Finally, a long stay... in Paris!

OK, yeah - so Paris is gorgeous, but obviously I have altered the above image. Good thing it is gorgeous, because the weather was crap most of the time I was there. The sun came out for two days, one of which I was stuck indoors at the college fair. The rest of the time it looked like this:



My evolving anti-jet-lag scheme worked pretty well on this trip. I only allowed myself about 4 hours of sleep the night before my flight over. That way I was able to sleep during the entire trans-Atlantic portion, and basically have a full night's rest when I arrived at 6am local time. Good thing too, because I had my first school appointment later that same morning. But anyway, I'll give a day by day account...

Monday

Upon arriving at Hotel Minerve, I did something quite novel in my work-travel experience: I unpacked my bags. Yes, I would be staying here for 11 consecutive nights. My flight out was scheduled in two weeks. Didn't know what I was doing the 3 extra nights. I'd figure that out later.

I didn't have time to linger in the room - my first appointment was out in the 'burbs at 11:30am. I took a shower and headed to the nearest Metro station, Cardinal Lemoine. After taking line 10 all the way to its western terminus, I hopped on a bus for another ten minutes, to be let off right outside the American School of Paris. There I spoke to a group of students during lunch and also to an art class. In between I was offered a computer in the library to check email. That's when jet-lag hit. I kept slumping over in mid-type. Back at my hotel I had to take a 2-hour nap.

Once awake, I hit the streets, changed some money, ate a donner kebab, and made my way to an expat bar called The 5th. There I had a couple pints of Guinness and participated in the Monday night trivia contest. I only used my work-issued Blackberry to cheat once (capitol of Belarus, dammit). Afterwards I walked back to the Minerve and hit the sack.

Tuesday

I woke up early and headed to a grocery store to grab some toiletries that I forgot to bring along. I also ate breakfast, which at a European hotel consists of bread and coffee. And a pack of cigarettes, for some.

At noon I arrived at the International School of Paris (right across the river from the Eiffel Tower) and presented to another classroom. After that I walked a few doors down and dropped in to the Franco-American Center. We talked a bit about how to better promote US universities amongst the French, and I got myself invited to a roundtable next Tuesday. Great. I took the long on-foot route back to my hotel. Quite a walk.

That evening I met a friend of mine, Amanda, on the Rue de Abesses for a few drinks and dinner. Afterwards, I decided to continue the evening out and hit a few bars near my hotel that were recommended in the Time Out guidebook. For the most part they were pretty lame, but then again it was Tuesday night. At an English pub I met a fellow named Konstantine, who dragged me to a bar where all his Greek friends were hanging out. Konstantine then left, without paying his portion of the tab. Jackass. Too bad I never saw him again...





Above: the Abesses Metro station - undergoing some renovations - very Bat-Cave-ish

Wednesday

Slept in, had an appointent at another school, took a nap, then headed down towards Notre Dame to look for an Irish pub that I had a drink at on my last trip to Paris. I found it, and kept walking down the river, finding a place called the Great Canadian. I pretty much stayed there the rest of the night, hanging out with other North Americans.


Thursday

I met with the international affairs representative of a university that my university is considering forming some sort of tie-up with. Afterwards I ran by the venue where the college fair would be held over the next two days. My boxes were not there yet, but they told me not to worry - they would be (forshadowing).

Done with work, I hit my first exhibit, at the Gran Palais. On display there were artifacts discovered from underwater excavations of the ancient cities of Canopus, Herakleion, and Alexandria, all once on the Mediterranean coast of the Nile delta. I was hoping for new information on the famous lighthouse, but there was none. Poop. I bet they're saving for a whole 'nother exhibit. Bastards. Of course, they had tons of other cool stuff, including figures of Khonsu (important to dorky comic book fans as being the patron of Moon Knight). I tried to take some not-allowed pictures, but they did not come out very well.

From the Gran Palais I walked to my friend Amanda's new apartment, very close to the Eiffel Tower. What a bitch! I drank some beer while helping her and her friends move stuff in and around - then I went back to my hotel.

Friday

I woke up and met a previously unknown university colleague at breakfast. Gwen works at our institution's facility in southern France. Rough life. Together we went to the fair venue and set up our booth. Yep, no boxes. Luckily, I had overpacked for my school visits, so we had materials to give out. Still, I spent half the day trying to track the boxes down. No luck. At least, no luck finding the boxes. However, my quest took me to Hall One of the expo center. Hall One was closed to the public for a very special professional exhibition. I was allowed to enter with a security escort since there was some evidence that my boxes had been erroneously delivered there. What glorious and secret event was this, you might ask?

Someone had been reading my diary. For half an hour, I was in heaven. Inside, it was like a living, breathing Victoria's Secret catalog. Yes, there were actually models, everywhere, wearing the lingerie of dozens of different companies from around the world. Lingerie that was not in store yet. I did not dare take out my camera while inside. There was a whole security station devoted to receiving complaints of lingerie espionage. Boxes? What boxes?

After the fair I went back to the hotel and considered slitting my wrists, because never would I ever see anything like that again. Unless they let me in tomorrow. So I didn't slit them. Besides, I had no bathtub.


Once compose, I accompanied Gwen to a restaurant where she was meeting a friend and his children. I did not stay though, because I was meeting one of my new American friends, Amy, from the Great Canadian at an Indian restaurant. After dinner we had a couple of beers at the Moosehead. Cool bar - reminded me of Southville.

Saturday

Another day at the college fair, still no boxes. My extra supplies managed to last us though. That still didn't stop me from going back to Hall One. However, they were on to me. I made it inside, but not past the check-in. Still, I'm tall enough that I could see over the wall. I left, weeping.

After the fair I went with Gwen to the apartment of the same friend she had met the night before. Her husband, a documentary filmmaker (on his way to Beirut), and another friend who is a postal artist (don't ask) also joined. These were genuine expat intellectuals. Of course after dinner and much wine we ended up debating 9-11 conspiracy theories. Very interesting. I will have much to put in my report for Mr. Hoover...

After dinner I met my friend Amanda (with the awesome apartment) and some of her friends out in a more ethnic part of the city. We had a few drinks in a bar that was very red and shabby-trendy. I was able to dash down the nearest Metro cave and leap on to the last train of the night back to my quarter. In the neighborhood of my hotel I decided to keep things going, as I had the next day off. I was up 'til about 5am. Met some more random Americans. Much fun.

Sunday

Needless t0 say, I slept in late. Then I hit the Museum d'Orsay. I find that I'm really starting to like sculpture. Once I'm rich, I've decided I'm going to have a sculpture garden. And I shall allow the neighborhood children to frollick in it, but not in a Neverland, CA kinda way...

Now I had to decide what to do about the Superbowl. I had heard of several plans from different Americans I had met on various nights, but ended up following through on none of these. At the Great Canadian I met yet another troup of Yankees. These three (Erin, Toria, and Matthew) were living in Orleans, teaching English, but had made their way to Paris just for the big game. So I made a fourth at their table and we hunkered down and played hearts until the 12:30am kickoff (I won). So I was up 'til 5am again. It was more good, brash American fun - even if I didn't get to see US commercials (stupid SKY).


A last Impression...

Join us in a few days for Week Two...

More Moscow Stuff

Even though I spent THREE HOURS putting stuff up last night, here, I found some more videos...

Below is our little group trying to warm up after wandering the outdoor market for a couple of hours...



Here is the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier, just outside the Kremlin wall...



Here is video of our incredible feast...





Red Sqaure the day after the other pics were taken. No snow, but you can see that building better now without the lights. It is actually a mall - one of the world's first, pre-Revolution...



Another vomit-warning for those of you who can't take the videos I shoot from the bus...

The Pics, Finally (part one)

Welcome to Moscow:

This is that billboard I mentioned that greats one as they head towards the city from the airport. We were parked next to it in traffic for a good 15 minutes. All the guys got pictures...

Below is one of the "Seven Sisters." These are towers that Stalin had built in the Empire Style. For some reason it makes me think of Stay-Puff Marshmellows.

Dinner at the traditional restaurant...

Our waitress measures El Guapo's head, as Ted prepares to rip out his jugular...

The founder of Moscow...

Trying my best to bust ass on the ice...



And my nighttime visit to Red Square...
















Our tour inside the Kremlin...



I was not supposed to take these. Did it from the hip...





If you watch these three (vertigo-inducing) movies, you will have seen as much of Warsaw as I did...

Some of my new friends from the Berlin pub crawl...





My arrival to Norway...

Nina, who I met at the Oslo fair, not appreciating me bringing my camera to breakfast...

Never have I had this kind of view while standing at a urinal...

From the right: Michael, Nina, Me, and some random drunk Norwegian...



The train ride from Oslo to Kristiansand. Warning: more vertigo-inducement...



My friend Anita, who was one of my house-mates in Guatemala...

At the pub after Borat...

Norway

Oslo is another cold place, but not as bad as Moscow, though it looked it upon arrival. I took the bus to my hotel, the Radisson Scandinavian, and by the time that I was settled into my room it was already dark – at 3:30pm. Oh yeah, getting on the bus, I noticed that the guy in front of me was participating in the same fair that I would be (he was perusing the itinerary). Apparently he was not aware that he would have to pay for his ride, for upon ascending the stairs and speaking to the driver he became flustered and scrambled to find a form of payment. He was holding up a whole line of cold, irritable people, so I paid for him. This is important later…

I really couldn’t think of any good dinner options, so I just dropped in the nearby 7-11 (these things are everywhere in Scandinavia). They actually had a pretty good spread of meals ready to eat. Think Parker’s if you are from Southville. I took some pasta and beer back to my room and finished off Lost. As with season one, more questions than answers. Wasn’t ready for bed yet, so I took a late night walk around the park.

At 10am we had a seminar on the Norwegian government loan and grant system for students. Exciting stuff. The fair started at 11 and went until 5. As in Copenhagen, many of the participants got together afterward for dinner. I sat at a table with my buddy The Professor from the bus. He had two student reps with him – Michael and Nina, brother and sister, German but at a university in the Netherlands. After dinner many of us went to the bar at the top of the Radisson to take in the 21st floor view of Oslo. I convinced Michael, Nina, and a zany Scotswoman to accompany me to a nearby bar I’d heard of named F6. It was shagadelic.


The next day 11 to 5 again. Went to a nearby Greek restaurant afterwards with the wonder twins and the Professor. Following that, we chilled out at the hotel for a bit, then joined a house party that the twins had been invited to by a girl they met at breakfast. This girl was staying at the hotel while visiting her brother. So we mixed it up at the house party for a bit with some Swedes and Norwegians, then joined this whole group as they moved on to a bar/club. It was not too annoying – there were actually some side rooms with small bars that were not blaring music. When the club closed, we went back to the hotel. Drinks, by the way, in Norway (and Scandinavia in general) are absurdly priced - everywhere. You have to just buy and not think about it. We are talking $10-$12 a beer here. Meals are similar. Think of a bad price in America, then double it.


In the morning I joined Nina for breakfast (Michael did not make it up) and hopped in a cab immediately after for the train station. I took a four-hour ride to Kristiansand, the southern-most city in Norway. At the station I was met by Anita, one of my house-mates from my days bartending in Guatemala, whom I have not seen in the three plus years since. We dropped my thinks off at her apartment, walked the town, grabbed some pizza, met a friend, and went to see Borat with a horde of Norwegian college students. After we had a pint at a nearby Irish pub. I was fading fast. Although I'd planned to stay up all night until my early flight, I just could not do it. Besides, the weather was crap and no one was out on Sunday night, so it was not worth the effort. I took a four-hour nap at Anita's then caught a cab to the airport for my 6:30am flight to Copenhagen, then to ATL, then to Southville, and here I sit. So, yes, pictures will be posted soon...

Warsaw and Berlin

Ah, once more through the Russian airport gauntlet. Wasn’t as bad as arriving, actually. And, due to time zones, our flight landed in Poland just 15 minutes after it took off in Russia. El Guapo and I almost didn’t get our luggage though. See, our next flight, leaving Warsaw for Berlin, was less than 24 hours from our arrival, so the stop was treated as a layover by the woman checking us in at the Moscow counter. We almost spent our few hours in Poland with no fresh clothes. However, we realized the mistake and convinced a porter to pull our bags. No worries.

We were on the bus for the hotel by 10pm. We were all checked into the hotel by about 11pm. After watching another episode of Lost (getting close to the end now), I was in bed by 12am. We were all checked out of the hotel and on the bus for our school appointment by 8am. What we got to see of Warsaw consisted of everything on the ride between said hotel and said school. I guess I’ll just have to watch The Pianist again. The school visit was nice – the provided plenty of coffee.

Déjà vu, back to the Warsaw airport, and then Tegel airport in Berlin, where just a few short weeks ago I adopted by pet rubber duck. I considered leaving him on the luggage belt for someone else, but just couldn’t part with him. Our hotel was right downtown again. The Anglo-Czech and I got the name and directions to a “typical” German restaurant and bar from the concierge. However, in the three lefts she gave us, she forgot to mention a right. We ended up walking quite a ways before coming to grips with this. An hour later than planned we found the Republique Berliner. It was worth it. Good hearty food and beer priced by demand, on a sort of stock-market system like I’ve seen once before at a place in DC. I had the Curry Wurst. Fusion cuisine at its best.

The next morning, yet another school visit, seminars, and a college fair. It was the best attended of the lot, and actually quite fun. Good students. Afterwards I said goodbye to the rest of the group. They were continuing directly to the airport to go to Nice and the ECIS conference. I was staying one more night in Berlin and flying to Oslo the next day. Back at the hotel, I used my solitude to get some catch-up work done, then went out to dinner. After that I joined a walking tour of the city that was recommended on WikiTravel. A group of about 40 walked to four consecutive bars and then took the train to a club. I met many interesting travelers – mainly the budget type, backpackers. Boy, if looks could kill, when I told them what hotel I was staying in for work…

The club at the end was exactly what you’d think of when you think “Berlin Nightlife.” They might have shot scenes from xXx there. Despite my reluctance to do so, I left my new friends early and took the bus back to my hotel. Actually two busses – the train was no longer running. I still don’t know how I managed to navigate that one with no mistakes. Sometimes I amaze myself. After some sleep, I was packed and off again to a new city.

Krème de la Kremlin

It was a very early morning, as the group had to be at the airport by 7am. Yuck. We did not arrive at our Moscow hotel until 6pm. A long day of travel. Russian customs is as bad as you might expect - surly women in steel heels prying apart the first page of your passport to see if the picture has been altered. Traffic was also snarled. A good article about this in the New York Times recently. However, we were stalled right next to a very nice billboard which I will have to share later.

Oh, did I forget to say that it was cold? Freezing. Snow everywhere.

Still, we decided to go out for a “traditional” Russian dinner near the hotel, meaning that the waitresses wore goofy (but cute) outfits. As we walked there, we immediately began speculating as to who would be first to bust ass on the slick patches of ice. No one did. What a shame. We pigged out. We had caviar on pancakes, borsch, other stuff. Again, sing the chorus with me: “pictures later.”

After dinner I lead a troop to find the local bookstore. I wanted to find a copy of A Hero of Our Time by Lermontov, in Russian. This I did. I also got a copy of Rolling Stone with Jack Nicholson on the cover, with Cyrillic lettering. Pretty cool. Our troop then returned to the hotel and had Irish Coffee in the lobby bar to warm up. The Libertine and El Guapo were both bushed, so I went out for a drink with a new rep buddy, the Anglo-Czech. It was Moscow, Saturday night – we had to go out and see what was going on, especially since it might be unadvisable.


We went to a place called The Pyramid, or something. It had funky ersatz Egyptian décor. We had a couple of beers and people-watched. The guys looked stereotypical Russian. The women made Anna Kournikova look average. We were on the main drag of Moscow, now one of the most expensive cities in Europe, where 80% of the nation’s capital circulates, where there are 150,000 new millionaires. No wonder there is a high concentration of high-caliber women. They looked fierce.

We hopped back on the bus at 9:30am to make a trip to one of the largest open markets in Moscow. Our guide told us that the micro-climate there actually makes it colder than the rest of Moscow. Unfortunately, she was not kidding. Cold air oozes up off the Moscow River and climbs up your spine. Thank Lenin I bought that overcoat in Boston. As soon as I bought something that required me to carry a bag, and thence take at least one hand out of my pockets, I was forced to also buy a new pair of gloves (remember, having lost one in Dresden). All in all, I bought a lot of stuff. Took care of a lot of Christmas presents. I won’t say what I bought, because it was for people who might read this blog. I would have bought more, but I was afraid it might be illegal. For example, I would never buy 15 black-market DVDs for $40. Never. Lunch was awesome. Skewered meat over wood-fires. Spiced, hot wine. Simple and lovely.

We had time to freshen up at the hotel before going to the American Center for presentations and a college fair. We shouldn’t have bothered. There were more of us than there were students. I had one visitor. He was looking for something my university does not offer. Oh well. Back at the hotel, I got some work done and then went to dinner with The Libertine. We ate some sushi at a place I’d noticed on the main drag. Sushi is all over the place here. Luckily, our neighbors spoke English, because our waitress did not, and they were able to translate when we had trouble.

Next was the best part of the whole trip. The Libertine and I stopped by the hotel to use the WC, then walked to Red Square. It was stunning. First of all, it was beautiful – covered in snow, lit up, incredible architecture, including St. Basil’s. But more viscerally, this was the place that as a child I saw as the center of all that was evil and life-threatening. This was the square where I saw Soviet troop marching in formation on the news. This was the home and holy place of our arch-enemy. Now here I was, watching people frolic in the falling snow. Surreal. A triumph.


We had to wake up at 6:30am and check out. Then we loaded onto the bus for more seminar sessions and a college fair at the Anglo-American School. Was good. We were allowed to go back to the hotel and change some of our clothes in the bathrooms. That way we could get better dressed for our walking tour of the Kremlin and Red Square. I will not bore anyone with the dry details until I have the pics to go along with them. It was a good tour, but I am so glad that I took the opportunity to see the Square the night before. The snow was now gone...

After the tour, to the airport again, and Warsaw...

Prague

I had hoped for a picturesque train ride, but by the time that it left the Dresden station, and made an extended stop in a nearby suburb, night had fallen. Oh well – I saw some pretty lights on the hillsides. From Prague's northern station I took the Metro into town, just west of the river. Again, I knew from having previously looked at a map that my hotel was nearby, but didn’t know exactly, so I had to make a quick stop at an internet café. Two blocks away. It almost bit me.

So I dropped my things in my room and set up my only appointment for the following day – a lunch with a prospective sports recruit, her father, and her agent. Then I got a map and headed across the river and into the historic core for a good wander. The first stop was of course the main square and the Astronomical Clock (again, pictures later). No way to trace were all I went next. The map would look like a bird’s nest. Suffice it to say I sampled many venues in old Prague. My two favorites were the Bar & Book, which as the name implies sells books and drinks, as well as pretty good food, and Chateau Bar, which despite its French name is an Irish Pub. Great bartenders, finally. Good company as well. I met a local graphic artist who was responsible for designing recent brochures explaining the workings of the afore-mentioned clock, and a Brit who was returning to town for a wedding after once having lived here as an ex-pat. We had a good conversation. I headed in at a reasonable hour and got some sleep.

The following day, after a bit of a walk and the lunch meeting, I met up with the cousin of a friend back home. James has lived here in Prague for several years, teaching English. We sat at a place called the Globe and conversed for a couple of hours, being joined by another friend named Matt. The three of us then moved to a restaurant called The Tulip, owned by an American ex-pat, where we had an incredible dinner. Highly, highly recommended. After that James left us, having to work early in the morning, and Matt and I continued. I needed to change some money, so we searched for an exchange, but the first thing we came to was a casino (which are all over Prague). By happy accident, I found that you can get a very good rate at the casino, with no surcharge, as they expect you to be blowing all that money on the premises. Good to remember for next time. We had flirted with the idea of going to an all-out club, but decided against it in favor of returning to Chateau Bar, and later the “disco” below, L’Enfer Rouge. Good times. Oh yeah, I ended up buying drinks for quite a few people to celebrate the end of the Republican monopoly of power (though I am still a registered Republican) and to show some of the Euros that we Americans can be pretty cool.

The next day it was back to the grind. I met up in the morning with the other reps who would be participating in the whirlwind CIS tour of Eastern Europe. After lunch we loaded up on a bus and drove west of town to the International School of Prague. There we conducted seminars and a college fair for the students of ISP and other area schools that were invited. A good fair.

Afterwards we returned to the city and were given an excellent walking tour by one of ISP’s faculty members. At one point we were let loose in the main square to shop before the striking of the hour on the Astronomical Clock. Three of us decided on a quick drink at the Irish pub instead. These two other fellows are reps that I travelled with previously in Africa. I will call them The Libertine and El Guapo. It was fairly obvious that two of the young blonde waitresses were talking about us in Czech, so El Guapo and I returned the favor in Spanish. Ha, so there. The tour ended with a walk across the famous Charles Bridge and dinner. We were all pretty wiped, and full, so afterwards we returned to the hotel for some sleep before heading to Moscow on the morrow…

Of course, yes, I have left things out here. Buy me a Guinness and ask me later...