Jason’s musings

Just an update about my current goings on. I haven’t had anytime really to think of what to write.

After Paris, I took a Thalys to Brussels, then a regular train to Amsterdam. Spent 2 days there, took a really good walking tour. Then I took a train to Dusselforf, waited there for a couple of hours, then a night train to Berlin (I only had a seat, so didn’t sleep well). Was only planning on spending one night in Berlin, but I need to pace myself a bit, so decided to stay two nights. Probably will go to Prague next, but will need to figure out train times and book hostel ahead of time.

Paris is a full on experience. Even it’s subway system seems more complicated than that of other cities at first. The first day I was there it felt like everything was running in fast-time; but it was probably a cause de la sleep deprivation: I had to take a night bus to Dublin for my flight, meaning I missed a night’s sleep. I took a flight to Charleroi, Belgium, then a bus to the train station, then a train to Bruxelles, then the Thalys high speed train to Paris.

There is definately a romantic feel to the city, from the public displays of affection to the many couple centric activies; however I wouldn’t call it cliche – it’s not at all like the movies really. Something that I don’t think many people know is that there are a lot of Japaneese people in Paris, mostly tourists I think, as that’s where I keep seeing them. If they’re not the biggest tourist ethnic group then they might be close to it. What I like about them is that they’re not afraid to take a tripod with them to take photos – other people use a flash for instance to photograph Arc de Triumph at night – no point, crap photo. Some people also don’t get the message that you can’t use flash in some places, or maybe they don’t know how to turn it off, or maybe they’re the worst photographers ever. I don’t understand the mentality of peope that still carry around video cameras to film tourist attriaction, that stuff  never makes complelling viewing – no script.

Yesterday I checked out Notre Dam, Latin Quarter, Eiffel Tour, Champs Elesee  other things I can’t recall. Today I spent about 4 hours in the Louvre (not enough), seen the catacombes, the Graveyard place ( which I didn’t have the map for, so the only grave I got to see was dear old Osar Wilde and Georges Pompideau building (didn’t go in).

Tomorrow it’s on the Thalys again to Amsterdam.

I’m travelling to continental Europe in two days. I have a 10 day within 22 day interrail ticket, but only have about 2 weeks until I need to come back. The rough plan is something like Brussels-Paris-Amsterdam-Berlin/Munich-Prague/Budapest-Vienna-Florence-Rome but that is likely to change (map). I haven’t yet really thought about what I want to visit, other than the catacombs and that graveyard in Paris, and the scientific historical locations in Vienna.

If the cyber-cafe internet on the continent is reasonably priced, then I’ll hopefully blog and post photos – I’m not bringing my laptop as that is just not sensible.

If you want a more interesting read, I recommend this guy.