Monday, March 21, 2005
Leaving London
In 3 days, My stay in London will come to an abrupt end, and I will begin my travels around Italy Switzerland and Germany, which I have decided to take a loan and go through with, even though I know I cant afford it. Leaving London is much harder than I ever would have expected, I have really grown used to living here, developed a routine with work school and the nightlife. I am going to never see most of the people I have spent the last 3 months with ever again, which is a hard concept to swallow, because I have connected with people here in some cases on a much more personal level than friends I have had for years back in the US. The one thing I wont miss is the drama that I was thrown into out here, I look forward to my old, boring life, it will be refreshing. Exam today, presentatation Wednesday, Train ride through franceinto Italy Thursday. Heartbroken right now though.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
When in Rome
If my weekend could have been any more unpredictable, I just wouldn't know what to do with myself. Here is a summary of the last few days (starting from the end of the trip)
-Missed my flight home...I arrived at the Rome Ciampino airport 35 min before my flight was scheduled to take off, because it was 5 am, and I couldn't find a bus to take me there, and had no money for a taxi. Ryanair (airlines) would not let me check in, even though they hadn't even started boarding the plane, the lady even starting mocking me when we heard the plane take off, after she made me buy a new ticket. Real Dodgy
-Drank wine with some kids from San Fransisco on the famous Spanish Steps, until 3 in the morning. A group of drunk Danish girls came and hit on me, trying to convince me they were a few years older than they really were. One of them claimed to be known in her country as "Princess Sophia" yeah, and I'm one of the 40 thieves. Saw a Lamborghini smart car, tried to pick it up, its a funny picture.
-Met some backpackers from Seattle in a pub, who turn out to be the infamous backpackers that everyone in my school in London has heard about, since they met these girls and ended up staying in their closet for a couple weeks. Real small world. Also met a crazy old guy who was fascinated that Kalamazoo was in fact a legit city, and not just part of a title from some song. Yes there really is a Kalamazoo.
-Spent 2 days in Rome alone, Saw all the famous sites, took the open bus/boat tour, walked through the ruins, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican, saw the pope at his hospital,(poor guy) Played some blues for hundreds of Italians dining/site seeing at Navona Piazza with this crazy musician who played his guitar upside down, made friends with an artist who drew me a portrait of me at Navona Piazza, saw some hilarious street performers. Ate Gellato and pizza a few times
-My travel companion flips out because I talked to this Irish girl for 10 minutes, leaves Rome and goes to Florence, steals my 8 Euro bottle of wine, and flies back to London a night early.
-Arrive in Rome with no place to stay, because the Hotel my travel companion was supposed to book canceled the free room I had been promised, because stupid girl failed to answer her phone all week.
Unfortunate, I might have to cancel the backpacking trip, since my funds have run short, but i will definitely return to Italy in the appropriate time, the people are beautiful, warm and friendly, and the food is incredible.
Dublin this Thursday, and a ridiculous amount of work besides that.
-Missed my flight home...I arrived at the Rome Ciampino airport 35 min before my flight was scheduled to take off, because it was 5 am, and I couldn't find a bus to take me there, and had no money for a taxi. Ryanair (airlines) would not let me check in, even though they hadn't even started boarding the plane, the lady even starting mocking me when we heard the plane take off, after she made me buy a new ticket. Real Dodgy
-Drank wine with some kids from San Fransisco on the famous Spanish Steps, until 3 in the morning. A group of drunk Danish girls came and hit on me, trying to convince me they were a few years older than they really were. One of them claimed to be known in her country as "Princess Sophia" yeah, and I'm one of the 40 thieves. Saw a Lamborghini smart car, tried to pick it up, its a funny picture.
-Met some backpackers from Seattle in a pub, who turn out to be the infamous backpackers that everyone in my school in London has heard about, since they met these girls and ended up staying in their closet for a couple weeks. Real small world. Also met a crazy old guy who was fascinated that Kalamazoo was in fact a legit city, and not just part of a title from some song. Yes there really is a Kalamazoo.
-Spent 2 days in Rome alone, Saw all the famous sites, took the open bus/boat tour, walked through the ruins, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican, saw the pope at his hospital,(poor guy) Played some blues for hundreds of Italians dining/site seeing at Navona Piazza with this crazy musician who played his guitar upside down, made friends with an artist who drew me a portrait of me at Navona Piazza, saw some hilarious street performers. Ate Gellato and pizza a few times
-My travel companion flips out because I talked to this Irish girl for 10 minutes, leaves Rome and goes to Florence, steals my 8 Euro bottle of wine, and flies back to London a night early.
-Arrive in Rome with no place to stay, because the Hotel my travel companion was supposed to book canceled the free room I had been promised, because stupid girl failed to answer her phone all week.
Unfortunate, I might have to cancel the backpacking trip, since my funds have run short, but i will definitely return to Italy in the appropriate time, the people are beautiful, warm and friendly, and the food is incredible.
Dublin this Thursday, and a ridiculous amount of work besides that.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
American Invasion
Only London could inspire me to go out to a Irish pub, at 12:30, on Wednesday. Saw a decent Beatles cover band, though they were also Americans, and had no solid front man. They got the room dancing though, and British people dance funny, so it was amusing.
All the spring break crowd has finally left our apartment, one of the guys ended up being fraternity brothers with some really good friends of mine back home. small world. My cousin just got proposed to, in a semi-arranged setting. I'm happy for her, she will be moving to Denver next year. The new trend with arranged marriages, from what I've been hearing from people, is more of a formal introduction by the parents, and then letting the couple work out between themselves if they will tie the knot, or not. If i was put in that scenario, I hope my parents would set me up with a girl like Ashwaira Rai, because my hidden talent as a Bollywood actor/singer could be discovered.
God damnit, I love the band MUSE. When I saw their singer/vocalist at the Curioso festival last summer, my dying inner child woke up when he put my rock n roll days to shame. He is a wild man on guitar, and even switches to piano in some of his intense solos. I can flat out say, I am jealous of this musician, why am i not doing what he is doing? The only songs coming out of guitar are poor Spanish flamenco renditions. Regardless, this band is doing some great things for rock n roll, and any bad review they have gotten has been written by some guy that failed to get laid the night before he insulted them. I hate critics. Rome in a few hours, I'm learning some Italian phrases on this website I found, that also has mp3s so you can practice pronunciation.
Arrivederco.
All the spring break crowd has finally left our apartment, one of the guys ended up being fraternity brothers with some really good friends of mine back home. small world. My cousin just got proposed to, in a semi-arranged setting. I'm happy for her, she will be moving to Denver next year. The new trend with arranged marriages, from what I've been hearing from people, is more of a formal introduction by the parents, and then letting the couple work out between themselves if they will tie the knot, or not. If i was put in that scenario, I hope my parents would set me up with a girl like Ashwaira Rai, because my hidden talent as a Bollywood actor/singer could be discovered.
God damnit, I love the band MUSE. When I saw their singer/vocalist at the Curioso festival last summer, my dying inner child woke up when he put my rock n roll days to shame. He is a wild man on guitar, and even switches to piano in some of his intense solos. I can flat out say, I am jealous of this musician, why am i not doing what he is doing? The only songs coming out of guitar are poor Spanish flamenco renditions. Regardless, this band is doing some great things for rock n roll, and any bad review they have gotten has been written by some guy that failed to get laid the night before he insulted them. I hate critics. Rome in a few hours, I'm learning some Italian phrases on this website I found, that also has mp3s so you can practice pronunciation.
Arrivederco.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
The Underground
After a 10 hour day working for the mouse, I caught the tube home, which I had to wait for 20 minutes since it was passed 8 pm. While standing in the underground that time, the coldness of this city finally got the better of me. I don't understand how these people here can carry on and leave conversation as a last resort. (Usually the only words spoken are excuse me) Its a rather awkward scene for me to be in, and I'm an introvert.
On the escalator going up to the streets, you have to stand on the right side so that people who are in a hurry can pass you. On Oxford Street, there is a proposal to create an express lane, for walkers. I saw a grown man push a child out of the way walking up the moving escalator last week, not it a comical way as Will Ferrell does in the movie Old School, after shooting himself with a tranquilizer.,no this bloke I saw was just flat out mean. Unless you have an Ipod in this city, this city can bring you down sometimes. Way to go, Steve.
After a long, tiresome day of work, and homework, the band that I used to despise, which happens to be British as well, Oasis, has actually brought some enjoyment to my day. I guess these things grow on you in time.
I still love London, it would just be nice to see the sun once and a while is all. Gonna check out the East end tomorow with my friend Davis, I guess its where the thugs in London party at. Finally, my kind of crowd. word.
On the escalator going up to the streets, you have to stand on the right side so that people who are in a hurry can pass you. On Oxford Street, there is a proposal to create an express lane, for walkers. I saw a grown man push a child out of the way walking up the moving escalator last week, not it a comical way as Will Ferrell does in the movie Old School, after shooting himself with a tranquilizer.,no this bloke I saw was just flat out mean. Unless you have an Ipod in this city, this city can bring you down sometimes. Way to go, Steve.
After a long, tiresome day of work, and homework, the band that I used to despise, which happens to be British as well, Oasis, has actually brought some enjoyment to my day. I guess these things grow on you in time.
I still love London, it would just be nice to see the sun once and a while is all. Gonna check out the East end tomorow with my friend Davis, I guess its where the thugs in London party at. Finally, my kind of crowd. word.
Welcome
It has occurred to me, during my various travels this winter that I should begin publishing my thoughts, and given a free outlet, I will attempt to devout a minimal amount of time to updating this blog.
Currently, I am getting ready for my trip to Rome this weekend, which may be not quite what I expected after US soldiers killed an Italian secret service agent and wounded the kidnapped journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, who was recently released by the Iraqi insurgents.
So i guess this weekend, I will be Canadian again... (with Italian ancestry of course if I meet a Bella donna italiana) This war is getting out of hand, and I fear that other conflicts the US has identified will be dealt with in similar fashion. The current situations with N Korea, Syria, and Iran all scare me tremendously. Most recently China laying a law over Taiwan, which will allow military action if the island pursues its Independence is another global nightmare. (since China has raised its arms budget almost 13 percent, just in time for Europe to lift its arms embargo.)
If there is one thing I learned on this trip, it is that you carry your country on your shoulders, no matter where you go, and also no matter what ideals you hold.
On a brighter note, my first marketing promotion has gone live for Walt Disney's Toontown "The Incredible's Fishing Tournament."
-J
Currently, I am getting ready for my trip to Rome this weekend, which may be not quite what I expected after US soldiers killed an Italian secret service agent and wounded the kidnapped journalist, Giuliana Sgrena, who was recently released by the Iraqi insurgents.
So i guess this weekend, I will be Canadian again... (with Italian ancestry of course if I meet a Bella donna italiana) This war is getting out of hand, and I fear that other conflicts the US has identified will be dealt with in similar fashion. The current situations with N Korea, Syria, and Iran all scare me tremendously. Most recently China laying a law over Taiwan, which will allow military action if the island pursues its Independence is another global nightmare. (since China has raised its arms budget almost 13 percent, just in time for Europe to lift its arms embargo.)
If there is one thing I learned on this trip, it is that you carry your country on your shoulders, no matter where you go, and also no matter what ideals you hold.
On a brighter note, my first marketing promotion has gone live for Walt Disney's Toontown "The Incredible's Fishing Tournament."
-J
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