hello winter

Well winter's here, and it doesn't matter if I like it or not -- it's made up its mind and is planning on staying a while. It's been pretty cold recently (So cold, in fact, that I've even started wearing my scarf. Now I'm not usually one for scarf-wearing, but it keeps me warm, and people tell me it makes me look infinitely more French. So I don't mind much). I have to be honest, though: French winter is not too terrible compared to the arctic months I've endured in Chicago. Here, it hardly ever snows. The clouds are content just spitting out half-frozen rain drops onto the Parisian rooftops. So until the spring awakening comes, I'll just have to tighten my coat, slip on my gloves, and brave the frigid spit spat drizzle.

While I was in Brussels last weekend, I had a bit of an epiphany. Well, I can't really say that it was my doing at all. It came in the form of an email from a dear friend of mine, Mark Tumbleweed Pedri. You see, I've been feeling kind of like I'm not making the most of my time here in Paris. The end of the semester looms on the horizon, so I'm starting to see how quickly the time passes. So I wrote to Mark, confident that he could show me the light. He wrote me a simple little morsel of advice he learned down under this semester:

"Write in a journal every night and do something everyday worth writing about that night. That's what I did and I don't have a single regret about anything."

Pretty simple, huh? And yet I couldn't seem to figure it out on my own. Well, I value the Tumbleweed's input, so I took the advice to heart. Over dinner with Caroline last week, we discussed this whole issue and decided that we'd better do something about it. So we wrote a list of things we still haven't done (or that we want to do again) in Paris, intending to cross every item off the list before the end of the semester comes and steals Caroline away back to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Since then, I've been trying to do something every day that is worth writing about. It doesn't have to be anything earth-shattering -- just something that I might want to remember ten years down the road. I'm feeling pretty good.

Here's an abridged list of some of the highlights from the week:

-- Pondering the hidden meanings behind the Galleries Lafayette Christmas windows

-- Amassing a large collection of French hip-hop and spoken-word/slam poetry albums, borrowed from the IES library

-- Heading off to explore the Cimitière du Montparnasse (Montparnasse Cemetery) only to spend the afternoon chatting with a completely random frenchman who claims to be a famous singer/actor/brother of Jacques Villeret

-- Exploring the Mantegna exhibit during yet another visit to the Louvre -- you can't see it all in one semester, I swear

-- French "Thanksgiving dinner" with all the other IES students. It wasn't terrible... I'll just leave it at that

-- Bad ass ukulele & banjo jam session along the banks of the Canal St. Michel with Joel after said Thanksgiving dinner

-- Getting to keep my sweet chest x-ray from the medical visit required for my residence permit (Let me know if you want to see what I'd look like with no skin on)

-- Bar hopping in the ever so softly falling snow

-- Sitting in on a random Chopin concert at the Eglise Ste. Merry

So there you have it. As the sky becomes a wintery shade of gray and the temperature outside starts to drop, I'm feverishly stoking the fire in my life. Just like the notes flying from a piano or the words escaping out of your mouth, I know time is fleeting. It's already the last day of November. With finals, winter break, and lots of traveling coming up, I know it will be spring semester before I know it. Let's just hope I can live it up while it lasts.

Happy Travels

-- Cody

Hustle & Bustle in Brussels

So, look at me: I've only been back in Paris for a little over an hour and I'm already updating the ole blog. How daring!

Well, Brussels was pretty darn sweet. Like most people will tell you, it's not quite as beautiful as a lot of other cities throughout Europe -- like Paris or Vienna, from my experience -- on account of its strange mix of architectural styles, but it is still a nice place. There are lots of old old buildings downtown, but then there is a decent amount of modern, industrial almost-skyscrapers. Honestly, there were times when I really felt like I was back in Chicago. The city had a very similar feel to it. The general feeling was not quite as "European" as I was expecting. but Brussels still has its charm. I definitely enjoyed my time there. Despite the crappy weather (snow!).

I got into Bruxelles (as the French call it) around 10 friday morning, found my way to my hostel, checked in, and then headed out for sightseeing. Of course I went straight for the Grand Place, Brussels' historic district. Descending ever so slowly into the tail end of November, workers were already out preparing the Place for the upcoming Christmas Market -- a European specialty. People were working feverishly among the old-as-centuries buildings, some attaching straw to the roof of a manger soon to hold the holy family, and some stabilizing the huge evergreen tree standing in the middle of it all. The Grand Place is always full of tourist, and rightly so. The buildings are incredibly detailed, covered in gold leaf and statues. Restaurants can be found just around just about every corner, but they all seem to cater to the tourist crowd -- tourists with wads of cash in their pockets, that is. I was not to be tempted. I found lunch in an out-of-the-way restaurant: salad, meatballs, and fries. Delicious.

For most of the afternoon, I simply meandered from historic sight to historic sight, keeping an eye on my whereabouts with a map I picked up from the hostel. I saw Manneken Pis, la Bourse (stock exchange), St. Michael's Cathedral, St. Catherine's, the touristy restaurants lining Rue des Bouchers, and the Galleries of the King and Queen, among many others. The whole time was filled with side wonders and lots and lots of chocolate shops. There's quite a bit to see and do in Brussels, and it's all very pedestrian-friendly. After dining at a pizzeria and exploring some more, I decided to call it a night. The weather was just not friendly at all. Rain rain rain. It was a good night to slip into bed a little early. Before sleep, though, I took the time to send off some postcards and a letter or two.

I woke up nice and early saturday morning, and made a game-plan for the day. I decided to follow a walking tour outlined in little crow's feet on my map. It started at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Congress Column just a couple blocks away from the hostel, so that's where I headed. When I got there, I saw lots of people milling about in military uniforms. Deciding to stay and see what was up, I soon heard what sounded like a marching music. Then, around the corner came a band, followed by four regiments of young men and women decked out in fatigues and rifles. I asked someone standing by me in the gathering crowd what was going on. It was apparently a celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the Military Academy in Brussels. Just before the ceremony started, and as snow began falling, a very important man (general of the army? maybe?) stepped out of a discreet black car, wearing a long trench coat and blue military beret. He presided over the events.

After the ceremony, I started off on my walking tour. I didn't finish, though, as the half-way point was my real item of interest: the Parc du Cinquantenaire. I wandered around the park and headed towards the Royal Army Museum, from where I could (supposedly) climb to the top of their Arc de Triomphe. Along the way, I saw a large makeshift building advertising a special exhibit. I went inside to find a collection of beautiful photos and information about Michelangelo's Pieta. It was very interesting to hear about just how perfect the work is -- he apparently made vast use of the Golden Ratio while carving the work. It really is fascinating. Next, I made it to the Army Museum, where I unfortunately could not climb the Arc. I did, however, find a very cool Aviation exhibit -- lots of airplanes, helicopters, and hot air balloons.

After a quick lunch at a nice little restaurant (the waitress was totally flirting with me, by the way), I went to meet up with Brianna and her friend at the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart. We toured the inside of the HUGE church, and then rode the elevator to the top, where we climbed outside to admire the view from around the enormous dome. While we snapped photos and caught up with each other's lives, the snow began to fall again. It was a very picturesque moment. Next, I headed out to see the Atomium, a 100-or-so meter high steel replica of an iron crystal made for the 1958 World's Fair. I had read that it's not quite as cool as it may seem, so I wasn't too disappointed when I arrived 15 minutes after closing time. I took a few quick pictures and headed back downtown for dinner. I did some last major sightseeing in the historic district, including the famous Delirium Tremens bar, and made my way back to the hostel. I sat in the hostel's Babel Bar for a while, sampling some more Belgian beer (so good), before hitting the hay.

This morning I woke up around 7:30, grabbed breakfast, and checked out. I made the rounds of the city one last time, then headed for the only site that was open and standing between me and the Brussels Midi train station: the Porte de Halle. It's an awesome tower that was formerly one of the only entrances penetrating the stone walls around the city. I toured the museum, climbed the huge, spiraling, stone staircase, and took one last view of the city from up high. Beautiful. I ended my time in Brussels trying to find the entrance to the train station among the HUGE flea market that apparently springs up on sunday mornings. That was a cultural experience in itself. I caught the train, and the rest is history.

So there you have it. I'm off now to do some homework before grabbing dinner with Caroline later. Oh, and I had some serious reading time on the train, so I'm getting deeper and deeper into my latest Kerouac novel. It really is incredible. Life-changing, really. Let me know if you want details. Until next time.

Happy Travels

-- Cody

bruxelles! bruxelles!

hey y'all --

just a quick post to let you know i made it to brussels just fine. oh, wait a minute... did i tell you i'm going to brussels this weekend? don't remember. either way, i'm here safe & sound.

i've been sightseeing all day, and i'm about to wander around some more before dinner. perhaps i'll check out the belgian nightlife. who knows? and fyi, according to the woman working in the tourist info center where i'm currently typing this: "asking where to get the best waffles in brussels is like asking someone in the states which mcdonalds is the best. they're all the same. and they're all just tourist food." so watch out.

anyway, i'm hanging out with brianna tomorrow. can't wait. i'll try to give you another update about what i've been doing here before i go back to paris. but if not, stay tuned for the more inclusive post-trip entry. a bientot.

happy travels

-- cody

Breaking Fall, Part 2 : Seducing Slovakia

And now, we join our hero as he prepares for his journey to Bratislava in

Part 2 : Seducing Slovakia (what does that even mean?)

Sunday morning, I got breakfast with another (newly-acquired) friend, Keith, from Dublin. Amidst discussions about the US, Ireland, traveling, etc., Keith mentioned he was heading to the Hofburg Palace. I decided to accompany him, as I was planning on going to the Hofburgkapelle (Hofburg Chapel) for mass before I left for Slovakia. Now, I normally wouldn't go to mass twice in one weekend, but this was a special case. The Hofburgkapelle just happens to be the home of the Vienna Boys Choir, who sing every sunday morning at the 9:15 mass. In the chapel, I attended mass in the tourist-full standing-room section. An actual seat costs upwards of 20€ and must be booked months in advance. Clearly, the choir is doing something right. They really were great. And they were accompanied by a small orchestra, so the music was just beautiful. It made me miss singing in a choir... man. During the mass, though, I got the feeling that a lot of people thought it was just a concert. Lots of camera-flashing, moving around, talking in hushed voices, and even a few confused faces when the priest offered communion.

After mass, I found my way to the Sudbahnhoff train station, bought a round trip ticket to Bratislava, and boarded the train. The ride was short and sweet through the Austrian countryside. I ended up talking to the girl sitting across from me in my bank of seats, but only after she made fun of me for falling asleep while the conductor was coming by to check tickets. He had to hit me on the shoulder to wake me up. The girl, Jasmina, found that pretty amusing. At the station, she offered to show me how to get to the Old Town area, where (I thought) my hostel was. Along the way, she pointed out a few important monuments, like the Presidential Palace, and the Slavin Memorial statue. She dropped me off and went on her way, and I started looking for the hostel. It took me forever to find it, as I really had no clue where to look. That was alright, though, because I got to explore Old Town. Finally, after 3 stops to ask people for directions, I found the hostel.

After checking in, I went back to exploring the city. The Old Town district is pretty awesome. It's full of little cobblestone alleys, random statues, fountains, and more tourists than I expected to find in Slovakia. Before sunset, I made the hike up to the top of the hill overlooking the city. At the top, I payed a visit to Bratislava Castle. It's pretty cool, though the people of the city apparently refer to it as the "upside-down table". I can see where they might get that idea. Unfortunately, I couldn't enter the castle, as the whole thing is undergoing a major reconstruction and renovation project. They are trying to restore the castle to the beauty it once had centuries ago, before wars and fires nearly destroyed it. They're doing a great job. Next, I tried continuing up the hill next door to find the tower holding the Slavin statue. Yeah, I didn't find it. But I did find a nice, big, residential neighborhood. I only came across a couple sketchy areas, so it was a pleasant (read: tiring) trek up the hill. Back in Old Town, I decided I'd better buy some kind of tourist guide to the city, so I stopped into a gift shop. That was a great purchase. I'll tell you now: I didn't get lost a single time after that.

After dinner, I went to a random free concert in a nice church. I felt somewhat underdressed, but I had a good time. Then I went back to the hostel, spent a little time at the piano in the lounge, wrote a couple letters, and slipped into bed. I felt like I should have done something a little cooler with my night in Bratislava, but honestly my feet needed the rest. I was exhausted. Needless to say, I slept very well.

I woke up monday morning a little after 8, showered, and went in search of breakfast. I found cheap eats (a ham and cheese croissant, a glass of o.j., and some coffee -- all for only 79 sk, less than 3€) then got on with some final sightseeing. I first headed to the House of the Good Shepherd to see the Museum of Clocks, but that was closed. I was really disappointed, as it sounded really interesting. Instead, I went to St. Martin's cathedral -- a centuries-old church in Old Town, which was the site of the coronations of countless rulers of the Austrian Empire. This place was beautiful, but it was kind of morbid. I went down a staircase in a side chapel to the crypt, where they have the coffins of several archbishops and members of an important family. The rooms smelled like cold stone and cut flowers. I resurfaced, going to another side chapel -- this one dedicated to St. John the Merciful. His remains (meaning his decomposing skeleton dressed up in saint clothing) are encased in a silver and glass coffin high above the altar. Creepy. But, even creepier: in front of a statue of St. Martin and a beggar, there is a large pane of bubbly glass on the floor. If you look just right through the glass, you can see down into a 13th- or 14th-century cemetery. You can actually see real skeletons, only partially buried in the dirt. We're talking skulls and rib cages. Not quite as artistically presented as the bones in Paris' catacombs....

Anyway, after some more sightseeing and lunch, I stopped back by the hostel to pick up my bags, then headed to the train station. Along the way, I stopped in the gardens behind the Presidential Palace. I caught my train (with perfect timing), and chug-chugged my way back to Vienna.

Back in Austria, I grabbed dinner. Then I met up with Keith again at the hostel. After chatting a while, we decided to make the most out of my last night in Vienna. We found a nice bar (the Bermuda Bräu) and sampled the local beer, discussing politics, Barack Obama(!), Scientology, and Paris. We didn't stay out too late, as I had to catch my return flight very early in the morning. In fact, I only slept about 2 or 3 hours before I had to get up again. I checked out, called a cab, and stepped onto the plane. And now I'm back in Paris. Back to the grind. Back to schoolwork and my internship. It was really nice spending some time away from it all, but I have to admit: I was relieved to be back in Paris. It's comfortable.

Happy Travels

-- Cody

Breaking Fall, Part 1 : Waltzing in Wien

Well, I'm back in Paris, and I made it all in one piece. Fall break was fantastic. I got the chance to see two great cities, and I met some pretty cool people at the hostels. I definitely took lots of pictures, which I will post sometime in the near future (speaking of: I added a link to the long over-due Normandy photo album. Click and enjoy a trip to my favorite part of France thus far). There's a lot to write about for this trip, so I'll treat it to 2 (two!) entries. Hold on to your hats, folks.

Before I start, though -- Love It or Leave It.

Reason to Love It : Feeling "at home" in Paris -- I'm comfortable enough here that it was a big relief to be back in the city after fall break.

Reason to Leave It : Knowing that most of my IES friends are leaving in about a month... and I'll be here without them.

And now, Part 1 : Waltzing in Wien

I arrived in Vienna late late thursday night and rode the City Airport Train (CAT) into the heart of Vienna, where I transferred to the U4 subway line to get to my hostel. By the time I checked into Hostel Hütteldorf, it was well past midnight. I got into bed and quickly fell asleep. Travel is tiring, you know.

I woke up friday morning just after 7, took a shower, and headed downstairs to eat breakfast with a (newly acquired) friend from South Korea -- Kim. After breakfast, I took the U4 back into the city for some exploration. My plans for the day were simply to hit up the 3 big sights from my wish list, and fill in with other random visits in between. The big 3: the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna National Opera), Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), and Hofburg Palace. I made it to all 3 just fine -- although the Hofburg was a bit out of my "budget", so I mainly just saw the outside. But it was beautiful. In between, I saw some pretty cool stuff. Like the Kaisergruft -- the crypt where they keep old, creepy tombs holding the remains of countless Austrian Emperors & Empresses. Then there's the pedestrian avenue Kärtner Strasse, a kind of car-less version of the Champs-Elysées. As I quickly found out, old downtown Vienna is an awesome district. The baroque buildings are beautiful. The traffic isn't too ridiculous. And everything is close together, so you can easily walk everywhere, as I did all weekend.

The highlight from friday has to be Stephansdom. After walking around the expansive interior of the church, I pulled a little trick I read about in my guide book. Rather than waiting in a long line to ride up a crowded elevator to the bell tower, I snuck outside and around to a side entrance. There I found a second ticket window, this one for the church's south tower. The south tower is taller, has a better view, and is less crowded. BUT there's no elevator to the top. So I readied myself, did some stretches, and pulled out my oxygen tank for the climb. After the 300-some meter trek up the spiral staircase, I made it to the top. The view of the city was incredible. It was a bit overcast, but I could still make out most of Vienna. The room at the top of the tower held a small gift shop, so I made like a tourist and bought a stack of postcards. I descended the tower just before noon -- right on time for mass. What a weird experience. Mass in German. Clearly, I had no clue what the priest was saying, but I was still able to follow along. It was a nice break from all the walking I'd been doing all day.

Friday night, I went to an a cappella pop concert at the Haus der Musik. I wasn't planning on attending, but I was drawn in off the sidewalk by the sweet sounds of "Easy Like Sunday Morning." How could I resist? The a cappella group was great. For their finale, though, they did a pretty crappy version of California Dreamin. I was disappointed, but I didn't pay for the concert, so I couldn't complain.

Saturday was another leg-ache-inducing day -- I'm logging some serious kilometers in my walking-shoes. I had breakfast around 8am with a couple from Cornwall, England. I was drawn to them because the guy had a sweet beard -- trust, it was mythical -- and his girlfriend looked like the young girl in love with Alexander Supertramp from the film version of Into the Wild. How could I pass up a couple like that? After breakfast, I was going to exchange some Euros for their leftover Slovakian Koruna, but the only ATM in the area was out of order. Rats. Anyway, I soon headed out the door on my way to my first stop of the day: Schönbrunn Palace. It was like a not-quite-as-ridiculously-opulent Versailles, only in Austria instead of France. Still, it was very impressive. And using the free audioguide headset thingy (which I normally find extremely annoying), I learned a lot about Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Empress Elizabeth, AKA the legendary "Sisi". Apparently, he was madly in love with her, but she could've cared less. So I guess it serves her right that she was eventually stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist... I kid, I kid. But yes, the palace was great, and the gardens were greater. Just like at Versailles.

Afterwards, I headed to Naschmarkt -- a huge outdoor market. It usually only sells food stuffs, but on Saturdays it also includes a flea market. Just my luck. I didn't buy any rugs or figurines or old Austrian records or anything like that, but I did find a delicious falafel sandwich for only 3€. Yumm. Who could ask for more?

Next, I went back to old Vienna for a return trip to the Haus der Musik, and a visit to Karlskirche. At Haus der Musik, I went through their very high-tech, interactive exhibit all about sound. The "Sonosphere" explores the physics of sound, how humans process sound in our ears, how instruments work, and so on. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a little boring, but I was blown away. Very nice. After, I hopped over to Karlskirche, the church named for St. Charles Borromeo. It was beautiful. I was pretty lucky, too: There was a concert going on inside by the Tokyo Municipal High School for Music. These kids were damn talented -- the perfect backdrop to my visit. The big draw to Karlskirche is the lift and scaffolding leading visitors up to the dome sitting atop the church. The dome and it's frescoes recently underwent a massive restoration project. They decided to leave the scaffolding in place for visitors' use. How nice of them, right? I rode the elevator up -- way up -- to the level of the dome. From the platform, you can see all the artwork on the ceiling. You don't get a chance to see that kind of work up close very often. Then (and this was the kind of scary part) there's another staircase leading up to the smaller dome at the very top of the church. I made close friends with the rail, and climbed up to the high platform. From there, you can look out the windows for a 360º view of Vienna. It was beautiful.

After dinner that evening, I went to buy a standing-room ticket at the Wiener (haha... sorry) Staatsoper. I got a ticket, but it didn't work out too well. First of all, I was hoping to see an opera -- I mean, it's an opera house -- but it turned out (yet again) to be a freaking ballet. Now, I don't have anything against ballets, but they need to quit tricking me into seeing them. Second, I got to the ticket window after the show had already started, so I had to miss the entire first act. Being very tired, bored of ballet, and having no clue what the show was even about, I only stayed for the 2nd act. I didn't feel like standing through a finale I wouldn't understand. It was okay, though. I only really went so I could see the building itself, and to hear the orchestra play some Tchaikowsky. So I guess it was a success in that light.

Finally, I went back to sleep at the hostel. Well, I tried to sleep. The nice British man I had met earlier that afternoon was already in bed. And my God, he sounded like he was dying. Honestly, I've never heard snoring like that before... Anyway, I finally got some shut-eye, and good thing, too. I had a big day ahead of me.

[To be continued...]

bratis-lover

howdy.

can't stay on too long, as there are people waiting for this computer. but i thought i'd let you know that my days in vienna have been terrific thus far. lots of walking, so i've seen a lot of really cool stuff. i'll fill you in on the details / pictures when i get back to paris tuesday morning. for now, i'll just tell you that i've seen 2 palaces, a famous boys choir, and a crazy flea market, among other things.

right now, i'm in bratislava. i just finished lunch and checked into the hostel. this place is coooool. nice atmosphere. i was lost for a while when i first got into town, so i got to see quite a bit of the old town center. awesome old eastern european buildings. and a lot more tourists than i expected. cameras everywhere.

oh, and someone told me the other day that the movie "hostel" is set in slovakia. if you've seen it, don't worry. i don't think anyone in this hostel wants to pay to have me tortured to death.

i hope.

ok, got to go. have fun doing whatever it is you're doing!

happy travels
-- cody

gut morgen!

hello from vienna!

just arrived last night. the flight here was fine. they served tastey sandwiches and two (2!) drinks. the flight attendants tried to speak to me in german just about every time they came by, but they soon learned i'm an english speaker.

by the time i rode into central vienna from the airport, then out on the U-bahn (subway) to the hostel, i didn't check in until after midnight. the guy at the front desk was relatively friendly, though, so all was well. i got to my 6-person dorm to find it almost-full with 5 other men, all sound asleep. so i had to tiptoe around to store my things and make my bed in the dark. i grabbed my toiletries bag, and headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and all those other bed-time rituals. alas, when i opened the bag, i discovered that possibly due to the pressure of being on an international flight, the bottle containing my shower gel committed container suicide. and the guts got all over everything else in the bag... so i gave up and went to bed with dirty teeth.

but i cleaned everything up this morning after my shower, so all is right in the world. and my teeth are sparkling.

ok. i'm off to breakfast, then to figure out what the hell i'm going to do in vienna. wish me luck!

happy travels
-- cody