Ebay has proven to be a nice distraction on the journey of dissertation writing. Do you know they offer name-brand clothing at bottom basement prices??! OK, so it's most likely knock off junk, but it's quite a lot of fun to browse through the endless pages of listings. This site was all the rage back in 1998, but it seems to have drifted from the collective consciousness.
I've actually been trolling the web looking for a second-hand furniture dealer for the upcoming move. The place is partially furnished which means that I need to find a bed for my room in the flat. Usually I'd just head to IKEA (pronounced ICK-EA by the majority of the world) and pick up a nice frame and mattress, but this is not how it works when surfing around the continent. We'll be in the flat for a minimum of four, maximum of six, months. So unfortunately there is no need to invest in a nice bed and leave it in the flat after moving out. So the solution is to find something cheap but decent. I've searched recycle depots and online stores with no real luck, until I remembered that auction site of yore. Jackpot. There are a few really great deals on there. I saw a modest single this morning (probably the size I should be going for if I want to fit a small workspace in there) that had passed with no bids, so I emailed the seller to see if she'd give it to me after the fact. She even offered to deliver in the listing. Other than that, there are a few coming up in the next couple of days that look promising. I think I'll be close to securing something.
The trouble with Ebay is it's so darn addicting. I've already got my eye on a small work table and computer chair both currently a steal at less than 10 pounds. The owner lives in Leamington so I figure I could always just wheel or carry back to the flat. I've had to stop myself from looking any further. I don't think we need the solid oak buffet sideboard currently on offer for 12 pounds, the lily flower standing lamp for 8 pounds, or the "Welcome Aboard" Yacht themed Welcome Mat for 6 pounds. Bargain shoppers of the world unite!
The Ebay tales are illustrative of how slow it has been. I know it'll all turn around once flat life begins, but it has been a pretty boring week. I've been continuing to chip away at thesis work, but until settled in a nice routine it feels like the work is all a bit premature - like I'm writing without knowing exactly where it's going. Still, I feel it a good idea to keep going and then revisit and retool later in the process. If there is one academic shortcut I've learned, it's to keep writing and fill in gaps later on. Quotations (not quotes), connections, and ideas can always be inserted to shore up the argument. In addition to the behemoth, I've been finishing up a report for IGLYO and uploading material for the launch of the memories website which has been pushed back to October because of the holiday schedule of some of the contributors (this buys me more time to continue working). I also sent a news pitch to the Advocate offering to write a piece about the conference this past July. There is NO way they'd go for it, but I figure it's worth a shot. They offer incredible internships in New York and LA, but sadly, they are unpaid.
The highlight of the week was a leisurely dinner and drinks with a few of the Heronbankers the other night. It was a bit of a spontaneous dinner, but we had to welcome Zhenya back to the MAIPR circle. It's her first time in the UK. We took a quick trip to the local Tesco and gathered a basket of supplies and threw in a few bottles of wine for good measure. I took on the role of co-chef with Zoey and we prepared some pasta, salad, garlic bread, and apple pie for dessert. The pasta was actually a recipe Tory had seen in a magazine - the first time I've cooked with cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric in pasta. It turned out really well with lots of great leftovers. We wined, dined, and whined about thesis writing. As I'm sure we're bound to do all semester.
Two more nights in Heronbank and then it's on to a more comfortable adobe in Leamington Spa. The next entry will probably be from there, although it may be a few days before we have the net. Also, I haven't published my new mobile number in the blog, but here it is in case you don't have the updated number. I'll leave the 011 international code to you:
(44) 07805632761
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Just take an Ebay browse. I think you'll find a vintage mickey mouse clock for five bucks or the best of the Beach Boys for under ten that might be to your liking.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Countdown is On.doc
Six more nights left in Heronbank before the move to Leamington. I've said it before, but I'm really looking forward to the flat and living with Tory and Zoey. The accommodation here is alright, but dorm living just isn't feasible after six months in a swanky Amsterdam pad.
Thankfully, the library work has been broken up by some activities with friends. The dinner on Friday evening was wonderful. Zoey and Jocelyn cooked up some fantastic dishes (salad, rice, chicken, and mushrooms) and we sipped on some red wine. It was nice to catch up with their summer pursuits and make plans for the upcoming semester. Jocelyn, Zhenya, and Hetta have secured a flat of their own in the city so its nice to know the whole group will all be around come September. We plan to continue group cooking/dinners into the semester. I'm sure it'll be easy with all of us here - there should be about fifteen MAIPRs from our year and twelve or so from the new pool of arrivals.
On Saturday, Tory arrived back from a week long intensive workshop at RADA in London. There she did a whole bunch of interesting acting exercises. I'm jealous! It has now been over a year since I've been on stage - I miss it terribly. Tory said the week reminded her how great theatre can be; a reminder I understand after two years of MA study. Unfortunately, approaching everything from a theoretical perspective can sometimes lead you to have distaste for everything you're studying. The theoretical can also sometimes smack of pretentiousness so it's good to get into something practical. Maybe they'll be an opportunity for some type of creative outlet this fall...here is hoping. If not, a job might be in order. I'm thinking of maybe looking into something for ten hours a week or so just to have some pocket change. Anyways, I helped Tory move her suitcases back downstairs and we shared a refreshing drink outside watching the geese in the pond.
That evening I decided to follow Mom's prescription by heading off campus for a night of revelry. It proved to be exactly what the nurse ordered. I jumped on the bus and joined Bec in Leamington. Her housemates were working so instead of having a crazy night out, we shared a bottle of wine at her place and chatted for the evening. It was chill, low-key, and the perfect change of pace after a few days in the library. I managed to catch the last bus back to campus that evening. Sunday was spent lazing around. I also managed to complete a report for IGLYO about the intergenerational dialogue that happened at the conference in July. Anything to postpone jumping back into the thesis...
Monday and Tuesday were spent at the library again with minor success. Just lots of reading going on at this point, but it's essential before trying to put the words down. My plan is to get to a secure point before the move and take three or four days off to settle in and get setup. Last night I visited with my Canadian friend at Warwick Andrea who I happened to see on the bus from campus to Leam. She's jumping into a law degree in Birmingham in September (straight after an MA at Warwick) so it'll be good to have her in the area still. I was on my way to Bec's again for some Tuesday night mischief (FYI, I was curious about the definition of mischief so I looked it up: conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance). Our conduct was neither petty, nor did it cause annoyance, but it was playful. I joined Bec and her housemate Nick for some drinks at their place before hitting the town. Tuesday is actually a really big night in Leam and a lot of bars have drink specials. Their other housemate Matt joined us after work and we proceeded to hit the town. We ended up at Koko's which offered 1 pound vodka-redbulls (the devil's brew!) and had a bit of a dance. It joined the two previous nights as really great times in Leam - no disappointments yet! After the bar we went back to the flat and watched an episode of Seinfeld, which if you know me well you know it's my favourite TV show. I hadn't seen an episode in nearly a year so it was a welcome treat. The work week continues, but the countdown is indeed on.
Congrats to Emily on her one year anniversary in Europe! I'll see you at that milestone in three weeks.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think Twitter is unhealthy. Avoid tweets at all costs; we're connected enough as it is.
Thankfully, the library work has been broken up by some activities with friends. The dinner on Friday evening was wonderful. Zoey and Jocelyn cooked up some fantastic dishes (salad, rice, chicken, and mushrooms) and we sipped on some red wine. It was nice to catch up with their summer pursuits and make plans for the upcoming semester. Jocelyn, Zhenya, and Hetta have secured a flat of their own in the city so its nice to know the whole group will all be around come September. We plan to continue group cooking/dinners into the semester. I'm sure it'll be easy with all of us here - there should be about fifteen MAIPRs from our year and twelve or so from the new pool of arrivals.
On Saturday, Tory arrived back from a week long intensive workshop at RADA in London. There she did a whole bunch of interesting acting exercises. I'm jealous! It has now been over a year since I've been on stage - I miss it terribly. Tory said the week reminded her how great theatre can be; a reminder I understand after two years of MA study. Unfortunately, approaching everything from a theoretical perspective can sometimes lead you to have distaste for everything you're studying. The theoretical can also sometimes smack of pretentiousness so it's good to get into something practical. Maybe they'll be an opportunity for some type of creative outlet this fall...here is hoping. If not, a job might be in order. I'm thinking of maybe looking into something for ten hours a week or so just to have some pocket change. Anyways, I helped Tory move her suitcases back downstairs and we shared a refreshing drink outside watching the geese in the pond.
That evening I decided to follow Mom's prescription by heading off campus for a night of revelry. It proved to be exactly what the nurse ordered. I jumped on the bus and joined Bec in Leamington. Her housemates were working so instead of having a crazy night out, we shared a bottle of wine at her place and chatted for the evening. It was chill, low-key, and the perfect change of pace after a few days in the library. I managed to catch the last bus back to campus that evening. Sunday was spent lazing around. I also managed to complete a report for IGLYO about the intergenerational dialogue that happened at the conference in July. Anything to postpone jumping back into the thesis...
Monday and Tuesday were spent at the library again with minor success. Just lots of reading going on at this point, but it's essential before trying to put the words down. My plan is to get to a secure point before the move and take three or four days off to settle in and get setup. Last night I visited with my Canadian friend at Warwick Andrea who I happened to see on the bus from campus to Leam. She's jumping into a law degree in Birmingham in September (straight after an MA at Warwick) so it'll be good to have her in the area still. I was on my way to Bec's again for some Tuesday night mischief (FYI, I was curious about the definition of mischief so I looked it up: conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance). Our conduct was neither petty, nor did it cause annoyance, but it was playful. I joined Bec and her housemate Nick for some drinks at their place before hitting the town. Tuesday is actually a really big night in Leam and a lot of bars have drink specials. Their other housemate Matt joined us after work and we proceeded to hit the town. We ended up at Koko's which offered 1 pound vodka-redbulls (the devil's brew!) and had a bit of a dance. It joined the two previous nights as really great times in Leam - no disappointments yet! After the bar we went back to the flat and watched an episode of Seinfeld, which if you know me well you know it's my favourite TV show. I hadn't seen an episode in nearly a year so it was a welcome treat. The work week continues, but the countdown is indeed on.
Congrats to Emily on her one year anniversary in Europe! I'll see you at that milestone in three weeks.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think Twitter is unhealthy. Avoid tweets at all costs; we're connected enough as it is.
Friday, August 21, 2009
London: A Diamond in the Rough.doc
Emily and I had a wonderful time on Tuesday in London. It will most definitely be crowned the highlight of my week (I have a ceremony every Friday). One of the things I've looked forward to most in eleven months of living here in Europe is that first greeting every time we get together. It may only be an absence of two weeks or well over a month but I never tire of seeing Emily's big smile and open arms. I get excited on the train anticipating that first moment and can't help but smile on my waltz to find her. Tuesday was no different. It was, surprisingly, the first time we had both been in London at the same time. In true friends fashion, we bypassed museums and tourist sites and spent a leisurely day catching up.
Upon leaving the station we walked down Baker Street and then did some window shopping on Oxford Street. I remembered how wonderful it looked lit up at Christmas last year - I can't wait to see it again around the holidays. I took Emily to Topshop for the first time (I think you'd approve Claire!) and we wandered through the high-priced areas of Selfridges. We were really bad consumers that day: we purchased big coffees at Starbucks, shared some frites at McDonalds, and had some Cadbury 'Can't Fake a Flake' Ice Cream. We combined these purchases with some delicious packed sandwiches in the park. There we people watched and talked about Europe. Having been here almost a calendar year (Emily's anniversary is next week) it's a bit easier to put things in perspective, although it'll be even easier once touching down back in Canada. We lamented how unstable everything seems right now, but also embraced the possibilities that come with not having a solid life plan.
After the park we enjoyed two Guinness pints on a patio near the Globe. As the sun went down we enjoyed being surrounded by the London after work crowd. I witnessed a nasty bike-pedestrian accident just outside the patio while Emily was in the washroom - she missed the action. We met Raffi after his day had finished for dinner. I felt like a Globe insider striding in and waiting for our friend who was studying there. We went to a delicious Indian restaurant in the area. It might have been some of the best curry I've ever had even if the service was questionable. I said goodbye to Emily and Raffi with plans to visit the first week of September to see the performance at the Globe. Unfortunately, the train and bus schedule wasn't too good to me - I caught a train out of London thirty minutes later, but had to wait forty minutes in Leamington for the last bus to campus. Transport fail. Thankfully, the number of nights I'll have to return to campus to sleep are dwindling. We move into the new place in twelve days and it can't come soon enough.
Unfortunately, the reports after that get pretty boring. From Wednesday to Friday I spent about seven hours each day in the library. I camped out in the Postgraduate lounge (my digs in the winter semester) and got hot and heavy with some research and writing. I'm happy to say that the three days have been pretty darn productive, but it's a bit of a soul-sucking existence. Come September 1 I hope to balance the writing and research with the gym and socializing, but for the next two weeks it's straight days of work so that I can get ahead of myself. The strategy has worked in the past so it's worth applying it to this project. Thankfully, I sat down for a leisurely coffee with Bec on Thursday and tonight am having dinner with Courtney, Zoey, Jocelyn, and Kristina who are in the area getting set up for dissertation work like me. It's nice to have little highlights to look forward to. I wish diss writing was as easy as blog writing! I'd have that whipped up in no time
Unsure what the weekend will hold in addition to the steamroll work schedule I've got going, but I might try to afford a night out in Leamington. The dissertation isn't really due until December 31, and it isn't August 31 yet. Think I can afford a night off?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In preparation for writing, I downloaded a "Masterpiece Collection" of classical music - 150 of the most popular classical songs. It has been a nice backdrop to research. I recommend some Vivaldi, Gershwin, Bach, and Saint-Saens.
Upon leaving the station we walked down Baker Street and then did some window shopping on Oxford Street. I remembered how wonderful it looked lit up at Christmas last year - I can't wait to see it again around the holidays. I took Emily to Topshop for the first time (I think you'd approve Claire!) and we wandered through the high-priced areas of Selfridges. We were really bad consumers that day: we purchased big coffees at Starbucks, shared some frites at McDonalds, and had some Cadbury 'Can't Fake a Flake' Ice Cream. We combined these purchases with some delicious packed sandwiches in the park. There we people watched and talked about Europe. Having been here almost a calendar year (Emily's anniversary is next week) it's a bit easier to put things in perspective, although it'll be even easier once touching down back in Canada. We lamented how unstable everything seems right now, but also embraced the possibilities that come with not having a solid life plan.
After the park we enjoyed two Guinness pints on a patio near the Globe. As the sun went down we enjoyed being surrounded by the London after work crowd. I witnessed a nasty bike-pedestrian accident just outside the patio while Emily was in the washroom - she missed the action. We met Raffi after his day had finished for dinner. I felt like a Globe insider striding in and waiting for our friend who was studying there. We went to a delicious Indian restaurant in the area. It might have been some of the best curry I've ever had even if the service was questionable. I said goodbye to Emily and Raffi with plans to visit the first week of September to see the performance at the Globe. Unfortunately, the train and bus schedule wasn't too good to me - I caught a train out of London thirty minutes later, but had to wait forty minutes in Leamington for the last bus to campus. Transport fail. Thankfully, the number of nights I'll have to return to campus to sleep are dwindling. We move into the new place in twelve days and it can't come soon enough.
Unfortunately, the reports after that get pretty boring. From Wednesday to Friday I spent about seven hours each day in the library. I camped out in the Postgraduate lounge (my digs in the winter semester) and got hot and heavy with some research and writing. I'm happy to say that the three days have been pretty darn productive, but it's a bit of a soul-sucking existence. Come September 1 I hope to balance the writing and research with the gym and socializing, but for the next two weeks it's straight days of work so that I can get ahead of myself. The strategy has worked in the past so it's worth applying it to this project. Thankfully, I sat down for a leisurely coffee with Bec on Thursday and tonight am having dinner with Courtney, Zoey, Jocelyn, and Kristina who are in the area getting set up for dissertation work like me. It's nice to have little highlights to look forward to. I wish diss writing was as easy as blog writing! I'd have that whipped up in no time
Unsure what the weekend will hold in addition to the steamroll work schedule I've got going, but I might try to afford a night out in Leamington. The dissertation isn't really due until December 31, and it isn't August 31 yet. Think I can afford a night off?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In preparation for writing, I downloaded a "Masterpiece Collection" of classical music - 150 of the most popular classical songs. It has been a nice backdrop to research. I recommend some Vivaldi, Gershwin, Bach, and Saint-Saens.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Not the Netherlands, the Midlands.doc
I arrived back to Warwick University on Saturday afternoon. It felt a bit surreal to board the Stagecoach bus in Leamington and make the fated journey back to Heronbank but in some respects it feels like a bit of a return to the familiar. Warwick Uni is beautiful in the summer. I marched on down the path to Heronbank and passed by the geese, swans, and ducks lounging by the pond. They look more comfortable than they did in December. My room is on the third floor and has two big windows that open out onto the courtyard - it's a pretty fantastic view.
Thankfully the room is nice because I couldn't spend much more time in Heronbank. The common room and kitchen attached to my flat are pretty disgusting. Granted I came on the weekend when the cleaners aren't working, but she told me the next morning that the people I'm staying with have been like that all year. Add to this the general tension that all of the students here have been feeling while writing their exams over summer and it's not the nicest atmosphere to spend your time. The saving grace is that I only have two weeks here and most of that time will be spent diligently in the library or starting a work out routine that will serve as my second project of the term (the non-thinking, non-mental one).
So after the two weeks in Heronbank I am happy to announce that I will be moving into a flat in The Royal Leamington Spa! That's right Canadian friends, I'll be posh UK living while writing my dissertation. I'm moving in with Tory from Canada (who I studied with for a year at UofT) and our friend Zoey from Thailand. She's also a fun girl. I'm hoping we can cook some great meals, host a few parties, and help each other through the writing phase of the program. We have the flat from September to February (since they wouldn't accept a lease for just four months) but DON'T PANIC it does not necessarily mean that I'm bound in the UK until February. It just leaves some options open and was the only way we could secure the flat. I was going to provide a link to our digs but realized the place is officially off the market so there are no photos. In summary, it's a well spaced apartment with a furnished dining room, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It sounds like the design is all very black and white. I'm ecstatic to be back among housemates and out of solo dorm living come September. Emily is our first scheduled guest two weeks after we move in.
The second update is that, yes, I have started the beast. The dissertation is underway. Completing this project really is for me like climbing a mountain since I've chosen a challenging topic outside of just the theatre but with roots in social and political performance. I'm excited by the challenge, but with academic burnout kicking in, I'm resolved that this is a final test before breaking free of the chains of academia (at least for the time being). So, I have written a draft of the introduction (due for submission on September 1) that tops out at 3000 words. It would look like I have 10% of the diss completed (since the word count should be 30 000) but that would be a fool's mistake for me to assume. A LOT of work still remains, even if I am happy with vomiting the intro chapter out. The next two weeks will be spent reading, reading, reading after descending upon the library to pick up books which I had no access to before. I'm sure it will help inspire the next burst of writing.
So I've quietly but quickly got my self set up to tackle the next phase of MAIPR after a glorious summer vacation thinking about anything but school - getting a flat sorted and the dissertation underway were the two major hurdles. On Saturday night, as a welcome back to Leamington and a christening of her flat, Bec had Tory and myself over for a night of reunion and revelry. It was an opportunity to catch up with friends after the summer hiatus and get use to the Spa feel. Bec and her two Australian friends have been living in the flat since July. We sat and had a few drinks in the living room while chatting about our travel escapades. Bec's two Australian friends are really cool guys - I think they'll be a great addition to the Leamington crew we'll have assembled this term. Later in the evening we went to SMACK, the premiere hotshot club in town. They were having a Silent Disco. I thought this might include bringing your own ipod like in photos I had seen of Silent Discos, but this was more upscale! You receive headphones upon entry with two channels of music. The feature of this theme, for those folks over 40 who might not have heard of a silent disco, is that there is no music playing in the club but rather in your earphones. So you chose between two channels and dance along with the headphones. The novelty is that everyone around you may be listening to something completely different. It's also mad fun to take your headphones off for a moment and listen to the assembled sing along in silence. It's quite something. We stayed for only an hour and made a stop at the Mumbai Bar before heading back to the flat for some post-bar philosophical discussion. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast before tackling a lazy Sunday. It was the first of hopefully a bevy of wonderful nights out in Leamington Spa.
Today was spent at the library getting organized for the official start to Warwick dissertation work 2009 on Wednesday. Courtney and I had a wonderful reunion at the library where we both agreed that the resources back in the UK far outshine those in Amsterdam. We shared a nice leisurely lunch and then met for dinner in Heronbank after a long day of work. Tomorrow, as the final hurrah before buckling down, I'm meeting the Hinckster in London for a day of fun. I'm sure we'll get up to some good old tricks and pranks....or just head to a museum and share some pints.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In Amsterdam I relied on a bike and it's not out of the question here for Leamington, but until then I'm a public transport fiend. You should try it too, ecological footprints and all that.
Thankfully the room is nice because I couldn't spend much more time in Heronbank. The common room and kitchen attached to my flat are pretty disgusting. Granted I came on the weekend when the cleaners aren't working, but she told me the next morning that the people I'm staying with have been like that all year. Add to this the general tension that all of the students here have been feeling while writing their exams over summer and it's not the nicest atmosphere to spend your time. The saving grace is that I only have two weeks here and most of that time will be spent diligently in the library or starting a work out routine that will serve as my second project of the term (the non-thinking, non-mental one).
So after the two weeks in Heronbank I am happy to announce that I will be moving into a flat in The Royal Leamington Spa! That's right Canadian friends, I'll be posh UK living while writing my dissertation. I'm moving in with Tory from Canada (who I studied with for a year at UofT) and our friend Zoey from Thailand. She's also a fun girl. I'm hoping we can cook some great meals, host a few parties, and help each other through the writing phase of the program. We have the flat from September to February (since they wouldn't accept a lease for just four months) but DON'T PANIC it does not necessarily mean that I'm bound in the UK until February. It just leaves some options open and was the only way we could secure the flat. I was going to provide a link to our digs but realized the place is officially off the market so there are no photos. In summary, it's a well spaced apartment with a furnished dining room, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It sounds like the design is all very black and white. I'm ecstatic to be back among housemates and out of solo dorm living come September. Emily is our first scheduled guest two weeks after we move in.
The second update is that, yes, I have started the beast. The dissertation is underway. Completing this project really is for me like climbing a mountain since I've chosen a challenging topic outside of just the theatre but with roots in social and political performance. I'm excited by the challenge, but with academic burnout kicking in, I'm resolved that this is a final test before breaking free of the chains of academia (at least for the time being). So, I have written a draft of the introduction (due for submission on September 1) that tops out at 3000 words. It would look like I have 10% of the diss completed (since the word count should be 30 000) but that would be a fool's mistake for me to assume. A LOT of work still remains, even if I am happy with vomiting the intro chapter out. The next two weeks will be spent reading, reading, reading after descending upon the library to pick up books which I had no access to before. I'm sure it will help inspire the next burst of writing.
So I've quietly but quickly got my self set up to tackle the next phase of MAIPR after a glorious summer vacation thinking about anything but school - getting a flat sorted and the dissertation underway were the two major hurdles. On Saturday night, as a welcome back to Leamington and a christening of her flat, Bec had Tory and myself over for a night of reunion and revelry. It was an opportunity to catch up with friends after the summer hiatus and get use to the Spa feel. Bec and her two Australian friends have been living in the flat since July. We sat and had a few drinks in the living room while chatting about our travel escapades. Bec's two Australian friends are really cool guys - I think they'll be a great addition to the Leamington crew we'll have assembled this term. Later in the evening we went to SMACK, the premiere hotshot club in town. They were having a Silent Disco. I thought this might include bringing your own ipod like in photos I had seen of Silent Discos, but this was more upscale! You receive headphones upon entry with two channels of music. The feature of this theme, for those folks over 40 who might not have heard of a silent disco, is that there is no music playing in the club but rather in your earphones. So you chose between two channels and dance along with the headphones. The novelty is that everyone around you may be listening to something completely different. It's also mad fun to take your headphones off for a moment and listen to the assembled sing along in silence. It's quite something. We stayed for only an hour and made a stop at the Mumbai Bar before heading back to the flat for some post-bar philosophical discussion. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast before tackling a lazy Sunday. It was the first of hopefully a bevy of wonderful nights out in Leamington Spa.
Today was spent at the library getting organized for the official start to Warwick dissertation work 2009 on Wednesday. Courtney and I had a wonderful reunion at the library where we both agreed that the resources back in the UK far outshine those in Amsterdam. We shared a nice leisurely lunch and then met for dinner in Heronbank after a long day of work. Tomorrow, as the final hurrah before buckling down, I'm meeting the Hinckster in London for a day of fun. I'm sure we'll get up to some good old tricks and pranks....or just head to a museum and share some pints.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In Amsterdam I relied on a bike and it's not out of the question here for Leamington, but until then I'm a public transport fiend. You should try it too, ecological footprints and all that.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Pier(ing) Out Over the Future.doc
Today I spent the day at the Brighton Pier. After achieving three hours of work this morning I decided to make the most of my last day in Brighton and head out to the sea. I realized I also hadn't taken one photo of the beautiful little place so I made up for lost time - after snapping my way through July it was nice to take a photo break.
The pier is a really neat place to be. It's filled with families, couples, and seagulls all drawn to the bright flashing lights, the abundance of wonderful carnival food, and that undeniable youthful seaside feel. There the pier stretches quite far into the sea and houses eateries and bars, arcades, all kinds of rides for the kids, and small shops with trinkets. Aside from all this commercial fanfare, which oddly doesn't feel offensive due to the beachy backdrop, the view is spectacular and the decor has been kept very nautical and marina-like. The city reminded me of a setting from a film but I couldn't put my finger on it until today - it feels distinctly like a British version of Amity, the fictional setting for Jaws. Minus the sharks that is. My favourite spot on the pier is just about half-way in where they have blue and white striped fabric chairs that you can prop up and sit in. I did just that as the sun went down and dove into the newest book, Jack Kerouac's On the Road (I picked it up at a flea market for 3 pounds a few days ago). Apparently, it's a must for any traveler.
In the days since my last post I've been able to explore the city more thoroughly. In addition to beach and pier visits I've wandered through the North Laines a few times and hit the east and west parts of the city centre. The North Laines are a narrow set of streets with a collection of boho and chi-chi stores side-by side. It winds it's way down to the sea and attracts a very eclectic crowd of shoppers, wanderers, and people-watchers. The flea market where I discovered the novels (I also added two others by Bret Easton Ellis) was a massive two story treasure trove housing an abundance of cool items. Part of me wishes I had more room in my polo duffel and backpack, and obviously more funds in the old bank account. During one of the visits to the Laines I stopped in at a cool pub for a few afternoon pints. I brought my laptop and was even able to get a few paragraphs of the thesis crafted (an update on progress next post).
So in addition to the work done every morning at the apartment, I've been filling my afternoons with walks, lots of window shopping, and beach and pier reading. In the evenings I've watched a film or two and last night went out on the town - Thursday is apparently the big night in Brighton. Before heading downtown I went for a drink with a girl from my flat at the uni who is from Brazil - she also is traveling alone and wanted to see some of the city. After we parted ways I met my new Brighton friend Mark from a few nights ago and we had a few drinks. It's funny, there isn't one person I talked to who doesn't like living in Brighton (which isn't usually the case - people love to bitch about where they're living). Since Mark had to work in the morning he bid me adieu with plans to meet up in London later on in the year. He introduced me to a few of his friends from Brighton Uni who I went to the club with. If there has been anything that has separated Brighton from the rest of my travels in the UK, it's the friendliness of the people. It's not that the rest of Britain is unfriendly, it's just that Brighton feels like a small village. I guess it is in many ways. I met at least five new friends out at the bar - they get a lot of French and some Dutch in Brighton but not many Canadians. Thankfully, facebook makes it easy to keep in touch with new friends. It was a good final night out on the town last evening. Tonight will be spent packing, reading, and getting organized.
Brighton has officially replaced Edinburgh as the city I'd most like to live in if I ever was to stay in the UK. Honestly, if you don't know anything about the city just do a small google image search - it's beautiful. After jaunts in Portugal, Spain, and by the sea in Brighton more and more I think I'm cut out for a few years on or near the ocean. Maybe I should get it out of my system while I'm young. It also doesn't have the overwhelming and intimidating feel of a big metropolis (which was also a feature of Amsterdam). There were three times I was walking in the city and saw the same people from the night out before or just from Brighton travels - bumping into people you know would happen all the time. In many ways it reminds me of what Kingston would be like if it was situated on the sea. I said before that Leamington was a bit like Kingston, but that's not exactly true. Brighton has the small community feel, some beautiful little streets, and an absolutely gorgeous seaside. Yes, it's not white sand and loads hot (it's pebbles and moderate) but it's the most homey place I've been in Britain.
Tomorrow I set sail heading back to the Warwick area (which I last saw on December 31 before heading to Scotland for the evening). I'll have two weeks in Heronbank before settling into Leamington Spa on September 1st - details to follow on that. My hope is that with the wonderful crew of people in Leamington we'll have a great term. It may not have the beautiful backdrop of a seaside village - which proved to be the perfect stop over before diving back into school - but I'm sure we'll have a great time. I kick out of Brighton tomorrow morning, but I have a feeling I'll be back at some point. I'll be a bit sad to say goodbye to the little spot.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: The only only only purchase of food aside from groceries while here were 2 pounds for a tray of chips (translation - fries) on the Brighton pier. Sometimes you need to indulge, empty calories and all.
The pier is a really neat place to be. It's filled with families, couples, and seagulls all drawn to the bright flashing lights, the abundance of wonderful carnival food, and that undeniable youthful seaside feel. There the pier stretches quite far into the sea and houses eateries and bars, arcades, all kinds of rides for the kids, and small shops with trinkets. Aside from all this commercial fanfare, which oddly doesn't feel offensive due to the beachy backdrop, the view is spectacular and the decor has been kept very nautical and marina-like. The city reminded me of a setting from a film but I couldn't put my finger on it until today - it feels distinctly like a British version of Amity, the fictional setting for Jaws. Minus the sharks that is. My favourite spot on the pier is just about half-way in where they have blue and white striped fabric chairs that you can prop up and sit in. I did just that as the sun went down and dove into the newest book, Jack Kerouac's On the Road (I picked it up at a flea market for 3 pounds a few days ago). Apparently, it's a must for any traveler.
In the days since my last post I've been able to explore the city more thoroughly. In addition to beach and pier visits I've wandered through the North Laines a few times and hit the east and west parts of the city centre. The North Laines are a narrow set of streets with a collection of boho and chi-chi stores side-by side. It winds it's way down to the sea and attracts a very eclectic crowd of shoppers, wanderers, and people-watchers. The flea market where I discovered the novels (I also added two others by Bret Easton Ellis) was a massive two story treasure trove housing an abundance of cool items. Part of me wishes I had more room in my polo duffel and backpack, and obviously more funds in the old bank account. During one of the visits to the Laines I stopped in at a cool pub for a few afternoon pints. I brought my laptop and was even able to get a few paragraphs of the thesis crafted (an update on progress next post).
So in addition to the work done every morning at the apartment, I've been filling my afternoons with walks, lots of window shopping, and beach and pier reading. In the evenings I've watched a film or two and last night went out on the town - Thursday is apparently the big night in Brighton. Before heading downtown I went for a drink with a girl from my flat at the uni who is from Brazil - she also is traveling alone and wanted to see some of the city. After we parted ways I met my new Brighton friend Mark from a few nights ago and we had a few drinks. It's funny, there isn't one person I talked to who doesn't like living in Brighton (which isn't usually the case - people love to bitch about where they're living). Since Mark had to work in the morning he bid me adieu with plans to meet up in London later on in the year. He introduced me to a few of his friends from Brighton Uni who I went to the club with. If there has been anything that has separated Brighton from the rest of my travels in the UK, it's the friendliness of the people. It's not that the rest of Britain is unfriendly, it's just that Brighton feels like a small village. I guess it is in many ways. I met at least five new friends out at the bar - they get a lot of French and some Dutch in Brighton but not many Canadians. Thankfully, facebook makes it easy to keep in touch with new friends. It was a good final night out on the town last evening. Tonight will be spent packing, reading, and getting organized.
Brighton has officially replaced Edinburgh as the city I'd most like to live in if I ever was to stay in the UK. Honestly, if you don't know anything about the city just do a small google image search - it's beautiful. After jaunts in Portugal, Spain, and by the sea in Brighton more and more I think I'm cut out for a few years on or near the ocean. Maybe I should get it out of my system while I'm young. It also doesn't have the overwhelming and intimidating feel of a big metropolis (which was also a feature of Amsterdam). There were three times I was walking in the city and saw the same people from the night out before or just from Brighton travels - bumping into people you know would happen all the time. In many ways it reminds me of what Kingston would be like if it was situated on the sea. I said before that Leamington was a bit like Kingston, but that's not exactly true. Brighton has the small community feel, some beautiful little streets, and an absolutely gorgeous seaside. Yes, it's not white sand and loads hot (it's pebbles and moderate) but it's the most homey place I've been in Britain.
Tomorrow I set sail heading back to the Warwick area (which I last saw on December 31 before heading to Scotland for the evening). I'll have two weeks in Heronbank before settling into Leamington Spa on September 1st - details to follow on that. My hope is that with the wonderful crew of people in Leamington we'll have a great term. It may not have the beautiful backdrop of a seaside village - which proved to be the perfect stop over before diving back into school - but I'm sure we'll have a great time. I kick out of Brighton tomorrow morning, but I have a feeling I'll be back at some point. I'll be a bit sad to say goodbye to the little spot.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: The only only only purchase of food aside from groceries while here were 2 pounds for a tray of chips (translation - fries) on the Brighton pier. Sometimes you need to indulge, empty calories and all.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Brighton Beach Memoirs.doc
So when we were in Italy last month I had nothing planned for after France. By this time I figured we might have had a house in Leamington Spa secured (that turned out not to be the case but we’re getting close to having something for the fall semester). I was at a bit of a crossroads – I didn’t have enough money to keep traveling like I was, nor did I want to dive right back to library visits. While three and a half weeks back at Heronbank would have been cheap, I didn’t want to return to the sleepy Midlands just yet.
So I decided to camp out in Brighton for ten days! The traveling in France was the official end of sightseeing without any work getting done. What I was looking for was a happy medium – a tranquil place to get back into research without feeling like all the fun of summer was over. Brighton is proving to be the perfect seaside backdrop to ease into the dissertation while also offering distractions of a British summer culture – a beach, lots of shopping, a parade, and a stunning pier. It’s here that I’ve spent the last five days getting organized for the August to December write-a-thon.
The place I’m staying at is a residence at the University of Brighton. It’s really quite modern and aside from a few other people in the building, I have the whole floor to myself. The building is a fifteen-minute walk to the sea. My routine has roughly been to get up around 9am, work until 1pm doing school work, and then head down to the beach and do some non-academic pleasure reading. Granted, the beach is no Portugal or Spain – it is composed of pebbles and the temperatures hover around 20 – but it’s a nice routine to have before heading back to more familiar territory at Warwick. After some reading on the beach I usually wander the shop streets and get some supplies for dinner.
In the evenings I have some dins while watching an episode of TV on my laptop, and then get back to finishing whatever work was on the docket for the day. It’s a pretty happy existence and just what the Doctor ordered after six weeks of crazy traveling. I also haven’t been afraid to venture into the city during the night and check out a pub or two. One night I met a fun group of Aussies traveling over Europe – they didn’t have nice things to say about the “beach” they expected to find in Brighton. Another night I met a few local Brightonians named Mark and Lisa at the hopping Saturday nightspot. Lisa was so enamoured with my way of speaking (I think she’s the only one I’ve encountered who thinks the North American accent is extremely cool) that she exclaimed, and I quote: “Please just keep speaking. I feel like I’m talking to a celebrity!” Granted, she may have had a few drinks, but I couldn’t help but laugh.
I’m sure the novelty will wear off, but after six months in Amsterdam and a month of sojourning around the continent, it’s a joy to be around English speakers again – I can eavesdrop, ask questions with confidence, and read grocery labels. It’s the little things in life…
The next five days will be spent sticking to this wonderful routine before heading back to Heronbank for two weeks to round out August. Brighton is proving to be the perfect intermediary between travel and research.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: I’ve never really liked to be around saltwater if I couldn’t swim in it. But with the temperatures moderate in Britain, and the water a bit cool, it has been surprisingly nice to simply camp out on the beach, read for a few overcast hours, and have the saltwater wind tussle my hair. This isn’t a prescription for saltwater, but rather just soaking in some beautiful scenery.
So I decided to camp out in Brighton for ten days! The traveling in France was the official end of sightseeing without any work getting done. What I was looking for was a happy medium – a tranquil place to get back into research without feeling like all the fun of summer was over. Brighton is proving to be the perfect seaside backdrop to ease into the dissertation while also offering distractions of a British summer culture – a beach, lots of shopping, a parade, and a stunning pier. It’s here that I’ve spent the last five days getting organized for the August to December write-a-thon.
The place I’m staying at is a residence at the University of Brighton. It’s really quite modern and aside from a few other people in the building, I have the whole floor to myself. The building is a fifteen-minute walk to the sea. My routine has roughly been to get up around 9am, work until 1pm doing school work, and then head down to the beach and do some non-academic pleasure reading. Granted, the beach is no Portugal or Spain – it is composed of pebbles and the temperatures hover around 20 – but it’s a nice routine to have before heading back to more familiar territory at Warwick. After some reading on the beach I usually wander the shop streets and get some supplies for dinner.
In the evenings I have some dins while watching an episode of TV on my laptop, and then get back to finishing whatever work was on the docket for the day. It’s a pretty happy existence and just what the Doctor ordered after six weeks of crazy traveling. I also haven’t been afraid to venture into the city during the night and check out a pub or two. One night I met a fun group of Aussies traveling over Europe – they didn’t have nice things to say about the “beach” they expected to find in Brighton. Another night I met a few local Brightonians named Mark and Lisa at the hopping Saturday nightspot. Lisa was so enamoured with my way of speaking (I think she’s the only one I’ve encountered who thinks the North American accent is extremely cool) that she exclaimed, and I quote: “Please just keep speaking. I feel like I’m talking to a celebrity!” Granted, she may have had a few drinks, but I couldn’t help but laugh.
I’m sure the novelty will wear off, but after six months in Amsterdam and a month of sojourning around the continent, it’s a joy to be around English speakers again – I can eavesdrop, ask questions with confidence, and read grocery labels. It’s the little things in life…
The next five days will be spent sticking to this wonderful routine before heading back to Heronbank for two weeks to round out August. Brighton is proving to be the perfect intermediary between travel and research.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: I’ve never really liked to be around saltwater if I couldn’t swim in it. But with the temperatures moderate in Britain, and the water a bit cool, it has been surprisingly nice to simply camp out on the beach, read for a few overcast hours, and have the saltwater wind tussle my hair. This isn’t a prescription for saltwater, but rather just soaking in some beautiful scenery.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Paris, Je T'aime.doc
The month of July was a whirlwind. I touched soil in eight different countries: Canada, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, the Vatican City, and France. It's without a doubt one of the busiest months I've ever had, but I will never forget it.
The final stop in France proved to be the perfect end to the month of travel. Not only was it great to see Emily again (we’ve been able to connect almost once every month since both arriving in Europe last autumn), but I also spent the four days with Viktor and Raffi in the city. Emily and I have known Viktor since first year at Queen's. In fact, Viktor was part of the infamous Group 30 Drama Frosh Group – we go way back. He is studying in Paris at the world-renowned Jacque Le Coq Acting School. We both arrived in Europe in September but it was the first time we’ve been able to touch base.
Emily met me at the bus stop from the airport with a huge smile on her face as per usual. We had a quick bench catch up before heading back to her apartment to drop my bags and have some dinner. Emily’s boyfriend Raffi is staying there for a few nights en route to London at the end of this week. It was a full house! It’s a quaint little apartment on the top floor of a neat building – the elevator is big enough for two people standing awkwardly beside one another. It must have been the tiniest elevator I’ve ever set foot in. That evening Emily made some wonderful carbonara pasta that was proceeded by those delicious roly-pollies you might have heard about already. The three of us headed to meet with Viktor and an Italian clown whose place we had stayed at on Christmas Eve. We had a few glasses of wine and Viktor and I shared stories of Euro adventures. After the bar we were chatting in the street and people overhead through water over the balcony to “encourage us to move along.” Welcome to Paris!
The next day, while Emily spent a half hour at work before being sent home, I wandered into the Louvre for my first visit to the mammoth museum. I hit the most famous sites first: the Mona Lisa and the Venus De Milo. I thought that Mona would be underwhelming, since it’s such a small painting, but it really was quite striking. The style looked so odd and cartoonlike to me in person (probably in comparison to all the other portraits hanging in the museum). After visiting the historic pieces of art, and wandering among many others, Emily and I met up and walked around the area in which she works. We made our way home and skyped a few friends before preparing a piri-piri chicken dinner. The spice was procured in Portugal and adds delicious flavour to everything it touches. After dining on a delicious dinner we met up with Viktor and went back to his place for a games night. Games are fun. We laughed the night away with the celebrity guessing game, the movie game, and the finger game.
Sunday was spent walking through an antique market on the outskirt of the metro line. It was a really eye opening trip, since the surroundings didn’t look like downtown tourist Paris, but it provided a different perspective on the city. We looked at knick-knacks, antiques, and all had a small lunch in the centre of the chic-chic dealers market. Afterwards we visited Raffi and Viktor at Rose Bakery where we sipped delicious coffees and sampled gourmet salads. In fact, all week we dined on Rose Bakery extras that were brought home to avoid being thrown out – the savoury tarts were amazing. That night we went to the group’s favourite wine bar where a bottle of white was 5.50E.
Having not planned on burdening myself with an itinerary of set things to see in Paris, Emily and I took it easy on Monday. We went to Père Lachaise, the famous cemetery in the city where a lot of notable figures are buried. We saw the gravestones of Chopin, Edith Pilaf, and Oscar Wilde. We had a very lively discussion about Wilde’s grave (a tradition has developed whereby visitors adorn it with a lipsticked kiss). I think it’s a very fitting and witty tribute to one of the world’s best-known writers. For a man cast out of the church for his “deviant” ways, the tomb stands in stark contrast to all that surrounds it in the park. I think Wilde would appreciate the instance on emphasizing the symbol of resistance he has become. After the cemetery, where we were reprimanded for eating a salad on a bench (Respecter!), we met Raffi and Viktor in a beautiful park that has an incredible view of the city. We dined on a feast of sweet and savoury treats while the sun went down. When the park finally closed at 22:00h we went back to the wine bar for a final evening out – there I introduced the group to a game played back with the MAIPR group.
During my final day in Paris, while Emily was at work, I caught up on messages, photos, and emails before meeting her and Viktor for a drink at her Canadian bar. It was great to see Emily in action; she was working the restaurant all by herself! We shared in her staff meal (chili nachos) before she accompanied me to the bus station for an overnight trip to London. I had four amazing days with Emily, Viktor, and Raffi. It was great to catch up with my Queen’s friends and share old memories. Thankfully, I’ll be seeing Emily and Raffi again in the UK in the next month. I hope to see Viktor again who will be in France for another year at Jacques Le Coq.
Today I arrived in Brighton, one of the UK’s favourite summer cities to collect my research and start to prepare for writing. Paris was a wonderful visit.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: If you have noisy loiterers outside your window, apparently it's kosher to hoist a bucket of water out the window to encourage them to move.
The final stop in France proved to be the perfect end to the month of travel. Not only was it great to see Emily again (we’ve been able to connect almost once every month since both arriving in Europe last autumn), but I also spent the four days with Viktor and Raffi in the city. Emily and I have known Viktor since first year at Queen's. In fact, Viktor was part of the infamous Group 30 Drama Frosh Group – we go way back. He is studying in Paris at the world-renowned Jacque Le Coq Acting School. We both arrived in Europe in September but it was the first time we’ve been able to touch base.
Emily met me at the bus stop from the airport with a huge smile on her face as per usual. We had a quick bench catch up before heading back to her apartment to drop my bags and have some dinner. Emily’s boyfriend Raffi is staying there for a few nights en route to London at the end of this week. It was a full house! It’s a quaint little apartment on the top floor of a neat building – the elevator is big enough for two people standing awkwardly beside one another. It must have been the tiniest elevator I’ve ever set foot in. That evening Emily made some wonderful carbonara pasta that was proceeded by those delicious roly-pollies you might have heard about already. The three of us headed to meet with Viktor and an Italian clown whose place we had stayed at on Christmas Eve. We had a few glasses of wine and Viktor and I shared stories of Euro adventures. After the bar we were chatting in the street and people overhead through water over the balcony to “encourage us to move along.” Welcome to Paris!
The next day, while Emily spent a half hour at work before being sent home, I wandered into the Louvre for my first visit to the mammoth museum. I hit the most famous sites first: the Mona Lisa and the Venus De Milo. I thought that Mona would be underwhelming, since it’s such a small painting, but it really was quite striking. The style looked so odd and cartoonlike to me in person (probably in comparison to all the other portraits hanging in the museum). After visiting the historic pieces of art, and wandering among many others, Emily and I met up and walked around the area in which she works. We made our way home and skyped a few friends before preparing a piri-piri chicken dinner. The spice was procured in Portugal and adds delicious flavour to everything it touches. After dining on a delicious dinner we met up with Viktor and went back to his place for a games night. Games are fun. We laughed the night away with the celebrity guessing game, the movie game, and the finger game.
Sunday was spent walking through an antique market on the outskirt of the metro line. It was a really eye opening trip, since the surroundings didn’t look like downtown tourist Paris, but it provided a different perspective on the city. We looked at knick-knacks, antiques, and all had a small lunch in the centre of the chic-chic dealers market. Afterwards we visited Raffi and Viktor at Rose Bakery where we sipped delicious coffees and sampled gourmet salads. In fact, all week we dined on Rose Bakery extras that were brought home to avoid being thrown out – the savoury tarts were amazing. That night we went to the group’s favourite wine bar where a bottle of white was 5.50E.
Having not planned on burdening myself with an itinerary of set things to see in Paris, Emily and I took it easy on Monday. We went to Père Lachaise, the famous cemetery in the city where a lot of notable figures are buried. We saw the gravestones of Chopin, Edith Pilaf, and Oscar Wilde. We had a very lively discussion about Wilde’s grave (a tradition has developed whereby visitors adorn it with a lipsticked kiss). I think it’s a very fitting and witty tribute to one of the world’s best-known writers. For a man cast out of the church for his “deviant” ways, the tomb stands in stark contrast to all that surrounds it in the park. I think Wilde would appreciate the instance on emphasizing the symbol of resistance he has become. After the cemetery, where we were reprimanded for eating a salad on a bench (Respecter!), we met Raffi and Viktor in a beautiful park that has an incredible view of the city. We dined on a feast of sweet and savoury treats while the sun went down. When the park finally closed at 22:00h we went back to the wine bar for a final evening out – there I introduced the group to a game played back with the MAIPR group.
During my final day in Paris, while Emily was at work, I caught up on messages, photos, and emails before meeting her and Viktor for a drink at her Canadian bar. It was great to see Emily in action; she was working the restaurant all by herself! We shared in her staff meal (chili nachos) before she accompanied me to the bus station for an overnight trip to London. I had four amazing days with Emily, Viktor, and Raffi. It was great to catch up with my Queen’s friends and share old memories. Thankfully, I’ll be seeing Emily and Raffi again in the UK in the next month. I hope to see Viktor again who will be in France for another year at Jacques Le Coq.
Today I arrived in Brighton, one of the UK’s favourite summer cities to collect my research and start to prepare for writing. Paris was a wonderful visit.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: If you have noisy loiterers outside your window, apparently it's kosher to hoist a bucket of water out the window to encourage them to move.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Pizza, Gelato, and Gnocchi in Roma.doc
One of my friends on facebook recently commented that I am “eating me way” through Europe. This isn’t so far from the truth. And what better place to indulge in hearty meals and decedent treats than in Italy.
Jessica and I surmounted the challenges of the Barcelona airport to arrive in Roma safe and sound. After a lengthy metro ride, from one end of line A to the other, we arrived at Battistini. In this area outside of the heart of the centre, dotted with moderate sized apartments and foliage covered terraces, we had an apartment booked for three nights. Admittedly, the initial walk to the apartment proved challenging – the sidewalks are not built for suitcases, we had to travel uphill, and the street signage left a lot to be desired. After the help of some generous locals, we were pointed in the direction of the building.
We arrived to find a jovial and smiling Giuseppe on the terrace of the first floor pad that overlooked the street below. The initial tour of the facilities was quite funny. He explained all the details in Italian (since he spoke hardly any English) and gave us instructions about keys, the trees and bushes on the terraces, and all the other little important things. Luckily, Jessica’s minimal knowledge of Italian from studying from Opera came in handy. The apartment was beautiful – hardwood floors, a spacious living room, kitchenette, wireless internet, a big bathroom, an air conditioned bedroom, and a terracotta terrace with an abundance of greenery and even a lemon tree.
After settling into the flat, we explored some of the area around the apartment. We didn’t get too far than the pizzeria down the street with a pretty full patio. We bet this was a good sign and we weren’t disappointed. A half litre of wine, a bottle of water, bruschetta bread, and two pizzas cost of 23 Euros. It was without a doubt the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. I had a funny realization as I dug into my loaded pizza heaving over the side of the plate. It was peppered with mushrooms, olives, and half a hard-boiled egg in the centre in addition to cheese and fresh tomato sauce – these were three types of foods I would have never eaten before my twenty-first birthday. It seems my palette of acquired tastes has improved over the past few years. That evening we retreated home early after a long travel day and relaxed with a beer on our cozy terrace.
The next morning we hit Roma. After a coffee pickup we went to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. It didn’t take me long to appreciate the heart of Rome’s appeal - opulent and ornate architecture. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a city with such beautiful buildings and sites around each corner. Not only that, but each piazza (and there are many) create moments to pause and admire. After snapping away and battling the hordes of other tourists in +30 temperatures, we decided to cross the coliseum off of our list. We paid for a package deal guided tour of both the coliseum and the palatines – the ancient Rome archeological sites. Our guide told us of the bloodbath and spectacles held in the massive arena, and dispelled some of the “Gladiatorisms” Hollywood continues to get wrong. The Palatines were less impressive until you used your imagination to fill in the missing gaps (only 2% of the original Roman forum is still standing).
After the history lessons, we sat down for a wonderful dinner – beers, caprisi salad, and two dishes of pasta. I had a fantastic gnocchi and Jessica enjoyed some traditional spaghetti. We accomplished a little window-shopping and had some delicious gelato before heading back to our pad. There we spent yet another night sipping beverages on the terrace.
The next day we went to another country – the smallest sovereign state in the world, the Vatican. Again we paid for an English guided tour. It may have been a more expensive way to see the Vatican, but it meant we skipped the lines and heard a lot of important and interesting commentary. Our guide was actually a Canadian named Stan. Although he seemed a bit worn around the edges giving tours four times a day (again in +30 heat), he was jovial and liked to joke around. His tour of the Vatican Museum was great. We saw the important busts and statues, as well as the tapestries and paintings that lined the rooms upstairs. The highlight of the Museum though is undoubtedly the Sistine Chapel. While the hall was packed with ignorant tourists snapping photos and making all kinds of noise after being told not to, the chapel was quite spectacular. While I was expecting it to be a mite larger, you cannot help but appreciate Michelangelo’s four years of struggle under the glow of candlelight.
From there we went into St. Peter’s Basilica – the most opulent Church I’ve ever set foot in. It was a sight. For those of you who have been there you’ll know what I’m talking about. You cannot help but feel reverence for such an important building to so many people throughout the world. We wandered around the grounds, and then the square designed by Bernini (which took me back to a presentation my friend Kelly did on the artist in high school), and then hopped into a pizzeria for some quick lunch.
After the early morning trek to Vatican and six hours of touring the sun had sucked our energy. We wandered around a few more piazzas, a market, and then returned home for an early evening in the burbs. We counted our Roma pursuits as par for the course in two days. That night we went out for one more dinner at our favourite pizzeria around the corner from the apartment. The dinner signaled the end of a fantastic week with Jessica who heads to Greece for a week to visit family. The next morning we sipped on a coffee near the apartment before splitting ways. I could not have asked for a more laid-back and generous travel companion: when we missed the bus to the airport there was no stress, when Giuseppe didn’t speak any English we made it work, and when there was a question of whether to get more gelatto the answer was always affirmative. It’s sad to depart from a friend like Jess but I’m excited for the rest of her journeys.
As I tend to do, I’m catching up on my way to Paris at 35,000 feet. Hincksy and the Doctor reunite for four nights of fun and I can’t wait.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: A nice big slice of your favourite. I ate more pizza in three days than I did the whole time in Amsterdam. I think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have something to do with our generation’s affinity for the greasy Italian treat.
Jessica and I surmounted the challenges of the Barcelona airport to arrive in Roma safe and sound. After a lengthy metro ride, from one end of line A to the other, we arrived at Battistini. In this area outside of the heart of the centre, dotted with moderate sized apartments and foliage covered terraces, we had an apartment booked for three nights. Admittedly, the initial walk to the apartment proved challenging – the sidewalks are not built for suitcases, we had to travel uphill, and the street signage left a lot to be desired. After the help of some generous locals, we were pointed in the direction of the building.
We arrived to find a jovial and smiling Giuseppe on the terrace of the first floor pad that overlooked the street below. The initial tour of the facilities was quite funny. He explained all the details in Italian (since he spoke hardly any English) and gave us instructions about keys, the trees and bushes on the terraces, and all the other little important things. Luckily, Jessica’s minimal knowledge of Italian from studying from Opera came in handy. The apartment was beautiful – hardwood floors, a spacious living room, kitchenette, wireless internet, a big bathroom, an air conditioned bedroom, and a terracotta terrace with an abundance of greenery and even a lemon tree.
After settling into the flat, we explored some of the area around the apartment. We didn’t get too far than the pizzeria down the street with a pretty full patio. We bet this was a good sign and we weren’t disappointed. A half litre of wine, a bottle of water, bruschetta bread, and two pizzas cost of 23 Euros. It was without a doubt the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. I had a funny realization as I dug into my loaded pizza heaving over the side of the plate. It was peppered with mushrooms, olives, and half a hard-boiled egg in the centre in addition to cheese and fresh tomato sauce – these were three types of foods I would have never eaten before my twenty-first birthday. It seems my palette of acquired tastes has improved over the past few years. That evening we retreated home early after a long travel day and relaxed with a beer on our cozy terrace.
The next morning we hit Roma. After a coffee pickup we went to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. It didn’t take me long to appreciate the heart of Rome’s appeal - opulent and ornate architecture. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a city with such beautiful buildings and sites around each corner. Not only that, but each piazza (and there are many) create moments to pause and admire. After snapping away and battling the hordes of other tourists in +30 temperatures, we decided to cross the coliseum off of our list. We paid for a package deal guided tour of both the coliseum and the palatines – the ancient Rome archeological sites. Our guide told us of the bloodbath and spectacles held in the massive arena, and dispelled some of the “Gladiatorisms” Hollywood continues to get wrong. The Palatines were less impressive until you used your imagination to fill in the missing gaps (only 2% of the original Roman forum is still standing).
After the history lessons, we sat down for a wonderful dinner – beers, caprisi salad, and two dishes of pasta. I had a fantastic gnocchi and Jessica enjoyed some traditional spaghetti. We accomplished a little window-shopping and had some delicious gelato before heading back to our pad. There we spent yet another night sipping beverages on the terrace.
The next day we went to another country – the smallest sovereign state in the world, the Vatican. Again we paid for an English guided tour. It may have been a more expensive way to see the Vatican, but it meant we skipped the lines and heard a lot of important and interesting commentary. Our guide was actually a Canadian named Stan. Although he seemed a bit worn around the edges giving tours four times a day (again in +30 heat), he was jovial and liked to joke around. His tour of the Vatican Museum was great. We saw the important busts and statues, as well as the tapestries and paintings that lined the rooms upstairs. The highlight of the Museum though is undoubtedly the Sistine Chapel. While the hall was packed with ignorant tourists snapping photos and making all kinds of noise after being told not to, the chapel was quite spectacular. While I was expecting it to be a mite larger, you cannot help but appreciate Michelangelo’s four years of struggle under the glow of candlelight.
From there we went into St. Peter’s Basilica – the most opulent Church I’ve ever set foot in. It was a sight. For those of you who have been there you’ll know what I’m talking about. You cannot help but feel reverence for such an important building to so many people throughout the world. We wandered around the grounds, and then the square designed by Bernini (which took me back to a presentation my friend Kelly did on the artist in high school), and then hopped into a pizzeria for some quick lunch.
After the early morning trek to Vatican and six hours of touring the sun had sucked our energy. We wandered around a few more piazzas, a market, and then returned home for an early evening in the burbs. We counted our Roma pursuits as par for the course in two days. That night we went out for one more dinner at our favourite pizzeria around the corner from the apartment. The dinner signaled the end of a fantastic week with Jessica who heads to Greece for a week to visit family. The next morning we sipped on a coffee near the apartment before splitting ways. I could not have asked for a more laid-back and generous travel companion: when we missed the bus to the airport there was no stress, when Giuseppe didn’t speak any English we made it work, and when there was a question of whether to get more gelatto the answer was always affirmative. It’s sad to depart from a friend like Jess but I’m excited for the rest of her journeys.
As I tend to do, I’m catching up on my way to Paris at 35,000 feet. Hincksy and the Doctor reunite for four nights of fun and I can’t wait.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: A nice big slice of your favourite. I ate more pizza in three days than I did the whole time in Amsterdam. I think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have something to do with our generation’s affinity for the greasy Italian treat.
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