Need more travel blog?

In case you haven't grown bored of my rants about my rambles. Head over to my friend Michaels blog. He has a lot of nice pictures up as well as an embrassing testment to how many beers we drank in Bellgium.

Beers, Frittes and Waffles in lovely Belgium

I confess Belgium is kind off a strange destination. Why fly to Belgium when Italy shares a boarder with Switzerland? The answer is that I am, above all else a cheap traveler. I am open to all new experiences and so when I discovered an 60 euro round trip flight to Brussels, I booked my flight right away.

Plus I heard they had good beer...

My friend Micheal and I found a great flat on airbnb.com right in the center of Brussels. Belgium as a country is so small that it was easy to use Brussels as a base for day trips. Arriving in Brussels I was quickly charmed by the tiny squares and  stunning Flemish buildings. The town is heavily touristed strangely they are all confined a few square blocks. The symbol of Brussels and strangely enough, the entire country of Brussels is the tiny Mannekin Pis. This tiny cliche fountain would be like Reno representing the US. Why? There's so many wonderful things about Belgium!

Everyone is wondering, "why are we here?"

The first day was spent walking about the city and going to the Musee Magritte and Musee Royaux des Beaux-Arts. Rene Magritte is a famous Belgian painter famous for his surreal works. I enjoyed the Magritte museum but I am not a massive fan of his work as well as most of the pieces were the less famous ones. The Royal Museum was a great treat as I turned a corner and stumbled into one of my favorite painters  Hieronymus Bosch. The Museum also had a "Rubens Room" which had ten massive scaled painting by the local master.   

I wrote my very first research paper about him!

The rest of the day was spent eating waffles and french fries around the Art Nouveau buildings. Art Nouveau is my favorite architectural style. Brussels was home to the architect Victor Horta and the Nouveau buildings scattered around the country really helped me fall in love with Belgium despite the endless rain. 

This boat house was in Antwerp.

We took two day trips over the four day trip. The first of which was Antwerp. A small town with lots to do Antwerp was a  great town. Although I must confess most of the reason I liked the town was the legend of its name which involved a Roman warrior fighting a giant, chopping off his hand and throwing it in a river. A friend recently accused me of "liking everything". Despite the Brits believing they have a trademark on bitterness, I have been known to have my fare share. Still, I dare you not to like a town with a landmark like this statue.

Also has great beer...

oThe second day trip was to Bruges which was less bloody than  Colin Farrells trip. Bruges is a quaint medieval town based on a series of canals. The weather was miserable driving away the bulk of the visitors. The first stop on our wander was the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk, a 13th century church which houses a Madonna by Michelangelo. The piece was quite small but it was clear to even my uneducated eye that it was vastly superior to the works that surrounded it. 

  

The rest of day was spend strolling the old and new parts of town. Just walking around....with Frittes and beer. Are you starting to see the pattern of my trip?  

Also everyone should see In Bruges. As all can think of when I look at my vacation photos is chase scenes. 

Bruges had its fair share of heart break as well. For example I really really needed to see the holy blood of Christ at the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek. I am obsessed with relics. Not because of some misguided belief in their authenticity but because of the objects have a terrifically morbid history.  The vial of blood was brought to the city in the 12th century and is paraded annually through town.  The viral may have arrived in Bruges after the sacking of Constantinople, a fact that would make the object more than worthy of a parade around town. The heartbreak comes in when we discovered that the vial is only on veneration for a few hours every week and that we missed the relic by 20 minutes. 

These angels are holding all of my hopes and dreams. 

It wasn't a complete loss. The Basilica was one of the prettiest I had ever seen. Every pillar, every wall, every surface as painted in bright colors. The paint is young by European standards (just over 100 years old)  and the colors help is stand out in my mind from all of the other Flanders style churches.

We then returned to Brussels for one more day of, say it with me now, Beer and Frittes. Oh and if you ever find yourself in lovely Brussels make sure you get frittes at the stand behind the European Parliament. They were the best i've tasted. And trust me, I ate a lot of frittes. 

Science Still Rules.

Let me continue my backwards recollections (Belgium trip is coming soon I promise) by sharing information about my second trip to CERN last Tuesday. It was a field trip of sorts, my boss took Micheal and I to visit the CERN archive. The archives were neat with letters form Einstein and memorabilia form various Nobel Prize winners.

The archive was nice however the real treat was the "behind the scenes" tour we received of one of the engineering labs.  My friend Vera is working as a records manager for one of the engineers who works with magnets on a massive scale.  I'll try to give an amateur overview with out being completely wrong.

This cut away section of the ubiquitous CERN blue tubes, shows the two path ways that the neutrons are "fired" The rest of the space is taken up by magnets and complex cooling mechanism. The tubes need to stay constantly at minus 41 degrees. The LHC has a circumference of 27 kilometres which means CERN has plenty of pipes on hand in warehouses such as these. 

*Add me geeking out

Why magnets you ask? Well, particles would naturally travel in a straight line and the magnetism keeps them spinning in loops under then French/Swiss countryside. Next stop was the room were the magnets are tested. Much science was spoken and the three archivists nodded respectful.

I wish I would have written this fresh from the tour as I am now hazy about the actual science. I remember that out wonderful German tour guide mostly worked on the keeping the magnets cold and that the amount of energy needed to do so was so great that they often halted testing during the winter months so Geneva could turn on the heat.

The fibers shrink in the cold hence the astro-slinky part!

Well that's all for this episode of Consider the Following. 

Happy Birthday Rousseau!

Last night was my villages annual Voltaire festival which is held every summer in honor of the beloved patriarch. This year the celebration was a bit different because it was Rousseau's 300th birthday this week. Despite the fact that the two were contemporaneous, the philosopher and satirist hated each other. Voltaire is quoted as saying that Rousseau wanted us to “walk on all fours” like animals and behave like savages. Voltaire pushed for an enlighten monarch and had no sympathies for Rousseau's ideas on Democracy.  Despite all this they are buried across from each other in the Pantheon in Paris, to hold heated debates for all eternity.

There strained relationship begs the question, How would Voltaire throw a party for Rousseau at his own home. This question was answered for me last night at the festival. Did I expect the answer would include a flash mob to Mama Mia? Of course not but, when you think of it it might be the perfect prank the author of Candide could play on his Swiss neighbor.

When I arrived at the Chateau with my landlords I was greeted by a man in historical garb leading around a horse and carriage. His face was painted into a fashionable pallor although I could but think he was a Rousseau zombie. There were five stages set up around the Chateau hosting everything from classic theater performances to flamenco dancing to flute choirs doing Shkira covers. People were in costumes everywhere, at one point we accidentally walked into an art piece where a handsome young man done up in enlightenment chic read to us passages from Rousseau while we slowly walk through the gardens. I went from being awkward to enamored and back again. 

The grounds were full of tasty food tents from all over the world and I ate a Libyan dinner with a french dessert. Another fantastically french addition was the champagne garden in a drained 18th century fountain. 

I've also found a way to spend my golden years. I am joining a french folk dancing troupe and playing the Hurdy Gurdy, the instruments amazing shape makes up for it sounding like shaking a can of trapped bees. This troupe of dancers and musicians had a median age of 73. This is young in comparison to the instruments they were playing which hand been handed down for over 200 years. 

I feel more French already.

  

Annecy

This weekend saw the triumphant return of summer and finally gave me an excuse to take a day trip to Annecy. Just a short 45 minute trip from Geneva, Annecy is  stunning medieval town on a lake. The water in Lac d'Annecy is all alpine run off which results in a beautiful robins egg blue color and is surprisingly much warmer than the Oregon coast (but then again were isn't?).

My friend Micheal and I arrive just in time to catch the end of a very very packed market which sold everything from pretty scarfs to this cheese I still smell in my sleep. The bluer than blue river divided up the cobblestone streets of town. Annecy isn't just pretty. It's smack you in the face with European charm pretty. The town was packed with french tourists and we all seemed to be equality in awe of the canals and quaint market stands, that is was easy to ignore the touristy kitsch crowding the streets.

It's the prettiest 12th century prison ever!

After browsing the market and eating a cheap food (5 euros a sandwich!?! That's barely a down payment on a meal in Geneva), Micheal and I went to the lake to eat and people watch. The lakeside was packed with picnickers, razor scooterities and people renting paddle boats. It was 28 degrees and the water was so inviting so I did the reasonable thing and when for a swim in my clothes while Micheal looked on in shame (not the first time). It turns out that a 10 minute walk in the other direction would have reviled a large sandy beach where normal people swam in actual swimming gear. Oh well, there's always next time. I'm looking at you Kelly! 

This weekend I'm off on my last long weekend trip of my Internship. I'm going to Brussels to enjoy beer, chocolate, waffles and enjoy one of the largest festivals in Europe.

Paris on a Budget

As an underpaid intern living in one of the top five most expensive cities in the world, I constantly feel strapped for cash. Here are my handy tips for traveling Paris at under 15 Euros a day.

My first tip is more of an confession. I am not counting the cost of my Hostel (32 Euros a night) or my bus (70 euros return) in my Paris for under 60. Four days in Paris for 220 euros isn't quite as brag worthy.

Here are my nine tips for a cheap four days in Paris;

1- The Metro
The Metro in Paris is cringe inducing 1.70 a ride however they aren't zone specific and one ticket can get you anywhere you need to go with the exception of distant neighborhoods which aren't connected by metro (see last post). Since my hostel was in Montmartre, I couldn't avoid the the metro entirely so I would take a train twice a day and do all of my own walking within the city. Avoiding the tour buses and boats saves a bundle and  Paris is a walking city. I was blessed with 80 degree weather my entire trip but Ill trust Owen Wilson's advice and stay that Paris looks beautiful in the rain as well.

2- Find a hostel with free breakfast.
This is perhaps my most important tip. Not only do you not have to pay for breakfast but if your extra cheap like me you don't have to pay for any other meals! I would eat my fat fill at the cereal bar for breakfast and then pack up all of the bread and fruit I could get my hands on.  This swag would be supplemented by...

3-Supermarkets!

Despite my previous post the french do live in Paris and buy groceries like the rest of us. I would supplement my bread with cheese, nuts and 80 cent beer. Then I would carry around the bag all day which I blame be the questions about directions in French which would come multiple times a day.  As for the location of my dunches, I found a different park each day. I enjoyed Parisian picnics on the steps of Sacre-Coeur, Champs de Mars, the gardens of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and the steps along the Seine. All while staying under budget!

4-One paid attraction a day.

Paris has more than enough to see without entering a single building. I wanted to see everything I could while staying withing my budget and not getting burnt out. The entirety of my first day was spent at the Louvre and  the following three days where spent mostly walking with one major paid sight. I paid to enter the Pantheon, the Eiffel Tower and the Catacombs. I would advise giving the Pantheon a miss if on a budget but it was interesting to see the shrine to the republic which is now crumbling under its own weight.  I was extra excited to see the Catacombs which I had read about for years. It was not only much larger and more impressive than I expected but student tickets were only 4 euros!

5-Climb the Eiffel Tower by foot you lazy git

If you pay to take the elevator to the extreme top of the Effiel Tower it costs 12.50 but if your willing to walk up the 700 stairs it only costs 5 euros. I never made it to the extreme top of the tower but I managed to catch a spectacular Paris sunset with a wait time of only 15 minutes.

6-Cemeteries
Not only are they free but they are also spectacular. Family tombs of all sorts and sizes are museums of the macab.  I skipped the popular resting place of Jim Morrison instead exploring Montmarte cemetery. I had the cemetery to myself to wander alone which added to a spooky atmosphere. I have decided that I am traveling back to Paris before I die so I can get entombed under a betterthanlife statue of myself. I hope that's not too much to ask.

7-Churches
Are always free to enter in France and should be all over the world. I'm looking at you Westminster....

8-Don't do this

9-Spend when you want.
I could have spent maybe 15 euros less but I broke down for french pastries and the Louvre audio guide. As strange as this sounds I don't travel intentional cheap, I just know my limited means and whats worth a little extra money. 

10- Know you'll return

Paris is not a city you could ever strike off your list. I am already
planning my next trip, hopefully with a thicker wallet!

Paris Reflections

It has been a week since I arrived in the City of Light via Bus of Eastern Europeans. I believe I have recovered enough to write.  

I never wanted to go to Paris. I wasn't opposed to the idea and my entire life seemed to contain dreams of the Louvre nevertheless, Paris wouldn't have been on my top 25. I have a desire to see everything I can and living in France without seeing Paris would have been a travesty. Upon arriving in Paris, I discovered that I already knew the city from films and novels I had read. Not that watching Moulin Rouge 1,400 times in High School makes you a Parisian but seeing the landmarks had a familial air.  I arrived at the Louvre at 6:50 in the morning, a full two hours before it opened, the city was empty save for early morning joggers and homeless on the street.  It was then that I took everything back about Paris. Why had I not wanted to go here before? It was an magical feeling to think of the men and women who had stood before me in the world capital of arts and culture.  I walked from the steps of the Louvre and out to the Place de la Cordorde my mind overflowing with thoughts of the Reign of Terror, then spied Napoleons Vendome Column before turning back to the Lourve to  take my first place in the queue. I was running on less then five hours of sleep and was overwhelmed with the knowledge of  everything that had happened with a radius of five miles. 

Then the buses came. I knew that Paris is the number one tourist destination on the planet but I don't think I was read for what came next. Just like how Switzerland reminded me of a Disney parody of itself, Paris crowds gave the entire city an amusement park feel. Where can I get a fast pass for Norte Dame?

I never expected to get to know the "real" Paris nor could I with out knowledge of French and a few extra years. Despite this I was shocked by the masses of people  and lines for everything. However I quickly learned to avoid them (15 minutes only for the Eiffel Tower if you're willing to walk up and watch the sunset).  

Traveling alone in India, I was always interacting with locals and being fed, chatted up, touched and followed.  In comparison my four short days in Paris were an introspective experience where I would wake up as early as possible and start walking trying to soak in as much as I could. On Sunday I walked out of the city completely. I reached Hauts de Siene, just over nine miles from the city center. After nerve wracking walk through St. Dennis, Paris most violent suburb, I found myself on the promenade make famous by the paintings of George Seurat. Sometimes the only way to get away from the crowds is to wake up early and tear up your feet.

Next up- An Interns Travel Guide to Paris. Four days in under 60 euros.