europe

Oktoberfest

2005-09-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

So I didn`t think iwas going to go to the beer tents last night but they drew me in. I met two germans and hung out with them in a non tourist beer tent. It was a rokkin time. I will start again in a half an hour and probably wont make it the twelve and a half hours that the tents are open. Well got to go get my drink on.

Munchen

2005-09-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

So I finally made it here. I will be at Oktoberfest at 10 tomorrow and I will see how it goes.

Interlaken

2005-09-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

So I stayed an extra day in Interlaken to go up to the Jungfrau because I finally got a clear day. So I am off to Oktober fest a day late but three days of it will be enough.

Canyoning

2005-09-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

So Interlaken is a great place. I have been hanging out with some canadians out here trying to keep up with them it´s been a rough couple of days but the happy hour at the hostel is great. So i definatly recommend canyoning I had a blast. I go to munich tomarrow but might hang out here most of the day if the weather finally gets better so I can actually see the Alps.

Interlaken

2005-09-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

So I have tried for two days to go canyoning now and will try tomorrow. The weather has been overcast every day that I have been here but its supposed to ge better. Well I got to go

Cinque Terra

2005-09-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

So how do you say you got shafted in Italian... I do not know either. But I got fined 25€ for forgeting my eurail pass in the hotel. Riding the train later I found out it should of been only 5€ I found this out from a different Conductor who spoke very little english but explained in body laguage that we got shafted. So I am in cinque terra now off to interlaken tomorrow. I have been hanging out with another Californian here he also got a ticket and almost arrested. But Besides that incedent we have had fun here. It is a very cool place. I found the topless beaches here to Uncle John and have enjoyed them but I have just been taking mental pictures... sorry!
Well only eight days left and they will go by quick in Interlaken and Munich. As for Peter and Jarrod enjoy Skiing as I have enjoyed the beaches and topless women.

Venice

2005-09-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

So I made it into Venice after spending the morning waiting in line to go see the Sistine Chapel. I almost did not even try to go as I first got in the wrong line and waited in it for a half hour to find out it was for groups only. By the time I found the correct line it was 500 meters long I personally thought it would take around 3 hours to get through then I found out that it was only an hour wait. Venice is a very interesting city and very easy to get turned around in. As a result I have seen much of the back streets in Venice. I am glad I came to see it as the architecture is interesting and beautiful. I will be off to the Italian Riviera tomorrow and with my luck it will be raining but I hope not. Although the food is great and I finally found some of the blood orange juice that john was talking about I am looking forward to a inch thick steak when I get home or at the very least the sausage and schnizle in Germany.

The Vatican

2005-09-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

I was able to attend mass although I was not able to understand it as it was in Latin. Waited in a half hour line to see the Tomb of John Paul II as well as Saint Peters. The Vatican Musuem was closed but I will see that tomorrow morning before I go to Venice. No fun stories to tell from Rome just catching up on some sleep. Until the next post.

Rome

2005-09-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

So it took me a day to get here. I was able to see the french riveria by train and it probably saved me money by not stopping. I hear it is expensive plus the whole Monte Carlo Blackjack factor. I got here this morning around 8:00 and for the first time I had trouble getting a hostel, the third one had room. This morning I was able to go see most of rome. I have challenged my self to see it in one day minus Vatican City. I will try to be a good catholic (Joe you better not make any comments) and go to church at the Vatican tomorrow as well as go see the Sistine Chaple. I am off to go see the Spanish steps and what that area has to offer.

Barcelona

2005-09-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

So my plan is to leave tomorrow for Rome. Barcelona has been fun. I went and toured the Segratta Familia which was very interesting. If it ever gets finished in my lifetime it will be a site to see. I also went up to see Goya´s park which was also very facinating. I went and saw the Picasso musuem yesterday as well. My Plan for today was to go hang out on the beach but of course with my luck in any place with a beach it has to rain. So today I saw a exibition on Dali and walked around.

To Barcelona

2005-09-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

So I took a night train to Barcelona last night. The train broke down about an hour out of Barcelona thankfully just a two hour delay. So I got in at 10 instead of 8 no big deal. So I did end up making it to both the bull fight and Toledo. The bull fight was very interesting there were seven bulls that three matadores took on. The first bull won the first fight. The matadore was gored and was carried out of the arena. Bull fights are a little gory. The last bull of the night was a tough one it just would not die. They had to let it go after sticking in the sword twice and after trying to sever the spinal cord countless times.Thee bull even caused the matadore to bleed. I wish I spoke more Spanishh so I could tell what the crowd was yelling at the madadore it probably was not nice words. Toledo was an interesting city, narrow streets plazas ect. Definitely an older persons destination. So I did one of those bike tours that was suggestedd to me by John. I saw the main sights briefly and will go back to them in the next few days to do a more thorough job of it.

Want to pet my mullet?

2005-09-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

So I met these two Australians last night in this bar near the hostel. They were traveling around Europe in a van. But anyway we went down to this club across town and we were talking to the bouncer trying to get in for free after 10 mins of talking and convincing him to pet one of the aussies mullets (I wish I had my camera with me). I thought it was funny but I just thought I would throw something random in for a change. We did get in free by the way. I am off to see a bull fight tonight and maybe Toledo tomorrow.

Madrid

2005-09-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

Loud snoring and sleeping with luggage I have now experienced the night train. I realized at 2:30 in the morning when the AC in the car went out that I should have at least brought ear plugs. So I arrived at 7:30 and found a hostel with no problem. This afternoon I went and saw the Prado. It´s lots smaller than the Louvre (Lots of Goya). Well the plan is to spend a couple of days here I am sure I will find something to do. I´m starting to gain the aroma of a traveler...maybe I will do laundry.

San Sebastian

2005-09-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

So true to my word I am capable of finding a topless beach. My first day here was nice and sunny however it has been overcast the past two which doesn´t make sitting on the beach fun. I took a day trip to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim Museum yesterday. It has led me to a series of questions... How is a piece of cardboard art? How is two chairs wire and glass bottles art? Apart from the ¨art¨ the museum itself was quite amazing.
I have a night train to Madrid tonight. And as far as the pictures go I figured it out it is just that I am to lazy to do it. You may be surprised in the near future.

I might be a wine snob

2005-08-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

So I bought the 8 euro 1/2 bottle of wine at dinner last night lets just say the 2 euro stuff tasted better. WelBordeauxusupriseded me I guess it is a college town aka lots of hot women. There is the whole languagbarrierer so that keeps me from talking to them.... My next stop is San Sebastian where I might just for you John find a topless beach.

Normandy

2005-08-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

So I got in the habit of looking at the food instead of the label. Bad Idea... So this guy from California and I went out to Bayeux for the day to catch a tour of the D Day beaches and we stopped in at a grocery store to get something to eat. What I thought was potato salad was herring with potato luckily I noticed this before I had to smell it or taste it.

So I'm back in Paris now after spending a day in Bayeux. Did a tour of the beaches cemeteries ect. I got a full nights sleep as well. My next stop is Bordeaux either tonight or tomorrow haven't decided yet.

Pictures

2005-08-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

As soon as I become 1% smarter than a european computer I will post them :)

Paris (continued)

2005-08-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

So I finally got to go see the Mona Lisa wasn't that impressed. After finishing the Louvre in four hours it got to the point where everything was blending together. I definitely timed it right I got there when it opened to my surprise there were no lines. I come to find out that a big part of the Louvre that houses paintings is closed on Thursdays and that is why I saw lots of statues and antiquities. I will likely try to go see what I missed tomorrow night. This afternoon I did another tour through the hostel. This one took us to the cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried as well as through a local park to exposing use to the non tourist Paris.

Paris

2005-08-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

After ariving in Paris I took dad's advice and walked around. I looked at a map and chose to walk to go see Nortre Dame it didn't look that far maybe a mile but I think it was more like three it was good to strech my legs though. The hostel that I am staying at does tours of the parts of Paris that often get over looked. For this tour we saw the Sarcre Coure and the surrounding neighborhood. This also allowed me to meet a variety of people. There was a group of seven of us that ended up hanging out together last night. We went down to the Eiffel tower via the Metro ( i will use this instead of walking) where I experienced my first true french meal; a bottle of wine, baguette and cheese. They light the tower up with flashing lights at night every hour for ten minutes.

The Plan

2005-08-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

Start in Paris .... five weeks ... Oktoberfest ... Oil fields