To Paris and Beyond

Waking up in Paris, a city often touted as the most beautiful in the world is a wonderful feeling. I woke up late, around 10, and after preparing for the day, and re-packing my bag, I went downstairs and checked out.

The hostel has a secure store place for luggage, and I left mine there.

Wanting to see the Eiffel Tower, I hopped on the metro, and after one change of lines I got off at Invalides. As it turns out, that is quite a walk from the tower. It was a bit cold, and raining a little, but it was nice to just absorb the sounds and sights of France.

After catching a small glimpse of the top of the tower from the metro station, it was invisible until just a few minutes before reaching it. It popped out from behind the buildings in its immense glory.

It is huge. Framed agains the grey sky it looked like a beautiful black and white painting. The tower spreads its massive bases over a huge plaza underneath, crawling with the tourists absent so far in my trip.

To take in the whole tower properly one must walk away from the river towards the military academy. I sat on a bench and just stared for what must have been half an hour.

To build such a structure is a feat of engineering, even today, and it was built so long ago, and in addition with a grace that is unmatched anywhere in the world.

I did not go up into the tower, however I did walk back under it again, braving the mobs of souvineer sellers.

Walking towards the military academy again, I took the customary self picture in front of it, and stopped to take a picture for a couple with the magestic structure as the backdrop.

Deciding that instead of walking around Paris then, I would wait until the spring and hope for better weather, I headed back to the hostel.

The night before when I had originaly found the hostel, I had used the correct exit, and found myself pointing in the right direction. This time I most certainly did not.

I walked and walked and walked for around half an hour until I finally found the correct road. As it turns out the metro station I was using had 5 exits, all widely spaced.

Back at the hostel, I retrieved my bags, and read for some time.

At around 3 I left for Gare de St Lazare. Upon arrival I found the ticket booth, and after purchasing my ticket I went inside to find the platform. To my surprise the ticket had no platform writen on it, and it appeared to work the same as a metro ticket, you validated it when you want to use it.

I wandered around with my big pack for a while, looking at all the departure screens for Rouen. I finnaly found it, and walked over to the platform. I validated my ticket, then walked along the train a ways to find a seat. What seemed like a kilometer later, I entered the lower level of the double deck train, and sat down.

Soon after, right on time, the doors slid shut, and the train rolled out of the station. Just like the Eurostar, this train was so smooth, and once out of the station area and its multitude of junctions, there was once again the feeling of gliding over the rails.

It sped up to its remarkable cruising speed, and soon emerged into the countryside. Sliding through France at what seems to be hundreds of kilometers per hour is quite an experience for someone who has never experienced it before, and my face was glued to the window the whole way until it got dark.

There were only 3 or 4 stops before arrival in Rouen, the terminus of the train's service.

The riders of the train and I all piled off and up into the terminal building. I was to be picked up by my sisters host mother from last year, but I did not know when or where, or even what she looked like.

I parked myself in the main hall of the building with my pack, and sat down to wait. Just ten minutes later I was hailed from across the hall. We introduced each other, and it turned out that I was just where I was supposed to be, right at the right time.

As I dont speak french, and she doesnt speak french, the ride was quiet for the most part, although we were able to communicate a bit with our very limited command of the others language.

It was my first experience in a car in Europe, and man was it ever crazy. They do not seem to have any regard for lanes, or signs, or pedestrians, or anything outside the car. It was somewhat hair raising, but it was really cool to see a little bit of the city my sister loves so much.

I caught a glimpse of her school, and of several churches and the cathedral. The architecture of Rouen is just amazing, the city being many centuries old.

Arriving at her house on the other side of the river, I met her husband, and was shown around the house. Arriving later in the evening was their son Guillame, who speaks fluent english.

I settled in, and spoke/gestured with my hosts. They have a very nice house, small, but with everything tucked away in neat ways.

Guillame arrived an hour or so later with his girlfriend, also fluent in english, and we all sat down for appetizers. I had my first french wine, a very strongly flavoured one as it turns out.

Soon after we settled in for dinner, potatoes, ham, and cheese mixed together in a dish called Tarteflete, or something like that. In any case it was very tasty, and we had desert of ice cream.

The three of us young folk headed out to Rouen at this time, already after eight in the evening.

We stopped first at a friends house, and spent a little bit there before heading into the city.

Finding parking was a bit crazy, the winding streets filled to the brim with cars already. We eventually found a spot, and walked towards Rue de Gros Horlage, the most famous street in the city. It has a big clock on an arch about half way down, and ends at the cathedral.

The buildings are amazing in Rouen. I looked at the date on one and it read 1630. A 380 year old building with a clothes shop in the bottom and apartments above. None of the buildings had straight sides, all of them bulged out in odd directions. They seemed to be just squished in between the others, all depending on the one beside for support.

We stopped at a bar, by this time our group numbering 14 with many other friends having joined us.

Even with the language difference, it was a lot of fun, and we managed to communicate with our limited vocabularies and with our gestures. Lots of fun to be meeting my sisters friends from last year as well.

Eventually we headed off, back to the house we had visited earlier to watch a very odd tv show in which the mother of a grown man chooses between several women trying to be his wife. Strange.

In bed I fell asleep right away, my second night in france having been tons of fun, with lots of new people, and new sight sounds and smells.

I was sleeping in the bed my sister had last year, and it was nice to see it in real life after seeing it so many times on skype.

Paris was nice, but Rouen with so many people to connect with was so far, a lot of fun.

The Tube, The Train, The Metro

After a such a wonderful time in London I had no desire to leave. But, alas, it had to be done. I woke and packed my bag, made difficult by the fact that my bed was so close to the ceiling that I could not stand it up to put things in, and also the fact there were so many people sleeping still.



I managed to do it, and after leaving my room for the final time went to the luggage storage room. Paying my 2 pounds I headed out to Tesco for breakfast.

When I got back I really didn't feel like going anywhere at all. I just sat in the common room for a while watching the music video channel that was on the television. Eventually I went and got my computer and started writing my blog, but eventually gave up and started talking to a guy from eastern England.

At about one I decided I should probably start heading off as I had a long ways to go. I went down to the tube for the last time, heading for the first time to St Pancras Station.

I purchased a ticket for the 14:02 train to Paris, and after going through the security and border control sat for a short wait in the lounge.

Soon, the train was opened for boarding. It is soo huge. it seemed to stretch out of view in both directions when I got up to the platform. They are marvels of engineering. I walked to the back end of the train, snapped a picture, then went into coach 4 where my seat was.

I was sitting beside a french woman, and neither of us spoke the others language at all so we didn't really talk at all. The train left right on time, pulling out of the station perfectly at the strike of 14:02.

It was such a neat experience. I am used to the train on Vancouver Island which does not even begin to compare in any way to the amazingness of the trains here. There is no feeling of the rails, it just feels like floating across the ground.

We soon descended into the first tunnel that took us most of the way out of London. Through the countryside and industrial areas we went, zooming by at hundreds of kilometers an hour. Really really fast!

We had a short stop just before the Chunnel, and soon we were hurtling along it. It was really not all that exiting, it was just a dark tunnel that went on for a long time. there was no sense of what had just been accomplished when we emerged into France.

The sun had set by then, and the clouds made it very dark. I read until arrival at Gare de Nord.

That was my first real experience with a busy train station, and it was quite amazing. So amazing that I forgot to take any photos at all.

I followed the signs to the metro, and after buying my ticket, headed off to the platform I wanted.

I had to make a change to get to the hostel, and that was accomplished without any problems. I got off the metro at the stop nearest the hostel, and after a careful check that I was headed in the right direction I set off on the ten minute walk.

I found it with no problem, and headed in. I got my room and headed upstairs.

It was a 3 bed room, and one of the beds was empty, just myself and another man staying in it.

After a quick meal of an omelette and fries, I tried to connect to the internet to no avail. Deciding to give up I went upstairs and read for a bit before falling asleep.

It was a long day, and I was sad to say goodbye to London, but also exited for the new wonders just a sleep away.

More of London, More of Klass and Anne

I am a little behind on the posting of things. I was right on top of it, and then for inexplicable reasons, the internet simply would not talk to my computer. Strange things.

Anyways, Wednesday brought with it the promise of clear, sunny skies. I woke early and headed out for a walk. I took my big camera with me, and wandered down from Piccadilly to the Thames, going just on the east side of St James Park.

I walked east along the river, then headed over the bridge at Embankment station. I walked back down the other side of the river past the London Eye, and to Westminster Bridge. Across the bridge and past Big Ben I went into a Tesco, a store where you can get cheap anything, and got some breakfast.

From there I went up to Trafalgar Square, and got on the Tube, going only one stop, the cold finally having got to me.

Here are some of the results of my early morning photo walk.

I met up with Klaas and Anne, and we had some tea in the common room, then went out to the tube. We were heading out to Chelsea to see how much tickets to the football game were.

We took 3 different trains to get there, having to change at several stations.

The stop we wanted exited into a mall, and as we were leaving we saw a Starbucks and decided to stop there on the way back. We got to the stadium, and walked around to the ticket booth, and got in the short queue.

When we got to the front, we learned that the seats were going to be 64 pounds, and they were way way way up in the top section. Definitely not worth it.

A stop at the Starbucks, and we were on our way again.

We went back to the hostel for a quick rest, then were off again, this time in the opposite direction. Heading east on the District line we got off at Tower Hill. Walking out of the station you see the Tower of London, hence the name.

Another tower related thing there is the Tower Bridge. We walked out along it, and then payed the 5 pounds to get the tour. The elevator takes you to the walkways at the top. The view is pretty cool.

We walked down after exploring the top for a while, and took a tour of the engine room where they used to open the bridge from.

After walking back across the bridge, and back to the station, we took it one stop to Monument, a tribute to the damage caused by the London Fire.

The monument itself is a giant column with a viewing platform at the top, reached by a 311 step spiral staircase. That is quite the climb. The view is worth it though.

At the bottom, they give you a certificate that you have climbed it, and survived. A neat touch indeed

.
From the monument we went to Piccadilly Circus again, this time staying in at the fountain. I had arranged with my family that I would be at that certain place at a certain time, and that they would at the same time look at the webcam of Piccadilly Circus.

To make sure I was identifiable, Klaas, Anne, and I held up a Canadian Flag. We had several people come take pictures with us which was funny because Klaas and Anne are not Canadians.

After the appointed time had come and gone, I went back to check if it had worked, and they went to find some food. I met up with them shortly, and we ate quickly by the fountain.

A short time later, we were on the tube again, this time heading to Adlegate East. It was not quite apparent what we were looking for, so, after walking in a big circle, we got back on the tube and continued on to Liverpool Street Station, where Klaas and Anne's train to the airport departed later that night.

We found a pub for later and went back to the hostel one last time.

In the common room, we met Bruno, from northern Spain. He was a hoot to talk to, and a while later when we headed to Oxford Circus to go shopping, he tagged along with us. We walked and walked and walked, and finally found the store, a discount place with amazing prices.

Anne was the only one who wanted or needed anything, so the three of us followed her around.

She ended up getting the most ridiculous pajamas ever. A fleece one piece with a funky pattern. It was awesome.

We headed down Central line to the train station, and went into Dirty Dicks Pub across the street. I dared Anne to wear her PJs to order, and for the rest of the time we were there, and she did, with 5 pounds of encouragement that is.

We said goodbye much to soon after. Them leaving to Stanstead for the flight home, and myself and Bruno to the hostel again.

I will miss them, and hope to see them soon in their home town in Holland.

London With Klaas and Anne

In just a few hours I will be alighting from this city which I have come to love. The Eurostar will take me to Paris later today, but until then I have some time to think, and to rest my feet.

As the stories go, it rains in London. Always. On tuesday, those stories sure seemed to have some truth to them. Leaving the hostel after breakfast, it was pouring. My new friends Klaas and Anne and myself wanted to go see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. We did not want to walk, so we went out the door a hundred meters through the cold rain and wind and into the tube station at Piccadilly Circus. 

We took the Bakerloo line two stops to Embankment, right beside the Thames, and as it turns out, much further from the palace than anticipated. It was in fact further than the hostel. We walked up the river to Big Ben, then went up into St James Park, and walked down the south side to the palace.

We got to the palace just before the change of the guards. The coolest thing was their hats. They didn't really do much. They just marched in then marched out. It might be because of the rain, but it really wasn't really very exiting. The hats were sweet though.

We wanted to get back in the as soon as possible, but we couldn't find Victoria station. We ended up walking all the way to Charring Cross at Trafalgar Square, and ended up freezing and soaking wet by the end of it. After drying off for a bit at the hostel, and heading back to the tube, we headed to Covent Garden to go to a store that Klaas wanted to check out. 

The store is called Forbidden Planet, and if you like sci-fi, fantasy, comics, or action figures, it would be a dreamland. It had two huge floors jam packed with everything you could think of, and a whole bunch you never would.

That was just a small selection of the Harry Potter wands they had.

From there we headed to a pizza joint and had 2 for one pizza. It was pretty good, although the server was defiantly not from Italy, or even western europe in general.

Two stops on the tube later we were back at Piccadilly. 

Klaas dropped of what he had bought, and we were on our way again, this time to St John's Wood. Just outside the station is the Beatles Coffee shop. They also have tons of shirts and stuff too. We all got the same Abby Road hats, and headed out on a pilgrimage to the famous crosswalk.

We were the total knob tourists, and loved it.

That was awesome. We signed our names on the wall of Abbey Road Studios, and headed back to the tube. 

From there we went to Notting Hill. Anne was looking for a pet shop to buy a hat for her dog. We walked and walked and walked. Along the way we found a Poundland, the UK version of Dollar Stores. 

Notting Hill is one of the prettiest little places I have ever been. The main street winds around and on both sides there are eclectic shops painted in nice colors.

We eventually did find a pet shop and an appropriate hat, but by this time we had walked so far that we had no idea where the closest tube station was. We asked the clerk at the pet shop, and an other kilometer further we finally found it. 

We went right in without looking which direction we were getting on, and ended up heading further out. We had to get out at the next station, and cross over to come back.

We got off at Paddington which also has a huge train station. The connection to the line we wanted was literally another kilometer away through the station and down and around and down some more. It is crazy how deep some of the lines are. When I first got off at Piccadilly, I walked up some stairs and expected to see the exit around the corner but it was the longest escalator I have ever seen, then at the top of that the next corner yielded another escalator the same size. Then still more stairs to get to street level, and that is not even the deepest line at that station.

We ended up back at the hostel, and said bye for a while to go do our own stuff for a bit. 

I met an Italian guy from Puglia, a state I want to spend some time in later in my trip. He and I went out an walked for a bit before settling in the Duke of Argyle. Near the hostel, it is a nice English pub with a nice atmosphere. 

We had a drink, then headed back to the hostel as neither of us could really understand the other. 

I met up with Klass and Anna again, and we ended up, after a bit of a walk, back at the Duke of Argyle. That was not before we went through Soho though. That is really funny.

It is full of peep shows, table dancing clubs, and xxx video stores, all with a booming business. 

Even the Telephones are decorated with xxx advertisements.

We sat in the pub until it closed at 11.30, then went for another walk. After much pondering we ended up at a club that was very loud and crowded.

We sat down at the downstairs bar, and Anne found a Pink Ladies jacket from Grease.

That about wrapped it up for the night. It was quite a day.

London

London, for Canadians, or at least myself, holds some sort of almost mythic place in ones mind. We see it in our history books, hear tales of it, see it in movies, and for the lucky people who make it here, It lives up to the high expectations. It is bustling, full of people at every hour, jam packed full of history, and mythic in proportions.

The grandeur of the city is magnificent, and the sights are all even better than they are in the movies.

Getting on the tube, the classic "Please mind the gap" you hear in shows Actually is like that. It is a city that I had high expectations about, and it has so far much more than lived up to them.

Here are a bunch of pictures from my random wanderings just after getting off the tube.

After wandering for a bit, and checking in to the hostel I found, I went into the common area of the hostel, and met two people from Holland. We talked for a bit, then went out to find some food. After much wandering, we ended up in an Italian place. I had the best pizza I have ever had, plus some Italian beer which I drank out of a wine glass.

We wandered around together for hours after that, went to a pub, and wandered some more. We finally ended up at the hostel around midnight, and I decided that I might want to get some sleep.

It was kinda funny actually, I went to bed at twelve, then I woke up, had a shower, got dressed, everything, then I asked someone in the hall for the time, and it was 1.45 in the morning. I then realized how dark it was, and that all the other  people in my room were still sleeping. I went back to sleep, and woke up at 7.30

I am going to have some tea now, maybe some breakfast too.