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So we're in Paris, hurrah! I am slightly less mucusy, much more phlegmy and much much more happy.
The trip was fine. At Prato Centrale, some guy tried to pick me up, but he was creepy, and also his name was Zafar, like the evil guy in Aladdin, so I thought that was a bad sign. He followed me when I walked away, so I sat in a carriage that had only had one seat free, and left fast at the end of the trip, so that was good. In Milan I visited the Duomo, which was quite cool, although the best part is the outside and that was covered in scaffolding, and the Sforza Palace, which was just hugely massively big, and celebrated inwardly because I was walking ground where Isabella D'Este once trod (when she visited her sister Beatrice, who married Lodovico Il Moro). After that there wasn't much to do, so I headed back towards the cathedral as it got dark and happened across a Christmas market, which I happily explored for a while. Then there was ice skating in front of the cathedral, so I watched that for hours. Ice skating watching is one of the best ways to people watch. There was the most awesome young love couple. I heart them. Another creepy man tried to pick me up. Was impatient, as was busy perving on attractive ice skating boys. Had dinner at McDonalds (Not big on eating alone is restaurants) and eventually went back to Milano Centrale where ANOTHER creepy guy tried to pick me up. Ugh. Messaged Tegan for support. After a long long long wait, the train arrived, and amongst some confusion, I boarded a carriage that wasn't the one on my ticket, but I got to sleep in a bed type thing, so I don't mind. The other four people in the sleepy cabin thingy were very nice and reassured me when the conductor made off with my passport.
Got to Paris, caught all the right trains, then got lost, then got found and checked in at the hostel.
The hostel is funny; far far away, and the shower head is a detachable one, but without the attachable function, and there are no basins in the toilets and the cleaner yelled at me in French, and the bed makes squeaky noises when you move, like on TV, except not, and it's quite grotty and dodgy. It's pretty good other than that; it's warm, no curfew, no lockout, all that good stuff.
Yesterday we did nothing, but today we went grocery shopping in the morning (and came back with the weridest array of groceries you've ever seen: fruit bread, crackers, toast type things, chickpeas, champignons, orange juice, platic cups and plates, a bottle of Smirnoff, a bottle of some other Vodka mixed drink and 15 pains au chocolate) and then in the afternoon planned the rest of Paris and went to Notre Dame, which was interesting architecturally, but the art was quite not very good and the guy wouldn't let us into the museum, because he didn't have change for a 10.
So yeah. That's about it, and you probably won't hear from us again until we're in Hjoerring, as the cheap internet cafes are far far away from our hostel. So yeah. Don't worry, OK?
We have plans over the next few days to visit the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Musee d'Orsay, catacombs, Museum of the Middle Ages, major flea markets, ummmm... probably some other good but really touristy stuff too. Wish us luck!
Lots of love,
Katherine (and also Tegan)
1 comment:
[info]acafe
2005-12-16 06:09 am (local) (link) Track This
I'm hoping you got your passport back??
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:23 am (local) (link) Track This
Yes, in the morning. I didn´t know they took them overnight!
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(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 08:05 am (local) (link) Track This
Sounds like you're having a great time! A bottle of Smirnoff, and some vodka thing??!! A part of the Europe experience i suppose!
Can't wait to see you both in Hjoerring next week!
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:24 am (local) (link) Track This
Hah! I can wait to see you, because I saw you last night.
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(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 08:06 am (local) (link) Track This
Oh shit... just realised i forgot to write that the comment from before is from Sara! See you guys soon!
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:24 am (local) (link) Track This
We figured. :P
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(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 08:59 am (local) (link) Track This
So you made it to the city of light, well done. Well dealing with creepy guys should be a doddle for someone with Spanish blood who is frugal with etiquette. Did you see the Last Supper ? It is one I would dearly love to see before it completely fades away, you can then tell your sister if Dan Brown was right about one of the apostles being a woman. What about the San Siro, home to another form of art of both Milanese varieties. The ice skating sounds awesome. Interesting about Lodovico and his being a moor. It is amazing how much western culture is actually in debt to islam maintaining and extending the knowldge of the classical era whilst Europe was on a go-slow. When you get into the Mezquita in Cordoba or anywhere in Granada see if you can ever again consider islam through the eyes of the modern western infidels. We had a bit of our own islamic issues here with some race riots in Sydney. Don't know if they made it into your consioussness there but it was pretty ugly and made me worry about the sort of society we are becoming. Enjoy Paris, say hello to Charlemagne outside Notre Dame and following on the Sanchez tradition ,eat a lunch of pilfered food (ours was from EuroDisney if you remember) on one of those seats on the Pont Neuf. Oh I am soooo jealous.......enjoy yourself (you too Tegan) and leave the vodka till your mucus/phlegm is gone and you squinty eyed smile is back. Love ya. Dad. PS the new floor looks wonderful and Anna keeps doing the slide like on Risky Business.
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(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 01:30 pm (local) (link) Track This
Just having lunch and thought of you (a recurring thought....only coz it ain't the footy season) and remembered that Lodovico was only nicknamed 'il moro' and was not actually of moorish stock. Still the sentiments still stand. 'The hostel is far far away' you say. From what? We need some terms of reference here. Yes it is far far away from Mitcham but less so from the Mona Lisa or the Hôtel de Ville. I need more details. Squeaky beds are a real pain and specifically designed to encourage charity (...or maybe one of those other virtues that parents preach). Why did the cleaner yell at you? Was he/she/it aware of your messy nature and was preempting your mess or was it one of your famous 'all the hot water' showers like the day of abuelas funeral (one of those errors like the Children's Hospital abandonment which will never be forgetten.....elapahntine memories for stuff ups a genetic specialty). I love those detachable showers, its like doing a rubic(k?)s cube with water, a wonderful dexterity challenge to get you going for the day. I was fascinated by the chick peas. Are you and Tegan planning to sling shot them at rude museum guards who won't make change? Please don't try eating them dry as dental surgery is quite expensive on the left bank and I have never been completely convinced of French hygene standards. I suppose, given the far far awayness of the internet cafes (is that what you ment about the far far away hostel?), that I will have to wait for the next installment from Hjoerring (apparently they have "an exciting arts galley in an old doth mill" (no typo I was quite careful to copy it out excatly) or so the official Lysets Land web site tells me (http://www.toppenafdanmark.dk/gb/Hjoerring.aspx) though it is a heavy burden to bear. I and your mother do not, however, promise not to worry. Not to hear from you AND not to worry would be just too much. We would have to start talking to each other and goodness knows where that could lead.
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:34 am (local) (link) Track This
Absolutely right. And sentiments not lessened in the least.
Far away from EVERYTHING! If you can find a map of Paris anywhere, we were near the metro station Voltaire.
I don´t remember the shower you refer to, but let me assure you that it was nothing of the sort! Reception said I could go into the room early, but the cleaner came in mid afternoon and yelled at me for being there.
Chick peas are canned, not dried, and made an EXCELLENT snack!
I shall now write an entry so as not to worry you TOO much.
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:31 am (local) (link) Track This
Merci beaucoup!
I have been VERY frugal with ettiquette in those sorts of situations. *grins*
I didn´t get to see the Last Supper! I was so disppointed. I was depending on my Lonely Planet, and it mentioned it, but didn´t say where it was. Grrrr. I can tell you re: ´woman apostle´ though, that the prevalent historical belief is that the apostle they refer to is St. John, who is often represented in a feminine manner.
I didn´t see the San Siro either. Have never even heard of it!
Ice skating was wonderful. Was going to correct you re: Lodovico, but you did so yourself I see!
I heard about the race riots from a couple of friends. They sounded pretty shocking. I was glad not to be in Australia for them.
I am looking forward to sliding on the new floor (and seeing you all again of course!)
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(Anonymous)
2005-12-29 12:06 pm (local) (link) Track This
Just as a historical record the San Siro is the Milan soccer stadium shared by AC Milan (Milan - working class and older club) and Internazionale Milan (Inter - wealthier and splitters from original formed in 1908). Very bitter cross town rivals who happen to share a home.
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-31 12:17 am (local) (link) Track This
Thanks!
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[info]bonnie_may
2005-12-16 09:20 am (local) (link) Track This
sounds like the two of you are having a great time!!!! Am soooo jealous, want to be back there so badly!
i loved doing the supermarket thing when we were overseas, became an expert at having dinner picnics in our hotel room.
much love to you both, and give each other a big hug for me!!!
kisses
miss you
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:26 am (local) (link) Track This
Don´t let Claire hear you say that!
Love, kisses and miss you back.
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[info]cadbury_kel
2005-12-17 04:32 pm (local) (link) Track This
Woo! JAne Vs World are rocking the halls in paris!
Yay!!
I knew paris would be the centre of freaky y-chromosome containing beings trying to pick up our gorgeous aussie gal. It's ok.
Wait til I get there and i'll fend them off with my freaky lesbian vibes (which apparently, according to two work colleagues, I have many of) *sigh*
Good to hear that you two aren't letting backpacking take the edge off your alcoholism.
MIss you..
xx
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[info]teganandkat
2005-12-21 01:26 am (local) (link) Track This
*Grins* They so are!
Nonono, lots of ITALIAN men tried to pick me up. France was fine but Italy was a bit scary in that respect!
Take the edge off? Pah! Backpacking is REFINING it if anything.
Miss you lots too.
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