Update: contiki italy

Taking some advice from a certian greek friend and with sudit's
experiences last year I have book a simply italy contiki tour trip on
July 04. I leave prague on the 4 at noon.
Cheers,
G

Prague rocks

The weather is so wonderful!!! I took a nice walking tour and meet some drinking friends and saw a professional puppet show.

days 4-7 Paris

I am going to try to keep this short and if possible show less vain than the last message...

 

I went to the Eiffel tower but it is even more exceptional at night when it lights up into a thousand points.  "Do you speak English" a pretty girl asks.  What am I supposed to reply, even if I say "non" it meant I understood her right.  Anyway, it is a con for money for some family in Bolivia.  She is isn't the only one and the competition between other "do you speak englishers" is quite fierce.  After I while I started to just not reply.  The Picasso Museum was highly interesting as well as the Orsay (which is the general art museum for everything ala Louve from 1850-1920 approx.

 

I did try to get hammered in France.  The lonely planet suggests two discos.  One was on a boat which wasn't a happening place, even though there was a french pirate themed place that was more interesting and had a London tour bus as a crepe stand.  The crepe master thought I was with the band because there was someone from London with the band.  I lost my discount by admitting I was from Canada, where the guy was shocked in disbelief by my lack of french communication skills.  Then I told him I took Latin in High school in California.  Thank god he didn't try to magesiter that language on me by reciting original Homer.  Anyway I had my crepe and my Heineken and then toured the various tables next to the boat.  All the while I have my anglo-dar on (something like radar) where I am listening for any conversations in English that i can infiltrate.  Anglo-dar negative.  

 

I decide to move on to the second place (in all of Paris) that lonely planet recommends.  You see there is some logic in these places because there is likely to be other people who are traveling by themselves and speak English, right???  The second place i arrive around midnight.  There is a 5 Euro cover, I say no problem.   I go in the disco?  to find no one on the dance stage and only a few people around.   I then go to the bar and order a Corona beer.  In Arizona that would be 2 US dollars, so I took out a 5 euro bill.  Then the attendant told me it was 7,50 euro.  (I guess it includes tip?)  So I bought the little Mexican souvienier with a green citrus top.  I then walked around we are talking a relatively small area with the anglodar on.  Finally I hear two girls talking and I bravely go up to them and say, "I hear you speak the only language I understand, how are you doing today?"  They were nice one was from Maryland the other was from Porto Rico.  After some more idle chit-chat where I told them about how i traveled to Maryland to do research and how I recently went to PR to see the Bacardi plant.  I moved on.  I have to get it through my head that people want people to talk more about themselves then finding out how I relate to almost ever single person on the planet geographically or otherwise.  I'll work on it!   

 

I then sat down at the tiny table with my Mexican beer and the waitress says what are you ordering.  I said nothing politely but then she said that if you sit down you will be served.  Well there was no one else around etc etc. So I went to the barren dance stage finished my beer and left. I have a letter to write to lonely planet!

 

I got trapped in the subways in the sense that they all close at around 12:30 in the morning and I got about half way to my destination but only from a metro station perspective from a walking perspective I was actually farther away.  And then the line to "le defense" was closed.  Now this was a funny site because it showed who stayed didn't know what the hell was going on.  

 

Here I bumped into Clayton from Utah State University.  He was working on a Red cross internship in Switzerland and didn't speak any other languages.  In short we had a few beers at one place where two waiters were almost fighting, went on a long walk through Paris, tried to get into two other discos/clubs on the way only to be rebutted.  Finally we found an excellent African theme cafe which served a giraffe, which is a 3 liter one meter tall pony keg with a spout.  Any way it was a fun night, got to bed around 5am woke up around 3PM  and went to some other fun places where I spent a little too much for the service.  

Tip of the day: when in Paris buy your own food or go to the crepe/ panini stand if you are on a budget.     

 

I have also am working on my downstream trip (I have reservations in Prague for hostel) as well I might book a contiki greek island trip.  We shall see.

 

Au reviour,

 

Greg

 

Day 1-3: Paris

Pictures will come as soon as I figure out how to upload them easily...

21/06/05 10:43 PM - Wee wee pariy I am in Paris, I arrived safely. Much to the dismay of the striking airport limousine drivers of Toronto. The had traffic backed up to a parking lot for over a mile from the airport. Causing women, children, and the aged to trek across the sea of cars and tour buses with literal baggage almost too burdensome to bear. After an interview with a sage striker, I was told of the reason why they are striking, a critical portion to the story. They strike because of GTA's new position of awarding companies and not drivers licences to operate at the airport. This in my opinion is a worth cause, because then I believe the limousine companies would have too much leverage over the drivers and probably make future strikes mute. Hence power activated as a last resort. See picture 1-4

21/06/05 10:46 PM - After the strike and the ensuing hike to the airport while doing my best to assist two poor Indian mother and elder daughter pair with their torn luggage, I felt an up grade from normal economy to premium economy was worth the 110$ Canadian. The 110$ did get me free drinks (about 5) a water bottle, travel kit, free earphone, but in exchange I did lose my window seating because my window in premium didn't exist even though I sat adjacent to the fuselage. I thought about those that get over the wing seats and get bummed out because of the lack of view, yet at least they can see the sky or the ground when the wing tilts. This would be trivial for someone who files frequently to a destination, but for the first time (and maybe only) I thought that the view I would get would be priceless. I did make excellent company with Nia, an African-Belgium on a Canadian passport who was really friendly and communicative. We both didn't get much sleep on the flight but I showed her how to play chess, which she was a fast pickup, and we had fun playing other games on my mini-computer like solitary and that Chinese game with chips. She took an instant liking to me and for whatever reason (umm.. the back rub) wanted me to travel with her through France, like Nancy as well as other locations in northern France on the way to Lisbon Portugal. She speaks the local language well especially with men. Most importantly we helped each other out, I let her use my cell phone while she was an angel in finding my metro to the hostel. We might hook up later in the week when she wants to be in Paris for the weekend. (Picture 5)

22/06/05 4:00 AM - So I have slept enough to catch up and it is 4AM in the morning. I could probably use some more. Anyway I did go out for a little bit and meet Palmala and Teren from Itica and Connecticut. We played Gin rummy for a bit. I was able to see the area around me and it does become super pleasant around the time of dusk. My first meal in France much to the chagrin of my french Ottawa classmates was at McDonalds, which happens to be right next to the Hotel (45E/night). My royal with cheese (quarter pounder in the states/canada) was better tasting than the Canadian version and tasted similar to the american version. All McDonalds use local beef so this was a good sign of the food to come. I have a certain fascination with paris public toilets, I suppose it is reminds me of two oversized aluminum cans melded together in an oblong can. I haven't ventrued inside of one but I did take two pictures. Picture 5 is a view of the toilets and the American cultural icon (McDs) while the other one would be a french cultureal icon (public street band in front of French Carrot Bar; Picture6. Strange Paris tidbit of the day: the Toilets as mentioned

22/06/05 4:10 AM - The rest of my time should be spent on an hour or two of french language training (I was appalling today) as well as planning the days trip ahead.

24/06/05 7:00 PM - So I have done some touristy things like go to the Louve but for the whole day. They have a nice patio cafe in the louve that I recommend. Touring the louve is easier if you don't read French, because there is so much written commentary that I just scan over. I did have the audio head phones but that only gives the english version of 600 or so artifacts. Highlights include Hammurabi's code (where maybe the first time Doctors had written rules of conduct; for example: if a brick maker has a house collapse on an owner's son; then the brick maker loses a son in return. Hammurabi's code is actually a 2.5 meter long black granite statue. I liked Napolean's Louve appartment too. It gave me some tips for redecorating 133Top... can you say gold painted chairs... I knew you could...Strange Paris tid bit of the day: the perfect place to take a short nap inside the louve just below the atrium where they have long comfy red pillow benches.

Yesturday I went to the Notre Dame where the archbishop of Paris has his home. It was an amazing and powerful place of worship. They also have a treasury off the beaten path where they have a shread of wood about the size of a can of toothpicks from Jesus's cross. That night I also worked on my internet communications, had a perfect mug of hot choclate in the Paris rain (at cafe la monde) as well as I went to see the new Batman movie (with french subtitles). After walking for 4 hours looking for a particular resturant (Joe Allen's) I needed a cool place to escape the heat and as a buffer for culture shock. I then ran to the Peace and Love Hostel and Pub for a quick meet up and drinks with some fellow canadians from vancouver. They were on to Spain and then Greece so we might meet up then. I am leaning towards a stay from prague then budapest then athens...-strange paris tidbit of the day: The Inspector du ticket le Metro; I almost got a big fat ticket, but thankfully (for both of use I think; my third used ticket was the active one).

Today was a late morning start (all the walking, sun tanning (or redening), and the dehydration, and the two super stiff drinks). I found the new hostel that I moved to. It is more downtown where the action is in the Latin Quarter, which is perfect as the weekend approaches and I get more into Paris night life. I also went to the Pasteur Insitutute mueseum. The place and especially the crypt underneath the house that he lived was so sureal. Next to Sir William Osler (the father of Modern Medical training) Pasteur (the father of immunology/microbiology) is a personal hero of mine. It was nice to be off the tourist track. The I went to the Effiel tower, which is so on the tourist track. Honestly, I didn't stay that long because my feet are actually sore from walking so much (Hey I get lost a lot!!! and asking for directions isn't the easiest). I think I'll rent a bicycle tomorrow there is much to see before Prague. There is also the picacso and Orsay museums on my list. Strange tidbit of the day: Paris coffee is actually really good. Yet there is a universal starbucks with a venti iced light ice (you know you don't even have to ask for light ice in france..) tazo chai tea latte.

Parisinfo : Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau

Parisinfo : Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau: all information to plan your trip to Paris

Hellenic Festival

Hellenic Festival

...:: 29 Festival de Barcelona Grec ::... Festival of theater, dance, and music

...:: 29 Festival de Barcelona Grec ::...

Canadian Embassy in Spain

Canadian Embassy in Spain

Travel Report for Italy

Travel Report for Italy

Assistance to Canadians in Greece

www.canada.cz; Canadian embassy in Prague

www.canada.cz

Travel Report for France

Travel Report for France

A PARIS GUIDE

A PARIS GUIDE

GREECE TRAVEL: Matt Barrett's Guides to Greece and the Greek Islands

GREECE TRAVEL: Matt Barrett's Guides to Greece and the Greek Islands