Ahhh Scotland, you just can't beat a morning when you wake up, look across the park outside your hostel and you hear the distinct sound of bagpipes. You can be nowhere else. Arrived in Glasgow late in the evening, like about 01.30 and didnt quite make it to the hostel before 2am so by then I was ready to find a bed and just sleep and I did just that, only to be woken by someones damn alarm at 07.30 the next morning. You know that state of mind when you are half awake, half asleep just wishing it would be quite, your mind is not the most responsive. So after almost a minute of this damn alark, I got up properly to discover that it wasnt infact an inconsiderate hosteller, it was infact the fire alarm of the hostel and we were being evacuated... Hooray... We're all ushered onto the street with 3 fire trucks approaching to check it all out, I couldnt smell smoke or see fire, but it turned out that someone had let something burn in the kitchen and it caught fire, only minor... Welcome to Glasgow huh?
Being up I decided to check out Glasgow early. I really wish I had stayed longer, to see more of Scotland but with the extra days in Nice and Paris, meant I had used up 'free' days. As I said, it was the week of the World bagpipe championships and there were groups everywhere. I went over to the Glasgow Uni and there were different groups from all over the world practicing in different green bits on the campus. Saw an Aussie contingient, which were easy to spot despite their tops which had the distinctive 'AUS' on the back, but they were all in thongs, boardies, Oakley's and had a tan despite the cold weather over there. Yep, they were Ausies alright.
They were good, and so were the rest and because they were so close, it was almost deafening. The way it should be! Walked around Glasgow and saw the two 'mst see' things which were the Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis (City of the Dead). They were both of course very cool and it was amazing to see how much effort some of the old folk went into grave stones. the Necropolis is on a hill top and has some of the oldest and largest headstones (read: marble and granite houses) in the UK. These things were massive! Must have been a sale on Granite. The cathedral was adorned with the tell tale stained glass windows and huge gothic ceiling.
That night was the bagpipe show at the Glasgow concert hall and it was very cool. I am always amazed at the drummers because the military drummers are always so accurate and loud while the other drummers with the larger drums on their front with the spinning beaters (?). I am really surprised they didn't come off their hands beacuse they were spinning them so fast it was a blur some of the time. All in all a good show had by all I think.
The next day I went up to Stirling which is about a hours north of Glasgow, it forms the 'brooch between the highlands and the lowlands'. And you can definitely see it too. One side has the craggy mountains/hills of the highlands and the other side has the curvey, soft hills of the lowlands. The town is very nice, old school construction and I had a wander around before making it up to the castle. The view from there was a mazing and you could tell why it was chosen because you really could see for miles around. The castle was the last place any Scottish cannons were fired in anger. The castle itself has been restored in many parts but it was still quite complete and undamaged for most of its life. I'll have to check up on the details of the kings and queens there (was a while ago now) but alot went on.
Really, the 2 days spent in Glasgow were too brief and I want to go up again for a longer tme and do Haydrian's Wall and more of the MacKenzie trail. I was at the site of one battle of the MacKenzie's near Stirling and I picked up a brief history of our clan. It was Tres cool! Incase you're wandering, we were a MacKenzie Clan before we came to Australia and dropped the 'a' to become McKenzie as we jumped ship and needed to hide under an Irish spelling of the name.
From Glasgow came the Lakes Distict in England where I caught up finally with Bron! (For those not playing from home, Bron's my mate from Adelaide who has been working in the UK for 14 months). The Lakes District is a beautiful place of hills, mountains, lakes (funnily enough) and an altogether good feel about it. Meeting Bron after all this time really didnt seem that weird and felt like I still had seen her last week really, was good. Went back to Newlands where she worked and it is an adventure place for kid's school camps and other corporate adventure things. You can Kyack, canoe, mountain climb, bike ride, go Ghyll Scrambling (going down mountain streams) etc. Was really fun!
On the first day Bron and I took our packed lunches (All food is included and I think I ate as much in those five days as I had eaten in about the two weeks previous) and went up a really big hill (maybe mountain, forget the height threshold) Blencathera. It really was awesome and there were mountain sheep everywhere and other 'ramblers' (Older folk who go walking with sticks, haha) too. It was a really overcast day and upon getting to the top after scrambling across a high ridge (which we later found out several people had fallen from and died) we got to the top just in time to be covered by clouds and experienced a white out. In every direction we could see maybe 10m infront before it was a white wall of clouds. Oh by the way, it's damp and clouds smell like 'wet', haha, what are the odds? Then the rain started... So soaked through and after I managed to stack it a few times in the mud, we made our way back to the pub for a quiet pint of real English Ale. Big day, a lot of hours gone but was glad I'd done it.
That night we went into Keswick (closest big town) and went out on the town. Best thing with Keswick being a tourist town is that every second shop that isnt an outdoor shop is a pub. With one club in Keswick, it was the last stop. Was a good night and despite forgetting that English pints are larger than ours back home yet still drinking them as if they were the same, there was no hangover :D
The rest of the stay was spent hiking up to 'CatBells', an easy climbing hill overlooking Newlands, and reading at the top in the freezing wind, going Kyacking, my first experience on water like that, and Ghyll scrambling, which was SO fun. It is where you get layered up (like four jumpers and two sets of pants) and you go slipping and jumping down a mountain stream of freezing water. And by freezing I mean it. Ill put the pics up later but it was a mind expanding experience because you get to push yourself a bit more than I normally would on my own. Some of the little waterfalls you jump off are fairly high, maybe 10-12 feet and the water is deeper underneath but with our awesome instructor Johann I felt safe. Guess that's the point right? And I also figured if 10 year olds can do this, so can I!
I really wish I could have stayed longer, but the rest of the trip was calling and from the Lakes District I went down to Birmingham for the night, went to Shakespeare town, Strathford-Upon-Avon, saw his birth place, the church where he and his wife Anne Hathaway are buried and got to see where the Royal Shakespeare company has its many theatres. Couldn't see any shows because they finished too late to catch a train back to Birmingham, but it was cool to see where they do the shows.
From Birmingham was Cambridge, the old University town (pics to follow eventually), where you really would feel a sense of prestige if you graduated from one of the many Universities that make up Cambridge. There is no one 'Cambridge University' like I thought, but lots in the town. Kings Colledge and Trinity are probably the two biggest and prestigous.
Met Hannah too, and we checked out the Kings College which has the most enormous cathedral in it which I suspect would rival most of thre large churches in Adelaide. Every year the Kings choir sing on Christmas eve and I am told the waiting line for tickets extends into years. The roof is unbelievably ornate and high! (HIGH!!) while the stained glass is just as impressive. The Cambridge waters are filled with punts which are the boats used like in Venice, with a guy or girl on the back with a long stick to push the boat through the canals. It is VERY easy to spot the students taking tours to the tourists trying to punt themselves, haha. Spending the day with Hannah was great, gem of a personality and a great local tour guide. We had lunch where DNA was announced to have been found. Go the double Helix and the Cambridge professors! Got to see where Steven Hawkings works/studies and was shown a lot of cool little places. I'd go back in a second. Clean, neat and old, like much of England I spose.
That's all for the minute, Ill update later with the coolest weekend this side of the 40's as I spent it with Chris dressed as a Britsh Soldier who drove lorries and the like uring the second World War. I even got to carry a gun! The photos are cool so they'll be here later. But the whole weekend was a 1940's at an old airbase with the Saturday night ending in a huge dance in the main hanger. Couldn't have been a cooler evening. I tried and failed to swing dance (Bro and Kate I need tips) but it was a good night. Re-enacting the war time was really fun and I now need an excuse for a 1940's theemed party, so look out 23 December!
Next is Oxford, Basingstoke, Brighton before finally finishing in London. My trip is now in its dying weeks and I'ma bit sad really. It has been so cool, but there is still two and a bit weeks left before I say goodby to Europe and head home to Down Under.
Til then, Bruce, signing off ;)
This is going to be kinda short because Im so far behind with this, if it isnt I will be here all day.
On the Saturday I went and checked out the Pompidu Centre which is very, very cool. Its a modern art gallery which has its insides on the outside and apart from being a piece of work itself, it houses some of the coolest things around. One pf the funniest things in the whole place (and it took me a good 6hours to get around, so it pretty much took up the whole day) was 3 huge canvases which were on a wall of their own, probably about 8-10 ft square and they were white.... That's it... Just white... BREAKTHROUGH IN MODERN ART! A BLANK CANVAS!! But you know what else is funny? Aside from the ridiculous tripe they came up with to explain it? The same artist had 4 smaller white canvases in another art gallery... This guy is either really smart or really lucky... OR there is a candid camera somewhere in the room to watch the outrage of some people Im sure.
Aside from that I went and saw the Notre Dame Cathedral and that is really cool too. So big and old and gothic, the true centre of Paris and it definitely makes its mark. The stained glass inside is stunning too. The big rose glass pieces, one at the front and two at the sides are nearly 10m in diameter.
Next day, Sunday meant that everything was free entry, so I went to the Louvre with some Aussies I met at the pub the night before. Bit of a mistake. The line was ridiculous and I was SO close to punching tourists because they have no appreciation for what they are actually there to see. Most make a B-Line for the Mona Lisa, the Venus De Milo and a few other choice pieces, take their hundreds of photos (while not actually looking at it with their eyes, and elbowing me to get a closer look!) and they leave. I was appalled at the behaviour of some people. Most ridiculous Ive seen all trip! The Louvre is just SO big, you can actually get lost, and I kinda did. But I mean it's all good because there is a lot to see. Youd need more than a day to see it all thats for sure. I loved the Sculpture gallery, the Egyptian stuff and the old French Masters stuff.
I checked out the Petit Palais and saw some more cool art, in the night we all picniced up outside the Sacre Coeur (See Part 1) watched the sunset on Paris. Lovely!
Next day, it was pissing down rain but Peter and I decided still to go and checkout the world famous Paris Cemetery (Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise). Home to many famous people including Jim Morrison! We went to see his grave but seriously, I was very underwhelmed with it, nothing special, just a standard grave really. Saw the composer Chopin's grave as well before it really was just too wet to go on (this place is enormous) so we bailed back to the notre Dame to meet the rest of the guys for lunch. This is where the coke was 8€ and the wine was 4€, ooohh yeah, gotta love the touristy spots huh?
Finally, the cool thing for Paris was indeed the Moulin Rogue!
It was AWESOME.
Cost a fortune to get in but you're only in Paris once right? You got a half bottle of french champagne and it was all very nice. Butlers (who I imagined could dance... girls... :D ) and suits everywhere. There was a bohemian feel to the place although it was infact NOTHING like the movie. It is actually quite small. Intimate even. The stage was smallish but it opened up bits came from the ceiling, etc, so it was very cool. They used it well. I wont go into everything because Ill be here forever, but it wasnt just dancing, it was magic, acrobatics, strength (like Cirque du Soliel) and just general comedy things.
Was a great night, and it meant that the next day before flying up to Glasgow in the evening was slow, so I went to the Eiffel Tower and climbed up. Great view, something that had to be done I guess. but the lines!! Again, everything is with the lines.
Well thats a short version of Paris.
Glasgow was cool, I didnt stay long enough though. It was the World Bagpipe Cahmpionships when I was there, so I got to see a lot for free and I paid for one show at the Glasgow Concert Hall which was really cool. To be perfectly honest with you, the first one I sat and watched in the Glasgow version of Rundle Mall I had a few shy tears roll down my face because they were playing music from Roddy's funeral, and with it being so loud, you could really feel it, I guess I got a bit homesick too. It was really awesome though and I wish I could go back.
I have to go, but Ill finish it off when I can. Keep letting me know whats going on back home, and Ill blog again soon! With pictures, I cant get them up at the moment
I have to do this in two parts because I have to leave in about half an hour. So! Here we go.
Got to Paris in the evening after a long trainride from Nice. it was funny because it took almost 3 hours to get along the coast to Marsaille which isnt that far really, then another 3 hours to get from the coast to Paris.Gotta love high speed trains! Paris is a big city, but it has a great mass transit system, and funnily enough, Adelaide has the same ticketing system as they do. We pinched the Metro ticket off the French! Love it!
Found the hostel, which was actually a hotel and I got my first rael chance to practice my french conversation. Ofcourse failed miserably, but the lady at the hostel was amazing and she appreciated my attempt so we hit it off I think. Id stay back there in a second. Great neighbourhood, on the fringe of the red light district of Paris, smack in the heart of the artists home (it was funny to see people everywhere with easels and a canvas and pallete painting churches etc) and it wasnt too far from major attractions. Best part, cheap! The Moulin Rouge was up the road too :D :D :D
First night I went out on a look around the city because I really didnt have anything better to do and I like to orientate myself ont he first day. So I walked up to the Sacre Coeur, which is a really big white old church (pics later) on the top of a hill overlooking Paris, which I think has some of the best views of the city really. The inside of the church is very gothic, but has beautiful stain glass windows (like all these old churches do). I paid my fare and climbed to the top of the biggest spire for a look and wow! it was way worth it. Mind you it is 264 small stone winding stairs, so they make you work for it, let me tell you!
After that, I went for a big walk (looked smaller on the map!) to the Arc D'Triumpth which is in one of the biggest roundabouts in the world. It has 12 major roads leading into it and it would probably be wide enough for about 6 lanes or so, but there are really no lane markings, just road. It is SO notorius for accidents that no insurance company in France will insure an accident on there. They just flat refuse and it is in the fine print apparently. haha, gotta love that.
The Arc itself is a monument to the war victories by Napolean, but he never finished it, so it was later finished and now is the home of the Unknown Soldier monument, which a flame (like everywhere I guess) burns eternally. After that, I took the 'Champs Elysees' which is the rich street of Paris. Every big store of note has their BIG store there, ie Gucci, L'Oreal, Prada, Gap, etc. It is wall to wall with fashion and it runs from the Arc right down to the Louvre. I noticed that there wasnt a single bin along the whole damn strip... Like London (Im told) they dont have them for fear of terrorist bombs being placed in them. I wandered down (It was getting past sunset) and thought I may as well check the Eiffel Tower out at night.
Wow, what a sight! It is really amazing up close, much cooler than pics, and BIG. It is lit up with flood lights both on the ground and mounted to the structure and as I was walking under it (at 10 o'clock) a light show started. The whole thing sparkles with hundreds of little strobe lights and it is really, really, cool. (Pics later). i didnt know about the show, so like everywhere I go, I seem to be lucky like that. I went out onto the Champs Mars (Named after the God of war), which is the big green strip next to the tower.
After that, I headed on down the river Seine to the Louvre at night and OMG!! It is stunning at night. The Pyramid is all lit up and they have fountain ponds next to them but they are still at night to allow a perfect mirror of water to appear and woah is all I can say (pics later!). The Louvre itself is a massive old building built in kinda of a C shape with the big court yard in the middle housing the Pyramids. More on the Louvre later.
So after my mammoth walk I slept pretty damn well that night let me tell you.
OK, that is that day done and so is my internet, Ill finish this later.
**In the Next episode of 'Around the World in 78 Days'!
*Scott goes to the Louvre and sees the Mona lisa, but nearly stabs a tourist
*Scott climbs the 668 stairs to the 2nd platform of the Eiffel tower
*Scott sees Notre Dame and almost purchases an 8 Euro Coke (AUD$13).
*Scott does the Moulin Rouge and is blown away
*Scott takes in the baguettes and cheese and crazily cheap wine of Paris
*Scott Sees Jim Morrison's Sorry excuse for a grave.
Til then, Stay tuned to these messages!**
Before I forget, I did do something else in Nice other than sit on the beach, I went for a day trip to Monaco (pics later). Monaco is home to the rich, the super rich and the filthy rich. It is a tiny little independent nation with their own police, their own military and Prince and Princess. It is most famous for the Monte Carlo Casino and the famous and stunningly gorgeous Princess Grace, of the Grace Kelly persuasion.
It has manicured lawns in all public spaces, stunning ocean views from pretty much every where as it is on the side of mountain (which is JAM PACKED full of houses), and really beautiful people to be honest. You can definitely spot the tourists here. There is a huge marina in the centre of the 'city' and it is packed with million dollar yahts. Actually I took a photo of the Yahts for sale board on the Marina and there were some for 'only' 8.5 million Euros, which is roughly 14 million Aussie Dollars. But hey, if thats out of your price rannge, try the hire ones for only 28,000 Euro a week!
I went to the royal palace and saw the changing of the gaurds (marks my second gaurd changing experience) and then went to the ginormous Oceanarium, which contains about 90 tanks fo fish from all over the world and uniquely around Monaco. It was really, really cool. It was underground and they had these huge tanks with big sharks and fish of all colours, and even this huge cylinder tank of Nemos!
After there, I went over to the Monte Carlo casino! But as i am dressed as a tourist and it cost 10 Euro to get in and the minimum bet was 20Euro, I just walked in to the foyer, was awed and amazed and then left (going past ferraris, porches, mustangs, BMWs etc parked out front). Monaco's normal car I swear to you costs more than most houses in Adelaide. RICH PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
I felt a bit left out, but also cool because I was where these people were too!
After that, I decided on the last thing that Monaco had to offer me for the day (and that I could afford, remember to bring a packed lunch!) was the Grace Kelly exhibition at the big expo hall in on the coast.
The Exhibition went right from her childhood, the history of her parents (her dad was an dual olympic gold medalist), how she came up through school, her acting career, her royal meeting and ofcourse her own family before she died. It was a GREAT expo, I thought it might be a bit meh, but really, it was so well done and it was in English! Even though I can read most french things or at least guess correctly, it was nice to have all of her letters and what have you written in English, because she was originally an American belle. Alfred hitchcock and her were very close and there was even letters and such from the Queen of England, the Presidents of the USA and lots of other famous people. Oh and the Queen signs her name... Elizabeth. I always wondered what she would do, so now I know.
I spent ages in there because it was such a massive exhibition with lots of paths and winding corridors and rooms etc. You could get lost in there I swear.
Well that is the short version of Monaco.... NOW onto Paris, haha.
Nice was AMAZING. The beaches were all pebbly though which was a bit annoying, but it did mean that there was no sand in the face or stuck to the sunscreen (15+ SPF wasa high factor... I got a 30+ like normal and got funny looks, haha). Eitherway I didnt put enough on my back and lying in the sun for 2 days left me burnt and peeling... yummy. The water was just SO blue, it was really incredible. Warm too.
Met some really cool people in Nice which was great change from not really meeting anyone cool in Rome. Ellie (From Bristol) and Harry from Melbourne, made it all really cool. Had picnic on the beach at night, dinner in Old Nice which was crazy, lots of tiny streets with DAMN GOOD FOOD in all of them.
Went to an Irish pub one night with some guys in the room next to us and managed to chat up the Swedish Bar girl and got free drinks for the whole time we were there :D Go the Aussie charm right?
There really isnt much to say in Nice because it was my break holiday in the holiday. I just needed to eat well, sleep and take it easy. With a month of full on travel really got to me and my feet needed a rest too, haha. Id been lucky to not have blisters right up until Rome, so my feet needed that rest in Nice.
Went to the Modern Art gallery there, was cheap, but after seeing so many, they are all starting to look the same and now I can pick artists without looking at the tag because I know their work. Interesting, thie trip is actually educational!
Next is Paris. That is cool!
You saw that title coming Im sure!
OK, this will be kinda quick-ish.
First night I got to Rome I went to the Trevi fountain because it was close however, like I said, it was a bit spoiled by the over powering sense of cheap tourism there. It was a genuine shame that so many places are commercialised and it really cheapens the whole historic value, but I guess you can't help that right? The first night I got there I had a room to myself because there was some deal with the one I was supposed to be in so I went and got some cheap wine (1.60E) and some food and had a long hot shower and had a relatively early night. It was good sitting on the window ledge looking out over the street just soaking up the atmosphere. It was SO hot though, and the humidity was incredibly high. Ridiculously high infact!
OK, a week later, i can add a bit more, no pics, but a quick story of Rome.
The second day in Rome consisted of the Roman Forum, which is the OLD Rome with the big old arches, pillars and stuff. Got to see where julius Caeser was burnt and buried as well as the cool Aquaducts they have everywhere. The big thing for me in Rome was the fact that they have constantly flowing water from fountains EVERYWHERE. You can drink it straight from these fountains that are often statues or lions but otherwise just taps with no way to turn them off. because there is so much water and the Romans were that damn clever, the water is recycled after it goes into the ground, through the Aquafers (sp?) and back through the fountains again COLD and ready to drink. It really is way better tasting than the water in the hotel too, and way
colder, its like ice and thats no joke.
The cool thing about the forums is that one part of them you need a ticket for (heres that cool story as promised) and I said student but they only give student discount for some countries and some ranks of people. I said Australia and he said "Oh we only do some parts, which part are you from?" I was like.... Sydney! Thinking that if there was anywhere it would be there that has discount, but no, infact it didn't it was only Adelaide or Perth, hahahaha. GOLD. I then told him I was from Adelaide and typically asked for the drivers license to prove it, then he said something in Italian about me first being from Syd.
then Adelaide when discount came up, but hey, the license did lie. :P
it was really hot there too, walking through the old Rome was like walking through a desert because there is no shade and actually there was a helicoptor flying around too. Weird, Security is SO BIG in Italy, there is about 5 different police forces and there are particular police for the differnt Ministries too, like Defence, health, etc have their own black cars, black suited gaurds and ear pieces... interesting.
Colluseum was cool, vrey big, and old, dirty though and filled with stupid tourists. Checked out the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and when I get the pics up you'll see just how big it is. It resembles Parliment house in Canberra, its HUGE but way better looking. so much marble and Granite, id hate to be in Rome in Winter, You'd surely kill yourself by slipping up you know.
Umm, quickly what else.
Good food, Good Wine, Good spirited people mostly.
DO:
*Watch for the scooters, theyll run you down even on a green walking man
*Visit the Vatican City but prepare for lines. The line for the Vatican Museum was 3 hours long at 9am... I paid a bit extra for a tour group and got in in half an hour. Best money spent that day.
*See the Sistine Chapel, it is just so amazing... SO much work has gone into it, its mad.
*Check out the Parks in North Rome. Just so amazing on a really hot day for a quick siesta on the grass or on the park benches.
DON'T:
*Take the insults from passing tourists to heart, they all do it to each other
*Expect to understand why motorists feel the need to use their car horns just for the sake of hearing them and then know why the other ones then respond with no real reason...
*Be surprised to see half of the Indian Population selling wares on the street, the whole of the touristy spots are full of them
*Dont give gypsies money, seriously they are DODGEY
Oh and I volunteered at a cat sanctuary too for by final afternoon there. It was really cool. I stumbled on this place by accident after coming from the pantheon and really glad I did. 250 cats in a ruins and this hospital, many one eared, 3 legged cats, some are blind, but all re lovely and were really friendly. If in Rome again, Ill go back and help out too. Highlight of Rome was that. It was something different and Really memorable, just the way it should be. Looks like this trip is one of those things that teaches you big life lessons really. And for that Im thankful for. That continues the the 'One local thing in each country you cant do anywhere else' mission I am on this trip.
Oh and I went to the 4 Rivers fountain too, in the big famous plaza but its under renovation :( I wanted to see it because it was in that Dan Brown book, Angels and Demons and he did a pretty good job at describing it I think, I wnted to see if my imagination and reality were close, and they were which was nice.
Oh and Vatican City is really cool too. St Peter's Basilica is ENORMOUS. I think that most of the Churches in greater Adelaide could fit inside. I felt really small in that place, I really did. Just the arm on one of the statues one ONE of the alters was biger than me, hahaha. Definitely worth a look thats for sure. Oh and I went to the treasury too , that place was cool. So much money in there with the papel things. Diamonds on gold on silver on precious gems!
OK that's the short version of Rome, Sorry its so jagged, but this half hour internet blocks are killing me!
