EuroTrip 2010: Paris or Bus(t) (2)

I am writing this to you from my dear friend KTO's cute and quaint apartment in Paris. We finally made it, although we were held up on our bus at the UK/France border because they took one guy off the bus to talk to him, and never let him back on...sucks to be that guy.

After recovering from Queen's day Melody and I finished off Amsterdam with an amazing 8 hour and 72km bike ride through the Dutch country side. It was very beautiful and enjoyable and we found the Dutch to be very patient and friendly because as Melody said "The Dutch are really patient because we haven't gotten any honks and we have done many honkable things" (such as riding on the hiway, and stopping and checking the map in not the best spots...) The amazing thing about the Netherlands is that bikes are the most used form of transportation, and they have separate infrastructure specifically for cyclists, it's really amazing and we could definitely take a point or two from the Dutch when designing our public transportation infrastructure. We made our journey from town to town completely using bike paths...it was awesome, and tiring.

(Tulip Field)

(A lone tulip on the side of the hiway)

We were sad to say "Arrivederci" to our new Sicilian friends in Amsterdam, but we may now be visiting them in Siciliy if it all works out! Before leaving the Sicilians we made a point to learn some key phrases for when we head to Italy, such as "Sai parlare Inglese?", but that had to be reworked to "Sai conversare Inglese" as Melody and I, though talented with our tongues had lots of trouble getting the rolling of the tongue that saying "Parlare" requires....we're working on it though.

The bus ride from Amsterdam to London went by pretty quickly and I had my first experience of the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel). For those of you who don’t know, the Chunnel is basically an underwater subway tunnel. It was surreal because I was in a coach bus, inside a giant subway car, being taken through an underwater tunnel from one country to another. I was pretty cool...although the novelty wears off and it was less cool the second time coming back to Paris.

(Me at the back of the bus in the Chunnel)

We arrived in London at 8am on the 5^th and dropped our stuff at the hostel and took the NewEurope Free walking tour! We did the one in Amsterdam and did the on in Paris too! These tours give you an entertaining and affordable experience because the guides work for tips, as well they operate throughout Europe, so Mel and I will def be taking advantage of them throughout the next 2 months. Also in London, Museums are FREE…and since that's my favourite word we were able to see some mummies and the Rosetta stone for Free at the British Museum.

(Rosetta Stone)

We went to Buckingham Palace and saw the changing of the guards, which was probably the most underwhelming thing so far. But mostly we walked around a lot in London and got oriented with the city. It was nice being in a country where everyone spoke English, but I am excited to have to try a little harder to communicate with people. Oh I also got attacked by a hungry/friendly squirrel!

(He wasn't selling drugs he he)

(Squirrel!!! Christmas Vacation anyone?)

Mel and I are doing pretty good with keeping track of our budget, and hitting up grocery stores for food and carrying it with us. For example today we crossed one thing off my to do list because we bought a baguette, some Camembert and some 2.95 wine and sat in front of the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower, we felt very Parisien...and I'm sure so did the hundreds of other tourists doing the same thing!

The next three days are supposed to be rainy in Paris so we will do Museums and also head to the D-day beaches which should be very humbling.

I'm really enjoying seeing things I have only ever since on T.V. or in books and love that each day is new and different. Miss yall!

Love and Kisses,

TaCaGo

EuroTrip 2010: Dam Straat I’m in Amsterdam (1)

(Just one of Amsterdams many unique buildings)

Hoi! dear friends from the vice filled city of Amsterdam!

After a 7 hour flight, 5 hour layover in London and an hour plane ride to Holland, I have arrived and partied like it’s the Queen’s Birfday!

Since I have been in Amsterdam I have almost been run over by a Dutch cyclist, I have found myself as a main attraction in a random drum parade dance party, I have done my best to reassure some no-English-Italian guys on shrooms that their friend having a bad trip was going to be fine…while they were tripping, I have wandered the stone streets stoned and with a group of Aussies and Italians, I have eaten herring from a vendor (not a fan) and I have danced to euro Hardcore music in a sea of Orange ….let’s just say I am experiencing Amsterdam!….well except for the 50 euro per 15 minute prostitutes.

(Riding the ferris wheel on the first night, the National Monument can be seen on the ground below, very phallic)

If you know anything about Amsterdam it’s probably about the red light district. Our hostel, the Bulldog hotel (www.bulldoghotel.com) is smack in the middle of the red light district, so I have seen many beautiful (and not so beautiful) women scantily clad standing provocatively behind their red lit glass window. It’s shocking to see at first and it kind of weirds me out, but in a sad and curious way…it makes me think about what their life is really like, and what their reasons for doing what they do are.

Enough about that though. The main reason I began in Amsterdam was because I wanted to start my trip with a bang! No, no, not a 15 dollar hooker…a big party! This party is Queen’s day which was on April 30^th. These European people really know how to celebrate the Monarchy! Every street was closed to traffic, public transit and bicyclists (who usually have the right of way). Pedestrians and the many revelers boating on the canals had taken over. But this wasn’t like in Toronto where one street may be closed, or Dundas square, and it’s not like LollaPalooza (the next biggest party I’ve ever been to) in which a giant party is enclosed in a massive park…no no, this was a CITY-WIDE Party! Tourists of all types flocked to Amsterdam, and I was exposed to many different cultures in one day! Everywhere you went in the city was full of people drinking, dancing, smoking, chilling, climbing things, boating and unfortunately, littering and peeing in the streets. Now Amsterdam has had a long history of Men peeing in the canal and all over the streets it’s really gross because every once in a while you can catch a wiff. They even have public urinals set up everywhere for the dudes and many still piss in the canal. Sadly the female outdoor urinals had to be shut down back in the day after they were protested for by a group of feminists who said it was discrimination to make women have to pay per public toilet use rather then allow them to pee in the streets like men. Unfortunately, these female public toilets were shutdown due to junkies using the enclosed space as a place to shoot up. During Queens Day I paid a total of 1.50 euro to use the bathroom two different times….but let me tell you…it was an Emergency and well worth the buck fitty.

(Beautiful day for dancing)

It is really interesting experiencing completely foreign cultures and people in their natural habitat, it makes me think differently about my pre conceived notions of judging a book by its cover (we all do it) because then when you hear their voice it throws your whole schema of things off because you have a new sense of who they are by their culture. I don’t know, that might just be the lemon haze talking. One thing I did find ironic was that even though pot is so accessible in Amsterdam there are still illegal hard drug dealers prowling the streets and funnily enough if you want hard drugs you just go to the black guy on the street standing and whispering "Crack, Mushrooms, Charlie" at you as you walk merrily by. Some things are just universal I guess lol. Believe me when I say, hard drugs are just about the only thing you can get in trouble for by the Politie (police) in Amsterdam.

Currently, Melody and I are blogging and journal writing in the lobby of our hotel, sweet music is playing (did you know the best Dj’s in the world are in Amsterdam? Well, now you do), and we are enjoying the sesspool of European culture parading by, it’s quite lovely and wonderful. Tomorrow we will go to the Van Gogh museum or possibly bike tour through tulip fields, I’ll let you know.

(Yes I have already bought a pair of shoes...practical and stylish, only 20 euro...and they match my fanny pack!)

I wish you all luck and happiness,

Love and Kisses,

TaCaGo