Fabs Foray

Final Destination: HOME

2003-11-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this is it. I've come to the end of my journey and, let me tell you, it feels like it's been a very long haul. I am looking forward to getting home and back into the regular swing of things. The novelty of living out of a backpack loses it's luster after a while ...

All right so Spain kicks ass. I've already told you about the tireless party scene. Last night I got to meet some locals as well as some awesome people from all over Spain (thank you Reza!). Spanish people love to party and they do it with gusto. Very friendly, too.

The city here is finely crafted. Great stores and awesome monuments everywhere. I saw the castle which is one of the biggest in the world with the exception of Versaille. But Versaille is a combination of 4 or 5 separate structures. There is a church built right into the castle as well as a cathedral right next door. Spain is also home to one of the biggest squares I've seen so far ... Plaza Mejor ... you could fit a plane in there.

Anyhow ... I have once again dicked around and run out of time before I could write a decent blog. Quite frankly I am sick of this blog so ... suck it up. I'll tell you all about it when I get home TOMMOROW!!

See you!

2003-11-08T04:14:00.000-08:00

All right. So much for more frequent updates. I've been too busy lazing about Madrid and enjoying the city. I am really going to have to take a day to do some intensive picture taking. This city is beautiful and what an awesome night life! Things go on until the wee hours of the morning. It's no wonder the Spanish don't really have a breakfast time. The week-ends here are something to really see; I thought it was bad enough on a week night with all the bodies flooding the plazas and sidewalks.

So, lunch at 2ish, tapas along the way, dinner at 8-10 and parties until 8 in the morning until later with after hour clubs to boot. I went to an awesome club last night on Gran Via called Pasapogo or something. Man. I thought our club culture was crazy. It was a huge club with two levels one overlooking the other. Great lights with a huge projection screen right over the DJ booth, giant dance floor, great decor and all those little things that make a club what a club should be. Did I mention the music? What is a club without music? The music had the crowd screaming and every body that was packed into that place moving whether they liked it or not. I was surprised at the liveliness of the crowd. Everybody was right into the party. I was only going to stick around for a while as it was already late so I figured I would wait it out until the crowd started to thin .... only, the crowd didn't thin! I ended up leaving at 5 in the morning and the place was still packed to the titties!

Anyhow, I am out of net time so I will have to update more tommorow ... no, really. Ok, it depends on if I find some crazy party or not.

I'm an uncle again!!

2003-11-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a bit of happy news!

I am once again an uncle with another beautiful baby girl named Emma born on November 6th, 2003 at 9:15 AM! Congradulations to my brother and his lovely wife (though I imagine she did a lot of the work).

I sure can't wait to get home now!

UPDATE:

2003-11-03T04:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so far I've left Biella, stopped for 2 hours in Nice, been to Toulouse with my uncle and took a day trip to Carcasonne. I arrived yesterday in Madrid which is a fabulously beautiful modern city which is very much alive but let me go into a little more detail over what I've seen so far.

The train ride to Nice was awesome in itself. There are mountain ranges separting most of the european countries much like the ones in Switzerland. Big mountains covered in trees which are beginning to show the signs of autumn. Lovely old cities perched on high peaks and nestled in crevices. I had a two hour stop over in Nice which was very nice indeed. I really love the french architechure and the bustling market places. I didn´'t go very far as I had to lug my backpack around but I did take a little tour up the street and got the chance to sit in a beautiful park with a fountain and a gazebo where children were playing and some of the older residents sat and relaxed. It was a sunny relaxing day.

I arrived in Toulousse where my uncle spoiled me with wine, armagnac, french cheeses and all sorts of other goodies. Most of my time here was spent with my family. My two cousins are half french (who luckily spoke some Italian) and it was cool to see them all grown up (for the most part). I hadn't seen them for many years. My cousins took me downtown into Toulousse where I saw the Basillica and the local museum which displayed much Roman and Greek art and other relcis from the past. There used to be a road leading from Toulousse to Italy during the Roman rule. Most of the art was ruins of busts and mosaics. I also went to the city centre where, every Wednesday, there is a huge market place with all sorts of wares and goodies (I bought a new barbell for my nipple). We then feasted on french chocolate and coffee. We did a little shopping and then went for some Chinese food.

I learned that Toulousse is the home of the Concord jet which is one of the fastest planes in the world as well as the noisiest (which is why they don't make them anymore). Right now they are in the process of constructing the worlds largest plane ever. They've already sold 160 and they should be completed by 2005. These planes will house disco's, casinos and restaurants. They have a lifesize model of the side and wing of the plane outside the factory and let me tell you ... it is fucking ginormous. I also got to see the Concord up close as well as the factory where they build the plane engines. Mayeb this is just the size queen in me talking, but I found it all very impressive.

My last day with my uncle was spent in Carcasonne, the castle city. I love castles and this baby was no exception. It is every bit what you would imagine a castle would be ... towers, turrets, huge gates, stone roads and stairs and a moat, too! There was also a beautiful carousel right outside of the main gate. I took many pictures of this place. It is now filled with many shops and restaurants. Mostly art and antiques. It is perched on a hill so the view from the castle walls overlooking the surrounding countryside and city is breathtaking. Carcasonne is one of the most visited tourist attractions in France and with very good reason!

The next morning, I bid farewell to my uncle and took the horrendously long train ride to Madrid. The trains are clean and spacious. Apparently you have to reserve for every train in Spain and the conductor was nice enough not to throw me off at the next stop (though he was a bit of an anus about it) and I had to play musical chairs a bit. There is a bar (where you can smoke ... er ... not that I'm smoking or anything ... *cough*) and they play movies ... in Spanish. But even with all of this, I don't recommend a 12 hour long train ride. I think I am going to sit tight in Madrid for a while.

I've seen met up Becky and Crystal again and it is so very nice to speak english again. They've told me that there is a lot to see and do here. So far I am impressed with the beautiful buildings and many monuments. Lots o' money here, folks. I had some cafe con leche this morning and made my way to this (very cheap) internet cafe. Everything is very close to our hostel: clubs, restaurants, internet, shopping, etc. so be expecting a lot of blog updates in the days to come!

Until then ...

Back to the Blog.

2003-10-22T03:35:00.000-07:00

All right, folks. It's been almost a month and I bet you're wondering whether I'm alive or not! Barely! All that Italian home cooked goodness has almost done me in. I am officially on a diet ... starting tommorow ...

I won't bore you with the weepy details of being reunited with my long lost family (12 years!) but I will say that it was nice to get back to my roots. Calabria is a hilly region in the southernmost part of Italy. The town where my family hails from is close to the city of Cosenza. The roads are all tiny and windy windy windy (make sure to honk when rounding those corners) as most of the town lies on the side of a mountain. It's rather beautiful.

I spend about a week there visiting and, above all, eating. Italians love to eat. Lunch is the biggest meal and dinner is fairly light. And I use the term "light" very loosely. My digestive system is ruined beyond recognition. Someone please FedEX me some Pepto Bismol (I don't care how bad it is for you).

I have since made my way up to Biella which is about an hour or so west of Milan. I am staying with my aunt and uncle here (yes, I have relatives everywhere) while trying to detox. I went for a little daytrp yesterday into the bowels of Milan where I shopped (surprised?) and saw some of the sights. I saw Diesel and Hugo Boss and Replay and United Colours of Benetton and ... what? The Duomo? Oh, right right ...

The Duomo, which I stumbled into much by chance, is by far the most impressive and awe inspiring work of art I have laid my eyes upon so far. As I walked towards the building a bedraggled man lay under a lamp post playing the saxophone whose music reverbrated around the Piazza Del Duomo. Every window, every butress, and every turret is a sculptured work of art. Statues and scenes depicting religious history blanket the structure. Unfortunately the front of the building was being restored and wasn't visible but the three huge doors carved out of pure gold were impressive enough. The doors are covered with biblical scenes in stark relief. You can hold the angels hands or feel Mary's bereaved face. Of course, the doors are now mostly green due to oxydization but, dammit, there's gold in dem dar doors!

I made my way inside and was doubly dummified. It is HUGE. The stain glass windows are so detailed and vibrant. Each pane depicts a different scene and is about 2 by 3 feet in size. There is much art hung on the arches and about the pews giving the church a very rich feel. Marble tiles cover the floor and huge beautiful statues of saints and angels adorn the cloisters. I went down into the crypt where they have the remains of some archbishop (Saint Carlo, I think) enshrined in a silver and glass coffin. I also saw the treasury where they have many relics including gold chalices, crowns and even the remains of saints (bone, teeth, skin, blood, etc.).

To sum it all up this is one rich church dripping with opulence. I suppose because Milano is one of the richest towns and used to be the capital of Italy. It is still very upbeat and modern which sets it apart from the rest of Italy. It has four train stations and a very good (and cheap) subway system. It is also the home of La Scala, which is a very popular theatre (which wasn't too impressive to look at), much beautiful architecture and some of the best stores. Oh, you have to check out the Armani Sonystore. It's like a mini Armani mall. You can just smell the money. Okay, okay, I'll shut up about the shopping ...

Next stop ... Tolousse, France!

Greek style partying.

2003-10-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

Corfu is everything I've dreamed of and more. This island seriously kicks some ass! It's packed with culture and vitality: it's the supplier of 2% of the worlds olive oil. This place is mostly covered with olive trees and cypress. Jasmine also grows wild here. Not to mention beautiful vistas and winding roads all over the island. I took a car safari trip through the island and saw lots of what it has to offer. We went to an amazing beach and swam into a cave. We climbed up a huge hill to get to this old ancient castle (from the Byzantine era) and also saw some amazing views from there. After that we went to Corfu town. I think it's even better than Florence. Streets crowded with merchant stalls displaying beautifully crafted art work, clothes and liquor. They make a kumquat liquer that you can only find it here and in China. It's rather good. I tired it at a distillery where the man let us sample anything we wanted. Like Ouzo. Guess which part of the trip I liked best!

The beach has been great and the people, too! I've been meeting all kinds of people here. I met a bunch of Canadians on the ferry and we've been having some good times together as well as some Americans, Aussies, Kiwis, Portugese and who knows what else. This is definately a good place for meeting people and ... well, partying, getting drunk and other various forms of debauchery. Last night we were up late playing stupid drinking games and getting down right silly. I was up partying with some portugese guys until about 5:30 AM. I was one sick boy, I was.

Today I need to recover and maybe get some carbohydrates into my system. I woke up at 3 PM greek time. Do you blame me? I was going to go kayaking again but all that sea motion would be the end of me. Maybe I'll continue working on my tan ...

Where has Fab been?

2003-09-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

So .. yeah. I've been in Florence (still) enjoying what Florence has to offer. *cough*

Can't say I have much to report. At least nothing that wouldn't make this page R rated.
I've eaten a lot of food. Visited with cousins. Been drinking a bit but not to excess. I tired a local speacialty: biscotti dipped in a sweet wine. Mmmm. Also, tiramisu is way better here. One thing I've found is that people aren't too big on salads in Tuscany. It's all about the meat and the breads. It's hard to watch ones figure when you're surrounded by carbs and sugars.

I bought some jeans to sate the shopaholic in me. I'm usually not so free with my money but some things you just can't find in Canada.

I am going to book my train tonight for Brindisi and from there find a boat that will take me to Greece. I am going to be staying at the famous Pink Palace where all the backpackers flock to. I'm looking forward to the sun and sand. I hope it's hot there!

Lovely locals.

2003-09-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

So, I finally made friendly with some locals. I met a guy who took me out last night to some bars and introduced me to some people. They're all very friendly and welcoming. They offered to take me under their wing and show me the ropes. We went out for lunch today (McDonalds, blech) and went for a walk. Then I had more ice cream. I have to have it at least twice a day ... it's too good and no, I will not shut up about the damned ice cream.

Today the city streets are filled with market vendors. Tons of merchants selling their wares. Mostly clothes but also fabrics, food and other miscellaneous items. It's kinda cool but it makes the streets harder to navigate what with the sidewalks being flooded with wares and stupid tourists (I'm not a tourist, I'm an adventurer).

Tonight I am going to have another lovely dinner with my aunt (man, can she cook!) and then I'll be going out again with my newfound wop friends. And maybe ... just maybe ... I'll finally get lucky!

I missed the point.

2003-09-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

I thought Florence was pretty "nice". I thought it was "pretty". I thought it was mildly "interesting".

I think I'm an idiot. Once again we missed the main attractions. We went north and east ... everywhere where the city isn't. After my last entry we went south of the bridge and ran smack into the hustle and the bustle: the heart of Firenze!

So many shops and things to see ... so much to eat and do! So many CLOTHES and SHOES!! Ben: tell Mike to read my blog ... he has to know. Italy, specifically Florence, has the best shops ever. I went through district 16 on Paris, I strolled throught the malls of London and even the shops of Germany and nothing holds a candle to what I have witnessed here. Haute couture, Italian suits, big BIG names (Louis Vutton, Huge Boss, Diesel, Tiffany's, United Colours of Beneton, etc. etc.) and much more. Stores I haven't even heard of. Numerous shops (there were three UCB's alone) with a huge selection. Not much more expensive then you would find at home. A few bargains, too. Lord above, give me strength ... my visa is slipping ... okay maybe an Italian dress shirt and some new runners. My Ben Shermans are starting to stink, anyhow.

I have been able to satisfy some of my long standing cravings for things Italian. Ice cream, coffee, wine, cheese, PIZZA, and so much more. Everything is fresher and tastier. The fruits and vegetables are mostly from Tuscano so it's organic and vine ripened. I am going to have to buy new clothes indeed ... so I can fit my fat ass into something!

The people are warm and genuine as well. I suppose I am feeling more at home and feel that the people are a little more welcoming to me because I'm Italian but I don't think it really matters. Italians love everyone. Especially beautiful women (and men). Many people are english speaking; children are taught english in schools here which makes it a bit easier to get along ... for the girls anyhow. I'm fluent in Italian.

The art and history of his town is overwhelming. You find artifacts and paintings built into the very walls and streets of the town. The buildings are all very old and beautiful. Aged to perfection you might say. We saw the Duomo and some of Michaelangelo's famous sculptures. The skill that goes into the statues is awe inspiring; the detail in the centaurs balls alone put me into a stunned silence.

On that note, I think it's time for ice cream again.

A long awaited reunion with family ... and italian food!

2003-09-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

After our final night of partying in Freiburg we decided to being the looooong haul to Firenze. We swung through picturesque Sweden via a scenic rail route. Towering mountains and serene villages nestled in lake side valleys ... I wish I could have taken some pictures.

We arrived in Italy where I found my aunt almost immediately (she was right at the end of the platform). We hugged and exclaimed, etc. etc. I really missed her ... she was one the aunts I remembered most from Italy. She and my Zio Mario took my friends and I back to her cute little Italian home in Pontesieve just south of bustling Firenze. Our reception was extremely warm ... as well as the meal she had prepared for us! Italian pasta with meatballs, the BEST tomatoes you will EVER eat from Calabria, salad with extra virgin olive oil and rabbit. Oh, and that's not all, oh no. Doesn't she whip dessert out of the oven as well. A traditional Tuscan treat: a type of pastry that's baked with wine grapes on top. That, along with the wine and overly generous servings did us in for that night. We all piled into her pull out couch bed (yes, all three of us) and dreamt of the morning ... when she stuffed us full of food again.

We've spent most of the day wandering about. We went through a beautiful park, checked out a Protestant cemetary and saw some of the local architechture. We ate a trendy sidewalk cafe/resto and had very Italian paninos (that's sandwiches, you mungies!) with some of the best coffee and wine. Very cheap, too. We all ate for 30 something CAD.

Next on my list is getting myself a hold of some pizza ... Italian style! You haven't had pizza until you've had pizza al forno. It just doesn't taste the same unless it's baked in a wood burning oven. To top that off I think I'll get myself some gelato!

Lazy Freiburg days ...

2003-09-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Not much to update ... just a lot more eating and drinking. If I have another ounce of coffee and cake I'm going to blow apart.

We went to some nice Irish pubs with our american friend last night (where he kicked our asses in pool) and then swung back around to cafe Brazil for a night cap.

Today we had to find accomodations for one more night (we decided to stay a while longer) and had to hike way out to some hostel on the edges of town. It's pretty rural and a very peaceful area but man ... what a trek. I got to try out carrying my new over stuffed backpack. I feel like a pack horse. Oh well ... pain is beauty. I should be ripped like a titan by the time I get home.

I talked to my aunt in Firenze (Florence, for you cakers) today and I'm very excited to see her. I haven't seen her in maybe 11 years or so ... we leave for Firenze tommorow!

Comments ...

2003-09-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

You can now make comments on my blog! Tell me what you think/feel.

2003-09-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

All right ... so where did I leave off? We've checked out most of what the city has to offer ... much of which is some awesome stores! I had a minor shopping spree and had to throw out some clothes to make room. I feel more European now with my new shoes and fancy duds. I found this great store that was cheap cheap cheap! With $144 CAD I got a pair of jeans, three t-shirts, a zip up sweater and button up shirt. So, now I've got my shopping bug under control. Well, at least after I went back and got that belt I wanted ($5 CAD!!).

We cruised around some more and saw the sites. The church lies in a courtyard amidst a small marketplace where you can get fresh fruits, wooden art work or souvenirs. We've eaten some great food (which I can not spell or pronounce) and had some nice desserts, too. They make some pretty great cake here. It's part of the tradition here to have cake and coffee in the afternoon.

At night we got dressed up and did some bar hopping. The scene here is very trendy. Lots of great liquor and friendly people. I think I might check out an actual club tonight.

Today we hitched a ride on the tram up to the cable cars and got a lift up into the mountains ... it's pretty damned high up there! We got some great pictures of the view. We had our coffee and cake that day on the terrace of a restaurant with a view of distant Freiburg waaaaay down below. Oh, and we met some more nice Americans today. It seems to me that Americans don't like Bush either! Be nice to Americans! They get a lot of flack!

We made our way back into town and had ice cream (which is pretty cheap and damned savoury). We went into the cathedral today, too. I like it better than Notre Dame. It's a beautiful red with great gothic spires and gargoyles. The inside is very ornate with large stain glass windows, large tombs and many statues. They also have a beautiful display of candles.

I'm feeling a bit tired today so I am going to head back to home base to freshen up and recharge a bit. I'm also going to try to make friendly with the locals.

Recipe for a kick ass town:

2003-09-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Take one beautiful hamlet.
Place a stunning gothic church in the center.
Pave with cobble stone streets and surround with impressive mountains.
Sprinkle liberally with trees, flowers, and other such beautiful plant life.
Throw in some great beer, great food, great people and you've got yourself one kicking University town!

Yes, this is my impression of Freiburg. I've only just been here a day but I already know I love it. The people are much much warmer and friendly. They love to speak english! We went to a hip place called Brazil cafe where the people took very good care of us (no running this time). One guy took the time to translate the whole menu and the waitress was very sweet. Then we made friends with the cute bartender (married, dammit) who chatted us up and gave us free drinks.

Our accomodations are tres swank. Cheap luxury! For €25 a night with a full breakfast included you can't go wrong. The German style is very Ikea-esque. We're pretty close to everything (like aforementioned cafe) and it's very easy to navigate the town. Everybody rides bikes here or uses streetcars. In the main sector most people just walk on the streets.

We hit the downtown core today and shopped about: I finallly gave in and got some shoes. We also got chocolate and ice cream. I thought the chocolate was better is Paris but I still haven't had a proper sampling so I'll get back to you on that. We saw an artist on the street selling his works who makes Monet look like a two year old with a set of crayola crayons. We also met some Americans who were (wait for it) actually extremely nice so we're going to hang out tommorow night. It's nice to finally meet some people and I think this is definately the place to do just that.

See you in the pubs!

Oh, that reminds me ... the beer here is the equivalent of the wine in France and we all know by now how I feel about that!!

2003-09-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Update: There ARE rude waiters in France. VERY rude waiters. But more about that later ...

I went along St. Germaine Des Pres and saw more of the bustling city life that is downtown Paris. Many stores, cafes, restaurants and art boutiques dot the streets. I couldn't find anything to buy because all the clothing stores are for women. I was told all the shopping for males is in the gay district. Could someone please show me because I walked all over hell's half acre trying to find something to buy! Anyhow ... I ended up at the church St. Germaine and went inside where I stood in awe. I'm not the least bit christian but it gave me the chills.

I lit a candle for my mother there; even though I am not of the faith I have a strong spirituality and so did she. She would have done the same for different reasons but the underlying faith, I believe, is the same.

I walked further along and cut across to the Notre Dame and the Sienne. It's quite breathtaking. I was a bit dumbstruck for a while. Too much beauty in one day. I tried to find what I thought was the gay ghetto at the time but overshot it and ended up who knows where. I was starving and tired of searching so I hopped into this stylish restaurant which was playing ambient music. My dress (compared to the rest)was decidedly casual but did I care? These things shouldn't matter. Apparently they do. The waiter avoided me like the plague but I was patient and ended up getting the food I wanted which was amazing. Boar terrine, steak cooked rare, some of the best dessert and coffee in all of the world and my new found love ... Armagnac! I finished up and was prepared to settle my sizable bill. I waited. And waited. Many other people were being seated and served all about me. It wasn't extremely busy and it doesn't take much to slip a boy his bill and send him on his merry way. I should know! I fidgeted and made eye contact with the waiter a few times. I took my VISA out and practically waved it in his face. I slammed it on the table. I batted the chair in my growing fury. After about 30-40 minutes I had enough. I left. Apparently the guy wanted me out so bad he didn't even want me to pay. I was glad to oblige. It's not often you get a 40 euro meal (that's about $65, folks) for free.

So, yes. There are some damned rude waiters in France.

Moving right along (this is going to be a long blog ... make yourselves comfortable) today I got up and decided I was going to find some shopping no matter what. I went to what I thought was the gay ghetto (which isn't very ghetto or gay) and looked about. I didn't find much. I walked and walked and walked. I ended up somewhere south of the Effiel tower and gave up. I was sick of paying for "le metro" so I thought I might make an adventure of it and hoof it. I discovered the Alexander bridge across the Sienne which is absolutely stunning! Four pillars adorn each corner with marvelous brass statues of centaurs and angels atop them. The view of the tower at one end and the Notre Dame on the other made the walking worth it. I didn't feel so tired anymore. Further up I ran into Le Grande Palais and Le Petit Palais both of which are being restored but even in their current state they are quite the sight to behold. I went back to the Champe D'Elysse and tried to find my way back to our new hotel (we moved again to a similar place). I ended up tripping over a beautiful street filled with haute couture shops and other such exorbitantly priced stores. I found my shopping heavan. Unfortunately, in comparison to the people who shop here, I am a pauper. I couldn't afford to shop here if I sold my house but it's nice to pretend. I'm telling you, this place makes Bay and Bloor look like Jane and Finch. The streets ended up taking me to a very large ornate building which I discovered was an ancient opera house. It's not too far from where I am staying right now. This city just never ceases to amaze me ...

So, I made my way back to this little patiserie that I like and had some refreshments (raspberry tarte and a chocolate latte) as well as some chocolates which I am eating right now. Now I know what a petit mort is. The dessert here is so so so good. Nothing that I've ever had comes even close to comparison.

I need to stop eating out or I'll be coming home early! No, wait ... I'll just dine and dash!

My apologies to France ...

2003-09-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I have erred!

I thought all there was to France was dirty city alleys and grubby people but no no no. That's what you get when you base your impressions on the Scarborough of Paris! Paris is one of the most magnificient and beautiful cities I have ever seen in my life. It's really breathtaking. If you think the architechture in London is inspiring then have a look at downtown Paris. I could have taken a picture of every building here ... not to mention the people. So diverse and really not so bad afterall. I haven't met a rude waiter yet. We've actually ran into quite a few pleasant people.

The culture is so alive. In the morning you buy your freshly baked bread (which comes highly recommended) or buttered croissants (which I prefer). Fresh fruit stalls dot the streets and even the SUBWAYS! Here's a solution to our problems with obesity back home. Afternoons leave the cafes a buzz with people of all kinds having a fresh sandwich or a drink. The food here is to die for. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... the wine is cheap and good!

Our new accomodations are so beautiful. It's a beautiful and quaint little hotel on Rougemont Cite. Long rows of tall buildings with long windows and tiny balconies which characterize the Parisian style. Wrought iron abounds as well as chimmneys and gargoyles!

Yesterday we saw the sites. L'Arc de Triomphe and La Tour Effiel. The Arch is HUGE and so impressively sculpted. The Effiel tower is ... well, ugly. But impressively so. I can see why they called it a monstrousity at first but it does grow on you. We had dinner (and lots of wine, *hic*) at a beautiful restaurant close by and then returned to the tower at night where we took the lift to the very top. It's like being on the deck of the enterprise.

Today I've just been taking it easy pretending I'm une parisienne. I did some laundry (with only a little help), ate a croissant with an espresso and read my book in a cafe down the street. Everything is closeby here. I've just bought some fresh fruit so now I will eat and maybe make my to St. Germaine de Pres to do some shopping and what not. I shall write again tommorow with my findings ... I just hope I can find an internet cafe with an english keyboard!

Gay Paris? Or the french ghetto?

2003-09-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well. There go my expectations. The word of the day is GROTTY.

We arrived in Clichy (via a very pleasant chunnel ride) and what a bad choice Clichy is. Apparently all the beauty of France lies in the countryside. I guess we'll just stick around for the hot spots such as The Effiel Tower and what not then get the heck out. My first impression was dirt, heat and RUDE. I thought London was bad ... mind you, I don't want to generalize. We ran into a few pleasant people like this really really sweet waitress at some Italian restaurant who was really really pleasant and made an effort to speak english right off the bat. I had a properly cooked pizza (thin crust, booyah) and a goat cheese salad completely by mistake as chevre is goat and I was expecting chevril. Duh. I thought I knew french. We found that wine is cheaper than pretty much anything else! I could really get used to that!

So, not all the french are rude. But those who are can be REALLY fucking downright pigheaded. It's true what they say ... the french don't like to speak english. Even if they do. They make the english look like Mary Poppins (who is english ... how ironic).

Right now we're trying to find a cheap motel because we are presently staying at a grotty nasty shitey hostel (oh god help me I don't want to sit on that toilet again where the hell are my wet wipes!!!!).

Oh, and our last night in England was FAB. We went to some irish club in Leicester Square called O'Niells and partied with the locals (who can really party).

Anyhow ... time is a wasting. I shall write again tommorow (preferably from a hostel without graffitti in the stalls).

One more thing!

2003-09-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say thanks to everybody who mailed with their best wishes and what not. I don't really have time to get around to everyone individually but I want to at least acknowledge you's.

If, however, you absolutely must have an individual response please send £20 to:

Fabrizio Perri c/o
London Hotel
Something something Kensington Garden Drive
Bayswater something something something
London, England
Something something

... and I will reply with a note of thanks and tell you what I bought. :P

Cheers.

Out and aboot.

2003-09-12T04:57:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that I've had a reasonable sampling of what London has to offer. I went on a bit of a bus tour today and saw some of the highlights. I was quite taken with Marble arch and the architechture throughout the city. Last night we went to a very old pub along the Thames called The Angel and had some traditional english pub fare (bangers and mash as well as fish and chips) in view of the Tower Bridge (which is stunning at night). I haven't had a chance to sample a proper bitter served at room temperature. I think I'll do that tonight. We're going to go to some popular local pub called the Rat and the Parrot. I just want to mingle a bit ... I haven't met anybody other than Italians. Go figure.

Right now I am planning on some lunch at one of the many many Indian restaurants ... if I can get there!! The tube system is awesome and I've become quite the master at manuvering myself from stop to stop. It's the bloody streets that have me in a twist. Haven't you English heard of squares and straight lines??? YES, it's called a GRID system. Here we have the "Let's send the silly tourists for a loop" system. Also, no one knows how to give directions. Maybe something is lost in the translation.

So, all in all, I'm loving it. I'm having trouble budgeting as everything is so damned expensive and I oh so very much much want to buy something (shoes) as the styles are stunning (shoes) and do want something to bring back (shoes!) and will someone please wire me some money? (so I can buy some shoes!!)

Made it ... to Westminster!

2003-09-11T04:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I made it. The flight was all right. Lots of fun turbulence and awful awful food. I am rather jet lagged as we speak and tired from lugging my baggage around trying to find the hostel (which we did after some helpful Londonites pointed us in the right direction). We haven't checked in yet so we've been strolling around Kensington garden park and what not. We popped into an Italian cafe for some fuel and nourishment aka COFFEE. It's funny to hear a wop with an english accent speak italian.

All the locals are really nice (with a few abrupt exceptions) and tres fashionable. I haven't ever seen so many nice shoes!

It's only 12:36 here but it feels like evening. It just started raining and we all need a good long nap to get us back into shape. After we refresh ourselves we may check out Kensington Palace home of the late Princess of Wales (that's Lady Di). Other than that, all I'm really interested in is getting to know some of the locals and eating some indian food! Apparently London has some of the best indian grub around ... which makes sense as they have a rather high indian population. Kind of like how Toronto has some of the greatest asian food (at least I think so).

Internet access was pretty easy to find here (and cheap) so hopefully I'll be able to keep up on the updates. Ben, how do I fix this thing so people can make comments and such? E-mail me!!

2003-09-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today is the dawn of my trip.

Everything is pretty much planned. I've just been working on the last minute details and buying some things I need (toiletries, clothes, etc.). I want to be prepared for anything ... and look good, of course. I hear those Europeans are a well dressed bunch and I don't want to waltz in looking like a right moron wearing tevas, hiking shorts and an "Experience Canada!" t-shirt.

So, as it stands, I have nothing to note other than boring post-partum anecdotes of worry and minor stress factors. I should have something a little more exciting to report in a few days.