Well, it's sure taken me long enough to get around to it, but I finally decided to write about my time in Rome.
Unlike when I went to Paris, I flew to Rome. But just like going to Paris, this required spending a lot of time in Belgium, since the best fares nearby were actually from Brussels National Airport. This required three different trains to reach from Maastricht. Luckily, Belgium is a little less than half the size of New Brunswick, so crossing the country via high spend train is done fairly quickly, and I actually arrived at the airport very early. After a few hours of wasting time in the airport I was off to Rome. This was my first time flying the infamous Ryan Air-for those who aren't familiar, Ryan air is basically the cheapest of the cheap, both in terms of prices and in terms of frills. Despite the many stories I'd heard, I actually thought Ryan Air was quite good-I wanted to get somewhere paying the minimum amount, so I didn't quite care about things like free beverage service or that little bag of pretzels you get on Air Canada.
Rome Fiumicino (also known as Leonardo Da Vinci Airport) is a piece outside the city, nearer the ocean, and so getting into the city requires some logistic decisions. I opted to pay €5 for the bus which, other than turning up late, was a fairly good deal, and took us to the same location inside the city as the train would have, for about a third the price. By the time I got to my hostel and checked in, it was around 8:30 PM, but, freshly arrived in Rome, I was far from ready to call it a night. I was also really, really hungry, since I'd somehow convinced myself all day "naw, I'll just wait 'till Rome to have lunch," in spite of knowing that I'd be arriving so late. So, I hit the ground running, wandering the streets of the neighbourhood looking for food that didn't look like it was geared towards tourists. Being tired and hungry makes most people grumpy, but for me I get more indecisive, and so eventually I just settled for a pizza place that seemed moderately local (people yelling at a soccer game on TV in Italian). I actually ate the pizza so quickly that I burned my mouth and didn't taste the first, oh, 90% of what I ate, but the last 10% was pretty good.
Happily fed, my next mission was to go to the Colosseum, since I had a vague notion that it was somewhere nearby. After following a group of nuns (there are plenty in Rome) down a nice street, and then heading through a charming little neighbourhood, I eventually found it. It's almost funny how unceremoniously one just sort of happens upon the Colosseum, this striking ancient building, just causally located next to a subway station and a strip of bars. Being about 10 PM (and given Rome's warm weather), the atmosphere was quite nice-less loud and obnoxious tourists than I would see there the next day, more a mix of couples and individuals with a more reverent attitude.
I actually didn't go to Rome alone; this time, rather, the plan was that a classmate from McGill, Rachel, would be joining me the second night. As she'd been to Rome before, I decided it was best to spend my day there alone efficiently knocking off all the main sites from my list, and so I headed to bed early and was out around 8 AM, hoping to tackle the Vatican before it became swamped with tourists.
I took the Metro from the area I was staying up towards the Vatican, getting off a stop early in hopes of grabbing some breakfast at a more local café. After successfully finding a place where one stands at the counter while eating a cornetto (and Italian croissant) and sipping undrinkably strong coffee (it took everything in my power not to grimace with each sip), I found my way to the growing crowds of tourists near the Vatican. I actually nearly went to the Museums first (not entirely by choice, though any order of doing things was fine by me), until I was stopped by a person trying to sell me tickets that let you skip the line (there's a long line for purchasing tickets, and almost no line for pre-purchased). Something about his spiel reminded me of similar tactics at the Terra Cotta Warriors and other sites in China, and I was pretty sure that the "price list" he had for purchasing tickets at the window was faked, so I headed to the Basilica first.
While a geography nerd like me will point out that I actually left Italy when I went to the Vatican, I was a little disappointed that there's really no sign or other markers to this effect. There's a large open square with large fountains, and off to the side one lines up for metal detectors before entering the Basilica itself. The inside of the Basilica consists of a handful of smaller altars (small not being exactly the right word, since many of them are, in fact, huge), as well as a crypt containing the bodies of many former Popes. There was also the possibility to climb the dome of the Basilica, but that's not really my thing. Instead, I went back out to the little giftshop, and over to the post office to mail some postcards (the Vatican has its own postal service, being a country and all). I'll be honest, I was a little surprised at the sleazy commercialism income parts of the Vatican-the post office wouldn't so much as lend me a pen to write a post card, instead telling me that they cost €1.50 (about three times the price a pen should cost).
After filling up my water bottle at some of the cute little fountains in the middle of the square (with temperatures now nearing the high twenties), I decided it was time to head to the Vatican Museums. Once again, I was greeted with a line of touts trying to sell me admittedly more expensive tickets that offered the possibility of skipping the line (the Vatican itself also offered similar tickets in the gift shops, but unfortunately they didn't take credit cards). The wait ended up being around an hour (which made me a little weary, since I had to be at the AirBnB at a specific time), but the plus side was that, with the student rate, I paid €8 instead of the €20+ for the quicker tickets.
The Vatican Museums were teeming with people, which made them a fair bit less enjoyable, to be honest, as did the unmitigated heat. The Sistine Chapel is within the Museums, and so the throngs of people wanting to catch a glimpse of Michelangelo's work are funnelled through a series of exhibits first, rendering these exhibits nearly un visitable, as tourists jostle their way past magnificent works of art and history. The Chapel itself is, of course, breathtaking, though its religious purpose seems now undermined by the mass of tourists who, inspire of signs (and announcements, ironically), are still not very quiet.
Luckily, the Sistine Chapel seems to keep most people for a while, and so the rest of the museum afterwards was much less crowded and, thus, more pleasant, particularly the gardens. Not knowing how long it would take me to walk to the Air BnB to check in, I didn't hang around too long (though I also didn't miss anything I wanted to see, as some sections were closed). I followed the Tevere (Tiber) river to Trastevere (literally-the other side of the Tiber), where I was staying, and checked into the AirBnB. When booking, the fact that they had A/C didn't really impress me too much-but I sure appreciated it when I got there, with temperatures in the 30s outside.
I stuck around only briefly before heading out to find some gelato and then lunch (in that order). After a nice plate of lasagna (an admittedly nonsensical choice given I was eating outside in 30 degree weather, but it was something I had to have while in Italy), and a brief trip back to the room to cool down again, I set off to see the last few tourist sites before Rachel arrived.
In the mid-afternoon heat, I can't help but think I missed a few sites here and there (or walked past and didn't stop), but one decision I'm glad of having made was to climb a hill that appeared, from the bottom, potentially mildly interesting. At the top, it turned out to host a museum (which I didn't visit) and spectacular views of the Fora Romani and the Colosseum. I had actually thought, after seeing it the night before, that I probably wouldn't mind paying the money to go in both of those attractions. The views from the hill, however, were far superior than the idea of trudging through ruins in the heat, and so I appreciated from afar for a while before climbing down the hill.
After supreme amusement at finding a free sparkling water dispenser outside the Metro, I took a train to the Piazza della Repubblica, and from there walked to the Trevi Fountain (which turned out to be under construction), the Pantheon (at which I arrived precisely at closing), and the Piazza Navona. The sky growing dark, and my legs growing tired, I walked back to Trastevere (which, unfortunately, had no Metro Station), grabbed a piece of pizza (even more delicious than the day before) and a Chinotto soda (which tastes sort of like a cross between a tangerine and liquorice), before setting off to find Rachel.
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Monday, 21 September 2015
Paris: Deuxième Partie
I chose mid-afternoon on my first full day as the time to break up my Paris post because mentally I have a divide there, as after the Orsay museum is when I started to finally get the hang of Paris and start to like the place. After touring the museum, I was definitely read for dinner, and so decided that, if trying to find a good place on my own was frustrating, I would use my brain and the technology of the 21st century and ask the internet (thank you Orsay Museum for the free wifi!). With a plan now in mind, I walked along the Seine towards le Marais for some Breton crêpes. Le Marais is an interesting neighbourhood, previously built on a marsh (as the name suggests). After being re-energized by some delicious buckwheat crêpes, I proceeded to stroll the neighbourhood, taking in the sites, smells, and macarons.
I also managed to revive my very efficient way of seeing the famous sites. Since I feel obliged to see famous things, but not necessarily interested, I basically just see them, take a photo, and keep going. This is what I did with Notre Dame while walking to the crêpes. After all, absent a particular interest in a certain site, it's not entirely pleasant to stand in a throng of tourists all trying to see the same small thing.
The next day, I had a more concrete plan. I started with the Luxembourg Gardens, having discovered my love for European gardens, and then went to Montparnasse Cemetery, which hosts many important thinkers, authors, etc. (though I was only able to find Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir's grave). From there, I headed to the Institut du Monde Arabe. This wound up being the only place where I paid to enter a museum-not because I had to, mind, but because I accidentally went to see the special exhibit on Osiris first, thinking you had to to get into the museum. This turned out not to be the case, but it was an interesting exhibit none-the-less. I had also learned my lesson from Versailles, and planned my trip to the IMA museum for the time of the day when I usually crash, so that I could be leisurely strolling through interesting exhibits rather than stuck in a crowd of tourists. At the end of the Museum, a staff member recommended heading up to the top floor's viewing deck, and sure enough there was a fantastic view of Paris.
I wasn't particularly interested in the main tourist sites other than to see them, and very much did not want to be stuck with the crowds paying too much for coke, so I had made the plan to sit down, enjoy a nice coffee at a café, and steel myself for an afternoon of efficiently and briskly walking by the main attractions. After reaching a zen-like state at a Quartier Latin coffeeshop, I braced myself and headed for the Eiffel Tower. Not going to lie, I was a little surprised at how much I liked it-it's an impressive structure (moreso from a distance, where it towers over much of the city). After about 5 minutes, I was rather done with that, and continued onwards to the Arc de Triomphe and then the Champs Elysées, in the direction of the Louvre. The Champs Elysées is, as promised, mostly filled with major international companies now (I certainly didn't come to France to go to H&M), although this has its advantages, if, like me, you're cheap enough to go into McDonald's solely to benefit from the 1€ drinks (I resisted the urge to buy a Royal with Cheese just for the Tarantino reference).
A friend had told me I wouldn't be able to do the Louvre in an evening-seeing as I'd been knocking museums out at a rate of several per day, I took this as a challenge. In truth, I walked through maybe 40% of it, and actually took in about 30% of what I saw. The scale is inhuman, and I can't help but think it would be better to split it up into smaller museums in different cities, to spread the tourist dollars just a bit (after all, Paris is hardly struggling to attract visitors). I did the Louvre the same way I do most museums-focusing on the things I was interested in, and only seeing the rest if I walked by. Yes, the Mona Lisa is impressive, and I saw it (though not up close, due to the throngs of tourists), but it's also not as though I don't know what it looks like, and so I felt my time to be better spent seeing the rest. It was also interesting to me what was and wasn't highlighted on their maps-the Hammurabi Code, the world's oldest legal code and the source of "an eye for an eye," was very unceremoniously just sitting in a room. This did have the distinct advantage of there being no tourists around it, making it actually approachable for an awestruck law student such as myself. By about an hour before closing, however, I had reached my limit of museums for this trip (though I saw everything I wanted to see), and left the Louvre to enjoy some more crêpes and walk through the Marais some more.
My last day in Paris was another long one-I left the hostel around 9 AM, but my bus didn't leave until 4:30 PM. My plan, which I followed well, was simply to walk and buy pastries all day. Crème Brûlée for breakfast, Opéra for slightly-after-breakfast, a nice noisette (hazelnut) coffee in the Quartier Latin for lunch, browsing through some bookstores and taking a snapshot of the Assemblée Nationale before tracking down a bottle of wine as a souvenir, and some brie and baguette to eat on the bus.
Overall, I liked Paris, although not at first. Chalk it up to a cold, bad planning, or simply the fact that Paris is a hard city to really get into, but I didn't think I liked it until I was there about 24 hours. When I came home, though, I realized that I really did love Paris, just not as a tourist city so much-I'd rather travel through the French countryside than join the masses wandering down the Champs Elysées. But I also think it would be a great place to live, since much of its most attractive features-the little bookshops, cute cafés, and bakeries- seemed better savoured over time rather than crammed into a few days. I was also didn't realize how nice it would be to be back in a place where I speak the language (being able to respond appropriately to cashiers is such an underrated pleasure), or how much easier that would make getting around. Unlike in Montréal, where my bizarre mix of accents is often taken as an excuse to just address me in English, it turned out to be true that Parisians love a good Canadian accent. I also definitely appreciated Paris as being an easy place to get back into the swing of travelling-remembering little things like taking a bottle around for water, taking breaks from attractions to actually eat, etc. Being in a place where I spoke the language, where the climate wasn't too much hotter than Maastricht, and where tourism is well developed (and thus infrastructure exists) really helped with that.
I also managed to revive my very efficient way of seeing the famous sites. Since I feel obliged to see famous things, but not necessarily interested, I basically just see them, take a photo, and keep going. This is what I did with Notre Dame while walking to the crêpes. After all, absent a particular interest in a certain site, it's not entirely pleasant to stand in a throng of tourists all trying to see the same small thing.
The next day, I had a more concrete plan. I started with the Luxembourg Gardens, having discovered my love for European gardens, and then went to Montparnasse Cemetery, which hosts many important thinkers, authors, etc. (though I was only able to find Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir's grave). From there, I headed to the Institut du Monde Arabe. This wound up being the only place where I paid to enter a museum-not because I had to, mind, but because I accidentally went to see the special exhibit on Osiris first, thinking you had to to get into the museum. This turned out not to be the case, but it was an interesting exhibit none-the-less. I had also learned my lesson from Versailles, and planned my trip to the IMA museum for the time of the day when I usually crash, so that I could be leisurely strolling through interesting exhibits rather than stuck in a crowd of tourists. At the end of the Museum, a staff member recommended heading up to the top floor's viewing deck, and sure enough there was a fantastic view of Paris.
I wasn't particularly interested in the main tourist sites other than to see them, and very much did not want to be stuck with the crowds paying too much for coke, so I had made the plan to sit down, enjoy a nice coffee at a café, and steel myself for an afternoon of efficiently and briskly walking by the main attractions. After reaching a zen-like state at a Quartier Latin coffeeshop, I braced myself and headed for the Eiffel Tower. Not going to lie, I was a little surprised at how much I liked it-it's an impressive structure (moreso from a distance, where it towers over much of the city). After about 5 minutes, I was rather done with that, and continued onwards to the Arc de Triomphe and then the Champs Elysées, in the direction of the Louvre. The Champs Elysées is, as promised, mostly filled with major international companies now (I certainly didn't come to France to go to H&M), although this has its advantages, if, like me, you're cheap enough to go into McDonald's solely to benefit from the 1€ drinks (I resisted the urge to buy a Royal with Cheese just for the Tarantino reference).
A friend had told me I wouldn't be able to do the Louvre in an evening-seeing as I'd been knocking museums out at a rate of several per day, I took this as a challenge. In truth, I walked through maybe 40% of it, and actually took in about 30% of what I saw. The scale is inhuman, and I can't help but think it would be better to split it up into smaller museums in different cities, to spread the tourist dollars just a bit (after all, Paris is hardly struggling to attract visitors). I did the Louvre the same way I do most museums-focusing on the things I was interested in, and only seeing the rest if I walked by. Yes, the Mona Lisa is impressive, and I saw it (though not up close, due to the throngs of tourists), but it's also not as though I don't know what it looks like, and so I felt my time to be better spent seeing the rest. It was also interesting to me what was and wasn't highlighted on their maps-the Hammurabi Code, the world's oldest legal code and the source of "an eye for an eye," was very unceremoniously just sitting in a room. This did have the distinct advantage of there being no tourists around it, making it actually approachable for an awestruck law student such as myself. By about an hour before closing, however, I had reached my limit of museums for this trip (though I saw everything I wanted to see), and left the Louvre to enjoy some more crêpes and walk through the Marais some more.
My last day in Paris was another long one-I left the hostel around 9 AM, but my bus didn't leave until 4:30 PM. My plan, which I followed well, was simply to walk and buy pastries all day. Crème Brûlée for breakfast, Opéra for slightly-after-breakfast, a nice noisette (hazelnut) coffee in the Quartier Latin for lunch, browsing through some bookstores and taking a snapshot of the Assemblée Nationale before tracking down a bottle of wine as a souvenir, and some brie and baguette to eat on the bus.
Overall, I liked Paris, although not at first. Chalk it up to a cold, bad planning, or simply the fact that Paris is a hard city to really get into, but I didn't think I liked it until I was there about 24 hours. When I came home, though, I realized that I really did love Paris, just not as a tourist city so much-I'd rather travel through the French countryside than join the masses wandering down the Champs Elysées. But I also think it would be a great place to live, since much of its most attractive features-the little bookshops, cute cafés, and bakeries- seemed better savoured over time rather than crammed into a few days. I was also didn't realize how nice it would be to be back in a place where I speak the language (being able to respond appropriately to cashiers is such an underrated pleasure), or how much easier that would make getting around. Unlike in Montréal, where my bizarre mix of accents is often taken as an excuse to just address me in English, it turned out to be true that Parisians love a good Canadian accent. I also definitely appreciated Paris as being an easy place to get back into the swing of travelling-remembering little things like taking a bottle around for water, taking breaks from attractions to actually eat, etc. Being in a place where I spoke the language, where the climate wasn't too much hotter than Maastricht, and where tourism is well developed (and thus infrastructure exists) really helped with that.
Paris Part I
Well, now that I'm back from two trips, it's time to get down to school work updating my blog with some of my adventures.
My decision to go to Paris was an important one for me: I'd been going back and forth and when and where to travel, and I had this sudden moment of "James, if you're going to travel at all, you need to shut up and do it. Otherwise, you'll spend the semester trying to decide." And so, I decided to shut up and pay €35 (about $50) for the bus to Paris, realizing I was being ridiculous.
The bus left around 8:30. Since I'd managed to get a flat tire on my bike (more on that in another post), I walked to the station. Usually this would be ok, but since I had had a cold for the past few days, getting up early did mean that I was still sick for my first day in Paris. Regardless, at 8:30 I was on a bus to the City of Light! The bus ride went through Liège and Brussels, both in Belgium, meaning that it took about twice as long as simply going directly, but I really didn't mind the drive, especially through the French countryside. As someone who loves the small details that change from country to country, I was amused to observe that Belgian highways have signs warning of deteriorated roadways (the government would go broke trying to put those up in most Canadian provinces). Belgium is also bilingual, but does it very differently than in New Brunswick: in Belgium, there's a French part (Wallonia), a Dutch Part (Flanders), and Brussels,the capital, which is bilingual (there are also German speaking areas, but they're within other regions). The signs are bilingual in Brussels, but not in Wallonia or Flanders; this is a little odd when you consider that the highway from Liege (French speaking) to Brussels goes back and forth between Wallonia and Flanders, sometimes for only a few KM at a time, and each time the signs change language. But it's hilarious when you consider that the places also have different names in the two languages, so the signs point to Liege, then Luik (the Dutch name for Liege), then back to Liege, as you weave between the two regions.
Anyway, on to France, where we arrived in Paris at about 3:00 PM. I went straight to my hostel, which turned out to be far outside of the city (for those who know the area, I was outside the Périphérique, technically in the City of Pantin, near the 19e). After checking in, I decided to go for a walk, which brought me through the 10th district and along the St Martin Canal, where I stopped with a sandwich I'd picked up. I was still feeling defeated by my cold, however, and so by the time I arrived at Place de la République, I was fairly concerned I was going to vomit all over some important French national monument, and so I went back to the hostel to sleep.
The next day, I was up early (thanks to my hostel roommates being loud) and was out at about 8 AM or so. This was actually perfect, as it gave me time to make it out to Versailles quickly. Even though it's not high tourist season, Paris is still a major destination, and getting to places early is advised. I had been wondering whether I would be permitted free entry-EU residents under 26 are allowed in free to most Paris attractions, but seeing as our Dutch residence permits didn't arrive yet, I didn't exactly have convincing proof of this. It really helped that I spoke French, as I was able to explain that I only have a student card to prove it, and sure enough was granted entry for free to this and all other museums where it was offered. This also meant I skipped the ticket-purchasing line, saving a lot of time.
For those who don't know, Versailles was the French royal palace and, as such, was massive and opulent. Room after room was beautifully decorated and filled with portraits and fancy furnishings. The Chateau itself was of course great to see, albeit crowded (I can't imagine at the height of tourist season). Leaving the building itself, one then enters the massive grounds surrounding it. Thankfully, the gardens were large enough to absorb the number of tourists, and I often found myself wandering completely alone. This is where I learned that it turns out that I love European gardens, both for the opportunity to add a bit of nature to my city-trip, but also for the amazing smells of the flowers. I spent a good chunk of time wandering (only some of it due to being lost), before making it to the Trianon, a smaller palace on the far end of the gardens, and then proceeding to the Queen's Hamlet, before exiting the site.
Having had a well-planned and smooth morning, this was of course where my day started going a little sideways. I planned next to walk to Versailles-Rive Gauche station and take a train to Montparnasse. Instead, I walked to Versailles-Rive Droite and asked for a train to Montmartre. After getting on board and looking at the map, I realized I was not going where I intended, and wound up in the centre of Paris. I ended up wandering around, wondering why I was in such a bad mood, until I realized that I also hadn't eaten since breakfast. For those who've never been to Paris, you simply don't want to eat in the city centre-combos that cost €5.90 elsewhere were at about €9.90, and I saw menus that had a glass of Coke for €5.50.
While wandering looking for reasonably priced food, I made the decision to spend a few hours in the Orsay Museum. This was also free, and, unlike the horror stories I've read from high tourist season, took mere minutes to get a ticket. The museum is in a former railway station, which itself is impressive, and hosts an array of beautiful artwork that even an uninitiated person such as myself could appreciate. I was also highly amused to note that there was a ban on selfie sticks on the inside.
My decision to go to Paris was an important one for me: I'd been going back and forth and when and where to travel, and I had this sudden moment of "James, if you're going to travel at all, you need to shut up and do it. Otherwise, you'll spend the semester trying to decide." And so, I decided to shut up and pay €35 (about $50) for the bus to Paris, realizing I was being ridiculous.
The bus left around 8:30. Since I'd managed to get a flat tire on my bike (more on that in another post), I walked to the station. Usually this would be ok, but since I had had a cold for the past few days, getting up early did mean that I was still sick for my first day in Paris. Regardless, at 8:30 I was on a bus to the City of Light! The bus ride went through Liège and Brussels, both in Belgium, meaning that it took about twice as long as simply going directly, but I really didn't mind the drive, especially through the French countryside. As someone who loves the small details that change from country to country, I was amused to observe that Belgian highways have signs warning of deteriorated roadways (the government would go broke trying to put those up in most Canadian provinces). Belgium is also bilingual, but does it very differently than in New Brunswick: in Belgium, there's a French part (Wallonia), a Dutch Part (Flanders), and Brussels,the capital, which is bilingual (there are also German speaking areas, but they're within other regions). The signs are bilingual in Brussels, but not in Wallonia or Flanders; this is a little odd when you consider that the highway from Liege (French speaking) to Brussels goes back and forth between Wallonia and Flanders, sometimes for only a few KM at a time, and each time the signs change language. But it's hilarious when you consider that the places also have different names in the two languages, so the signs point to Liege, then Luik (the Dutch name for Liege), then back to Liege, as you weave between the two regions.
Anyway, on to France, where we arrived in Paris at about 3:00 PM. I went straight to my hostel, which turned out to be far outside of the city (for those who know the area, I was outside the Périphérique, technically in the City of Pantin, near the 19e). After checking in, I decided to go for a walk, which brought me through the 10th district and along the St Martin Canal, where I stopped with a sandwich I'd picked up. I was still feeling defeated by my cold, however, and so by the time I arrived at Place de la République, I was fairly concerned I was going to vomit all over some important French national monument, and so I went back to the hostel to sleep.
The next day, I was up early (thanks to my hostel roommates being loud) and was out at about 8 AM or so. This was actually perfect, as it gave me time to make it out to Versailles quickly. Even though it's not high tourist season, Paris is still a major destination, and getting to places early is advised. I had been wondering whether I would be permitted free entry-EU residents under 26 are allowed in free to most Paris attractions, but seeing as our Dutch residence permits didn't arrive yet, I didn't exactly have convincing proof of this. It really helped that I spoke French, as I was able to explain that I only have a student card to prove it, and sure enough was granted entry for free to this and all other museums where it was offered. This also meant I skipped the ticket-purchasing line, saving a lot of time.
For those who don't know, Versailles was the French royal palace and, as such, was massive and opulent. Room after room was beautifully decorated and filled with portraits and fancy furnishings. The Chateau itself was of course great to see, albeit crowded (I can't imagine at the height of tourist season). Leaving the building itself, one then enters the massive grounds surrounding it. Thankfully, the gardens were large enough to absorb the number of tourists, and I often found myself wandering completely alone. This is where I learned that it turns out that I love European gardens, both for the opportunity to add a bit of nature to my city-trip, but also for the amazing smells of the flowers. I spent a good chunk of time wandering (only some of it due to being lost), before making it to the Trianon, a smaller palace on the far end of the gardens, and then proceeding to the Queen's Hamlet, before exiting the site.
Having had a well-planned and smooth morning, this was of course where my day started going a little sideways. I planned next to walk to Versailles-Rive Gauche station and take a train to Montparnasse. Instead, I walked to Versailles-Rive Droite and asked for a train to Montmartre. After getting on board and looking at the map, I realized I was not going where I intended, and wound up in the centre of Paris. I ended up wandering around, wondering why I was in such a bad mood, until I realized that I also hadn't eaten since breakfast. For those who've never been to Paris, you simply don't want to eat in the city centre-combos that cost €5.90 elsewhere were at about €9.90, and I saw menus that had a glass of Coke for €5.50.
While wandering looking for reasonably priced food, I made the decision to spend a few hours in the Orsay Museum. This was also free, and, unlike the horror stories I've read from high tourist season, took mere minutes to get a ticket. The museum is in a former railway station, which itself is impressive, and hosts an array of beautiful artwork that even an uninitiated person such as myself could appreciate. I was also highly amused to note that there was a ban on selfie sticks on the inside.
Monday, 7 September 2015
Cars that yield to bikes in a round-about? What is this place!? Or, List of Observations of the Netherlands #1
Howdy folks!
I figured that, seeing asit's rainy out and I don't want to do any school work yet I've been here for almost two weeks (!), it's time to make a first list of things I've seen here that are different from home. Now, of course, because Maastricht is my only experience with Europe so far, this list is going to include things that are unique to Maastricht, UniMaas, Limburg, the Netherlands, Europe, etc. without me really knowing the differences in most cases. That is, of course, one the risks in writing about a culture from the point of view of an outsider. That said, let the first list begin!
1.Bikes are everywhere: Yes, I know it's cliché to point out how many bikes are in the Netherlands, but it's cliché for a reason. Circling around looking for parking is nothing new to me; circling around looking for a spot to park my bike is. Almost all Dutch roads are divided into three parts: in the middle, you have the cars, on the edges (usually marked with a different coloured pavement and often with a cement barrier) you have the bikes, and then of course are the sidewalks at the very end. As the title of this post eludes to, this applies even in the ever-present traffic circles. Now, if you followed my explanation of lane-placement, you probably already realized that, in a traffic circle, bikes are on the outside lane, requiring all motorized vehicles to cross bike traffic to exit. Whereas in Montréal this would result in utter chaos and mass casualties, in Maastricht even busses wait (patiently, it would seem, though I may learn that's not so true as my Dutch improves) for cyclists to be out of the way before turning.
2. Students at UniMaas don't raise their hands to speak in class (something this mild-mannered Canadian may never adapt to) and clap at the end of every lecture.
3. You can't chose your own PIN code for Dutch bank accounts. Apparently this is estimated to reduce debit card fraud by around 30%.
4.This country really seems to like plants. Beyond the mass amounts of greenery outdoors, there are a large number of flower shops, including at train stations (so much so that the national railway website lists florists alongside ATM's and washrooms as amenities in train stations). Even the low budget grocery store across the street from me (for reference purposes for Montrealers, I'm talking about a grocery store that makes PA look fancy) has plants.
5. Line-ups don't really happen at the bank here. Either you take a number, or, when they're not busy, the number machine simply instructs you to sit down on the big round sofas. Somehow, the staff are able to make sure people are served in order.
I figured that, seeing as
1.Bikes are everywhere: Yes, I know it's cliché to point out how many bikes are in the Netherlands, but it's cliché for a reason. Circling around looking for parking is nothing new to me; circling around looking for a spot to park my bike is. Almost all Dutch roads are divided into three parts: in the middle, you have the cars, on the edges (usually marked with a different coloured pavement and often with a cement barrier) you have the bikes, and then of course are the sidewalks at the very end. As the title of this post eludes to, this applies even in the ever-present traffic circles. Now, if you followed my explanation of lane-placement, you probably already realized that, in a traffic circle, bikes are on the outside lane, requiring all motorized vehicles to cross bike traffic to exit. Whereas in Montréal this would result in utter chaos and mass casualties, in Maastricht even busses wait (patiently, it would seem, though I may learn that's not so true as my Dutch improves) for cyclists to be out of the way before turning.
2. Students at UniMaas don't raise their hands to speak in class (something this mild-mannered Canadian may never adapt to) and clap at the end of every lecture.
3. You can't chose your own PIN code for Dutch bank accounts. Apparently this is estimated to reduce debit card fraud by around 30%.
4.This country really seems to like plants. Beyond the mass amounts of greenery outdoors, there are a large number of flower shops, including at train stations (so much so that the national railway website lists florists alongside ATM's and washrooms as amenities in train stations). Even the low budget grocery store across the street from me (for reference purposes for Montrealers, I'm talking about a grocery store that makes PA look fancy) has plants.
5. Line-ups don't really happen at the bank here. Either you take a number, or, when they're not busy, the number machine simply instructs you to sit down on the big round sofas. Somehow, the staff are able to make sure people are served in order.
Friday, 4 September 2015
First week of classes? Check!
I figured that it would be a good idea to write a post after having been here for a full week. Having been too lazy to so on time (since I've been here a week and a half now), I'm instead opting for writing a post after finishing the first week of classes.
As can be expected, a lot of the last week has involved running around and getting little things done. Opening a Dutch bank account. Finding classrooms. Having fingerprints taken for my Residence Permit. Walking into the kitchen to cook, realizing I'm missing half the things I need, and walking to the grocery store. That sort of thing. In and amongst that, there've been a few ISN (International Students' Network) events thrown in, adventures to different places around the city, and, yes, even the occasional moment or two of studying.
After where my last blog post left off, we had the official introduction day to the Law Faculty on Thursday. My roommates who are in SBE (The School of Business and Economics, which has over 400 exchange students out of a total of 700 some) had two full days of orientation, but, contrary to what I've come to expect, the law school kept it short and sweet. We had an introduction from the Dean, followed by a tour around Maas (in the rain), followed by dinner (and drinks). Later that evening, ISN hosted a pub crawl, which essentially consisted of waiting in long lines to enter small bars and then leave again quickly because it was too crowded. Thursday was also the day I bought my bike (more on that later). On Saturday, I went to a Dutch Dinner hosted by ISN. The dinner consisted of sausage, chicken, three different types of mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut, and we followed it up with some waffles. The rest of the week was spent on the aforementioned running around, as well as my first tutorial and first lecture (I'll write more about Maastricht's particular form of teaching, PBL, in a few weeks).
So how are things going? So far, so good. Maastricht is a beautiful, old city, and I'm still waiting for the day I manage to walk somewhere without stopping to take photos (I'm basically starting to overtake Google Street View at this point). It's quite interesting to me how the historical parts of the city are just that-part of the city, rather than preserved museum-style as we tend to do in Canada. Cafés line the squares, ancient bridges are still in use, and numerous old churches have been converted into everything from hotels to archives to a bookstore with a coffeeshop. I've also been quite impressed with the exchange student community so far, everyone is really friendly but also quite engaged and enthusiastic about being in the Netherlands.
As far as activities, that's really it so far. Keep an eye out for another blog post that will talk more about the observations I've made about life here so far, which will be writtenwhen I get around to it very soon.
As can be expected, a lot of the last week has involved running around and getting little things done. Opening a Dutch bank account. Finding classrooms. Having fingerprints taken for my Residence Permit. Walking into the kitchen to cook, realizing I'm missing half the things I need, and walking to the grocery store. That sort of thing. In and amongst that, there've been a few ISN (International Students' Network) events thrown in, adventures to different places around the city, and, yes, even the occasional moment or two of studying.
After where my last blog post left off, we had the official introduction day to the Law Faculty on Thursday. My roommates who are in SBE (The School of Business and Economics, which has over 400 exchange students out of a total of 700 some) had two full days of orientation, but, contrary to what I've come to expect, the law school kept it short and sweet. We had an introduction from the Dean, followed by a tour around Maas (in the rain), followed by dinner (and drinks). Later that evening, ISN hosted a pub crawl, which essentially consisted of waiting in long lines to enter small bars and then leave again quickly because it was too crowded. Thursday was also the day I bought my bike (more on that later). On Saturday, I went to a Dutch Dinner hosted by ISN. The dinner consisted of sausage, chicken, three different types of mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut, and we followed it up with some waffles. The rest of the week was spent on the aforementioned running around, as well as my first tutorial and first lecture (I'll write more about Maastricht's particular form of teaching, PBL, in a few weeks).
So how are things going? So far, so good. Maastricht is a beautiful, old city, and I'm still waiting for the day I manage to walk somewhere without stopping to take photos (I'm basically starting to overtake Google Street View at this point). It's quite interesting to me how the historical parts of the city are just that-part of the city, rather than preserved museum-style as we tend to do in Canada. Cafés line the squares, ancient bridges are still in use, and numerous old churches have been converted into everything from hotels to archives to a bookstore with a coffeeshop. I've also been quite impressed with the exchange student community so far, everyone is really friendly but also quite engaged and enthusiastic about being in the Netherlands.
As far as activities, that's really it so far. Keep an eye out for another blog post that will talk more about the observations I've made about life here so far, which will be written
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