steak House right off the Square and got the sampler with the worst potato skins ever made. We were supposed to go out to dinner, but that fell through, so we want back to the Hobgoblin and got some Thai food.
Getting her to airport on Monday was a pain. We woke up at 7:15ish but we didn't get out of the flat until a little after 8. Standing on the platform, we had to let three trains pass us, we just couldn't get on. There was no room. The aisles were packed with people. So eventually we had to take the bus. We jumped on the 436 to Paddington, which took a good 75 minutes, at least. So we get to Paddington at 10:15ish, we had originally planned to be at Heathrow around 9:15. At this point, we're resigned to the fact that she won't make her flight, since cut off for check in is at 10:30. Still, we get on the Express and get to Heathrow. We go to the check in desk, are led to a couple different places and eventually they let her check in, but tell her she has to book through security and the airport and everything. Somehow, she gets on and all is fine. Helluva morning. To make up for it, I went out for sushi with Sam and Gareth that night. The sushi was on a conveyor belt and you just picked what you wanted off the belt. It was awesome.
And now I leave for Dublin later today, Ted's in on Sunday, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Jaime is in on Friady and then I leave for Amsterdam the Thursday after. Where has the time gone?
P.S. Pictures have been added to the "London" album, the link is on the top right.
Election Night in the UK
Anxiety reigned throughout the day. Usually when there's an election or a primary day, I'm used to checking online almost constantly and getting updates and going through the whole process. So much has already happened by the time I'm awake or able to use the Internet. But here? I woke up late (which is normal) and nothing had happened yet. Of course, it was only 8am in the east. So I had to sit there, getting nervous and anxious and having my stomach feel like I had eaten something indescribable. Finally I was able to get some people together to go get some good ol' American food - a nice fat juicy burger. Eating dead animal topped with cheese and more dead animal always calms me down.
The SU was having an election party and they were staying open very late. Lots of people showed up, the main room was pretty full. The SU finally opened at 8 for pound a pint night and the American-themed pub quiz, which didn't start until 9:30. So we waited around and watched BBC show the same shots over and over again. We met a Republican who said that if Obama wins, he still had to produce a birth certificate. We ignored him the rest of the night. He actually left early because he felt uncomfortable around all of us big bad liberals. So we went through the pub quiz and finished a disappointing fourth, but at least our friends in another American-centric group won.
Finally the live coverage on BBC started at midnight. Every McCain win was met with a chorus of boos, every Obama win was met with raucous cheering. As Pennsylvania and Ohio fell and some traditionally red states were not called right away, the more optimistic of us were already calling it. Factoring in west coast states we knew would go blue, quick math gave us a count of around 250-260 electoral votes. Surely, we optimists thought, that's it, Obama will easily pick up the necessary votes in other states. However, some people had to hold out until they were absolutely sure it happened. This happened somehow around the hour of 4am when California fell followed quickly by Oregon which put Obama over the top.
As soon as this happened, the staff kicked us out. No worry, we all went back to our places, grabbed our alcohol and met back in C block to drink and dance. The jovial atmosphere was only interrupted by Obama's victory speech, which brought many a tear to those huddled around the choppy streaming video of a Dell computer. We were loud enough to get yelled at twice by the security guys. This spurred our decision to move farther away from the security block to the safe confines of F block where more dancing and drinking went on. This went on until about 6:30am when we grabbed our sparklers and went outside to the parking lot outside the building. There we stood for a good 20 minutes basking in our sparklers glow and singing patriotic songs. We were even joined in song by someone who was hanging out of their window. After sparklers, we walked down to the Goldsmiths' Cafe for some 7am breakfast and then we went back to respective flats to finally get some rest. That night a few of us went to watch fireworks for Guy Fawkes' Night, but we all believed - just a little bit - that the fireworks were actually in celebration of Obama.
For the first time in my politically-conscious history, I am proud of my country. I was walking on air for the next couple days. It was also great to see the people gathered in Grant Park and it made me miss Chicago very much. As great as it was and as much as I wanted Obama to win, it still scares me a bit the devotion and love some people show to him. To many, Obama could do no wrong. However, for me, I had problems with his shifting views between the primaries and the general election. I know he had to move to the center for vote purposes, but I still don't like it. He's also a politician, and a Chicago politician at that. Politicians do not deserve that kind of loyalty. They're politicians. His whole idea of change has already been tarnished. He's bringing in Clinton-era people for his staff or people that have been in Washington awhile and know the old school game. I understand this is judging him too harshly too quickly, but its what I do. Hopefully he can show me he's for real and bring about what has been called a "new New Deal."
Even better though, was the reaction of Republicans I know. On Facebook, there was immediately a group made called "Impeach Obama." And now I count five of them. He hasn't even been sworn in yet. Here are some quotes from the group descriptions:
Some quotes from some of my friends status updates:
The third one is from a girl that has showed no political consciousness at all as long as I've known her. From what I can tell she just listened to what her boyfriend and family told her instead of thinking for herself.
I'm still not sure how people can think that McCain, who would more or less continue much of Bush's policies, would be best for America. He said the economy was sound, he picked Palin as a running mate, he wants to bomb everyone... This is good?
I'm not saying Obama is going to end his term being considered a great president or anything. But I firmly believe that at this point in our history, we need to look forward and have some young blood and young ideas, instead of being held back by an old man and a woman that hates women. America is capable of using climate change to propel us and the world into a new era. Obama is more likely than McCain to do this, the only question remaining is, will he?
The SU was having an election party and they were staying open very late. Lots of people showed up, the main room was pretty full. The SU finally opened at 8 for pound a pint night and the American-themed pub quiz, which didn't start until 9:30. So we waited around and watched BBC show the same shots over and over again. We met a Republican who said that if Obama wins, he still had to produce a birth certificate. We ignored him the rest of the night. He actually left early because he felt uncomfortable around all of us big bad liberals. So we went through the pub quiz and finished a disappointing fourth, but at least our friends in another American-centric group won.
Finally the live coverage on BBC started at midnight. Every McCain win was met with a chorus of boos, every Obama win was met with raucous cheering. As Pennsylvania and Ohio fell and some traditionally red states were not called right away, the more optimistic of us were already calling it. Factoring in west coast states we knew would go blue, quick math gave us a count of around 250-260 electoral votes. Surely, we optimists thought, that's it, Obama will easily pick up the necessary votes in other states. However, some people had to hold out until they were absolutely sure it happened. This happened somehow around the hour of 4am when California fell followed quickly by Oregon which put Obama over the top.
As soon as this happened, the staff kicked us out. No worry, we all went back to our places, grabbed our alcohol and met back in C block to drink and dance. The jovial atmosphere was only interrupted by Obama's victory speech, which brought many a tear to those huddled around the choppy streaming video of a Dell computer. We were loud enough to get yelled at twice by the security guys. This spurred our decision to move farther away from the security block to the safe confines of F block where more dancing and drinking went on. This went on until about 6:30am when we grabbed our sparklers and went outside to the parking lot outside the building. There we stood for a good 20 minutes basking in our sparklers glow and singing patriotic songs. We were even joined in song by someone who was hanging out of their window. After sparklers, we walked down to the Goldsmiths' Cafe for some 7am breakfast and then we went back to respective flats to finally get some rest. That night a few of us went to watch fireworks for Guy Fawkes' Night, but we all believed - just a little bit - that the fireworks were actually in celebration of Obama.
For the first time in my politically-conscious history, I am proud of my country. I was walking on air for the next couple days. It was also great to see the people gathered in Grant Park and it made me miss Chicago very much. As great as it was and as much as I wanted Obama to win, it still scares me a bit the devotion and love some people show to him. To many, Obama could do no wrong. However, for me, I had problems with his shifting views between the primaries and the general election. I know he had to move to the center for vote purposes, but I still don't like it. He's also a politician, and a Chicago politician at that. Politicians do not deserve that kind of loyalty. They're politicians. His whole idea of change has already been tarnished. He's bringing in Clinton-era people for his staff or people that have been in Washington awhile and know the old school game. I understand this is judging him too harshly too quickly, but its what I do. Hopefully he can show me he's for real and bring about what has been called a "new New Deal."
Even better though, was the reaction of Republicans I know. On Facebook, there was immediately a group made called "Impeach Obama." And now I count five of them. He hasn't even been sworn in yet. Here are some quotes from the group descriptions:
"We know he was raised as a Muslim, but for the past 20 years has been a member of a violently liberal church in Chicago, but there is no available record of his baptism into the Christian faith."I didn't know being a Christian was ground for impeachment.
If we grow large enough in just a few days, and do not manage to get censored by President Obama and his Truth Squad, we may appear on Fox News.Appearing on Fox News, always something to strive for. This group also doesn't seem to understand that he won't be President until next year.
Some quotes from some of my friends status updates:
- this man better live up to the hype...
- RIP America. Enjoy your Soviet Rally, hope you all drink the kool aid.
- is you wanted it, you got it. we'll see what happens now... / I don't get it....
- Yesterday history was made. I only hope that it did not lead us down a path our future will regret.
The third one is from a girl that has showed no political consciousness at all as long as I've known her. From what I can tell she just listened to what her boyfriend and family told her instead of thinking for herself.
I'm still not sure how people can think that McCain, who would more or less continue much of Bush's policies, would be best for America. He said the economy was sound, he picked Palin as a running mate, he wants to bomb everyone... This is good?
I'm not saying Obama is going to end his term being considered a great president or anything. But I firmly believe that at this point in our history, we need to look forward and have some young blood and young ideas, instead of being held back by an old man and a woman that hates women. America is capable of using climate change to propel us and the world into a new era. Obama is more likely than McCain to do this, the only question remaining is, will he?
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Paris
Paris is a beautiful city with breathtaking architecture, lovely people, and of course, great food. I spent a little over two days there, and a good chunk of that time was spent at Versailles. Still, this was one of my most enjoyable trips. The city grabbed me and became a place that I have to return to. I need to learn some French and go back because I feel as if there is so much more to see and to do. Probably in multiple visits.
Getting into the country is easy. We flew EasyJet into de Gaulle. Immigration was simple, no long lines or questions, just present your passport and get it stamped. After that we walked through the very very long terminal to get to the RER which took us into Gare du Nord and from there we transferred to the Metro and took that until we were close to our hotel, which was in the 11th.
We stayed in a very quiet residential neighborhood and we got to pass the beautiful St. Ambroise Church every time we entered and exited the Metro. We stayed at Garden Hotel. The room was very small but somehow fit three beds in it. The bathroom was amazing though. The shower was one of the best I've had in Europe, except for my stays at the Amalia Hotels throughout Greece, but those were 4 star hotels. However, the room smelled. A very very heavy mildew smell hit us the first day/night we were there. It looked like there had been a problem with a pipe and it had leaked onto the carpet. The smell eventually went away though, and besides that the stay at the hotel was quite enjoyable. The night manager was this adorable small old French woman who didn't speak any English (and we could only speak very basic French). She was incredibly patient and nice.
We used the Metro and the RER to get around Paris, and the whole system is incredibly easy. You might have to change lines a couple times to zig zag across the city, but that's much more convenient than going all the way into a central point and then all the way out to your destination *cough*BOSTON*cough*. Tickets can be used on the Metro, the bus and the RER (within the city limits). Easily the best public transportation system I've been on.
The first night we were supposed to meet some other people for dinner, though that never happened. Anyway, we went into the city center to go to the Latin Quarter, and one of the first views we get is this:
A stunning view of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and La Conciergerie. We stood there for about 10-15 minutes, taking in the view before walking across the river and through Ile de la Cite and across the river again. We walked around the streets for awhile before stopping for drinks at a bar that advertised happy hour (which lasted for 12 hours). It was so packed, there was a large group of people that had just started drinking on the street. And no one seemed to mind. After we found out we would not be meeting with our other friends for dinner, we just found a place that was open and ate. I had the Andouillette AAAAA. Which is basically a sausage casing stuffed with pig stomach. It was very interesting, a texture I had never had before. At first bite I wasn't sure I could eat all of it, but I kept going and I started to really enjoy it, especially with the mustard provided.
The next day we made a trip out to Versailles. The palace was amazing. The Hall of Mirrors is the highlight, though every room is so intricately decorated that you can't go wrong. Marie Antoinette's estate is also worth going to, though it is a bit of trek out there. It was set far away from the palace so she could escape court life. It was very quaint, with a pond, a farm and simpler housing. The real reason to go to Versailles is the gardens. The gardens are so perfect and so well designed. A whole day could easily be spent touring the gardens. The view down the grand canal from the steps in front of the palace is one of the best views I've ever had. It looks like a picture. Yet as you walk forward and go deeper into the gardens, you realize just how real it is. It was incredibly enjoyable. We had lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the gardens (the gardens are open to the public). I had braised beef which was very good. A very relaxing afternoon. Many times we just stopped and just took in the view.
Again, we were supposed to meet the girls for dinner. We were meeting at the Louvre and we got there much earlier than the girls did, so we sat on the steps and watched bikers and rollerbladers do tricks and harass pedestrians. Eventually the girls showed up and we went to the Louvre for literally 15 minutes. We walked straight to the Mona Lisa and left to go get dinner. Dinner was about four or five blocks from the Louvre. It was a small place with a jazz band playing. For an appetizer I had foie gras and roasted duck pate baked into a crust, my main course was salmon and black pasta and dessert was chocolate cake and almond ice cream. A great meal. Also outstanding was the broth of the ravioli appetizer, and the lentil and bacon that made up the bed of another salmon dish. Definite food coma after this.
Saturday was an intense sight seeing day. We got going late and missed meeting up with the girls again, who were in line for the Eiffel Tower. We were debating standing in line, but decided not too, since it we thought it would be better at night and the elevators to the top was closed anyway. So we walked down to the Arc de Triomphe were one of my companions got scammed twice within 10 minutes. The second one ended with no money being exchanged, but the con guy got very animated and made a scene. After we had our fill there, we took a stroll down the Champs Elysee until we found a restaurant to get lunch at. I had a sort of pie with shrimp, scallops and mushroom in a white sauce baked under cheese. Again, very good. My friend had frog legs, which weren't great, but good.
After lunch we hopped onto the Metro and went to Notre Dame. It is a beautiful cathedral, both inside and out. A definite must see. After we spent a good hour or two wandering around the inside we took the Metro over to Invalides. It was closed, so all we could do is wander around outside of it. Then we went back to the Eiffel Tower and got in line to go up top. A very aggravating line, people need to learn to queue up like the British do, or at least Americans. A person can only take so much breathing directly onto the back of their neck. And the people behind were part of a large tour group, which shouldn't have been in our line anyway. Once we got up, we spent another hour or so on the second level and then the top. Taking in the view and talking to a couple other college age students from America we met.
After we got back down, we went on a journey to find this restaurant that was featured on No Reservations called Chez Denise. We found it... but it was closed and our dreams of massive amounts of dead animal seemed dashed. However, we were in the Les Halles area and there were quite a few choices around us. So we went to this once place that looked out onto Les Halles that doubled as a butcher shop. From our table we could see the table where the prepared all the meat. It was awesome. And this set the stage for my best meal ever. Started off with bone marrow, which while kind of pain to get out of the bone, was worth it. Then, the main course, a pig's trotter. A huge pig's foot on my plate. You literally have to rip the thing apart with your bare hands. It comes with a bowl of water to wash your fingers off. So I went through ripping a pig's foot apart, sometimes sucking the skin of the bone because the skin was just that good. The meat itself was great. The underside of the foot was very lean and tender, but the toes were very fatty. The most work I've ever put into eating, plus I half my plate was full of bones, but it was worth it. Top of the evening with a triple chocolate cake.... Major major food coma. I'm surprised we all made it home awake.
Getting to the airport was a trip. We get to Gare du Nord to board the RER out to de Gaulle, but none of the ticket machines are taking our credit cards (even though they did before). So we had to scramble to find an open ticket window, since it was early. We finally get our tickets and go down to the platform. Apparently there's a huge conference going on and the conference center is on the way to the airport, so the train is jam packed full of businessmen from all over the world. My two companions get on one car and I have to sprint down the platform to finally find a car with any room. Once I get on I realize that I didn't tell them where to get off, so I text them. It comes back that my text didn't go through and I couldn't make any calls for some reason either. So I get off at the stop we're supposed and walk back to the car they were on, but I didn't see them. I stand around for a little before going upstairs to see if they were there. They weren't, so I think maybe they just headed for the terminal and I go there. Nope, not there either. Phone isn't working, texts aren't working... It's getting closer and closer to the departure time. Finally they show up and it turns out they DID get my texts and we somehow walked past each on the platform. Very stressful. Then we get in line to check in. PACKED AGAIN. de Gaulle is a very poorly designed airport. Maybe it was great when there wasn't a need for security, but now it sucks. Instead of there being a large security checkpoint, then gates, there are gates first, then security, which slows down everything. Plus, for some reason there were two flights taking off within 10 minutes of each other going out of the gates that shared a security checkpoint - ours and a flight to Zurich. So we had two flights full of people trying to get through a security checkpoint with two x-rays and zero employees that showed any sense of urgency. Eventually the Zurich flight got a new gate (about an hour too late) and both of our flights were delayed, but hey, we made it. Good job de Gaulle airport. Next time I go to Paris, I'm taking a train or flying into Orly.
Getting into the country is easy. We flew EasyJet into de Gaulle. Immigration was simple, no long lines or questions, just present your passport and get it stamped. After that we walked through the very very long terminal to get to the RER which took us into Gare du Nord and from there we transferred to the Metro and took that until we were close to our hotel, which was in the 11th.
We stayed in a very quiet residential neighborhood and we got to pass the beautiful St. Ambroise Church every time we entered and exited the Metro. We stayed at Garden Hotel. The room was very small but somehow fit three beds in it. The bathroom was amazing though. The shower was one of the best I've had in Europe, except for my stays at the Amalia Hotels throughout Greece, but those were 4 star hotels. However, the room smelled. A very very heavy mildew smell hit us the first day/night we were there. It looked like there had been a problem with a pipe and it had leaked onto the carpet. The smell eventually went away though, and besides that the stay at the hotel was quite enjoyable. The night manager was this adorable small old French woman who didn't speak any English (and we could only speak very basic French). She was incredibly patient and nice.
We used the Metro and the RER to get around Paris, and the whole system is incredibly easy. You might have to change lines a couple times to zig zag across the city, but that's much more convenient than going all the way into a central point and then all the way out to your destination *cough*BOSTON*cough*. Tickets can be used on the Metro, the bus and the RER (within the city limits). Easily the best public transportation system I've been on.
The first night we were supposed to meet some other people for dinner, though that never happened. Anyway, we went into the city center to go to the Latin Quarter, and one of the first views we get is this:
A stunning view of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower and La Conciergerie. We stood there for about 10-15 minutes, taking in the view before walking across the river and through Ile de la Cite and across the river again. We walked around the streets for awhile before stopping for drinks at a bar that advertised happy hour (which lasted for 12 hours). It was so packed, there was a large group of people that had just started drinking on the street. And no one seemed to mind. After we found out we would not be meeting with our other friends for dinner, we just found a place that was open and ate. I had the Andouillette AAAAA. Which is basically a sausage casing stuffed with pig stomach. It was very interesting, a texture I had never had before. At first bite I wasn't sure I could eat all of it, but I kept going and I started to really enjoy it, especially with the mustard provided.
The next day we made a trip out to Versailles. The palace was amazing. The Hall of Mirrors is the highlight, though every room is so intricately decorated that you can't go wrong. Marie Antoinette's estate is also worth going to, though it is a bit of trek out there. It was set far away from the palace so she could escape court life. It was very quaint, with a pond, a farm and simpler housing. The real reason to go to Versailles is the gardens. The gardens are so perfect and so well designed. A whole day could easily be spent touring the gardens. The view down the grand canal from the steps in front of the palace is one of the best views I've ever had. It looks like a picture. Yet as you walk forward and go deeper into the gardens, you realize just how real it is. It was incredibly enjoyable. We had lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the gardens (the gardens are open to the public). I had braised beef which was very good. A very relaxing afternoon. Many times we just stopped and just took in the view.
Again, we were supposed to meet the girls for dinner. We were meeting at the Louvre and we got there much earlier than the girls did, so we sat on the steps and watched bikers and rollerbladers do tricks and harass pedestrians. Eventually the girls showed up and we went to the Louvre for literally 15 minutes. We walked straight to the Mona Lisa and left to go get dinner. Dinner was about four or five blocks from the Louvre. It was a small place with a jazz band playing. For an appetizer I had foie gras and roasted duck pate baked into a crust, my main course was salmon and black pasta and dessert was chocolate cake and almond ice cream. A great meal. Also outstanding was the broth of the ravioli appetizer, and the lentil and bacon that made up the bed of another salmon dish. Definite food coma after this.
Saturday was an intense sight seeing day. We got going late and missed meeting up with the girls again, who were in line for the Eiffel Tower. We were debating standing in line, but decided not too, since it we thought it would be better at night and the elevators to the top was closed anyway. So we walked down to the Arc de Triomphe were one of my companions got scammed twice within 10 minutes. The second one ended with no money being exchanged, but the con guy got very animated and made a scene. After we had our fill there, we took a stroll down the Champs Elysee until we found a restaurant to get lunch at. I had a sort of pie with shrimp, scallops and mushroom in a white sauce baked under cheese. Again, very good. My friend had frog legs, which weren't great, but good.
After lunch we hopped onto the Metro and went to Notre Dame. It is a beautiful cathedral, both inside and out. A definite must see. After we spent a good hour or two wandering around the inside we took the Metro over to Invalides. It was closed, so all we could do is wander around outside of it. Then we went back to the Eiffel Tower and got in line to go up top. A very aggravating line, people need to learn to queue up like the British do, or at least Americans. A person can only take so much breathing directly onto the back of their neck. And the people behind were part of a large tour group, which shouldn't have been in our line anyway. Once we got up, we spent another hour or so on the second level and then the top. Taking in the view and talking to a couple other college age students from America we met.
After we got back down, we went on a journey to find this restaurant that was featured on No Reservations called Chez Denise. We found it... but it was closed and our dreams of massive amounts of dead animal seemed dashed. However, we were in the Les Halles area and there were quite a few choices around us. So we went to this once place that looked out onto Les Halles that doubled as a butcher shop. From our table we could see the table where the prepared all the meat. It was awesome. And this set the stage for my best meal ever. Started off with bone marrow, which while kind of pain to get out of the bone, was worth it. Then, the main course, a pig's trotter. A huge pig's foot on my plate. You literally have to rip the thing apart with your bare hands. It comes with a bowl of water to wash your fingers off. So I went through ripping a pig's foot apart, sometimes sucking the skin of the bone because the skin was just that good. The meat itself was great. The underside of the foot was very lean and tender, but the toes were very fatty. The most work I've ever put into eating, plus I half my plate was full of bones, but it was worth it. Top of the evening with a triple chocolate cake.... Major major food coma. I'm surprised we all made it home awake.
Getting to the airport was a trip. We get to Gare du Nord to board the RER out to de Gaulle, but none of the ticket machines are taking our credit cards (even though they did before). So we had to scramble to find an open ticket window, since it was early. We finally get our tickets and go down to the platform. Apparently there's a huge conference going on and the conference center is on the way to the airport, so the train is jam packed full of businessmen from all over the world. My two companions get on one car and I have to sprint down the platform to finally find a car with any room. Once I get on I realize that I didn't tell them where to get off, so I text them. It comes back that my text didn't go through and I couldn't make any calls for some reason either. So I get off at the stop we're supposed and walk back to the car they were on, but I didn't see them. I stand around for a little before going upstairs to see if they were there. They weren't, so I think maybe they just headed for the terminal and I go there. Nope, not there either. Phone isn't working, texts aren't working... It's getting closer and closer to the departure time. Finally they show up and it turns out they DID get my texts and we somehow walked past each on the platform. Very stressful. Then we get in line to check in. PACKED AGAIN. de Gaulle is a very poorly designed airport. Maybe it was great when there wasn't a need for security, but now it sucks. Instead of there being a large security checkpoint, then gates, there are gates first, then security, which slows down everything. Plus, for some reason there were two flights taking off within 10 minutes of each other going out of the gates that shared a security checkpoint - ours and a flight to Zurich. So we had two flights full of people trying to get through a security checkpoint with two x-rays and zero employees that showed any sense of urgency. Eventually the Zurich flight got a new gate (about an hour too late) and both of our flights were delayed, but hey, we made it. Good job de Gaulle airport. Next time I go to Paris, I'm taking a train or flying into Orly.
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