A Tale of Two Cities: London/Paris 2000
3/9/2000
Travel, travel, travel! We spent the whole day either on an airplane or in an airport. The flight from Memphis to Atlanta was brief, thank goodness, since I was trapped between two overweight, middle-aged men. The screaming infant in the seat behind me didn't help matters much. On the flight from Atlanta to London, I was sitting in the middle. I think I slept about 30 minutes out of the 7 hour flight, but at least we're finally here!
3/10/2000
We arrived in London today! After a brief delay due to some damaged luggage, the group set out for our hotel -- the
Royal National. My first impression of our hotel room was not a good one. The beds are tiny; the TV is broken and the air conditioning doesn't exist! After a shower and a change of clothes, we were off to explore. Heather, Jerrica, Mayume, and I ate at the Italian Kitchen. It was yummy! Then we went to find the Covent Garden, a series of small shops arranged into a marketplace. We shopped for a while, then we went back to the hotel. I e-mailed my family and friends from the cyber cafe in the hotel. Now, I'm calling it a night...
3/11/2000
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| Tower of London |
After the continental breakfast, the group headed to the Tower of London. We browsed through rooms full of armor, drooled over the crown jewels, and squeezed through the narrow, winding staircases of the Bloody Tower.
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| London Bridge |
Next, we crossed over the famous London Bridge.
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| St. Paul's Cathedral |
We then took the subway to St. Paul's Cathedral. The cathedral was beautiful. I wonder what it would be like to get married in such an elegant venue. Jennifer and I climbed the 550 stairs to the dome to catch a birds-eye view of London. It was truly breathtaking.
We also went down into the crypt, where scores of famous Brits are
buried, including Florence Nightingale.
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| Interior, St. Paul's Cathedral |
By this time, we were all really hungry, so we ate at a pub. I had a baked potato, but others had more "local" fare, like Yorkshire pudding and fish and chips. Then, Alison and I went to get prices for theater tickets for the group. We ended up getting tickets for "Side Man," starring Jason Priestley. I'm on my way there now...
I'm back. The play was awesome! Jason Priestly served as the narrator. He told the story of his parents, a jazz trumpeter constantly out of work and an unhappy waitress. The constant bickering and alcohol/drug abuse made for a dismal childhood. Jason's character, Clifford, was the glue holding the family together and his mother's link to sanity. Clifford felt so tied to his mother that he was trapped in the city with no future. In the end, though, he followed his heart and headed off to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. The play was very sad, but comedic lines broke the tone much of the time. I really enjoyed it! Afterwards, Alison, Jerrica, Zack & I ate at Bellapasta. I had some kind of vegetarian pate that was truly nasty. The tiny bread sticks were yummy, though. We took the tube back to the room and I'm about to hit the sack.
3/12/2000
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| Warwick Castle |
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| Oxford University |
I'm finally back in the hotel room. Today has been truly exhausting. We began with a bus tour into the countryside to see
Warwick Castle. It was so beautiful! We were only given a little over an hour to look around -- far too little time to really enjoy the experience. I went through the party room and state rooms where clay/wax figures of people seemed real. Then I went into the ghost tower, a cute attempt at a haunted house. I decided to walk toward the water, where I met up with Sara. We went on the nature trail, expecting it to lead back across the river into the peacock garden. It didn't. While the scenery was breathtaking, we ran out of time. We didn't get to see the dungeon or climb to the top of the High Tower. I didn't appreciate being rushed, especially since we're paying so much money to be on this VACATION!
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| Anne Hathaway's Cottage |
Next, we went to
Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway. We toured the homes and then set off on our own. I ate lunch at a baguette stand. I had a cheese and pickle baguette. The pickle part was brown and strange tasting...not quite what I was expecting, but it was edible. Then we were off again--this time to Oxford University.
We walked through the colleges a bit and also the Christ Church.
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| Christ Church |
It was lovely, but I would rather have spent that
time at the castle. After getting back into London, Sara, Allison, John,
Julie, the
Siebers, Professor Clark, and the Wrights, Mayume and I went to a pub. I had chicken and ham pie...yummy!
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| London Eye |
Then we took a bus for a little bit and got off at the London Eye. This is where our trouble starts. The Eye appeared to be moving so we split into groups...those who wanted to ride and those who didn't. I wanted to ride, along with John, Julie, Prof Clark and Mayume. When we finally got there, it was closed. Prof Clark wanted to walk back or try taking a bus. We didn't know where the hell we were going. John, being the typical male, thought he knew how to get back to the hotel. Even though we finally got back, we made several circles and took a really stupid, long way. Every time I looked at the map, he kept walking, muttering about knowing where the hell he was going. He really pissed me off. The testosterone was making me sick. Hopefully, after a good night's rest, I will be able to reflect positively on the experience. But for right now, I'm pissed off and I plan to avoid certain people from now on.
3/13/2000
I didn't sleep very well last night, so I had a grumpy feeling this morning. After chugging down some breakfast, I went with the group to Westminster Abbey, one of the main things I wanted to see.
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| Westminster Abbey |
Imagine my disappointment in finding it closed. Judging by the magnificence of the outside, the inside would have been incredible. I saw Princess Diana's memorial service on TV and have been in love with the famous cathedral ever since. I can't believe we didn't get to go inside! Next, we headed to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard.
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| Buckingham Palace |
Since none of us had ever been through the ritual before, we had no idea where to stand. So, we ended up standing in front of the gate. When the processional began, the police made us move. I was smashed behind an iron post, along with Jerrica, Heather & Mayume. A band played, the army guards (lifeguards) marched through, and the police were rude to everyone. I nearly got myself into trouble talking back to one of the bobbies. The whole parade did pass right in front of me, but I don't know if it was really worth it. Next, Sara, Alison and I took off on the "tube" to find Abbey Road, the road featured on the cover of one of the Beatles' albums. We found it and took pictures in front of it. Then, we caught a bus to look for a pub. We ate at the Old Lion, where I had a grilled chicken burger & "chips." It was the most American food I've had since arriving. The bartender thought we were from Louisiana because of our accents. It seems that he'd been through Nashville & Memphis o his way to New Orleans. After the meal, the 3 of us went to the restrooms. There was a framed letter on the wall from one male lover to another. We began to think it was a gay pub, especially when we noticed that we were virtually the only women there! In the bathroom, there was a funny sign saying: "This toilet is under surveillance..." We found it hilarious & took pictures in the bathroom!
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| Kensington Palace |
Then we were off to Kensington Palace, passing Notting Hill (like the Julia Roberts movie) on the way. By the time we got to the palace, however, it was too late to take the tour & see Diana's dresses. I was content to walk to grounds & browse the gift shop. I have always loved Princess Diana and felt so lucky to be able to see where she lived. We took the tube back to the hotel, where I am now. My feet are killing me, and I'm exhausted, but I had a great day. Sara, Alison & I get along really well! The three of us tried to go on the Jack-the-Ripper tour, but we underestimated the time it takes to get there, so we were too late. We got back on the tube and headed to Piccadilly Circus, where we stopped in Tower Records and ate at Garfunkel's. The three of us split a chocolate dessert and headed back to the hotel. My parents and brother called tonight to see how things were going. They were so excited for me! I just wish our whole family could afford to make the trip.
3/14/2000
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| Dover Castle |
This morning we took the tour bus to Dover. Most of the group went on an hour-long tour of the underground caves, but Sara, Alison, and I decided to stay above ground and tour the castle. It was absolutely beautiful. The chapel, built between the 4th and 10th centuries, is still holding services. It was so quiet and peaceful. Next to the chapel was the lighthouse. I've always loved lighthouses, so I couldn't wait to see this one. We also climbed up the steps to get a view from the towers. It was truly breathtaking. The castle was even more unique because the rooms were left as they originally were. There were no ornate carvings or paintings that didn't seem to belong, like there were at the other castles. I loved it!
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| Canterbury Cathedral |
Next we got back on the bus & headed to Canterbury to go through the cathedral were Thomas Beckett was murdered. The cathedral was spectacular, especially the stained-glass windows.
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| Canterbury Stained Glass |
They wouldn't let you take pictures inside, so I bought a couple of postcards. It was raining just a little bit, but some of us ducked into a restaurant called the Old Monk Refectory, where I had the potato and leak soup. We stayed too long because our waitress was really sweet. She liked our accents and told us some interesting tidbits, such as the fact that Guinness is a natural laxative. Mr. Sieber yelled as us for being late. Oh, also, the waitress remembered seeing Tennesseans on Jerry Springer. We tried to convince her that we weren't at all like those trailer trash freaks. Finally, we ended up at Leeds Castle.
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| Leeds Castle |
It was beautiful, especially the gardens. I can't even imagine what it would have looked like with the flowers in bloom. There were lots of ducks, swans, and other foul. Vivien, our tour guide, had a sack full of bread and we all threw little bits into the water. I actually let a black swan take the bread from my hand, and he bit my fingers! The inside of the castle was really gorgeous.
Lady Baillie was the last royal inhabitant, and her daughter (aged 78) still lives in Maiden Tower. An interesting thing was that lots of the rooms were used for conferences between heads of state even today. For instance, the Camp David peace talks between Israel and Palestine were held in one of the rooms. I really enjoyed the tour of Leeds Castle. The grounds were just so amazing! Finally, we took the bus back to the hotel and bid a final farewell to Viv. I asked if I could snap her pictures and she was happy to oblige. After freshening up and checking e-mail, we headed to Hard Rock & then to a pub called the Rose and Crown. I had a turkey and dressing sandwich that was yummy! Now I'm sitting in Sara's room, putting off packing for tomorrow's train ride to Paris. Signing off..
3/15/2000
I miss London already! We left for the
Eurostar train station at about 8:45. Our train was to leave at 10:23 and arrive in France at 2:15. However, we ran into a little technical problem and arrived nearly two hours late! Part of the time, the train was completely stopped, and I was going stir-crazy! Some of us played a game of bullshit to pass the time. I won --ha!
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| Eurostar |
When we got to the train station, things got worse. There were people everywhere and none of us knew what we were doing. I had to get my luggage off one of the last cars, and I was afraid that the train would leave before I got there! Suddenly, no one spoke English, which really freaked me out. The bus didn't wait for us, so Mr. Sieber wanted us to take the metro - with all that luggage! There was no way I was doing that! So, we all took taxis. Our driver didn't speak a word of English! If Jerrica hadn't been there, we wouldn't have found the hotel! Once here, we freshened up and ate at an Italian restaurant close to the hotel. I got a cheese pizza. It was HUGE, and I ate it all. I'm going to get so fat this trip! Sara, Alison, and I were really tired, so we came straight back to the hotel.
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| Eiffel Tower, special lighting for 2000 |
I did see the Eiffel Tower, but right now, I'm too exhausted to really enjoy it. I plan to get a good night's sleep if my roomie lets me.
3/16/2000
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| Western view, Notre Dame |
This morning, after breakfast, we began to get our first look at Paris.
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| Notre Dame |
We saw Notre Dame. The line to climb to the top was too long, but we got to look around inside. It was beautiful. It gave me a peaceful, calm feeling.
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| Rose Window, Notre Dame |
Despite the overcast sky, Mr. Foley took a group picture. Next, we saw the Arc de Triomphe. It, too, was a magnificent work of art. After that, we split into two groups: one followed Beth shopping; another followed the Siebers to Saint Chapelle. I wanted to see the chapel, and it was worth it. The stained glass windows were so beautiful. They were arranged to depict the various books of the Bible. Statues of the apostles adorned the walls. At lunch I had croque-monsieur, a fancy French ham-and-cheese sandwich. It was yummy but probably very fattening. Next we walked for a while, then rode the giant ferris wheel. The view was incredible! Tonight we are going up in the Eiffel Tower. I can't wait! The view was, of course, spectacular! We went all the way to the top and saw all of Paris lit up in its glory. I can see why it's called the "City of Lights." M. Clark, Julie, John, Mr. Hernandez, Wanda & I ate at at the Italian Restaurant, Illy, again. This time I had rigatoni with broccoli. It was yummy but still too fattening.
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| Sacré-Cœur |
I convinced J, J, and M Clark to go with me to Sacre Coure (Sacred Heart), the highest point in Paris.
We couldn't climb the tower because it was closed, but the view from the hill was pretty awesome anyway. M Clark told us to stay in a cluster, and we did see a scuzzy old man o the subway. He was WAY too interested in my feet. M. Clark told him to back off. It was kind of funny. Now I'm getting ready for bed. Tomorrow is Versailles!
3/17/2000
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| Versailles |
After breakfast this morning, we took the metro to Versailles, the home of Louis & Marie Antoinette. The architecture was amazing with tons of chandeliers and intricate mirrors framed by delicate trim. We saw Louis & Marie's bedrooms, the Parliament, and a room filled with paintings depicting French history. MY favorite room was the hall of mirrors.
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| Hall of Mirrors |
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| Gardens at Versailles |
It was almost too beautiful to be real. The grounds outside the palace were also neat. If only it had been time for all the flowers to bloom! After Versailles we ate a t a cafe where our waitress was quite rude! However, I was thrilled to get green beans. They tasted like the french-cut green beans that we heat out of the can at home.
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| Invalides |
Next came Invalides and Napoleon's Tomb. For such a short man, he certainly had an enormous casket/coffin. There was also a war museum, but I didn't really
explore it. Then we split into two groups: those going to the hotel and those going to the Père Lachaise cemetery. I went to the cemetery where I took pictures of the graves of Jim Morrison and Chopan.
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| Pere Lachaise |
Then we made the long trip back to the hotel. What a night! Sara, Alison, and I crashed for about 45 minutes before having supper at McDonalds. Afterwards, we went to Monoprix, the French equivalent of Super Wal-Mart, where Alison,& Sara bought Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and I got a bag of caramels. At 8:00, a group went up to Sacre Coure. I'm glad I went this time again because the Cathedral was open. It was magnificent, especially the ceiling mural of Jesus with a huge, golden heart. Alison & I somehow managed to lose Sara while we were shopping. We were worried about her the rest of the night, but luckily, she was found & made her way safely back to the hotel alone. Alison & I bought a few souvenirs and gifts for friends. Then we got turned around & went down the hill the wrong way from Sacre Coure. It was dark & some guy asked us for cigarettes. We saw a plain-faced woman with long, blonde hair walking her dog. We asked her for directions to the metro. She said it was complicated & we should just follow her. She led us all the way back up and down the hills to the metro stop. I'll never say the French are rude again. This woman was an angel. Next, Alison & I went to Tracadero for a view of the Eiffel Tower (unobstructed) during the twinkle session. By the way, I saw the lights twinkle three times tonight! The view was incredible and worth every wrong turn and uphill march. I felt so lucky to be sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette (shhh...don't tell) and watching the dazzling lights of the Eiffel Tower. The images I saw tonight will be forever imprinted on my mind. Beneath the arch of the Eiffel Tower, one could barely make out the Louvre. Off to the left was the top of Invalides. The whole city was there for the viewing. I am so exhausted but also so exhilarated.
3/18/2000
This morning it was raining just a tiny bit, so we all brought umbrellas and jackets. Our first stop was to take a quick look at the Sorbonne. Mr. Sieber was quick to point out that Dr. Carls' graduated from the University of Paris. Next, we looked at the Luxembourg Gardens, which were once owned by Maria De Medici, wife of Henry Iv and mother of Louis XiV. After a cup of cappuccino, we visited the Pantheon, where lots of famous people now rest in peace in crypts. We saw the tombs of Victor Hugo, Rousseau, Morat, Louis Braille (yes his name was written in Braille beneath the plaques) as well as Marie and Pierre Curie. It was cold, dark, and a teensy bit eerie down there! Next we went to the museum which held old tapestries. The best were the ones with unicorns. Each of the five on display represented done of the five sense. After that we split up. J, J, S, A & I went to Champs Elysee's to do a little shopping. Our first stop was FNAC, where we got symphony tickets to see Vivaldi's Four Seasons at Saint Chapelle tonight!!! After that we ate a Zuick, a nasty hamburger join. I asked for a salad, but I actually got some carrots and cheese. I also asked for frozen yogurt...at least I thought so. Instead, I got a cup of plain, luke-warm yogurt. Disgusting! Then, in the Virgin Megastore I found my brother's Clockwork Orange poster. Just got back from the symphony....it was fabulous! On the metro on the way over, Alison & M. Clark didn't get off the metro. We waved to them from the other side. I was afraid that they would never find us, but they got there just a few minutes after we did. The chapel was freezing but I had a terrific time! The symphony played Canon in D and Intermezzo as encores. We ate at the little French restaurant that we ate at the first time we visited Saint Chapelle. I had
croque-monsieur again, only this time I had a big one! I had dessert, too--an apple pie/ice cream delight! The waiter was funny. I asked him if it was free, and he laughed at my naivete. I managed to get away with his ink pen. At dinner, we learned a lot about each other, like m. Clark's first cigar and hiding her "guilty" breath with pancake syrup. We also discussed scholars and who annoys who. Dufus John let it slip that he is cheating with Holly. M. Clark looked shocked. Oh, Julie had a large glass of wine with dinner and acted really drunk, even though she was not! She laughed like a hyena and everyone stared at her. On the way back to the hotel, Alison saw a man pissing on a tire in the street. Yuck! This city stinks bad. Tomorrow we go to the Louvre and then on a boat ride. Then it's HOMEWARD BOUND!
3/19/2000
Today was our last day in Paris. We went to the Louvre this morning, but I was really too exhausted to enjoy it. I made sure to see the Mona Lisa and the statue of Venus de Milo. After that, we came back to the hotel and crashed. I tried to nap for about an hour before I went back out by myself. (S & A were sleeping soundly.) I wanted to find Musee L'Orangerie, so I took the Metro to Concord Place. (That's where the ferris wheel sits.0 It took asking three different Frenchies to find out it's closed! I walked around the Champ de Mars on my way back. There were so many talented artists trying to sell prints of Paris. It was kind of sad in a way. I ran into Heather, M. Clark & Julie on my way into the hotel. They had just come from Musee D'Orsay and convinced me to go back. Heather, Harned, Jerrica & I went back. We skipped straight to the third floor to check out the Impressionists. We saw Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, etc... It was really awesome. Now I'm in my room, packing, waiting to go on a boat ride on the Seine.
