A Joyeux Noël à Paris.doc

Jet-setting really throws your blog schedule into the fire. I feel like every time I sit down to write of my adventures over here I am trying to articulate a month's worth of events in one post. That said, I will my best to describe to you Christmas 2008 - The Kids are Let Loose in Paris!

After a mammoth day of travel on the 23rd, Emily and I arrived in Paris on the morning of Christmas Eve exhausted and craving a place to set our bags. The small hotel in the Montmartre area was pretty much exactly as I had pictured it. The image may have been pieced together from films about the city - it had yellowed walls, a large window which opened outward, yellow and blue curtains, and a sink in the room which would serve as our makeshift showering facilities (the communal shower for the hotel cost 2 euros a pop). On that afternoon, Emily and I walked around the grounds of the beautiful Sacre-Coeur Basilica. The view of Paris was simply breathtaking and the church was really impressive. While we may have been tired from the traveling, the sight of the city that would be our Christmas home was truly invigorating. We grabbed a coffee from one of the many cafes near our hotel and continued through Montmartre. It's one of the more trendy and artistic spots in Paris, so I am told, and I really dug the bo-ho, communal feel in the neighbourhood.

After an obligatory nap, we headed to Emily's boyfriend's place (Raffi, for those who don't tag-team the blogosphere). 'Twas the coming together of a winning triumverate of Christmas revelers! Raffi is a great guy, and proved to be a great city guide to boot! Since he is studying at a famous international clown school called Jacques LeCoq, it was great to chat theatre (without feeling grilled in the classroom) and have him join us for our Christmas adventures in the city. After visiting in his residence, Emily surprised us with Christmas stockings that she had sewn herself - how crafty! It was Raffi's first Christmas stocking, and my first away from home. The Hinckster had placed a variety of wonderful little treasures inside. From the residence we jumped on the metro, which we used often over the three days, and headed to dinner with another clown from Canada named Nicole and her boyfriend Matt who was visiting for Christmas.

The flat they were staying at, usually inhabited by a clown from Italy (so many red-noses to keep track of), was absolutely gorgeous. It had two fire places and lots of space - it felt nice to be surrounded by a beautiful and warm space on Christmas Eve. We had a delicious dinner - real mozzarella and tomato on fresh bread as appetizers with dijon chicken, rice, and veggies for dinner. We stuffed ourselves on a really wholesome food and chatted about life back home. It was really special to be in the company of North Americans again, if only briefly. I think we all were excited to be experiencing the holiday in a country unlike our own. 

After dinner, we headed to the most likely spot on Christmas Eve - the Eiffel Tower. Wine bottles in tow, we hiked it from the metro station just in time to catch the tower turn from a glowing blue to a ten minute sparkler that could be seen all throughout the city. The combination of three glasses of wine at dinner with the simple beauty of my first visit to the Tower coinciding with Christmas Eve made the moment extremely joyful. This type of feeling was only possible at a certain place in the world and shared among friends, new and old. We sat and soaked it in. Raffi and Nicole gave a hilarious rendition of a very detailed chase sequence they were working on in class, we sipped more wine, and spent the night gazing up at the world-renowned spot. 

Christmas Day was spent differently than I ever have before. Instead of rising at the crack of dawn, we opted to sleep in and save up energy for more afternoon and evening adventures. We joined Raffi in the afternoon and spent some time skyping our families back home. It was a special treat to see the Christmas I know and love still going on - the tree a glow, the dog running around playing with wrapping paper, and a turkey in the oven (the smell was the only thing missing). While it was definitely the most homesick I've felt, I'm so grateful to have my parents' blessing to spent the year traveling and learning about the world. Definitely the best Christmas gift I could ask for.

That night we visited some more hot-spots: the Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, and the Seine. While the Latin Quarter was a really cool spot with a lot to see and do, it seems to have become pretty darn touristy. The highlight was the huge Christmas Tree outside of the ND Cathedral. We sat down for a nice Thai dinner that evening (since we decided it was important) at a really nice restaurant. Curry dinner for Christmas was a delicious change, although its been much too long since I've had a proper Turkey dinner.

On boxing day, Emily and I welcomed Steve to the city - a friend from Queen's who studies Biology but was also part of the theatre scene. Steve and Emily have been really close friends since first year (S&C shout out). After shaking off jetlag, Steve was just as energized to hit the city. We pieced together a lunch feast at Raffi's and then departed for an epic Parisian walk. We saw the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees, the outside of the Louvre, and a few beautiful gardens in the city. Each of these spots possesses an amazing history, and it was really inspiring to think I could get a glimpse of them in one day. As much as we were 'sightseeing', we decided, since it was really a holiday, to talk, walk, and wander instead of playing stressful tourists. It was the best choice - we had a fantastic wall through the city.

That evening we said goodbye to Raffi, who returned to work the next day, and jumped on a train to Rennes. I felt really happen to return to the city - it's the city that most reminds me of Kingston since it's undeniably a university town. On the 27th, Emily took Steve and I around the city and we saw the popular Saturday spots: the market, cafes, and the city park. It was enjoyable to see the city for a second time and I realized just how much Emily feels at home here - I can't blame her, it's a wonderful city. After wandering, much photo-taking, and cafe sipping, we visited the Rennes City Fair that was a five minute walk from Emily's apartment building. I felt like a kid again with endless opportunity to have fun. The fair felt much larger than any I have seen in Canada - the rides were more high-tech, the food shops were double, and the prizes for the games looked very expensive. 

Steve, Emily, and I set our sights on one ride in particular to challenge called Toxic. I think that the title was lost in translation from French to English and should actually read Queasy. Think of the ride as a giant Q-tip affixed to the ground at the centre that spins around and around backwards and forwards. It had to be the most dangerous ride at the fair, but the three of us each put down 5 euros and braved the risk. It did not disappoint. Aside from Emily's initial nervousness once we were strapped in and hoisted to the top, we all had an absolute blast. I could feel my contact lenses being pushed again my eyeballs as we descended head-first round and round.

Fair rides create quite an appetite! We had purchases mussels (moules) in the morning market at an insanely cheap price and went ahead, under Emily's guidance, and made red wine, white wine, and curry moules with frites on the side. One of my favorite meals in Europe thus far! We stuffed ourselves on delicious mussels and took comfort in the fact of a healthy communally made meal. With that we split a bottle of wine and headed down to Rue de la Soif for yet another street party - this one of a smaller nature than the one I experienced in September. We stayed out late, met two clowns named Pierre and Antoine (not funny JLC clowns, but actual clowns), had a few drinks, made dance, and then called it a night.

With that my Christmas adventures in France came to an end. I said goodbye to Emily and Steve for just over a week - they'll come visiting in Amdam on September 7 for three nights. I'm back at Warwick Uni essaying and packing for a Dec 31 departure to Edinburgh for the Hogmanay Festival which is one of the largest NYE parties on the continent. There I will be reuniting with friends Talia and Alex where we will welcome 2009 a full five hours before those back in Canada. The party continues...

Doc's Prescription of the Day: One realistic and positive resolution that will serve to help yourself, or your fellow human being. I'm keeping mine to being extremely mundane, but yet something I'm likely to carry through in 2009. Best Wishes for a fun NYE and for much success in the coming year!

Turkey With All the Trimmings.doc

It is currently 1:20am on Christmas Eve and Emily and I are camping out overnight at the John Lennon Airport in Liverpool. From here we jump on an Easyjet flight and arrive in Paris around 9:30am just in time to explore the city during Christmas. We originally were dreading this time spent in the cold and small airport but were elated upon arrival to wander upon pay-by-the-20 minute slot internet hubs. What a better way to pass the time (who needs sleep?!) than to recount our adventures since the infamous holiday video which we left for you upon our departure.

It was a joy to have Emily for a night at Warwick. Because I am moving the first week of January, she is the only person from home who will have seen my residence digs and life as I described on the blog. We stayed up late planning the minutest details of our trip and catching up on the stories that have accumulated over the past three months on the continent. I gave her a quick tour of the facilities and we enjoyed one last lunch in the residence kitchen, two frozen pizzas, before heading off to Manchester.

Upon arrival we checked into our hostel, the Hatters Manchester, and then made our way around the city. We wandered through brightly lit Christmas events and soaked up the atmosphere of the bustling metropolis. It was here that I introduced Emily to PRIMARK where we each bought extremely cheap clothes for our Turkish adventure - Em picked up a pair of sandals and sunnys while I purchased a new sweater to be worn on Christmas day. From there we wandered to the Manchester Christmas Market (every UK town boasts their own) were we had a wholesome dinner.

Anyone who talks about Manchester usually mentions that the nightlife is the feature of the city - our one night in Man did not disappoint! We went to a hip little bar on Canal Street called Churchills that was offering (surprise, surprise) Karaoke. The bar was eerily similar to Crews and Tango and reminded us of a number of fun TWT nights spent in Toronto. After overcoming a little apprehension (some beverages helped) Em and I scribbled our name as "The Canadians" and put down Twist and Shout as the number we would deliver. After mishearing the DJ twice (he had a thick accent), it was finally our turn to wow the crowd with our Toronto Karaoke skills - we felt like we were singing for all you guys back home. A great night on the journey to Turkey.

We left the hostel early the next morning with Thomas Cook Airlines and chatted with a sweet older lady on the plane who had moved from the UK to Turkey four years ago and swore she would never go back. She regaled us with stories about the country which made us extremely excited for the trip we were about to begin. After a quick process through customs (we got the coolest visa stamp in our passport) and a two hour shuttle to the resort, we had arrived. Now, I've never been to a five star resort before so I had no idea what to expect. All in all, I'm told the service where we stayed is more like what you'd find at a three star resort, but you'd never know it entering the lobby at the Beach Club Doganay where we stayed. The six floors surround an atrium that is lit up like something you'd find in Vegas or Atlantic City. While the balcony was a little small and it was a bit too cold to spent our evenings outdoors, the room looked extremely luxurious.

Emily and I think we might have been the first Canadians ever to vacation there. The whole week we were surrounded by Germans, Brits,Turks, and Dutch tourists who all mentioned they had never really heard of Canadians vacationing in Turkey. Whenever one of the bartenders or waiters would ask us where we were from, they would always be surprised to hear the word Canada. Two of the staff entertainers in particular made an effort during the week to ask questions about where we were from. Since we were the only ones there, it wasn't long before most of the workers there were referring to us as The Canadians. One drawback of the resort was the lack of anyone under the age of twenty-five. The first night we were pretty certain the median age at dinner looked to be forty. We later found out that a seniors home in Turkey brings the residents to the resort for one week out of the year. I wish I was kidding. If you know Emily and I you know that this did little to dampen our spirits - we had a fine time filling our evening with alternative socializing since the disco was sparsely populated (understatement of the trip).

The food was fantastic. Before leaving, a friend told me that Greek food and Turkish food is fairly similar, but that no one from either country would tell you that. The highlights of the all-inclusive meals included : fresh baked bread, a variety of different olives, many cheeses, and lots of meat. My mom is a huge fan of feta cheese and there had to be about half a dozen types of feta each with a different spice. The dessert of the trip was an extremely decadent baklava that melted in your mouth (obvi, Emily and I packed up five for our room). There were about six to ten different cats that pranced around the resort. As opposed to animals I had seen in Cuba or the Dominican, these felines looked extremely well-fed and well-groomed so I didn't mind having them wander by in the dining room. Em and I even took to naming some of the cats after our friends as if they were there at dinner with us (too weird?)

On the whole the weather wasn't the greatest. We had three full days where it didn't rain while the other four were either overcast or had patches of clouds. On the days it didn't rain it was HOT. I'm talking 22-24 degrees! This meant that on the two full days of full sun we hit the beach early in the morning and stayed until the sun began to set around 4pm. These were my favorite days. Only in certain places in Europe can you bask in the sunshine in just a bathing suit and need to cool off in the sea, and Turkey is luckily one of them. We sat in lounge chairs and listened to our favorite songs through ipod headphones, we frolicked in the Mediterranean sea, we drank beers from the beach bar, and finally, we wondered what everyone back home was doing while we were lucky enough to be on the Turkish Riviera (apparently it was shoveling snow??)

On Thursday we went on a day excursion to Alanya, the city closest to the resort. We were told that from the top of the castle you could see the whole city so we decided to make that our first visit. A kind man in the village had told us that no one usually walks up the roads to the castle since it takes an hour. We listened politely to his advice but promptly decided that walking up to the castle was exactly what we wanted to do. During the trip up I couldn't have felt more away from Canada. As we walked, we took in the architecture of our surroundings, interacted with a few of the city's inhabitants, and heard a prayer from a mosque over a loud speaker far in the distance. The view from the top was extraordinary. We spent a good 45 minutes walking through the ruins of the castle and peering down on the colourful city of Alanya. We walked down a different route along the harbour where we were continually offered "great deals" on boat tours - since it was the off-season, street vendors and anyone who had something to sell was continually bombarding us with questions.

After purchasing a few small items from a shop, we settled into an outdoor cafe for an authentic Turkish coffee - it looked like tar and created a muddy type of coffee solid at the bottom of the cup. It was delicious. The nice man who served us also asked us to try the hookah he was smoking outside the shop (when in Turkey!) We had a most perfect day trip to Alanya where the orange trees grow and the coffee is strong and bitter. On the topic of "when in Turkey", every toilet at the hotel had a bidet. If you are unaware of the term I suggest you place it into a google search. Without going into detail, Emily and I made a decision to use the bidet at least once while at the resort. Talk about saving the environment! Why haven't bidets been mentioned in any plans for paper conservation? It's a different way of doing things, but I don't see why it's an inferior method.

The two most relaxing parts of the trip were our time spent in the Mediterranean and in the Turkish Bath and Sauna. The sea was the cleanest water I've ever swam in. You could usually see to the bottom where you were swimming and, as always, I felt like the salt water was doing wonders for my skin. The Turkish Bath was a room made of marble with basins of water attached to the wall. The combination of the marble, steam, and air-tight seal meant it was like a sauna where you'd take a bowl of water from a basin and continually pour it over you. Near the end of the trip I spent 20£ for a spa deal which included a full body scrub in the Bath, a facial peel, and a 30 minute massage - the price was lower because it was the off-season. The massage alone was forth the twenty quid; I felt like a new man after the treatment.

Aside from all the comforts of a week away from school and commitment, Emily and I had an absolute ball. There wasn't really any young pals to tag around with at the resort so we amused ourselves observing the characters, lounging in the lobby bar, watching Turkish MTV (which played the same videos on a six hour loop), playing our usual survival games, and considering just where else this crazy European adventure would take us. It was comforting to spend a week with a dear friend from home who knew all the in-jokes and had a shared history. We were able to talk in-depth about the future, the fate of the world, and all that is great about the place we call home. It's at this time that all the news outlets will produce their 2008 Year in Review. I feel that, without talking about it, Turkey was both a year in review, for two friends who spent the majority of the year together, and also a look towards an exciting 2009 full of possibility.

From here, after hording the internet computers for over an hour, Emily and I head to Paris where we are sure to have a memorable Christmas. It will be sad to be away from all that is familiar, but exciting to explore how the holiday is celebrated in another country. It is my hope that you aren't burdened by too much snow, and are happy back home in a country I miss more and more with each passing week.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I'm taking inspiration from my surroundings at John Lennon Airport and wishing for a peaceful holiday for you and yours:

"And so this is Christmas

For weak and for strong

For Rich and for poor ones

The road is so long

And so Happy Christmas

For black and for white

For yellow and red ones

Let's stop all the fight"

Season's Greetings from the Bloggers.doc

Emily and I leave for Manchester in an hour en route to Turkey and then Paris for Christmas!

A memory of Christmases past:

Season's Greetings from Hincksy and the Doctor:

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I hope you are spending the Holidays with those you love.

London, One More Time.doc

To describe the past four days as busy would be an understatement. But to describe them as a brilliant send off from England would be bang on. For all intensive purposes, this past weekend has been the last few days of travel in this fine country. While I am back between Rennes and Edinburgh, the visit from Thursday to Saturday was also my last time spent in London - a city that energizes me more with every visit.

The trip was planned to see Andrew, a friend of the family who lives and works in the city. The last time I had seen Andrew was sometime around 1990 when he accompanied the family on a vacation to Myrtle Beach! It is hard to believe 18 years have past since then. Andrew is the Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth Church near London Bridge and is the Director of the Centre for Spirituality in London. He told me of a visit from Desmond Tutu last year as part of the opening celebration of a new green space for the church where they hope to hold outdoor performances.

Andrew was generous enough to get us tickets for a play at the National called August: Osage County. I found it a bit ironic that I was seeing an American family drama in London, but the production was first rate (it's no wonder it has been exported from Broadway to London). If I had to describe the drama it would be a contemporary 2008 Long Day's Journey into Night - it's bigger, bolder, and peels back the family portrait to reveal the festering wounds hidden beneath. The play also is a long journey into night clocking in at a whopping three and a half hours. Andrew and I both agreed that it was a tour de force. Chelcie Ross and Amy Morton gave particularly strong performances as the drug addicted matriarch and the daughter who must try to unite the family once again. We had a quick dinner at the interval (intermission) that you order in advance and is ready to eat before the start of Act Two. How innovative! Small side note - the English don't give standing ovations (unless something is truly groundshakingly good, I think). I much prefer this convention rather than being coerced to your feet by an over-excited public. The audience was incredibly appreciative of the performance (you could tell by the strength of the clap) but didn't feel the need to rise with enthusiasm.

Andrew lives on the outskirts of London in a suburb called Forest Hill. This meant taking a small train in to the main metro (think Go train from Oakville to Toronto). Friday morning I left Forest Hill and met Andrew at London Bridge Station. During his break from work we wandered through the Borough Street Market where he purchased fish, bread, breakfast specialties, and some really strong cheese! The cheese shop he took me to gave out loads of free samples - strong and rich (I have one friend who would be in cheese heaven). I got the full tour of the three spaces that compose the church where Andrew works. They are surrounded on Lombard Street by a number of insurance companies. We popped into an old English pub and had a hot sandwich and a pint for lunch alongside the business crowd.

With Andrew back at work, I made my way to the Tate Modern - a museum I had been looking to visit since September. Without a doubt it was the most impressive collection of art work I've ever seen. The Turbine Hall is the main space which feels like the inside of a factory (I think it once was) and it holds a rotating installation which changes every six months or so. Because of the enormity of the space, the pieces inside are epic in design. The current exhibit considers a London of the future and the artifacts that may be preserved after a natural disaster. I spent the next two hours on the second floor seeing work from the likes of Matisse, Monet, Pollock, Picasso, Bacon, Dali, and Kandinsky among many others. It's hard to describe the two hour wander but it was as if books featuring these works had come alive. I have to return later in the year to continue up the floors.

It just so happens that a friend from Queen's, Stuart Adrian, was celebrating his birthday on the Friday night. With Andrew at a staff Christmas party, I was free to hit the town and visit a true London flat party. It felt great to be among some Canadians again - there were four of there! Stuart is a business guy so a lot of his friends were from work. The champagne was flowing and great tunes were playing. I felt miles away from the quiet Heronbank flat and at the centre of a bustling metropolis! I unfortunately couldn't accompany the gang to the bar, since the troops began to mobilize around midnight and I needed to get back to Forest Hill, but I found a 24 night bus no problem and managed to make it back safe and sound. 

The next morning I had a traditional English breakfast with Andrew and Martin. Now I've had a few breakfasts in pubs and restaurants since arriving but none as good as the one I was treated to before leaving. Among the staples of breakfast you'd expect was also baked mushrooms and tomatoes as well as sausage and haggis. What a treat! With that I said goodbye with plans to visit upon returning later in the summer. It was the first time I really felt "at home" in London after having visited at various points throughout the term.

I returned to Warwick where I have been travel planning ever since - lots of to do lists and train and plane confirmation numbers. We have 20 transportation connections alone for the next three weeks of travel! Tonight I had a lovely meal with Emily's Aunt Shelia and Uncle Doug in Birmingham. Like the breakfast, it was nice to sit down to a home cooked dinner. I have been so lucky that the Hincks clan, at home and abroad, have welcomed me into their homes. After having visited Birmingham a few times this semester, it was nice to see it with those who know the top spots.

Tomorrow Emily and I leave for Manchester en route to a week in Turkey!

Doc's Prescription of the Day: Big English Breakfasts! Why have we neglected a place for tomatoes, mushrooms, and, yes, even haggis at our breakfast tables? I say the more the merrier.

Blades of Glory.doc

I've been furiously looking to GET THINGS DONE over these past few days with little time to tie up loose ends before heading off and facing disconnection for two weeks. I'll be happy not to be tied to my computer, but there are so many messages I have to write before then. I don't even know where I'm living in Amsterdam in just over three weeks. As always though, it will all work itself out.

The holiday and travel crunch has relegated the essay to second billing. I have managed to get my intro sorted out and two pages on paper, but I look forward to having time this coming Saturday and Sunday morning to try and sort out the rest of the structure. This might mean I'm taking an article or two with me to Turkey but it might prove essential. Since the paper is only 10 pages, and due just under a month from now, like the above paragraph states: it will all work itself out. Well, it might not work itself out, but I'll work it all out one way or another.

Last night, Bec, Lotte, and I took a break from our respective holiday planning and went for a night out in Coventry (a poor man's Leamington Spa). It was, in fact, Lotte's last night on campus so we were giving her a royal send off before heading to the dark land of Finland where in the second term she'll be popping Vitamin tablets due to the lack of sun - I think can expected to get four hours a day. We hopped on the bus to Cov and upon arrival wandered around yet another brightly lit up city. I think I mentioned it in an early post but Coventry is all concrete and lacks old buildings (due to the bombings in WWII). The Christmas displays were nice, but not as picturesque as the ones in the quaint little town of Stratford.

We went to a restaurant called Nandos which is what I think is the UK equivalent to Swiss Chalet! Claire will be able to tell me if I've got this one right. Their signature dish is the quarter or half chicken with chips and another side. The difference in preparation is that instead of a roississerie style with gravy, they spice things up with peri-peri sauce; there is no Festive Special with chocolate to take home. The food was quite good and, like Swiss Chalet, came really quickly. Instead of sitting down and having a server you queue at the front to place your order and the meal is brought to your table when it is ready. The girls got Chicken pitas and I dug into a 1/2 chicken dinner. It made me wish for some Swiss Chalet gravy.

The highlight of the night was the second leg of the night spent at the Skydome! No friends, I did not travel back in time to a pre-2005 Roger's Centre, but instead went to Coventry's sport complex where holiday iceskating was in full swing. Now, skating is something that we talked about doing all the time back home (and friends can attest to my desire to go) so I was more than excited to lace up once again. Two hours in the rink and a pair of skates to "hire" was only 6 quid - what a steal! So I laced up my skates and hit the ice. The first few laps were spent a bit tentatively, since I hadn't had skates on in over two years, but I got my feet under me quite quickly. After 10 minutes I noticed that I had most of the speed I originally had, but was having trouble turning corners and doing the spray stop. It took me a glance down to realize that I was wearing figure skates instead of hockey skates. In the excitement of jumping out onto the ice I didn't even register the style. To give me some credit, I didn't think I'd be handed a size 12 mens figure skates. Apparently they have them in that size!

I negotiated with the guy behind the counter, and after five minutes spent rummaging in the back room, he procured me a pair of real hockey skates. The difference was pronounced. Not only could I perform every little skill I had learned in my thirteen years at the rink, but I felt like I had never taken skates off. If I had to maneouver in another form for the rest of my life, it would be with skates on the ice. I don't mean to puff myself up but I was far and away the best skater at the rink - they may be better football players, but skaters the Brits are not. Bec wanted to shoot a movie with my camera so, like typical performance students, we improvised something fun. Lotte's horrendous skating ability makes me laugh in this clip:

Some other photo documentation:

We've become a great little group of three during first term and it will be sad to see Lotte head to Finland. She has already made plans to come and visit during April. Hopefully we'll find someone just as fun in Amsterdam to join our adventures.

I head to London this afternoon where I'll be staying there for Thursday and Friday night. I'm staying with a dear family friend named Andrew who is the rector at St. Mary Woolnoth Church in London. We are seeing August: Osage County at the National tonight and on Friday night I'm popping by a friend's birthday party in the city. I head back here on Saturday afternoon where I will spent the remainder of the weekend furatively preparing to depart on Monday morning.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think it's an obvious one. Strap on those skates and head out to the rink. Nathan Phillips Square, perhaps?