Yesterday was the longest travel day, or so it seemed. After being gone for one day short of six weeks, I suddenly find myself back in Melbourne. I couldn't sleep, despite it being close to 4am GMT when I arrived back home. My flights out of Philly were all screwed up, though I ended up taking a later flight than I was scheduled to...and one of my bags ended up on the new flight (don't ask me how) and the new flight ended up arriving 30 minutes before the flight I was originally scheduled to arrive on. And my second bag came on that flight...so no real gains either way. My friend Eric came to pick me up, but it took nearly 2 hours to get to the airport (what is normally a 45 minute drive.) He wasn't really late...I got my 2nd bag just as he arrived...but we both forgot about the traffic coming from the Cape after the shuttle launch. Anyway, I drove home in the dark, thinking about my trip and just chatting with Eric about anything and everything. Then I get home and its...well I cant sleep. So I unpack, put clothes ready for the laundry, sort some of the stuff I bought, and then go to sleep about 1:45 am.
I wake up at 6, and tell myself, back to bed, which is where I stayed until about 7:45. Luckily today is a slow day. I've been sorting mail and paying bills, going through an entire box of mail. I have a huge stack of magazines to go through, laundry to do, grocery shopping (which needs to be done sooner than later) and well an assortment of stuff that is small and large. Tomorrow is an all day business day at work, but I may pop in very briefly this morning to turn in grades and drop off a few things for the secretaries who have helped me out while I was gone.
Anyway, this may be it for this blog, but I will post a few more pictues when I can get settled a bit more and have some time to breathe. Probably over the weekend would make sense...
I hope you have enjoyed the blog. I plan on doing the same next year.
Matt
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Sorry for the lack updates...
...there really hasn't been much to say since last week. The last four days were spent with exams and prework around exams. I will post some pictures from the final dinner and from the dinner at my flat on Thursday when I can. I went out on Friday night with Ralph and Ingrid, and on Saturday, I went out to dinner with some of the students one last time. Sunday was spent checking on flats, arranging keys, and dealing with the last of the summer programme. It was also the move to London for the last few days. I didn't do much on Sunday night, except wander around and get to know this part of the city: Southwark. My hotel is not far from the Tate Modern and the new Globe Theatre (maybe 5 minute walk). Today was off to Hampton Court Palace, and then some last minute wandering around London. Tonight, I went back to where I used to live and ate in the local pub I used to frequent on Parson's Green. It is called the White Horse Pub, and well, it brought back fond memories. Tomorrow its off to the Imperial War Museum in the morning, then wandering to do some errands and some last minute shopping. Then its off to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a classic old pub which survives in part from the Fire of London in 1666. A little touristy, but good food and not far from the hotel. Then packing and off to Gatwick around 8:30 on Wednesday morning. My flight home is around 12:30, and I should be back in Orlando around 9pm. I am hoping to be in my bed in Melbourne around 11pm.
Anyway, this is probably the last post until I get back. I hope you have been enjoying these last few weeks. I will post more pics but I have hundreds more I can't post.
Matt
Anyway, this is probably the last post until I get back. I hope you have been enjoying these last few weeks. I will post more pics but I have hundreds more I can't post.
Matt
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Scotland Part 2
Saturday: The hostel bed, well it could have been thicker and more comfortable, but I have slept in worse places then before. Using the communal co-ed facilities was all unique, but not all the odd in the long run. A quick breakfast at a place called Deacon Brodie's Cafe (I would eat there again on Sunday morning) for scones and hot chocolate was a great way to start the morning. We met up with the Locurcio's and the students at Edinburgh Castle atop the Royal Mile. Preparations were already in place for the Edinburgh Tattoo, but it wouldn't start until after we left. One year I am going to have to time things to see the tattoo at least one evening. The castle has the most splendid sights of the city, and the history stretches back to roughly 1000AD. It was a great place to spend a few hours, visiting the Scottish Crown Jewels, two of the military museums within the walls, and finally the Scottish Great War Memorial. After that it was down the Royal Mile with the students, stopping and shopping, and pointing out the history. Lunch was a brief stop at a restaurant at the top of the mile, then back down the mile towards Holyrood Palace. By the time we got to the bottom, it was nearly 3:00. A bunch of the students went their own way, the Locurcio's went back to their B&B and I went into Holyrood Palace by myself. At 6, I went on a bus tour of the city with some people, one of those open top busses. It was fun and entertaining, and gave me a 24 hour free bus pass to use the next day. That evening it was off to dinner for Pizza and back to the same restaurant where we had lunch for desert.
Sunday: Started off brisk and cold. Back to Deacon Brodie's Cafe for a bacon sandwhich and some tea, then off to see more of the city. The bus tour took us around the city until we ended up at the Scottish National Galleries to see some art, both by Scottish artists and collected by Scotsman. I then saw a Native American musical group performing near the gallery and broke down and bought both their CDs because they were that good. If anyone wants some of the music for their Itunes library, let me know! Then it was back on the bus, and off to the Museum of Scotland to see a bunch of Scottish history for a few hours. Seven floors of stuff, though I never made it to the adjacent Royal Museum to see other exhibits. Then it was lunch at Greyfriar's Bobby pub and off to see the grave of the wee dog. Do a google search on Greyfriar's Bobby and you will see what I mean. Back on the bus, then dinner with the Locurcio's and all of the students around 9 at Deacon Brodie's Pub again. I should have gotten a tshirt!
Monday: I had moved into a hotel the night previously, not wanting to spend another night with my back and hip on the hostel bed. The Jury's Inn in Edinburgh was worth the expensive, and I would probably stay there again both because of the price, the location and the cleanliness of the hotel. Monday morning was off to the Bank Hotel restaurant for a wonderful Scottish breakfast and then met everyone at 11:45 for the exploration of Mary King's Close, a covered over, haunted and abandonned street from 17th century Edinburgh. It was a fun and intriguing hour long tour of a forgotten part of the city. Then it was shopping (and a brief visit to the Borders and Lothian police museum) and looking for a kilt. I went to a couple places, but I realized eventually that buying a kilt and all the accoutrements was going to be a $1200 dollar experience (A made to order kilt would take six weeks and cost 445 GBP alone!) I will think on whether I should treat myself at Xmas time or not. Anyway, it was time to head back to the hotel for a late check out and then meet up with everyone to head back to the airport. We probably left an hour earlier than we had to, but it was nice to relax and explore the airport, have some dinner, share some drinks and enjoy each other's company before flying back to London and returning to Oxford around 11pm.
Tomorrow night (Wednesday) is the last formal dinner in Oxford, and then spaghetti dinner on Thursday, finals on Friday, and grading on Saturday. I am going to spend the next few days doing things I haven't done yet. I had to run errands this morning and run by the supermarket for more Diet Coke and some laundry powder to do the last of my laundry on Thursday or Friday. Tonight was eating at the Eagle and Child Pub, the place where Tolkien and CS Lewis hung out and discussed their work. Great little pub with good food and I got to eat in one of the very special rooms that often fill up. It was a good evening, then back home to grade papers for my Civ Class. Finally, it was writing this blog to catch up.
I'll post up some of the pictures from Edinburgh.
Sunday: Started off brisk and cold. Back to Deacon Brodie's Cafe for a bacon sandwhich and some tea, then off to see more of the city. The bus tour took us around the city until we ended up at the Scottish National Galleries to see some art, both by Scottish artists and collected by Scotsman. I then saw a Native American musical group performing near the gallery and broke down and bought both their CDs because they were that good. If anyone wants some of the music for their Itunes library, let me know! Then it was back on the bus, and off to the Museum of Scotland to see a bunch of Scottish history for a few hours. Seven floors of stuff, though I never made it to the adjacent Royal Museum to see other exhibits. Then it was lunch at Greyfriar's Bobby pub and off to see the grave of the wee dog. Do a google search on Greyfriar's Bobby and you will see what I mean. Back on the bus, then dinner with the Locurcio's and all of the students around 9 at Deacon Brodie's Pub again. I should have gotten a tshirt!
Monday: I had moved into a hotel the night previously, not wanting to spend another night with my back and hip on the hostel bed. The Jury's Inn in Edinburgh was worth the expensive, and I would probably stay there again both because of the price, the location and the cleanliness of the hotel. Monday morning was off to the Bank Hotel restaurant for a wonderful Scottish breakfast and then met everyone at 11:45 for the exploration of Mary King's Close, a covered over, haunted and abandonned street from 17th century Edinburgh. It was a fun and intriguing hour long tour of a forgotten part of the city. Then it was shopping (and a brief visit to the Borders and Lothian police museum) and looking for a kilt. I went to a couple places, but I realized eventually that buying a kilt and all the accoutrements was going to be a $1200 dollar experience (A made to order kilt would take six weeks and cost 445 GBP alone!) I will think on whether I should treat myself at Xmas time or not. Anyway, it was time to head back to the hotel for a late check out and then meet up with everyone to head back to the airport. We probably left an hour earlier than we had to, but it was nice to relax and explore the airport, have some dinner, share some drinks and enjoy each other's company before flying back to London and returning to Oxford around 11pm.
Tomorrow night (Wednesday) is the last formal dinner in Oxford, and then spaghetti dinner on Thursday, finals on Friday, and grading on Saturday. I am going to spend the next few days doing things I haven't done yet. I had to run errands this morning and run by the supermarket for more Diet Coke and some laundry powder to do the last of my laundry on Thursday or Friday. Tonight was eating at the Eagle and Child Pub, the place where Tolkien and CS Lewis hung out and discussed their work. Great little pub with good food and I got to eat in one of the very special rooms that often fill up. It was a good evening, then back home to grade papers for my Civ Class. Finally, it was writing this blog to catch up.
I'll post up some of the pictures from Edinburgh.
Edinburgh: What a lovely city, pt 1
Ah, Edinburgh. I now know why I love this city so much. Four days was not enough to see or do even a small portion of what the city has on offer, but it was enough to whet my appetite again and remind me why I love the city so much. This will be an update, a kind of abbreviated one, because I think it will have to be broken into two parts to cover everything. I did learn a few lessons about being a group advisor, even with a small group, and one that takes into account that it is often better to be early than late. Though sometimes being too early can be just as never wracking.
Day 1: Friday
Well everyone was about at noon when they were supposed to be, though the buses were late and the Locurcio's were meeting us at the bus station. Everything was going swimmingly and excitement was high among the seven students who were traveling off on this small adventure. We were waiting for the bus when the first hiccup occured: some of the students got on (all but one it turned out), plus myself when the bus driver said there was no room for more luggage. We had to wait for another bus (which was running about 20 minutes at that point) and we knew we were going to miss the 12:30 bus to Heathrow. Well it turns out, that the student who did not get on, Nina, did not have the right ID (she left her passport in her room, so she ran from the centre of town back to the dorms, then back to the central bus station) and we didn't make the 1 oclock bus either by about 2 minutes. The other students had caught the 12:30 bus with Dr. Locurcio, and we caught the 1:30 bus. We arrived at Heathrow just before 3 and our plane was scheduled to leave around 4:15. It was cutting it close, but it still was within plenty of time to get to the gate and assembled. It was a good thing I had checked in early and online.
One of the students, Cody, who has been sick on and off the trip with an intenstinal infection, had to turn back and came back to Oxford and never made the trip. We were back to six, which was the number originally meant to go. The flight left on time, and arrived on time, and had one small miracle, something you never see on a US airline: a meal. The flight was less than an hour, but they managed to serve a salmon appetizer and drink in that time. I was impressed and the food was quite good.
Anyway, the trip to the hostel in Edinburgh was an interesting experience, and one that was relatively short, about 25 minute or so, even with rush hour. The bus dropped us off on top of the Mound, which still meant a steep walk up the hillside to our hostel. The hostel, Castle Rock Hostel, was actually right by the castle and a pretty nice place for a hostel. (I did stay in a hotel on Sunday night though, which is a whole other story). The students had two rooms, I had what we jokingly called the presidential suite (it had a sink and a tv) and a double bed (egg crate mattress on a wooden frame). It wasn't the largest room or the most spacious, but it was good enough for two nights. Then the group assembled and we went looking for dinner along the Royal Mile (or at least a portion of it) before ending up closer to the top at Deacon Brodie's pub and restaurant. It was good food, not too expensive (we ended up there on Sunday night as well with everyone) and had table service, which is rare in English pubs. After that, almost everyone went back to the hostel and called it a night since it was around 10 and an early day awaited.
Saturday and the rest, including pictures, will come later today or tonight...I have to go run some errands this morning before class.
Day 1: Friday
Well everyone was about at noon when they were supposed to be, though the buses were late and the Locurcio's were meeting us at the bus station. Everything was going swimmingly and excitement was high among the seven students who were traveling off on this small adventure. We were waiting for the bus when the first hiccup occured: some of the students got on (all but one it turned out), plus myself when the bus driver said there was no room for more luggage. We had to wait for another bus (which was running about 20 minutes at that point) and we knew we were going to miss the 12:30 bus to Heathrow. Well it turns out, that the student who did not get on, Nina, did not have the right ID (she left her passport in her room, so she ran from the centre of town back to the dorms, then back to the central bus station) and we didn't make the 1 oclock bus either by about 2 minutes. The other students had caught the 12:30 bus with Dr. Locurcio, and we caught the 1:30 bus. We arrived at Heathrow just before 3 and our plane was scheduled to leave around 4:15. It was cutting it close, but it still was within plenty of time to get to the gate and assembled. It was a good thing I had checked in early and online.
One of the students, Cody, who has been sick on and off the trip with an intenstinal infection, had to turn back and came back to Oxford and never made the trip. We were back to six, which was the number originally meant to go. The flight left on time, and arrived on time, and had one small miracle, something you never see on a US airline: a meal. The flight was less than an hour, but they managed to serve a salmon appetizer and drink in that time. I was impressed and the food was quite good.
Anyway, the trip to the hostel in Edinburgh was an interesting experience, and one that was relatively short, about 25 minute or so, even with rush hour. The bus dropped us off on top of the Mound, which still meant a steep walk up the hillside to our hostel. The hostel, Castle Rock Hostel, was actually right by the castle and a pretty nice place for a hostel. (I did stay in a hotel on Sunday night though, which is a whole other story). The students had two rooms, I had what we jokingly called the presidential suite (it had a sink and a tv) and a double bed (egg crate mattress on a wooden frame). It wasn't the largest room or the most spacious, but it was good enough for two nights. Then the group assembled and we went looking for dinner along the Royal Mile (or at least a portion of it) before ending up closer to the top at Deacon Brodie's pub and restaurant. It was good food, not too expensive (we ended up there on Sunday night as well with everyone) and had table service, which is rare in English pubs. After that, almost everyone went back to the hostel and called it a night since it was around 10 and an early day awaited.
Saturday and the rest, including pictures, will come later today or tonight...I have to go run some errands this morning before class.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Back from Edinburgh
I have returned home safe and sound from Scotland. It was the best weekend so far with the best small group of students and the Locurcio's. I will write more tomorrow, and post tons of pics, but I am exhausted at the moment and my cold continues to threaten me with severe bodily harm.
I so want to go back to Scotland tomorrow, but this is the last week of classes, with exams on Friday and then off to London until I fly home a week from Wednesday. I can't believe my time here in the UK is almost done.
Just wait until I recount this weekend's adventures...
I so want to go back to Scotland tomorrow, but this is the last week of classes, with exams on Friday and then off to London until I fly home a week from Wednesday. I can't believe my time here in the UK is almost done.
Just wait until I recount this weekend's adventures...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Off to Scotland, och aye!
Well today at noon GMT (like 3.5 hours or so) I am off to Scotland, particularly Edinburgh with a small group of students, just 6: 4 girls, 2 guys, as well as another professor and his wife. Three of the students had to drop out due to financial reasons (they have to eat the costs of the flight and the one night room they paid for) because the trip will cost an additional 55 GBP* or so before even getting to really see the city. Some of them have less than that to live on until their flights home next weekend. I am looking forward to the trip, and will probably make my first significant purchase of the trip and it is something for myself: a kilt and accoutrements. We shall see, unless the price is going to bankrupt me. I'll let you know when I return on Monday night or Tuesday morning because I won't have internet access for the weekend. When we return, there will be less than a week left for the students, many of them flying out on August 4th and 5th. I'll be here until the 8th (though I will be in London the last few days) and then flying home on the 8th and back in Orlando somewhere before 8 or so. Home by 10...and then to work on Friday (though I may sneak in on Thursday, briefly, we shall see how I am feeling.) Speaking of feeling, I am doing better, though my cold is not complete gone yet...mostly, but not completely.
Time to get a shower and get packing.
* 20 pounds for the roundtrip bus to Heathrow, 30 pounds for the remainder of their stay at the hostel, and 5 pounds for the roundtrip bus between Edinburgh and its airport. That doesn't take into account probably another 20-30 pounds spending money and the same amount on admission fees.
Time to get a shower and get packing.
* 20 pounds for the roundtrip bus to Heathrow, 30 pounds for the remainder of their stay at the hostel, and 5 pounds for the roundtrip bus between Edinburgh and its airport. That doesn't take into account probably another 20-30 pounds spending money and the same amount on admission fees.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday July 26th
Its been quiet the last few days, not much going on other than school, classes and work. I have been getting better after a visit to the pharmacy on Tuesday to get a decongestant and a cough suppressant. Took a while as I am allergic to paracetamol, the UK equivalent of Tylenol, as most of the medicines have the painkiller in it. Also, unlike in the states were the cold medicine is help yourself, in the UK it is all behind the counter so you have to ask a clerk for help. It has its plus and minuses, but the plus is that you get exactly what you need. The minus, of course, is waiting in a 20 minute line since the girls behind the counter are true pharmacy techs and help diagnosis what you need for your specific symptoms.
Anyway, next to last week of classes, and I can't believe how much time has passed already. I am off to Edinburgh tomorrow through Monday, though to be honest, I am not exactly hot on the idea of staying at a hostel, but it is cheap. We shall see how it goes, but there might be a B&B in the future. I don't know. I'll let you know. However, I won't have internet while I am there, so I won't be back on line until Monday evening. Then its the last week of classes, before heading off to London for a few days, then home to Florida.
I'll try to post a few more pics today as well....
Anyway, next to last week of classes, and I can't believe how much time has passed already. I am off to Edinburgh tomorrow through Monday, though to be honest, I am not exactly hot on the idea of staying at a hostel, but it is cheap. We shall see how it goes, but there might be a B&B in the future. I don't know. I'll let you know. However, I won't have internet while I am there, so I won't be back on line until Monday evening. Then its the last week of classes, before heading off to London for a few days, then home to Florida.
I'll try to post a few more pics today as well....
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Paris: Last Day
These are some pictures from the military museum. Regretfully, I was so sick at this point, I didn't take any pictures of Napoleon's tomb. I will have to get some from one of the shutter bug students.
Paris: Louvre
Some pictures from inside the Louvre. What we could take pictures of and what didn't come out too blurry.
Stratford Pics
These were some pictures taken in Shakespeare's home town before we went to see Macbeth that evening.
Pictures from Bath, Part 2
Well I owed you these pictures from Bath. Part 2 are the Roman Baths themselves.
Tuesday Morning Part 2
continued....
Saturday evening a group of students and I had a picnic. It was some of the people from the afternoon and a few others who had not been around. We went to the Monoprix supermarket just a few blocks from the hotel (think Super Target) and got some bread, some cheese, some ham, some apples, some white peaches, some cookies, some Madeleine's (oh I love them!) and some Creme Brulee ice cream cones. Okay, lots of food, 8 people, a bottle of wine, some coke and diet coke thrown in, and the total came out to about 4 Euros per person. I don't think we ate that cheaply at any point during the trip. It was more than enough food for everyone, and there was some fruit left over, actually there was soda, fruit and that was about it. The little park across the street was small, but it had park benches, and well, it was a picnic in Paris. After that, we quickly went back into the hotel to change, clean up from the picnic, and then went on a walk along the opposite bank of the Seine to head towards the Eiffel tower. Some of the students hadn't gone up it on Friday night, and they wanted to see it all lit up. We walked along some of the streets we hadn't seen before (and I wish I had brought my camera to take some pictures) and then stood on the bridge in front of the Eiffel tower, cheering the people on the baton mouchees (the river tour boats) and waiting for the Eiffel tower to do its light show at 10pm. After that, it was back to the hotel for a quiet evening (and as I found out, the evening when I knew I was getting sick!).
Sunday was an early morning: leave the hotel by 8:30 for a day out. Giverney, Claude Monet's house and garderns, and then off to the Louvre. At one point during the drive, the bus driver found that none of the bridges could take the buses weight: the recommended one was rated for 3.5 metric tons, while the bus weighed 17 metric tons. A bit more than the recommended weight! So we took a scenic tour to see the French countryside before finding a bridge that could take our weight and then doubling back through small towns which probably never (or hardly ever) saw tour buses. At least one or two of them would have been nice places to stop for 30 minutes or so, but the appointed group meeting time was waiting at Giverney.
The house and the gardens were nice, but I was starting to feel the cold at that point. I hate scratchy throats, and it was getting worse throughout the day. Still, wandering through the house and gardens was fun, and I do have some pictures I will post from there in a short while. After Giverney, it was off to Versailles. The trip there was less eventful, and we had some time before our tour went inside to explore the town. About 90 minutes or so. A small group of students came with me, and we wandered through the back streets looking for a pharmacy to be open but the one supposed to be opened on Sunday was closed. We eventually found the city was shutting its doors around 2pm, so we grabbed some lunch and found a park bench to sit on. My lunch was simple but good: hot, fresh, still steaming baguette and some icy cold diet coke to sooth the aching throat. There is one thing I have to give the French credit for, and that is their bread. Even the bread from the Monoprix supermarket was better than almost any bread I have had in the states, and this simple baguette from a corner bakery in Versailles, hot, cracking the crust to let the steam out, well that was better yet. A few other students joined me in that same sort of simple repast (and I now know what every customer but us in the store bought 2 of the baguettes when they were leaving!). Some of the students wanted something a bit more substantial, so they went to a nearby McDonald's. Okay, even I have to admit I was tempted at one point for the sheer convienece of the McDonalds when everything else seemed to be closing, but that was something I have yet to do on this trip.
Then it was a short wandering through the town, before heading to Versailles and our group tour. Through an odd coincedence, the tour guide at Versailles was the same one at the Louvre! It turns out that she had been doing a friend at the Louvre a favor, covering for her at the last moment, and got our group. Her normal job at Versailles ended up with us again. She was nice enough and took us around and into spots were regular tourists not on groups never get to go. The royal chapel, for example, is roped off and the tourists get to walk down the outside rows-- we mortals got to stand right in the center of the chapel, under the dome. However, when the organized tour was done, it was time to see the rest of Versailles. Bad mistake: 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was a disorganized mad house. A couple more of the girls had mass panic attacks (even I could feel the claustrophobia). The guards wouldn't let us out through any short cuts, the nervousness was growing, the stupidity of tourists in a rugby scrum who enter into a massive room, and instead of moving off to one side just stop right there in the doorway...it was all too much for everyone. What normally should have been a 5-10 minute brisk walk through the rest of the palace, was a 20-25 minute brutal push and shove affair. I have to admit, I used elbows, pushes, gentle shoves, etc to get the people out of the way from "my students" who needed to get out. Even outside it wasn't much better, and I have to admit even I messed up at that point. One of the girls wanted to go to the giftstore, and I thought she was alright, but it turns out I was wrong. The other students were in a sorry state, so I took them out of the palace and back to the bus, but I thought Dana would be alright. By the time I got everyone out, Dana had come back to the bus and was in tears. She had been one of the people who had paniced as well, but had kept her expression neutral. When she came out of the gift shop and no one was there...well she broke down. I have to admit, I have been in huge crowds before, but this was just one of those near animalistc herd ones, and not a place to be. I talked with her, one of the other girls talked to her, I made myself into a silly ass and got her to laugh, and well, she eventually calmed down. What caught me by surprise is that she is one of the stronger people I have encountered on this trip, and to see her red eyed and teary, well, it wasn't what I expected.
I promised to by some of them ice cream here in Oxford, especially Dana for leaving her behind. I think I am going to live up to that promise tonight with a trip to G&D after dinner time.
After the Versailles experience, it was time to head back to Paris. A whole bunch of students wanted to go out for the evening, and they got dressed up a bit. They wanted to go to the French Quarter and eat dinner and party. They dragged me along, and I was happy to go. However, I didn't know anything other than how to get there, but we wandered through the crowded streets and eventually found a small French restaurant. Inside, there was a piano player singing and playing American music, and the 12 of us sat down and ordered food. It was about 8:30 by this time, and we didn't leave the restaurant until 11:30, just in time to catch one of the last metro's of the evening. The piano player was a French African who had lived in Hoboken of all places, and with the girls singing along (it was about 8 girls, 4 guys including myself) it was a fun evening for all. He even got a few of them to get up and sing along with him before we left. Remarkably, other than a glass of wine apiece at dinner, it was an alcohol free night, and after the nightmare of Versailles for some of them, they all agreed while waiting on the metro platform, that was the best evening of the night and the entire stay in Paris. It was a great way to end the night...
But when I got back to the hotel, my fever was in full rage (and breaking) and I couldn't sleep. The hotel room was too war, too small, too crowded, too dark or then too light. I eventually fell asleep around 3 am, woke up at 5, then back to sleep until 8, but it was not the best night I ever had. Off to breakfast, packing, and loading the bus before having a free day in Paris. At that point all I wanted to do was go back to Oxford, but we had hours to kill. Outside it was pouring! Gray, overcast and sky opening up. I decided to go off to the military museum at the Hotel des Invalides and to see Napoleon's tomb as well. A few of the students tagged along: a couple guys, one guy and his visiting girlfriend, and remarkably the two most unlikely girls ever, Camille and Lisa. They tend to be the fashion plates on the trip (and they have been nicknamed the Barbies by some of the other students) but they both turned out to be more than interested participants in the experience. I have to say I was impressed by their attention, their own knowledge of history and it put both of them in a different light. However, even by the end of the morning and early afternoon, the cold, wet day was giving way to hunger for them, and they went off to a cafe and I went to wander on my own, the first time I was alone in Paris the entire trip. I hadn't even realized it until then...
I went off to a store near the Sorbonne to look at state of the art French roleplaying games, and while I was impressed, I was sick, and really feeling it at that point, so I didn't really spend as much time with the games as I should have. I actually left the store without buying anything. Got back on the metro and back to the hotel and sat in the lobby talking to two of the students for a while. Then off to the supermarket again to get some supplies, and then the long 7 hour bus ride home. Traffic in Paris, a late student, and well when we got to Calais, we had exactly 10 minutes to use the bathrooms before the train left. The late student, one who was always the last to board (and someone I advised to get back to the bus 30 minutes earlier than she did) was the source of grumbling from some of the students who wanted to burn their last Euros.
Still we watched movies on the bus: Braveheart and Gladiator, and it was an uneventful but wet journey home. So now, this week its back to the rigamarole. Its off to class in an hour or so, then off to town to go to the pharmacy and find a decongestant, to the bank to get rid of 120 or so Euros into pounds (I won't need them for the rest of this trip), a brief jaunt to the supermarket for milk and toilet paper, and then back to class. Tonight is cooking dinner in my hopefully now working oven, and then the ice cream run, before a quiet night back here in Oxford.
Time to post some pictures. Remember, these are just a small selection of pictures from each day, since blogger will only allow 5 pics at a time.
Enjoy!
Saturday evening a group of students and I had a picnic. It was some of the people from the afternoon and a few others who had not been around. We went to the Monoprix supermarket just a few blocks from the hotel (think Super Target) and got some bread, some cheese, some ham, some apples, some white peaches, some cookies, some Madeleine's (oh I love them!) and some Creme Brulee ice cream cones. Okay, lots of food, 8 people, a bottle of wine, some coke and diet coke thrown in, and the total came out to about 4 Euros per person. I don't think we ate that cheaply at any point during the trip. It was more than enough food for everyone, and there was some fruit left over, actually there was soda, fruit and that was about it. The little park across the street was small, but it had park benches, and well, it was a picnic in Paris. After that, we quickly went back into the hotel to change, clean up from the picnic, and then went on a walk along the opposite bank of the Seine to head towards the Eiffel tower. Some of the students hadn't gone up it on Friday night, and they wanted to see it all lit up. We walked along some of the streets we hadn't seen before (and I wish I had brought my camera to take some pictures) and then stood on the bridge in front of the Eiffel tower, cheering the people on the baton mouchees (the river tour boats) and waiting for the Eiffel tower to do its light show at 10pm. After that, it was back to the hotel for a quiet evening (and as I found out, the evening when I knew I was getting sick!).
Sunday was an early morning: leave the hotel by 8:30 for a day out. Giverney, Claude Monet's house and garderns, and then off to the Louvre. At one point during the drive, the bus driver found that none of the bridges could take the buses weight: the recommended one was rated for 3.5 metric tons, while the bus weighed 17 metric tons. A bit more than the recommended weight! So we took a scenic tour to see the French countryside before finding a bridge that could take our weight and then doubling back through small towns which probably never (or hardly ever) saw tour buses. At least one or two of them would have been nice places to stop for 30 minutes or so, but the appointed group meeting time was waiting at Giverney.
The house and the gardens were nice, but I was starting to feel the cold at that point. I hate scratchy throats, and it was getting worse throughout the day. Still, wandering through the house and gardens was fun, and I do have some pictures I will post from there in a short while. After Giverney, it was off to Versailles. The trip there was less eventful, and we had some time before our tour went inside to explore the town. About 90 minutes or so. A small group of students came with me, and we wandered through the back streets looking for a pharmacy to be open but the one supposed to be opened on Sunday was closed. We eventually found the city was shutting its doors around 2pm, so we grabbed some lunch and found a park bench to sit on. My lunch was simple but good: hot, fresh, still steaming baguette and some icy cold diet coke to sooth the aching throat. There is one thing I have to give the French credit for, and that is their bread. Even the bread from the Monoprix supermarket was better than almost any bread I have had in the states, and this simple baguette from a corner bakery in Versailles, hot, cracking the crust to let the steam out, well that was better yet. A few other students joined me in that same sort of simple repast (and I now know what every customer but us in the store bought 2 of the baguettes when they were leaving!). Some of the students wanted something a bit more substantial, so they went to a nearby McDonald's. Okay, even I have to admit I was tempted at one point for the sheer convienece of the McDonalds when everything else seemed to be closing, but that was something I have yet to do on this trip.
Then it was a short wandering through the town, before heading to Versailles and our group tour. Through an odd coincedence, the tour guide at Versailles was the same one at the Louvre! It turns out that she had been doing a friend at the Louvre a favor, covering for her at the last moment, and got our group. Her normal job at Versailles ended up with us again. She was nice enough and took us around and into spots were regular tourists not on groups never get to go. The royal chapel, for example, is roped off and the tourists get to walk down the outside rows-- we mortals got to stand right in the center of the chapel, under the dome. However, when the organized tour was done, it was time to see the rest of Versailles. Bad mistake: 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was a disorganized mad house. A couple more of the girls had mass panic attacks (even I could feel the claustrophobia). The guards wouldn't let us out through any short cuts, the nervousness was growing, the stupidity of tourists in a rugby scrum who enter into a massive room, and instead of moving off to one side just stop right there in the doorway...it was all too much for everyone. What normally should have been a 5-10 minute brisk walk through the rest of the palace, was a 20-25 minute brutal push and shove affair. I have to admit, I used elbows, pushes, gentle shoves, etc to get the people out of the way from "my students" who needed to get out. Even outside it wasn't much better, and I have to admit even I messed up at that point. One of the girls wanted to go to the giftstore, and I thought she was alright, but it turns out I was wrong. The other students were in a sorry state, so I took them out of the palace and back to the bus, but I thought Dana would be alright. By the time I got everyone out, Dana had come back to the bus and was in tears. She had been one of the people who had paniced as well, but had kept her expression neutral. When she came out of the gift shop and no one was there...well she broke down. I have to admit, I have been in huge crowds before, but this was just one of those near animalistc herd ones, and not a place to be. I talked with her, one of the other girls talked to her, I made myself into a silly ass and got her to laugh, and well, she eventually calmed down. What caught me by surprise is that she is one of the stronger people I have encountered on this trip, and to see her red eyed and teary, well, it wasn't what I expected.
I promised to by some of them ice cream here in Oxford, especially Dana for leaving her behind. I think I am going to live up to that promise tonight with a trip to G&D after dinner time.
After the Versailles experience, it was time to head back to Paris. A whole bunch of students wanted to go out for the evening, and they got dressed up a bit. They wanted to go to the French Quarter and eat dinner and party. They dragged me along, and I was happy to go. However, I didn't know anything other than how to get there, but we wandered through the crowded streets and eventually found a small French restaurant. Inside, there was a piano player singing and playing American music, and the 12 of us sat down and ordered food. It was about 8:30 by this time, and we didn't leave the restaurant until 11:30, just in time to catch one of the last metro's of the evening. The piano player was a French African who had lived in Hoboken of all places, and with the girls singing along (it was about 8 girls, 4 guys including myself) it was a fun evening for all. He even got a few of them to get up and sing along with him before we left. Remarkably, other than a glass of wine apiece at dinner, it was an alcohol free night, and after the nightmare of Versailles for some of them, they all agreed while waiting on the metro platform, that was the best evening of the night and the entire stay in Paris. It was a great way to end the night...
But when I got back to the hotel, my fever was in full rage (and breaking) and I couldn't sleep. The hotel room was too war, too small, too crowded, too dark or then too light. I eventually fell asleep around 3 am, woke up at 5, then back to sleep until 8, but it was not the best night I ever had. Off to breakfast, packing, and loading the bus before having a free day in Paris. At that point all I wanted to do was go back to Oxford, but we had hours to kill. Outside it was pouring! Gray, overcast and sky opening up. I decided to go off to the military museum at the Hotel des Invalides and to see Napoleon's tomb as well. A few of the students tagged along: a couple guys, one guy and his visiting girlfriend, and remarkably the two most unlikely girls ever, Camille and Lisa. They tend to be the fashion plates on the trip (and they have been nicknamed the Barbies by some of the other students) but they both turned out to be more than interested participants in the experience. I have to say I was impressed by their attention, their own knowledge of history and it put both of them in a different light. However, even by the end of the morning and early afternoon, the cold, wet day was giving way to hunger for them, and they went off to a cafe and I went to wander on my own, the first time I was alone in Paris the entire trip. I hadn't even realized it until then...
I went off to a store near the Sorbonne to look at state of the art French roleplaying games, and while I was impressed, I was sick, and really feeling it at that point, so I didn't really spend as much time with the games as I should have. I actually left the store without buying anything. Got back on the metro and back to the hotel and sat in the lobby talking to two of the students for a while. Then off to the supermarket again to get some supplies, and then the long 7 hour bus ride home. Traffic in Paris, a late student, and well when we got to Calais, we had exactly 10 minutes to use the bathrooms before the train left. The late student, one who was always the last to board (and someone I advised to get back to the bus 30 minutes earlier than she did) was the source of grumbling from some of the students who wanted to burn their last Euros.
Still we watched movies on the bus: Braveheart and Gladiator, and it was an uneventful but wet journey home. So now, this week its back to the rigamarole. Its off to class in an hour or so, then off to town to go to the pharmacy and find a decongestant, to the bank to get rid of 120 or so Euros into pounds (I won't need them for the rest of this trip), a brief jaunt to the supermarket for milk and toilet paper, and then back to class. Tonight is cooking dinner in my hopefully now working oven, and then the ice cream run, before a quiet night back here in Oxford.
Time to post some pictures. Remember, these are just a small selection of pictures from each day, since blogger will only allow 5 pics at a time.
Enjoy!
Tuesday Morning 7/24
Well, all I can say this morning about how I feel is that I slept last night. I slept pretty well, from about 12:30 until 6, then from 6 until 8am. I feel miserable, but my throat doesn't ache like it did yesterday and there was no return bout of the sweats. Now, its just that general cold malaise: aching body, runny nose, cough. I am sure it has turned the corner, but how much longer this will last for is not quite known. Most of the students said a couple days, and I hope I am right as rain when we head off to Edinburgh on Friday. This is a short week for me: today, tomorrow and thursday, then off Friday from Edinburgh around noon. The flight isn't until 4:15, but we need to go through the hour long trip to Heathrow, then checkin and the endless security loop. Hopefully it won't take that long and we will have plenty of time if we get there by 1:30.
So, the sun is out and it seems to be drying out in Oxford today, or day in which is should be drying out. Temps once again approaching 70, and lows in the mid 50s. If it were like this year round, I would be a happy camper. However, the muggy Florida weather is awaiting me in a little more than two weeks. I can't believe how time has flown. Still, I have more than two weeks left in England, and lots to see and do. Last night, while checking email, I learned that the event I was supposed to be playing in at the August 4th convention was cancelled due to the time commitments of the actress who was supposed to be attending. Gah, I had been hoping to have some fun on that day, but now I think I am going to spend the day here in Oxford sightseeing and packing up stuff before heading off to London on Sunday morning, August 5th, before flying home on the 8th or 9th (I forget which). Now I regret not booking the extended vacation to Finland for that second weekend in August. Maybe next year...
Paris--I love France, but I dislike Parisiens. I was going to say I hate them, but that is too strong a word. Perhaps its the simple fact that even if you do speak French, if its not up to their standards, they immediately switch to their broken English rather than letting you get by or practise in their French. Or, they give you a condescending attitude and repeat what you said in "perfect" French...its not a question, because they are getting what you want, or what you ordered, etc., but they want to correct your French. Or perhaps its because everytime I go to Paris I get sick: usually some sort of cold or virus. This time was almost as much of a doozy as the last real bout of sickness, and my ears are still recovering from being congested and traveling through the Chunnel's pressurized transit system. At one point, my ear would not pop and it hurt like hell. Eventually it did, and the pain was even worse at least in the short term. I need to make sure I am less congested before flying on Friday or its going to be an unpleasant experience.
So what did we do after the last post? Well, lets see: Saturday morning was spent traveling to the Louvre, where we had a tour of the highlights of the museum. The tour guide was a nice enough woman, but the crowds at this time of the year were horrendous. We saw all the major things you are supposed to see at the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa. There, one of the female students had a panic attack from the huge crowds and I went with her off to one side of the room trying to calm her down and help her relax. She did manage to do so, for a while, and the 15 or so minutes we spent just chatting and distracting her from the anxiety was well spent, until the tour moved onto another room, where it was packed as hell. She had a flare up again, and two of the students decided they would go with her and off to see Paris. From what I understand, they did the tourist afternoon with Notre Dame and a few other churches on their agenda and all felt much better.
After the formal tour was over, I and a small group of students went back into the Louvre and we went to see Napoleon III's formal suite of rooms, Napoleon I's throne, and some 19th century exhibits, along with some medieval statuary. We also wandered around a bit of the museum and I was acting as tour guide for the 10 or so students who tagged along. It was a fun afternoon, which ended up in the massive food court of the Louvre shopping complex for lunch. I had a gallette Montagnard, basically a plain crepe with ham, potatoes and creme fraiche. It was quite good, and something uniquely French, even if the cooking to order took longer than I thought it would. The other students ate an assortment of food, before we headed off to Museum d'Orsay, the great Impressionist museum of the left bank. This is when tragedy struck for one of the students. As were wandering down the banks of the Seine, Brendan realized he did not have his wallet anymore. It was gone! It had been in his front pocket, and Brendan is one of the more absent minded students. Had he left it behind? He knew he had it in the food court of the Louvre, but after that, he did not know where it was. Since there were 10 or so students still with us, one of them, Jesse, volunteered to go back with him to search for it, while I took the others to the Museum d'Orsay. We ran into Heather and her son Ben headed to the museum, and I told her what happened. When we reached the museum, Heather took the students into the museum and I waited for Brendan and Jesse to return. About 30 minutes later, and sitting under a statue of a rearing horse to stay in the shade, they returned.
No Luck! I took Brendan back to the hotel, while Jesse ran into the museum to join up with the others. Brendan and I walked for about 5km back to the hotel (we hadn't thought of trying to figure out the Metro, using the time to talk and get things settled down as we walked back to the hotel.) Once back at the hotel, Brendan called his parents, I got the numbers for the banks which two of his credit card companies were from off the internet, and I loaned him about 40 Euros to try and tie him over until Monday. (I have since also loaned him 30 pounds until he gets his debit card sent to him by Bank of American fedex, which should arrive today or tomorrow at the latest!). He is a nice enough kid, and I didn't mind that my afternoon got spent as chaperone/substitute parent/fix the situation adult rather than seeing the d'Orsay. I still haven't ever been in: some day it is a reason to try Paris for a 4th time! Hopefully there won't be a 4th cold.
to be continued...
So, the sun is out and it seems to be drying out in Oxford today, or day in which is should be drying out. Temps once again approaching 70, and lows in the mid 50s. If it were like this year round, I would be a happy camper. However, the muggy Florida weather is awaiting me in a little more than two weeks. I can't believe how time has flown. Still, I have more than two weeks left in England, and lots to see and do. Last night, while checking email, I learned that the event I was supposed to be playing in at the August 4th convention was cancelled due to the time commitments of the actress who was supposed to be attending. Gah, I had been hoping to have some fun on that day, but now I think I am going to spend the day here in Oxford sightseeing and packing up stuff before heading off to London on Sunday morning, August 5th, before flying home on the 8th or 9th (I forget which). Now I regret not booking the extended vacation to Finland for that second weekend in August. Maybe next year...
Paris--I love France, but I dislike Parisiens. I was going to say I hate them, but that is too strong a word. Perhaps its the simple fact that even if you do speak French, if its not up to their standards, they immediately switch to their broken English rather than letting you get by or practise in their French. Or, they give you a condescending attitude and repeat what you said in "perfect" French...its not a question, because they are getting what you want, or what you ordered, etc., but they want to correct your French. Or perhaps its because everytime I go to Paris I get sick: usually some sort of cold or virus. This time was almost as much of a doozy as the last real bout of sickness, and my ears are still recovering from being congested and traveling through the Chunnel's pressurized transit system. At one point, my ear would not pop and it hurt like hell. Eventually it did, and the pain was even worse at least in the short term. I need to make sure I am less congested before flying on Friday or its going to be an unpleasant experience.
So what did we do after the last post? Well, lets see: Saturday morning was spent traveling to the Louvre, where we had a tour of the highlights of the museum. The tour guide was a nice enough woman, but the crowds at this time of the year were horrendous. We saw all the major things you are supposed to see at the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa. There, one of the female students had a panic attack from the huge crowds and I went with her off to one side of the room trying to calm her down and help her relax. She did manage to do so, for a while, and the 15 or so minutes we spent just chatting and distracting her from the anxiety was well spent, until the tour moved onto another room, where it was packed as hell. She had a flare up again, and two of the students decided they would go with her and off to see Paris. From what I understand, they did the tourist afternoon with Notre Dame and a few other churches on their agenda and all felt much better.
After the formal tour was over, I and a small group of students went back into the Louvre and we went to see Napoleon III's formal suite of rooms, Napoleon I's throne, and some 19th century exhibits, along with some medieval statuary. We also wandered around a bit of the museum and I was acting as tour guide for the 10 or so students who tagged along. It was a fun afternoon, which ended up in the massive food court of the Louvre shopping complex for lunch. I had a gallette Montagnard, basically a plain crepe with ham, potatoes and creme fraiche. It was quite good, and something uniquely French, even if the cooking to order took longer than I thought it would. The other students ate an assortment of food, before we headed off to Museum d'Orsay, the great Impressionist museum of the left bank. This is when tragedy struck for one of the students. As were wandering down the banks of the Seine, Brendan realized he did not have his wallet anymore. It was gone! It had been in his front pocket, and Brendan is one of the more absent minded students. Had he left it behind? He knew he had it in the food court of the Louvre, but after that, he did not know where it was. Since there were 10 or so students still with us, one of them, Jesse, volunteered to go back with him to search for it, while I took the others to the Museum d'Orsay. We ran into Heather and her son Ben headed to the museum, and I told her what happened. When we reached the museum, Heather took the students into the museum and I waited for Brendan and Jesse to return. About 30 minutes later, and sitting under a statue of a rearing horse to stay in the shade, they returned.
No Luck! I took Brendan back to the hotel, while Jesse ran into the museum to join up with the others. Brendan and I walked for about 5km back to the hotel (we hadn't thought of trying to figure out the Metro, using the time to talk and get things settled down as we walked back to the hotel.) Once back at the hotel, Brendan called his parents, I got the numbers for the banks which two of his credit card companies were from off the internet, and I loaned him about 40 Euros to try and tie him over until Monday. (I have since also loaned him 30 pounds until he gets his debit card sent to him by Bank of American fedex, which should arrive today or tomorrow at the latest!). He is a nice enough kid, and I didn't mind that my afternoon got spent as chaperone/substitute parent/fix the situation adult rather than seeing the d'Orsay. I still haven't ever been in: some day it is a reason to try Paris for a 4th time! Hopefully there won't be a 4th cold.
to be continued...
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