Wednesday. Leaving Amsterdam
Gonna miss you, A-Dam. Nothing like 10 hours of solid sleep to get the mind and body ready for another country. Cleared out of my room at the Tulip Inn after a hot shower, and grabbed a banana at one of the countless produce counters scattered throughout the city. London was big on this as well... that's something we really need back home.
Walked the 10 minutes down Voorburgwal to Centraal Train Station, and walked right to the platform, where I waited for my train to Munich. Ahh, Amsterdam. Reminds me a bit of Las Vegas, where you just try to make it out alive. But unlike Vegas, it's unbelievably beautiful, with the architecture, the canals, and the brick-lined streets. It's pretty easy to communicate, as most of the locals speak English, but it wouldn't hurt to learn a few Dutch words, just in case.
The train to Munich is underway! This is definitely the way to travel.. my high speed train to Germany. We're speeding up as we leave the city center behind. It's incredibly smooth. I'm in the 1st class car, which is very comfortable and about half full. The 1st class option wasn't really an option with my Eurail train pass, which I bought back in the states. First class was required because of my age (over 26, I think). It was rather expensive at the time, but now is when I'm thankful for it. And this is how I'll travel throughout the rest of Europe... not bad!
Just crossed into Germany... the train is waiting at the station in Koln. Just beyond the station, I can see a towering, multi-tiered cathedral. Koln looks pretty big, on the banks of a major river. "Monty Python's Spamalot" is playing at the art-deco Ford theater nearby. And we're underway, once again. The train is pretty smart... plenty of electronic signs with info in English. We're really hauling... 300 kph, which is just over 186 miles per hour. The middle of the train contains the bistro, where I stopped for a decent tuna salad. And beyond that I just relax, watching the rolling hills of Germany pass by. Beautiful. It doesn't look real... with the little villages scattered amongst the green... with the leaves that are changing. It reminds me of what I'd see riding the rails through my Dad's train set, back when I was growing up.
And here I am, in Munich! I hopped off the train, and found my hostel immediately. A bit chilly outside, and a misting rain. Reserved a bed at the "Wombat", a few blocks from the train station and on the edge of downtown. Very glad I did. This place is amazing... very clean, friendly staff, free internet, laundry, bar, and a beautiful atrium in the middle of the complex, where you can kick back and relax. Too many amenities to list. It makes Bob's in Amsterdam look not so nice, by comparison.
Walked up to my room on the 4th floor, with 6 beds and everybody was home. I met the crew, which is the way to go, right off the bat. That way you aren't wondering who you're living with. Laura from Manchester, Emily and Matt from the states, and Rachel from Australia. VERY cool people... we hit it off, and chatted for an hour before heading downstairs to the bar for a beer. Laura's friend Dan, from Ontario, joined us and we headed outside into the cold rain for a traditional Bavarian dinner. Slept quite well that night in my bunk. It's so nice to have cool, laid-back roomies.
Thursday. Munich.
Day 14 of my travels and I'm feeling good, although it's turned COLD outside. The temps are in the 40's. No rain all day, but when that wind kicks up, yikes. I hit up the hostel with my roommates for a pretty lame breakfast and terrible coffee. I'll let it slide, since the place is all in all VERY nice. Better than many hotels, even. I signed on for a 3rd night here at Wombat's, as we're close to everything, the people are great, and you can't beat the price (21 euros).
Another great thing about Wombat, is they offer free walking tours every morning, and I lined up with two of my roomies, Americans Matt and Emily. Our guide, Ozzie, (complete with lederhosen) took us out into the city for over 3 hours, spending much of our time in the old town, or Aldtstat. So much history. We walked through the famous square, Marianplatz, noticing that most of the buidings were only 60 years old. Most of Munich was destroyed in WWII, and only a few pieces remained: the two clock towers and the glockenspiel avoided bombardment because, due to their heights, the American bombers used them for navigation.
We stopped in a couple churches, one in which we hovered around the "Devil's Footprint". (He supposedly helped finish the structrure when the town ran out of money). The Glockenspiel was quite impressive, and we received some more of our history lesson in the plaza, or Marianplatz, while waiting for the clock to chime. After that, we stopped for bratwurst at a huge outdoor beer garden, and stopped for a heffeweisen (Munich's breakfast beer) in a beer hall. If you couldn't tell, beer is HUGE here, what with Oktoberfest and Haufbrauhaus, which we passed by on our tour. It's the world's most famous beer hall, but it's extremely touristy. It's also where Hitler started to bring toether the Nazi Party.
Munich was Hitler's capital, and our guide was a 3rd Reich expert. Fascinating stuff, as we made our way through the same streets the Nazis did in 1923 after the Beer Hall Push (sp?). We finished our tour at the "3rd Blockade", where Munich stopped Hilter's coux, and instead of executing him for treason, slapped him on the wrist with 8 months in prison so he could write "Mein Kampf". And this, Bavaria's shame, is glossed over even today... and that's why people think of Munich mainly for beer, and Berlin for WWII history.
Beyond the blockade was a huge Catholic church, where strings were playing, and we followed an alley of golden bricks, where Bavarians who were ashamed of Hitler's rise to power would walk, skipping the blockade. They did this even after Hitler placed plainclothes policemen there, watching for people who rebelled. He set up Dachau, the 1st Nazi concentration camp, in the suburbs of Munich to imprison German citizens like these, and eventually Jews and others would fill Dachau. My hostel offers guided tours of Dachau, which I'll be signing up for tomorrow.
But enough of the heavy stuff for today. I'm trying to warm up in a coffee shop, and about to head back to the old town to look for a good hotel for my last night in Munich.
Friday. Munich.
It's amazing how two hostels can be so completely different. This is my last night at Wombat's, and it's night and day compared to Bob's in Amsterdam. I can't remember the last time I've met cooler people... I've just felt so welcome from the 1st night I arrived. The Americans in my room, Matt and Emily, left today, and were replaced by two women, Mickey and Yvonne. So now I'm the lone male in our room of 6. I really like Rachel and Pauline, both Australian, and as cool as cool gets. But when it came to hanging out, I had an absolute blast with Matt and Emily, plus two other Australian women, Kat and Suzie.
I finished up Thursday night in Munich with a bang. Went back to the hostel after finding a cool looking hotel for Saturday night. Did some laundry, and in the process met Kat and Suzie. Chatted for an hour, and we made dinner plans. The 3 of us met up with Matt and EM, had a beer at the hostel's bar (Wom-bar), and walked up to the Augustiner. Amazing beer hall that our tour guide recommended, over the usual tourist choice: Hofbrauhaus. The place was a madhouse... very crowded, but we had no problem getting a spot at a big wooden table, which we shared with some friendly locals. The tradition in Bavaria is to get your Weiss by the liter, which we had no issue subscribing to. The food was amazing. I ordered pork liver after the duck was sold out (I'll need to go vegetarian for at least a month after this trip is over). Such a great time. Amazing how you can chat with peple like you've been friends for years. After dinner, we headed badck home, and chatted till 3 am in the hostel's impressive atrium / garden. Just didn't want the night to end. I'd be the only one left the next morning. It's time to meet some new people... so it goes.
Friday, after a late night, I was surprised to wake up so early. But I wanted to meet up with a tour guide who took us out to the suburbs of Munich, to Dachau.
Dachau was the 1st Nazi concentration camp, originally built to house only 5000 of Hilter's German enemies, but eventually held tens of thousands of Jews, Catholics, Gypsies, and others, in horrific conditions. It was a cold, gray day, and much of the camp still stands. We followed the path the prisoners walked after being taken off the train, stopped in the courtyard where the soldiers would beat and mock them, and passed under the original gatehouse, entering the camp through the gate.
Our Irish tour guide was top rate, and we toured the camp for over 3 hours. We stopped in the interogation room, explored replicas of the barracks (the originals were destroyed after the war), and paused at the crematorium. The whole thing was just so much to take... something you want to turn away from, but something we can never forget. Walking through the sight stirs up some powerful emotions, and I don't know what else to say about that.
After walking out in a total daze... (stunned is a decent word), I regrouped with Krista, a fellow Michigander and Wombat resident who hung out with me during the tour. We returned to Munich, and the sunshine, and walked the Marianplatz where we caught a U-bahn (subway) to the English Gardens, basically Munich's central park. Strolled the paths under falling leaves, reflecting on the Dachau tour and present day politics. She's a very sharp woman, real good head on her shoulders.. a physician's assistant who now lives in San Francisco, after leaving her home town of Ludington, MI. We stopped off for a beer at a cool "mini beer house", on the western edge of the park, before heading back to the hostel. I rolled into bed a bit earlier tonight (midnight), not really sure how I felt about mooving out of the hostel tomorrow night.
Saturday. Munich.
Woke up to a beautiful, clear day, and headed to the train station after checking out of the hostel. REALLY going to miss the Wombat... especially the people. But move on I must. Reserved my seat on tomorrow's train to Prague, and took the walk to my new accomodations: Hotel Am Markt, located in the heart of Old Town. It's down a cool little alley, lined with pubs, between the Marianplatz and the huge outdoor market we visited on our walking tour. Checked into my room and dumped my luggage, managing to bump my head on the low ceiling between bath and bedroom. Ouch. Definitely saw stars... but I'm surprised I haven't done it more often... Europe isn't built for tall drinks of water such as myself. I regrouped and headed to the market.
Sat down for bratwurst and potato salad with a very nice couple from Frankfurt. We talked about my journeys (in English), and they scholed me on proper Bavarian sausage ettiquette. I should have had the Weisswurst (white sausage), since it was before noon. They took pity and gave me a chunk of theirs, which was delicious. Even tasted good after I found out what it is: veal, calf brains, and spleen. With the spices, it was so good, especially with the traditional chunk of soft pretzel.
After lunch, I took a stroll along the Isar River, to the Deutsches Museum... the world's largest for science and technology. Very impressive... technology from shipping to astronautics, to ceramics, to robotics, to aviation, farming to printing to electricity to... I think you get the picture. When they mean the world's biggest, they mean it. Everything is here, and I mean EVERYTHING. I got a bit burned out after a few hours, so here I sit in the cafe, enjoying an apple and a box of water.
Finished up the tour, and headed back to the hotel for some rest, hitting up the beer garden once again for a "big boy pretzel". Found a great little sushi bar near my hotel for a much needed "non-meat" meal. I was well overdue. Walked around a bit, and hit the sack early, falling asleep to Germany's version of "America's Got Talent". If you ask me, the judges are way too polite to some AWFUL singers.
Well that's Munich... Such a great time here... met some fantastic people, and just felt so very welcome throughout. It's not easy to leave... but Prague and Vienna are next. Keep reading, and I'll keep writing! Thanks everybody, and talk to you soon...
Europe Part 2 - Tonbridge, Amsterdam
Thursday, October 16, Tonbridge.
Bear with me...I'm typing this update on a German keyboard in Munich, where the y's are z's and pressing the shift key gets me nowhere. Whee! Flash back to my last days in London... on Thursday, I finished up my last blog update, and after getting a bit lost trying to find the Gipsy Hill rail station, I was on my way into the English countryside. I was visiting friends Sam and Lisa in Tonbridge, about 45 minutes by train past rolling hills, pastures, and countless little English villages.
I stepped off into Tonbridge, a slick little town on a hill. I met up with Sam at one of the local pubs, after the kind bartender lent me her cellphone to make the call. (My cell doesnt work at all in Europe). Sam and I checked out the village, which included shops, pubs, and the 1000 year old castle. Lisa joined us for dinner at a cozy restaurant down the street from their house. A veritable FEAST ensued... fantastic mixed grill... I'm not a huge meat eater, but I'm occasionally able to make an acception. Everything was perfect... chicken, steak, sausage... all topped off with a fried egg. Everything, that is, except for the side dish of "black pudding". I tried a bite, but it's just not my thing.... (it's basically a packed, charred hockey puck of blood and animal parts). But we did have some incredible hot chocolate for dessert.
Slept over at Sam and Lisa's place, in this cool little guest house they recently built. It was tucked up the hill behind their house, through a beautiful garden. The next morning, I had a shower, and explored downtown Tonbridge. The day was sunny, but a bit cold. Temperatures have really turned more October-like in the past few days. The town itself was beautiful. I checked out the castle some more, as I wasn't able to see much in the dark the night before. Fantastic views from the castle's front yard, of the Medway River and the village below. For lunch, I stopped into the Goldbar, which Sam had highly recommended, and dined on some amazing English pie and mash. So so good... but thank God I'm walking so much, otherwise I'd travel back to the states well over 900 pounds. I hopped the afternoon train back to West Dulwich, for our last night in town before Joe and I skip country for Amsterdam.
Saturday, Amsterdam.
We arrived into the city's airport on EasyJet, one of Europe's econo-airlines. A quick 50 minute flight, a stamp of our passports, and we were released into Amsterdam. The city core is a 15 minute train ride from the airport, and we arrived about 7pm, where we began to search for a place to stay for the night. We walked down the main drag, Damrak, where thousands of people were hanging out, enjoying the weekend nightlife. After snagging a hotel, we ditched our bags to explore the city. So much going on... around every corner. Amsterdam has a night scene that reminds me a bit of Las Vegas, but just plug in some incredible architecture, hundreds of canals, and a public transit system that's dominated by bikes. You really need to keep your head on a swivel (as Joe puts it), otherwise you'll get run down.
Sunday.
We woke up early, and moved down our street to Bob's Hostel. Decent setup, with a cool little bar / lounge setup in the lobby. After a walk around town, trying to learn the area, we rented a couple bikes and joined the masses. The day was beautiful, if a bit cold, and we cruised up and down the canals... turning Amsterdam into one big video game. Stopped for some local cuisine... amazing pancakes. The main entree was similar to a pizza, but with a pancake crust. And we barely spoke as we downed the delicious meal. Jeeze...That evening we cruised back to the hostel, dodging other bikes, trams, pedestrians, and one mean old bastard of a Dutchman, who was looking to pick a fight with Americans. And back at the hostel, Joe is now my hero, because he gave the hostel bartender one of my band's new CD's, which sounded real nice in the lounge. Acoustic Carpet is now world famous!
Headed out for some dinner... fantastic sardines and cheese at a tapas place, and hit a couple clubs for some live music. The best band was over at "The Last Watering Hole".. the singer was amazing. Very few people can sing Jimmy Hendrix and Jim Morrison, but he nailed it. Sounded a bit like Joe Cocker... was sure he was American, but learned he was definitely Dutch when he spoke between songs. The highlight over at the other bar, "Bourbon Street" was the painting on the wall. It was beautifully done, and depicted the Rolling Stones in their final final farewell, being led off stage by nurses... Mick Jagger limping, Ron Wood leaning on a cane, and Keith Richards in a wheelchair, pulling an IV.
After the music and back home at the hostel, Joe and I totally lucked out, as we were the only people in our room.
Monday.
Beautiful, cold bike ride to the Hortus Botanicus (Amsterdam's botanical gardens). Amazing greenhouses to tour, with many different temperate zones to choose from: desert, tropics, etc, with streams running through. Even a banana tree! Such a nice place... so alive. We biked around the outer canals for an hour or two, stopping for a brief moment at the Anne Frank house, which I will be touring tomorrow. We dropped off our bikes, and I was happy to survive in one piece. The locals are so confident with the chaotic traffic. For instance, yesterday I watched a sharply dressed woman riding along, steering with one hand, and pulling a roller bag / suitcase with the other, which bounced around on the bricks behind her. Maybe 10 miles an hour?!? After a solid bowl of soup, Joe headed for his plane back to London, so from here on out, I'd be traveling solo.
Wandered around town for a bit, and signed up for another night at Bob's Hostel. Stopped off for some dinner at another tapas place, but nowhere near as good as the night before. Watched a bit of soccer at a sports bar with a cool guy from Frankfurt, who's hometeam Mainze was playing a big game. The bar was decent enough, but every 10 or 15 minutes, a buzzer would go off. Loud. Not really sure why... but I got used to it eventually and watched the match.
Kicked down the street to a jazz club, and planted myself at the bar, hoping for some good live music. The music in fact was solid... a trio who held their own in a fantastic little venue, but the people were the best. I met a woman from Brazil, Victoria, who was backpacking across Europe solo. Much in common (and she spoke excellent English), we chatted the night away, and a could really cool locals eventually joined us. The music took a back seat, and we really had a great time, and the bartender kept the entire place happy, including us. Such a great night...
...until I got back to my hostel. I stayed at the jazz bar until about 2, and when I got back home, somebody was in my bed! Sooo... I went down to the manager. He and his buddy, both Middle Eastern men, snapped to attention and started speaking in their own language. I didn't want to get anybody kicked out of their bed... I just needed someplace to sleep (especially since I paid for one), and it was pushing 3am. They had extra beds, but for some reason, the owner's buddy dragged me up the four flights of stairs to my original room, so I could watch him yell at the guy in my bed. They argued for a minute before I interupted and said "This no longer concerns me, get me another bed, and I'll be outside." They put me in a different room, and I eventually got a couple hours of sleep before bolting. Bob can keep his hostel...
Tuesday.
I'm still kicking, even after so little sleep. It's a bit rainy outside... the first time it's rained in awhile. Guess we were due. I took the tram over to the Anne Frank house, and took the tour. Quite powerful, stepping behind the bookcase and into the secret Annex. It's a very simple tour, which serves the history here quite well. From rrom to room, different artifacts from Anne's life are on display, along with dozens of sayings, quoted directly from her diary.
The sun is trying to peek out, and the rain is over. I walked down from the Anne Frank house to a huge church, to climb the narrow, treacherous steps of the 300 year old bell tower. I really just wanted a good view of the city, but you have to pay for a tour. The rain seemed to drive many away, and it was just the Dutch tour guide and me. On the way up, you pass 1600's era graffiti and the original tower bells, which are still used on Sundays. We wound our way higher and higher, until we stepped outside onto the balcony. Spectacular! 360 degree views of Amsterdam... snapped as many photos as I could before the tour ended, and we very carefully climbed back down.
And now, I eat pancake. This time, at Sara's Pancake house. Not as good as the first place, but still very decent: salami, peppers, and cheese. On a pancake!
My last night in Amsterdam. Sat down to a suprisingly good pile of chicken wings at a pub down the street from my new digs, the Tulip Inn. Nice hotel.. they let me check in at 9 this morning. Great bath... watched some CNN, and even did some laundry. I think this is going to be the key from city to city... hit up the hostel for the first couple of days to meet people and get a lay of the land, and finish my last night in town at a nice hotel to relax before moving on.
I'm still a bit weary, with no nap, but feeling good. This pub, just off Nieuwendijk Street, has a perfect view for people watching. It's next to the soup restaurant I've hit up twice (amazing mug of soup), and street cars are constantly passing by in front of me on MY street, Nieuwezijd Voorburgwal. Say that a few times in a row.
To Amsterdam newcomers, it's rather chaotic when you first slide into town. But it's pretty simple after a day or two. Get lost in it, as Joe and I did, and pretty soon you'll start recognizing areas, streets, and buildings. And as a last resort (or if it's raining), hop on a tram. It's pretty hard to get lost on one of those... they pretty much either head deeper into town, or return to the main train station (Centraal). They're cheap, too... (but everything is compared to London).
That's all I've got for now... Munich is next. Such a blast, but that will have to wait till next time, faithful reader!
Bear with me...I'm typing this update on a German keyboard in Munich, where the y's are z's and pressing the shift key gets me nowhere. Whee! Flash back to my last days in London... on Thursday, I finished up my last blog update, and after getting a bit lost trying to find the Gipsy Hill rail station, I was on my way into the English countryside. I was visiting friends Sam and Lisa in Tonbridge, about 45 minutes by train past rolling hills, pastures, and countless little English villages.
I stepped off into Tonbridge, a slick little town on a hill. I met up with Sam at one of the local pubs, after the kind bartender lent me her cellphone to make the call. (My cell doesnt work at all in Europe). Sam and I checked out the village, which included shops, pubs, and the 1000 year old castle. Lisa joined us for dinner at a cozy restaurant down the street from their house. A veritable FEAST ensued... fantastic mixed grill... I'm not a huge meat eater, but I'm occasionally able to make an acception. Everything was perfect... chicken, steak, sausage... all topped off with a fried egg. Everything, that is, except for the side dish of "black pudding". I tried a bite, but it's just not my thing.... (it's basically a packed, charred hockey puck of blood and animal parts). But we did have some incredible hot chocolate for dessert.
Slept over at Sam and Lisa's place, in this cool little guest house they recently built. It was tucked up the hill behind their house, through a beautiful garden. The next morning, I had a shower, and explored downtown Tonbridge. The day was sunny, but a bit cold. Temperatures have really turned more October-like in the past few days. The town itself was beautiful. I checked out the castle some more, as I wasn't able to see much in the dark the night before. Fantastic views from the castle's front yard, of the Medway River and the village below. For lunch, I stopped into the Goldbar, which Sam had highly recommended, and dined on some amazing English pie and mash. So so good... but thank God I'm walking so much, otherwise I'd travel back to the states well over 900 pounds. I hopped the afternoon train back to West Dulwich, for our last night in town before Joe and I skip country for Amsterdam.
Saturday, Amsterdam.
We arrived into the city's airport on EasyJet, one of Europe's econo-airlines. A quick 50 minute flight, a stamp of our passports, and we were released into Amsterdam. The city core is a 15 minute train ride from the airport, and we arrived about 7pm, where we began to search for a place to stay for the night. We walked down the main drag, Damrak, where thousands of people were hanging out, enjoying the weekend nightlife. After snagging a hotel, we ditched our bags to explore the city. So much going on... around every corner. Amsterdam has a night scene that reminds me a bit of Las Vegas, but just plug in some incredible architecture, hundreds of canals, and a public transit system that's dominated by bikes. You really need to keep your head on a swivel (as Joe puts it), otherwise you'll get run down.
Sunday.
We woke up early, and moved down our street to Bob's Hostel. Decent setup, with a cool little bar / lounge setup in the lobby. After a walk around town, trying to learn the area, we rented a couple bikes and joined the masses. The day was beautiful, if a bit cold, and we cruised up and down the canals... turning Amsterdam into one big video game. Stopped for some local cuisine... amazing pancakes. The main entree was similar to a pizza, but with a pancake crust. And we barely spoke as we downed the delicious meal. Jeeze...That evening we cruised back to the hostel, dodging other bikes, trams, pedestrians, and one mean old bastard of a Dutchman, who was looking to pick a fight with Americans. And back at the hostel, Joe is now my hero, because he gave the hostel bartender one of my band's new CD's, which sounded real nice in the lounge. Acoustic Carpet is now world famous!
Headed out for some dinner... fantastic sardines and cheese at a tapas place, and hit a couple clubs for some live music. The best band was over at "The Last Watering Hole".. the singer was amazing. Very few people can sing Jimmy Hendrix and Jim Morrison, but he nailed it. Sounded a bit like Joe Cocker... was sure he was American, but learned he was definitely Dutch when he spoke between songs. The highlight over at the other bar, "Bourbon Street" was the painting on the wall. It was beautifully done, and depicted the Rolling Stones in their final final farewell, being led off stage by nurses... Mick Jagger limping, Ron Wood leaning on a cane, and Keith Richards in a wheelchair, pulling an IV.
After the music and back home at the hostel, Joe and I totally lucked out, as we were the only people in our room.
Monday.
Beautiful, cold bike ride to the Hortus Botanicus (Amsterdam's botanical gardens). Amazing greenhouses to tour, with many different temperate zones to choose from: desert, tropics, etc, with streams running through. Even a banana tree! Such a nice place... so alive. We biked around the outer canals for an hour or two, stopping for a brief moment at the Anne Frank house, which I will be touring tomorrow. We dropped off our bikes, and I was happy to survive in one piece. The locals are so confident with the chaotic traffic. For instance, yesterday I watched a sharply dressed woman riding along, steering with one hand, and pulling a roller bag / suitcase with the other, which bounced around on the bricks behind her. Maybe 10 miles an hour?!? After a solid bowl of soup, Joe headed for his plane back to London, so from here on out, I'd be traveling solo.
Wandered around town for a bit, and signed up for another night at Bob's Hostel. Stopped off for some dinner at another tapas place, but nowhere near as good as the night before. Watched a bit of soccer at a sports bar with a cool guy from Frankfurt, who's hometeam Mainze was playing a big game. The bar was decent enough, but every 10 or 15 minutes, a buzzer would go off. Loud. Not really sure why... but I got used to it eventually and watched the match.
Kicked down the street to a jazz club, and planted myself at the bar, hoping for some good live music. The music in fact was solid... a trio who held their own in a fantastic little venue, but the people were the best. I met a woman from Brazil, Victoria, who was backpacking across Europe solo. Much in common (and she spoke excellent English), we chatted the night away, and a could really cool locals eventually joined us. The music took a back seat, and we really had a great time, and the bartender kept the entire place happy, including us. Such a great night...
...until I got back to my hostel. I stayed at the jazz bar until about 2, and when I got back home, somebody was in my bed! Sooo... I went down to the manager. He and his buddy, both Middle Eastern men, snapped to attention and started speaking in their own language. I didn't want to get anybody kicked out of their bed... I just needed someplace to sleep (especially since I paid for one), and it was pushing 3am. They had extra beds, but for some reason, the owner's buddy dragged me up the four flights of stairs to my original room, so I could watch him yell at the guy in my bed. They argued for a minute before I interupted and said "This no longer concerns me, get me another bed, and I'll be outside." They put me in a different room, and I eventually got a couple hours of sleep before bolting. Bob can keep his hostel...
Tuesday.
I'm still kicking, even after so little sleep. It's a bit rainy outside... the first time it's rained in awhile. Guess we were due. I took the tram over to the Anne Frank house, and took the tour. Quite powerful, stepping behind the bookcase and into the secret Annex. It's a very simple tour, which serves the history here quite well. From rrom to room, different artifacts from Anne's life are on display, along with dozens of sayings, quoted directly from her diary.
The sun is trying to peek out, and the rain is over. I walked down from the Anne Frank house to a huge church, to climb the narrow, treacherous steps of the 300 year old bell tower. I really just wanted a good view of the city, but you have to pay for a tour. The rain seemed to drive many away, and it was just the Dutch tour guide and me. On the way up, you pass 1600's era graffiti and the original tower bells, which are still used on Sundays. We wound our way higher and higher, until we stepped outside onto the balcony. Spectacular! 360 degree views of Amsterdam... snapped as many photos as I could before the tour ended, and we very carefully climbed back down.
And now, I eat pancake. This time, at Sara's Pancake house. Not as good as the first place, but still very decent: salami, peppers, and cheese. On a pancake!
My last night in Amsterdam. Sat down to a suprisingly good pile of chicken wings at a pub down the street from my new digs, the Tulip Inn. Nice hotel.. they let me check in at 9 this morning. Great bath... watched some CNN, and even did some laundry. I think this is going to be the key from city to city... hit up the hostel for the first couple of days to meet people and get a lay of the land, and finish my last night in town at a nice hotel to relax before moving on.
I'm still a bit weary, with no nap, but feeling good. This pub, just off Nieuwendijk Street, has a perfect view for people watching. It's next to the soup restaurant I've hit up twice (amazing mug of soup), and street cars are constantly passing by in front of me on MY street, Nieuwezijd Voorburgwal. Say that a few times in a row.
To Amsterdam newcomers, it's rather chaotic when you first slide into town. But it's pretty simple after a day or two. Get lost in it, as Joe and I did, and pretty soon you'll start recognizing areas, streets, and buildings. And as a last resort (or if it's raining), hop on a tram. It's pretty hard to get lost on one of those... they pretty much either head deeper into town, or return to the main train station (Centraal). They're cheap, too... (but everything is compared to London).
That's all I've got for now... Munich is next. Such a blast, but that will have to wait till next time, faithful reader!
Europe Part 1 - London
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10.
Foggy London Town, here I am! It’s really not that foggy… the weather has been perfect for my first two days, after a quick flight across the pond on British Airways. I last-minute upgraded to third class (out of four), and snagged an extra seven inches of leg room. Slept a bit, watched a movie, and talked to my seat-mate, a very sharp Phoenix woman heading to Tehran with her three month old. Landed at Heathrow, cleared customs, and met my friend Lowri. We hopped a few trains to West Dulwich, and within an hour, we were at her home, the “Dudley House”.
What a cool house... so much character. It was built back in the late 1800’s, had three stories, and was quite narrow. The “Dudley” really has a significant presence out on the street. Lowri and I had a snack and caught up a bit, and I took a bath and a beer, recharging my batteries.
Lowri’s husband Joe, another good buddy of mine from back in Arizona, came home from work, and the three of us hopped a train to Soho. Turned out to be a really great chunk of London… Soho’s a former red-light district, and full of winding streets, which were lined with all sorts of pubs, cafes, shops, and restaurants. We met up with a group of their friends at one of the pubs, and followed a hidden staircase to our own private dining room, above the bar.
I sat down to a heaping plate, full of traditional English cuisine: phenomenal bangers and mash, washed down with some extremely strong cider. Great food and company, and I was doing quite well, considering the time change and a lack of sleep over the past 40 hours. After dinner, we moved a bit out of Soho and hit up a nightclub. It reminded me a bit of Scottsdale, except for the horrendous 80’s American music. (I can find plenty of solid 80’s tunes, but they were nowhere to be found that night in Soho). Still, a fine time had by all.
Around midnight, I quickly began to fade, so we hopped a train, followed by a cab, and made it home before 1 am. I crashed hard in my 3rd floor loft / bedroom, sleeping sleep of the dead.
SATURDAY
After nine hours of uninterrupted sleep, I awoke to another beautiful, sun filled day. All the gray and rain you think of when it comes to London have yet to show up. I downed some tea and cereal, and Joe and I headed downtown.
We caught the light rail at the Gipsy Hill train station, just a 10 minute walk from the house. The train rolled into a larger station, called London Bridge, in the heart of downtown London. There, we met up with the subway system, better known as the Underground or Tube. Our 1st destination was a huge outdoor market, called The Borough. More than just a farmers’ market, with throngs of shoppers picking over anything and everything. The market highlighted some of the most impressive cheeses, produce, and seafood I’d seen in awhile. The candy stand alone had HUGE bars of dark chocolate, one of which was 4 inches thick and about as long as a surf board.
Hunger crept in, so we stopped for some fish n’ chips at a lunch stand, and sat down on the curb to inhale the deliciously fried, flaky haddock (which I learned is a better choice than cod, as it’s way over-fished these days). The local coffee house had a line around the corner, so we reluctantly settled on a cup of Starbucks, which are everywhere in London. I guess they’re everywhere, everywhere? Oh well… it certainly did the trick.
The Borough Market bumped up against the Thames River, and since the day was hot and sunny, we followed the boardwalk a mile to London’s Tower Bridge. What a sight… such incredible, intricate architecture. Across the bridge we found the Tower of London, a castle in the heart of the city, as medieval as medieval gets. We bought tickets and made our way over the drawbridge, past infamous Tower Hill which was the sight of countless public executions, hundreds of years ago.
Inside the castle, we hooked up with a tour, guided by one of the colorful Beefeater Guards. The Beefeaters live on the property, and lead you through the Tower grounds while covering the area’s gruesome history. The Bell Tower loomed above us from most vantage points, as it had since the 1100’s. Most of the tour followed paths and courtyards behind the castle walls, but we finished in the chapel. Fascinating little space it was, and just below the floor, under our feet, were the bones of some 1500 “criminals”. After the doomed were beheaded for all to see outside on Tower Hill, most of the bodies were returned to the chapel, where they were buried in piles. The Beefeater guide kept the tour quite lively, even with its subject matter… consider me fascinated. I really need to study up on Henry the 8th, who presided over so many of the castle’s horrors.
After the Tower, we headed to the Underground, stopping to check out the 2000 year old ruins of a Roman wall, which poked up in the middle of the city. We took the Tube down to the London Eye, a huge Ferris Wheel erected at the turn of the Millennium. It came highly recommended as offering some of the best views of London, so we bought a couple tickets. The line was pretty long, about an hour, so we grabbed a beer and hung out along the river. Enjoyed the bottle of Stella, which is a big beer throughout London (and has exploded recently back in the states). Peroni is good, too, which we tried last night at the club in Soho.
Plans quickly changed with a phone call, so we had to save the Eye for later. We wanted to catch the England / Kazakstan soccer match, and it was starting a couple hours earlier than we had thought. And so our day of “chasing the trains” began. We made it to our meeting place in Notting Hill, just as the game began. Planted ourselves on a couple stools and watched the match. I’ve never been much of a soccer fan, but the patrons were into it, England needed a big win, and there were plenty of goals. When the action slowed, I caught up on the journal and chatted with an Australian woman at the table next to us.
After England pulled off the victory (they’re trying to qualify for the world cup), we bolted to the train, stopping at a shop for a quick “take-away” meal --- pizza in a bag! We were hoping to catch a ride on that London Eye ferris wheel before it shut down for the night. The attraction closed at about 8, and since we we wouldn’t get a refund, we had to hustle. And hustle we did. Once we were off our final subway, we ran for the Thames, and totally lucked out: we were allowed on board, and in one of the last cards of the day.
Well worth it… spectacular night time views of London. Big Ben, Parliament, the river… all just glowed. Our individual pod on the giant wheel was enclosed, and big enough to walk around in with our 6 or 7 other “pod-mates”. It climbed higher and higher before we reached the peak, gawking at the fantastic 360 degree view of London.
The ride ended, and we enjoyed a much more leisurely pace back to the Underground station, and home in West Dulwich. It was getting late, but we stopped at a local pub called the Mansion, just a few blocks from the house. Neat place… very friendly, great beer, and free internet!!!
SUNDAY
Only pulled off about 5 hours of sleep last night. Not good. Didn’t stay up much past midnight, but I woke up at exactly 4 am, and couldn’t fall back to sleep until 6. Must be the jet lag… the same thing happened the 1st couple days on my trip to Japan.
Joe and I took his 2 year old daughter Ella to the park, as it was another picture perfect day in London. After hanging out for an hour, we headed to the Mansion for lunch. Sunday roast is a big deal in the UK, so we did as locals do… kicked off the meal with some traditional English appetizers: the Ploughman’s (bread, chutney relish, and cheese), and scotch eggs. And then, the roast! Delicious roast beef, with Yorkshire pudding and veggies. So much good food. Too much. We waddled back to the house where I grabbed a much-needed nap.
That night, Joe and I played guitars and headed back to Notting Hill to meet up with his brother-in-law, Danny, and his wife Kat. On the way, we walked Portobello Road. The entire area… Portobello, Notting Hill, Kensington… is all quite beautiful. Upscale row-homes tucked between pubs and shops. We picked up Danny and Kat, and cabbed to their friend’s flat, stopping for a bite (amazing falafel wraps, and cheap! Usually it’s hard to find cheap food in London, but you do well with the “take-away”, which is basically food to go).
We arrived at their friend Bob’s place before 9, and the goal was to watch some live American football. There were a few games available (Bob had over 3000 channels on his satellite system), but alas, the game we wanted to see wasn’t on…The Cardinals vs. the Cowboys. (Turns out we missed a helluva game… Cards won it in overtime on a blocked punt / runback). We hung out for a couple hours, watching the games that were on, and rolled out around 11 pm.
Slept back at Danny and Kat’s place in Notting Hill, so we didn’t have to find late night transportation (the trains in London mostly shut down before midnight --- sound familiar Phoenix???). As I bunked down, I could feel a sore throat coming on… must be a cold. I haven’t been sick in at least a year, but with the time change, lack of sleep, and shift in temperatures, my immune system is pretty shot. Hope I can kick it fast.
MONDAY
From Notting Hill, Joe headed to work, and I headed back home to West Dulwich. I had originally planned on hitting some more tourist spots downtown London, but I was feeling pretty sickly. I needed to rest. I found the right tube station and light rail transfer for the first time on my own… I’m really getting used to the elaborate public transit system (with so much help coming from Joe’s copy of “London A to Z”… the best little book of maps you can find). Back home, I took a bath and felt a touch better. Chatted with Lowri and Ella after they arrived home from Ella’s first day of school, and I walked to a local pub for lunch. Great bowl of tomato soup, which was just my speed.
Cruised back home as the skies began to cloud up… the first time since I arrived last Friday. Lowri cooked up some fantastic sausages and mash for dinner, and Joe and I headed down to the Mansion for some tea and internet before bed.
TUESDAY
Had a bit of a late start this morning, after some decent sleep. Opted to skip the trains today, and instead took one of the double decker buses into London. Real nice ride upstairs, and after about an hour, I stepped out onto Oxford Street. This was full-on London... busy street scene below mid-rise buildings. After a few blocks of sight-seeing, I found my target: The British Museum.
The British Museum must be the world's biggest and best museum, and it's a must-see. Just so impressive.. I spent about four hours moving from one hall to the next, but you could really get lost for days. When you simply scratch the surface, it houses the Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone, and ancient Egyptian artifacts. I popped across the street for some Thai food (curry is HUGE in London), before returning to get more out of the museum.
Around 4, I was feeling a bit spent, so I headed home. I was still fighting the cold, and felt pretty sluggish after a few hours in the museum. Took the train back to Dulwich, and fixed up a big salad for dinner before bed.
WEDNESDAY
Huge night of sleep... and I found so much more spring in my step today. I headed back into London to visit Westminster Abbey, which turned out to be another must-see. Dish out the 12 pounds for the tour... it's worth it. I was just bowled over by the architecture and the history. The tour includes an audio guide that you can access at your leisure, hosted by Jeremy Irons (who still sounds rather menacing, even when he's talking about a church). I spent about 3 hours, wandering the halls, fascinated by the list of people buried there. Here's some name dropping of just a few: Handel, Lewis Carrol, King Henry the 7th, Lawrence Olivier, Chaucer, St. Edward the Confessor, Charles Darwin, and Isaac Newton. Lady Di's funeral was held in the Abbey, and it even holds "Britain's Oldest Door", circa 1050, which was a bit random. The Germans hit it a few times in World War 2, not hard enough to do any massive damage, although there are a few small bomb holes mentioned on the tour that are glassed over. It's truly a remarkable place, inside and out.
After hitting up Westminster, I checked out Big Ben and Parliament, across the street, and then hopped a subway to the Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian walkway over the Thames built a few years back. The bridge ends at the Tate Modern, one of the world's foremost modern art museums. Fantastic place... one of Lowri's friends hooked me up with a member's access card, so I hit up the club on the 6th floor for lunch, with spectacular views of London, and a screaming infant that drove most of the diners away. I then jumped head first into the galleries... so many amazing pieces. More name dropping: Picasso, Lichtenstein, and Monet were represented. My favorites had to be the Pollocks (he had two), along with a painting his wife Lee Krasner did, sometime after his death. I also really dug a room devoted to old Russian propaganda posters, and the huge 3d pieces you could literally walk through by Joseph Beuys. Such an amazing collection. Another 3 hours, and I was about finished with downtown London. I followed the Thames River Path for a couple miles to the London Bridge rail station, and headed home.
Back home, Joe and I met up, and took a taxi to East Dulwich to watch another England soccer match. Another big win for the home team, with a very lively crowd. Standing room only, with plenty of screaming at the TV.
THURSDAY
Well, this blog has gone on for awhile. I better wrap it up... I'm at my favorite internet hot spot right now, The Mansion, getting ready for a trip into the English countryside. It's another beautiful day outside, and I'm visiting some friends in Kent this evening. From what I hear, the countryside is supposed to be fantastic. We'll see if I can actually find it...
I'll be back in London tomorrow, for one more night, and we're aiming to hit up Camden for some live music. Then on Saturday, Joe and I hop over to Gathwick airport for our flight to Amsterdam! After a few nights there, I head to Munich for the week. I'll aim for another blog update from Germany... the weekly update will probably be the best bet.
It's been a solid time in London... everybody has been fantastic, and sincere thanks go out to Joe, Lowri, and little Ella for putting me up for the week!
Hope all is well back in the states... CHEERS!!!!!
Foggy London Town, here I am! It’s really not that foggy… the weather has been perfect for my first two days, after a quick flight across the pond on British Airways. I last-minute upgraded to third class (out of four), and snagged an extra seven inches of leg room. Slept a bit, watched a movie, and talked to my seat-mate, a very sharp Phoenix woman heading to Tehran with her three month old. Landed at Heathrow, cleared customs, and met my friend Lowri. We hopped a few trains to West Dulwich, and within an hour, we were at her home, the “Dudley House”.
What a cool house... so much character. It was built back in the late 1800’s, had three stories, and was quite narrow. The “Dudley” really has a significant presence out on the street. Lowri and I had a snack and caught up a bit, and I took a bath and a beer, recharging my batteries.
Lowri’s husband Joe, another good buddy of mine from back in Arizona, came home from work, and the three of us hopped a train to Soho. Turned out to be a really great chunk of London… Soho’s a former red-light district, and full of winding streets, which were lined with all sorts of pubs, cafes, shops, and restaurants. We met up with a group of their friends at one of the pubs, and followed a hidden staircase to our own private dining room, above the bar.
I sat down to a heaping plate, full of traditional English cuisine: phenomenal bangers and mash, washed down with some extremely strong cider. Great food and company, and I was doing quite well, considering the time change and a lack of sleep over the past 40 hours. After dinner, we moved a bit out of Soho and hit up a nightclub. It reminded me a bit of Scottsdale, except for the horrendous 80’s American music. (I can find plenty of solid 80’s tunes, but they were nowhere to be found that night in Soho). Still, a fine time had by all.
Around midnight, I quickly began to fade, so we hopped a train, followed by a cab, and made it home before 1 am. I crashed hard in my 3rd floor loft / bedroom, sleeping sleep of the dead.
SATURDAY
After nine hours of uninterrupted sleep, I awoke to another beautiful, sun filled day. All the gray and rain you think of when it comes to London have yet to show up. I downed some tea and cereal, and Joe and I headed downtown.
We caught the light rail at the Gipsy Hill train station, just a 10 minute walk from the house. The train rolled into a larger station, called London Bridge, in the heart of downtown London. There, we met up with the subway system, better known as the Underground or Tube. Our 1st destination was a huge outdoor market, called The Borough. More than just a farmers’ market, with throngs of shoppers picking over anything and everything. The market highlighted some of the most impressive cheeses, produce, and seafood I’d seen in awhile. The candy stand alone had HUGE bars of dark chocolate, one of which was 4 inches thick and about as long as a surf board.
Hunger crept in, so we stopped for some fish n’ chips at a lunch stand, and sat down on the curb to inhale the deliciously fried, flaky haddock (which I learned is a better choice than cod, as it’s way over-fished these days). The local coffee house had a line around the corner, so we reluctantly settled on a cup of Starbucks, which are everywhere in London. I guess they’re everywhere, everywhere? Oh well… it certainly did the trick.
The Borough Market bumped up against the Thames River, and since the day was hot and sunny, we followed the boardwalk a mile to London’s Tower Bridge. What a sight… such incredible, intricate architecture. Across the bridge we found the Tower of London, a castle in the heart of the city, as medieval as medieval gets. We bought tickets and made our way over the drawbridge, past infamous Tower Hill which was the sight of countless public executions, hundreds of years ago.
Inside the castle, we hooked up with a tour, guided by one of the colorful Beefeater Guards. The Beefeaters live on the property, and lead you through the Tower grounds while covering the area’s gruesome history. The Bell Tower loomed above us from most vantage points, as it had since the 1100’s. Most of the tour followed paths and courtyards behind the castle walls, but we finished in the chapel. Fascinating little space it was, and just below the floor, under our feet, were the bones of some 1500 “criminals”. After the doomed were beheaded for all to see outside on Tower Hill, most of the bodies were returned to the chapel, where they were buried in piles. The Beefeater guide kept the tour quite lively, even with its subject matter… consider me fascinated. I really need to study up on Henry the 8th, who presided over so many of the castle’s horrors.
After the Tower, we headed to the Underground, stopping to check out the 2000 year old ruins of a Roman wall, which poked up in the middle of the city. We took the Tube down to the London Eye, a huge Ferris Wheel erected at the turn of the Millennium. It came highly recommended as offering some of the best views of London, so we bought a couple tickets. The line was pretty long, about an hour, so we grabbed a beer and hung out along the river. Enjoyed the bottle of Stella, which is a big beer throughout London (and has exploded recently back in the states). Peroni is good, too, which we tried last night at the club in Soho.
Plans quickly changed with a phone call, so we had to save the Eye for later. We wanted to catch the England / Kazakstan soccer match, and it was starting a couple hours earlier than we had thought. And so our day of “chasing the trains” began. We made it to our meeting place in Notting Hill, just as the game began. Planted ourselves on a couple stools and watched the match. I’ve never been much of a soccer fan, but the patrons were into it, England needed a big win, and there were plenty of goals. When the action slowed, I caught up on the journal and chatted with an Australian woman at the table next to us.
After England pulled off the victory (they’re trying to qualify for the world cup), we bolted to the train, stopping at a shop for a quick “take-away” meal --- pizza in a bag! We were hoping to catch a ride on that London Eye ferris wheel before it shut down for the night. The attraction closed at about 8, and since we we wouldn’t get a refund, we had to hustle. And hustle we did. Once we were off our final subway, we ran for the Thames, and totally lucked out: we were allowed on board, and in one of the last cards of the day.
Well worth it… spectacular night time views of London. Big Ben, Parliament, the river… all just glowed. Our individual pod on the giant wheel was enclosed, and big enough to walk around in with our 6 or 7 other “pod-mates”. It climbed higher and higher before we reached the peak, gawking at the fantastic 360 degree view of London.
The ride ended, and we enjoyed a much more leisurely pace back to the Underground station, and home in West Dulwich. It was getting late, but we stopped at a local pub called the Mansion, just a few blocks from the house. Neat place… very friendly, great beer, and free internet!!!
SUNDAY
Only pulled off about 5 hours of sleep last night. Not good. Didn’t stay up much past midnight, but I woke up at exactly 4 am, and couldn’t fall back to sleep until 6. Must be the jet lag… the same thing happened the 1st couple days on my trip to Japan.
Joe and I took his 2 year old daughter Ella to the park, as it was another picture perfect day in London. After hanging out for an hour, we headed to the Mansion for lunch. Sunday roast is a big deal in the UK, so we did as locals do… kicked off the meal with some traditional English appetizers: the Ploughman’s (bread, chutney relish, and cheese), and scotch eggs. And then, the roast! Delicious roast beef, with Yorkshire pudding and veggies. So much good food. Too much. We waddled back to the house where I grabbed a much-needed nap.
That night, Joe and I played guitars and headed back to Notting Hill to meet up with his brother-in-law, Danny, and his wife Kat. On the way, we walked Portobello Road. The entire area… Portobello, Notting Hill, Kensington… is all quite beautiful. Upscale row-homes tucked between pubs and shops. We picked up Danny and Kat, and cabbed to their friend’s flat, stopping for a bite (amazing falafel wraps, and cheap! Usually it’s hard to find cheap food in London, but you do well with the “take-away”, which is basically food to go).
We arrived at their friend Bob’s place before 9, and the goal was to watch some live American football. There were a few games available (Bob had over 3000 channels on his satellite system), but alas, the game we wanted to see wasn’t on…The Cardinals vs. the Cowboys. (Turns out we missed a helluva game… Cards won it in overtime on a blocked punt / runback). We hung out for a couple hours, watching the games that were on, and rolled out around 11 pm.
Slept back at Danny and Kat’s place in Notting Hill, so we didn’t have to find late night transportation (the trains in London mostly shut down before midnight --- sound familiar Phoenix???). As I bunked down, I could feel a sore throat coming on… must be a cold. I haven’t been sick in at least a year, but with the time change, lack of sleep, and shift in temperatures, my immune system is pretty shot. Hope I can kick it fast.
MONDAY
From Notting Hill, Joe headed to work, and I headed back home to West Dulwich. I had originally planned on hitting some more tourist spots downtown London, but I was feeling pretty sickly. I needed to rest. I found the right tube station and light rail transfer for the first time on my own… I’m really getting used to the elaborate public transit system (with so much help coming from Joe’s copy of “London A to Z”… the best little book of maps you can find). Back home, I took a bath and felt a touch better. Chatted with Lowri and Ella after they arrived home from Ella’s first day of school, and I walked to a local pub for lunch. Great bowl of tomato soup, which was just my speed.
Cruised back home as the skies began to cloud up… the first time since I arrived last Friday. Lowri cooked up some fantastic sausages and mash for dinner, and Joe and I headed down to the Mansion for some tea and internet before bed.
TUESDAY
Had a bit of a late start this morning, after some decent sleep. Opted to skip the trains today, and instead took one of the double decker buses into London. Real nice ride upstairs, and after about an hour, I stepped out onto Oxford Street. This was full-on London... busy street scene below mid-rise buildings. After a few blocks of sight-seeing, I found my target: The British Museum.
The British Museum must be the world's biggest and best museum, and it's a must-see. Just so impressive.. I spent about four hours moving from one hall to the next, but you could really get lost for days. When you simply scratch the surface, it houses the Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone, and ancient Egyptian artifacts. I popped across the street for some Thai food (curry is HUGE in London), before returning to get more out of the museum.
Around 4, I was feeling a bit spent, so I headed home. I was still fighting the cold, and felt pretty sluggish after a few hours in the museum. Took the train back to Dulwich, and fixed up a big salad for dinner before bed.
WEDNESDAY
Huge night of sleep... and I found so much more spring in my step today. I headed back into London to visit Westminster Abbey, which turned out to be another must-see. Dish out the 12 pounds for the tour... it's worth it. I was just bowled over by the architecture and the history. The tour includes an audio guide that you can access at your leisure, hosted by Jeremy Irons (who still sounds rather menacing, even when he's talking about a church). I spent about 3 hours, wandering the halls, fascinated by the list of people buried there. Here's some name dropping of just a few: Handel, Lewis Carrol, King Henry the 7th, Lawrence Olivier, Chaucer, St. Edward the Confessor, Charles Darwin, and Isaac Newton. Lady Di's funeral was held in the Abbey, and it even holds "Britain's Oldest Door", circa 1050, which was a bit random. The Germans hit it a few times in World War 2, not hard enough to do any massive damage, although there are a few small bomb holes mentioned on the tour that are glassed over. It's truly a remarkable place, inside and out.
After hitting up Westminster, I checked out Big Ben and Parliament, across the street, and then hopped a subway to the Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian walkway over the Thames built a few years back. The bridge ends at the Tate Modern, one of the world's foremost modern art museums. Fantastic place... one of Lowri's friends hooked me up with a member's access card, so I hit up the club on the 6th floor for lunch, with spectacular views of London, and a screaming infant that drove most of the diners away. I then jumped head first into the galleries... so many amazing pieces. More name dropping: Picasso, Lichtenstein, and Monet were represented. My favorites had to be the Pollocks (he had two), along with a painting his wife Lee Krasner did, sometime after his death. I also really dug a room devoted to old Russian propaganda posters, and the huge 3d pieces you could literally walk through by Joseph Beuys. Such an amazing collection. Another 3 hours, and I was about finished with downtown London. I followed the Thames River Path for a couple miles to the London Bridge rail station, and headed home.
Back home, Joe and I met up, and took a taxi to East Dulwich to watch another England soccer match. Another big win for the home team, with a very lively crowd. Standing room only, with plenty of screaming at the TV.
THURSDAY
Well, this blog has gone on for awhile. I better wrap it up... I'm at my favorite internet hot spot right now, The Mansion, getting ready for a trip into the English countryside. It's another beautiful day outside, and I'm visiting some friends in Kent this evening. From what I hear, the countryside is supposed to be fantastic. We'll see if I can actually find it...
I'll be back in London tomorrow, for one more night, and we're aiming to hit up Camden for some live music. Then on Saturday, Joe and I hop over to Gathwick airport for our flight to Amsterdam! After a few nights there, I head to Munich for the week. I'll aim for another blog update from Germany... the weekly update will probably be the best bet.
It's been a solid time in London... everybody has been fantastic, and sincere thanks go out to Joe, Lowri, and little Ella for putting me up for the week!
Hope all is well back in the states... CHEERS!!!!!
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