I've ridden on the metro/subway/whatever they call 'em in the following cities:
- Toronto
- Paris
- Montreal
- Brussels
- Vienna
- Milan
- Budapest
- Athens
The TTC is fine for getting to wherever you need it to go, but I really think they should expand the subway lines, cause riding metros in other cities just makes Toronto look bad...and I love the subway. I love sitting/standing/leaning in crowded TTC cars, and rushing up/down the escalator with the rest of the commuters. Hearing the arpeggiated chord before the door closes. People watching. Feeling anonymous. So many things I love, but it's just two lines (sorry, I still don't count the Sheppard line - give me a little bit more time).
Saturday, April 23, 2005
There Are No Shortcuts
There Are No Shortcuts, by Rafe Esquith
Read after leaving it on my bookcase since June 2003.
This book, written by a Los Angeles teacher, was, I dunno...interesting. Sort of. I guess what he was saying wasn't anything new or spectacular to me. I think (or at least, hope) most teachers go into the profession because they want to make a difference and do the right thing, and at least in their B.Ed. year (or equivalent) they are inspired to do just that. Over time, for the most part that I've been exposed to, I notice that teachers seem to care less and less. Like they're just going through the paces. That they're getting tired of doing new and exciting things. Of course there are exceptions to this, and luckily some of the teachers I'd had over the years fall into this category.
Anyway, the author was telling a little bit about his career, what he tries to do in his class, the lessons that he tries to instill in his students. It sounds pretty impressive, what he gets his students to accomplish in grade 5, students from a "rough" part of town. So as vague as I sometimes try to be on this blog, I think I've said a couple times by accident, or it's basically obvious that I'm a teacher. And I'd like to hope that I'm still pretty driven to be creative, be the best person I can possibly be, inspire my students to be better, push my students to their limits, try to learn about myself through my students, etc etc etc, so maybe that's why this book didn't have that much of an effect on me. I mean, because the author's trying to inspire teachers to do something better, but I'm still at the point that I want to accomplish all of these things anyway. Unfortunately I didn't feel like I learned many little hints about how I can be as accomplished as the author, accept I seemed to get the vibe that he really didn't care about what administrators think. I got the vibe that he always pushed the limits, risked getting fired for doing certain things...and that he is encouraging others to follow suit. I'm not too sure if I want to do that right now. That was the point though, that teachers should take risks, and fight the system, and do whatever had to be done, but realistically, I don't think it can happen right now. Maybe that's not true, maybe I'm just too scared to do it, but I'm happy with that. I still think that I'm making a little bit of a difference. I think courage takes time to grow, and maybe after a little while, I'll feel more comfortable pushing the envelope. His accomplishments do sound impressive, but something about the book just left me uneasy. I don't know if it was that he was really boasting about what he does in his book (I guess the whole point of the book was for him to talk about himself as a teacher), or the "breaking of the rules" thing that I mentioned before. I don't know. It wasn't completely horrible, but the book didn't blow me away.
It was/is nice to know that there are other people out there who are trying to make a difference. To try to make a difference in the future generation.
Another book read. I'm on a roll!
Read after leaving it on my bookcase since June 2003.
This book, written by a Los Angeles teacher, was, I dunno...interesting. Sort of. I guess what he was saying wasn't anything new or spectacular to me. I think (or at least, hope) most teachers go into the profession because they want to make a difference and do the right thing, and at least in their B.Ed. year (or equivalent) they are inspired to do just that. Over time, for the most part that I've been exposed to, I notice that teachers seem to care less and less. Like they're just going through the paces. That they're getting tired of doing new and exciting things. Of course there are exceptions to this, and luckily some of the teachers I'd had over the years fall into this category.
Anyway, the author was telling a little bit about his career, what he tries to do in his class, the lessons that he tries to instill in his students. It sounds pretty impressive, what he gets his students to accomplish in grade 5, students from a "rough" part of town. So as vague as I sometimes try to be on this blog, I think I've said a couple times by accident, or it's basically obvious that I'm a teacher. And I'd like to hope that I'm still pretty driven to be creative, be the best person I can possibly be, inspire my students to be better, push my students to their limits, try to learn about myself through my students, etc etc etc, so maybe that's why this book didn't have that much of an effect on me. I mean, because the author's trying to inspire teachers to do something better, but I'm still at the point that I want to accomplish all of these things anyway. Unfortunately I didn't feel like I learned many little hints about how I can be as accomplished as the author, accept I seemed to get the vibe that he really didn't care about what administrators think. I got the vibe that he always pushed the limits, risked getting fired for doing certain things...and that he is encouraging others to follow suit. I'm not too sure if I want to do that right now. That was the point though, that teachers should take risks, and fight the system, and do whatever had to be done, but realistically, I don't think it can happen right now. Maybe that's not true, maybe I'm just too scared to do it, but I'm happy with that. I still think that I'm making a little bit of a difference. I think courage takes time to grow, and maybe after a little while, I'll feel more comfortable pushing the envelope. His accomplishments do sound impressive, but something about the book just left me uneasy. I don't know if it was that he was really boasting about what he does in his book (I guess the whole point of the book was for him to talk about himself as a teacher), or the "breaking of the rules" thing that I mentioned before. I don't know. It wasn't completely horrible, but the book didn't blow me away.
It was/is nice to know that there are other people out there who are trying to make a difference. To try to make a difference in the future generation.
Another book read. I'm on a roll!
Weird feeling
I'm currently typing from my residence room at Herstmonceux Castle. I'm having freaky flashbacks to first year university. Plain grey carpet. Drab cutains on the windows. Two beds. Two desks. Two chairs. Two bookcases above the desks. Two armoires. Two bedside tables. Two bulletin boards.
Well, it's a little different I guess. I was in a single room.
Well, it's a little different I guess. I was in a single room.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Week 1 of Spring Break
Here in Europe, we don’t have March Break like most school in Canada do. Instead we have two weeks of holiday around Easter time (think back your History classes…it makes sense).
The first week of the break, I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, because I really wanted to experience something like it. I’d never done anything like that before, and if I do say so myself, I like to grow as much as possible as an individual. I would be on the trip with 12 other people, and I thought it would be really interesting working in a small group, doing something that I’d never done before, and being in an area that I’d never traveled to (Eastern Europe).
I was nervous, but also excited before we went. I really had no idea what to expect from the experience (including lots of factors that I don’t really want to get into over the very public internet).
Due to the placement of the Easter holidays this year, we didn’t go straight to our building area (Beius, Romania). Instead, we spent a weekend in Budapest, Hungary seeing the sights, and building up even more anticipation for what we going about the experience.
Budapest was alright I suppose. We had a nice little adventure getting from the airport to the hotel, because we decided that we couldn’t afford the airport taxi service. Instead, we took the bus/metro. We must have looked pretty funny (the 13 of us) with our HUGE suitcases (we’d packed for two weeks), speaking no Hungarian, looking very confused. We made it though, and it really wasn’t too bad. It was FUN!
That weekend, was grey. The whole weekend was grey and rainy. I think that really influenced my perception of the city. Sure there were things to see, but as I’ve said many times before, you’ve got the cathedral, the open square, the train station, the opera house, the parliament, the pedestrian street (ok, I added in a couple extra things)…they’re all the same in each of the European cities. I did enjoy it though, because for most of the time, I wandered alone, feeling very anonymous. The buildings really were beautiful, and unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to go into any of them, nor any of the museums, because I decided to use my time seeing quantity (over quality). That’s what next time is for. I always feel like my first time in a city is to scope out the situation. To get a taste for the area, get my bearings, and then when I return, I’ll really know where to go, what I want to do, etc.
While we were there, the Spring Festival was happening. In one of the main squares, there were booths set up, with vendors selling food, craft items…a stage was set up with performances…there were tables and chairs set up to sit, watch, eat, relax…what an amazing atmosphere!
One interesting experience. A couple of us decide that we should go probably the most famous Spa in Budapest. This would be my first spa experience, so I was really excited. I thought that I should really go all out and get some kind of special massage or something. When we arrive, we find out that they are not doing any more special treatments that day, because the Spa is too busy (it was Easter Sunday). Okay, fine. So we grudgingly decide to just pay our entry for the “hot spring bath”. We weren’t going to leave without saying that we’d done something at this place. So we go in…which was a whole experience in itself, because I have to say that the sales people were NOT very friendly (yelling orders at us, pushing us here, there). Then we casually ask if we can still get a massage. Here comes the sketch. Under her breath, the lady says yes, and discretely beckons us to follow her into, yup, the back room. It’s dirty, and ghetto looking. Ultra sketch. There are five of us, and five massage therapists, so all seems fine. The lady asks us to pay her ___ amount in cash. The amount per person is slightly more than what we would have had to pay if we bought tickets. We have to go back to changeroom to get our money, but we’re skeptical, so we don’t really had it over quite yet. One person I was with gave the lady her share of the money. Once we all reassemble in the massage room, she repeats the cost, and we compile our money (less the one girl who’s already paid) and put it on the table in front of her. She counts it and says we’re short. We tell her, no, that’s because on girl’s already paid. “Oh yes”, she says, and proceeds to pull out the bills that had been given to her. But there’s a problem, because the bills don’t total the amount that she was given. Some coins are missing. We point this out and she says that she was only given bills. How curious that when the lady walks around, we can hear something clinking in her pocket. One of us has been pulled away by a masseuse to start her massage, and we soon see her inching her way back to us. She was thoroughly creeped out by the masseuse. The rest of us, and getting really sketched out, because the room’s creepy, the ladies are creepy, and they’re trying to pocket our money!!! We decide not to continue any longer, we grab our money and run (well, okay, walk very quickly) out the room to the sound of the ladies yelling after us not to leave, that they want to give us massages! *shudder* So we just go to the hot spring bath and soak ourselves in salty, hot water. I forget what temperature it was…it was written on the wall though. There were two pools in the room. One was a couple degrees colder than the other. Most were in the hotter pool. So we sat there and chatted. It wasn’t anything special at all. It really reminded me of the videos and texts that I’d seen/used in my high school Latin classes (about the Roman bathhouses). The tiled mosaics. The people sitting in the pool chatting. The people sitting on the ledge chatting. There were ladies with bathing suits on, and some without. Ahhh…European life. *shudder* It was yet another experience that I don’t regret (you can always benefit SOMEHOW by each experience), but I will never do it again. Sketchy.
One night we ate dinner at the little Festival Square. The food was delicious. It was Hungarian, but it really wasn’t anything special. A stir fry of meat, vegetables and potatoes, with some kind of spice. I would be eating goulash on a different day, so I wasn’t concerned. There is a dessert and I also forget the name of. It’s a pastry that they bake over hot coals on this spit sort-of contraption. The pastry is a hollow tube of doughy goodness. You can get it just with sugar, or with cinnamon, or vanilla…yummy.
Budapest is gorgeous at night. All of the major monuments are light up with lights…dare I say, it’s almost as gorgeous as Paris at night? It really is beautiful. The lights, the impressive monuments and buildings lining the Danube. That’s right, the Danube (anyone all of a sudden hear Strauss in their head?). Wonderful.
Monday morning, we’re picked up by someone from Habitat Beius. We sit in a van for, oh, 5 hours to get to our destination. Then, cause of the time difference, we didn’t actually get to Beius until 6 hours after we’d left Hungary. We were pretty exhausted once we got there. Just in time for dinner! While in Beius, we would be working with a school group from Dublin, Ireland. Hooray for fun accents! They were pretty perky when they met us at dinner, but we were all zombies after the drive, so it was a pretty odd meeting (for both parties).
Our accommodations while we were there would be at a local family’s home. We had the house all to ourselves. It was really fun! There were multiple beds crammed into each room. Good vibes, and good times!
The daily routine for the week was pretty structured. Wake-up at whatever time in order to be at breakfast (all meals were at a local restaurant – 15 minute walk) for 7:30am. Get on bus to arrive at building site for 8:30am. Work. Short, 15min morning break with snacks/tea/coffee sometime that’s convenient. Lunch from noon to 1pm. Back on site until 6pm with another short afternoon break with snacks/tea/coffee whenever convenient. Bussed back home. Dinner at 8:30pm. Sleep as much as possible and repeat. It was utterly fantastic.
Building was incredible. On the first day, we arrived to a plot of land that had nothing. We started from scratch (well, okay, there was a little bit of foundation there). We started by building the frames for the roof. Then the walls. It was absolutely incredible watching the first wall be put up. When it was lying on its side, I was a little confused as to what it was that we were trying to do…but as soon as it went up…wow. It was a wall. All four of them were put up, then the roof as well. It was amazing. Of course they didn’t have any cranes or anything helping to raise the roof up onto the walls. Lots of people helping lift…lots of people working together. It was incredible. I can’t even describe in more detail how amazing it was…I guess it was yet another once in a lifetime experiences that I’m so thankful for, and that I would strongly urge everyone to try for themselves. After the skeleton of the house was set up, we put styrofoam on the walls, concrete stuff and some netting...roof tiles were put up…insulation was put in the house, walls to divide up the room…by the time we left it really did look like a little house. We knew the group that would be going in just after we left, and they did a little work on the house as well. They didn’t finish it (because of other stuff that was going on), but they added paint and stucco to the walls and window frames and stuff.
Anyway, I’d tell you about Beius and how great the town was an stuff, but the problem is that we didn’t really get to see much of it. We got a chance to eat at a local restaurant for all of our meals (as mentioned before), walk around a little bit, be driven through the town, see some ethnic dancing and musical acts, but that’s about it. We had some visits to local places on our itinerary, but we decided to scrap those plans to build more hours. Due to the placement of the Easter weekend, we could only build for 3.5 days MAX. We wanted to do more. We wanted to help more. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out that way. Still, I’m grateful for being able to do something. To help somehow. To experience the wonderfulness that is Habitat. I was REALLY REALLY sad to be leaving. It was one of the best (if not the best – I don’t even want to have to decide on my favorite thing of the year so far) experiences thus far in my big European adventure.
After leaving Beius, we head back to Budapest for a night, and stay at the same hostel (which wasn’t too sketchy – yeehaw!) as the next group that’s coming in. It was so nice to see them, tell them about how wonderful the experience was for us (and will be for them), and spend another night in Budapest eating good food, and staring at gorgeous lights.
I’ve ranted long enough. Just know that I would highly recommend getting involved with Habitat for Humanity. I enjoyed every moment of the trip. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about others. I had a lot of fun. I met a lot of people. I also used a power drill!
The first week of the break, I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, because I really wanted to experience something like it. I’d never done anything like that before, and if I do say so myself, I like to grow as much as possible as an individual. I would be on the trip with 12 other people, and I thought it would be really interesting working in a small group, doing something that I’d never done before, and being in an area that I’d never traveled to (Eastern Europe).
I was nervous, but also excited before we went. I really had no idea what to expect from the experience (including lots of factors that I don’t really want to get into over the very public internet).
Due to the placement of the Easter holidays this year, we didn’t go straight to our building area (Beius, Romania). Instead, we spent a weekend in Budapest, Hungary seeing the sights, and building up even more anticipation for what we going about the experience.
Budapest was alright I suppose. We had a nice little adventure getting from the airport to the hotel, because we decided that we couldn’t afford the airport taxi service. Instead, we took the bus/metro. We must have looked pretty funny (the 13 of us) with our HUGE suitcases (we’d packed for two weeks), speaking no Hungarian, looking very confused. We made it though, and it really wasn’t too bad. It was FUN!
That weekend, was grey. The whole weekend was grey and rainy. I think that really influenced my perception of the city. Sure there were things to see, but as I’ve said many times before, you’ve got the cathedral, the open square, the train station, the opera house, the parliament, the pedestrian street (ok, I added in a couple extra things)…they’re all the same in each of the European cities. I did enjoy it though, because for most of the time, I wandered alone, feeling very anonymous. The buildings really were beautiful, and unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to go into any of them, nor any of the museums, because I decided to use my time seeing quantity (over quality). That’s what next time is for. I always feel like my first time in a city is to scope out the situation. To get a taste for the area, get my bearings, and then when I return, I’ll really know where to go, what I want to do, etc.
While we were there, the Spring Festival was happening. In one of the main squares, there were booths set up, with vendors selling food, craft items…a stage was set up with performances…there were tables and chairs set up to sit, watch, eat, relax…what an amazing atmosphere!
One interesting experience. A couple of us decide that we should go probably the most famous Spa in Budapest. This would be my first spa experience, so I was really excited. I thought that I should really go all out and get some kind of special massage or something. When we arrive, we find out that they are not doing any more special treatments that day, because the Spa is too busy (it was Easter Sunday). Okay, fine. So we grudgingly decide to just pay our entry for the “hot spring bath”. We weren’t going to leave without saying that we’d done something at this place. So we go in…which was a whole experience in itself, because I have to say that the sales people were NOT very friendly (yelling orders at us, pushing us here, there). Then we casually ask if we can still get a massage. Here comes the sketch. Under her breath, the lady says yes, and discretely beckons us to follow her into, yup, the back room. It’s dirty, and ghetto looking. Ultra sketch. There are five of us, and five massage therapists, so all seems fine. The lady asks us to pay her ___ amount in cash. The amount per person is slightly more than what we would have had to pay if we bought tickets. We have to go back to changeroom to get our money, but we’re skeptical, so we don’t really had it over quite yet. One person I was with gave the lady her share of the money. Once we all reassemble in the massage room, she repeats the cost, and we compile our money (less the one girl who’s already paid) and put it on the table in front of her. She counts it and says we’re short. We tell her, no, that’s because on girl’s already paid. “Oh yes”, she says, and proceeds to pull out the bills that had been given to her. But there’s a problem, because the bills don’t total the amount that she was given. Some coins are missing. We point this out and she says that she was only given bills. How curious that when the lady walks around, we can hear something clinking in her pocket. One of us has been pulled away by a masseuse to start her massage, and we soon see her inching her way back to us. She was thoroughly creeped out by the masseuse. The rest of us, and getting really sketched out, because the room’s creepy, the ladies are creepy, and they’re trying to pocket our money!!! We decide not to continue any longer, we grab our money and run (well, okay, walk very quickly) out the room to the sound of the ladies yelling after us not to leave, that they want to give us massages! *shudder* So we just go to the hot spring bath and soak ourselves in salty, hot water. I forget what temperature it was…it was written on the wall though. There were two pools in the room. One was a couple degrees colder than the other. Most were in the hotter pool. So we sat there and chatted. It wasn’t anything special at all. It really reminded me of the videos and texts that I’d seen/used in my high school Latin classes (about the Roman bathhouses). The tiled mosaics. The people sitting in the pool chatting. The people sitting on the ledge chatting. There were ladies with bathing suits on, and some without. Ahhh…European life. *shudder* It was yet another experience that I don’t regret (you can always benefit SOMEHOW by each experience), but I will never do it again. Sketchy.
One night we ate dinner at the little Festival Square. The food was delicious. It was Hungarian, but it really wasn’t anything special. A stir fry of meat, vegetables and potatoes, with some kind of spice. I would be eating goulash on a different day, so I wasn’t concerned. There is a dessert and I also forget the name of. It’s a pastry that they bake over hot coals on this spit sort-of contraption. The pastry is a hollow tube of doughy goodness. You can get it just with sugar, or with cinnamon, or vanilla…yummy.
Budapest is gorgeous at night. All of the major monuments are light up with lights…dare I say, it’s almost as gorgeous as Paris at night? It really is beautiful. The lights, the impressive monuments and buildings lining the Danube. That’s right, the Danube (anyone all of a sudden hear Strauss in their head?). Wonderful.
Monday morning, we’re picked up by someone from Habitat Beius. We sit in a van for, oh, 5 hours to get to our destination. Then, cause of the time difference, we didn’t actually get to Beius until 6 hours after we’d left Hungary. We were pretty exhausted once we got there. Just in time for dinner! While in Beius, we would be working with a school group from Dublin, Ireland. Hooray for fun accents! They were pretty perky when they met us at dinner, but we were all zombies after the drive, so it was a pretty odd meeting (for both parties).
Our accommodations while we were there would be at a local family’s home. We had the house all to ourselves. It was really fun! There were multiple beds crammed into each room. Good vibes, and good times!
The daily routine for the week was pretty structured. Wake-up at whatever time in order to be at breakfast (all meals were at a local restaurant – 15 minute walk) for 7:30am. Get on bus to arrive at building site for 8:30am. Work. Short, 15min morning break with snacks/tea/coffee sometime that’s convenient. Lunch from noon to 1pm. Back on site until 6pm with another short afternoon break with snacks/tea/coffee whenever convenient. Bussed back home. Dinner at 8:30pm. Sleep as much as possible and repeat. It was utterly fantastic.
Building was incredible. On the first day, we arrived to a plot of land that had nothing. We started from scratch (well, okay, there was a little bit of foundation there). We started by building the frames for the roof. Then the walls. It was absolutely incredible watching the first wall be put up. When it was lying on its side, I was a little confused as to what it was that we were trying to do…but as soon as it went up…wow. It was a wall. All four of them were put up, then the roof as well. It was amazing. Of course they didn’t have any cranes or anything helping to raise the roof up onto the walls. Lots of people helping lift…lots of people working together. It was incredible. I can’t even describe in more detail how amazing it was…I guess it was yet another once in a lifetime experiences that I’m so thankful for, and that I would strongly urge everyone to try for themselves. After the skeleton of the house was set up, we put styrofoam on the walls, concrete stuff and some netting...roof tiles were put up…insulation was put in the house, walls to divide up the room…by the time we left it really did look like a little house. We knew the group that would be going in just after we left, and they did a little work on the house as well. They didn’t finish it (because of other stuff that was going on), but they added paint and stucco to the walls and window frames and stuff.
Anyway, I’d tell you about Beius and how great the town was an stuff, but the problem is that we didn’t really get to see much of it. We got a chance to eat at a local restaurant for all of our meals (as mentioned before), walk around a little bit, be driven through the town, see some ethnic dancing and musical acts, but that’s about it. We had some visits to local places on our itinerary, but we decided to scrap those plans to build more hours. Due to the placement of the Easter weekend, we could only build for 3.5 days MAX. We wanted to do more. We wanted to help more. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out that way. Still, I’m grateful for being able to do something. To help somehow. To experience the wonderfulness that is Habitat. I was REALLY REALLY sad to be leaving. It was one of the best (if not the best – I don’t even want to have to decide on my favorite thing of the year so far) experiences thus far in my big European adventure.
After leaving Beius, we head back to Budapest for a night, and stay at the same hostel (which wasn’t too sketchy – yeehaw!) as the next group that’s coming in. It was so nice to see them, tell them about how wonderful the experience was for us (and will be for them), and spend another night in Budapest eating good food, and staring at gorgeous lights.
I’ve ranted long enough. Just know that I would highly recommend getting involved with Habitat for Humanity. I enjoyed every moment of the trip. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about others. I had a lot of fun. I met a lot of people. I also used a power drill!
Friday, April 15, 2005
Paris with a friend
A friend of mine came to visit about a month ago. It was the first time I'd hosted someone who wasn't related to me.
I was excited to have some company and have an excuse to travel more...too bad this thing called work kept getting in the way. At least we got to go out at night, or just crash at my place and veg and stuff. It's nice to have company.
We knew that we wanted to go to a different country for a weekend. It was a decision between Germany and France. We were leaning towards Germany, and had basically decided on going to Frankfurt, but at the last minute over a fondue and some curling (no joke), we decided to scrap that idea and go to Paris instead.
I DON'T REGRET THE DECISION FOR A SECOND.
It no secret that I LOVE Paris. There's just something really magical about that city. It'd be my third trip, but the first for my friend. How exciting to be able to go to Paris with someone who hasn't been before!
So, going into this trip, I knew we'd have to be the ultimate tourists. Every major monument would have to be visited, or at least seen from a distance. It really is impossible to see everything in Paris in just a weekend, no matter how hard you try. Paris just has too much to see.
We lucked out with a great hotel. For the first night, we got upgraded to a suite. So Fab. It was in a pretty convenient location (everything's convenient if it's near a Metro station) with some great character.
We shopped on the Champs-Elysees (I hadn't done that since '97 - which I only remember going into some huge perfume store...unless the store I went in has closed, I've deduced that it must have been the fabulous Sephora...and having a drink at Planet Hollywood) and I must say that we were both a little disappointed. Louis Vuitton was under renovation, but I'm sure that wouldn't have made a difference either way (I'm not a fan of the cherries with faces on them. Just doesn't scream: classy, to me). Alas.
Another highlight, seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle (again). We just sat on a wall beside the Seine and stared happily. We had the perfect view. Not too close, not too far.
Tuileries was gorgeous. I was jealous of those who lucked out and were lounging on a vacant chair. I want to go back again during the warmer half of the year to enjoy this Fab garden. I had flashes of "The Da Vinci Code" while there.
Many sighs of happiness on this trip.
Thanks to great company. Come back again soon!
******
Potential purchases that I chickened out of:
- pink linen bucket hat
- Spring green/blue oversized cloth hobo
- bold necklace
I was excited to have some company and have an excuse to travel more...too bad this thing called work kept getting in the way. At least we got to go out at night, or just crash at my place and veg and stuff. It's nice to have company.
We knew that we wanted to go to a different country for a weekend. It was a decision between Germany and France. We were leaning towards Germany, and had basically decided on going to Frankfurt, but at the last minute over a fondue and some curling (no joke), we decided to scrap that idea and go to Paris instead.
I DON'T REGRET THE DECISION FOR A SECOND.
It no secret that I LOVE Paris. There's just something really magical about that city. It'd be my third trip, but the first for my friend. How exciting to be able to go to Paris with someone who hasn't been before!
So, going into this trip, I knew we'd have to be the ultimate tourists. Every major monument would have to be visited, or at least seen from a distance. It really is impossible to see everything in Paris in just a weekend, no matter how hard you try. Paris just has too much to see.
We lucked out with a great hotel. For the first night, we got upgraded to a suite. So Fab. It was in a pretty convenient location (everything's convenient if it's near a Metro station) with some great character.
We shopped on the Champs-Elysees (I hadn't done that since '97 - which I only remember going into some huge perfume store...unless the store I went in has closed, I've deduced that it must have been the fabulous Sephora...and having a drink at Planet Hollywood) and I must say that we were both a little disappointed. Louis Vuitton was under renovation, but I'm sure that wouldn't have made a difference either way (I'm not a fan of the cherries with faces on them. Just doesn't scream: classy, to me). Alas.
Another highlight, seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle (again). We just sat on a wall beside the Seine and stared happily. We had the perfect view. Not too close, not too far.
Tuileries was gorgeous. I was jealous of those who lucked out and were lounging on a vacant chair. I want to go back again during the warmer half of the year to enjoy this Fab garden. I had flashes of "The Da Vinci Code" while there.
Many sighs of happiness on this trip.
Thanks to great company. Come back again soon!
******
Potential purchases that I chickened out of:
- pink linen bucket hat
- Spring green/blue oversized cloth hobo
- bold necklace
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Makes me melt
Beautiful eyes that twinkle and look into my soul. Crinkly corners that make me too nervous to look up. The perfect fit. A smile that sends my heart racing. The right shirt. Height. A popped collar. Something chic like a scarf or bag. Yum.
Junior World Challenge Cup 2005 for juniors
I never really wrote too much about this event, but it was held here in Neuchatel in March. Since my arrival, I had been looking forward to this competition, because it's no secret that I'm in LOVE with figure skating.
It would be my second international competition that I'd attended. That's right, I'm so obsessed, yet I'd only seen one other international skating competition. Also synchronized skating (a little peculiar since I wasn't exposed to the world of synchro - seriously - until late spring of 2003). It was NAISSC 2004 at the Hershey's Centre. I intend to attend more international competitions in the future. I've already invested in a major one in 2006.
Anyway, I love figure skating and have really missed it this year. Sure I've kept up my skills and skated often here, but there's just something missing. Some may know that a very important thing about figure skating is weighing quite heavily in my mind when I think about whether or not I will be returning to Canada in the near future.
Back to the competition, I wanted to be as involved with the event as possible. Obviously I wouldn't be a participant, but I asked to volunteer during the competition and of course I would be attending the event as a spectator as well.
I was asked to be the announcer for extra practices for the competition. I enthusiastically got to watch some of the world's top Junior teams practice and absorb their techniques, styles and strategies.
I was also the announcer for the official Free Program practices, which was also very interesting. I learned a lot from watching all of the skaters and coaches in action.
I was fortunate enough to meet and work with the Organizing Committee of the competition as well as some members of the ISU.
The competition itself was superb. I won't go into any details for the fear that I will never stop typing, and because there is so much controversy in figure skating (har har har).
I REALLY MISSED SKATING. What I wouldn't do to go out there and stroke around with the girls (and a couple boys). It was tough being in the stands, but it gave me more big dreams for the future. Again, unrealistic ones, but in my blissful existence, I don't mind conjuring up these dreams.
For me, the highlight of the competition was being fortunate enough to sit behind the judges and encountering the COPs system for the first time. I learned a lot from talking to other experts in the field and seeing the system being used first hand. I have to reiterate how much I learned from this competition. It was incredible.
I was also proud and excited to be surrounded by a strong Canadian contingent. I have some connections to the teams that represented Canada at the competition and spent quite a lot of time with them. Not only did it give me good "Canadiana" and "Skating" fixes, but also some non-describable moments that I will never forget.
I am proud to say that Canadian Juniors are a force to be reckoned with. Gold Ice won a bronze medal at this event, and just behind them in fourth was black ice. Congratulations!
It was yet another experience that I'll never forget!
It would be my second international competition that I'd attended. That's right, I'm so obsessed, yet I'd only seen one other international skating competition. Also synchronized skating (a little peculiar since I wasn't exposed to the world of synchro - seriously - until late spring of 2003). It was NAISSC 2004 at the Hershey's Centre. I intend to attend more international competitions in the future. I've already invested in a major one in 2006.
Anyway, I love figure skating and have really missed it this year. Sure I've kept up my skills and skated often here, but there's just something missing. Some may know that a very important thing about figure skating is weighing quite heavily in my mind when I think about whether or not I will be returning to Canada in the near future.
Back to the competition, I wanted to be as involved with the event as possible. Obviously I wouldn't be a participant, but I asked to volunteer during the competition and of course I would be attending the event as a spectator as well.
I was asked to be the announcer for extra practices for the competition. I enthusiastically got to watch some of the world's top Junior teams practice and absorb their techniques, styles and strategies.
I was also the announcer for the official Free Program practices, which was also very interesting. I learned a lot from watching all of the skaters and coaches in action.
I was fortunate enough to meet and work with the Organizing Committee of the competition as well as some members of the ISU.
The competition itself was superb. I won't go into any details for the fear that I will never stop typing, and because there is so much controversy in figure skating (har har har).
I REALLY MISSED SKATING. What I wouldn't do to go out there and stroke around with the girls (and a couple boys). It was tough being in the stands, but it gave me more big dreams for the future. Again, unrealistic ones, but in my blissful existence, I don't mind conjuring up these dreams.
For me, the highlight of the competition was being fortunate enough to sit behind the judges and encountering the COPs system for the first time. I learned a lot from talking to other experts in the field and seeing the system being used first hand. I have to reiterate how much I learned from this competition. It was incredible.
I was also proud and excited to be surrounded by a strong Canadian contingent. I have some connections to the teams that represented Canada at the competition and spent quite a lot of time with them. Not only did it give me good "Canadiana" and "Skating" fixes, but also some non-describable moments that I will never forget.
I am proud to say that Canadian Juniors are a force to be reckoned with. Gold Ice won a bronze medal at this event, and just behind them in fourth was black ice. Congratulations!
It was yet another experience that I'll never forget!
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Shopaholic & Sister
Shopaholic & Sister, by Sophie Kinsella
Before going to Habitat, I was warned that I would probably get really bored at nights, so I should bring a good book…or five. I went to the library hoping to find some of the Harry Potter series (I’d had success reading the first two), but to no avail. I thought I’d probably want to read something really light while in Romania, so I looked for anything girly. I found one such book. Shopaholic & Sister. Perfect. Something I’ve been told is ridiculously easy to read.
I’m so proud of myself. I finished this book in three sittings. A little bit of reading on the plane from Budapest to Zurich, sometime on the train from Zurich to Neuchâtel, and the last parts of it, earlier today. It was SO easy to read!
It wasn’t serious, is wasn’t enthralling, but after finishing the book, I’m not left with any negative feelings towards it. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting anything big out of it, maybe because the whole way though, the intensity was at the same level (non-existent). I felt like I was just reading. Not for any important reason, but just to pass time, and fill my mind with words. It was just so easy to finish. I think it’d be a pretty good type of book to read in small doses, because the story line isn’t anything that needs to flow or anything.
I think this is the type of book that I should read for a little while, until I get into the swing of reading again. Maybe after I get used to action of reading, I can start up on “real” books again.
Right now, all I want is to read more. I think I’m going for quantity over quality at the moment. Chick lit, here I come!
Before going to Habitat, I was warned that I would probably get really bored at nights, so I should bring a good book…or five. I went to the library hoping to find some of the Harry Potter series (I’d had success reading the first two), but to no avail. I thought I’d probably want to read something really light while in Romania, so I looked for anything girly. I found one such book. Shopaholic & Sister. Perfect. Something I’ve been told is ridiculously easy to read.
I’m so proud of myself. I finished this book in three sittings. A little bit of reading on the plane from Budapest to Zurich, sometime on the train from Zurich to Neuchâtel, and the last parts of it, earlier today. It was SO easy to read!
It wasn’t serious, is wasn’t enthralling, but after finishing the book, I’m not left with any negative feelings towards it. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting anything big out of it, maybe because the whole way though, the intensity was at the same level (non-existent). I felt like I was just reading. Not for any important reason, but just to pass time, and fill my mind with words. It was just so easy to finish. I think it’d be a pretty good type of book to read in small doses, because the story line isn’t anything that needs to flow or anything.
I think this is the type of book that I should read for a little while, until I get into the swing of reading again. Maybe after I get used to action of reading, I can start up on “real” books again.
Right now, all I want is to read more. I think I’m going for quantity over quality at the moment. Chick lit, here I come!
Oracle Night
Oracle Night, by Paul Auster
Read by recommendation, this was my first book after the For Whom the Bell Tolls roadblock. I think I like stories that have an “interesting” plot, whatever that means. Oracle Night’s a pretty short book, which made it a little less daunting.
It took me awhile to get started with the book, whether it be because I had company over for awhile, so my normal times that I could sneak a couple pages in here and there were taken up by entertaining or the sheer fact that I was out of my “reading regime”. Anyway, at some point I finally got around to reading the book. It was a slow process.
Yet again, as with most of the books that I’ve been reading I started to get a little bored by the end. I was having problems with the fact that I couldn’t sit down for a long period of time and read a substantial part of the book. It was the old problem of getting frustrated because I didn’t remember what had happened in the story previously.
At the beginning of the novel, I was a little thrown off by the “footnotes” that were in the story. I had to keep flipping back and forward to make sure that I’d read all of the footnotes and main story lines. After awhile though, I thought the footnotes were kind of neat, creating a different twist to a normal story.
The middle of the story seemed to be pretty interesting, but like I mentioned before, the end started to drag on. I was expecting something great to happen, but in the end it just fizzled.
Yet again, a book that was just OK. A little bit intriguing with the footnote additions, but in the end, nothing too spectacular. I still don’t know how to describe the type of books that I like.
At least I’m reading again.
Read by recommendation, this was my first book after the For Whom the Bell Tolls roadblock. I think I like stories that have an “interesting” plot, whatever that means. Oracle Night’s a pretty short book, which made it a little less daunting.
It took me awhile to get started with the book, whether it be because I had company over for awhile, so my normal times that I could sneak a couple pages in here and there were taken up by entertaining or the sheer fact that I was out of my “reading regime”. Anyway, at some point I finally got around to reading the book. It was a slow process.
Yet again, as with most of the books that I’ve been reading I started to get a little bored by the end. I was having problems with the fact that I couldn’t sit down for a long period of time and read a substantial part of the book. It was the old problem of getting frustrated because I didn’t remember what had happened in the story previously.
At the beginning of the novel, I was a little thrown off by the “footnotes” that were in the story. I had to keep flipping back and forward to make sure that I’d read all of the footnotes and main story lines. After awhile though, I thought the footnotes were kind of neat, creating a different twist to a normal story.
The middle of the story seemed to be pretty interesting, but like I mentioned before, the end started to drag on. I was expecting something great to happen, but in the end it just fizzled.
Yet again, a book that was just OK. A little bit intriguing with the footnote additions, but in the end, nothing too spectacular. I still don’t know how to describe the type of books that I like.
At least I’m reading again.
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