Day 67: NYC

Had a pretty quiet day around NYC. Started with breakfast in a neighbourhood diner (one of several surprisingly different and important culinary experiences in America - see also hot dog stands, bagels, and pumpkin pie). Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for an exhibition of Rembrandt and his contemporaries. The Met is amazing and everything, but since Steph and I saw it last time, we just checked out the African gallery (missed last time), and moved on. Walked through Central Park. Saw a cute couple having wedding photos by a pond despite the freezing weather - it was adorable to see the bride's take-the-damn-photo-already-because-I-want-to-put-my-coat-on smile. Went to FAO Schwartz, the best toy shop in the world, and spent ages and ages in there since, well, it's the best toy shop in the world. Walked down 6th Avenue and around Times Square, then back to Queens for a tasty Thai dinner.

Day 66: New York City

Donnie was working and Steph was in Philly so I spent the day by myself on a Death March around NYC. Started at the United Nations; I realise it's not a particularly inspiring building, but I wanted to see the flags and the couple of sculptures outside the main building. It's funny; the original concept would have been to have the member nation's flags in front of the building, but now that there's so many nations - 192, to be exact - the flags are spread up and down the street, crammed into little corners and amongst trees. Something about that makes me laugh.
Went down to Greenwich, walked around lots of nice little tree-lined streets, with a much more neighbourhood-y feeling than most of NYC. Then went to Union Square, where there was a cool little market going on, and lots of folks just hanging about. It always makes me think of the line in a song by The Velvet Underground: "gonna take a walk 'round Union Square, never know what you're gonna find there."
Next stop was Chinatown, which was a lot of fun. The main thoroughfare is pretty tacky and touristy, but the side streets are a delight. Satisfied a craving for Japanese sweets with a little multi-pack of goma, anko, and others. Found the World's Grossest Butcher, which really had every organ from every animal. Goat uterus, anyone? Seriously, what does one do with a goat's uterus? Blegh. Chinatown merged into Little Italy, and that was enough wandering for the day.
Went back to Donnie's, had some dinner, then headed out again to meet Steph, Edward and Dimple (Round 2 of the Japan Friends / Internet Friends Collision of Universes!) for karaoke. Went to a Korean place, had a blast. Dimple carried on the tradition of sneaking in her own grog, and it was grand. Ended the evening in a cosy pub, with me pumping coins into the jukebox and the girls getting their groove on.

Day 65: New York City

Spent most of today at the awesome Bronx Zoo. It's a huge zoo, with lots of woodland and parkland amongst the enclosures, but we managed to see most of it. New animals: duikers, okapi, congo peafowl, tinamous, hyraxes, mousebirds, quetzals, skunks, cane rats, jerboas, lorises, alligator snapping turtles. Really cool, modern exhibits - definitely recommended.
Went back into Manhattan - Steph hopped on a train back to Philly and I walked around Koreatown (a couple of blocks of 32nd St, really), looking for a karaoke place for tomorrow night.
Everything worth saying about New York City has already been said, so I'll just restate the obvious - it's enormous, busy, and doesn't slow down for anyone or anything. It's the dictionary definition of a metropolis.

Day 64: Philadelphia - New York City

The Locust Punch turned out to be Locust Poison, and it took Steph and I a while to recover from them today. Went to a really ghetto McDonalds for hangover-curing greasy food, then took a long subway ride to sprawling Northeast Philly to visit the insectarium. In the most bizarre interruption to sightseeing, it turned out that the insectarium had been shut down by the police just five days prior for operating without a licence. Whoops.
Instead, we hit up a nearby costume shop for my rather confused attempt at Halloween. Went back into the city, met Edward at his work, editing a documentary on the Spin Doctors. Went for tasty burgers at a Belgian pub, then dashed home and out again to catch the sketchy Chinatown bus to NYC.
Met Donnie and headed out to Queens. Witnessed much Halloween mayhem on the way. Most original costume: tofu hoagie. Went to a local bar for Halloween drinks.

Day 63: Toronto - Philadelphia

Another travel day, with a dash of Amazing Race-style transport-dashing. Flew from Toronto to New York City then bolted out of the airport to make my train to Philadelphia (no Toronto - Philly flights!). Made it, met Steph in Philly, went straight to the pub (pretty much). Philly has nice pubs. Steph went to slave away at the library and I went out to Westchester to visit Margaret. Westchester is a very pretty town, all old buildings and "Main Street, USA" sort of feeling. Back into Philly, where the Democratic presidential debate was happening in Drexel University. Seems like the Democratic presidential candidacy is more important than the presidential election itself. Met Steph, and we hit the town - first the Locust Bar, a student pub where we indulged in the trademark Locust Punch, then Woody's, a friendly gay bar.

Day 62: Toronto

Spent today on one of my patented Death Marches around Toronto. Started at the CN Tower, which is enormous, but not at all pretty. Walked up to Queen St (again!) and past lots of important buildings that I've already forgotten to the Eaton Centre, which is a very pretty mall, with cool flying-geese art, but still just a mall. Popped into The World's Biggest Bookstore (it's really called that, though I don't believe it). Strolled through the University of Ontario, along Bloor St, and finally back down to Kensington where I met Kevin for coffee. We had another walk around Kensington and then through Chinatown before parting ways. Walked to the financial district, found some statues of cows and not much else, then met Kate for the subway ride home. The google-pedometer thing says I walked 13km today. I shudder to think of how far I've walked on the whole trip.

Day 61: Toronto

Started the day with a driving tour of Toronto. Saw the CN Tower, Lake Ontario, lots of other bits and pieces. Stopped at the Distillery District, an area of old industrial buildings converted into trendy shops for trendy people with more money than sense. Found a bakery with pies, pasties and sausage rolls, which immediately puts Canada leagues ahead of America in my view.
Drove out to eastern Toronto, to the beaches. The beaches, of course, being the beaches of Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is so huge I can't register it as a lake; lakes are meant to have a visible opposite shore, at least they do where I'm from. Anyway, had a nice stroll along the shore, then through a nice neighbourhood a bit like Norwood or Unley.
We drove back downtown to meet Kevin for Round 1 of the Japan Friends / Internet Friends Collision of Universes. We had a nice afternoon tea, then Scott and Kate went home and Kevin showed me around the uber-cool Kensington market. Kensington really is the funkiest neighbourhood I've ever seen - second-hand shops spilling out of the front of houses, cars painted with murals and full of shrubbery, and bands playing on the street just because they can. It's wonderful fun.
Walked with Kevin down Queen St to meet his partner Lauren, who was working at a convention / market for local artists - comics, posters, record covers, badges and such. Really neat. Ended the day with a dinner of awesome $3 burritos.

Day 60: Toronto

I think the secret to this journal is being alone. It's now November 6th, and I'm at JFK waiting for a flight to San Francisco.
So back on the 27th of October, Kate and Scott took me around Toronto. Went to the St Lawrence Market, which is much like Adelaide's Central Market, and therefore great. Followed the market with a tram ride and a long walk down trendy Queen St. Had an amazingly good sandwich lunch, and eventually headed home, where Scott made a fabulous blue cheese lasagna for dinner.
Toronto is big, diverse, and much friendlier an un-snobby than a city of five million has any right to be.

Day 59: London - Toronto

Today I flew from London to Toronto. That's about it. Met Kate and Scott, and given the hour that I arrived, and the views available from the highway, all I can say about Toronto is that it isn't too cold, and there's lots of condominiums.

Day 58: London

Curiously, when you get the 5:30 wake-up call for breakfast on thie boat, you've already docked at Harwich, England. I suppose there's no point in getting off to just wait around for the first train of the day.
Spent the day in London before meeting Chris and going back to his place. Went to the British Museum again to finish off what we missed the first time - Africa, Asia and the Americas. I've decided that the best three museums in the world are the British (history), the Louvre (art), and the American of Natural History (natural history, naturally). So there. Spent ages reading books in Borders and two different Waterstones, then went to the National Gallery. Saw Sunflowers, Virgin on the Rocks and... that one on the Crash Test Dummies album.
I was thinking that I'm bound to be asked which city was my favourite, and I came to the conclusion that if someone put a gun to my head and made me choose, I would say London. The things I loved about each of the cities could be summed up in either their visuals - the monuments, parks, settings and such (Paris, Rome, Vienna, Venice, Luxembourg); or their liveliness, their people-atmosphere (Munich, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Marrakesh) - and basically, London combines the two better than anywhere else. That, of course, doesn't take into consideration things like food, nightlife and music, which I couldn't really experience. I'll be back for those when I've made my millions.

Day 57: Amsterdam

So Amsterdam is more than just quirky and ramshackle. It's full of life, and is a lot more laid-back and unpretentious than your average European capital. With Paris, Rome and Vienna, it seems like they're too worried about how fashionable their outfit is to have any fun. Amsterdam just shrugs its shoulders and enjoys itself.
Had a long walk through several pedestrian shopping streets to the Van Gogh Museum, which was manageably-sized and in possession of most of the Van Goghs that I know. Wandered back through town and found what I really dislike about the whole dope culture - the God-awful souvenirs. I'm not really the demographic that all the cannabis-leaf merchandise is aimed at anyway but still... a picture of Christ on the cross smoking a joint really isn't okay. The other thing is that all the stoners result in a lot of Marley / Guevera / dolphins / crystals rubbish.
Went for a walk to the red light district, and chanced upon a really cool bar / pub precinct (wrong time of day, unfortunately) and a surprising Chinatown. The red light district itself is obviously not aimed at me, though most of the shops and such were kind of amusing and silly, though the barely-dressed women in their glass-fronted rooms, beckoning passers-by, just felt awkward and a bit sad. If they're choosing what they do as a job, then good for them, but if it's the only way they have of making a living, then that's pretty depressing.
Kept walking around other, trendier, classier neighbourhoods - found lots of trendy shops, canals and bicycles. Amsterdam is full of bicycles, which is a great thing.
Eventually took a train to Hoek van Holland, to hop on a ferry back to England. I was expecting something like the ferries on the Seto Inland Sea, and was wondering what the price difference would be between a seat and a couchette. Boy, was I wrong. It's more like the Spirit of Tasmania, halfway to being a cruise ship. Now I'm sitting in my private cabin, looking forward to a good night's sleep and a big buffet breakfast in the morning.

Day 56: Brussels - Amsterdam

Brussels then Amsterdam today, and both were bloody freezing. Walked around the Grand Place again, and bought some chocolates. Then went to the Musee des Instruments de la Musique, one of the coolest museums I've ever been to. You get headphones at the ticket desk, and when you stand in front of a display, you automatically hear music played on that instrument. It's really neat to wander around and have the music change from one thing to another: sitar! Lute! Bagpipes! Harpsichord! There's also some quirky instruments that didn't get past the prototype stage, like creatures from the Cambrian Explosion.
Hopped on a train for a surprisingly long ride to Amsterdam. The Netherlands looks like you'd expect; flat, waterlogged, heavily populated - but surprisingly pretty, given the above. Didn't get a hostel until 6ish. Dealth with the world's most useless tourist info lady at the station.
Me: Excuse me, I'm looking for a YHA hostel.
World's Most Useless Lady: I can make a booking for you...
Me: No thanks, I just need directions.
WMUL: (drawing massive circles on a map) There are hostels here, here and here.
Me: Is there a YHA hostel? Do you have any addresses?
WMUL: No, I don't know.
Then what bloody use are you?
Walked around a bit and found that for all the dope / prostitution / gay scene etc trademarks, Amsterdam just feels kinda quirky, that's all. Not a torch-bearing beacon for liberal attitudes, nor a pit of sin and debauchery - just a little wacky, slightly ramshackle sort of city. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Today was two capital cities for the price of one: Luxembourg then Brussels. Spent the morning wandering around the old central part of Luxembourg, admiring the views from atop the cliffs / walls that encircle it. It really has a marvellous setting, this sort of plateau bounded by cliffs, with the modern part of the city on the other side of a river gorge. Sort of hard to explain without a diagram.
Hopped on a train, and after a surprisingly long ride, arrived in Brussels. For a start, Brussels has actual skyscrapers, which I haven't really seen since London. Like very other city in Europe, it has plenty of Old Stuff too. Of Brussel's best-known landmarks, the Grand Place is certainly grand - it's a big square of lots of beautiful buildings, but there's nothing actually happening there, unlike La Rambla or Djemma el-Fna; the second, Manneken Pis, is a very small statue of a boy peeing. Meh.
The street squares and arcades around the Grand Place, however, are absolutely charming. Lots of restaurants and shops, but neither sketchy nor pretentious - just warm and inviting. The sort of fun mishmash that I found in Montmartre, but was missing from more central parts of Paris or Vienna, which are too busy thinking about how important they are to look like they're having any fun. I also found lots of chocolate shops and a street full of really nice (again, warm and inviting, not stuck up) seafood restaurants. If only I liked mussels...

Day 54: Zurich - Luxembourg

Spent the day on trains from Zurich to Luxembourg. The scenery wasn't inspiring and nothing happened, so not much to report.
Had enough time for a stroll around Luxembourg, which seems utterly charming, even on a wet Sunday evening when the streets are empty. Finally, Bryan Ferry seems to be doing a tour of Small European Capitals Starting With L, judging by the tour posters I've seen here and in Ljubljana.

Day 53: Zurich / Liechtenstein

My plan for my trip to Liechtenstein was that I didn't need to bring the LP or any information, since the bus would drop me off right at the tourist office. That plan would've worked if I had gotten off at the right bus stop. Instead, after entering Liechtenstein, I soon saw a castle, and thinking there was only one castle in Liechtenstein, figured this was Vaduz, the capital. I realised my mistake soon after the bus sped away, but I was in a pretty spot, and Vaduz had to be close. Two hours of walking later - half the length of the whole country - I actually arrived in Vaduz.
I'm glad I actually made that mistake, because the scenery on that walk was gobsmackingly beautiful, and central Vaduz isn't really anything special. The mountains on both sides of the Rhine Valley in which most of Liechtenstein sits soar very dramatically skywards; better still, they were capped with snow, running down to surprisingly low altitudes. Some of those peaks were over 2300m; Vaduz sits at a modest 400m, so that's pretty lofty view.
I climbed to the actual Vaduz castle, walked around Vaduz (doesn't take long!) and got back on the bus. Central Vaduz is mostly banks and souvenir shops, whilst the streets going up the mountainside are very nice, there really isn't much to see.
Got the train back to Zurich, and enjoyed yet more amazing scenery. The train follows the whole length of Lake Zurich, and with the snow-capped mountains and green pastures with bell-wearing cows - it's just perfect.

Day 52: Zurich

Went to the Zurich Zoo today, mostly to see the famed Masoala Rainforest. It's a nice, modern zoo, and I can add trumpeters, trogons, Arabian oryx, geladas, prairie-dogs and Pallas's cat to my animal-list. The Masoala Rainforest is spectacular; it's a reconstruction of a rainforest in Madagascar, and it's huge, authentic-looking and very lush. So lush, actually, that you could very easily walk through without seeing anything. I managed several birds and one of the five kinds of lemur that live there.
Walked back into central Zurich, through the pretty old town. Turns out that Zurich is very hilly. Looked at a couple of churches. Walked along the lake, where I was a little too excited to see a couple of grebes. Walked back into the city and walked to the hostel, which isn't as far as I thought.
Zurich may not be bursting with must-see sights for tourists, but I bet it's a lovely place to live.

Day 51: Munich - Zurich

Took a train to Stuttgart with Mark and Lexie, two nice Canadians from the hostel in Munich, then continued on to Zurich.
The hostel in Zurich is a fair way out from the city, which gives the advantage of seeing Swiss suburbia (and the disadvantage of being a long way out). It turns out that Swiss suburbia is very pleasant. I went back into the city and walked down Bahnhofstrasse, which is also pleasant. There's some things every city so far has had that Zurich's missing; the most striking of which is the complete absence of beggars. Munich, Vienna, Rome, Barcelona and Paris all had a lot more folks on the streets than I would've expected, and in Zurich, there are none. Also lacking - kebab stands, phone centres, souvenir-sellers, and anyone even remotely unsavoury-looking. It could just be because Zurich is smaller, or it could be because the whole place feels rather... neutral, for lack of a better word. Oh well, it's certainly pleasant.

Day 50: Munich / Fussen

Spent the day on a trip to the over-the-top and over-touristed castles of Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangen. The train ride was pretty, as per usual, though the poopy smell from the many dairy farms often filled the carriage.
The town of Fussen itself is, of course, pretty.
The castles are perched on cliffs with a complete tourist village between them. This certainly was not off-the-beaten-track, that's for sure. Hohenschwangen is a nice yellow and has some funky fountains, but everyone comes for Neuschwanstein. It looks much like the Disneyland castle is was supposed to have inspired - actually, that pretty much sums it up - "like the one at Disneyland."
There's a bridge over a beautiful gorge nearby which has the best views; naturally, it was packed with photo-snapping tourists like myself. I had to wonder what the carrying capacity of that bridge was.
Back in Munich, I've become rather fond of the anti-pigeon spikes on lots of signs, especially the way they add a sinister edge to the sweetest of businesses. "Bunnies, Kittens, and Marshmallows," surrounded by PIGEON-KILLING SPIKES. Heh heh. Damn pigeons.

Day 49: Munich

Munich is a nice city, very relaxed, at ease with itself and just a shade above Adelaide in terms of its city-ness, but good lord, there's a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses about.
I also managed to fill the day without doing very much; between getting photos unloaded onto CDs, and getting flights rerouted from Montreal to Toronto, it was noon before I started sightseeing.
Strolled around Marionplatz first, then had lunch in the park behind Neues Rathaus. Walked to Englischer Garten, where I saw some nude tennis - certainly a first, I imagine - and plenty of other nudes as well. The whole park is really carefree and fun, lots of bikes, rollerblades, unleashed dogs, and folks relaxing on the lawn (no "keep off the grass!"). Walked through another neighbouring park, passed by the Residenz (mostly hidden under scaffolding), failed to find a quirky museum, and that was it for sightseeing in Munich.

Day 48: Salzburg - Munich

Somehow, I expect everything in Germany to run with exquisite precision, but I guess it isn't so.
I went for a walk around Salzburg in the morning - yep, still pretty, yep, cliffs still there - then hopped on a train to Munich. That train stopped at the first town in Germany, where I had to change trains. Hopped on the first train, couldn't find any unreserved seats, hopped off again, expecting another one in twenty minutes. The next two trains were cancelled, so it was a two-hour wait for another train.
Still, got to Munich in time to have a bit of a look around. The main pedestrian street, and the big squares of Karlsplatz and Mariansplatz, are very nice, lots of the usual fancy shops but none of the three I needed - a music shop, a photo lab, or a supermarket. A couple of lovely big churches and museums that I'll explore tomorrow.

Day 47: Vienna - Salzburg

A curious kind of a day has led me to be listening to church bells in Salzburg tonight. The plan was to spend the day in Vienna and take the overnight train to Munich. Since I didn't want to pay for any sightseeing, I had the idea of going to Graz for a day trip. Went to Sudbahnhof Station only to find that there wasn't anything to Graz for quite a while. So I walked around the city for a bit, had lunch and generally didn't want to wait around 'til midnight for the train, nor did I want to arrive at Munich at 6am. So I decided to go to Salzburg instead, halfway between the two.
Salzburg, then, is obviously very pretty, of course, all cobblestone streets and baroque buildings bounded very abruptly by very steep cliffs. Also of note: Austrians always so hello and goodbye when entering a train compartment, and Austrian dogs can ride the subway, but they need their own ticket.

Day 46: Vienna

The first thing I noticed about Vienna is how sedate it is. The people are quieter, the traffic sensible, and people actually wait for traffic lights. It's not as glitzy or outwardly hedonistic as Barcelona or Rome, but it has its fair share of grandeur and classic beauty.
Started with the Hofburg; it was raining and all of its museums and such were very pricey, so I just zipped through. Next, up a nice mall to St Stephen's Cathedral, then down to Naschmarkt. It was a lively, crowded market, but still more orderly than a lot of other cities. An amazing variety of fruit (for Austria in autumn), and a very junky flea market.
Went to Schloss Schonbrunn, intending to just take a cow photo, but the gardens (which, miraculously, are free) have buckets of neat things. I couldn't resist the temptation of the zoo, which had giant pandas (!), giant anteaters (!!!), capybara, reindeer, keas, seriemas, hutias, lammegeiers, serows and coati among other cool things. It's also neat how they've built modern enclosures around the beautiful baroque architecture, rather than replacing it, or having the animals living in concrete.
Took the subway to the other side of Vienna looking for a park mentioned in the LP. Instead, found a completely awesome amusement park, full of rollercoasters, dodgem cars, and crazy fast-spinny-things. Just like the stuff at the Mt Gambier Show, only less shonky. I really wanted to go on some rides; if I ever come to Vienna again, someone better take me there.

Day 45: Ljubljana - Vienna

A pretty frustrating day; I'm in Vienna, and haven't formed any impression of it yet because all my time so far has been spent finding food and lodging.
Took a slow train route from Ljubljana to Vienna to make the most of my railpass, which doesn't cover Slovenia.
Yet more spectacular Alpine scenery.
Arrived in Vienna; couldn't figure out the subway; accidentally got on a tram; walked a long way and eventually found the hostel I'd booked. No-one there; I call the owner, she said my reservation was for yesterday, and she's given my bed to someone else.
Walked to another hostel, got a bed, set down my stuff nine hours after leaving Ljubljana.
Went looking for a supermarket; found one after much searching and bought stuff for the next two dinners. Back to the hostel - they don't have a kitchen. My groceries are useless. They have a restaurant which stops serving at 7. It's 7:15. Go looking for takeaway food, find nothing but McDonalds. What kind of a YHA doesn't have a kitchen?
Blegh. Vienna bloody well better be worth today.

Day 44: Bled - Ljubljana

Last night, met three Kiwis and an Aussie in the pub below the hostel - Logan, Toni, Janet and Hamish. Ended up having dinner together - I got "turkey Ljubljana style," which turned out to be a turkey cordon-bleu.
Today, Janet and I went for a hike out to Vintgar Gorge. Passed through lovely countryside and a couple of villages between Bled and the start of the gorge, and spotted Slovenia's highest mountain, already capped with snow.
The gorge itself was spectacularly beautiful, with a wooden walkway clinging to the rocky walls of the gorge, zigzagging over the rapids below. The river water was amazingly clear, and we took great delight in watching fish swim below us.
The return walk to Bled took us over a steep hill through a forest, gave us some lovely views of the area before leading back to Bled. Probably the nicest three hours I've ever spent walking.
Now back in Ljubljana, at the uber-hostel Celica again, before hopping up to Vienna tomorrow.

Day 43: Ljubljana - Bled

Finally got out of cities and into some peace and nature, in the utterly lovely Bled. Bled is a little town on Lake Bled, naturally enough, with a magic combination of mountains, a castle, and a tiny church on a tiny island (amazingly, the only island in all of Slovenia). It's definitely one of the most idyllically scenic places in Europe. Best of all, it hasn't quite been discovered by the tourist hordes. Almost, but not quite.
Spent the day making a leisurely lap of the lake, spotting tits, squirrels, and fish along the way (in the remarkably clear water). Took a detour for a hike up one of the peaks. Really pretty forest, and a pretty steep climb. Back to the lake, kept on going to the castle, which, being perched on top of a very sheer cliff, is another bloody steep climb from the lake. Castle was interesting, but again, it was the views that made it worthwhile. Could anywhere be any more postcard perfect?

Day 42: Venice - Ljubljana

Picturesque; that characterises today's travels. That, and a bloody long wait for a train, and possibly my favourite city yet.
Took a train from Venice to Villach, a small town in Austria and a surprising rail hub, through some gobsmacking Alpine scenery. The peaks were towering, sure, but what really got me about the nicest views I've yet seen were the colours. It's peak autumn, so the forests were ablaze with as much colour as anything I saw in Japan. The many streams and rivers were even more striking - a stunning turquoise blue you only get in the purest mountain water.
My train arrived at Villach at 12:04, a train left for Ljubljana at 12:02, and the next one left at 15:55. Bloody stupid timetabling.
The Villach to Ljubljana is more alpine loveliness, with more villages and crops, making it less dramatic, but more detailed and just as picturesque.
I'm staying at possibly the world's nicest hostel, Celica. It's famed for being a converted prison, but it's the design, arty features and facilities that make it great - after all, Mt Gambier already did the jail-hostel thing.
Ljubljana, meanwhile, is simply lovely. Some of the usual stuff - pretty old buildings, nice bars and restaurants, lots of pedestrian streets, scenic river, hilltop castle - but it's so much more intimate, unpretentious, non-touristy and cheaper than the other big cities. Not Asia-cheap, but cheap enough to notice the difference. It feels like a little treasure the Slovenes have all to themselves.

Day 41: Venice

In Venice, since there aren't any cars and all the museums are really expensive, I spent the day walking. A lot. Of course, that's the way to do Venice, since its maze of bridges and canals makes it pretty damn hard to just go from Big Attraction A to Big Attraction B. So I wandered about, covered most of the length of the island, saw a lot of the big palaces and churches, but only went into two (because of high prices, queues, or being in religious use). Went to Piazza San Marco, which is beautiful, of course, but frustratingly packed with tour groups and pigeons. Seriously, there's more pigeons there than I've ever seen, and they seem more like rats-with-wings than usual. Whick makes me think - people hate rats, but feed pigeons and let them perch on their heads, so... I dunno. They're both disease-ridden feral animals.
Once you get over the beauty of Venice, its supreme oddness start to get to you; the way the buildings rise directly out of the water, the waves lopping dangerously close to street level, and the smell that comes from being a city built on a network of stagnant, briny water. When the city was founded, it must have sounded like a disaster - "let's build a city on a swamp in the middle of a lagoon" indeed.
The other thing about walking around Venice is that you get bloody tired. So I quit and went back to dull Mestre for an early night.

Day 40: Rimini - Venice

Today was largely a train day; from Rimini to Bologna to Venice. Pleasant scenery along the way, though Italy certainly has a high density - the whole route was never out of sight of a village.
Staying in Mestre, sometimes called "the modern city of Venice," meaning it's the rather dull, suburban mainland city serving Venice. After checking in at the hotel (cheaper than the hostel), I went straight to Venice, for a sneak preview of tomorrow, my designated Venice Day.
I think it's safe to say that there's nothing quite like Venice in the whole world. It's a gorgeous maze of colourful buildings, squares, canals and bridges, and it's a delight to lose yourself and find yourself in the midst of it. One especially striking thing is how quiet it is - the entire city is, after all, devoid of cars, motorbikes and trains. I just wandered today, avoiding the main sights for tomorrow. I can't wait.

Day 39: Rome - San Marino / Rimini

In San Marino, everything is labelled "Republicca di San Marino," otherwise you might forget you're in a whole different country. The world's oldest republic, actually, and my fourth silly microstate.
The town of San Marino is an old walled fortress, perched precariously on a mountaintop, overlooking the rest of the country. There are nice views, and cute cobblestone streets, but not much else. Weirdly, there are lots of shops selling guns, crossbows, swords, etc - maybe you can own them, but not buy them in Italy?
More obscure stamp and postcard collecting aside, not much happened today. Staying in Rimini, pretty beach resort town, very quiet because of the first real rain on this whole trip.

Day 38: Rome

Mopped up the remaining sights of Rome today. Started with the Roman Forum, where I paid for my first audio guide, which was just as well, since there's absolutely no information provided. The remains of the temples, houses, etc are fascinating, especially those later converted to churches (the best preserved) and the home of the Vestal Virgins. Stopped by the Colosseum again for a cow-shot.
There's absolutely nothing left of the Circus Maximus. Don't bother.
Found my way to the happiest place on Earth - a gelateria with over 100 flavours. Baskin Robbins think they're great with 31. They got nothin'.
Wandered through another huge piazza with another huge Egyptian column, leading to the Corso, with its fabulous, stupidly expensive shops. Then back to the hostel for an early night (early train tomorrow).

Day 37: Rome

Street-for-street, Rome is prettier than Paris. On the downside, the Tiber is dirty and all the sights are swarming with tourists. Also, my complete lack of Italian makes me feel like a moron.
Began the day with a 90-minute queue to get into the Vatican Museums. Once inside the world's smallest country, I could see the origin of the phrase "an embarrassment of riches." Besides their beauty and history, the museums (and the Vatican generally) are astoundingly wealthy, absolutely littered with sculpture, paintings and tapestries. Eventually followed the crowds to the Sistine Chapel, a neck-aching lesson in Biblical history. Not a single spot of the walls and ceiling are left unpainted. Went to the museum of early Christian history, and it was completely empty. This is what happens when you veer ever so slightly off the tourist trail.
Went back to Italy and then into the Vatican again to visit St Peter's. Before the Basicilia, I saw the Papal Tombs, including John Paul II's. The Basilica itself is enormous and beautiful, and has nicely crafted windows letting in picturesque shafts of light which add to the serenity.
Returning to Italy again, I caught up on some of yesterday's sights, mostly just to take photos; the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Apparently, the Pantheon's dome is such a marvel of architecture that it could not be replicated, even with modern technology.
Had another gelato. I may be developing an addiction.

Day 36: Rome

There aren't any public toilets in Rome, which proved surprisingly significant today.
First of all, the Nice - Rome train was the slowest I've ever been on - worse than the Tsuyama Line - and it was a solid twelve hour trip.
Arrived in Rome, checked into a nice hostel, strolled down to the Colosseum. Camera batteries died, and I refuse to pay seven euros for batteries, so no more photos. Didn't go inside the Colosseum - was advised not to bother, and the crowds were pretty off-putting.
Strolled through the Roman Forum, which looks amazing, but since I came in the wrong end without pamphlets, I didn't know what anything was.
Needed a loo, and with no camera and being very tired, I decided that whatever I saw today, I would come back and see again.
The search for a loo was an epic tale. The museum must have a loo - costs ten euros to get in. Well the Pantheon must have one - nope. Surely, the Trevi Fountain? Nope. McDonalds! Broken. Much, much later, found a Burger King, relieved myself, and went back to the Trevi Fountain for gelati.
Wandered the streets aimlessly for a while - after all, it's Rome, every street has something beautiful to see. Saw lots of pretty old buildings, steps, plazas, streets - didn't know the names of anything (nothing too important, though).
And odd start to Rome. Will rant about how wonderful it is tomorrow, when I have a proper look.

Day 35: Nice / Monaco

Nice seems like a really nice city, but I didn't really find out, because I spent the day in Monaco instead.
Monaco is a nation as microscopic, immaculate fantasy-land. Its narrow, steep streets and parks are perfectly groomed, its marinas fully brthed with luxury yachts and its pocket-sized palace is well-suited to a ruler of 20,000 people.
Some things you notice about Monaco: it's very steep, hence all the lifts and escalators; it's architecturally-crowded but doesn't feel people-crowded; and it has a gorgeous setting - really, it's just gorgeous in general.
My first stop was the Musee Oceanographique and aquarium. It was nice and had some cool small-scale feature species like nautilus, morays, garden eels and scorpionfish, rather than the big-name stars of Osaka.
Walked past the cathedral and the palace, and eventually made it to the Jardin Exotique (which is a bloody hike, what with all the stairs and steep streets). It's a garden of desert plants, and is pretty neat, and has great views, but wasn't really worth the 6 euros.
Next, trekked downhill to the casino, which is fancy and glamourous and all that, but I couldn't go inside.
Went back to Nice, and made time to take a look at the beach. It's nice (no pun intended), and the coast between Nice and Monaco is spectacular, but the beaches themselves (not counting the water, cliffs, and surrounding scenery) aren't that great. We have better.

Day 34: Tangier - Madrid - Nice

A full travel day. Left Tangier, flew to Madrid. Spent about two hours in Madrid, and it seems nice, as far as I can tell from having only seen a few blocks of it. Now awaiting flight to Nice, for a very late hostel check-in. Looking forward to a hot shower and possibly clean clothes tomorrow.

Day 33: Fes - Tangier

My third train day in Morocco. Took the train to Tangier, and arrived very hungry because Ramadan meant nothing was open in the morning so no food for me.
Tangier has a pretty beachfront, but both the medina and the ville nouvelle felt pretty sketchy.
Stayed in a fleabag hotel that wasn't even worth the 100Dh (A$14) I paid. Was escorted there by a guy who said "there are dangerous people about - don't leave your room." He wanted to join me for dinner but he seemed pretty sketchy too, so I turned him down.
Whilst walking around Tangier, a very sketchy guy started following me, first offering hashish, then wallets, then just asking for money.
Later, Sketchy Man #1 came to my room, wanting to meet me in the morning. I said 9:00, but intend to leave at 8:30, because I don't like Sketchy Man #1. Then:
SM1: Okay, now you buy me a coffee. 20 dirham.
Me: A coffee doesn't cost 20 dirham.
SM1: yes, but a coffee and a something something...
(much pointless negotiating)
Me: Fine, I'll give you 20 dirham just to leave me alone!
Well, I didn't say the last part, but I thought it.

Day 32: Fes

Fes is the world's largest medina, and it's a good thing I had a guide and two travel buddies to navigate it. Besides being a befuddling maze, it's completely fascinating, and needs to be on any must-see-before-you-die list.
At the Fes hostel last night I met, besides Nancy, another Australian, a Hong Konger, a Frenchman and a Croatian couple. We spent the evening together, and this morning, the Europeans took one guide together whilst Rob (the other Australian) joined Nancy and I and our guide, Hussein.
Hussein showed us the Royal Palace and the Jewish Quarter before plunging into the medina proper. From there, it was a procession of medersas, mosques, shops, and the (in)famous tanneries, which don't actually smell as bad as you might imagine.
There's a lot that distinguishes Fes from the other Moroccan medinas; no cars or bikes, so less noise but more horses and mules; much narrower streets and more steps; less tourists, bigger crowds of locals (about 300,000 residents); less dust (countryside is comparatively lush); more nice - though small - squares, some even with trees; and more of the five original medina services remain intact - hammam, mosque, medersa, fountain and bread oven.
There was a lot of shopping - mostly by Nancy, who is an impressive bargainer. Actually it was good being with two older travellers - the shopkeepers focused on them and completely ignored me, as I preferred.
Midway through our medina wandering, we were dropped off by Hussein for lunch at a gorgeous restaurant. Our tajines were expensive, but they came with an entree of fourteen different vegetable hors d'oeuvres and a fruit platter included in the price. I doubt I'll have a better meal on this whole trip.
Fes is completely remarkable. Go see it.

Day 31: Casablanca - Fes

Probably less happened today than on any day of the trip so far. Took the train from Casablanca to Fes; between my getting to the station far too early and the train being late, that took up the bulk of the day. Casablanca - Fes is much more scenic than Marrakesh - Casablanca; quite Mediterranean, actually looked just like South Australia sometimes.
Arrived in Fes and checked into the hostel whereupon a familiar face appeared behind me - Nancy, who I met yesterday.
Wandered Fes’s Ville Nouvelle for the rest of the afternoon / evening, because the hostel closed from 4 to 8 and I couldn’t go to the medina. Fes’s Ville Nouvelle is the nicest of the three so far; broad avenues, plenty of trees, and comparatively little rubbish.
Spent ages looking for somewhere to eat, and again, the only thing I found open was a place serving that Ramadan fast-breaking dinner. Still, it’s cheap, tasty and filling, so what’s not to like about that?

Day 30: Marrakesh - Casablanca

Wow. The things that happened today seem sort of disconnected from each other, so I'll try dotpoints today.
1) Moroccan trains are quite nice, but the rowdy, obnoxious guys sharing my compartment were not.
2) The Marrakesh - Casablanca scenery is completely desolate. Couldn't call it pretty. The emptiness is sort of striking, though.
3) Casablanca is a world away from Marrakesh: ocean, big modern buildings, more Western dress. Very dirty, though.
4) Met a nice Kiwi / Canadian lady, Nancy. She asked me for directions to the Hassan II Mosque (which is astonishing), we went together, and we're getting the same train to Fes tomorrow.
5) Had a traditional Ramadan dinner, by accident. Went into the only open restaurant I could find. Noticed everyone was Moroccan and eating the same thing. Food arrived without ordering - spicy lentil soup, bread, boiled eggs, orange juice, coffee.
A good day, then.

Day 29: Marrakesh

Marrakesh continues to reveal itself as I become less baffled.
Started with the Jardin Majorelle, and the Islamic Art Museum, possibly the only air-conditioned building in Marrakesh. A nice, peaceful retreat.
Walked the long walk to Djemma el-Fna. Was interrupted by a very persistent would-be guide who told me I was going the wrong way. "But I came this way the past two days," I replied. He gave up. Would-be guides love to tell you that a) you're going the wrong way, or b) the way you're going is closed. It helps to actually know where you're going.
Had a yummy milkshake and pastry near Djemma el-Fna.
Went to the Moroccan Arts Museum in Dar Si Said. Pretty underwhelming museum, but the building was nice.
Went home for a nap, then hit Djemma el-Fna again for dinner. Went into the core of the souks for the first time. Really cool but hardly relaxing.
Last observation: Moroccan women generally look more fashionable - and definitely more comfortable, given the climate - than tourist women. There's also a definite middle class of modern, confident women who look incredibly chic.

Day 28: Marrakesh

Began today confused over time - turned out I hadn't put my watch back the required two hours, thus explaining some confusion from yesterday.
Walked to the Ville Nouvelle, which is much more peaceful and navigable than the medina, but also much hotter (no shade) and quite boring, really. Walked back to Djemma el-Fna and had a late brunch just off the square.
Walked towards the Kasbah to visit two palaces. Palais de la Bahia was built in the 19th century, and has lots of beautiful courtyards and tilework - lots and lots of colour. Palais el Badi is much grander, far older, and completely stripped bare. It's in ruins, but they're impressive ruins, and great fun to explore. Also, lots of nesting storks, very neat. Also lots of tour groups, and I imagine that Morocco would be a very awkward place for group tourism.
Went back to Djemma el-Fna for a milkshake and some errands.
Returned to the Kasbah looking for the Saadian Tombs. Saw a sign, which I followed, which led me into some guy's shop, and spewed me out in a random back alley. A nice boy took me to the tombs, and I gladly gave him some money, since he actually took me somewhere, unlike everyone else thus far. The tombs had some more pretty tile-work, but not much else.
Was pushed into a herbalist shop where I told a lady I couldn't buy anything because of Australian quarantine. There was actually a poster from the Australian quarantine office one the wall that said otherwise. Heh heh.
Went home for a rest, then back to Djemma el-Fna - again - for dinner. Dinner was lovely but took a bloody age to come. Walked home, didn't get lost. Morocco already feels much more manageable.

Day 27: Barcelona - Marrakesh

Mental note: when arriving in Morocco, have your hotel's phone number and address in Arabic. Also, I only just made both my flights out of Barcelona and Madrid. Barcelona airport is slow. Also, you can't get dirhams in Spain or change Australian dollars in Morocco.
My arrival in Marrakesh was stressful and chaotic, to say the least. A taxi driver dropped me off near my riad (guesthouse), then, in short, it took three guides and an hour of wandering the streets with my luggage to find the place. Good thing it's completely lovely, all rugs, couches, and frankly astonishing tiling that I guess is just typical here.
After some recovery time, I explored the souks, heading towards the main square, Djemma el-Fna. Moroccan streets are like what happens without any planning whatsoever - crowded, haphazard, completely fascinating, and utterly confusing - you could compare it with a maze, but at least a maze has a solution.
I reached Djemma el-Fna, which was quiet when I arrived, but as the sun set, it filled with food stalls, orange juice stands, henna painters, musicians and more (though none of the acrobats and snake charmers promised by Lonely Planet). Had dinner at one of the stands. Was a living ad for the owners: "look! There's a eating here, it's safe!"
Walked home, promptly got lost. After a while, reluctantly enlisted help. My guide took me to the wrong place at first, then took me back to where we started and told me directions. After much negotiating, I was scammed out of 150Dh (about A$20). Finally got home feeling overwhelmed and a bit defeated. Will get a better map tomorrow and avoid navigating through the souks.

Day 26: Barcelona

Overheard in the Sagrada Familia:
"This is what I paid seven pounds for? Is this it?"
Yes, wench, you paid seven pounds (actually eight euros, which I'm sure doesn't convert to seven pounds, but anyway) to see one of the most remarkable buildings in the world. Now go away.
The Sagrada Familia is remarkable, and a lifetime must-see sort of thing. It's truly unique - massive though not as big as some cathedrals, devoid of painting or sculpture (unless you count the building itself) - it is amazing for its ambition, its use of shapes and surfaces found in living things rather than buildings, and because the bloody thing's only half-finished. Yes, it's definitely the world's most beautiful construction site.
A lift takes you part-way up one of the towers, from where you can climb to the top of that tower and a couple more. I was in line to go up that damn lift for over an hour, but blimey, it was worth it.
Next, I went to Parc Guell, accurately described by Lonely Planet as somewhere Dr Seuss would feel at home. Organic curves, colour, and an unbridled imagination are the order of the day with the paths, fountains, terraces and buildings there. Marvellous, but a bloody hike to get to.
Staying at a dirt-cheap hostel, which is nice enough but miles and miles from anywhere. Still, free internet and breakfast for 10 euros, can't complain.

Day 25: Andorra-la-vella - Barcelona

Goodness, what a day. The Pyrenees are pretty, cheap accommodation is hard to find, and La Rambla is the coolest street in the world.
Started the day with a lovely bus ride through the Pyrenees from Andorra-la-vella - lots of nice churches and farms, and more lofty peaks. Got to Barcelona and hit a snag - everywhere was full. After an hour of phone and internet, found one place, for 117 euros. Beyond the budget, but nothing for it. Found the hotel, very nice, watched Grey's Anatomy dubbed in German.
Hopped online, found somewhere for tomorrow for 10 euros. Slight difference.
Went to La Rambla - officially the coolest street in the world. Street performers, pet shops, florists, market stalls, artists - generally in that order. And people, thousands and thousands of people. Everyone looks very laid-back and hip. Brilliant people-watching.
Went to the Central Market along the way - very packed, the seafood and butchers were fascinatingly gross. One butcher just sold organs, as well as sheep heads. Saw a lobster make a getaway - it got to the far end of the cabinet, then wasn't sure what to do. Also, rabbits and chickens are sold with heads still attached, and the prosciutto has trotters.
At the end of La Rambla, on the waterfront, there was some kind of marine-themed festival / parade going on, with crazy costumes and giant inflatable sharks. Also nearby - a wine-tasting festival and some really cool antique stands.
Barcelona is so full of life and energy - and I've only seen one street.

Day 24: Toulouse - Andorra-la-vella

Andorra is Bizarroworld, and that justs about sums it up.
First, the hotel guy in Toulouse was wrong, there aren't frequent buses from l'Hospitalet to Andorra - there's one, at 7:30am. And since the first train arrives in l'Hospitalet at 9:00am, what's the bloody point in that?
So, in short, got stuck in a tiny village in the middle of the French Pyrenees. Tried to hitch a ride, stood near two gypsy-looking ladies for company. One went to look for a taxi, and came back with a mechanic and his car. The four of us drove to the Andorran border together, 12km away.
It's uncanny - you travel through the mountains for a couple of hours, with less development and smaller villages the higher you go, eventually dwindling to nothing but bare mountainside, then just a few metres after the Andorran border, there's a duty-free shopping mall. Then a ski resort. Then some cranes building a new hotel. Then another mall. And that's about it, all the way along the only major road in the country.
Andorra-la-vella is the size of Mt Gambier, but has shops and hotels to fill Adelaide. It's squashed between gorgeous, tall mountains, and the parliament building is smaller than that religious museum in Glasgow - and it's the only old building in town. That sums up Andorra-la-vella, and I spent the afternoon walking around, soaking up the oddness of it all.
Last note - saw cans of Kronenbourg for 40 cents in the shops - may have to treat myself to a beer tonight.

Day 23: Paris - Toulouse

Before the day even really starts, a story on the perils of hostels: when I went to bed last night, I was the only one in the room - I presumed some others would be arriving late. I was woken up by the reception-desk guy who told me I had to move to another room - a group of Germans had booked the whole room, and no-one thought to tell me about the change. Presumably the Germans called staff upon finding a stranger asleep in the room! So, I dressed, packed, moved to the new room where I woke a middle-aged Italian lady who apparently thought she had booked a private room.
Now on the train to Toulouse, and budget aside, looking forward to a private room tonight.

Thank all the heavens there aren't any hostels in Toulouse: it's forced me to get a hotel for the night, and it's a nice change from the patience-trying Paris hostels. Also - shock! - the owner praised my French, so brownie points for me.
Toulouse is lovely - lots of trees, pedestrian streets, pretty buildings - and less of a superiority complex than Paris, I'll bet. Cheaper too. I should stay longer. The scenery on the long train ride here was beautiful, especially after Limoges. Lots of forested rolling hills and precariously perched villages. It confirmed in my mind that Australia really is a) flat and b) devoid of people.

Day 22: Paris

1. The French hate me. I paid at a café with coins, and when the waiter asked for "le service," I pretended to not understand and ran away. "'Le service,' qu'est-ce que c'est? Je ne comprends pas..."
2. To all Americans: you are not the only English-speakers in the world. An American asked me to take "un photo, s'il vous plait." When I answered in English, he said, "oh, you're American!" I corrected him, and he said, "well, you speak good English." Ugh.
This and more happened on a trip to Versailles, the biggest, busiest and most expensive tourist spot in Paris. First of all, the crowds were truly monstrous, as were the gardens. The gardens are all about size - big hedges, big ponds, big lawns, big fountains, lots of statues. There aren't many details or cosy corners - actually there are a couple, but they're pretty hard to find.
It took me forever to figure out how to actually get into the palace - when I did, I was suitably wowed. It's Chatsworth plus the Louvre and multiplied a few times, more or less. Astonishingly opulent. No wonder the French peasantry revolted. Not much more to say - it's very big and very, very fancy.
Trained back to Paris proper, and went for a walk from the Jardin du Luxembourg (which is lovely) to la Tour Montparnasse - notable for being the only skyscraper in central Paris.
Had a rest back in the hostel before going for a walk up the street, and am glad I did - it's noisy, dirty and uncouth - decidedly un-Parisian. Also found a little market that's 90% African and Maghreb. Lots of these folks are straight out of Senegal/Mali/Algeria etc, so lots of languages, lots of colours, and lots of noise.

Day 21: Paris

The street corner outside my hostel is really crazy in the evenings: crowds of mostly Arab guys selling cigarettes, watches and jewellery out of their pockets, or generally just milling around and making a racket. With the quiet charm of Montmartre just around the corner, it's a fun contrast.
Spent a lot of time on the metro today, zipping from one sight to another. First, went to the Centre Georges Pompidou, which was crazy and ugly, and also closed. So, went to the Pantheon instead. The Pantheon is basically an enormous classically-styled hall, sparsely decorated with sculpture and paintings, as well as Foucault's Pendulum.
Next, went back to Montmartre looking for my one French café lunch. Dealt with the staff bilingually (better than most Parisians, who are like, "oh, a foreigner - no French for you, then). Committed cardinal sin by ordering coffee instead of wine - I say their fault for not selling wine by the glass. Overall, lovely lunch.
Last stop, la Musée d’Orsay, home of impressionism. Rooms devoted to Van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, among others. Saw most of the impressionist paintings that I know. On the downside, the worst crowds I've seen yet in Paris - the Van Gogh room was an especially maddenning crush.
Had a lovely, long walk back to the hostel, taking in lots of Paris streets on the way. Parisian streets really are full of cafés, boulangeries, patisseries, fromageries, fancy shops, and grand, beautiful buildings - the stereotypes are true.
Going to go look at the Moulin Rouge tonight, and will actually get there, unlike last night's aborted attempt, wearing thongs in the rain. Whoops.

Day 20: Paris

I saw the French president today, completely by accident. I was walking past the Palais de Chaillot and saw a big crowd milling around a door, so I figured someone important was coming out. Turned out I was right.
Started the day at the Eiffel Tower, as was required by my being a tourist. Climbed a honkload of stairs to the first and second floors. It's bloody huge, even bigger than I had imagined. Great fun playing spot-the-monument when looking at the Paris skyline. The Eiffel Tower is BIG, y'all. What else is there to say?
Crossed the Seine, saw the president, walked to the Arc de Triomphe, in the middle of the world's biggest roundabout, which means lots of traffic. The Arc is also huge (surprise!) and has a lot of memorial bits and bobs - most interestingly, a plaque commemorating the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France, and the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Next, strolled down the Champs Elysees. Lots of glamourous shops, none of which I bothered to enter. Ended up on the Place de la Concorde, which, despite the very cool Egyptian Obelisk and ferris wheel, is mostly concrete and traffic, hence, not all that pretty.
Wandered to the Musée d’Orsay, but it's closed on Mondays. Instead, went to the Natural History Museum, but it cost 8 euros for just one hall, and there was only one hour left anyway, so I declined and ended the sightseeing there.
Paris has lots of well-groomed dogs, scooters and nice haircuts. Paris has no kombinis or ice coffees - this is une vraie tragedie!

Day 19: Paris

It's a bitch getting around the Louvre, but it's absolutely worth it.
So I'm in Paris, the city I've always wanted to go to moreso than anywhere else. It's very complicated, everyone seems important, and every street is a revelation.
Began with a pastry breakfast in front of the Basilique Sacré Coeur, thinking to myself, "I am sitting in front of the Sacré Coeur, how cool ist that?" Wandered Montmartre, which is utterly charming and surprisingly quiet and tourist-free, mostly. Kept thinking of Amélie, but couldn't find Les Deux Moulins.
Next stop, Nôtre Dame, via the Hôtel de Ville. Nôtre Dame is spectacular, of course, but there was a service on, so I felt a little intrusive. Also, when it says no photos, it means NO PHOTOS, you buggers. Man, I can't stand it when tourists can't follow simple rules.
Finally, crossed the Pont Neuf, stopped at a Starbucks (my excuse - Parisian cafés don't do iced coffees) and went to the Louvre. The swarms go straight to the Mona Lisa, but for me, the most important piece is Hammurabi's Code - which no-one else was visiting. Also seen: the Venus de Milo, Raft of the Medusa, and Napoleon III's apartments. It's an astoundingly gorgeous place, what more can you say?

Day 18: Bonsall - Paris

Spent the day on trains, first Matlock - Derby, then Derby - London, then London - Paris. The Tube is really bloody expensive if you buy tickets one at a time. Also, the local English trains are nicer than the Eurostar. In principle, getting the train from London to Paris is really cool, but in practice, it's no better than any other train.
Will write about Paris tomorrow. For now, staying on a nice street in a weird place with no pillows. Also, French supermarkets are neat and have lots of cheese.