European Travels

France

Day 1 - Saturday 26 May 07
Arrive in Paris. Dad met mom and me off the bus and we walked to the hotel. We passed out for a brief 20 minutes then headed to the Louvre. We walked very tiredly around taking frequent rests at the benches. Headed back home for sleep. Dinner at a Chinese restaurant nearby. We had lunch outside at a typical French café: Café au Metro. Mom: ham and cheese on french bread. Dad: pasta with ham and cheese. Me: French onion soup. Hotel got wireless which I took advantage of. Passed out again.

Day 2 - Sunday 27 May 07
Woke up late. Transported luggage to boat and had an awesome lunch of tomato soup interesting sandwiches and chocolate mousse for dessert. Then arrived at Musée D'orsay after many attempts. Got through just about the whole museum. Back on board for dinner. Then cruising on the Seine river. So many bridges, andthe Eifel Tower, Notre Dame and so many others. It was quite romantic though I had nobody to share it with, but it was still nice. We saw a fair amount of tents set up under the many bridges. I wouldn't mind camping onthe Seine one of these days. Having my own room is nice. Stayed up to watch Moulin Rough and Little Miss Sunshine, but couldn't fall asleep.

Day 3 - Monday 28 May 07
Morning bus tour of Paris. Our guide was quite good and we saw practically all the famous sites in Paris. After lunch and a mini-siesta, mom and I headed out to Notre-Dame. Under 26 ans had a reduced price of 4,80€ instead of 7,50€. I climbed to the top of something like ~472 stairs, there was a good landing part way up just before the towers start. After taking one picture, my camera's memory card was full so I had to delete many pictures before continuing on. It was pretty rainy, so the dark clouds made it a bit hard to see very far. The Eifel tower was barely visible. I must say the view from the very top was quite worth it. After dinner a French piano man and lady played music in the lounge while old people danced. I wish I had someone to dance with. Ended the night with the Girl with the Pearl Earring.

Day 4 - Tuesday 29 May 07
Started off the morning with a trip to the fields and town where Van Gough spent the last 70 days of his life, Auvers sur Oise. It was really interesting to see his paintings and exactly whate he painted, be it cathedrals, fields, or châteaus right next to each other. Back on board to lunch where I had 3 bowls of potato cream soup... oy. The pesto was also good. Went to see the Palace of Versailles in the afternoon, what a splendor. Every last detail was so ornate it was pretty unbelievable. Though we didn't get to explore the gardens for too long, I could get a feel for how expansive they were. It is amazing the way they still keep every last flower and hedge looking wonderful

Day 5 - Wednesday 30 May 07
Right after a clumsy breakfast, we hiked up to the ruins of a castle/fort, Château Gaillard. It was fun climbing on the ruins and into the moat. Further up we reached a beautiful panoramic view. We then listened to talks about the Seine, the boat, and France. Then lunch time followed by more sailing. In the afternoon we headed to shore on Rouen a long walking tour in the capital of Normany. also the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. This town was the first place I passed by a lot of young people, and it was quite a cute town. The people here felt more real than anyplace else, or rather that I could fit in here more than previous stops. I was probably just not in the right places in Paris. Anyways back to the boat for dinner and some evening entertainment of blues, country, and Elvis among others. Marie Antoniette: movie of the day.

Day 6 - Thursday 31 May 07
A long bus ride out to the D-Day Landing beahes. A museum of Arromaches where they built an artifical harbor. Off to the market, cider for friends, lunch, then a dress for myself. More beaches then Utah cemetary at Omaha, after Point du Hoc. Long bus ride back then an uneventful evening.

Day 7 - Friday 1 June 07
Morning bus tour of Le Havre, followed by a walking tour of Honfleur. They let us go after that, so we ate lunch outside at a cute restaurant. Then mother and I walked and found a museum on Erik Satie. It was by far the most interesting non-science museum I've ever been to, thus far. Everything was moving and the atmosphere in the rooms was amazing. The headphones that detected where you were in the room be it on one side of the table or another or in front of a picture frame or in the doorway, just amazing. Open bar when we got back. I had 2 planter's punches and then a Mai Tai. I also threw a little dancing party for myself on the deck where I was startled by a crew member, though I wasn't being too weird at that point.

Day 8 - Saturday 2 June 07
After a later breakfast than usual, we made our way to Giverny where Monet painted all the water lillies. We spent a long time in the Japanese ponds, also saw house and flower gardens. We arrived back in Vernon and went to the market, where I bought 2 skirts, 1 shirt, and 3 belts for 38€. All of them are very originalish/strange. A nice leisurely afternoon of sailing followed lunch, and it was finally a sunny warm day. Cocktail, dinner then to the lounge with AJ who offered a drink which I tried hard to refuse. He's cool and I got a picture with the cute bartender. Well now I'm all packed up.

Day 9 - Sunday 3 June 07
It was a good-bye to the ship this morning as we later headed to the French Open. I survived 1 and a half matches before I had to go and throw up. I spent the next hour or so in the infirmary where one of the officials took me. When I woke up (after some drugs) I felt much better and had some ice cream and finished the day well. Ended with a late Japanese restaurant who didn't understand our French very well. At last! internet connection! Sent out a good number of emails. While at the French Open we went to the Tenniseum, lot of history and modern "tennis" art.

Day 10 - Monday 4 June 07
Late start as everyone went online. I got replies to just about all the emails I sent out the night before and oh I passed all of my classes. Headed to the George Pompidou Centre, which was a unique building architechturally also had a museum on top. I actually really enjoyed the museum. I do think I'm more into modern art than I thought I was than the old artists featured in the Louvre, etc. Basically I came to that conclusion as I walked through the museum and I was inspired continuously. Things to do, ideas to explore, places to gosketches to make. On a different floor there were all famous artist works such as Calder, Matisse, Picasso, etc. But I still liked the other floor better. There was also this section which was essentially porn, but in drawing from instead of photographs/videos and the like. A very French lunch of sandwich baguettes eaten on the floor in front of the centre. A short walk from there and we arrived in the Tuillerie Gardens. Beautiful water fountains, statues, a playground, and a row of trampolines, 2€ for 5 minutes. I bought my first souvenier on the way to the subway to make change: 3 keychain Eifel Towers for 1€. Before the gardens we made a stop at the really big underground mall. Mom said I should buy this dress from Naf Naf which I wasn't crazy about, but whatever. Anyways that's about it for our last day in Paris.