Today I am in Bayeux, France. I came up here to tour the beaches of Normandy, where the D-Day (or as they call it in Normandy, the Liberation Day) invasion occurred. I was able to join on to a tour with Battlebus, and it was worth every cent.
I joined 7 other people (all Americans, including a family from Eagan, Minnesota) on a tour led by a Brit named Alan. He has studied the battles of D-Day for some time, and has been leading tours for several years. He has even had the chance to interview and lead tours for several D-Day survivors. When I asked what he can show a person that was actually there, he explained that he has helped several people find out exactly where they were (they didn't know at the time) by listening to their stories.
We toured Saint-Mere Eglise (the first town liberated by the Allied invasion). You could see the dents in the iron fences where bullets had hit, and holes in walls near windows where the Allies were trying to hit snipers. We also toured Utah Beach, Point du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery.
The sights were moving. But, what was more captivating were the stories that Alan told. He has met with one survivor from Omaha Beach that had his jaw shot off, took shrapnel to the head, stepped on a mine, and was shot through the pelvis. He survived, and returns to Normandy every year for the anniversary.
We also visited a church that was used as an aide station by 2 US medics (one with only 1 day of training). They treated 83 soldiers, and 80 survived - all without the aide of morphine or any proper aide equipment (which had been dropped elsewhere). The church's windows had been shot out, and now have been replaced with stained-glass windows honoring the Allied Liberators. The pews of the church are still stained with blood, which can't be removed.
Another interesting fact - weapons (guns, and live explosives) are still being found each year. And, on average, 8 bodies are still being found in this area each year.
I've done tours in other locations before - some were worth it, others were not. This one definitely was! The personal stories definitely added to the experience. I will probably come back in the future, and take some of their other D-Day tours.
Tomorrow it's on to Mont St. Michel.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Paris wrap-up
Q: What did I do on my birthday?
A: Wait in line.
Yesterday, July 28th - my 34th birthday, I went to Versailles to see the famous Chateau there. Then, I returned to Paris & went to the Eiffel Tower - I wanted to go to the top.
Underestimating the nature of high season - I didn't get a museum pass, which would have let me skip the lines. (at Versailles, but not the Eiffel Tower). Big Mistake!
Upon arriving at Versailles, I waited over an hour to get a ticket. Then, I waited another 1+ hour to get in.
When I went to the Eiffel Tower that evening, I waited over an hour to get in. After getting to the 2nd level, I had to wait in another line to get to the top. Then a line to get down to the 2nd level. Then a line to get back to the ground. I think I spent over 2 hours in lines there too.
I got onto the metro, and started to head home. It was almost 1:00am. Then the metro lines started closing down. I got off one train & ran to my connecting train - missing it by literally seconds. So, I was stranded in some unknown part of Paris. Fortunately I was able to flag down a cab... exhausted.
Anyhow - enough ranting about lines. The sights I saw were great.
Versailles was amazing. The building was more ornate that I could possibly imagine. It was more luxurious than anything you'd see on TV or in movies. I could see why the French people would rise up when the kings had all that, and they had nothing.
While the building was impressive, I liked the gardens & lawns outside 10 times that. They were fantastic, with perfectly manicured trees, great statues & fountains, and a mile-long artificial lake.
I've already raved about the Eiffel Tower. It's spectacular! Going to the top at night was cool, but I think it would be better in the daytime (hindsight = 20/20).
Today was more relaxed. I grabbed a croissant & coffee at a cafe near the apartment that I was staying in. Then I went to the Catacombs - where millions of Parisians are buried. Their bodies were moved to underground mines after cemeteries became overcrowded.
Then it was time to say adieu to Paris, and take the train up to Normandy. Tomorrow I see the D-Day beaches.
So, in conclusion - definitely go to Paris! It's a fantastic city, with wonderful things to see & do. But, definitely don't go to Paris during the high season if you want to do tourist things. You'll just wind up dealing with huge crowds.
I was very impressed by Paris. I'll definitely be back - there's a lot more to see & do.
(More & more pics are going up onto flickr. I'm not taking the time to name them, link them here, or post to facebook - no time for that right now)
www.flickr.com/photos/theycallmecb
A: Wait in line.
Yesterday, July 28th - my 34th birthday, I went to Versailles to see the famous Chateau there. Then, I returned to Paris & went to the Eiffel Tower - I wanted to go to the top.
Underestimating the nature of high season - I didn't get a museum pass, which would have let me skip the lines. (at Versailles, but not the Eiffel Tower). Big Mistake!
Upon arriving at Versailles, I waited over an hour to get a ticket. Then, I waited another 1+ hour to get in.
When I went to the Eiffel Tower that evening, I waited over an hour to get in. After getting to the 2nd level, I had to wait in another line to get to the top. Then a line to get down to the 2nd level. Then a line to get back to the ground. I think I spent over 2 hours in lines there too.
I got onto the metro, and started to head home. It was almost 1:00am. Then the metro lines started closing down. I got off one train & ran to my connecting train - missing it by literally seconds. So, I was stranded in some unknown part of Paris. Fortunately I was able to flag down a cab... exhausted.
Anyhow - enough ranting about lines. The sights I saw were great.
Versailles was amazing. The building was more ornate that I could possibly imagine. It was more luxurious than anything you'd see on TV or in movies. I could see why the French people would rise up when the kings had all that, and they had nothing.
While the building was impressive, I liked the gardens & lawns outside 10 times that. They were fantastic, with perfectly manicured trees, great statues & fountains, and a mile-long artificial lake.
I've already raved about the Eiffel Tower. It's spectacular! Going to the top at night was cool, but I think it would be better in the daytime (hindsight = 20/20).
Today was more relaxed. I grabbed a croissant & coffee at a cafe near the apartment that I was staying in. Then I went to the Catacombs - where millions of Parisians are buried. Their bodies were moved to underground mines after cemeteries became overcrowded.
Then it was time to say adieu to Paris, and take the train up to Normandy. Tomorrow I see the D-Day beaches.
So, in conclusion - definitely go to Paris! It's a fantastic city, with wonderful things to see & do. But, definitely don't go to Paris during the high season if you want to do tourist things. You'll just wind up dealing with huge crowds.
I was very impressed by Paris. I'll definitely be back - there's a lot more to see & do.
(More & more pics are going up onto flickr. I'm not taking the time to name them, link them here, or post to facebook - no time for that right now)
www.flickr.com/photos/theycallmecb
Monday, July 27, 2009
Paris rocks!
I expected Paris to be a great city, but it has exceeded my expectations!
Yesterday (Sunday)was the final day of the Tour de France. The race ends with the riders riding into Paris and doing 8 laps around the Champs Elysees. I figured that since I was in the city, I should probably check it out.
I arrived down in the area around 10:30, and could see that it was already filling up. After wandering around for a little bit, I decided that I'd better grab a good spot. I saw a guy in a cycling jersey with a really expensive camera (Nikon D3 w/ 70-200 lens, easily $6000) - so I figured he knew where the good spots to watch & take pictures were. So, I stood by him. He was a really cool guy, and we chatted while we waited. We weren't actually on the Champs Elysees - that's all reserved for VIPs, sponsors, and people who are even more out of their minds than we are (i.e. willing to wait longer). We were on Rue de Rivoli, which is one of the other streets that the riders circle.
We had plenty of time to chat - we stood there for over 5 hours! Over the afternoon, the crowds poured in, and it became obvious how choice our seats were.
First the caravan (all the sponser vehicles) came by, and finally it was time. We saw the peloton approaching, and before you knew it - 200 riders flew by - man they were fast! I took as many pictures as I could - they were going too fast to really focus on one rider. But, luckily enough, I got a couple shots of Lance Armstrong.
Over the next 40 or so minutes, they circled past 7 more times. The sprinters separated themselves from the rest of the group - I couldn't believe how fast they were going.
And then it was over... 6 hours of my life down the drain. :-) It was a once in a lifetime thing, and I chatted with some cool people - the guy from the UK, some people from the US, and some other Europeans.
And, I got a cool sunburn to show for it! :-)
After the race, I wandered through the Jardin Des Tuileries - the land out in front of the Louvre. I went to the Louvre, and walked inside the main entrance (the glass pyramid). It was pretty cool. The museum had already closed, so it wasn't too crowded.
Afterwards, I went on a cruise of the river, which was a great way to see the city. I went at 9:00, so I got to see everything at twilight.
Today was the Louvre - I spent 5 hours there, and am exhausted from it. Of course, I saw the Mona Lisa & Venus di Milo. The Pavillion Denton (where those exhibits are) is the most famous. My favorite wing, though, was the Pavillion Richileiu. They had awsome sculptures there. There were 2 huge open atriums - all white marble, well air conditioned, and full of incredible statutes. It kind of felt like you had passed through the pearly gates.
After the museum closed, and I had a chance to lie down in the grass & relax, I took a walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. I climbed to the top & got some great shots of the city at sunset. I also got to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle (At the millenium, they installed sparkling lights on the tower. Later, when they took them down, everyone complained. So, they put them back up, and every evening the tower sparkles around the top of the hour).
Suffice to say - I'm having a blast here. I've extended my stay in Paris by 1 extra day. Tomorrow's my birthday & I want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower! I also plan to go to Versailles, and to see the Catacombs.
On Wednesday I will depart Paris - heading up to Normandy to see the D-Day beaches. I'm sure I'll be back to visit this city many more times in the future.
Yesterday (Sunday)was the final day of the Tour de France. The race ends with the riders riding into Paris and doing 8 laps around the Champs Elysees. I figured that since I was in the city, I should probably check it out.
I arrived down in the area around 10:30, and could see that it was already filling up. After wandering around for a little bit, I decided that I'd better grab a good spot. I saw a guy in a cycling jersey with a really expensive camera (Nikon D3 w/ 70-200 lens, easily $6000) - so I figured he knew where the good spots to watch & take pictures were. So, I stood by him. He was a really cool guy, and we chatted while we waited. We weren't actually on the Champs Elysees - that's all reserved for VIPs, sponsors, and people who are even more out of their minds than we are (i.e. willing to wait longer). We were on Rue de Rivoli, which is one of the other streets that the riders circle.
We had plenty of time to chat - we stood there for over 5 hours! Over the afternoon, the crowds poured in, and it became obvious how choice our seats were.
First the caravan (all the sponser vehicles) came by, and finally it was time. We saw the peloton approaching, and before you knew it - 200 riders flew by - man they were fast! I took as many pictures as I could - they were going too fast to really focus on one rider. But, luckily enough, I got a couple shots of Lance Armstrong.
Over the next 40 or so minutes, they circled past 7 more times. The sprinters separated themselves from the rest of the group - I couldn't believe how fast they were going.
And then it was over... 6 hours of my life down the drain. :-) It was a once in a lifetime thing, and I chatted with some cool people - the guy from the UK, some people from the US, and some other Europeans.
And, I got a cool sunburn to show for it! :-)
After the race, I wandered through the Jardin Des Tuileries - the land out in front of the Louvre. I went to the Louvre, and walked inside the main entrance (the glass pyramid). It was pretty cool. The museum had already closed, so it wasn't too crowded.
Afterwards, I went on a cruise of the river, which was a great way to see the city. I went at 9:00, so I got to see everything at twilight.
Today was the Louvre - I spent 5 hours there, and am exhausted from it. Of course, I saw the Mona Lisa & Venus di Milo. The Pavillion Denton (where those exhibits are) is the most famous. My favorite wing, though, was the Pavillion Richileiu. They had awsome sculptures there. There were 2 huge open atriums - all white marble, well air conditioned, and full of incredible statutes. It kind of felt like you had passed through the pearly gates.
After the museum closed, and I had a chance to lie down in the grass & relax, I took a walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. I climbed to the top & got some great shots of the city at sunset. I also got to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle (At the millenium, they installed sparkling lights on the tower. Later, when they took them down, everyone complained. So, they put them back up, and every evening the tower sparkles around the top of the hour).
Suffice to say - I'm having a blast here. I've extended my stay in Paris by 1 extra day. Tomorrow's my birthday & I want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower! I also plan to go to Versailles, and to see the Catacombs.
On Wednesday I will depart Paris - heading up to Normandy to see the D-Day beaches. I'm sure I'll be back to visit this city many more times in the future.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Amsterdam --> Paris
I took the train from Amsterdam's Centraal station to Paris' Gare du Nord today. Riding the train was thrilling - it was super fast (over 100mph), super quiet, and super comfortable.
Arriving in Paris, I took the Paris metro to the apartment that I'm staying in. The Paris metro is very useful, and sometimes very stinky. There are many lines that criss-cross the city, and make it easy to get anywhere you want to go, fast. But, it's not a clean & modern metro by any stretch of the imagination (Greece, Bangkok, and Singapore are all better). One of the stations smelled like pee. But - regardless, I like the metro - it makes it easy to get around.
The apartment I'm staying in is Awesome. It's in Montmatre, which is an artsy area on the north side of Paris (near Moulin Rouge). I really enjoy the place.
After arriving & getting settled, I headed down to Notre Dame. The church is amazing! I walked around the outside (love the architecture), and then toured the inside (which was as impressive as the churches I saw in Rome). Then, I waited over an hour to get up into the bell towers. The wait was worth it - there was a great view of the city (including my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower), and I got to see the largest bell in the tower (enormous!).
The gargoyles on top of Notre Dame are really cool. My favorite was one that was devouring an animal (there's a pic on flickr). While I was up there, the bells started ringing - deafining, but awesome.
Following Notre Dame, I wandered around Paris - trying to make my way to the Eiffel Tower. I failed - it was much farther than I expected, and I took a couple wrong turns. But, after grabbing a Panini, I jumped on the metro & was there in no time.
Usually all of the big tourist sites are impressive, but just live up to my expectations. The Eiffel Tower far exceeded what I expected. It was much bigger than I had imagined, and was really really cool to see. I didn't have time to go up in it (the line was gigantic) - I'll have to do that soon.
On my way back to the apartment, I came across a big rally - protesting the recent Iranian elections. It was held on Champs de Mars, right in front of the Eiffel Tower. There were pictures of Neda (the Iranian woman that was shot during the protests in Iran) everywhere.
Well, I've been up for 18 hours, so I'm going to bed. Tomorrow should be great - I'm going to watch the last leg of the Tour de France live - they'll be riding on the Champs Elysees in Paris!
Arriving in Paris, I took the Paris metro to the apartment that I'm staying in. The Paris metro is very useful, and sometimes very stinky. There are many lines that criss-cross the city, and make it easy to get anywhere you want to go, fast. But, it's not a clean & modern metro by any stretch of the imagination (Greece, Bangkok, and Singapore are all better). One of the stations smelled like pee. But - regardless, I like the metro - it makes it easy to get around.
The apartment I'm staying in is Awesome. It's in Montmatre, which is an artsy area on the north side of Paris (near Moulin Rouge). I really enjoy the place.
After arriving & getting settled, I headed down to Notre Dame. The church is amazing! I walked around the outside (love the architecture), and then toured the inside (which was as impressive as the churches I saw in Rome). Then, I waited over an hour to get up into the bell towers. The wait was worth it - there was a great view of the city (including my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower), and I got to see the largest bell in the tower (enormous!).
The gargoyles on top of Notre Dame are really cool. My favorite was one that was devouring an animal (there's a pic on flickr). While I was up there, the bells started ringing - deafining, but awesome.
Following Notre Dame, I wandered around Paris - trying to make my way to the Eiffel Tower. I failed - it was much farther than I expected, and I took a couple wrong turns. But, after grabbing a Panini, I jumped on the metro & was there in no time.
Usually all of the big tourist sites are impressive, but just live up to my expectations. The Eiffel Tower far exceeded what I expected. It was much bigger than I had imagined, and was really really cool to see. I didn't have time to go up in it (the line was gigantic) - I'll have to do that soon.
On my way back to the apartment, I came across a big rally - protesting the recent Iranian elections. It was held on Champs de Mars, right in front of the Eiffel Tower. There were pictures of Neda (the Iranian woman that was shot during the protests in Iran) everywhere.
Well, I've been up for 18 hours, so I'm going to bed. Tomorrow should be great - I'm going to watch the last leg of the Tour de France live - they'll be riding on the Champs Elysees in Paris!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Athens
Athens is hot, dusty, and windy - but a lot of fun. The archeological sites are impressive!
First & foremost is the Acropolis - with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. We went during the evening, which was wise - because there are tons of tour buses dropping tons & tons of people off during the day. It's also less hot in the evening. But - did I mention that it's windy? Let me emphasize that again. There was dust blowing everywhere!
Other highlites of Athens include some hills that I climbed - Filopappou (which offers a fantastic view of the Acropolis), and Lykavittos (which doesn't have a working cable car to the top, regardless of what any guidebook says. It was a hot climb!)
Filopappou hill has a special memory for me - I grabbed some fruit from a small store one morning, and climbed to the top of the hill. There was nobody else on the hill - I had it all to myself, complete with a fantastic view. It was a very relaxing part of the day.
Other parts of Athens stood out too. The National Garden was nice (albeit much smaller than I expected). The Temple of Olympian Zeus was cool.
The guidebooks made Athens out to be a not-very-nice city. I found the areas with all the archeological sites, and the neighborhoods that have been designated pedistrian-only, to be very nice. The rest of Athens is a regular, busy, big city - a lot like Bangkok.
Athens does have a very nice metro, though. It's very modern, and much cleaner than I expected - a great way to get around!
And, even though I don't normally like Greek food - I had some very good meals in Athens & Santorini.
Now I'm back in Amsterdam, and heading off to Paris tomorrow morning. Can't wait for the train ride!
First & foremost is the Acropolis - with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. We went during the evening, which was wise - because there are tons of tour buses dropping tons & tons of people off during the day. It's also less hot in the evening. But - did I mention that it's windy? Let me emphasize that again. There was dust blowing everywhere!
Other highlites of Athens include some hills that I climbed - Filopappou (which offers a fantastic view of the Acropolis), and Lykavittos (which doesn't have a working cable car to the top, regardless of what any guidebook says. It was a hot climb!)
Filopappou hill has a special memory for me - I grabbed some fruit from a small store one morning, and climbed to the top of the hill. There was nobody else on the hill - I had it all to myself, complete with a fantastic view. It was a very relaxing part of the day.
Other parts of Athens stood out too. The National Garden was nice (albeit much smaller than I expected). The Temple of Olympian Zeus was cool.
The guidebooks made Athens out to be a not-very-nice city. I found the areas with all the archeological sites, and the neighborhoods that have been designated pedistrian-only, to be very nice. The rest of Athens is a regular, busy, big city - a lot like Bangkok.
Athens does have a very nice metro, though. It's very modern, and much cleaner than I expected - a great way to get around!
And, even though I don't normally like Greek food - I had some very good meals in Athens & Santorini.
Now I'm back in Amsterdam, and heading off to Paris tomorrow morning. Can't wait for the train ride!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Santorini - part 2
Our last day in Santorini brought us back up to Oia. We wandered around for a while, shopping & sightseeing. Oia is definitely one of the most picturesque areas on the island (although there are lots of great parts)
We then went down to Amoudi, the port below Oia. We had a fantastic lunch there - grilled calmari (the biggest squid that I've ever seen on a plate), tomato kefedes (a local dish, which is awesome), and grilled eggplant. This was definitely the best meal I've had on Santorini.
Santorini was a great place to visit. I'd definitely like to come back again, and stay a few more days - maybe as long as a week. It would also be good to not come during high season. The crowds & heat weren't too bad, but it would be better without them.
We then went down to Amoudi, the port below Oia. We had a fantastic lunch there - grilled calmari (the biggest squid that I've ever seen on a plate), tomato kefedes (a local dish, which is awesome), and grilled eggplant. This was definitely the best meal I've had on Santorini.
Santorini was a great place to visit. I'd definitely like to come back again, and stay a few more days - maybe as long as a week. It would also be good to not come during high season. The crowds & heat weren't too bad, but it would be better without them.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Santorini
Our first stop in Greece is the Island of Santorini - home to all of the white buildings with blue roofs that you see on calendars. The island is ring shaped, due to a volcano that collapsed in on itself, leaving a caldera in the middle. The villages are very photogenic (second only to Rome, Alison) :-)
On day one, we rented a car (a tiny Smart car - which made Caroline very happy), and drove around the island. We went to the highest point on the island, which gave us a spectacular view of the caldera & all of the villages around it. There was a church at the top of the mountain, along with a military radar base (complete with a sign warning people of 'cancergenic radar emissions'. We didn't stay their long.) Following that, we drove to an awesome town called Pyrgos, which was a lot of fun to walk around.
(BTW - 'cancergenic'... their word, not mine)
Then it was time to hit the beaches. We went to the red beach, where the rocks are red due to their iron content. It was fun swimming there, but a little treacherous to reach the beach & get into the water - lots of rocks. Then we drove to the black beach, which was much easier to get to, but as you can imagine - the black sand/rocks were a little hot under the Mediterranean sun.
We finished the first day by watching the sunset in the town of Oia - which is spectacularly beautiful. I guess that's why there were several thousand people there watching the sunset.
Today we went on a cruise out to the volcanic peak in the center of the caldera. I went swimming in a hot springs - kind of weird to go from cool, blue ocean water to warm rusty water in the space of a few meters.
Then we went hiking to the top of the volcano. There was evidence of 4 eruption periods on the peak, so it was interesting to see the different types of rocks. The coolest thing, in my opinion, was a hole in the rock that was steaming hot. As you held your hand there, you realized you were not merely on a mountain - you were on a dormant (but not inactive) volcano!
BTW - I haven't taken the time to link pictures to this blog. But, you can check them (and all my other Europe photos) out at:
www.flickr.com/photos/theycallmecb
On day one, we rented a car (a tiny Smart car - which made Caroline very happy), and drove around the island. We went to the highest point on the island, which gave us a spectacular view of the caldera & all of the villages around it. There was a church at the top of the mountain, along with a military radar base (complete with a sign warning people of 'cancergenic radar emissions'. We didn't stay their long.) Following that, we drove to an awesome town called Pyrgos, which was a lot of fun to walk around.
(BTW - 'cancergenic'... their word, not mine)
Then it was time to hit the beaches. We went to the red beach, where the rocks are red due to their iron content. It was fun swimming there, but a little treacherous to reach the beach & get into the water - lots of rocks. Then we drove to the black beach, which was much easier to get to, but as you can imagine - the black sand/rocks were a little hot under the Mediterranean sun.
We finished the first day by watching the sunset in the town of Oia - which is spectacularly beautiful. I guess that's why there were several thousand people there watching the sunset.
Today we went on a cruise out to the volcanic peak in the center of the caldera. I went swimming in a hot springs - kind of weird to go from cool, blue ocean water to warm rusty water in the space of a few meters.
Then we went hiking to the top of the volcano. There was evidence of 4 eruption periods on the peak, so it was interesting to see the different types of rocks. The coolest thing, in my opinion, was a hole in the rock that was steaming hot. As you held your hand there, you realized you were not merely on a mountain - you were on a dormant (but not inactive) volcano!
BTW - I haven't taken the time to link pictures to this blog. But, you can check them (and all my other Europe photos) out at:
www.flickr.com/photos/theycallmecb
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Day 1 - Amsterdam
Arriving in Amsterdam, I was amazed at the number of huge wind turbines. There was a large group of turbines just off shore, and lining the coast, as we were flying in.
Jet lag wasn't too bad, although I didn't sleep very much on the flight. After arriving at my friend Caroline's place, I spent the afternoon walking around the area near her apt.
In the evening, we went up to Central Amsterdam. The canals are cool, and there are a lot of cool old churches. We saw the red light district, and smelled a LOT of pot coming from all of the 'coffee shops' (I didn't expect there to be that many of them. We also saw Amsterdam's flower market.
The apartments/houses in Amsterdam are packed really tightly together. They're all 3 stories high with very steep staircases (the staircase at Caroline's place is treacherous). Caroline pointed out hooks on the top of all the houses, that are used to hoist things like couches & dishwashers up from the outside as people are moving in. Coincidentally, we watched some people lift a couch to the 3rd floor as we were out walking that evening.
Jet lag wasn't too bad, although I didn't sleep very much on the flight. After arriving at my friend Caroline's place, I spent the afternoon walking around the area near her apt.
In the evening, we went up to Central Amsterdam. The canals are cool, and there are a lot of cool old churches. We saw the red light district, and smelled a LOT of pot coming from all of the 'coffee shops' (I didn't expect there to be that many of them. We also saw Amsterdam's flower market.
The apartments/houses in Amsterdam are packed really tightly together. They're all 3 stories high with very steep staircases (the staircase at Caroline's place is treacherous). Caroline pointed out hooks on the top of all the houses, that are used to hoist things like couches & dishwashers up from the outside as people are moving in. Coincidentally, we watched some people lift a couch to the 3rd floor as we were out walking that evening.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Beginning
Welcome!
As many of you know, I was laid off from my job last May - another victim of the economic crisis. Knowing that it's a very tough job market right now, I decided to use the opportunity to take a summer vacation. For the first time in 16 years, I've had a summer without any studying or any work. It's been great!
I've spent much of the past 2 months enjoying the beautiful Minnesota summer - something I haven't been able to do for the past few years. I've spent a lot of time outdoors - riding my bike, running, swimming, and I've even started kayaking & stand-up paddling on the Minneapolis lakes. Last weekend I ran the Lifetime Fitness triathlon for the 4th time - lots of fun, and I was happy with my time, despite taking 3 years off.
The other big activity for me this summer has been planning my European vacation. Originally, I was going to go over for 2 weeks - traveling around with a friend. But, after the layoff, I decided to extend things a bit. Right now it looks like I'll be there for 6 weeks. Who knows - maybe it'll be longer than that.
The plan is to go to 7 countries - The Netherlands, Greece, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. I'll be writing a bit about my travels here, so check back if you are wondering where I am & what I'm up to...
As many of you know, I was laid off from my job last May - another victim of the economic crisis. Knowing that it's a very tough job market right now, I decided to use the opportunity to take a summer vacation. For the first time in 16 years, I've had a summer without any studying or any work. It's been great!
I've spent much of the past 2 months enjoying the beautiful Minnesota summer - something I haven't been able to do for the past few years. I've spent a lot of time outdoors - riding my bike, running, swimming, and I've even started kayaking & stand-up paddling on the Minneapolis lakes. Last weekend I ran the Lifetime Fitness triathlon for the 4th time - lots of fun, and I was happy with my time, despite taking 3 years off.
The other big activity for me this summer has been planning my European vacation. Originally, I was going to go over for 2 weeks - traveling around with a friend. But, after the layoff, I decided to extend things a bit. Right now it looks like I'll be there for 6 weeks. Who knows - maybe it'll be longer than that.
The plan is to go to 7 countries - The Netherlands, Greece, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. I'll be writing a bit about my travels here, so check back if you are wondering where I am & what I'm up to...
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