*Ahhh Venice…A Cartographer’s Nightmare*

29Mar08
NOTE: PHOTOS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO UPLOAD...WILL GET TO IT LATER AND LET EVERYONE KNOW SO THAT YOU CAN ALL COME BACK AND SEE PICTURES FROM VENICE SINCE i KNOW THAT THAT'S THE ONLY REASON YOU ALL CHECK THIS OUT. NAW, JUST KIDDING.

Internet is, obviously, less accessible here in Verona…so I apologize if any one has been wondering where I have been.

Been hitting it pretty hard here so far…not a whole lot of free time, to be honest. Made it to Venice the other day and had a wonderful time, so this entry will be dedicated to that. Pictures of Verona will come later.

Upon getting off the train, the group congregated to get the information we needed to know about Venice and what we were going to be expected to do.

Getting instructions to meet in Saint Mark’s square, we were let loose to figure out how to get there ourselves. At that moment I heard some grumblings about how we didn’t get maps to Venice and yet were expected to figure our own way around.

The reason for the lack of maps was soon made apparent as every buildings exterior become its own street and (perhaps, perhaps not) makes a street with the other building’s exterior. Now just think about that…Venice is incredibly old and most of the buildings were built up as the city stretched outward. This leads to an incredibly convoluted and almost impossible to navigate landscape of alleyways, bridges, and town squares. The advice we were given was to follow the signs to Pallo Rialto (The Rialto Bridge) to San Marco (Saint Mark’s Paradise) which worked (for the most part) like a charm.

After we all gathered in the square we were given the tickets to the Civic Museum and The Duggal (Duke’s) Palace. After grabbing a coffee and getting my bearings, I headed for the civic museum, which, by pure happenstance, was featuring an absolutely wonderful exhibit on the cartography of globes (for those of you who may not know I’m going to school for map-making and Cartography as well as Geography). I totally geeked out for about two hours at how, depending on the era and source material of the globe, California was either a complete island or Baja Bay stretched all the way up to Oregon. You got to remember that these globes were all made between the 1500 and 1600’s and that California wasn’t recognized by all authorities as being connected with the continent until approx. the mid-18th century to the very early 1800’s. On top of that Alaska was almost never even put on most of them, it just stopped at some arbitrary line. (Which makes sense to me…I sailed up in that direction once. Simply the roughest seas I have seen over a long period of time. By that I mean, I had seen worse, but they were always due to either a storm or seasonal variations (like the North Shore of Hawaii). Knowing this, it makes sense that the sailors of the time wouldn’t even bother mapping out the coast of Alaska until it became profitable.)

After the Globes, came about an hour of people watching, Venice is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the entire world, but I noticed (and this might be due to going there during the off-tourist season) that there were still a lot of Italian speaking people there…this was true for Versaille, where a majority of the people were there from the home country.

I guess I just thought there would be some kind of massive touristic conspiracy and that all these places would be where only foreigners go to see a sampling of the country’s history…I guess that would be like thinking that there would be only foreigners at the Smithsonian or any of the monuments in D.C.

After the people watching I went to the Duggal Palace, which was kind of like an administrative court (it even had its own prison), as well as the residence of the Duke of Venice at the time (I might be wrong about that).

Don’t want to pick a fight here, but it was, hands down, the most impressive thing (built by man) that I had seen in Europe. I think that might have something to do with my own perspective though, as most of the rooms there had some kind of administrative purpose; where as, at Versailles, it was almost disgustingly lavish that it seemed to serve no purpose other than to salute the glory of the residents. Perhaps this more of a comment about myself, more than a comment about Europe.

Made it back after getting entirely lost for about two hours as I tried to find the train station (went left when I should have went right). The canals and rivers sticking in my mind, thinking about how people can even continue to live in the city (which, as I understand, is starting to become a real problem). So many different lifestyles in this world, I sometimes try to put myself in the place of some of them, and with the tourists, water, annoying Gondola drivers, curvy rivers, and lack of being anything other than “the city with rivers for streets”, I am amazed that anyone even lives in Venice anymore. I’m sure I didn’t see everything, and they are welcome to do what ever they want (and I’m sure they would think the same thing about people who live in the Minnesota-Wisconsin-North Dakota); I’m just saying that I don’t understand the lifestyle that the people who live in Venice enjoy…although I’m sure they do enjoy it.

More pictures of Verona coming soon…after that, I’m on to Vienna to get my Mozart on.

One last thing: it is a credit to mother that I can have a piece of homemade lasagna, prepared by an actual, honest to goodness, Italian Grandmother, and I still like mom’s lasagna better…you can say all you want about being conditioned to non-authenticity, but I’m going with my mom knows how to cook an Italian meal for people with German and Norwegian (and a whole lot of other) ancestry.

*Gimmelwald to Interlocken; Interlocken to Milan; Milan to Verona.*

27Mar08

Sadly, I had to leave Switzerland…even more sadly, I had to get up at five in the morning to do so, or at least that’s what I thought. I made my way down the Gondola (which is a little more intense going down than it is going up) and into Interlocken. The process was a lot quicker than I thought it would be and I was left at the Interlocken train station with about two and a half hours to kill and not wanting it spend the five Swiss francs for a locker for the luggage.

Finally, the train came and I was off to Italy, It was weird too; I could tell as soon as I was in Italy by the red tile roofs and the lack of snow, as well the vibe on the train, which became louder with every stop with the addition of more Italians.

Being caught up in the grandeur of the Swiss Alps, I had forgotten that I would be heading back Southern Europe and hadn’t mentally prepared for either the language or the Mediterranean people’s proclivity for standing in the way when one needs to get around them. They don’t do it on purpose (I think), more like a kind of cultural obliviousness that I can’t criticize them for, even though it bugs the heck out of me.

Made it to the hostel to find a 14th century manor, converted from a convent to a hostel. Think about that…the place I am living in is more than twice as old as the United States. Europe is indeed the old world.

They feed us very very well here and, other than the cold marble floors, all is well (other than my claves and ankles itching incredibly due to being dried out from almost being frost-bitten).

Back on the Road/Track/Gondola.

It's been a wonderfully quiet two days. Even with the spots of bad weather I have loved my time here. Thanks go out again to Becky Hart for the recommendation.

The saying is, "If heaven ain't all it's cracked up to be...send me back to Gimmelwald."

Well I don't know about all that, but I can definitely say, that if heaven is like I'm assuming it's going to be, then I'll be having my summer vacations in Gimmelwald.



My stay has been very nice...and surprisingly affordable. Off season prices at this hotel are very affordable. Only thing is that the guy who runs the place, Walter...well, I kinda felt bad being served by him for the two dinners. He's getting pretty up there in years. Oh well, I'm sure I wasn't that much of a bother to him.

Next up is Verona, Italy. Another language, another new place, another culture...I love this trip, but a part of me is starting to get tired and ready for home. Just a few stops to do along the way...

Hiking in the Swiss Alps in the Snow.

First off, I want everyone to know that I am not the most experienced hiker out there. I am very aware of that; however, I like to think that I have just enough experience to know when I'm about to do something stupid. So, as long as I don't do the stupid thing (no matter how much I may want to) I should be alright. I'm still here so this assumption must be at least somewhat correct. Right?

Woke up this morning to the sight of snow on the windowsill that had not been there when I went to bed. Concerned that I wouldn't be able to get out and enjoy my time here I was a little despondent.

Having had breakfast I went and hung out in the room for a while, catching up on events and doing some research for my upcoming paper. Round about 11:00 or so the sun came out and as soon as I noticed, I was gone.

Walking in the opposite direction I had before I started up the switchbacks for the hill...up and up until I finally looked up and saw a trail marker in the trees. Finally, I thought, an Alpine hiking trail.

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I made it up to the trail marker and soon realized that with the snow last night, I would be hiking in knee deep whiteness. I decided to go a little ways and see if it was worth it to go...besides, the trail went in the direction of a peak that I would have loved to get to the top off and that I think there is a trail for.

Not close.

The foot to two feet of snow was pretty easy to get through and the trail was pretty easy to follow so I kept on...I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. Thick trees, but every once in a while they would break to reveal the stunning view.


I was also on my way up to that peak that I had been eyeing.

Closer.

A body is not like a brain in the fact that there is no desire when it comes to the body, only need. As in, if the body doesn't get enough oxygen in at a higher elevation then it's used to it just doesn't work, no matter how much the brain might want to follow a trail. That being said, I also realized that a lot of snow had found it's way to my ankles and calves and the skin was starting to go numb...there my be some instances where frostbite is worth it, but I still have a month left on this trip and this is not one of them, so I turned back.

Close enough.

The way back down was much easier and quicker and I am know sitting back at the hotel getting ready to write more of my paper as the bad weather comes in again. Content with my FIRST Alpine hiking experience (legs intact and cozy).

Gimmelwald and the Hippy from Hamburg

Got to the hotel in the early afternoon and was a little tired from the travels so I decided to lay low for a bit. Bad move - fog and bad weather came in as I realized that I could get wireless internet at one of the highest points in Switzerland. All was not lost as I was able to play a nice game of online Scrabble with the wife(ish), but I didn't get to go out and do any hiking until the sun was about ready to set. A lovely day, to be sure, but not the grand Alpine adventure I was hoping for.

...but that's why the good lord created tomorrow, and I'll be sure to head out early. Trouble is, that a lot of the hiking paths are still snowed in. I'll make my way, and the sights I've seen have already been worth coming here, but you know...there's always room for more.

Had a great dinner at my hotel by an old man who seems to know Rick Steves personally (there's pictures of him all over the place). Dinner was made interesting by the only other guest of the hotel. Long flowing grey hair and a broad German chin. Quoted Timothy Leary, George Orwell, and Alistair Crowley at me...not in a mean way, mind you, just very talkative and not a very good listener. I think he said that he played improvisational flute in a jazz band in Hamburg. Seriously, the most un-German German I have ever met.

Nice conversation though...



Here's hoping that tomorrow brings good weather.

Frieberg to Basal; Basal to Bern; Bern to Interlocken; Interlocken to Grimmelwald.

Not to bad of a trip this morning, if you consider the logistical nightmare of taking a Tram to the station, taking a train, then another one, then another one, then a bus, to be followed by a Gondola ride.

Anyway, I made it...and, well I'm sure I'll have more to say, but this should whet your appetite. (sorry to make you jealous again, tommy.)


Mom and Dad, I know your connection is slow and that you might not be able to watch this, I'll bring the computer home and you'll be able to watch it then.


OH...almost forgot, Thanks go to Becky Hart for the recommendation to come here. Well worth the trouble. More than worth it...I love it here.

The Tale of Darken Wood

So we just finished up the Exploring Europe through the Humanities class. It involved a lot of museums in Paris and in Freiberg (using the Black Forest as a backdrop) it studied where Fairy Tales came from and how they have changed through out the centuries. I probably wouldn’t have gotten as much out of the Fairy Tale portion of the class had it not been for a comic book called Fables that I have been reading religiously for a couple of years now…thanks to that I enjoyed the class as least on that level.

(Side note: it occurred to me during both the Theater class and this Humanities class that everything I knew about both these subjects I learned from comic books. Not trying to make any broad point here, but it’s definitely true: I’m smarter because of comic books.)

For the last assignment of the class we had to use the elements of the old Fairy Tales and make our own. I’m not saying that mine is the best ever, but I think it came out pretty OK…please don’t criticize too harshly – we only had a day to write it.

Once upon a time…(a little obligatory, I know, but I was trying to get an A)

There was a man and a woman who lived together at the edge of a thick forest known as Darken Wood. Darken Wood was no ordinary forest as not a single leaf grew within its bounds nor did any animal call it home. All the trees of Darken Wood resembled coal more than anything living, and no matter the weather, one could always expect grey skies over Darken Wood.

The man was very large, as he had worked in the fields all his life and done quite well for himself too, as he owned all the land that surrounded Darken Wood. The woman was very beautiful and dressed as so, using their wealth to buy clothing and jewelry from all around the world.

The man and the woman lived in a large cabin that was on the other side of his fields from Darken Wood. There, they lived with their three sons. The eldest son, as well as being the largest, was quite stupid, but could work from dawn to dusk and was known for his immeasurable strength. The middle son, who always dressed in black, was not to be trusted and had been caught several times stealing pennies out of the collection plate on Sunday. The youngest son, who was the most handsome of the three, could beat anyone in the neighboring villages when it came to games of intelligence. The three sons had worked for their father since the day they could pick weeds and had developed a keen sense of what it would take to run their own farms in that time.

So, one day, the brothers came to their father and mother and said, “we have worked for you since we were able and have decided that it is time for you to divide up your land and give it to us. We will take care of you, but we want to own the land that we work.” The father, being proud of his accomplishments, thought over his son’s offer and refused, deciding that he would rather work his land until the day he died.

Not wanting to keep his sons from prosperity, the father told his sons, “there is more land than I keep under Darken Wood. Go to the center of our lands and clear the forest and that land will be yours.”

The brothers, uneasy with the thought of spending any time in such a place began to fight over what would be the fastest and best way to clear the land. The eldest brother, known for his strength, and dim-wittedness, suggested that the three get axes and cut the forest down. The middle brother, known for his cunning and deceit, suggested burning the forest down. The youngest brother, handsome and bright, decided that it would be easiest to use a horse to up-root the forest. Not being able to agree, the oldest and youngest brothers started to fight over what the best way to remove Darken Wood would be. The middle brother, wise in the ways of getting past people and getting what he wanted, broke up his squabbling brothers and suggested that they all start from opposite ends of the forest and work their way in using the way each thought best. Being deceitful, he figured that his brothers would be consumed by the fire he set that he would be able to keep the land for himself. Similarly, the oldest brother realized that he could hack his brothers to pieces and the youngest brother planned to use the rope from up-rooting the trees to hang his brothers. All three brothers wanted the land for themselves.

Separated, the brothers began to work on opposite ends of Darken Wood. The oldest brother began to chop away at the first tree. As he worked he failed to realize the black, vine-like branch that began to wrap itself around his leg. With a creek and a tug, the oldest brother was on his back being pulled – leg first – into the forest. A second later, only the axe remained.

The middle brother, giddy with the thought of his new land as well as being rid of his brothers, whom he never really liked that much anyway, began to kindle his fire. The branches of Darken Wood stirred with a breeze and put his fire out. Determined, the middle brother began to work harder and closer to the fire he was trying to set. With his head down, he didn’t notice the coal-black branches creep down from above. With a creek and a yank, the middle brother was pulled up into the air and was thrown into the middle of Darken Wood.

The youngest brother, being smart about his work, had brought a horse to up-root the trees. Having tied a rope to the base of the first tree, he got on the horse and started to whip it. As the whip cracked against the horse, the branches of Darken Wood reached out and grabbed both the youngest brother and his whip. With a tug and a crack, the youngest brother was pulled on his back into the forest as the horse ran off.



The father and mother, wondering where their sons were at the end of the day, went to bed with great concern. As the next day dawned, the forest had overtaken all of their farmland as well as the cabin. Branches locked the doors and covered the windows.

Some say that the cabin is still in Darken Wood. Consumed by the forest; holding the family that tried to destroy it imprisoned forever. For this reason, Darken Wood remains untouched and will live, without being threatened…

…Happily Ever After.

*Items to Declare (Freiberg, Germany)*

The emphasis on fitness in this area is mind-boggling, but it kind of makes sense if you look at the area and realize how much the Black Forest and associated hills and valleys lend themselves to biking, hiking, and jogging. Perhaps if there were interesting things to see and do, not to mention a little more free time, people would be more prone to exercise in the States.

It might have been all in my mind, but I had some hair when I came here, and I shaved my head yesterday, and I think I got some dirty looks here and there…but I can't be sure about that so please take that with a grain of salt. (Even if I did get dirty looks, I can understand…I’m just saying.)

I have not seen a train, bus, or anything with any kind of schedule not happen at exactly the right time. German efficiency is not a myth and is totally in effect. I mean, these people take their schedules seriously…you know that if I’m thinking someone should calm down and not sweat something, they’re probably a little wound up.

There is a geographic question that has come up in two different conversations I’ve had with two different people and about why southern Germany is predominantly Catholic and why northern Germany is mostly protestant. Of course Martin Luther came from northern Germany and that explains the protestant presence in the north, but I can’t figure out why Protestantism didn’t spread massively throughout the south. There is no large mountain range that splits the two like the Alps or anything, so that kind of take out the physical geography aspect as a reason. The only reasons I can come up with involve proximity to Italy and the Catholic culture there, or even the more Orthodox culture to the southeast. I don’t know, but it makes for great question for a Geography major.

That’s about it, Freiberg has been a lovely place to kind of slow down and catch up on school work and classes…now I’m off to the Swiss Alps for two days and heading to Verona, Italy after that. The miles are starting to ware on, and I’ll be honest, I’m glad to only have a month until I get to see the wife(ish) in Norway. The pictures she sends me mean a lot, but I can’t wait to see the real thing.

The Black Forest

Been in Frieburg for a couple days now, and it's a wonderful place, but it has taken some getting used to...being this far away from a major city-center. Especially trying to maintain this blog and my podcasts (my main source of news). It kind of bothers me how I've become this dependent upon the internet.

It's been wonderful though...the hostel is right on the egde of the Black Forest and there are so many trails that the change of pace has been welcome. I really dig it here.

*The New Europe*

Was sitting in an Irish Pub in Paris the day before I left, watching a soccer profile of an Italian player, which was dubbed in French and had Spanish subtitles, eating a German Bratwurst.

OK, now that actually happened, but take a look at that sentence… five nations mentioned in succession. This fact of life in Europe is what makes people of the U.S. seem like such international misfits…it is also what makes that European Union such a big deal. Different Nationalities, different regions, different national talents, different interests…all agreeing that, in the least, there is mutual benefit to each other’s prosperity.

I’ve watched the dollar tumble and tumble while I’ve been on this trip and it’s hard to swallow as a student traveling abroad, but – one would think – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander: That a group of countries that the U.S. are allies with would be doing well, ought to be good news for the U.S.

I don’t know if that’s the case or not, really; economics – to me, at least – seems to be on the same order as voodoo. Things happen and you do well and other things happen and you do worse…don’t expect the same results in a year or two.

…but what I do know is that the European Union, for all its faults and bureaucracy, is the combination of several advanced nations who know how to make economics work in their country and will work out how to make it work for all of them. People worry, and rightly so, that China is going to take over in the future, but what about Europe? It has a lot to worry about in the process, including loss of national identity, ethnic and religious differences, etc, etc; however, if the European Union functions as it’s supposed to, and even thrives (which it seems to be doing): there is not one country that holds the future in it’s collective hands.

Hopefully, the U.S. will get it’s act together…and both the U.S. and the E.U. will work with China, and we can all step forward into a knew world, but I’ve been known to dream before…so I guess that’s it for my little discussion on economics.

Paris to Strausburg; Strausburg to Basel; Basel to Frieburg

Don't have a lot of time here, but wanted to let everyone know I was safe. A couple complications getting here, like the train not stopping in the town I thought it would, but I made it just fine. Internet is hard to find here and wi-fi seems nonexistant so if I don`t post for a couple days that´s why...by the way Germany is great, but German keyboards suck.

Why are we in Iraq again?

*Items to Declare (France) - O'Rielly vs. Wife(ish): TWO ENTER...ONE LEAVES.*

“In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language”
-Mark Twain.

Now...I'm not one to tell the people of a city what to do, but there is entirely too much dog poo on the sidewalks of Paris. O'Rielly: +1

Went out to grab some food the other day and the place was pretty much empty except for me and one other customer. As I was sat down at my table I heard a conversation start in the entry way between the woman working there and someone else. I was getting food that was already prepared and just had to be warmed up, so I was a little confused ten minutes later when I was still just staring at the coke can I had ordered to go with my meal. It seems in her conversation, the lady had completely forgotten about me. Not typical, but not surprising as far as French culture goes (it seems to me). There is a sort of self-centeredness in the people of any big city, but especially Paris...Not unlike New Englanders in the U.S. When you have so many people packed into an area that small people do things to maintain their individual space. In New England the act like jerks...in Paris they ignore you. I can understand it, but I was still forgotten about after I had paid good money for the meal. O'Rielly: +1

The food is absolutely wonderful. Anything I have eaten I have thoroughly enjoyed...even the pizza with Anchovies (not that I will ever order that again.) Wife(ish): +1

The metro system, when compared to London, seems inefficient and slow. Whereas in London you either moved with a purpose or got out of the way...Paris seems a lot more easy going, a lot more accepting if you get a little confused, which happens easily since the signs seem to be put up in a matter to make you not get where you're going. Even the locals seemed to be lost half the time. Not a big deal when you don't need to be somewhere quick, but infuriating when you're in a hurry. It's much nicer to walk anywhere you go. O'Rielly: +1

You can talk all you want about vibe and aura and nonsense like that, but I generally will (if your lucky) just look at you with a confused and puzzled expression...but there is something about Paris that is amazing. Whether it's the constant presence of people embracing and making out (you know...maybe that's why France doesn't get into stupid wars - they've found out that it's easier and much more fun to make love, not war), the fact that everywhere you go there is something incredibly old and/or beautiful to see, or even just the reputation; this city is definitely different than anywhere I have ever been and it has been incredibly hard to be in a place that makes me feel this way when I can't be here with the one person I would want to be here with more than any one else. I guess we'll just have to come back :) Wife(ish): +1

OK, so I leave for Frieburg, by way of Strausburg tomorrow. Sad to leave Paris, but OVERJOYED to be going back to Germany.

Oh!!! almost forgot the finally tally of Bill-O vs. the wife(ish):

It was 4 to 2 before I started this edition...lets see here:

WIFE(ISH) WINS BY A HAIR!!! 6 TO 5!!!!!

You will be getting your prize in the mail (it's a good thing you won, cause I don't think Bill O'Rielly would take kindly to me sending him a dress from Paris).

"Back home everyone said I didn't have any talent. They might be saying the same thing over here but it sounds better in French."
-An American in Paris.

Images of Paris and France.

There's been a lot to do and a lot to see so I'm trying to catch up on posting here...mostly pictures of all the cool places I've been this time.

Versaille


The Hall of Mirrors
i
A Klee painting at the modern art museum

Marie Antoinette's little cottage (so cute, it's almost worth losing your head for).

The view of le Sacre-Cloure from the Musse d'Orsay

Hanging out outside the Gates of Hell by Rodin

More Rodin

A miniature of Mont St Michel at the Plans/Reliefs museum...my favorite museum in Paris

That's about it for now...I'm safe and everything is OK. Hope it's the same with everyone who's reading.

*The Po-Po of Paris*

"Got a lot of questions for me
You got a lot of questions for me
Got your finger pointing at me
Distrusted
I look for wires when I'm talking to you
You'd make a great cop"
Ian Mackaye of Fugazi, Great Cop of the album: In On The Kill Taker

Was walking to the metro station the other day after taking in three museums, in which I'll get to on a later post; when I had a slight problem with a Paris undercover police officer.

Walking with my hood up due to the massive amount of wind, I suddenly feel this person at my side and see something being shown to me. Figuring that it was just another pushy street vendor trying to sell me an Eiffel Tower key chain, I said "non" and moved away from him.

He then grabbed my arm forcibly, to which I reacted by yanking my arm back from him.

As I did this I finally get a good look at the guy and realized that the thing I thought he was trying to hand me was an orange armband that read POLICE. Facing each other he opens his coat and shows me his gun.

I threw my hands up as he threw me up against the nearby wall. Yelling in French, and gripping my coat, he seemed pretty mad that I hadn't understood that he was a cop.

All I could say was "English! English!" when he realized that I didn't speak French. He, apparently, didn't know too much English either. So he started to say "passport, passport."

Now this is where it gets a little tricky to explain myself. I had heard about all these scams where people take the lone tourist for his wallet, passport, or worse...and realized that I hadn't seen any identification but an armband and a gun. As he tried to look at my passport, I didn't let go of it, which made him suspicious. As he tried to figure out why I didn't want to give him my passport, I thought of the only thing I could to let him know that I wanted to make sure that he was a real cop...so I started saying "I.D. I.D."

He realized why I was apprehensive (and probably why I hadn't figured out that he was a real cop right away) and showed me his I.D.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO BE PICKED UP BY A COP IN MY LIFE!!! I was starting to wonder if he was some guy acting like a cop to mug me. After I realized he was legit I complied with everything he said and let him have the passport.

"Come" he said and we walked back a block or two to the store I had just come out off (I had grabbed a coke for the metro ride). Along the way, he asked, "woman?" and made a punching motion with his fist. I guess some woman had been mugged or hit or something...which is too bad, but when I shrugged and looked confused he seemed to realize that he had got the wrong guy.

As we got closer he reassured me, by pointing out his cop car and walked me over to a group of people, two cops in uniform and three guys standing around. He grabbed one of the guys and brought him over to look at me, to which the guy shook his head no.

I get on the metro feeling like the most notorious person ever.

So you might be thinking that this give O'Rielly a one up...can't say that it does.

Yeah, the experience scared the crap out of me, but when you consider that at any given point a whole THIRD of the population of Paris could be tourists and non-residents, it presents a problem for the police unlike any other...not to mention a problem that's got to be really hard to train for. I mean, how do you train guys good judgment and understanding that not all civilians are going to believe that they are really police and are going to take precautions to not be taken advantage of? The guy knew exactly why I wanted to see his I.D. and made it through the language barrier as best he could.

...and I don't mind being hassled by a cop if it means that they're looking for a guy who hit a woman (for whatever reason it happened). Just as long as they figure out in the end that I didn't do it. Point goes to Wife(ish).

Wife(ish): 4
O'Rielly: 2

*Paris's other visitor*

So when I was down at the Champs-Elysees, I saw this and it gave me a bit of a surprise:



Seemed a peculiar thing to see and it also made me remember the Palestinian protest I had seen the other day, also made me think about what another member of the group was talking about: he had seen a neo-nazi protest. Not to mention that if you have walked past the Louvre any day since we've been here you would see cops in the meanest looking Riot Gear you can imagine (like, they could have beat up Robo-Cop).

Turns out that Shimon Peres is in town.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3517500,00.html

That explains so much, especially the protest...if Sarkozy is proclaiming so much love for Israel. I wish everyone could just chill out, in fact I had no idea that there was even any thought about Israel in France (other than the idea that it's world news). I thought it was just MY president.

*A Wet Day*

Paris has been looking a little like London should lately...it's rained every day we have been here.

So we took the soggy walk to the Picasso Museum, where I saw the a painting that he did that really resonated with me...unfortunately I kind find it online to show you all, but it was a man who was looking at a monument of some sort, in which he saw a woman...never thought I would be able to relate to Picasso, but that did it.

After that we went to the modern art museum...an interesting experience. Didn't really like everything, but I could definitely see what a lot of the people were going for...so that's something.

After that, I decided to walk over to Champs-Elysees (Shawn-zay-lee-zay). The road that leads up to the Arc de Triomphe, but before that I stopped for a piece of pizza and some coffee. Unfortunately, I got the whole cup spilled on me...but they felt so bad about it and apologized so much(not to mention giving me the meal for free) that I appreciated how bad they felt.

Wife(ish): +1

The view of (and from) the Arc de Triomphe was great.


The Arc de Triomphe








Someone's missing.

After all that, I was pretty spent, so I b-lined for the hostel to rest up a little bit. Had an interesting experience on the way though. Made eye-contact with some kid (18 or 19) and he kept on staring at me. As I walked by, he said, "Bush" and spat in my direction.

Didn't feel like telling him that I felt the same way...but on the same token, well:

O'Rielly: +1

I can't get mad at anyone for not liking a countries policies, but the guys political statement was completely wasted on me...

Wife(ish): 3
O'Rielly: 2

...delay

sorry to all; I was going to post today, but due to difficulties in finding what I wanted to talk about on the inter-webs I have run out of time. I love everyone who knows I do and thanks for taking a look to everyone else who I don't necessarily love. Will have the rest of the story up as soon as I can, but the Dollars is down and the Euro is up and I can't afford to come online arbitrarily, hope you all understand.

*Living with Tourism*

07Mar08

Been in Paris for a couple of days and the thing I have noticed so far is that there is no exact tourist district…the whole city is a tourist destination. This means that above all else, the people who live here also have to be face to face with out-of-towners on an almost constant basis.

I don’t know how you would feel about that, but it would get old to me VARY quickly. Perhaps this explains, or at least gives one facet for the Parisian stereotype of snooty attitudes.

In truth I find it amazing that the Parisian stereotype isn’t a punch in the face considering the complete lack of consideration that most tourists and visitors in any city have.

Wife(ish): 2

O’Rielly: 1






Notre Dame




Chartres...about an hour and a half outside Paris