Busy Busy Buy

Alright, so i haven't had much time to just sit and write in a while, so this will be highlights of what I've been up to:

Cologne, Germany: went to a kick ass beer festival in Leverkusen and got wasted on some of the best beers I've ever tasted. Discovered H&M's all over and went WAY over my budget for an afternoon. Saw a cool band called Senor Coconut and then went out to a Latin club. German can MOVE, lemme tell you that much. It's funny that i had to go all the way to Germany to learn now to salsa.

Brussels, Belgium: really crowded but nice, the weather wasn't great, but you know, it's expected. Met up with our first couchsurfing host Jean and finally met up with Mike after getting lost in the town for about an hour.

Bruges, Belgium: Probably one of the worst days ever was spent in Bruges. Not because it wasn't a cool town, because it was extremely beautiful and charming, but because it starting POURING and did not stop for probably 8 hours. You know how in movies when people are having bad days and they walk home along the street only to have a car drive by and splash a HUGE wave of water on them? yeah, well that happened to us. we're talking SOPPING wet. haha. we had a good laugh about what a terrible day that was.

Amsterdam, Netherlands: it's an absolutely beautiful town. Yes, the cliches are true and there are a slew of weed shops everywhere, but seriously, this town is so much more than weed and hookers. I've been here for a day and a half and it's been so pleasant just to wander the streets looking at shops and people watching. My favorite thing about A'dam is that you can never really get lost because the city is set up like a big circle and you can just follow all the different canals around and eventually find an area you recognize. Here, we met up with our second couchsurfing host of the trip, David. Funny guy and loves to play poker. We'll be here for an extra day because we like it so much

write soon

Paris

so i've been in Paris now for a little over two and a half days and it feels like it's been an eternity.. its possible that's due to the fact that i'm here with my family....but regardless the next three months will be interesting....

So here’s what I’ve learned about Parisians

• The older population really doesn’t shower much and actually do smell
• They don’t like waiting in lines and tend to cut a lot
• The women are so elegant without even trying (the men… not so cute)
• They love their bicycles and Smart Cars
• They love to eat outside

Let’s see, this first entry will be pretty rushed because I have to meet my parents for dinner….so it will be mostly an overview of what’s been going on:

Paris is a beautiful city, it really took me all of 30 minutes to decide that I loved it. Everything just seems so, I can’t seem to think of it, at ease? I may just love it because the public transportation rocks so much….

I’m definitely glad that Nick talked me into seeing the Louvre (exact words being “but you HAVE to… “ok…”) because it was definitely a little overwhelming. I got to see the Mona Lisa, The Venus Di Milo, and various other works that I can’t remember the names of, but know are important J Despite its beauty and all that, I was definitely exhausted and sick of all things having to do with art within the first two hours...but we continued to hang around for another two hours looking at work I’ve never heard of. I’m not uncultured, I’m jet lagged.

So remember when I was talking about how I’m terrified of being robbed blind within the first few days of getting to Europe? Apparently, so is everyone else. It’s actually funny to see how constant theft and pickpocketing has become part of how everyone acts all the time, local or not. Everyone clutches to their bags or wears them up front like it’s the hottest style since UGG boots (which I hated…). Me? I clutch my bag, wear it up front AND have locks on it. I’ll kick the shit out of anyone who tries to steal my stuff.

I WANT TO SPEAK FRENCH! Everyone sounds so sophisticated even when arguing it’s great. I’ve only been able to pick up the basics and I try to communicate using the, oh, 7 words I know… but even so, it’s been fun. Paris really is a hub for the multi-cultural. People of every ethnicity live here and its been cool just seeing it. I like that everyone assumes I too am French until I open up my mouth…after which they probably stroll off thinking “stupid American…” haha, that reminds me that that happened on the metro during my first hour in france. This black guy walks up to me and asks me what I can only assume was a question about the metro schedule and I could only stare at him blankly giving him the universal sign of “I don’t know” (being both your palms up and shrugging while shaking your head), he then threw up his arms in frustration, muttered something in French (angry.. but still sounded nice) and walked off shaking his head. Welcome to France, I think. Although I must say that French people are a hell of a lot nicer than what everyone was telling me… actually let me rephrase that. Everyone isn’t nearly AS MEAN as everyone kept telling me.

Anyway, I’ve posted up all of my pictures from Paris thus far at www.flickr.com/photos/arsie

I’m trying to organize them the best I can, but most of the time I only have enough time online to just upload them so they show up on the page in the order that I’ve uploaded them all uncategorized and without titles or descriptions. I’ll be organizing them as I go. Also, I can’t figure out how to rotate them properly and save it that way… guess you’ll have to rotate them individually. Tough noogies.

Anyway, I’d better get going because I think I see my sister hovering in hovering in hunger for dinner. I will probably write more frequently and with less babble in the future because I’ll be able to find more time to be on the internet when I’m traveling sans family. I leave for Cologne, Germany in the morning.

Au Revoir!!!!

Currently Listening We Are Pilots see related

11 Hours to go...

i'm terrified. i'm ecstatic. my neck is sore. my laundry is in the dryer. i still have things to get done and it's 10 hours before my flight takes off.

ready or not. here i come.

Currently Reading The Rough Guide to Europe 2006 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) By Various Authors see related