TravelStream™ news feed for member bdprice on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/bdprice en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 03 May 2005 08:47:33 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1113049500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1113049500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1113049500/tpod.html Tue, 03 May 2005 08:47:33 -0400 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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Venezia, Italy

Venice was my "visitors city" while in Italy. Everybody who came to visit me in Florence wanted to make the three hour train ride to the majestic city. I spent three different weekends there and had three completely different experiences.

Stacey
Stacey came to visit during her Spring break and we went to Venice during a cold March weekend. It was both our first times there and we were immediately enchanted by the canals, colorful buildings, and lack of cars (cars are left on the mainland). We saw the major tourist attractions of Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge, and Grand Canal while we wandered the streets of Venice. While in Piazza San Marco, Stacey and I were attacked by pigeons and climbed a tower to see all of Venice... ok, we took an elevator. The best part was our visit to Venice's Jewish Ghetto where we toured synagogues, bought Judaica, and tried to understand Jewish life isolated from the rest of the world. At night we ate delicious candlelit meals in local areas. We wandered, shopped, and enjoyed the street performers in Piazza San Marco. Our visit was very touristy and extremely exciting.

Mia Madre
My mother came to visit in the end of March and she too wanted to see Venice. My mom saw Venice once before with Vicki and it was great having such an experienced traveler to show me good deals, the importance of location and how to be creative while traveling. We ended up finding an amazing little hotel one street over from Piazza San Marco. Our room overlooked a busy pedestrian market and one of the basilica's towers. Venice was warm and beautiful that weekend. The sun reflected off the canals and the buildings were bright. We saw the same major tourist sites, but had a more education visit. We toured the Basilica San Marco where we climbed to the roof and saw the piazza from above. We also toured the Palazzo Ducale to see Venice's historical political life and prisons. The rooms in the Palazzo were very ornate, apparently Venetians used to love to flaunt their wealth in any means possible. In the prison, I learned that the romantic "Bridge of Sighs" actually connects the courtroom to the actual prison (not so hot). We had many great meals along the Grand Canal, but was worth mentioning was our time in Piazza San Marco. We spent an entire afternoon sitting on the steps of the Piazza sharing a bottle wine and a bag of biscotti while listening to an orchestra play a medley of Jewish music.

The Patrons
One a quest to understand why Europe is so costly... and an excuse for a vacation... Dad and Linda came to visit and planned a trip to Venice. Their visit was a culture shock for me since I have spent four months in hostels or cheap hotels with a 9-5 reception desk. We stayed in a hotel called the "Gritti Palace" where I enjoyed room service, a nice bathroom, and sleeping in a bed that was not part of a system of bunk beds. We saw all of the same major tourist sites and the Jewish Ghetto. Armed with experience from prior trips, I threw birdseed on my Dad who had to then from the hungry pigeons... he was on his cell phone. We spent afternoons drinking tea in Piazza San Marco and evening dining on small streets or the Grand Canal. I insisted that Murano glass factories are open on Saturdays and had the hotel arrange for a tour... turns out I was wrong. We visited a factory that is closed on the weekend, but opened just for our tour and private demonstration. We got to watch glass blowers make a bowl and then saw the factory's four showrooms. The manager followed us around for nearly an hour, but insisted that there was no pressure to buy anything... yeah, no pressure. One bowl later we made it back and wandered the streets of Venice. During this visit it actually rained and Piazza San Marco flooded. It was amazing to see the water spill over from the canals onto the streets and watch everybody walk on the planks.

Each visit to Venice was very different and equally memorable. I didn't think that I would have a different experience each time, but it all depended on the very diverse people I traveled with. Most people came back declaring the city to be "too touristy" or "kind of like an Olive Garden." I found Venice to be a unique "what you make of it" kind of place where you could learn about trade, be surrounded by beauty, or even dance in the piazza... it just depends on who you are there with.

I am still very behind and have a lot more trips to post... bear with me. I'll see everyone in about two weeks! I love and miss you all.

Brian
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Amsterdam, Netherlands

The final destination of this amazing spring vacation was Amsterdam. Most people just think of pot and prostitution when it comes to Amsterdam, but the city has a rich tradition involving art, politics and international business.

Where Are We?
That is a horrible question to have to ask while traveling in another city, but the map I bought from the tourist office was of no help. The map gave street names and the location of currency exchanges, but mentioned nothing about where any tourist sites were or how to get to them. I was very upset and not willing to pay another five euro for a bad map, what would we do? Our hotel had many fliers and brochures, but prominently displayed the most helpful map on its counter. The free map had all of the major sites, ways to get to them, and bus routes. This map was amazing! This map was our savior! This map was the City of Amsterdam Complimentary GLBT Map... The Amsterdam Gay Map.

The Gay Map is the most helpful map I have used in Europe. It listed all of the sites with the most direct ways of reaching them. ATM locations, bus stops, consulates, and hospitals were also displayed on this incredibly useful map. Erin and I looked it over astonished by how easy one could navigate Amsterdam with this map. "Erin, where is the Anne Frank House?" I would ask. "Oh, it's on route five. Here, you can find it right next to the ad for the leather store."

The Gay Map was later replaced by an even more helpful complimentary Cannabis Finder Map which showed us the sites, trams, and the locations of the Hard Rock Café and KFC.

The Pleasure Palace
If it makes you happy, Amsterdam has it. Everyone has a secret uncontrollable pleasure. For some it is sex, others prefer drugs. Some people even find pleasure in fried foods and great shopping. Amsterdam can provide you with all of these. However, my secret uncontrollable pleasure is Jewish Culture and Holocaust Studies.... Hmmm, yes!

OK, that lead in really sucked and you are all welcome to unsubscribe, but it's obvious that each of my trips has had some Jewish component involved. Amsterdam contains the cream of the crop for Yids like me... the Anne Frank House. The house and museum were recently updated and turned into an amazing multimedia learning experience featuring recreations, diary excerpts, interviews, and videos. Amy, Erin and I spent an entire morning there walking through all of the rooms in the house trying to imagine years of hiding in the secret annex. We all realized that their attic is roomier and better insulated than our apartment in Florence.

Everyone's an Artist
To give everyone an idea of how much time was dedicated to art, I am going to describe Amsterdam's galleries as quickly as I breezed through them. We first went to the Van Gogh Museum where I wandered the three story museum and saw everything in about 20 minutes. The famous Van Gogh's are currently hanging in the Art Institute of Chicago (ironic) and I was left with all of the art that his brother Theo couldn't sell.

Then we went to the Rembrandt house and it was amazing (from the outside). I could just imagine what life must've been like for him (from the outside). Alright, I never went inside the house. I don't care for Rembrandt's work, I was exhausted, and an eight euro admission fee is obscene considering that I would just find a chair and text message family. Erin agreed and we sat outside and discussed how there is such a thing as "too much art."

HEINEKEN!
I love touring breweries... The process of brewing beer is fascinating, the atmosphere is exciting, and the free samples are like a divine gift. The Heineken Experience is very similar to a trip to Epcot in Disney World. They have a Heineken bottle simulator where you are filled with sweet sweet Heineken and taken to a disco and enjoyed. There are also simulated barley fields, carriage rides, and a virtual world of Heineken commercials and good times. We spent an entire morning drinking beer and enjoying this adult playground. At about noon, I was drunk and ready for lunch.

Leidsplein and the Canals
Besides the Heineken, sex, drugs and Jewish history, Amsterdam is simply a beautiful city to walk around. Dutch homes, similar to Lincoln Park, are situated on many beautiful canals. We spent most of our time walking around and enjoying the architecture of the city. The canals are clean and reflect the buildings flawlessly making Amsterdam look like a northern Venice, but with less prostitutes.

But What About the Sex and Drugs?
Most of you have skimmed the entire travel pod searching for my honesty about the sinfully exciting side of Amsterdam. Did Brian pay for sex? No, and you should be ashamed of yourself for asking such a question. I went to the Red-light district twice and never took a picture. The district should have remained a legend in my mind; the reality of it was depressing and somewhat revolting. I walked the streets looking at windows filled with women in skimpy bikinis using re-freshening wipes. The women were ugly... I'm talking Shallow Hal ugly. Obese women in string bikinis stood in windows showing you what they would do for a Klondike bar. Also, little old men would walk in and out of the buildings talking with the women and negotiating a price.

I can't even describe the looks of judgment Amy and Erin gave these women. After seeing a woman at least seventy years old, we ran as far away as possible only to return curiously at night. I planned to witness a famous Dutch sex show that night, but my experience in the Red-light district turned me off to anything remotely sexual.

What About the Drugs? Wow, you seriously have a problem... pot head. I never took pictures inside of "coffee houses" in Amsterdam either. Pictures of coffee houses and the Red-light district work against the "what goes on in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam" oath I had to take at passport control. The coffee shops had menus of pot to select from. They varied in strength, origin, and way to consume it. Each coffee house had a unique scent that combined Starbucks with a frat house. People there were very hardcore and spent so much time smoking many different types of pot in many different ways.

What Goes On In Amsterdam Stays In Amsterdam
Amsterdam was one of my favorite cities because of the people's kindness and architectural beauty. I had a great time in that city and could have spent an entire week enjoying the culture and my surroundings. Some people may feel that they have missed on some amazing stories... and they have. Erin, Amy and I had an amazing experience, but every story would end with saying "well, you had to be there." If you would like to hear some stories, just buy me a few drinks when I get home and ask about spring break in the later end of the night.

I am catching up on my travel pods, everyone's mailboxes will be swamped with update notices. I hope everyone can catch up and will enjoy reading my experiences from after Spring break. Good luck on finals, mazel tov on graduation, hope work is treating you well and that your children are staying out of trouble. I love and miss you all.

Brian
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111419360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111419360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111419360/tpod.html Tue, 05 Apr 2005 10:47:56 -0400 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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Brussels, Belgium

How many days would you spend visiting Brussels? Two days, maybe three? The total time I spent in Brussels was six hours.

Yup, six hours.

I know it seems odd, but our guide books only dedicate one page to sites in Brussels and about five pages to its great food. We decided that only a day in Brussels would be the perfect transition between Paris and Amsterdam.

Europe's Most Important City
Many people say that Brussels is the most important city to Europe. Brussels houses the head quarters of the European Union and N.A.T.O. Nearby, the Belgian city of Antwerp regulates and distributes over half of the world's diamond supply. Brussels is the home to many great businesses and many great economists. Simply put, Brussels is a very important city to Europe.

But did you know that the waffle originated in Brussels and other Belgian cities? How about fries, did you know that they originated there too? Brussels is also the center of Belgian chocolate production, did you know that too? Erin, Amy and I were fascinated by these amazing achievements and decided to explore the food and sites of Brussels.

Democracy Thrives in the Heart of the E.U.
We first went to Grand Place, the heart of historical Brussels, to see sites and plan our eating journey. Grand Place is this great plaza with ornate buildings surrounding a public forum. The square is the historical center of Belgian political and social life. Many famous Belgian protests started in Grand Place. Let's take a moment to reflect on Belgium's famous riots... yeah.

While in Grand Place, we witnessed a class of kindergarteners (maybe 30) rioting about world peace... I think they are for it. The children were holding signs, chanting, and banging drums for world peace as everyone was taking pictures of this historical moment. Suddenly, one of the children noticed I was an American and started throwing rocks at me. Other children joined in chanting things like "Iraq is a senseless war!" and that America is a "rogue superpower." The stones got larger and more painful. One hit the side of my head and I started gushing blood. Frightened by the sight of my own blood, I dropped to my knees and started shielding my head... one of the kindergarteners muttered something anti-Semitic to me. I was crawling to get away fast from this small mob until I noticed that right in front of me was a crisp ten dollar bill.

Actually, the kids walked past us banging on coffee cants while shouting nonsensical words and holding signs. They left after about two minutes and probably went to get cookies. Violent kindergarten rioting is too interesting for Brussels.

Everyone Pees
"You must see Manken Pis" was the traveler's advice of my friend Brooke. "What is it?" I asked. "Oh, it's a statue of a little boy who pees in a fountain. It is amazing." Brooke has never steered me wrong before and I took her advice and followed the crowds to Manken Pis with Amy and Erin. The crowd was huge and I couldn't get close enough to the fountain to see the boy with no decency to go behind a bush. I was pushing through the crowded street corner until I saw this Belgian art piece. Most disappointing site ever... EVER. I am not sure how I managed to have expectations for a pissing child, but here I am. The statue may have been a foot tall and pissed a very thin stream of water into a gigantic water basin. Manken Pis wins best tourist trap in history placing the "World's Largest Ball of Twine" in a distant second. With our hopes crushed and stomachs empty, we saw many beautiful plazas and markets until we took a break to eat.

Waffles, Fries, Chocolates... Falafel?
After the sightseeing and about 5 hours and 15 minutes till our train to Amsterdam, it was time for the three of us to enjoy what we came for... food.

Our first stop was a waffle stand where everyone got waffles covered in strawberries, nuts, chocolates, and whipped cream. We all took pictures of our food to mark this momentous occasion and then devoured our waffles. After that we stopped and got chocolate bars to sample Belgian chocolate. We had no intention of having a real lunch until all of us were in desperate need of a bathroom. With no fountains in sight, we were wandering a road lined with Greek restaurants. We finally found one with a bathroom and decided to sample authentic, Belgian falafels... they invented that too, right?

After the bathroom and falafels, we wandered Brussels for second helpings of waffles, chocolates, and fries. We may have consumed roughly 4000 calories in two hours; we later laid on the ground of Grand Place and wondering how we let this happen.

What Goes Around Comes Around
My greatest lesson in childhood has always been my Mom's message of "what goes around comes around." Her clear message of Karma has always struck fear that anything bad I did to someone will result in bad things to me; therefore I try to be a good person. Her message rings strongly even today and my trip to Brussels was a shining example of the instant Karma she preached to me as a child.

While wandering the streets and plazas of Brussels, I stepped in dog shit. Yes, It's true, I stepped in a VERY SMALL amount of dog shit. It was quick and easy to remove the shit simply by scraping the shoe against the curb, however Erin still laughed at me and my minor misfortune.

Then she stepped in dog shit too.

Her pile of shit was much larger, fresh, and smelled awful. Instant Karma. Erin spent the next hour scraping her foot against everything until she finally took a business card and used a corner to remove it all. Shop keepers were concerned, Belgians gave her questionable looks, and Amy and I debated who just shat their pants. "What goes around comes around" rang loudly in my head... followed by "always wear a turtle neck."

They Lived Happily Ever After... And Five Pounds Heavier
Historical Brussels is a beautiful city with architecture unlike anything I have seen in Europe. The ornately decorated building lined winding roads and prominent plazas. The people were questionably friendly and the food... simply delicious. The time I spent in Brussels was perfect for the memory I will always have of the city. Not as a political or economic center, but as a city of great food and sweet smelling chocolate shops.

I then boarded my newly fat ass onto the train for Amsterdam.

Amsterdam will be up shortly... I promise.

Brian
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111356000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111356000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1111356000/tpod.html Sun, 27 Mar 2005 17:10:46 -0500 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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Paris, France

I woke up in the morning to find Vicki and Arnaud's apartment quiet and practically empty. Vicki and Arnaud were asleep, but something was missing... where is Fisher? Suddenly I remembered that not everyone had the same spring break plans. Fisher and Marissa left Paris one day early and headed for London and Dublin while Erin, Amy and I were heading to Brussels and Amsterdam. Different countries, but we were all still heading north... still the only group to travel north for spring break. Erin, Amy, and I remained in Paris and took day trips and long walks.

It's Good to be the King!
What do you think of when you think of Versailles? Perhaps Monarchy or the French Revolution comes to mind? I don't think that, I think of Mel Brooks' History of the World: Part One where he plays both the "piss boy" and the French King in a segment about the French Revolution. Therefore it is only natural that I make a pilgrimage to Versailles, the unofficial throne of Mel Brooks' movies!

After a confusing train ride and following a line of tourists around corners to the palace, we finally reached the magnificent Versailles and stood awestruck at its gigantic presence. The palace is very large and spacious with a public square larger than any of the piazzas in Florence. We all started wandering around the grounds independently and I found myself lost along the walls and staring at a garden so vast, it made the palace look like a cottage. Unaware of how I found this (Versailles' backyard is harder to get to than other houses) I simply called Erin and Amy and told them to find me... there was no way I'm moving from this. We spent an hour walking around the gardens looking at lakes, fountains, and the French landscape. We then saw the royal apartments and hall of mirrors. I have never seen anything as extravagant as the palace and gardens of Versailles. While in the palace, I kept fighting the urge to say "it's good to be the king."

Versailles is an incredible window to the wealth and power of France during the reign of each numbered Louis who sat on the throne. Seeing Versailles and the beautiful gardens surrounding the palace was an excellent reminder of the history every country has and that we can't judge it solely on it what is being publicized right now. My ugly duckling image was transformed to a graceful swan... ironically Versailles possesses swans as well.

Fuck You Pompeidu!
I know... why did I just type that and what international debacle would start from my innocent travel pods? The saying above has many meanings to many different people. For Vicki and I, this saying marks the only time (that I'm aware of) where my mother protested against anything. When my mom was in high school, she cut class one day to protest France selling weapons to Arab nations and held a sign that read "Fuck You Pompeidu." I know that the story sounds pretty cool, but my mom ran into HER parents at that same protest and they all went home to paint her bedroom orange... or green. Anyways, the saying rang proudly in my head while Vicki and Arnaud showed us the Pompeidu Center.

Vicki and Arnaud guided us on another great walking tour that included the old opera house, the Hotel Ritz, the Concorde, and Vicki's first apartment building in Paris. As time went on, the two kept thinking of other things we MUST see before departing tomorrow. Finally, they took all of us over to the Jewish quarter where we all bought challah and potato latkes. I haven't had challah or latkes since December and my experience in the Jewish quarter was memorable and felt like my first time ever eating braided bread. We then went out for fondue in the Latin quarter and had an amazing meal of cheese, bread, and wine.

Final Thought
Paris is a beautiful city with a rich history and a continuously changing environment. The food is delicious, the architecture amazing, and the people are friendly... enough. But where was the ugly duckling? Although Paris does have some unattractive people, where was the ugly person sent to be refined and attractive? After a few glasses of wine, and a calzone at my favorite restaurant in Florence last night, I decided that my view of Paris came for refinement. My prejudices and judgments from the media made my image of Paris an ugly duckling desperately needing change. Seeing Paris, its people, and its history made my image more attractive. My ugly duckling became refined and similar to the swan swimming the fountains of Versailles. Like those ducklings who return home transformed into attractive adults, my ugly views and judgments were polished with the reality I've witnessed in the city. As hard as it is to admit, it's now understandable how such a city attracted my sister from Chicago. Although, long distance calls alone should be reason to move back.

After Paris we traveled to Brussels and Amsterdam. Travel pods will be posted soon for those two cities. For now, I have family in town for the next two weeks... bare with me.

Thank you for having the patience to continue reading these logs. I love and miss you all.

Brian
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Paris, France

For spring break, we decided to visit Paris and then travel to Brussels and Amsterdam. We may have been the only people on our Italy program that actually traveled north for spring break.

The Ugly Duckling
Honestly, I originally did not know anything about Paris. All I can recall from movies is that ugly people travel to Paris and then come home attractive and refined. Yes, the only memory I have of Paris is the old movie Sabrina. Anyways, I came to Paris with knowledge of some anti-American sentiment and anti-Semitic attacks that have taken place there. Also, Paris attracted my sister away from my convenient Chicago which goes against my belief that nobody should dial more than ten numbers to call family. Basically, I thought Paris sucks even before booking my inexpensive Ryanair ticket. However, the city still contains family so I came open-minded.

Vicki and Arnaud live in a beautiful apartment in the "Jewish/Gay" quarter of Paris; right off of Rue de Rivoli. I was under the impression that "Rivoli" was the metro stop I needed to get to Vicki's apartment... I later learned that two stops over is "St. Paul," a five minute walk from her door. Everyone ended up walking about two miles down Rue de Rivoli with their luggage searching for the one street we needed. The walk ended up giving us all a nice view of Paris. Incredible buildings with blue roof-tops lined the streets that were crowded with cars and people. At eye-level, Paris was another crowded and ugly city, but looking up showed a city that was simply astonishing. I first decided that Paris had potential like an ugly duckling with "she's all that" possibilities.

Jacques Sauniere is Dead!
After dropping everything off, we headed over to the Louvre to see the famous paintings and architecture. The Louvre has three good qualities: amazing architecture, an impressive art collection, and it is the setting of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. I've recently read the book and was excited to recreate important scenes. Sadly, no one else was so I just looked at art. After two months of studying in Florence, I am currently burned out of museums and looking at art. After about five minutes of watching another artist's version of a crucifix, Erin and I decided to power through the gallery and go eat. We rushed to the Mona Lisa and Venus and were out of the museum in roughly 25 minutes. We then ate crepes... mine had chocolate.

21st Birthdays Parisian Style
Fisher turned 21 on the first day of our trip to Paris, a milestone not particularly honored anywhere outside of the US. Therefore, everyone celebrated with champagne at Vicki and Arnaud's followed by dinner at a nice French bistro Vicki picked out. We all ate duck, chicken, and veal while watching fire eaters and accordion players entertain us in a tiny plaza. After dinner, Vicki walked with us along the river pointing out Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower from romantic bridges.

Paris, like all ugly ducklings, looks a lot nicer at night. The rushing crowds are replaced by tourists and romantics who drink wine on bridges and stair at the night sky. The noise of buses and cars are replaced by street performers and accordion players in busier plazas. Paris was transformed from an ugly and busy city to a romantic and beautiful town.

The Eiffel Tower
It turns out that this amazing tower I saw at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas was actually copied from a tower in Paris... who knew? We arrived early at the Eiffel tower and beat a lot of the lines. I'll speed it up as a special gift to you all. We took an elevator, took pictures, Erin and Amy used the bathroom at the top (which was pretty cool) and then we climbed down. We then spent the entire day with Vicki and Arnaud who showed us the inside of Notre Dame, the Luxembourg Gardens, Latin Quarter, the Arc du Triumph, Concorde, Moulin Rouge, and Montmarte. Vicki and Arnaud were amazing tour guides who made sure we saw every sight that Paris had to offer. Without them I would have just saw the Louvre and ate a croissant assuming there was nothing more in the city. I strongly suggest that anybody traveling to Paris give them a call and impose on them for a weekend... this is what you get for living in Paris.

I'm Just Cool Like That
I've decided to break my Paris trip into two parts to make everyone's life a little easier. I will post part two VERY soon along with a final thought that would make Jerry Springer envious.

I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break (if they have one). I love and miss you all.

Brian
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London, United Kingdom

But first, the quest for the awful noise...
I was awoken by a very loud noise in the morning. Trying to keep my eyes closed in hopes of falling asleep, I tried to determine what that noise could be. It wasn't the Japanese students fighting or construction work outside, it sounded like plastic. To be more precise, it sounded like one of the Japanese students was rolling up something thick and plastic. Needless to say, I kept my eyes closed and have no idea what that noise was, but Alex and I were woken up and hour earlier than needed and started our day sooner.

After checking out and visiting Ana, we walked the streets of London looking for a place to eat breakfast. Earlier in our trip Matt pointed out how slowly Alex and I walk compared to everyone in London. We walk without purpose enjoying the views while everyone else rushes by with important places to go. I think we picked this up in Italy where people savor every moment instead of hurrying towards the next. I digress. Alex and I passed a lot of really nice breakfast places that were either too expensive or not able to satisfy our tastes. We therefore settled on KFC for popcorn chicken and diet coke. Alright, I know this makes us sound uncultured, but it is so rare to find a KFC in Europe and we had to jump on the opportunity. I think there was a Curves next door.

A poor college student, I presume?
Without the amazing guides, Matt and Chris, we explored the London tube and searched for the British Museum. It was fitting that we had to explore the wild (Russel Square) in order to discover a museum that was a tribute to British exploration. Everything was going great! We were so proud that we found the museum and so happy that the museum was free. We ran to the first exhibition room, looked around, and then looked at each other... what the fuck are we doing in a world history museum? I know a lot about Egypt and Alex had no idea what Celts even were, we needed a plan and fast! The two of us conquered the museum in about 30 minutes. We ran through each room taking pictures of cool looking mummies and weapons. I found the only Jewish artifact the museum had and got a picture of that too. We asked around and found out that the Rosetta stone was on display (the stone that help translate hieroglyphics). We ran to the exhibit, looked at the stone, got a picture, and walked out of the museum. I explained the stone's significance on the walk back.

Notting Hill and Portobello Road
This visit was very important to Alex and me. I don't expect everyone to understand the significance of these two places, but I will explain them to the best of my ability. First, Alex is either very in touch with his feminine side or horribly whipped by former girlfriends, but he claims to have seen the movie "Notting Hill" at least ten times. The movie features a certain blue door to Hugh Grant's apartment, this is somehow important to Alex. His goal was to search all over Notting Hill until he finds the door (note: all guidebooks state that the door isn't there, but Alex believes that's all lies). Next, I too have a movie connection that is far more embarrassing than Alex and "Notting Hill." Let's be honest, all repressed childhoods must include some fanatical attention to Disney movies and my movie was "Bed Knobs and Broomsticks" starring Angela Lansbury. When I was really young I wanted to have magical powers and really liked the movie because Angela Lansbury had powers and her bed went many places (only magically, we're talking Disney here). Alright, you can all laugh at me... I'll wait. Waiting... are you finished? If you would like any more stories regarding me and the world of magical, please contact my mother or either of my sisters who are now awaiting major cash payoffs in return for a non-disclosure agreement. Well, in the movie there is a song about a place in London where you can find anything imaginable... Portobello Road.

The Portobello market has everything you can possibly imagine. Booths lined the long street selling antiques, clothing, memorabilia, even your run of the mill garage sale shit! Alex I wandered the street. He searched for a blue door while I sang the song Portobello Road softly. The area is beautiful and home to many rock stars and celebrities. We saw a Bentley parked horribly on the side of the road... it was the most popular photo opportunity on the street.

Alex finally asked an older woman who owned a booth about the famous blue door. It opened a Pandora 's Box of hate for both Americans and modern film. After being asked about the movie and the door the woman grunted, turned to Alex and attacked him for both liking the movie and the door. "Notting Hill?" the woman said, "that movie was awful. It was about the director's growing up and the door was built on the set. It was so awful, and old. That movie is five years old... you're late." Alex wanted to clarify that there was no blue door; he just loves to dig a deeper hole. "NO!" the woman shouted, "There is no blue door!" I had to intervene so I went up to the woman and asked "Oh, well can you show me where Hogwarts is or where scenes from Love Actually were filmed?" After a long, hard stare the woman went back to work and Alex and I were left with no door. I found another blue door and we took a picture in front of it.

Always Remember: Buffets Never Mean Anything Good!
After spending the day searching for the damn door, we were all famished and Matt, Alex, Chris and I wanted Chinese food. We headed over to China town and chose a restaurant called Yee Tong that boasted a 40 entrée Chinese buffet for only 7 pounds. It was another "meal-deal" opportunity that we couldn't pass up. I won't even attempt artistic license here, I'll just flat out say that it sucked. First, the restaurant made us all pay up front Red Flag. Next, long debates were needed to determine if things were meat, what kind of meat, and if it was a cooked meat Another Red Flag. Finally, while going up for a second helping of rice (a very safe choice) my USED fork accidentally dropped into the cauldron containing some kind of soup. After fishing out the fork I apologized to the people next to me. They seemed unaffected and proceeded to take helpings of the soup for themselves. That was it, I had enough. We all laughed about it and went to McDonald's, a much safer bet.

The Great All-nighter Begins...
Alex and I decided a week earlier that we should save money by checking out a day early and pulling an all-nighter until our early morning flight... a very wise decision. The plan to survive consisted of a great night club, late night eateries, and a lot of friends who'd be willing to help pull it off. Everyone was happy to participate.

After McDonald's, Chris left to get dressed for the night while Alex, Matt and I relaxed talking about the trip and life abroad. Chris later returned with his room mate and a lot of hard alcohol to pre-game before the bars (a necessity because everything is very expensive). I went up to the McDonald's counter and got soda and cups to mix with. So at 9 pm in Leicester Square, five guys sat at McDonald's pre-gaming... two of them using McDonald's kids cups. When we finished, we headed over early to a club called Tiger Tiger to avoid a hefty cover. Everybody got in except for Alex, who was wearing "trainers" instead of dress shoes. No compromise could be made with the bouncer (Brits take shoes very seriously apparently) and we left the club after 20 minutes.

Luckily, Chris is friends with a bouncer at Sound who was willing to let us bypass the dress code, the line, and the hefty cover. We spent most of the night listening to previously popular American dance music and watching beautiful women dance while fifty men formed circles around each of them hoping to squeeze in. Matt and I noticed a woman outside of the dance floor who danced to everything and the best moves I have ever seen. We watched her almost all night while wondering just how much ecstasy she took before coming to the club. We had an amazing time and it got even better when Ana and friends came.

Cliff Noting My Travelpods For the Truly Lazy
I am sure it is now obvious to everyone paying attention that I truly love London. The city is both charming and whimsical (yeah I said it; I'm secure enough to use that word). Each tube stop brought me to places so different from each other but equally magical. The people are incredible, the surroundings sensational, and an atmosphere that felt free and innovative. Old castles and modern architecture are blended flawlessly in this city that looks towards the future while honoring the past.

For those of you who can't handle an entirely positive travel log and wonder what has happened to the Brian you know and love, I leave you with this: the weather sucked. It was always gray and rainy (sometimes a little snow) where no sunlight could reach the city. This explains why the people are so pale and, combined with awful teeth, ugly. I hope you can all sleep well now.

Pure Gratitude
Thank you all for taking the time to read these three long logs about my trip to London. It's important for me to share these experiences and I am happy to share them with you. A special thank you goes to Ana, Matt, and Chris who were amazing hosts in London and guided Alex and I throughout the city. Finally, an even more important thank you is owed to my Dad and Linda who are probably reading these logs from their desks or a Blackberry. They work very hard for me to find a little piece of myself in a city that is taking a large piece out of them. Thank you all!

I hope everything is going well for everyone. Have an amazing Spring Break next week and make sure to tell me all about it. I love and miss you all!

Brian
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109627820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109627820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109627820/tpod.html Tue, 01 Mar 2005 04:39:46 -0500 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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London, United Kingdom

Did I just oversleep?
My alarm went off at 9:30 in the morning and I jumped out of bed to shower and get ready for an amazing day of sightseeing in London. The room mates were already gone after an early morning of turning on and off the lights while yelling at each other. At around 10:30 I realized that Alex was still sleeping.
"Alex, you've got to wake up!" I shouted while poking him with an umbrella.
"Ugh, why this early?" he mumbled.
"Do you really want to oversleep and say you spent all of this money to come to London and sleep in a crappy bed?" I asked while slipping in Jewish guilt to speed up the process.

Alex understood the situation and jumped out of bed to get ready very quickly. The two of us made to the train station at 11 am, but something was terribly wrong. The clock at the station said 10 am. In fact, all of the clocks said 10 am. It turns out that London is an hour behind Florence. Alex gave me a look so traumatizing that I see it every time I close my eyes.

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Tower of London was used to torture and kill those opposed to crown and protect the crown jewels. I found the castle-like structure really cool to look at and take pictures with, but that was about it. What really got my attention was the Tower Bridge. I loved the way this bridge looked over the Thames and (along with Big Ben) the bridge is the main image I have of London. Alex and I wandered around the two absolutely amazed how beautiful the Tower Bridge is. I started playing Brit-Maven and told Alex about the how the tower was used for torture and the bridge was built to collect bodies left in the river... he decided we should just take pictures so I would shut up. We met up with Matt who gave us an amazing tour of London.

Big Ben: London's Very Own Phallic Symbol
Big Ben is the coolest thing I saw in London. The clock tower is absolutely amazing and all of us (Alex, Matt and Me) agreed that it the best place in London. It turns out that the clock is actually attached to London's Parliament building (who knew). We took a picture and moved on, I get enough of Parliament when I watch C-Span at 2 am. Down the street was Westminster Abbey and across the river Thames was the London Eye (a gigantic ferris wheel that overlooks the city). Both were absolutely amazing to look at and take pictures of. However, due to lousy weather and a lack of interest in being inside another church, we decided not to pay to enter either of the sites.

When Chicago Royalty Met British Royalty
We were all at Buckingham palace taking pictures through the gates. Suddenly the gates flew open and trumpets began playing as two guards came up announcing the arrival of Lord Price of Northbrook. The surrounding tourists cheered and reached out to touch me in hopes I would shake their hand. The queen then denounced the throne and I became the ruler of the United Kingdom... and then I found ten dollars next to the throne.

Although that story seems highly likely, I am sad to say it isn't. Buckingham Palace was absolutely beautiful and a sign of how draining ceremonious royalty is on a country and how cool it would be to be sitting at the top. Down with the crown (unless I'm wearing it)! I watched the guards outside the Palace march for the cameras protecting the queen from danger with their large hats and ceremonious guns. My two poodles provide me with more security.

Harrod's and Covent Market
Harrod's is an amazing department store with little departments and a nice shrine to Dodi and princess Diana. For more information please consult the Travel Channel's website. Covent Market was a very cool shopping area where Alex and I bought England track jackets (in different colors) dirt cheap! I tried an English Pasty, which is some kind of meat and vegetables wrapped in dough. It was very good and I really enjoyed being able to ask in English if there was no pork. The buildings and stores in Covent Garden were very unique. The narrow, cobble stone streets were lined with famous British designers and gorgeous Victorian architecture. I had a great time there and didn't tube home empty handed (for the first time, I promise).

Brick Lane: The World Capital of Bangladesh Restaurants
London has an area called "Brick Lane" that is packed with hundreds of restaurants specializing in Bangladesh and Indian cuisine. What's fascinating is that each restaurant is the "Best in London", has the "Nation's Best Chef", and was recently voted "World's Best Food." It turns out that Brick Lane is highly competitive and each restaurant employs a man to sit outside shouting about the amazing cuisine and literally negotiates deals to attract business. Hundreds of Indian men ran up to us shouting deals like "30% Off", "No Service Charges", and "First Round of Drinks Free!" Alex and I were both frightened and confused by the spectacle as Matt carefully negotiated with each man for the best deal. We settled on a restaurant called Monsoon because they were offering a free round of drinks, no service charge, and 25% off our menu... what a deal! The restaraunt boasted being "The Best on Brick Lane" which was something attainable and the place seemed busy. Our meal was good and it was worth the search.

We later met up with Chris in the Kensington/Chelsea area and walked around Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Alex and I were absolutely exhausted and thought it would be wise to turn in early so we can be prepared for our all-nighter tomorrow. We left Matt and Chris and took a bus back to our hostel where we turned in early (at around 2 am) and talked with our Japanese room mates who may have still been fighting from this morning.

And so it goes...

*I hope you all are enjoying these logs. It's hard to capture all the great things that happened this weekend and I hope you are getting a good idea of the time I spent in London. Part three will be my last... I promise!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109624100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109624100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1109624100/tpod.html Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:01:53 -0500 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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London, United Kingdom

This weekend I broke apart from my usual routine and met up with Alex in Torino to travel to London. While in London, we chilled with some close friends and met rather interesting people. Traveling with Alex produced some unbelievable stories and it wouldn't be fair to capture them all in one log. Therefore, I am breaking my London trip down into numerous parts and logs to make everyone's life easier... I'm cool like that.

London Baby!
I've always wanted to visit London since I was a child. I grew up watching Disney musicals that always took place in London, movies like Mary Poppins and Bed Knobs and Broomsticks. I either imagined having magical powers like Angela Lansbury or being a workaholic banker who never pays attention to his mischievous children. I realized early on that there was only one place where such dreams could be achieved... London Baby!

Alex and I hopped a late night flight into Stansted and took the "tube" to our hostel. After a delicious English feast at Burger King we met up with friends at Picadilly Circus to go drinking at Bar Rumba. I started falling in love with London once I was in the middle of Picadilly Circus. The area looks very similar to Time Square, but it is in London and therefore "European" instead of "tacky". So far, London was pretty much New York, but with a slight possibility that chimney sweepers may break into song and shout for me to "step in time!"

"Bar Rumba? Don't go there, it's awful!"
This was the friendly British advice given to all of us from a man we needed directions from. Usually this is a sign not go the bar, especially when his sidekick (standing a foot behind him) reiterates that message with "Yeah, it's awful!" The advice fell on deaf ears to the group while Alex sat awestruck of Picadilly Circus and I stared at the roof tops wondering if the chimney sweepers are in rehearsal choreographing their dance.

We ended up going to Bar Rumba (and paying a frightening cover) only to realize that we should've taken the strangers' advice. Alex describes Bar Rumba best as someone's basement. The bar was small, smoky, and blasting awful music for British teenagers. We sat at the bar wondering when the parents were going to come downstairs and threaten to call my mom if I don't leave immediately. We left disappointed and headed to an American bar where we all drank pints of beer and reminisced about high school and a time when none of us knew about beer and were all a little thinner.

Alex and I ended the night heading back to our hostel and meeting the two Japanese students who we shared a room with. They were on a three week self-guided tour of Europe where they plan on seeing major cities and making unbelievably loud noise while getting dressed at six in the morning.

And so it goes...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108989360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108989360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108989360/tpod.html Mon, 21 Feb 2005 07:54:48 -0500 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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Dachau, Germany

I do not find it appropriate to combine a visit to a concentration camp with a trip to Munich in one log. I apologize for all the updated e-mails you all are getting.

I chose to see Dachau in the winter because the snow and gray sky fit nicely with the image I have in my head. After years of studying the Holocaust, visiting the museums and memorial sites, and being close to my grandfather for the later years of his life it was necessary that I finally visit a camp.

Keep in mind, Dachau is not Aushwitz and millions of Jews didn't perish here in a systematic fashion. However, it was the first camp to open and the last to be liberated. Dachau was the model for all concentration and the harsh guards and commandants of Dachau personally trained their counterparts in the other camps. To put it simply, Dachau is where the camp system began.

Honestly, the camp is very hard to describe and it is much easier to just display images. I took over a hundred photos (some in color, some in black and white) but I am only posting a select few black and whites for everyone. I will have more photos posted eventually.

Thank you and I love and miss you all.

Brian
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108987020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108987020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bdprice/european_tour/1108987020/tpod.html Mon, 21 Feb 2005 07:34:24 -0500 A Semester in Europe: One man's voyage of travel, self discovery, and kivetching about the Euro.

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Munich, Germany

This weekend we (Amy, Dana, Erin, Marissa, Steve and I) went to Munich, Germany. A choice rather different from the Krups boycotting person I was in high school.

We took an overnight train on Thursday night and slept six in a second class sleeper car. The car was roughly the size of a tiny closet and we had three person bunks on either side. I took a melatonin tablet and didn't wake up until 20 minutes from Munich. Nobody else in my car was as fortunate. They couldn't sleep in the cramped car and were continuously bothered by all of the late night stops. Steve and I watched as the train stopped in front cattle cars on a snowy railroad track and wondered that maybe Germany isn't the best place to go.

Our hostel was incredible, the building was so clean and amazing. The sad thing is that this was my first hostel and all of the other hostels will probably now be disappointing. The shower in our room (Grohe hardware)was the best shower I have had since leaving the US.

We all took the subway to the Olympic grounds where we walked through where the 1972 Olympics were and visited the BMW museum. The museum was phenomenal and showed all of the models they made since the beginning. I got to see the first 5 series, 7 series, Z class, and M sport. We tried to get a factory tour, but the factory was off limits due to the production of the new 3 series. However, the museum and Olympic park was a great experience. After seeing Black September (about the Israeli athletes who were killed at the '72 games), it was very nice to see the grounds they walked on and the village they lived in. The museum was, of course, a great experience because I got to remember BMW before Chris Bangle started designing what I believe is shit.

We then walked to an art gallery and spent hours looking at Rembrandts. The gallery was very interesting but we were all so tired from the train ride. I was tempted to lay across the galleries ottomans and sleep.

The group split into people who need sleep and people who can go on just a few more hours. Amy, Dana and I crossed the street to the train station for lunch. This is very important to understand, the train station was the only quick and cheap place that I could find pretzels and bratwurst in Munich. All of Bavaria was eating Pizza Hut and Burger King, while I had to go to the train station for Bavarian fare. We got to see the beautiful Marienplatz (town hall plaza) which had amazing architecture and stores and a glockenspiel (annoying clock that moves). The area was filled with the United Colors of Beneton and various H&M's. Seriously, American Express should acquire the United Colors of Beneton solely based on combining their property in the four million locations they occupy. There are more Benetons than ATMs in Europe.

Everybody met up for dinner at Munich's famous Hofbrauhaus where the beer is fresh, the sauerkraut is delicious, the bratwurst is unappetizing, and everyone sings German songs played by the band. We didn't know any songs and I believe all of these people attended a rehearsal before dinner. Each table would sway their large beer mugs and chant and dance around. I loved my beer and had a fantastic time.

The next day we went to the concentration camp Dachau (a log of its own) and learned that BMW used slave labor, Marienplatz was a Nazi administration building, and Hitler had many meetings of the revolution at Hofbrauhaus. My old times idea of Munich and its delicious pretzels and beer was once again replaced by the harsh reality that the third reich started here and spread from Munich to all of Germany.

After Dachau we had lunch at a Burger King and dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. Enough said.
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