"We're off, on a wild goose chase..."

You can tell Christmas is coming when the mini, dorm room-sized Christmas trees begin appearing on students’ shelves and window ledges, and strands of Christmas lights get strung up around ceilings. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to decorate too, thanks to my friend Nikki back home, who sent me a lovely holiday package filled with tinsel, a mini stocking, Christmas cds, and my very own little tree! Thank you, Nikki, it made my week :) .

Since Edinburgh, I’ve been completely swallowed up by the musical extravaganza that is Honk!, the show that I’m assistant stage-managing. I’ve never helped with a musical before, and I have to say it’s been a pleasure to work with the other members of the Backstage Society as well as the amazingly talented cast. I know I use the word ‘amazing’ a lot to describe things, but these kids work so hard to make the show entertaining, and they definitely succeed. It’s been a TON of hard work (try 8-10 hour days in the Riley Smith Hall for a week and a half) but thankfully, a success. Here’s a picture of us techies during the intermission with a giant sofa that Sam the set construction guy built for the show, with oversized pieces of foam bread and cooking stuff. From left to right, that's Rachel, Hannah, myself and Crystal:




And me, striking a pose with the giant remote:

The characters in the show are all farmyard animals, so we made props many times their regular size. Can I just say: it’s incredibly difficult and messy and frustrating to cut foam. Thank heavens for Crystal and her artistic dedication, who helped us immensely with prop-making and then backstage during the run! We have one more show tonight and I'm hoping it goes well. Whatever the outcome, I know I'll be humming the songs for a least a couple months. I'm glad I enjoy the show as much as I do, as I'll have seen it 7 times!

At some point, while you’re painting a giant croissant yellow or worrying whether the spray-glued, prepackaged hay on the painted sofa cushion will stick, you just think to yourself: this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done. And then suddenly, you forget that and go back to gaffer-taping bulrushes to the stage wall. The surreality that is the theatre…

Because my life has consisted of nothing other than Honk! and going to class, there’s not much else to report…We leave in less than a week for Italy and then France, and then I’m flying home on the 17th! I absolutely cannot wait to travel for 10 solid days and then have the additional reward of coming home for Christmas :) and seeing everyone. The thought of that has sustained me through the essay period, the long hours at the Riley, and the cloudy weather we’ve had lately. But the sun is shining this morning after a huge storm last night, so I’m thinking it’s a sign of the fun, relaxing month ahead! During our travels, I’m hoping to do blog updates every couple days, but I don’t have my own laptop this time, so they may be short and picture-less. But I’ll try my best!

Nana and Papa, good luck moving into your new home on the 4th… I hope it goes smoothly! And Pete and Bryan-- good luck on your exams coming up!

Hope everyone else is doing well as we head into the official Christmas season; because as everyone knows, Christmas doesn’t really start until Dec. 1st, no matter what the stores say ;).

P.S. And just for kicks, here's a picture of Marcie and I on a recent night out at Fruity Disco, the most fun you can have with a roomful of hyper first-years and a playlist of 90's boybands!

Oh, and here's the link to my 3rd Gazette article. My next one won't be until January, but I hope you like this one!

Love you all!

Lesson for Today: William Wallace Did Not Look Like Mel Gibson

Rain, kilts, ale, and history…I can come close to summarizing Edinburgh but, of course, I’m always going to fall short. The Scottish capital’s a complete change from the Mediterranean blue of Barcelona, but there’s something in the gray skies and Gothic buildings that’s entirely attractive; we only got to spend a weekend there, but I’d go back in a heartbeat.


About 120 Leeds Uni students came on the trip, which was part of the Give-It-A-Go program at the student union. We squeezed into two coach buses for the 6-hour drive, which despite its longness, was rather interesting: we got to see our fill of the pretty, craggy northern countryside we still haven’t gotten used to.


Edinburgh sneaks up on you. It’s a jarring mix of the old and the new, with Edinburgh Castle looking over shops and hotels, and Arthur’s Seat (a stunning “rolling cliff”, you could call it) watching over the Royal Mile. The city’s seen 1500 years of bloody history, and the monuments scattered around the cobbled streets and winding alleys don’t let you, or anyone,
forget its victories, tragedies, or oddities.


We arrived at our well-located hostel early Friday night and all somehow got checked into our rooms in an hour. As it happens, myself and my group actually slept in a room with 38 beds-- and I thought 12 was a lot! It really wasn’t that bad, though…with that many people, you kind of just blend into the background and get used to the cell phones going off, the lights turning on, and the lockers being clanged.


That night we went out to find a traditional Scottish pub and definitely found one (one that was in Let’s Go, incidentally). However, it was one of those classic situations where a group of foreigners walk into a bar and the locals all stop and stare at you-- this pub was literally the size of a living room. So we hemmed for a bit and walked out, a bit sheepishly…but perhaps unsurprisingly, a big, burly Scotsman standing outside was very gracious and friendly to us. Sincerely happy that we wanted to find a “real Scots pub”, he encouraged us to stay and listen to the traditional music that would start in a bit. The Scottish were, like this guy, unfailingly friendly throughout our trip. After a bit more searching, we found a good place with good food, and got to actually try haggis and whisky. You couldn't feel any more Scottish than that.


Saturday morning we were up and ready to take one of my beloved NewEurope tours, and happily, we got Per as our tour guide, the same one Bryan and I had in Berlin! He took us (a huge group, about 75 people) on a characteristically awesome 3 hour tour of the city that included seeing Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, St. Giles’ Cathedral (the only place you’ll ever see statues of angels playing the bagpipes), various writers’ houses, Greyfriars graveyard, and more. I believe I initiated 7 or 8 people to the tour, who all liked it… so I think, as Marcie
suggested, that NewEurope should be paying me a commission!! ;)


We also visited the Scottish National Museum for a bit to get some more in depth history and in so doing, discovered that Dolly the cloned sheep was stuffed and on display there. She continually revolves on a pedestal in the kids’ Discovery section. It makes for a strange sight.


That night we decided to find another pub and have a traditional good time, even though every venue was packed for the Scotland vs. Italy qualifying match for Eurocup. The first pub we found without a TV was almost as tiny as last night’s (and full of the same, slightly greyer-haired crowd), but we managed to fit in and stay for a little while before heading out in search of a place with more people closer to our age.


Annnnd, we found it. The Black Bull, blaring Britpop and full of post-football match revelers (I say revelers even though Scotland lost, because it didn’t really seem to affect the blue-and-white diehards. They kept on celebrating to uphold their country’s honourable effort and tough defeat ;)), was perfect-- I can now say that my life is complete, because I got to stamp-dance (a la Lynch family wedding) to the song “500 Miles” with a group of kilted Scotsmen! And there was no irony involved! Just pure national pride on their part, and gleeful excitement on ours.


Sunday morning, despite the rain, we got up early and toured the Queen’s home, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It too is ancient, and has a gorgeous setting right next to Arthur’s Seat. It’s amazing the history that place has seen, and that the Queen still lives there every summer.


Sadly, we couldn’t stay any longer and had to leave Sunday afternoon. But I guess when you
stay such a short time, it leaves you wanting more- I can’t wait to come back and explore more the city, as well as more of the country. Hopefully at some point we can visit Glasgow as well as cities like Dublin, Galway, and Cardiff, which have all been recommended to me already. Here’s hoping we can next spring!


For some reason, Blogger still isn't letting me post pictures, grrr... So here's the link to the Edinburgh Facebook album. And also, in case you're interested, here's the link to my second Gazette article from a couple weeks ago. My next article should be published sometime this week!


Also-- Congratulations, Richard and Ashley! We couldn't be happier for you! I'm so looking forward to being able to say that in person :).


But for now, I’m focused on wrapping up first semester’s school work, ASM’ing the Stage Musical Society’s production of Honk!, and confirming the final plans for our France-Italy tour in December. Hope everything’s going great back home, and talk to you all soon!


<3

Red Ships of Sppppaaaaaiiiin...

Ahh, Barcelona. Home to Picasso, paella, Antoni Gaudi, sangria, palm trees, and the Mediterranean. And, this past weekend, a temporary home to an excited 11-pack of North American girls, all prepared to have the best weekend trip a backpacker can have...


We flew from Newcastle on our incredibly cheap Ryanair flight in the afternoon and arrived at the Barcelona Girona airport around 5 pm. We then had to take a bus to get to the actual city, but it allowed us to see what the Spanish countryside (sort of) looked like-- I think I was expecting something desert-like, but the landscape is actually very hilly and green.


Our hostel was fantastic, a homey place that was surprisingly well-located, with marble floors, a central staircase, and a rowdy common room. We were right on a major shopping street that was rather ritzy, squished between an H & M and a Cartier across the way. No complaints from us though- we managed to fit in some shopping time during our short time there as well… :)


Our first night we went out and explored the city. We ended up visiting a couple of bars and eating at an Italian restaurant, which had some of the best pizza I’ve ever had… it’s strange, but you tend to eat a lot of Italian while travelling, because it’s literally everywhere. Bryan and I had amazing pasta in Berlin, too.


Saturday found us taking a day-long bus tour, where we paid for the day and got to get on and off whenever we liked. It’s an ideal system for getting the lay of the land, as they say, and seeing some gorgeous parts of Barcelona with a bird’s-eye-view. We made it from our hostel in the city centre to the coast, where we got to see the world-famous marina and docks right on the Mediterranean.


We also explored La Rambla, a kilometre-long strip of street performers, vendors, and strolling people, which, while confusing to find, was definitely worth going back to again and again throughout the trip. Gelato, cheap trinkets, and the proximity to the beach made it perfect.


Saturday night we decided that an essential part of a trip to Barcelona included going out to its biggest and most famous club, Razzmatazz… let me just say that Spaniards are incredibly fun and laid-back, but also incredibly CRAZY for not even getting to a club until 2 AM and then only leaving at 6! Razzmatazz has a fantastic atmosphere and we all had one of the best nights out we’ve ever had…even getting up the next morning at 8 am wasn’t that difficult once you remember that you’re in Barcelona and there’s tons you still haven’t seen … :)


On Sunday morning Marcie and I split from the rest of the group and toured La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s most famous landmark. The church has been under construction since 1883, and its strange and amazing architecture continues to surprise visitors. Everyone thought that Antoni Gaudi, the architect, was insane for designing a Catholic church so oddly, but he really is a genius: the inside of the church is meant to look like a forest, with the pillars as trees and the massive windows in the walls providing a speckled light. Against all odds, it really does look like one. And the two entrances, one depicting Jesus’ birth and the other his death, are starkly opposite to one another, albeit both ornately decorated.


Seeing La Sagrada was definitely a highlight. The rest of the day was spent wandering the beach, eating REAL paella (so good) and visiting the Picasso Museum, which is full of the artist’s many, many pieces of work. I had no idea that Picasso was a) Spanish (why did I always think he was Italian?) and b) not always a Cubist painter. He started off traditionally enough and years later developed a more avant-garde style. He loved Barcelona too, and always came back after living in places like Paris and Madrid.


Is it too much to hope though, that I might be able to always come back too??


So after a busy, awesome weekend, Marcie and I packed up and left early Monday morning and, after taking a cab, two buses, a plane, and two trains, we made it home to Leeds around 5 pm, exhausted but elated.


I had to go straight to followspot training for Backstage after that, and only made it to Bodington around midnight, unfortunately, but I’m glad I went. I’m doing the spotlights for the Musical Theatre Society’s production of Sweet Charity this week and needed the practice! The first couple of nights have gone well, and I have one more performance until we leave for Edinburgh this weekend … I’m incredibly excited for this trip, too. It’s about a 180 switch from Barcelona, but no doubt just as fascinating.


Annnd for some reason, the pictures won't post on here again. However, I've posted my pictures on Facebook already, so click here if you fancy seeing all of my Spain photos in one place, and I’ll be in touch right after I get back from Scotland!

A week in snapshots

So it's been a busy week here as most of the students have had to buckle down for Leeds' equivalent of midterms. I know I've been staring at a computer screen even more than usual, so taking a break to check out a production of The History Boys at the Grand Theatre on Saturday was more than welcome. Here's the playbill:

My friend Crystal from DC, another English Lit major, and I had a great time, although we were so high up in the rafters that we had to squint at a nearby TV screen to watch the many video interludes of the play. Alan Bennett, the playwright, actually went to grammar school in Leeds, and the play has a lot to do with his educational upbringing here in the North. The story's all about a class of Yorkshire boys trying to get into Oxford, which went over well with the crowd here ;).

Halloween on Wednesday was a quieter affair than I expected. It's not as a big a deal here as at home, but they do tend to dress more "scary" than we do-- it's all about the fake blood, monsters, and the boo! factor in general. However, as at most universities, much time was spent at the pub celebrating... not by me, of course! By everyone else, though :).

Here are the pictures of the Rugby World Cup night that wouldn't work last time. That's Marcie on the left, my Barcelona buddy for next week, and Megan from Seattle, and myself, showing our red & white loyalty ... to England this time ;) :

Annnd here's a picture of the Bodington fields that I took, just because it was a beautiful day. It's so determined to rain here, it often rains even when the sun is shining, like here:

Although today has been gorgeous so far- warm and sunny. Feels like global warming though... which is scary in itself!

Tonight, myself, Johanna and our friend Marie-Eve (from Quebec, incidentally) are going out to Fruity Disco at the Student Union. Fruity's quickly becoming a must-go night of the week... it's a good-natured night out. We're rewarding ourselves for a week spent in the library and steeling ourselves for the next! :) It's been great getting to know Marie-Eve, too; we all made dinner at her (really tiny and cute!) flat on Friday and spoke a little French... I haven't had a conversation in French in a long time, and I'd forgotten how comforting it can be! I'm a bit rusty, but I can understand it just fine, thankfully!

So I've heard that Canada's hasn't changed its clocks back an hour yet-- we have here, and I must say, I'm taking comfort in the fact that, for a week, we were all an hour closer together :D.

I'll talk to you all soon!

Wherefore art mine time-management skills?

The work, it comes.


It was inevitable, I guess, that eventually I’d have to do some sort of academic work. Except now, I’m starting to feel like I’m being buried under a pile of essays. When am I supposed to have time to watch episodes of House when I have to write about 20th century feminist poetry??


This past week has been mostly spent psyching myself up to hide away and write for a week non-stop. This strategy has worked for me in the past; I just hope it still does here. Thankfully, only one out of three of the essays (although they must all be handed in) actually count towards my grade.


Last Saturday, my friend Marcie and I had a great time watching the England vs. South Africa championship rugby match at an Australian bar called Walkabout. We had an awesome time, mostly because we were able to watch it in a private area that another exchange student named Chris had the brilliant idea of booking. It was only 50 pounds and, having invited 75 of his closest friends to join him, he may even have made a profit! J . I got to meet a friend of Marcie’s from Seattle named Megan, too:


It was a great atmosphere, even though England lost. There were no raucous celebrations afterwards, sadly, although we spotted a few joyous South Africans here and there as we walked home.


Last night Matt and I teamed up to go see a band called The Touch at the HiFi Club here in Leeds. We were looking to take in a good show, but this group really blew us away...we had such an amazing time. We also got to meet the band afterwards, mostly due to Matt’s ability to talk to ANYONE. He also randomly introduced himself (and me) to one of the opening bands, which was fantastic, as I was able to interview them for my column.


I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m writing a series of music reviews from Leeds for The Gazette, Western’s student newspaper. I’m thrilled to say that my very first article EVER was just published on Wednesday. Not wanting to put the cart before the horse, I waited until the article actually appeared before talking about it...but I’m so excited that it’s happening, and on a bi-weekly basis as well! The Gazette has an online version, and you can click here to read my article, if you so desire!


Tomorrow we’re going to see a production of The History Boys at the Grand and on Sunday, we Canadians are whipping up some Nanaimo bars to compete in Bodington’s annual International Cooking Cook-off. I know we’ll win. Who can resist the chocolatey custard-y goodness of a Nanaimo bar?? We’ll just have to trust Wikipedia’s recipe, that’s all. And also sabotage the Italians.


p.s. I tried to post pictures today, but for some reason Blogger's not allowing it. I'll be sure to post them next time!

how is it already Oct. 20th?

So much has happened in the week since my last blog post—I knew when I decided to do this blog that, despite my best intentions, at some point I’d start paring them down and consolidating all my news ... BUT, I now vow to keep more of them coming, at smaller intervals!

Because most of my classes are Monday and Tuesday, on Wednesday I had a chance to relax a bit, and my friend Bjorn and I decided to go catch the Happy Mondays and The Sunshine Underground show at the university’s Refectory:

Happy Mondays has been around forever since getting big in the 80s, so there were quite a few forty-somethings in the crowd enjoying themselves...The Sunshine Underground, on the other hand, has only been around for a couple of years, but they were AMAZING. I had known about them before I came to Leeds so I knew I wanted to see them live, but they really blew me away. I can’t wait to see them again soon; they’re from Leeds so I hope they play way more gigs here. Sadly, the Decemberists concert I was anticipating so much that was supposed to happen Saturday got cancelled at the last minute because of one of the band members being sick. There’s currently no rescheduled show, unfortunately, so I’ll have to try my luck later this year. Hopefully they come back!

On Thursday I got to try something new—OperaNorth put on a sort of Introduction to Opera night for students, where you pay 10 pounds and receive a pre-show talk, two drinks, and a ticket to that night’s performance of Falstaff. It was my very first opera, and I loved it. The production in itself was very well done, and Falstaff the opera is rightly famous for being so entertaining. This version was sung in English, thankfully, so that helped our understanding quite a bit! Here’s the lovely cover art of the playbill:

On Friday we were supposed to go out and enjoy Light Night, an annual event in Leeds that’s full of free activities and shows on the city streets. It’s Leeds’ 800th birthday this year, so Light Night is bigger than ever; but at the last minute, tired from the last two nights, we decided to stay home. But we heard great things ... hopefully there are more events to commemorate Leeds’ bday!

Saturday my friend Eleanore and I caught the England vs. France rugby match at a bar in Headingley (a suburb of Leeds proper that’s mostly student-inhabited). If you’ve never been in a relatively cosy English pub with a couple hundred rowdy English rugger fans, you’re missing out. It could be compared to being in a Canadian sports bar when Canada’s in the gold medal hockey game, but with more singing and more pints of Guinness involved. I was a bit torn at who to cheer for: England seemed the logical choice, given my surroundings, but because Eleanore’s from France, I cheered for the French too ;). It was a really cool thing to see England win though- if you saw the game, you saw how last-minute the win was; needless to say, this tension led to a massive outpouring of English patriotism after the match, although, I must report, no hooligans/shenanigans to be seen. I'm actually a little disappointed about that. We'll have to see what happens after tonight's final between England and South Africa...

Sunday (sorry, my week was busy, alright? ;)), I met with my friend Marcie from home and 10 other North American girls to plan our trip to Barcelona on Nov. 9th... we’re getting so pumped to go! We’re staying for the weekend and coming back (hopefully) in time for classes on Monday. And did I mention that our flight cost us ONE PENNY each?? I love RyanAir. Sunday was also Bjorn’s birthday, so a few of us went out to see Die Falscher, a German film about Jewish prisoners being forced to make counterfeit British currency during WWII. Bit of a depressing birthday movie, I have to say, but interesting enough. It’s kind of nice to watch something that’s A) Not on your laptop and B) Not found on YouTube.

This week’s been a tad quieter than last, but I did manage to get to a LUU Backstage stage management workshop on Thursday. It’s fantastic to get some thorough training on how to manage a show; I’ve never been really taught how to do it. Everything I’ve learned so far, as it is with most stage crew, has been learned on the job. The jobs for first semester’s shows got doled out too, and happily, I’m the asst. stage manager for the production of Honk! (click here if you'd like a summary) coming up at the end of November. Now I just have to figure out how to build a set ... ;). Also, last night we headed to Fruity Disco again and had a great time. The theme was Barbie/Barbarians... I didn't pull off the Barbie look, necessarily, but I think my friend Nick did Barbarian rather well:

Annnnd up next week: reading more Renaissance drama and starting my three essays that are due early November. That’s the plan, at least. I can’t say if that’s going to be easily derailed or not... but you know me. Stranger things have happened.

Also- CONGRATS on your grad, Richard!! I wish I could be there to help celebrate! My big brother’s got his BA :). Have an awesome day with everyone!

Oh, and I wanted to mention this too: there’s a show on CBC right now called Triple Sensation, where really talented young theatre performers compete to win a $150,000 scholarship from Chapters Indigo to study anywhere in the world. In FANTASTIC news, Anwyn Musico, who Richard, Bryan and I went to elementary and high school with, made the top ten last week! The finale’s on Sunday night on CBC at 8 pm. Just wanted to let you know so you can cheer for Anwyn too :). What an amazing opportunity. Here's the site: www.triplesensation.ca for more info!

And that’s it for the terribly long blog post. I’ll talk to you all soon!

Stars and Some Harvest Moon

Hello all!

I have to admit, the 1-month anniversary of my arrival in Europe came and went on Sep. 26th without me noticing. It feels like I’ve been here so much longer. Maybe because our time frame is shorter, I’ve allowed myself less time to adjust than I did in first year; thankfully, the honeymoon phase has lasted longer too, and I’m still loving everything about Leeds, the university, and the odd semi-transitory life we exchange students have started to build here. It’s always in the back of your mind that no, you can’t stay here permanently- I find myself buying course anthologies instead of individuals books, for instance, so that I can bring them more easily. And when buying clothes and just things, I’m consciously calculating what I have to leave behind here in order to fit it all in.

We envied the UK students on move-in day when their families all came to see them off and they all had cars full of boxes and bags; and then we realized something that you don’t know in first year: that you can bring all kinds of things from home, but it’s the items you collect here that you keep.

I had quite a busy week as well, so I’m sorry to not have updated before now! Stars put on a fantastic concert at the Brudenell Social Club on Tuesday:

That's Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, the two talented frontpeople of the band. My friend from home, Matt, and I went and caught the show, where we ran into my friend Lauren, a fellow Canadian from Vancouver:

It was a lot of fun and a great venue, although sadly, they didn’t play my favourite song of theirs, Calendar Girl. But I’m easily placated, and just listened to it when I got home :).

On Saturday, Johanna and I did our very first Otley Run, a Leeds Uni tradition that involves visiting every one of the 18 pubs (and having one drink at each) on Otley Road, which runs from the University steps right through to Bodington, in one looonnnnng night. Our group, the English Society, started at 6 pm, and we managed to visit 10 bars before midnight; shortly thereafter, we conceded defeat! Here we are at the Library Pub, right close to the end of the night:

A fun thing about the Run- every group that goes (and EVERY society, group, and team at Leeds does it) has a costume theme, and there were some inventive ones (although ours was simply to dress in black & white). Seeing the others, though, felt like Halloween came early (which apparently they do celebrate here, although not to the same extent as back home. Halloween, predictably, is used as an excuse to party).

And with thoughts of Halloween came thoughts of Thanksgiving. Sunday lunch at Bodington was, to our amazement, a full-on turkey dinner! Although we have to chalk it up to coincidence; all Brits know of the holiday and most understand the meaning behind it, but hardly anyone realizes that Canadians celebrate it on a different day. Explaining why our Thanksgiving is early was the most difficult question I’ve had to answer since being asked to explain why Quebec would want to separate. My knowledge of harvest season and Quebec’s provincial politics is apparently not up to par; I should have studied before I left!

So, despite the lack of background knowledge on our beloved holiday, nine or ten of us Canadians (and one Frenchwoman) ended up celebrating it Monday night at Taps, a worthy pub situated in the mostly student-inhabited area of Headingley. With nary a turkey item to be seen on the menu, we contented ourselves with chicken and white wine- all conveniently within a student budget.

And that’s been my week so far- up ahead, I’ve got some more salsa lessons (ooooh, watch out, Bryan and Lisa), the opera on Thursday, and Light Night on Friday, which is an evening full of free events in Leeds to help celebrate its 800th birthday. Also, on Saturday, I’m going to see The Decemberists at Leeds Met, the other uni here in the city. SO EXCITED to see them- they’re one of my favourite bands. However, I hope to write more before then!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying the abnormal temperatures back home... what I wouldn’t give for some sun over here! :)

Not Just a Pretty Face...

Following our first week of classes (and the first twinges of study-related stress) a few of us decided to continue our gradual exploration of England today. We had a stunning autumn day on our hands, and where better to go than the distinguished capital city of York?

York is a mere 25 minutes from Leeds by train. It’s a remarkable place for many reasons: an occupied area since Roman times, it also possesses an 800-year-old cathedral and vintage shops and pubs with names like The Old Fizzywig and The Teddybear Tea Shoppe. It’s romantic England, as read in Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters; it’s the England that, upon arriving at Heathrow or Manchester, you begin to believe may be a myth. But whether it’s maintained for the tourists (and I don’t think it completely is) or for the county’s own passion for its history, York feels like you’ve stepped into another century.

York Minster, the city’s cathedral, is a grand old Gothic building that dates from 1220 and took 252 years to construct. It reminded me of a lighter, brighter Notre Dame; the huge (massive!) stained glass windows let in tons of sunshine and the stone walls are a yellowy-gray. We arrived this morning in the middle of choral matins, which made for a positive, albeit solemn, atmosphere. We returned later on to take the 275 winding steps up to the church’s main tower and see an amazing view of the city.

We also saw some of the old Roman walls and the Clifford Tower (see above!); wandering around the city centre, we discovered a Food & Drink festival happening, thankfully with free samples! There was also no end to the cozy shops tucked into narrow streets. If you walk the Shambles (see below!), the famous tiny street where the houses lean in over top of you, it feels like you’re walking in Diagon Alley. Most people would probably say that they’ve strolled into an 19th century romance novel; we felt it to be much more Harry Potter-like. You almost expect the shops to be selling broomsticks and Butterbeer instead of ceramic cats and clotted cream fudge. Although both of these are quaint enough in their own right ;)...

We also managed to fit in the York Castle Museum, a fitting treasure trove of and homage to the beloved city, and afternoon tea in Newgate Market. At that point, we felt British enough to head home for a quiet Sunday night :), but not before stopping in at the Bodington Hall international student welcome party, where we met some more students and had free pizza and wine! Thus, our good day got even better.

And, if you click right here, I posted the rest of my York pictures on Facebook again!

I keep hearing about the sunny temperatures back home, and I must say I’m quite jealous! We’ve had nothing but misty rain for a week. I think that’s what aggravating my cold, which has never really gone away; even the heartiest dose of Robitussin can't beat it. Time to test the English health system, I guess.

Up next this week: more Shakespeare, more American poetry, more Renaissance tragedy, and...a ticket to see Stars (a Montreal band) in concert. All for Tuesday. So... I’m off! Have a great beginning to the week!

Gennelle

p.s. Does anyone know a fool-proof way to cook a turkey? We’re going to attempt it on either Sunday or Monday night to help celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving...and quit ‘cher chuckling. I believe with the right amount of determination, we can manage it ... ;)

The Virtues of Beacham's and Lemsip

It’s like the plague, contagious and non-particular about its victims.
It snatches people left and right, and refuses to release them from its clutches.
It is defeated only by a dedicated group of crimefighters.
It is....

The Fresher’s Flu. And it got me this past week.

My entire week has been framed by this malevolent head cold, which is still clogging and distracting me today. However, I’m not alone—one by one, every fresher has been falling prey. Our crimefighting team is made up of decongestants, Kleenex, and lemon tea, along with a few hours of sleep here and there. I guess this gloomy shift of weather--from clear skies to unrelenting rain--in addition to the sleep deprivation and low vitamin intake inherent in Freshers Week, has been enough to sideline most students the last few days. Although this hasn’t deterred the masses from partying up a storm most nights; I now understand Leeds’ reputation for student social supremacy. It’s something else. I’m just not sure I can keep up in the long term, with my wimpy Canadian “Let’s drink Smirnoff Ice” mentality... ;)

Onto something more interesting than my stuffy sinuses: I started classes yesterday! We began with a bang--or more specifically, a quiet and competently-delivered Contemporary American Writing lecture. It was an introduction to the weekly seminar class that I had today. Only ten students, and some very interesting readings. We go from Martin Luther King to Ginsberg, to Miller, Mailer, and many other important writers of the last 40 years. I’ve never done anything contemporary or American, so this is a convenient mix of the two.

I also had my first Jacobean Drama seminar, a late add for me as I had a lecture clash. My professor is really friendly (as they all have been) and loves the literary period we’re doing. He’s also the coordinator of the core Renaissance Lit module I’m doing this term, so he delivered this morning’s lecture in that as well. My seminar for RenLit was tiny- only 6 students, all female. It was a good discussion this morning however. I think I’m going to enjoy the Renaissance; I’ve only ever studied Shakespeare in detail from that time, and the era was so much more than that. The amount of creative genius present in early 17th century London is simply incredible; I’m not sure we’ve ever topped it, or ever will. I guess we’ll see...

Seminars here are so much more involved and more comfortable than at home, mostly because they’re held in the professor’s office and more often than not, said office has crammed bookshelves lining the room, framed portraits on the wall, and overstuffed chairs arranged around an old-fashioned-looking fireplace/radiator. I just tried not to ruin the cozy atmosphere today by hacking up a lung, flu-style.

As for societies, I went to the socials for BandSoc, a live music club (the event was a gig with various local bands at the Cockpit, a storied venue downtown) and for LUU Backstage, the group that does stage crew for all the shows that happen during the year. Hopefully I can work on my stage management experience with them—plus they go out for curry every Thursday!

I tried ‘er again, I must mention...although the non-spicy kind. I’m not that brave.

Doing some reading today, I stumbled upon a passage from a letter written by Adrienne Rich, a celebrated feminist writer. She refused the American National Medal for the Arts in 1997, and explained why in the letter cited here. As an MIT and English Lit major, sometimes it’s hard to explain exactly why I “read books and watch movies” for my degree—understandably, some people don’t see what careers, other than the (completely rewarding!) path of teaching, an Arts degree can lead to. Rich has one of the best descriptions I've read of why it’s so important to have “guardians of art”, as one of my English profs at UWO, Dr. Conway, put it:

“And what about art? Mistrusted, adored, pietized, condemned, dismissed as entertainment, auctioned at Sotheby's, purchased by investment-seeking celebrities, it dies into the "art object" of a thousand museum basements. It's also reborn hourly in prisons, women's shelters, small-town garages, community college workshops, halfway houses--wherever someone picks up a pencil, a wood-burning tool, a copy of "The Tempest," a tag-sale camera, a whittling knife, a stick of charcoal, a pawnshop horn, a video of "Citizen Kane," whatever lets you know again that this deeply instinctual yet self-conscious expressive language, this regenerative process, could help you save your life...There is a continuing dynamic between art repressed and art reborn, between the relentless marketing of the superficial and the "spectral and vivid reality that employs all means" (Rukeyser) to reach through armoring, resistances, resignation, to recall us to desire”

- Adrienne Rich, "Why I Refused the National Medal for the Arts" (http://www.barclayagency.com/richwhy.html).

I think it shows that art is more accessible than we may think, and more malleable. You can create any career you like with art because of its adaptability to situations and its constant presence in our lives.

Whew, she’s a long one today! I hope I haven’t bored you too much with this entry! I just thought it’s an effective description. Do you?

That’s it for today... I’ll be talking to you soon!

<3

p.s. Beacham's and Lemsip are the British equivalents of Contac-C and Neo-Citron. I love B&L.

"Over slate-gray Victorian skies..."

It actually rained today.

We've been basking in the sun for the past two weeks here in Northern England, but today we got a taste of what the British students insist is the normal weather--gray drizzle. I hope it doesn't last and we get our perfect autumn weather back.

But seriously, I can't believe I'm talking about the weather when so much has been going on!

Freshers Week has snowballed into a week-long party, as the freshers who got here on Sunday have jumped into the Intro festivities with unfettered enthusiasm. Their dedication is quite admirable, really; most of the kids who get home at 5 am have to be in course meetings the next morning. Johanna and I, feeling rather ancient at the ripe old age of 20, have managed to attend both the official Intro Party on Monday night, which featured the Vengaboys* (who attracted almost a thousand curious spectators to their 1 am set) and the School Disco last night (to which everyone comes dressed in high school uniforms!). At the disco, we met up with Johanna's "English friend" Vicky, as we call her, and Vicky's friends. Vicky went to McGill on exchange last year and has been an invaluable source of information and support for us here at Leeds, whether it's how to take navigate buses, score tickets to events, or find cheap food and shopping :). The disco was amazing too.. so much fun.

*N.B. For all of you who DON'T know who the Vengaboys are--and come on, who doesn't?--they're a European dance pop group who were big when I was in about Gr. 6. No one here had any idea they still performed; watching the four members jump around on stage felt vaguely like watching a fitness video from 1999.

Whooo disco! Johanna and I in our schoolgirl finest...

Another great thing has been visiting the Bod Bar here at the residence- it's cool to see a safe, cheap place for students to go drink that's close to their rooms, rather than encouraging them to go all the way downtown. I finally got my bus pass, too, which is incredibly exciting!! It's now my most treasured possession, after my Let's Go. Ah, my Let's Go...there it is now, sitting so confidently on my almost-empty bookshelf. The only other occupant is a copy of Machiavelli's The Prince, which I have to read for Monday. Welcome to 3rd year seminars, I guess!

Leeds Uni's societies have also started out in full force. I joined the BandSoc today, which gets me in on new bands, shows, and gigs happening around the uni and the city. We might also join in on swing dancing, hiphop classes, kickboxing training, stage-managing workshops, short film screenings, soccer intramurals, and squash lessons. I'm going to try my best to do all of these, AND still travel during my time off. I had thought that perhaps I could skip a couple classes here and there if it meant I could travel a bit more extensively; however, the profs at our intro School of English meeting squashed that dream with one clear warning-- thou shalt not miss thy seminars, on penalty of having to explain yourself to the head of the school. These Brits take their academics quite seriously, methinks.

Everything's coming together, thankfully. Now I have a room, a cell phone, a bank account, a clash-free timetable, and 2 square meals a day! Everything a student needs...

Here's a pictures of my room, in case you haven't received the 3d tour via webcam, and one of the outside of the venerable Clapham House, my hall of residence:

Up next-- classes start on Monday! I can finally start what I came here to do... you know, other than attend things like School Discos and visit places like the Library Pub. Right, Mom and Dad? Talk to you all soon!

Are you going to...

....Scarborough Fair? Yes, yes I am--and did--today!

The Student Union organized a day trip to the charming seaside town of Scarborough for the international students, and most of us partook; if we wanted a slice of pure Yorkshire goodness, we sure got it ;). The highlight of the day was Scarborough Castle, whose ruins sit atop steep cliffs that have been occupied by people for at least 3,000 years:

My friend Johanna and I at Castle Scarborough

Despite the extreme winds, we all braved the open meadow on top of the cliff to see the incredible view of the ocean and of the town itself. The castle still attracts locals as well as tourists, as evidenced by the many impassive Northern Brits walking along the cliff edge with their sheepdogs ambling along beside them.

A group of us at the castle

The "fair" itself is a permanent mini-Coney Island, complete with a Ferris wheel, arcade games, ice cream shops, as well as semi-catatonic donkeys available for children to ride ;). We walked along the beach and the pier, ate some famous fish and chips, and got to taste the salty air. It's actually really nice to get out of the city; you don't realize it, but when you're kind of a country girl like me ("kind of" being the operative term here), the city gets a bit intense sometimes. Almost makes me long for the permanent quiet that is the village of Sweaburg.

We really did enjoy ourselves today, but it was a subdued bus that headed back to Leeds tonight... many people are worn out from all the excitement of the last two weeks, me included, and a day spent walking in the sun and wind just added to our already good night's sleep!

After getting back to Bodington, Johanna and I went to visit Fabio and Giorgio, two Italian exchange students also living at Bod, and got to eat some genuine friesa (sp?)-- bread covered in olive oil with tomatoes and herbs :). I think I can get used to this United Nations-like group of friends, who are all eager to share their native cuisine! We Canadians want to join in too, except I'm not sure what we'd make. Pancakes and poutine keep coming up as suggestions, but I'm thinking we should just get some maple syrup sent over and eat it straight from the bottle...

I've gotten to add Austria, Norway, Spain, Malaysia, Mexico, Argentina, France, and Poland to my list of nationalities of people I've met since my last post, which I'm extremely excited about. The vice-chancellor told us at the official reception on Friday that 13% of the U of Leeds student population are international, and that there are 130 countries represented. This delights me to no end, as you can probably tell!

My goal for the next few days is to catch up on some sleep while simultaneously attending many Freshers Week events, starting my book list, and photographically documenting my accommodation for you all, which is the most common request I've received thus far. I'll for sure get onto that, now that I've found my camera! (Or more specifically, Matt found for me!)

And if you're interested, I posted the rest of the best of my Scarborough pictures on Facebook again-- click here to see them!

It's been great seeing so many people on Skype, and I hope that more and more of you get it! Talk to you in a couple days .... <3

The Influx Begins

The number of international students that are streaming into the university is incredible! Having gone to most of the ISO events, I've met people from the following countries (and I hope from many more in the future): Turkey, Greece, Russia, Japan, China, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India, United States, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Korea, Cyprus, Wales... and the list goes on! It's been such a cool experience so far, and it's only been two weeks.

Amidst all the orientation events we're attending, we've been able to try some of the pub life here; our favourite so far is the Library Pub, which is the perfect place for students. It's also conveniently on the way to Bodington, which remains deserted; sometimes I think the lone figures you sometime see in the evening are just zombies and ghosts ;).

And I must say, for keeping in touch- SKYPE IS AMAZING. I talked to Dad over Skype yesterday and was very impressed! All of this for free :). This new way of speaking face to face with someone over the Internet (and so clearly and quickly) goes very well with the importance given to surveillance technology over here-- "CCTV in effect" notices are extremely common, and in public places numerous signs urge citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. I remember hearing in one of my tech classes at UWO that the Brits are the most-watched people on Earth, and now I believe it. However, I also believe that this adds to the sense of security you feel here, especially on campus. This is a favourite MIT topic of mine, but more of that later...

My dorm room is still in shambles as I try to unpack in the short time I'm there; so much of my time is spent on campus. Also, meals don't start until the 15th, so until then I'm relying on some PB on bread in the mornings, and much Subway during the day. So in this way, it kind of feels like home right now!

I'm currently in a computer cluster (why is it not called a lab? Not sure) on campus and in a few minutes we're off to pick up some important items... namely some reasonably-priced clothing from TopShop. Another great thing about student life in Leeds-- we get discounts practically everywhere! You can see how the influx of 60,000 students in September rocks the city every year.

Hopefully talk to many of you soon, probably on Skype!

The Magnificance of Permanence

And ... Bodington Hall is awesome.

I'm not quite sure how else to put it. I just moved in today, and I was in my room for a total of about 20 minutes before going back to campus, but I must say that I was impressed. Bod makes Saugeen look like... well, a prison, although it kind of looked like that anyway!

The Bodington complex is surrounded by soccer and rugby fields, making it a veritable country club compared to the temporary accommodation we've been in here on campus. Not that Charlie Mo was terrible, but it was a bit temporary, I guess. Now I'm in the place I can call home! When I got to my house (Clapham House, if you're interested) I sort of clambered up the stairs with all of my luggage, and standing at the top peering down at me was a delighted German girl. I can't really put it any other way-- she was definitely delighted to have human company, as she told me, because she'd been the only one in the house for a while. So we chatted for a bit, and I have a new German friend named Katarina as a result!

It was an epic journey this morning to actually get to Bodington, as it was the maiden voyage for the van moving 10 of us and our luggage to four different locations, and the Welcome Team had to sort of learn how to organize it along the way. We eventually made it through to Bod (just myself and Fabio, my new Italian friend) after about two hours, and that was when I discovered my fantastic single room.

I promise to post pictures from around campus and my residence SOON, immediately after the madness of Welcome Week has subsided a bit... Internet connectivity is still awkward to come by, but I'll definitely get on that. Perhaps my hard-earned skills of narrative description cultivated during my half of an English degree can help make up for it!

Also, I got a mobile phone today, and as soon as I figure out how to use it, I'll email my new number to everyone. I'm going to have Skype, but I also have a great international rate so calling me is a good option.

I'll update in a couple days... we're going to the Global Cafe tonight, hopefully to meet many more students from all over the world! Talk to you all soon!

Figuring It Out

The Leeds International Student Welcome Team is doing a fantastic job helping the steady stream of new students coming to the university every day. They are so friendly and so helpful, as a lot of them have studied abroad as well and understand the logistical difficulties we’re facing. We’ve already been to their office three times now, either for arrival briefings, random questions, afternoon tea, or informative talks. In addition to the city tour we took today, next week is packed with things to do, either academic or social. I can tell they’re going to be an invaluable resource for us during the next nine months or so.

Johanna and I spent the morning exploring the city centre again (there’s so much to see!) and trying to find an international plug adapter; we accidentally blew the fuse in our temporary accommodation—a really important fuse too, apparently, because both of our rooms lost power—so we’re trying to fix the situation. We’re pretty much responsible for our own internet connectivity, since all of the computer labs and student resource rooms are closed for the weekend, so this plug is pretty much essential :).

The city of Leeds keeps surprising me. It’s alternately working-class and young professional-oriented; fiercely traditional, yet obviously trendy. There’s also a huge mix of cultures. You’re more likely to find Japanese or Thai food before roast pheasant, for example J. Although, you’re also more likely to find Subway before anything else—there seems to be EIGHTEEN franchises in the city centre alone!

But I’m not complaining. I heart my Subway.

Next week I’m hoping to figure out my academic situation and meet the magnanimous Secretary Hauder (of School of English fame), who emailed his international students many times over the summer offering academic support and encouragement. Johanna’s also taking English Lit, so I’m glad to have a friend going through the same process :). It’s been great meeting her this week, as well as many of the other newly-arrived students, who are all equally friendly and enthusiastic about coming here, even so soon after their looonnnnggg journeys from home! The record so far is a 16-hour flight from Shanghai.

I hope the first week of school went well for everyone back home—good luck as another year begins!

Full Albums of Pictures

I've gotten my act together and organized our pictures into 4 albums, that you can find online by clicking on the links! Don't worry, you don't need a Facebook account to look at them, they're available to see for everyone.


Climb the Berlin Wall by clicking here.

Sip some bier in a Munich garten by clicking here.

Taste a Parisian crepe by clicking here.

Cross the river Thames in London by clicking here.


Hope you enjoy them!

Let's Take a Trip Back In Time-- to 3 Days Ago

Bryan and I in front of and beside Tower Bridge in London!


After an uncertain first two days here in Leeds, I've finally gotten my temporary room here at Charles Morris Hall! I can sit on my bed and look out on the ULeeds campus, which is beautiful, and finally take a breath. However, I must say THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Matt & Erin for letting Bryan and I stay with them once we got here. It's so comforting to see friendly faces after two weeks of strangers. That's not to say we didn't meet great people abroad-- we definitely did. But there's something about friends from home.

Last night, we went out to dinner at the pub across the street from Matt & Erin's house, and we had some traditional British food! Bangers and mash for Erin and I, and Hunter's chicken for Bryan and Matt... along with some Carling, you can't say no, although it's not quite the famous British roast beef ;). And I must say, it's a myth that Brits only eat heavy food like that. You're more likely to find sushi or organic vegetables than your typical Yorkshire pudding. Good food though... mmm....

Speaking of friends: I met up with the Meet & Greet Team today at the train station, whose job it is to meet up with new students and bring them to their accommodation. They're really nice people who help set you up- and I met some other exchange students newly arrived as well. One of them is a Montrealer named Johanna; she and I took a walk downtown to check out the crazy, extensive shopping available here. We had been kind of wondering out loud whether we'd find a dollar store or its equivalent, and sure enough-- we discovered a Poundland! Awesome. So having picked up bedding etc. today, we're feeling pretty good.

That's about it for today-- here are some pictures from London that I finally have time to post!

Piccadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey, and the Clock Tower (with Big Ben inside;))

more to come!

home at last

We made it to Leeds in one piece yesterday!

Bryan and I took the 11:35 train from King's Cross in London and made it to Leeds by 2... we surprised even ourselves by finding my friends Matt and Erin's new flat in about 15 mins, walking from the train station. They've struck gold with their apartment-- down the street from Erin's new college and 5 mins from downtown. Pretty nice... and they're being amazing by letting us stay with them for two nights!

Our last day in London was great too. We took another NewEurope tour (because they're addictive) and managed to see all kinds of downtown London. In the afternoon, we stumbled upon the Canadian Embassy (hard to miss, as it's one entire side of Trafalgar Square) and went inside so I could register. The place was completely empty except for the two British guards at the entrance. The guy who was supposed to help us use the Internet (generously offered by the guards) turned out not to be there, so we found some computers and did it ourselves. And still, there was no one. The embassy was sort of an oasis.. especially in the craziness Trafalgar Square offers up, what with all the tourists and pigeons, and their interaction. But also a bit creepy, because of its odd absence of people...

So that being done, we headed over to the adjacent side, and explored the National Gallery for the afternoon; interestingly, the museums here are free, but it costs money to get into the churches ;). We saw some Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Vermeer, Van Gogh, and some paintings I had studied in class... amazing to see them up close and in real life.

Also-- something I found interesting, but Bryan found completely, mind-numbingly boring-- we witnessed the UK premiere for Keira Knightley's new movie, Atonement. We were in Leicester Square taking a look at all the West End productions when we saw them setting up... later on we were there when she and her co-stars walked the red carpet. Lots of paparazzi and fans-- Keira's really well-liked over here in her hometown.

She even found the time to come over and say hello!! Ok... not really. But we saw the tip of her head! And heard people yelling Keira! at the top of their lungs!

The Underground strike wreaked havoc on the city over the last few days, so riding home to our hostel was quite treacherous. The Tube's really easy to navigate but it's tougher when there are thousands taking the same route. We did make it home eventually though, and needed a pint (but just a pint) in the awesome hostel bar to recover ;).

We also saw the Tower of London up close, as we ventured out again at night to see Tower Bridge all lit up... the riverside buildings are beautiful at night.

However, as I was saying, we got here yesterday and explored the city with the help of Matt & Erin, who are already seasoned vets here. Today Bryan and I hit the campus to figure out some things. I now have a UK bank account, and some temporary accommodation until I move into my permanent residence on Sep. 10th. Until then, I should be online every couple of days- more pictures to come as I have a bit more time!

We're off to take in more of the booming metropolis that is Leeds!

Three Hours, Two Countries

We got to witness Paris in the early, early morning today, as we walked to get to the train station to leave for London: finally, a quiet view of the narrow streets in our neighbourhood. It's such a contrast to the regular busy-ness of the city.

The highspeed Eurostar train got us to London in great time (3 hours) and my prediction was right! It was foggy when we left France and sunny in England. Oh, the metaphors.

And my greatest revelation as we got into Waterloo Station was that Londoners differ strongly from their French neighbours-- hectic doesn't even describe it! People rushing everywhere- on the streets, on the Tube, in restaurant queues, buying tickets, seeing sights... the urge to hurry along with everyone is contagious. We've finally slowed down enough to relax in the hostel bar for a bit. Tomorrow we're taking one of the free tours that I love so much. They're in pretty much every city and they're AWESOME. I love them almost as much as my Let's Go book (which has become the bane of Bryan's existence, as he has to lug it everywhere). It's dog-eared and stained with coffee, but it's a reassuring bible of a different sort. The backpacker sort ;).

For brevity's sake, I'll just list the things we saw today :):

- Westminster Abbey
- Big Ben
- The London Eye
- The Millenium Bridge
- Buckingham Palace
- Piccadilly Circus
- and (it felt like) the entire Underground

I felt an odd sort of completion at seeing the Poets' Corner in the Abbey ... the whole thing is way more crowded than I imagined, but it's quite a grand place :)

So hopefully we can see the Tower of London tomorrow (Bryan's main desire) amongst all the other must-sees here (If the Underground strike doesn't go on too long).

- Gennelle

P.S. Editing pictures? Actually, I'm THAT good a photographer ;) ... also, I swear that was a Fanta I was drinking!

The Day of Stairs

It seems that stairs abound in Paris. Today, they led us down flights and flights to the lowest subway, and up flights and flights to the very top of Sacre-Coeur. And there were many more in between.

So after seeing some of the main sights yesterday, we started off today by going to Mass at Notre Dame de Paris...

It's an incredible building. It was odd to take part in such a familiar ceremony in such an overwhelming place-- in addition to the architecture, the tourists who were shepherded around the main aisle during Mass created a constant murmur discernible under the voices of the French priests who were celebrating. However, it was still a hushed, awed atmosphere, and a interesting experience.
The Jardin des Tuileries


We then went through the courtyard of the Louvre (sadly, no time to visit the museum today) and had lunch in the Jardin des Tuileries, the royal palace. Afterwards, we headed north to see Sacre-Coeur (another beautiful church!) and wandered through Montmartre for the rest of the afternoon. Montmartre is interesting too- you still see street musicians and artists roaming, but now they're there to sell things to the tourists. The area is really cool to see... you can just imagine it a hundred years ago when it was little better than a slum and cabarets were in every little cramped theatre hidden in its alleyways. It has just as much character now, albeit with more Coke signs.

Sacre-Coeur and the view from halfway up


Can anything top Paris? We're going to give London a try :) ... we leave EARLY tomorrow (like, at 8) by Eurostar. We'll be eating bangers and mash in no time (rather than Fanta and a baguette! Although there's nothing wrong with that...)





<3

The Day of Milestones (and Walking)

Okay, so two Canadian backpackers, three German girls, and an Argentinean street musician all walk into a cramped train compartment. The Canadians say...

This could be the start of a great joke, but alas, it’s a true story: the true story of myself and Bryan’s 10 hour overnight train ride from Munich to Paris. Just us, Martina, Jutte, Stefanie, and Sergio. A motley crew, perhaps, but collectively jolly enough. Martina even got Sergio to play his violin for us ... a more European experience we could not have asked for. A faster train ride maybe, but that’s it ;)

We got in this morning at 7 am, shook off our neck cricks, and promptly mastered the Parisian metro system. Actually, Bryan procured a map and two all-day tickets and set off, and I followed a couple paces behind him pointing out a sign every so often. Bryan may not be able to pronounce even the shortest German words correctly but darn it, he’s got a great sense of direction. We made it to our slightly out-of-the-way hotel by 8:45 am and were overjoyed when they let us check in early. Our smiles weakened somewhat, however, when we saw the stairs—6 flights, and no lift. But once we made it up there and saw the fantastic view and our private balcony, we were restored!

(At this time, Bryan would like to interject that his much-derided pronunciation of “Munich” is, astonishingly, correct. Our tour guide mentioned during our day there that Munchen, as it’s called in German, was originally called “Munichen” by the monks who founded it. 10 points!)

Even though we arrived a bit late, we still managed to see the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs d’Elysees, and tour the Museum of Modern Art. I can’t believe I can claim so many milestones in one day—I got to see all of these famous sites, AND works by Picasso, Matisse, Dali, and Pollack. AND we had croissants! I’m expecting my French citizenship any minute now.

Paris is everything you expect: hectic, historical, multicultural, and awe-inspiring. But it’s also affordable, open-minded, compact, and welcoming. Even on another cloudy day like today, you can tell people are delighted by what they’re seeing. I think that’s what makes Paris so special to so many... while Berlin has its own attractions, Paris has a little of that air of mystery and romance; it's palpable as soon as you take that first step out of the metro line.

Here are a few more pictures that I finally have the chance to post. Hope all is well back home :) We're here tomorrow, and then we leave really early on the 3rd for London, by highspeed train!

At the Reichstag in Berlin

In the best, most famous Biergarten in Munich!

The view from the tower window at Neuschwanstein (see how foggy?)

And... us at the Eiffel Tower this afternoon!

Odds and ends

WE ARE IN PARIS! WE ARE IN PARIS! But more about that a bit later! I wrote the following on the train in the last few days...

Munich seems more relaxed (or chiller, as they say) than its big brother over there in the East. But it doesn’t lack Berlin’s excitement at all, or its hordes of tourists. There are more here, actually: they come to sample the biergartens and see the Glockenspiel (sadly, under repair for us—all we got was a weak squawk out of the animatronic owl), and shop at the designer stores. The city apparently has always had money... the medieval cathedrals and Aston Martin dealerships prove that.

The absolute best thing about Munich Hauptbahnof, the train station, is that it has a little EurAide office with an English-speaking attendant, and we found an AMAZING pamphlet with every bit of information we ever abstractedly wondered about our Eurail Passes. I guess when you roll into a strange city with three hours of broken sleep on an ICE train, a fluent English speaker and a concisely written brochure are all you really need.

A bit more about Neuschwanstein: it was crawling with tourists from around the world. Hundreds of people braved the long walk in the pouring rain to climb to the top of the castle’s hill. The fog made everything gloomier, yet somehow not more depressing. It added to the atmosphere—and distinguished the castle slightly from its famous cheery knockoff, the Disneyland one. The similarities go further, too... in addition to the throngs of people (how many synonyms for “crowd” am I allowed to use??) Ludwig even has his own little cartoon self. The Germans affectionately call him MinniKinniLuddi, and he has his face on dishes, flags, pins, and everything else. It's a cute way for the tourists to digest a complicated, mentally ill 19th century monarch, and buy things :)

Oh, and I must explain: the Internet's sparse availability and my laptop’s spastic response to it have been contributing to the irregular posting that’s been going on. But I’m glad to hear people are reading, and it’s been so good to hear from you!

We just arrived in Paris, and we’re actually going to go eat a croissant and visit the Eiffel Tower. That’s seriously the plan. So off we go ... in a city where we finally speak the language!

<3

Marking Bavaria (on the map)

Our last day in Berlin was another full day seeing the sights. We saw ancient Greek statues and modern art installations at the Pergamon, and painful and sincere testimonials that Germans felt during the time of the Berlin Wall at the Museum am Checkpoint Charlie. Visiting this museum, as well as the Holocaust Memorial, is a sobering experience, especially compared to the opulence of something like the Victory Memorial. Which victory are they talking about?

We finally had the chance to have some real German food--- schweinbraten and schnitzel. Awesome. Combine that with some authentic Berliner beer and you've got yourself a traditional amazing meal. It was a bit of a change for us, considering we've been eating mostly Italian food, which seems to be available everywhere we go!

Today we visited Newschwanstein Castle, the fairytale building that King Ludwig II of Bavaria built ... it's stunning!! Sadly, it rained, so it was too foggy to see the crazy views we'd heard about. But the 2 hour train ride and subsequent 40 min walk was worth it. We'd go back again. In the sunshine.

One more day in Muniken (as Bryan calls it) and we're off to Paris! Unfortunately, we're paying for Internet tonight, so that's it for now... Feel free to leave comments-- we're also both on Facebook if you want to chat with us!

Take care!

The Day of Walking

Our second day in Berlin shall be known as the day of walking. We kept a steady pace all day, hitting up the Reichstag (German Parliament building), the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Humboldt University, the Sony Centre, the Victory Memorial, and my favourite, the Tiergarten. I'm sure it's a pretty straightforward route normally, but we unwittingly took the scenic tour a few times-- this is great, though, because it was a gorgeous day out.

The Tiergarten used to be royal grounds; now it's an extensive public park right in the centre of the city. Once you get about 100 m in, the sounds of traffic are muted and you're in a quiet sort of oasis. Loved it in there.

We tried to go out for dinner in the "Cool District", Frenzlauer Berg, but ended up right near our hostel in a place we'll call "Beck's"-- just because it was covered in beer signs. They had great Italian food; although it was awesome spaghetti, that only leaves us with one day to finally eat some true German food :). Wurst stand it is...

Tomorrow we'll tour around some more and then get on the night train to Munich-- hopefully an update then! It was great talking to the family back home tonight, though! :)

Papa, we're keeping you in our prayers tonight. Feel better soon!

"If you begin by burning books..."

After stepping out of the train station, this is our very first view of Berlin -- the taxis outside the station, just as the sun is setting.

Being presented with numerous taxi options, we decided to take one to our hostel. At last, a real bed to sleep on! We sort of stumbled into it around 8 pm. The room’s pretty basic, and the whole atmosphere of the place reflects its city: colourful, friendly, modern, and relaxed. Our roommates are from Ireland and Korea.

There was a bit of a chill in the air today as we set out with a free breakfast in us and a spanking-new map in hand to do a day of touring this beautiful city. Bryan even spent an extra euro on the map to ensure its quality (what? you say! Bryan?! lol), and it proved its worthiness pretty much throughout the day.

We met up with a free tour at 11 am in front of the Brandenburg Gates. The company’s called NewEurope, and it’s got a great philosophy: why should history have a price put on it? I, for one, wholeheartedly agree with that question. The tour guides work for tips only, and our guide did a fantastic job today. In 3.5 hrs we saw most of Berlin’s main sites, and most importantly, we got an overview of what we want to see more in-depth tomorrow. The company does tours in Munich, Paris, and London as well, so we want to check those out too.

Those are the Brandenburg Gates, the most famous piece of architecture in Germany.

SO MUCH history for one place! It’s a bit odd for us, as Canadians, to see one area that has seen so much turmoil and historical change. Plus, it’s recent: Bryan and I were both alive when the wall fell! Incredible ... the effects of the 40-year division are still being seen today, despite the joy Germans felt at their re-unification in 1990.

This is the 2nd biggest piece of the Berlin Wall still standing.

So after a really good morning spent touring, we explored the Deutsches Historisches Museum, which was well-worth it (except a random 5-minute fire alarm evacuation explained only in German... we had to deduce for ourselves why all the other tourists were leaving in droves); the highlights include examples of 18th century clothing, French revolutionary flags and cockades, and original portraits of people like Martin Luther and Kaiser Wilhelm I. We also wandered into a Lutheran church, and promptly wandered back out when we saw it was under renovation. And explained only in German, again. We still enjoy the sites though, and there’s enough English-speaking going on everywhere else. Actually, except for the hostel, we’ve only eaten at American chains, sadly. Schlotsky’s Deli from Texas and Andy’s Diner from New Jersey can thank us for our patronage. That’s something we can get on tomorrow – eating some traditional German fare and, more specifically, drinking some traditional beer!

Oh, and here’s a picture for Pete- thought you’d like our surreptiously-taken photo from the Ferrari dealership we found ... note the sheepish/furtive look on Bryan’s face. If you want, we can pick a car up for you—they’re only 110,000 euros. Plus shipping.

Onto tomorrow!

P.S. The end of that saying is, "...you end by burning people". This Heinrich Heine quote, from a memorial in Bebelplatz (opposite Humboldt University), was written in 1820, but it refers to the Nazis burning thousands of books from the university in the early days of their rule. Now, there are used books sold in front of the university gates every day.

From Packer to Backpacker! / Budget flight really does mean 'budget flight'

August 25 – From Packer to Backpacker!

There, I said it. Mom, your witty observation has officially made it onto my very first blog posting. After a summer of Bomag-wrassling (ie. driving the packer for Germag) I can retire from my Mobage in good faith. All those work hours are going to be completely worth it.
So, I passed airport security without a single hassle; one last crane-the-neck view of my entourage/posse of family who so thoughtfully accompanied me to the airport (despite the late departure hour) and I was off to my gate. Not a single tear (on anyone’s part) as I left either, which was an unexpected first!

All I could think while walking the long jaunt to my plane was-- I’m so ready for this. I am SO READY for this. All that remains is to actually board.

Unfortunately, my laptop won’t connect to the airport’s hotspot, so this will be posted a couple days late... more to come as more happens!

I’m off.

August 26 – Budget flight really does mean ‘budget flight’

Air Transat’s a lovely airline with a very modern vibe (and I suspect a new graphic design team), but it’s definitely for the budget traveller. It was a tight fit for the last 7 hours. However, I’m always grateful for low student prices; plus, they played Shrek the Third for the in-flight movie. I actually stayed awake to watch it. Unfortunately, I stayed awake for the rest of the flight too, kind of fitfully dozing and waking to the slightest noise. I know for a fact, though, that I’ll get better at power-napping on planes, trains, and buses ;). Even now, on the train from Frankfurt to Berlin, I’m forcing myself to stay awake to avoid jetlag.

After much confusion and wandering, Bryan (who was waiting as promised by the Arrivals gate, after an ordeal of his own- concerning a delayed flight and a lengthy stopover at Heathrow) and I managed to find the train station, activate our Eurail passes, and jump on the next train to Berlin. We were too late for a reservation though, so after mistakenly sitting in first class for a few minutes, we managed to find two seats in second class together, only to have Bryan moved by a traveller with a REAL reservation.

The German countryside is absolutely beautiful. The landscape reminds us a lot of Canada actually, but the scenery’s more rustic; there are many, many white houses with red roofs and picturesque barns. Even the token railway graffiti is quaint.

In a few hours, we will hopefully arrive at the right hostel and will have a good solid sleep before exploring the B-dot tomorrow! Some pictures to come as well!

P.S. The German language is currently indecipherable to us. We’re limited to danke and the knowledge that first class cars have a large number 1 on their doors, rather than a 2.