What a whirlwind weekend! I arrived home Monday morning from my final trip...to Amsterdam. It is so strange to think that my next flight will be my Delta flight to SFO. I have been flying so often I have mastered the art of packing the night before and have a separate set of toiletries all packed and ready to go.
Friday, after working on a million projects due to the Office Manager being out sick, I managed to get off at 3 in order to make it to the train station on time. I met Avery at the gate at Gatwick, and an hour later, we were landing in Amsterdam. I was immediately impressed by the cleanliness of the city-no trash in sight. We found our Stayokay hostel (located right near Vondelpark) and set off to find our Madrid friends, who had arrived the day before. Amsterdam is such a beautiful city-I know, I say that about everywhere I go, but Amsterdam stands out in terms of its quaint architecture and beautifully molded buildings. With its 100% tolerance stance and the clean sidewalks, it feels like some sort of weird utopia where everyone gets along and does what they please. We found ourselves in the middle of the "Red Light" district later in the evening, and found myself thinking it looked a lot like the Haight in San Francisco, minus the women in the lit up windows. It was such a culture shock to see clearly lit stores offering services deemed illegal in the majority of other countries. I finally got my fill of Chinese food at a wonderful take out restaurant, Wok to Walk. I plan on starting a franchise in Winston-Salem when I return.
Our breakfast the next morning reminded me of our Dutch au pairs....plain yogurt with granola and toast with chocolate flakes on top. First stop of the day was to the Van Gough museum. Quite an experience to see his work up close. I particularly loved the Iris painting, one of his most famous. Heineken's main factory is in the center of Amsterdam and located next to our hostel, so we took the tour there and learned how to correctly prepare a Heineken. The process of serving beer is an art, and they take it pretty seriously. Dad, I'll show you when I get home
Sunday morning was rainy and cold, so we decided to visit Anne Frank's house before it got busy. Well, apparently it's busy-all the time. It was a long wait but well worth it. I kept thinking about Keelin and our sophomore year production of Anne Frank. It was a very eerie feeling walking in the exact house where she stayed for almost two years. I continue to be amazed by the fact that 1 million people visit every year...she has quite a lasting legacy.
Sunday evening was spent on pins and needles anticipating the Tri-Delt slate (list of officers for the next year). I am very honored and excited to mention that I will be the new President for the 2010-2011 year.
Got home early Monday morning....luckily, I have a relaxing week to catch up and anticipate Catherine's arrival in London!!
After our whirlwind weekend Parisian getaway, I was ready for a relaxing week in London. Debra had other plans. It being her first trip to Europe, this meant we had to make the most out of our limited amount of days. Between my insane work schedule and her trip to Bath, we squeezed in a couple wonderful dinners before she left.
On Monday after my Advertising class, we tubed it to the Tower of London. I had heard rave reviews, and I was not disappointed. Our tour, led by an actual Beefeater in the Tower was incredible. In order to become a beefeater, you must fulfill a long list of requirements dictated by the Queen, including serving in the Army for at least ten years. Our guide was not only a master storyteller, but an expert historian on the Tower. Created as a fortress, the Tower has served many roles throughout Britain's history, most notably acting as a prison and torture chamber for the condemned at the hands of the monarchy. We saw the very spot where Anne Boylen was decapitated, as well as where they house the Royal Jewels. The Beefeaters live in the Tower year round to protect the jewels, and I understand why after seeing the biggest diamond in the world housed in the main tower. After seeing such amazing monuments in Paris, Italy and Madrid, I was proud of the Tower's history and the fact that I live here!
No visit to London would be complete without tea, so I made a reservation for tea at the Wolseley after our Tower tour. The Wolseley is an upscale tearoom recommended by a colleague at work. We decided on mint tea (with actual mint leaves, Moroccan style) and pumpkin soup as it was especially chilly out. I am going to have to adjust to a real "fall" in London...with a stop on the way home in Harrods, our British excursion was complete.
Quite possibly my best experience in London so far (it will be pretty difficult to top): LES MISERABLES. When I say there aren't any words to describe the feeling in the audience, I mean it. After years of listening to the music with Dad, I finally had the opportunity to experience it live. I think I cried for the majority of the three hour show. Seeing shows here in London has furthered my belief that theater is such a cathartic experience that we all should be lucky to experience often. An absolutely flawless performance.
A recap of my amazing, European life for the past two weeks:
Thursday night, MOM arrived in London! Seeing her at the Gloucester Road tube stop was surreal. We went out for Indian food and stopped off at our local pub, The Queen's Arms. Sitting in the back of the pub was the ideal way to start off her trip here, giving us plenty of time to catch up over a glass of London's best: Aspall cider.
I woke up early Friday morning to meet mom at the train station for our 9 am Eurostar train to PARIS. We noticed how much more organized Europe is regarding transportation. The Eurostar waiting area is very modern and sophisticated, much different than our lovely BART back at home. I am a convert of Eurostar after our 2 hour trip-it was incredibly comfortable and efficient. Before I knew it, we were pulling in to the Gare du Nord train station in Paris. Good thing I don't live in London permanently...because if I did, I would be in Paris every weekend.
I am very impressed with how well we did in terms of navigating the three days we spent in Paris. Although I can speak some French, we really needed to be on our game in order to figure out directions and transportation. We made it to our hotel, the lovely Hotel Familia in the St. Michel area, and made it out to find Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. It was unbelievably freezing on Friday-NC and SF's weather doesn't normally require a coat. Surprisingly, the miserable weather didn't detract from the stunning views of the Seine as we walked down the cobblestone streets. Paris is everything people say and more, making it difficult to fully describe.
Notre Dame is one of the oldest churches in Paris and arguably the most famous. I can see why now: the stained glass circular windows, high beams and muted candlelight made it impossible not to love. We lit a candle for grandma Grace in one of the small alcoves with light streaming in from the outside. After a bit of misguided direction, we made it to Saint-Chapelle, a "gem of architecture built with the wishes of King Louis IX to house the relics of the Passion of the Christ." Although a large portion of the chapel is being restored, the upper chapel is breathtaking with its 15 stained glass windows that make the room glitter when the sun pours in. We spent quite a lot of time staring up, trying to interpret the different scenes in each window, before heading out for an authentic French dinner.
Our dinner, at a small bistro around the corner from our hotel, consisted of: Le carte fixte: les moules (mussels) le tortellini avec le fromage, la viande avec le jus poivre (steak with pepper sauce), et les patates de creme (creamed potatoes), followed by a " floating island" dessert. I was so relieved I knew how to order in French, as our waiter did not speak English whatsoever. It was definitely 'authentic'.
One of the many bistros we walked by, all lit up at night
We had many plans for Saturday-starting with the Eiffel Tower.We followed the path my friend Steph gave us, which led us to a spot at the Trocadero with an unbelievable look out of the city.
Getting there relatively early, we made it up the stairs to the first level by 10 am. So much of Paris is simply undescribable...the view from the Eiffel Tower being one of them. It was hard to believe I was actually in such a memorable icon of Paris. Even though it was slightly foggy, we still managed to be awestruck.
After barely making it down the hundreds of stairs, we crossed the street and began the walk toward the Champs-Elysees. We ran straight into the Arc de Triomphe, only to find it jam packed with plenty of tourists all struggling to get a clear shot. There is a hidden underground entrance that takes you to the middle of the Arc, which many hadn't figured out, causing them to run into the middle of traffic hoping they would make it to the center. I'll admit, it took us a while before we figured this out.
The Champs-Elysees reminded me of New York, with its imposing stores and outdoor cafes lining the street. It is a substantial walk from the Arc to the Jardin de Tuileries and the Louvre, but we did it, passing the Palais Royal along the way. Upon reaching the Louvre and seeing the winding line, we decided to return the next day. Mom had been told about the most amazing cafe called Angelina's on the Rue de Rivoli, which we found across from the Louvre. We patiently waited, only to be rewarded with a pot of steaming Chocolat Africain (which is literally thick, melted milk chocolate disguised as a drink) and a Monte-Blanc, an unbelievable pastry made of cream, meringue and hazelnut paste. Heaven.
Realizing we were exhausted and experiencing quite a sugar low, we made it back to the hotel for a nap. I attempted to make reservations for a restaurant many friends had told me about, but when I called and asked in English, I was told it was completely booked for the night. Discouraged, I had a thought and tried again, this time in French. Surprise, surprise, they now had a ten o'clock reservation. So, we agreed to go back to the Arc de Triomphe and climb to the top before heading over to Monmartre for dinner.
**My favorite moment of our trip** -standing on top of the Arc de Triomphe, looking down at the glittering Champs-Elysees with the hundreds of cars and blinking signs from every direction. No words. As we attempted to take it all in, the Eiffel Tower turned dark, and began to sparkle brilliantly. It was quite an experience, spending Halloween on the top of this monument, watching the Eiffel Tower light show with my mom. I cannot believe my luck, and have to keep reminding myself that this whole experience is REAL.
Coming off that high, mom and I took the subway to Monmartre, home of the Moulin Rouge and the infamous favorite Wake Forest restaurant, Les Refuges des Fondues. Monmartre is one of the more run-down areas of Paris, and it was no surprise to find quite a bizarre crowd there on Halloween night. Les Refuges des Fondues is the epitome of French insanity-it is a small, tucked away restaurant with wall to wall murals created by its diners. The walls were plastered with neon pink and green 'WFU Eurotour' and "Wake Forest Deacons' signs. Although we sat shoulder to shoulder with mostly all french folk, we had a comical night eating steak fondue and drinking 'chilled' red wine out of baby bottles.Why baby bottles? To avoid the French tax on wine that is served in glasses. Somehow we made it out by midnight and found our way back to the subway in the dark. Dad, you would have been proud. :)
Wanting to make the most out of our last day in such an amazing city, we woke up early, enjoyed our last free breakfast of cafe au lait and croissants, and strolled into the Louvre without any wait. I will say, the outside architecture of the Louvre impressed me much more than the actual inside. Although it was amazing to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo with my own eyes, the masses of tourists detracted from the experience. Our one regret was passing up the Musee d'Orsay due to the long line. Instead, we found the famous cafe, Le deux Magots and the gorgeous La Duree bakery. Mom had been told about the shopping district of Marais, so we took the subway there and found some unbelievable stores, although somehow we managed to restrain our buying impulses. Lunch consisted of a lovely all you can eat brunch in Marais including: crepes, fresh fruit, quiche, eggs, bacon, cous cous, breaded chicken, etc.. absolutely wonderful. As it began to rain and our energy started to fade, we traveled back to the hotel and took the Eurostar home, absolutely exhausted but completely satisfied. I want to go back. I need to go back. Sometime in the near future.
