Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - FS2 Required => FreeSpace Conversion => Topic started by: Galemp on April 04, 2009, 03:02:35 pm
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Hi! I'm heading off to Ye Olde Fatherland for a few weeks and will be blogging it in this here thread. Things will kick off with HLP London VII (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,61853.0.html) and go from there. EDIT: Final itinerary:
LONDON April 17-18
BRUSSELS April 19-21
BRUGGE En Route
AMSTERDAM April 22-24
COLOGNE April 25-26
HANOVER April 27
AMSTERDAM April 28-May 7
PARIS May 8-10
If there's anyone who will be available in these places at these times, for goodness' sake, post here!
If there's any other seasoned travelers who have some must-see places, or tourist traps to avoid, I'd like that too!
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That's an impressive schedule, that is.
*Checks Dates* Hmmm....I could be in Cologne on those dates....
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That's an enormous schedule you have there, as pretty much every citiy on that list could easily keep you occupied for a week or more just to cover the basics ;) Is this one of those organized see-Europe-in-3-weeks-trips, or are you planning this yourself?
As for tips:
Hamburg: The harbour is probably where you will end up. Take a round trip with one of the many tourist boats through the "Speicherstadt" to see most of the harbour area, the container docks and the Blohm+Voss yards (where usually a frigate of the German navy is in the swim dock).
Go for diner in of of the many fish restaurants, it's worth it :yes:
If you're not prude, the red light district "Reeperbahn" is the place to be at nighttime, a walk through the "Herbertstrasse" is practically a must, even if you don't plan on getting laid ;7
Prague: Often said to be the nicest city in Europe, and it's hard to disagree. It's the "city of a hundred spires", and you'll see why. The Prague castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Castle) is an absolute must see, it's the largest castle in the world and also houses a cathedral of which you can climb up the tower to get a stunning view of the city. Also, you really should visit a few of the many historical Cafés, where you get excellent coffee&cake in a unique ambience.
Drink&Food is excellent and cheap. Try to avoid the "touristy" resaurants near the tourist attractions, instead try to find small restaurants where the locals go to eat. You can get excellent multi-course menues with beer for 5-10$ in the most inconspicious of places.
Munich: Too many historical buildings/places to list, seriously you can't throw a stone in the city center without hitting something that's several centuries old. I probably would avoid the "Hofbräuhaus", as it's basically a tourist trap and you can get large beers pretty much everywhere in the city.
What I would recommend however, is a visit the "English Garden" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Garden_(Munich)). A huge park with beautiful lakes, rivers and beer gardens and lots of lawns to just lie down and relax. If the weather is nice, this is the perfect place to spend the day.
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Weird-ass place to put a travel blog.
For a few seconds I thought it was the name of a campaign and I was all like :wtf:.
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Thanks, Fishguts. I'll be doing all this myself, with a backpack and a copy of Let's Go: Europe. This isn't my first trip (I've been around the British Isles, London, Paris, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria) but it is my first traveling alone.
And yeah, this is a weird place to blog it, but hey, you all know me here.
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Well, off I go. See you all next week.
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Woah, is he going alone?
I concur, impressive itinerary :yes:
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That's an enormous schedule you have there, as pretty much every citiy on that list could easily keep you occupied for a week or more just to cover the basics ;) Is this one of those organized see-Europe-in-3-weeks-trips, or are you planning this yourself?
As for tips:
Hamburg: The harbour is probably where you will end up. Take a round trip with one of the many tourist boats through the "Speicherstadt" to see most of the harbour area, the container docks and the Blohm+Voss yards (where usually a frigate of the German navy is in the swim dock).
Go for diner in of of the many fish restaurants, it's worth it :yes:
If you're not prude, the red light district "Reeperbahn" is the place to be at nighttime, a walk through the "Herbertstrasse" is practically a must, even if you don't plan on getting laid ;7
Also noteworthy would be the "Alster" (quite a big lake at the middle of the city), especially if the weather in two weeks is still as good as it was for the last few weeks (only sunshine, no rain whatsoever).
But I agree - impressive schedule. Should be nice though.
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No Italy? :(
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Right, first week was spent with my grandparents (my grandmother broke her hip, which left her incapacitated and my grandfather very stressed) so I sought to make myself useful for them. They are very very English, especially as they're on the other side of the great 1960s cultural divide. Seriously, the Rolling Stones came on the TV and they actually muted it until they went away. The Stones. I love then to bits, but sometimes...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/grandparents.JPG)
So anyway, first day in London I went up to the financial district and got a firsthand look at Richard Rogers' Lloyd's Building and Norman Foster's 30 St. Mary Axe (The Gherkin.) Two wildly different but tremendously inventive buildings by Britain's top architects.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/lloyds.JPG)
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/gherkin.JPG)
From there through the rain to Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square, then a quick tour of the National Gallery. I've had it up to here with renaissance and baroque European art, though, so I didn't spend much time in there.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/coventgarden.JPG)
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/trafalgar.JPG)
Then HLP London! Huzzah! From left to right: McCall, Terran Emperor (above), Admiral Wolf (below), Galemp, Karajorma. Colonel Dekker's holding the camera.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/hlplondon.JPG)
Today (Saturday) I'm spending on the South Bank. The Dali Museum is just under the London Eye and holds lots of bronzes of his sculptures, and the original Mae West Lips sofa.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/parliament.JPG)
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/dali.JPG)
Then I spent a good few hours at the Imperial War Museum, covering all of Britain's wars since 1912. Fantastic collection. You can see a Sopwith Camel, and the V1 and V2 bombs launched at London. Interestingly the museum in housed in the old Bethlehem Insane Asylum (Bedam.) The interior is totally unrecognizable, of course.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/warmuseum.JPG)
So, now I'm off to the Tate Modern. Tomorrow, Madame Tussaud's and thence to Belgium! Huzzah!
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:wakka: @ Wolf & Galemp's shirts, well done :yes:
Grats on pictures btw, they look amazing
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I can only imagine what sorts of wonderful innuendo that "Gherkin" generates. :D
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:wakka: @ Wolf & Galemp's shirts, well done :yes:
Grats on pictures btw, they look amazing
Thanks to my Nikon 8.0 megapixel camera!
These are my grandparents too, Galemps my brother. :)
Grandma looks like she is doing fine.
Those are some pretty weird looking buildings in London, the new skyscraper (the one under construction) is the weirdest in my opinion. Can't say that i like them, too out of place.
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Hi Graham, nice to see you here. :D
OK, so, next up. Tate Modern was kind of meh... many of the exhibitions, including the one in the Turbine Hall, were being either installed or uninstalled, and I was disappointed that there was no Andres Serrano on display. Still, they had lots of Pollack, Warhol, Rothko, Picasso, Klee and Miro, plus my favorite pop artist of all time, Claes Oldenberg.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/tate.JPG)
The Tate is about the only place open late on weekends so I took a sunset stroll along the Thames. Here's St. Paul's and the Millennium Bridge from the seventh floor.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/stpauls.JPG)
From left to right, the Tower of London, HMS Belfast, Canary Wharf (hard to see), and Tower Bridge.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/belfast.JPG)
And crossing Tower Bridge, on the left is Norman Foster's new City Hall, and in the distance you can just make out the BT Tower, and the dome of St. Paul's again.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/cityhall.JPG)
I've just made a lunch date with DaBrain in Hanover, Germany, for next week, so expect another set of photos of HLP members. I know there's more Germans here somewhere...
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Nice pictures, really. Makes me want to go to London/the UK sometimes soon. Guess that's my next holiday trip then. Seems you got lucky with the weather too - I mean, british weather isn't exactly famous for its sun, isn't it (but then again, Hamburg/northern germany here is probably not better off). Sorry to see that you dropped Hamburg, but then again, your schedule seems to be rather tight, so it's probably not a bad idea to drop something - and the other german cities are well worth visiting.
Anyway, I hope to read more of your trip and wish you some nice days around here.
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Sorry for the long wait, guys. Wireless at the Brussels hostel didn't work, and I had too much trouble finding any hotspots in Belgium to bother lugging my backpack around. Anyway, here's a couple updates for you.
Sunday was my last day in London, so I hit Madame Tussaud's. Sammy J is obviously sick and tired of these motherf***ing Shivans on his motherf***ing plane.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/tussauds.jpg)
The National Portrait Gallery was, in my opinion, far more interesting than the National Gallery (photo is taken from the front steps.) They had THE portraits of all of Britain's monarchs from Henry VII on, as well as famous portaits of everyone from William Shakespeare to George Washington to Thomas Hobbes to Mary Shelley to T.S. Eliot. It really was a phenomenal collection.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/nationalgallery.jpg)
The Eurostar left from St. Pancras International. The station is of particular interest to me as I've studied it in school; it's a Victorian Gothic Revival building that combines aspects of English, French, Flemish, German, Spanish, and Italian Gothic all in one style.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/stpancras.jpg)
Then off to Brussels! The city is a very strange blend of the old and the new, moreso than most European cities. Its commercial district (Little Manhattan) is almost at the center of town, and the streets are a haphazard jumble of centuries-old hotels and 21st century offices. Brussels is the capital of the EU so there's more new buildings centrally located than usual.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/brussels.jpg)
After checking in I met a cute American named Stephanie who teaches English in Aix-de-Provence, and was on her school break touring. We hooked up for the evening and hit the town. I think I can safely say that, unless you have actually been to Belgium, you've never really had a Belgian waffle. They are AMAZING. There's so much sugar baked right into it that when it's heated, the crust caramelizes. It's like eating a big piece of candy.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/waffle.jpg)
We accidentally stumbled across the Mannekin Pis... it's a tiny fountain in the form of a small boy continuously peeing, which has for some reason become an internationally known symbol of Brussels. As my guidebook said, it seems appropriate for a country which is also very small and absurd.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/mannekinpis.jpg)
Stephanie and I had dinner at the Rue des Bouchers (Street of the Eaters) which is lined with restaurants, where the waiters stand outside and attempt to guess your nationality and get you to come in. It's a bit like Morocco, with the hawkers of their street goods. I bought us a fantastic meal with a bottle of French wine.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/ruedesbouchers.jpg)
Bizarrely, on the way back, we almost tripped over a thoroughly drunk Belgian housewife, whom we picked up and ordered some water for. She gave us her sad story of how she is torn between her obligations to her husband and her disabled brother, and the difficulty of her home life. It was somewhat strange. Anyway, Stephanie was leaving the next day, and she rewarded me for a wonderful evening filled with friendly company and chivalrous behaviour with... well, a peck on the cheek. Oh well, I've had worse dates. 0/1.
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Next day in Belgium was spent doing something I'd wanted to do for a long time--see the Atomium, built for the 1958 Brussels World Fair and recently completely renovated and re-clad for its 50th anniversary. It is in the shape of an iron molecule magnified one hundred billion times. The former fairgrounds are now parkland.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/atomium.jpg)
Six spheres are habitable, with a combination of stairs, escalators and elevators taking you through them. Each one has two floors, with uses rangin from a permanent exhibit on the fair, temporary galleries, private meeting rooms, a small cafe, or (at the very top) a restaurant.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/atomiuminterior.jpg)
The day after, I found a group of three in the hostel lounge, and we all set off for the nearby town of Brugges. Far more traditional, the entire city is listed as an UNESCO world heritage site.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/brugge.jpg)
The main square has the typical mixed assortment of late Medieval-early Renaissance buildings including the town hall, the town cathedral, and the governor's palace. Here's the tower the former photo was taken from. The foundations are made from centuries old wood and leather, so the whole thing leans slightly to one side.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/bruggetower.jpg)
We head back to Brussels, and naturally over the course of the day we pair off. Caroline (French, pronounced caro-LEEN) hooked up with the Brazilian guy next to her. Lynda (Vietnamese-American) decided she didn't like drinking, or dancing, or chatting... so we spent most of the late evening watching the other two enjoying themselves. This was a significantly more frustrating evening for my libido. 0/3.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/belgiangroup.jpg)
This morning I packed up and before I left, made one last stop at the Beligian Comic Strip Museum. You probably don't know this but Belgian comics are world-famous (I can't stand America sometimes.) There's a bust of Tintin, and originals of some Japanese Manga like Akira. At least you've all heard of the Smurfs, right?
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/smurf.jpg)
The museum is in an old warehouse by Victor Horta, the undisputed master of Art Nouveau. He's done lots of work in Brussels, but this was the only building actually accessible and open to the public so I made the most of it. THe gorgeous organic tendrils of stone, glass, and wrought iron make Horta a national hero; there's even a metro stop named after him.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/horta.jpg)
So, here I finally am, in the world capital of sex and drugs--Amsterdam. I found a hostel right in the middle of the red light district, that's clean and friendly and inexpensive! How was this possible, you ask? Well, you have to put up with a few things...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jesus.jpg)
Hm. I probably won't get lucky with anyone staying here, then. But there's no curfew, so I'll just have to go out and find my own company in the coffeeshops. The next few days ought to be a lot of fun.
See you all in a few days...
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I think I can safely say that, unless you have actually been to Belgium, you've never really had a Belgian waffle. They are AMAZING. There's so much sugar baked right into it that when it's heated, the crust caramelizes. It's like eating a big piece of candy.
Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean. :D
We accidentally stumbled across the Mannekin Pis...
Psst. It's Manneken :)
it's a tiny fountain in the form of a small boy continuously peeing, which has for some reason become an internationally known symbol of Brussels. As my guidebook said, it seems appropriate for a country which is also very small and absurd.
Never heard that one before :wakka:
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an iron molecule
wat
So, here I finally am, in the world capital of sex and drugs--Amsterdam. I found a hostel right in the middle of the red light district, that's clean and friendly and inexpensive! How was this possible, you ask? Well, you have to put up with a few things...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jesus.jpg)
News flash: you have to put up with Jesus being Lord whether or not you're in Amsterdam. ;)
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:rolleyes:
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Amsterdam is my kind of place. First of all, it's European, so everything I like about the cultural and culinary diversity is intact; secondly, the transport system consists almost entirely of bicycles, boats and trains; and third, the atmosphere is totally relaxed. There's this magical attitude towards victimless so-called 'amoral' behaviour that lets everyone just get on with their lives and do what they want to do, with none of the false moral outrage and hypocrasy that comes with people like, say, Ted Haggart.
The building just after the one in the foreground is the Anne Frank Huis; to the left is the warehouse, and to the right with the pitched roof is the Secret Annex. That tiny square window is the one in the kitchen.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/amsterdam.jpg)
The annex is surprisingly large; it's definitely plausible that eight people could live in there for years, although the claustrophobia would definitely be intense. Anne's original diary is on display as well. The Nazis confiscated all the furniture in the annex, but other than that, the rooms remain as they were, with yellow wallpaper and 1940s movie star posters stuck to the walls.
Looking out of those windows, imagining what it was like not to be able to go out on the street and remembering what they went through, was chilling.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/annefrank.jpg)
The first photo was shot from the top of this tower, the West Church. There are four churches in the inner city, and I can't imagine anywhere odder to have them.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/oldchurch.jpg)
One of them has the Amsterdam monument to homosexual persecution right outside its doors. The pink granite triangle is of course a reference to the emblems homosexuals were forced to wear in the concentration camps, and has since been reclaimed. The very concept of building something like this in the US would trigger a moral panic. Still, that's nothing compared to the Old Church...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/homomonument.jpg)
The Old Church is completely surrounded by bars, coffeeshops, tattoo parlors and brothels. There is literally window prostitution facing the church. As you probably know, prostitution in the Netherlands is legal and prostitutes are licensed; they rent windows, pay taxes, and get checkups four times a year. Taking photos in the Red Light District at night is forbidden (it's considered theft) but here's what it looks like during the day. All those doors with curtains on them have their windows filled as early as 12:30 PM with lingerie-clad prostitutes backlit with red light. This particular photo was taken on the same block as the hostel I was staying in.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/redlight.jpg)
To experience that other famous aspect of Amsterdam, the coffeeshops, I went to the internationally recognized Cannabis College, an informational, awareness, and activism non-profit organization. Here's something I didn't know: all the drugs that are so readily available in Amsterdam are in fact just as illegal as they are in any other country. The United Nations has classified marijuana as a Class 1 Drug (serious health risks, no medical benefit, dangerously addictive) and there's just as much, if not more, persecution and imprisonment for drug possession as there is in Belgium or Germany. Among locals, there's also just as much prejudice and distaste for the pot culture as there is anywhere else. What you are seeing here is the ONLY licensed cannabis growing operation in the entire Netherlands.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/cannabis.jpg)
So if the laws are no different, what makes Amsterdam so different? The answer: Enforcement.
This is the laissez-faire attitude I was referring to: the coffeeshops are Dutch-owned, contributing to the economy, and not causing any harm or danger, so they're simply tolerated. This does mean that there's no regulation or standardization for these drugs, however, and one of the Cannabis College's missions is to shop around at local coffeeshops, buy drugs, then send them for testing and find out how much is crap.
And there's a LOT of crap. The plants the College grows and recommends are 100% organic, no chemicals or pesticides, with carefully chosen genetics as well. Drugs are dangerous, and Holland is lucky enough that these discussions can be held out in the open to reduce the risk of smokers getting hurt, and legitimizing businesses that don't deal in hard drugs. If you're at all interested in any of the aspects of prohibition (Uses of hemp, medical marijuana, overzealous law enforcement, etc.) you've probably already heard of them, but if not, it's highly educational.
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Wow. My parents said we might be able to go someplace in Europe for my bday. I'll have to keep looking here.
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The first photo was shot from the top of this tower, the Old Church. There are four churches in the inner city, and I can't imagine anywhere odder to have them.
I'd assume that they were built well before the city became a wretched hive of scum and villainy. :p
I'm amused to find out that Amsterdam is every bit as much of an...interesting place as I've heard. Not really my kind of place at all, but an interesting place nonetheless. The picture of the Anne Frank house is rather chilling, in a way.
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Amsterdam is my kind of place too you lucky Galemp :)
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Hm. I did some accounting today, and it looks like I'll have to change my plans. While I had budgeted my major expenses, like travel, something's gone wrong somewhere and I haven't recieved my unemployment insurance checks recently, so I'm about $500 short of where I should be. I've also been spending a LOT more than I thought. Unfortunately, there's three things I hadn't taken into consideration when I was budgeting.
Cash Only. Most hostels, it seems, are happy to book your reservation and deposit online with a credit card, but will only accept the balance in cash. Additionally, most supermarkets and some other places only accept European credit cards--even if they're Visa or Mastercard. I had anticipated softening the drain on my bank account using plastic, but with each withdrawal being hit by foreign transfer fees, currency exchange fees, ATM fees, and an unfavorable exchange rate, I'm rapidly running out of basic currency.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/cash.jpg)
Sightseeing. What good is it being in front of a staggering historical monument if you can't go inside? Most attractions cost between €4 and €8 even with the student discount. Popular or well-touristed items can see the prices rise too. And since I'm by myself, with time to kill and young legs, I can get a lot done in a day.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/sightseeing.jpg)
Nightlife. Shocking as it may seem, this architecture student who spends most of his free time modeling spaceships doesn't get out very much. "Going Out" as in having a few beers and a few laughs has grown on me a lot this past week and it's been great... but expensive. Going out for anyone anywhere is pricey, but when you're in a big city where everything closes at 5, it's pretty much THE thing to do, and doing it every other night is getting unsustainable. Even when I do stay in, these places charge for wi-fi, so there's not much I can do after dark except sleep.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/nightlife.jpg)
So, crunching the numbers, I came up with a couple different schemes. All of these are basically eliminating spending on anything except €5 a day for bread and water.
- I could stick to the original schedule, do nothing except walk and sleep, see the cities but not experience them, and return home deeply in debt. Not very attractive.
- I could cut the trip short--spend a night in Cologne, a night in Strasbourg, and a night in Paris, and return to my grandparents for, uh, two weeks until my flight leaves. Again, not very attractive.
- I could work at the Youth Hostel here in Amsterdam for a week in exchange for free room and board, make my dates in Cologne, Hanover, and Paris, and have enough wiggle room to buy a few entry tickets. Now that's more like it.
I'm going to be interviewing with the hostel staff here tomorrow about the possibility. They've already said that they need cleaners, and I would love to be in Amsterdam during Queen's Day (which is the city's biggest party) as well as keeping my date with DaBrain, using my Eurail pass to its maximum, and keeping my reservation in Paris. I just need to convince them that I'm "Christian" enough not to tarnish their image. However, my attendance at Bible Study tonight and insightful discussion afterwards seemed to go well, even if I believe that Jesus is merely "A Way" to find spiritual fulfillment rather than "The Way." Wish me luck (and prayers, if you're into that sort of thing.)
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Woot. They've taken me on! I'm going to Cologne for three days, then heading back to Amsterdam to work for a week before I head to Paris.
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Top tip: If ever you arrange to meet someone in a foreign country at a well known landmark in the city, always make sure theres not TWO of them.
Sorry I missed you today, DaBrain.
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Alright, with my finances in order I set off for Cologne for a few days before returning to Amsterdam. First stop: the Schockoladen Museum, home of Lindt. Also, I was in Germany and thus required Bratwurst.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/bratwurst.jpg)
I've been to Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania a few times, but this place puts it to shame. Instead of anamatronic candy bars they have an actual greenhouse where they grow the cocoa trees, and an actual production line where they make the samples they give out with your ticket. From bean to bar, it's all done right in front of you, as well as truffles and hollow chocolate Easter Bunnies. That's a chocolate fountain to the right, by the way.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/chocolate.jpg)
I also had time on the way back to look at House No. 4711, the original home of Eau de Cologne. For some reason Napoleon abolished all street names and numbered each house, which is why it's only given a number. Today it's the flagship store of the 4711 brand.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/4711.jpg)
Next day was Cologne Cathedral. I have only one word to describe it: TITANIC. The sheer MASS of the thing and the size of its towers is unfathomable. Look at it. Just look at it!
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/kolnerdom.jpg)
To give you some sense of scale... this is a replica of the pinnacle they placed on top of each of the towers upon the Cathedral's completion.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/kolnpinnacle.jpg)
Construction started in the year 1248 when the relics of the Three Kings (also known as the Three Magi, or Wise Men) were moved here from Milan. Work halted after the Reformation with only the eastern end complete; the unfinished cathedral sat there, its medieval crane dominating the skyline, for 300 years until it was finally finished as a symbol of German unity in 1880. Just 60 years later, it only escaped destruction by the Allied bombings that leveled 90% of the city because it was a useful landmark for pilots.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/kolninterior.jpg)
On that note, this is all that remains of Herrenhausen Palace, home of the Hanoverian monarchs that now have the British throne.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/fragment.jpg)
The palace gardens in Hannover are still very much alive, however, and are some of the most wonderful I've ever seen. More intimate than Versailles, broader than Hampton Court, and with fountains in great quantity and quality, it's definitely fit for kings and queens.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/herrenhausen.jpg)
I was to meet DaBrain in Hannover that evening, but due to the aforementioned misunderstanding he ended up at the Neues Rathaus, while I arrived at the Altes Rathaus. (The escape pods were destroyed.) It was an interesting place, though, after all there's not many churches with both pentacles and Stars of David on their towers.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/hannover.jpg)
Finally, back to Amsterdam, and a quick tour of the old Heineken brewery. It's a nifty multimedia experience that takes you through the whole beer brewing process, with some rather gratuitous plugging of the Heineken brand, label and history. Your ticket gets you two free drinks at the bar, though in my opinion they should come before the tour instead of after it.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/heineken.jpg)
It is now Tuesday the 28th, and the 30th is Holland's national holiday, Queen's Day, where the entire country pours out into the streets and goes absolutely wild. In twenty-four hours this square will be packed with drunk/stoned/high/tripping/horny Dutch wearing orange and partying all day and all night. And I will be one of them.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/beforequeensday.jpg)
Stay tuned...
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And I will be one of them.
You'll be Dutch?
BTW, say hi to Tiara for us. And don't die while going wild; the future depends on you making cutscenes for Scroll. :)
Also, aweXome pictures.
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Ooh, Tiara will be in town? Nice. Haven't seen her here in a while. If she sends me a PM I'll tell her where I am.
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Tiara actually hasn't been active in quite a while, but I'm pretty sure she and TCO live in Amsterdam.
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Well, I found out how they keep it so nice here... the cleaners work really hard. Making my way past the youth hosteling area, this place is looking more like a homeless shelter that survives by renting beds.
I'm gonna take it easy tonight, so I can party hard tomorrow. It sounds like Mardi Gras in New Orleans crossed with the Fourth of July. Whoo!
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Awesome stuff Galemp, makes me want to try this sometime. *sigh* I wish I had the guts to go travelling alone.
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Car hits fans at Dutch royal show. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8026807.stm)
Officials said flags are at half mast on government buildings across the country and all planned celebrations have been called off.
The spoilsport...
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I told you so.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/queensday.jpg)
Everyone got the afternoon off today. It was a heck of a party over the whole city--dancing, music, the beer flowed like water. As well as the festivities, it's a special day because nobody has to pay taxes. That means that everyone can come out and sell whatever they like, as if it was one giant yard sale. I saw everything from swimming flippers to gas masks for sale.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/damsquare.jpg)
Millions come from outside the city, and the canals are thick with houseboats. There were plenty of boat parties too--small boats with a keg, a boom box, and a dozen people just cruising the canals.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/houseboats.jpg)
At the end of the day the amount of garbage was staggering. About half of it consisted of Heineken, Amstel, and Grosner beer cans and bottles. The cleanup crews were already at work by the time I got back--the city needs to be spotless for Liberation Day, May 5.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/garbage.jpg)
And of course the obligitory shot of me in my regalia, beer in hand. Mom, just be glad I didn't put on any giant orange novelty sunglasses or feather boas.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/orange.jpg)
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Well, this has been an interesting few days. Friday was the late night for the museums, so I walked to Museumplein and hit the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum. Miserably expensive, but... it's the Rijksmuseum with THE Nightwatch. I wasn't really familiar with Rembrandt, but now that I've seen his work it's phenomenal. It really does have to be seen in person, because the application of the paint and the contrast in detailing is tremendously inventive.
Right next door is the world's largest collection of Van Goghs, including two self-portraits, Sunflowers, Irises, La Chambre de l'Artiste, lots of earlier and more obscure work (Vincent once painted a crab on its back, in his signature style) and an entire temporary exhibit about Starry Night. No pictures inside, so this will have to do. Rijksmuseum in the background, Van Gogh museum in the foreground.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/rijksmuseum.jpg)
Today was rather unpleasant, as two people were dismissed from the hostel--one cleaner I had earlier talked to the management about when his loud, profanity-filled and prolonged outbursts at 3 AM were unappreciated later threatened to "kick my ****ing skull in" if I complained again. The other was a staff member whom I had the misfortune to meet after he was fired (which I didn't know; ) after my chores were done I asked if I could help him and was told "**** off, I don't like you."
Naturally I was very self conscious for the rest of the day, but some conversations with the remaining staff assuaged me that the situation had been ongoing and that it had nothing to do with me, or that my complaints were somehow responsible for their dismissal. I'm still a little uneasy after getting on two people's bad sides in one day, but I feel better knowing the staff has taken it seriously.
On a lighter note, today I rode side-saddle on the back of a bike through Amsterdam, which in a city that caters to vice, is probably the most irresponsible and dangerous thing it's actually possible to do; and helped out a scavenger hunt by letting a stranger braid my hair. Also, cleaners get free web access (though still only in 10 or 30 minute chunks.) So, another money savings for me, yay! Here's a photo taken in the courtyard of Oliver, the hostel cat, and one of the iconic Amsterdam bollards. In case you ever doubted that Amsterdam is the world pornography capital, the city's emblem is XXX.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/oliver.jpg)
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Dutch Scrabble is weird; there's two Zs and no Q. Still, I used all my letters on "Reexhume" which was cool.
Will take photos at Remembrance Day and Liberation Day tonight and tomorrow. See you then!
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May 4th is Remembrance Day, the day in the Netherlands where the war dead from World War II onwards are memorialized in a ceremony at the national war memorial... which happens to be three blocks from where I am now. There's a formal ceremony where the Queen, the Royal Family, and politicians and representatives of all Dutch areas and overseas territories leave flowers and pay their respects. This was the square and the memorial today, with the wreaths laid and the flags flying.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/liberationday.jpg)
During the ceremony, however, this was the view I had. (That's the memorial on the left.) I got to see the Queen, though!
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/remembranceday.jpg)
She's in that photo. Really! You can't see her? She's laying the wreath. Here's another shot...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/queenwreath.jpg)
Hmm... okay, well, maybe I didn't have the best seat in the house but at least I was there. Today (May 5) was Liberation Day and all the Americans, Canadians, British and Australians are celebrated for their role in freeing the Netherlands in the war. I'm going out with an American friend (Lindsay) tonight; I'm going to try to score us some free drinks. :D
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LOVE the pics Lil Cuz. Wonderful BLOGS! Get lucky yet???
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DAMN.....was off too long.....just saw you´ve been in cologne.....hope you had a nice time....... even i passed the opportunity to meet you. i´m living 40 km from there..... :rolleyes:
exept the beer, cologne is a nice city ;7
next time....
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The bad news is, my time in Amsterdam is over. The good news is, I'm in Paris now! These won't be the kinds of Paris photos you're used to seeing, though. This is my third trip, and I want to try and see the things I haven't seen yet. After all, you could spend a lifetime at the Louvre, but I had to find out what I was missing.
I had time after my train came in to trek over to La Defense, the business district of Paris, and its centrepiece, La Grande Arche.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/grandearche.jpg)
Hm... that doesn't really communicate any scale, does it? Perhaps this will help.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/archesteps.jpg)
Yeah, it's REALLY big. The centre hole is as wide as the Champs-Elysee, and is so tall that Notre Dame Cathedral could fit inside comfortably. It sits at the other end of the Axe Historique that runs from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe, and the rooftop view from the other side is quite nice.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/ladefense.jpg)
Saturday started with the Opera Garnier, a ridiculous Rococo box that looks like it should be made of porcelain and sitting on a doily.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/operagarnier.jpg)
Likewise, the interior is very, very French.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/operainterior.jpg)
Charles Garnier did display remarkable innovation in his design, though, insofar as it broke from previous tradition and invented its own 'style.' At times, it almost seems to anticipate the Art Nouveau aesthetic that was to appear fifty years later.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/operastair.jpg)
Speaking of Art Nouveau, I found plenty of Hector Guimard's Metro stations around. I was pleasantly surprised, as I thought they were rare, but so far about half the stations I've been through have featured his work.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/parismetro.jpg)
Next up, the basilica of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre--specifically, the dome. From the underground metro station to street level, up the grueling hill, then all the way up to the dome, it must have been 500 steps.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/sacrecoeur.jpg)
The route takes you up and down and over the walls and parapets and around gargoyles and lanterns. You can get really intimate with the church this way.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/montmartre.jpg)
And, of course, the legendary view from Montmartre, the best in Paris, is made even better.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/paris.jpg)
I'm leeching internet from a stranger right now, so the next few posts may or may not happen tonight, and some of the photos might not show up either.
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I have heard stories about Pere Lachaise cemetery, that every dead Frenchmen you've ever known is buried there. There's enough foreigners there, too, that it's become a pilgrimage for some people. What I didn't know is that Pere Lachaise isn't a cemetery... it's a freaking necropolis. THIS is the density of the tombs, sarcophagi, and sepulchers there.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/perelachaise.jpg)
Completely packed, side to side and front to back. There are some graves that have been there for almost two centuries, some graves that everyone knows about...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jim.jpg)
...and some more recent, but no less deeply loved.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/yvesmontand.jpg)
At the centre of the cemetery is a really creepy crematorium. It is surrounded on all sides by hundreds and hundreds of little cubbyholes for the remains of the cremated, which consist mainly of the war dead.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/cubbyholes.jpg)
Last stop for the day was Parc de la Vilette, on the city limits to the northeast of Paris. Built between 1983-1985, it is officially my favorite public park in any city, anywhere, and I only wish I had kids to take with me! Architect Bernard Tschumi developed three overlapping systems to organize the park that will be familiar to any 3D modelers here: Points, Lines, and Surfaces.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/parcdelavilette.jpg)
That red cubic thingy on the left is one of the 'points:' one of about two dozen follies spaced on a regular grid through the park. Each one is based on the same cubic dimensions, and shares the same architectural language and is painted bright red, but they can serve park functions (information desk, performance space) service functions (fast food restaurant, first aid) or aesthetic functions (belvedere, bridge terminus.)
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/folies.jpg)
There's three 'lines' in the park, one that runs adjacent to the canal, another that runs perpendicular and connects the two most distant corners of the park, and a third squiggly path that meanders through the park and around most of the folies and major park features. Between these lines, the park is carved into 'surfaces' with spaces to play, sunbathe, and picnic, or gardens with flowers, trees, or modern sculpture, including this gigantic submerged bicycle by my favorite pop artist, Claes Oldenberg.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/bicycle.jpg)
On top of all that there's plenty of imagination-churning adventure play areas for kids of all ages, rides and snacks, and a huge Science Center with an IMAX theatre. Seriously, if you are going to Paris with children, take a day off from the art museums and tourist landmarks, and spend the day at Parc de la Vilette. You won't regret it.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/citedessciences.jpg)
This was the night that made all those days working in Amsterdam pay off: Gruyere fondue and French white wine with new friends. Eating well is Paris is a true pleasure, and not one I was going to miss out on.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/fondue.jpg)
So, with some wine, fondue, wine, introductions, beer, and resolutions, we decided that it would just be GREAT to go see the Eiffel Tower at night, Taking along some more beers to the Champ de Mars we settled down and waited for the show.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/eiffelgold.jpg)
Sure enough, every hour on the hour, the Tower's spotlights shut down and for a few minutes, it sparkles with randomly glittering white lights.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/eiffelsilver.jpg)
But when the show was over, the golden lights didn't turn back on again...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/eiffeldark.jpg)
Then we realized that it was probably because at 1 AM they turn it off and go home. We got our first Metro train, but by the time we got to our connection they had stopped running, so we had a walk to do. Still, an exhilarating day.
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Sunday morning! Today's agenda, Rive Gauche (Left Bank,) within walking distance of the hostel and all pretty new to me. Jardin des Plantes seemed to have half of Paris jogging through it; it's a favorite spot for locals as it's relatively out of the way, and has some very nice natural history and zoological gardens.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jardindesplantes.jpg)
I got free admission into the Museum of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, which was unlike any other natural history museum I've been in. It's really hardcore--no interactive multimedia displays, no animatronic dinosaurs--everything was curated by 19th century naturalists, and hasn't been renovated. The only reason there was any COLOR in the building was because of the Darwin's 200th Birthday celebrations.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/skeletons.jpg)
The key here is that it is the gallery of comparative anatomy, which means that the hundreds of skeletons on display are grouped according to species, genus, and family, At a glance, you can compare whales, manatees and walruses, look at humans side by side with the Great Apes, compare the skulls of all the Great Cats, or in some places directly compare the similarities between all the vertebrates, such as the hand structure of humans, bats, and dolphins. Incredibly educational.
The nearby French Pantheon has seen lots of troubles over its lifetime; completed just before the Revolution as the Church of St. Genevieve, it has been secularized and re-dedicated at least five times since then. Its current role is as a monument and mausoleum for great French heroes.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/pantheon.jpg)
Voltaire and Rousseau are buried here, as are Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Louis Braille, and champions of the French resistance in World War II.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/pantheoninterior.jpg)
Science buffs may be interested to hear that under the Pantheon's dome is where Focault installed his famous pendulum, to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. Now that all the bickering over turning it into a church has finally settled, the pendulum has recently been reinstated.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/focault.jpg)
On my way toward the Seine, I was compelled to stop at Jean Nouvel's Institute du Monde Arabe (Institute for the Arabic World,) built to foster understanding and peace between the Western world and the Arabic world.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/arabinstitute.jpg)
The building's southern facade is patterned like Islamic sun screening lattices, and serves the same function--but with a modern twist.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/arabfacade.jpg)
Each one of those little apertures is articulated like a camera shutter, and can iris open or close to allow more or less light into the building, controlled by light sensors mounted on the panel. Pretty cool, huh?
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/arabaperatures.jpg)
There's a rooftop restaurant with (yet another) stunning view of the city.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/seine.jpg)
Crossing the river, I figured I was in the area and may as well stop at Notre Dame de Paris. See, now THIS is why I want to live in a city. People go their entire lives longing to see these kinds of places, and I just happened to be in the neighborhood and so went in. It really doesn't get any better than that.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/notredame.jpg)
The remainder of the afternoon was spent at the Centre Pompidou, the prototypical collaboration between Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers that launched both their professional careers and architectural theories. Like the later Lloyd's building in London, they turned the normal building model (central service core, curtain walls) inside out (push all the service elements to the outside, leaving a great wide open space in the middle.)
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/pompidou.jpg)
Unique to the Pompidou though is that they also picked out the service elements in color: red for human circulation systems, blue for heating/ventilation/air conditioning, green for plumbing, yellow for electrical systems, and white for structural systems, with everything else (like emergency stairways) in dark gray. Current exhibitions are Kandinsky and Calder.
Well, that nearly wraps it up. My feet feel like they're worn down to bloody stumps, so although it's possible I'll go out again tonight it seems unlikely. Tomorrow morning I'll have time for the Luxembourg Gardens before my train departs, but that will be about it, I think. I can't believe I'm leaving already... feels like I just got here.
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I have heard stories about Pere Lachaise cemetery, that every dead Frenchmen you've ever known is buried there. There's enough foreigners there, too, that it's become a pilgrimage for some people. What I didn't know is that Pere Lachaise isn't a cemetery... it's a freaking necropolis. THIS is the density of the tombs, sarcophagi, and sepulchers there.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/perelachaise.jpg)
Completely packed, side to side and front to back. There are some graves that have been there for almost two centuries, some graves that everyone knows about...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jim.jpg)
...and some more recent, but no less deeply loved.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/yvesmontand.jpg)
At the centre of the cemetery is a really creepy crematorium. It is surrounded on all sides by hundreds and hundreds of little cubbyholes for the remains of the cremated, which consist mainly of the war dead.
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/cubbyholes.jpg)
Damn shame you didn't get a shot of Jim Morrison's tomb/Grave (lead singer of The Doors) I believe he is buried there somewhere. I'd love to see how that is looking these days, covered by the graffiti of his adoring fans!
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Damn shame you didn't get a shot of Jim Morrison's tomb/Grave (lead singer of The Doors) I believe he is buried there somewhere. I'd love to see how that is looking these days, covered by the graffiti of his adoring fans!
Um...
Completely packed, side to side and front to back. There are some graves that have been there for almost two centuries, some graves that everyone knows about...
(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/jim.jpg)
:p
Really great pictures, as usual. I'm far too much of a homebody to ever travel abroad, especially not by myself, but if I ever did, I feel like I'd have to take a lot more than an introductory History of Architecture course to really appreciate what I was seeing.
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Wobble: Click the picture to enlarge it. That IS the grave of one James Douglas Morrison. Things have apparently calmed down quite a bit, all the remaining graffiti is decades-old stuff they couldn't get rid of.
Now, Oscar Wilde's tomb, on the other hand...
Mongoose: A pre-modern architectural history course, and an art history course, would be great investments before a trip to Europe (Especially Italy.) That way you can tell a Monet from a Miro, at least, but every destination has enough information available that you'll be fine. You can also take advantage of the audio tours in most museums to help you make sense of what it is you're looking at.
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Mom here. Understandable mistake about Jim's grave, there was another headstone which was a full bust of Jim with flowing hair etc. From what I remember it was either vandalized or changed for some reason quite a few years ago. Boy do I wish I still had that photo from 1981! Super pics Peter, I am green with envy. Luv ya!
Sorry, yeah, that was the pic of the headstone I remember seeing. And I have my internet optimised to show pics at a lower quality/resolution so it loads pictures quicker. I didn't manage to read the headstone! I was looking for the bust!
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home. jetlag. tired. graduating this weekend.
will conclude with those pics, then archive this thread.
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(http://pjfo2009.googlepages.com/graduation.JPG)
So now, degree in hand, I head off to face the real world.
Thanks to all who followed me! I hope this has inspired you to head out and do some traveling of your own!
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Yay!
EDIT: Err... I think it's a little premature to tell whether this thread is a classic (or else I'd be breaking my own rules); so I've moved the thread back to the Port forum. :)
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Congrats!
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you've never really had a Belgian waffle. They are AMAZING
I know, I have family in belgium. I spend more time in belgium cities then in dutch ones o_0.