02. May 2008 | en

Recipe for Disaster:

Take one standard car almost 20 years old,
add a driver that barely ever drives standards,
mix with over eager daughter,
toss in panic stricken mother,
place it in a city that has different traffic rules and regulations than the driver is use to,
shake well
apply liberally over Friday afternoon traffic in downtown Strasbourg with no parking to be found.

And what does not kill us makes us stronger! Or at least shell shocked and aware that parking outside a European city and walking/taking the train in is the way to go!

Tags: Strassburg France recipe for disaster
Map: N 48° 58.293 E 7° 743.749

Created at: 14. May 2008

To logbook | Author: Newfies

Why? Because. That's why.

09. June 2008 | en

How could I go to Europe and not go to Paris? I couldn’t. So there. We went to Paris. And by train. Which was pretty cool. We arrived in Paris and it was soooo warm. Loves it. After a nap. Again, professional sleeper here. I was asleep within 10 minutes of checking in at the hotel. It really is a skill.

Then for some exploring. First stop: mapbook of paris so we don’t get lost. Then we walked. And walked. Had lunch where our menu said “here menu in english.” so grammer is not one of thier strong points. whatever. Then we walked somemore. And saw the Opera House and found The Louvre. But the ultimate goal was to see the Eiffel Tower. I could see it no matter where we were. Did I mention we were walking? Finally, success! The Eiffel Tower was before me!! Yay!!! So we’re standing in line and there is this american family behind us. Seriously, quite possibly THE MOST ANNOYING teenage boy was behind us. Holy crap. He must get stuffed into lockers every day. I wanted to beat him up for his lunch money. But as we are standing in line, I hear the dad pretty much go “holy crap” and I look and there are armed guards patroling the area. And when I say “armed guards” I mean d00ds with machine guns. True Story.

The Tower was beautiful, the view was amazing and we were on it when it got lit up. Which was also awesome. I can see why couples go there and feel all lovey dovey and shit. It was funny actually, there were couples, families, groups of girls and then me and Jeff, all awkward because we were surrounded by couples being all cuddly. Ack-ward. Too funny. “Buddies for life” (wait for that story).

And then we walked some more. Have I mentioned that we walked? Jebus, we must have walked MILES that night. Good thing it was nice out.

Tags: Paris France
Map: N 48° 85.666 E 2° 350.987

Created at: 24. June 2008

To logbook | Author: Pennell

We discover and master the Metro

10. June 2008 | en

So after walking the length of Canada the day before. We decided that day two would involve walking to our destination and the metro back to our hotel. Thank god.

Paris is beautiful and really nice to walk around. we found our way to the Notre Damn Cathedral and climbed the bell tower to where Quasi-modo is supposed to live. He wasn’t home. But whaddyagonnado. The cathedral was fantastic. The stained glass, the statutes, everything. loved it. The walk up the tower? hmm, let’s just say that it destroyed by calves and I was physically incapable of climbing stairs for days afterwards. The view was awesome. We could see this guy in the garden in front of the church feeding pigeons. He actually had them eating out of his hand. impressive really.

From there we went and sat for lunch. An american couple sat next to us. So we were chatting with them and stuff. Turns out they were there celebrating their 25th anniversary. The wife looks at us and goes “Are you here on your honeymoon?” My reaction: Hysterical laughter. Jeff’s reaction (in this order): Shock. Horror. Fear. He also spit out his beer. Jeff is speechless. He doesn’t know what to do. I can only imagine what was going through his head, but his facial expressions said it all. “no no no” says I “buddies for life.” Quite possibly the best moment of the day. Poor Jeff. His heart may have stopped.

From there we walked to the Pantheon, but it was closed so we didn’t go in. It was also getting late and we decided to head back to the hotel. On the way to the metro stop, we stopped at an intersection and I look up to see a sticker on the back of the light which reads “I heart TP.” Unlike Germany, France loves me.

After a nap we continue our journey. (again, see the bit about being a professional sleeper). We took the metro to Sacre Coure. While there we encounter two lots of guys arguing. Someone yells for the police and a couple of minutes later they come running out of no one. One dude decides to run. Wrong move d00d. He gets dropkicked and pushed up against a wall. He fights back. Again, d00d, wrong move. He gets beaten with a stick and in seconds is on the ground hogtied. They don’t mess around in this country.

Tags: Paris France
Map: N 48° 85.666 E 2° 350.987

Created at: 24. June 2008

To logbook | Author: Pennell

Last day in Paris

11. June 2008 | en

Booooooooooo. All I have to say is boooooooooooooo. There is sooooo much more I want to see. But it is our last day in Paris so we go to the Lourve. WOW. is all I have to say. WOW. I saw the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, more statutes and paintings than you can imagine. For three and a half hours we wandered and I was thoroughly impressed. And we still didn’t see an entire wing. I can understand how one can spend days in there and still go back. From there we sat and had some lunch and watched some poor guys car get towed. When they say no parking…

Then we walked around some more, up around the french president’s home, which was SURROUNDED by guards. Then walked up the Champs Elysées and up to the Arc de Triomphe. Due to my inability to climb any more stairs due to Notre Dame Cathetral, we didn’t go to the top, but we walked around and let me tell you. We have done things wrong in North America. We need monuments like these. And the world also made a mistake when we stopped building buildings with the design and detail as those old buildings. GLass and steel is soo boring.

From there were hitched a ride back to the hotel, grabbed our things and made out way to the train station and back to London. But before we got on the train, Jeff decided he was hungry and went to Quick Burger. It was anything but Quick. It was SLOWER THAN COLD MOLASSES GOING UPHILL IN WINTER. Holy lord, took a good 20 minutes and there were only 2 people in front of him.

And that was Paris. And I loved it.

Tags: Paris France
Map: N 48° 85.666 E 2° 350.987

Created at: 26. June 2008

To logbook | Author: Pennell

Train Ride back to London

11. July 2008 | en

We arrive in London, starving. The solution to that problem? McDonald’s, more particularly, McDonald’s nuggets. Now you will recall that I had nuggets the day I got back from Germany. Plain nuggets as they didn’t give me my expected sweet and sour sauce. Know why they didn’t give me the sweet and sour sauce I so deeply love and enjoy? BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ANY. THEY DON’T USE IT. Shock and appalled is the only way to describe my reaction as Jeff informed me of this horrible fact. What do I get instead? Small dipping packages of ketchup. I don’t want ketchup on my nuggets. I want the sweet and sour sauce. I was heartbroken. But I was hungry. So I ate my nuggets plain, again.

Tags: Paris France London England
Map: N 51° 50.015 W 0° 126.236

Created at: 11. July 2008

To logbook | Author: Pennell