After hauling myself out of bed this morning at 7:30 Paris time (1:30 EST), I somehow managed to shower, shave, down a half litre of OJ, and checkout in 30 minutes. Oh yeah, I also dressed myself *proud*
Caught a taxi to DeGaulle airport, where I breezed through pre-board screening, and ate breakfast in the Air Canada lounge (pain chocolat, fruit, pineapple juice, cookies, danishes, cheese, etc.). The flight back from Paris to Toronto is 8+ hours. At this point, I'll make an admission: I drank quite a bit to kill the time on the plane. My recollection is a glass of champagne, 2 glasses of port, and a Heineken. If it helps, I also ate quite a bit to help offset the liquor. Another great thing about travelling business class is the movies/tv terminal. I managed to get through 3 movies: Year One (dumb), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (great quote: you're meant to lose the ones you love; how else will you know how much you care about them), and the Time Traveller's Wife (decent, except for the last 2 minutes).
After arriving in Toronto at around 2:30pm, I almost got on the 3:15 to Ottawa...but they couldn't transfer my luggage. The 4pm to Ottawa is full, so I'm stuck on the 4:50 flight, which boards in about 30 minutes.
Since I wrote my first trip entry in the Air Canada lounge in Ottawa, it's only fitting I write my last trip post from the Maple Leaf (read: Air Canada) lounge at Pearson. I had a Guiness and 3 cookies to help me keep awake. My goal is to stay up til 10pm tonight, and I'll let myself sleep in tomorrow as long as my body wants.
There was this kid...well, actually young man (20ish) at the L'Ouvre (G will likely correct my spelling on that *haha*) who I overheard say "I never thought I'd see the Mona Lisa in my life". At the time, I thought it was just a typical, cliche expression. After reflection, I understand and sympathize with what the kid was saying. In my mind, and at heart, I'm just a country boy from a small town (Pembroke - population 13,500 when everyone is home), who managed to get through the first 29 years of his life without a passport. I saw and experienced so many different things on this trip that were...pardon the cliche...beyond my wildest dreams. On this trip I've stood at the feet of Big Ben, took a ferry from Europe to Asia, wondered around Grand Place, walked through the red light district, and got overwhelmed by the light show at the Eiffel Tower. I know there are people my age, from my type of background that have done more, ane experienced more than I have...but I feel so lucky right now. I'll never be a chique, affluent, jet-setter...but my hard work at my job allowed me the opportunity to experience different cultures, explore 6 countries, and most importantly, broaden my horizons.
Happy travels friends!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Paris Day 3
It's my last full day in Paris, and after seeing the Eiffel tower last night all lit up, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do today. I ended up consulting my handy-dandy Paris guidebook, and decided I'd visit the rest of the top 10 sites in Paris. This required a fair amount of metro planning prep work, but it was worth it.
I took the metro to the Champs-Elyse, and basically walked along the river, with little detours to get shots of the 7 sites I hadn't seen. The most unique was the Pompodore (?) center. It basically looks like a big series of pipes from the outside. Another high-light was touring inside Notre Dame. Sad to say, I didn't see any hunchbacks...
Also of importance, I got the last of my gifts for people back home. This was actually quite a stressful process, so it's nice to have completed it.
Oh, and I ate at this amazing little Thai place near the Patheon. Probably my favorite meal in Paris.
Anyway, think I'll go out once more tonight to the Eiffel tower and walk to the Champs d'Elyse. Call me a sucker for lights and beauty ;-) Heading back to Canada tomorrow...not looking forward to the 8+ hour flight to Toronto, and 1 hour hop to Ottawa. Looking forward to seeing everyone again though...and getting a good night's sleep in my own bed.
I took the metro to the Champs-Elyse, and basically walked along the river, with little detours to get shots of the 7 sites I hadn't seen. The most unique was the Pompodore (?) center. It basically looks like a big series of pipes from the outside. Another high-light was touring inside Notre Dame. Sad to say, I didn't see any hunchbacks...
Also of importance, I got the last of my gifts for people back home. This was actually quite a stressful process, so it's nice to have completed it.
Oh, and I ate at this amazing little Thai place near the Patheon. Probably my favorite meal in Paris.
Anyway, think I'll go out once more tonight to the Eiffel tower and walk to the Champs d'Elyse. Call me a sucker for lights and beauty ;-) Heading back to Canada tomorrow...not looking forward to the 8+ hour flight to Toronto, and 1 hour hop to Ottawa. Looking forward to seeing everyone again though...and getting a good night's sleep in my own bed.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Days 1 & 2 in Paris
Bonjour from belle Paris! I'll keep my entry short, since I'm about to head off to bed (it's 9:30ish now).
Day 1
Leaving Amsterdam was bitter sweet. I loved the city, I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at my hotel, and their transit system is world class. However, I was looking forward to Paris, if only for the mystique of the city.
Before catching my train to Paris, I picked up a "Top 10" guidebook to Paris, that's been well worth the 10 EUR. I also bought a copy of Anne Frank's diary, as I hadn't had time to read it prior to Amsterdam.
Sat beside a pleasant Dutch guy on the train, and we talked about Anne Frank's diary (I read about half of it on the way), Paris, and school. Even though the train was delayed due to a breakdown, we're talking 20 minutes top, instead of the usual 1 or 2 hour delay for Via Rail trains.
Arrived in Paris about 2pm, caught a taxi to my hotel...which is interesting. My room is tiny, breakfast isn't included, and my tv is about 18 inches...but...it's in a great location (close to metro), their's free in room Internet (!), and it's close to the Arc de Triomphe (20 minute walk). The last point is included since I walked to the Arc the first night here. Then, in what is becoming a re-occurring theme, I passed out the second I hit the bed (9:30ish).
Day 2
Today was jam packed. I bought a 48 hour metro pass, and that has made me extremely mobile. Although Paris's subway and bus system is more difficult to understand than Amsterdam (yes, I've got lost a few times today), it's still incredibly efficient. I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes for a train...for serious!
With Metro pass in hand, I headed off to L'Ouevre, since it's always been a goal of mine to see the Mona Lisa in my life. Having now accomplished that goal, I'd go as far as to say that there's much more interesting peices at the museum. The Venus DiMio (sp?) was breathtaking, and I also really enjoyed Winged Victory (probably got that wrong).
Headed back home to...you guessed it...nap. Then headed out to the Eiffel Tower since my guidebook says it must be seen at night. Totally agree with that, as it lights up for about 15 minutes and hour, and there's a little sound and music show. To make the night even better, I had a ham and cheese crepe on my way back to the Metro station...spectacular! Which reminds me, since breakfast isn't included at my hotel, I bought myself some choissants and cheese this morning...a block of brie (which I love) was 1.50 EUR! I ate 3/4 of the block...and it tasted incredible.
Anyway, I'm exhausted, and need to hit the sack. Looking forward to returning to Ottawa on Wednesday.
Day 1
Leaving Amsterdam was bitter sweet. I loved the city, I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at my hotel, and their transit system is world class. However, I was looking forward to Paris, if only for the mystique of the city.
Before catching my train to Paris, I picked up a "Top 10" guidebook to Paris, that's been well worth the 10 EUR. I also bought a copy of Anne Frank's diary, as I hadn't had time to read it prior to Amsterdam.
Sat beside a pleasant Dutch guy on the train, and we talked about Anne Frank's diary (I read about half of it on the way), Paris, and school. Even though the train was delayed due to a breakdown, we're talking 20 minutes top, instead of the usual 1 or 2 hour delay for Via Rail trains.
Arrived in Paris about 2pm, caught a taxi to my hotel...which is interesting. My room is tiny, breakfast isn't included, and my tv is about 18 inches...but...it's in a great location (close to metro), their's free in room Internet (!), and it's close to the Arc de Triomphe (20 minute walk). The last point is included since I walked to the Arc the first night here. Then, in what is becoming a re-occurring theme, I passed out the second I hit the bed (9:30ish).
Day 2
Today was jam packed. I bought a 48 hour metro pass, and that has made me extremely mobile. Although Paris's subway and bus system is more difficult to understand than Amsterdam (yes, I've got lost a few times today), it's still incredibly efficient. I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes for a train...for serious!
With Metro pass in hand, I headed off to L'Ouevre, since it's always been a goal of mine to see the Mona Lisa in my life. Having now accomplished that goal, I'd go as far as to say that there's much more interesting peices at the museum. The Venus DiMio (sp?) was breathtaking, and I also really enjoyed Winged Victory (probably got that wrong).
Headed back home to...you guessed it...nap. Then headed out to the Eiffel Tower since my guidebook says it must be seen at night. Totally agree with that, as it lights up for about 15 minutes and hour, and there's a little sound and music show. To make the night even better, I had a ham and cheese crepe on my way back to the Metro station...spectacular! Which reminds me, since breakfast isn't included at my hotel, I bought myself some choissants and cheese this morning...a block of brie (which I love) was 1.50 EUR! I ate 3/4 of the block...and it tasted incredible.
Anyway, I'm exhausted, and need to hit the sack. Looking forward to returning to Ottawa on Wednesday.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Day 1
The train ride to Amsterdam was a bit strange for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my colleague was flying to Frankfurt while I was riding the rails to Amsterdam. Secondly, although I had been going “First Class” on business, I bought the cheapest coach train ticket I could get on the Internet. There was also the fact that the train conductor never checked my ticket, only those around me. Maybe I have a trustable face?
On arriving in Amsterdam, the Central station completely overwhelmed me. There was very little English, which made the experience of exiting the station all the more frustrating. The frustration continued when the cab from the station to my hotel cost me EUR 32. I was disappointed in the location of my hotel, since it’s basically in the middle of nowhere.
However, this is also when things started to turn around. The girl at the front desk of the hotel told me where the metro station was located (about 500 meters from the hotel). I did my last bit of “work”, and then walked over to the metro station and bought a 48 hour pass (with some difficulty). The EUR 10.50 for the 2-day pass saved me a small fortune on cabs.
I took the subway back to Central station where I got some supper, and then went for a little walk. I found a touristy street (think Sparks Street, but with a lot more pot), and bought my souvenirs. At point, I took the subway back to my hotel since I was exhausted (as I have been for the past week).
At the hotel, I watched this crazy channel that seems to only play cop and lawyer shows in English. I ate some dark Belgium chocolate, planned out my destinations for the next day, and passed out at 10:30pm.
Amsterdam Day 2
While checking in, the girl at the front desk mentioned that breakfast was served from 6-10am on the weekend. This was a surprise since I didn’t remember the hotel having a continental breakfast. On the other hand, I thought they had free Internet access, which I guess technically they do, through 2 public computers. So I got up around 9ish, showered, then stumbled downstairs to check out this breakfast. Turns out the breakfast buffet was in-line with that of the Waldorf Hilton in England. I had multiple chocolate croissants, some crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruit, milk, orange juice…and some of the worst peanut butter I’ve ever sample.
With my stomach full, it was time to discover Amsterdam. I took the metro to Waterlooplein (about 2 kilometers from downturn). There was a flea market there, city hall, a beautiful church, but try as I might, I couldn’t find Rembrant’s house. No worries, I walked downtown along one of the many canals. The walk took me through Chinatown and the Vietneese part of the city. I picked up a more detailed map of the city from the Amsterdam tourism office, and then proceeded to find Anne Frank’s house. This was definitely somewhere I wanted to visit, but, seeing the line-up around the block, and knowing I didn’t want to rush at my main stop of the day, I decided to take some pictures of the famous house, and the gorgeous church beside it, and move on.
It took a while, but I finally arrived at the reason I wanted to come to Amsterdam in the first place – The Van Gogh Museum. I know what you’re thinking, I’m not the most artsy guy you know. In fact, I’m probably the least artist person you’ll ever meet. However, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the genius that was sir Vincent. For EUR 12.50, I got to see over 250 paintings, some sketches, letters, and learn more about one of my favorite artists. There was a hidden gem of a painting I really loved (beside the amazing sunflowers, potato eaters, and self-portrait). It was a still life of lilies, daisies, and poppies. I’ll have to look it up at home and order a print. The colors just pop…it’s an amazing piece.
By the time I exited the museum, I was exhausted and my feet were starting to get sore. I had thought about taking a tour of the Heineken beer factory, but seeing the line-up, and knowing I would have been rushing to enjoy it in only an hour and a half…I decided to skip it. Instead, I bought a quick snack at a grocery store, and found a metro station from which I could get back downtown.
Why you may ask? Well, first I wanted to eat supper. After a chicken donair (yum), that mission was quickly accomplished. The real reason I came back downtown was to find the infamous “red light district”. This isn’t on any maps, but having experienced the “marijuana district” the night before, I thought the red light district would complete my Amsterdam experience. If there’s one thing I’ve figured out on this trip, it’s that when in doubt, follow the tourists! This strategy led me to the red light district in about 15 minutes (for serious!)
A couple of words. First off, it was pretty crazy, but it’s over-hyped. Picture a bunch of old (40ish), fake, and gender-questionable “women” in windows, and you basically have an idea of what you’d see. The more amusing part for me was watching men try to negotiate with them. It’s eye-opening to see the type of guy that goes into a whorehouse. Hearing them try to strike a deal on heavily-used-“ladies” was a crack-up.
Anyway, after walking through the red-light district, I made my way back to the train station, picked up an “Innocent” smoothie (yes G, they are addictive), and made my way back to the hotel.
Needing to pack my suitcase before passing out, I’ll need to sign off now. I expect to post this entry when I get to Paris tomorrow.
The train ride to Amsterdam was a bit strange for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my colleague was flying to Frankfurt while I was riding the rails to Amsterdam. Secondly, although I had been going “First Class” on business, I bought the cheapest coach train ticket I could get on the Internet. There was also the fact that the train conductor never checked my ticket, only those around me. Maybe I have a trustable face?
On arriving in Amsterdam, the Central station completely overwhelmed me. There was very little English, which made the experience of exiting the station all the more frustrating. The frustration continued when the cab from the station to my hotel cost me EUR 32. I was disappointed in the location of my hotel, since it’s basically in the middle of nowhere.
However, this is also when things started to turn around. The girl at the front desk of the hotel told me where the metro station was located (about 500 meters from the hotel). I did my last bit of “work”, and then walked over to the metro station and bought a 48 hour pass (with some difficulty). The EUR 10.50 for the 2-day pass saved me a small fortune on cabs.
I took the subway back to Central station where I got some supper, and then went for a little walk. I found a touristy street (think Sparks Street, but with a lot more pot), and bought my souvenirs. At point, I took the subway back to my hotel since I was exhausted (as I have been for the past week).
At the hotel, I watched this crazy channel that seems to only play cop and lawyer shows in English. I ate some dark Belgium chocolate, planned out my destinations for the next day, and passed out at 10:30pm.
Amsterdam Day 2
While checking in, the girl at the front desk mentioned that breakfast was served from 6-10am on the weekend. This was a surprise since I didn’t remember the hotel having a continental breakfast. On the other hand, I thought they had free Internet access, which I guess technically they do, through 2 public computers. So I got up around 9ish, showered, then stumbled downstairs to check out this breakfast. Turns out the breakfast buffet was in-line with that of the Waldorf Hilton in England. I had multiple chocolate croissants, some crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruit, milk, orange juice…and some of the worst peanut butter I’ve ever sample.
With my stomach full, it was time to discover Amsterdam. I took the metro to Waterlooplein (about 2 kilometers from downturn). There was a flea market there, city hall, a beautiful church, but try as I might, I couldn’t find Rembrant’s house. No worries, I walked downtown along one of the many canals. The walk took me through Chinatown and the Vietneese part of the city. I picked up a more detailed map of the city from the Amsterdam tourism office, and then proceeded to find Anne Frank’s house. This was definitely somewhere I wanted to visit, but, seeing the line-up around the block, and knowing I didn’t want to rush at my main stop of the day, I decided to take some pictures of the famous house, and the gorgeous church beside it, and move on.
It took a while, but I finally arrived at the reason I wanted to come to Amsterdam in the first place – The Van Gogh Museum. I know what you’re thinking, I’m not the most artsy guy you know. In fact, I’m probably the least artist person you’ll ever meet. However, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the genius that was sir Vincent. For EUR 12.50, I got to see over 250 paintings, some sketches, letters, and learn more about one of my favorite artists. There was a hidden gem of a painting I really loved (beside the amazing sunflowers, potato eaters, and self-portrait). It was a still life of lilies, daisies, and poppies. I’ll have to look it up at home and order a print. The colors just pop…it’s an amazing piece.
By the time I exited the museum, I was exhausted and my feet were starting to get sore. I had thought about taking a tour of the Heineken beer factory, but seeing the line-up, and knowing I would have been rushing to enjoy it in only an hour and a half…I decided to skip it. Instead, I bought a quick snack at a grocery store, and found a metro station from which I could get back downtown.
Why you may ask? Well, first I wanted to eat supper. After a chicken donair (yum), that mission was quickly accomplished. The real reason I came back downtown was to find the infamous “red light district”. This isn’t on any maps, but having experienced the “marijuana district” the night before, I thought the red light district would complete my Amsterdam experience. If there’s one thing I’ve figured out on this trip, it’s that when in doubt, follow the tourists! This strategy led me to the red light district in about 15 minutes (for serious!)
A couple of words. First off, it was pretty crazy, but it’s over-hyped. Picture a bunch of old (40ish), fake, and gender-questionable “women” in windows, and you basically have an idea of what you’d see. The more amusing part for me was watching men try to negotiate with them. It’s eye-opening to see the type of guy that goes into a whorehouse. Hearing them try to strike a deal on heavily-used-“ladies” was a crack-up.
Anyway, after walking through the red-light district, I made my way back to the train station, picked up an “Innocent” smoothie (yes G, they are addictive), and made my way back to the hotel.
Needing to pack my suitcase before passing out, I’ll need to sign off now. I expect to post this entry when I get to Paris tomorrow.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Day 12
Let me preface this post by making an admission: I'm drunk, or at least buzzed. A beer at supper, and 3 more at Delerium (including one that was 10.5%) means I'm not 100%.
After getting my last 2 business meetings over with, I went out for a walk in Brussels to get some pictures and explore the city. Grand Place is extraordinary, and I'm glad to have it experienced it at 3 different times of day.
My colleague and I decided to go out for dinner in the "fish market", which limited my choices to a beef stew in a restaurant called "Huitres". It was enjoyable, but I liked the walk down to the statue of the boy peeing (I'll post a picture on FB later) which is famous in Brussels.
Afterwards, we had a Belgium waffle with chocolate and banannas (yum), and then made our way to Delerium. This is a bar with over 2,000 beers, including the favorite of my colleage Gulden Draken, which is 10.5%. I also partook in a cherry beer (imagine a heavier cooler), and a pomegrante wheat beer. Both very tasty, and very buzz-inducing.
Now, I have to go up and pack, since I'm off to Amsterdam tomorrow. I'll have some water to help sober up. It'll be nice to sleep into 9am tomorrow. Brussels is lovely, but I'm glad to be moving on. King, out.
After getting my last 2 business meetings over with, I went out for a walk in Brussels to get some pictures and explore the city. Grand Place is extraordinary, and I'm glad to have it experienced it at 3 different times of day.
My colleague and I decided to go out for dinner in the "fish market", which limited my choices to a beef stew in a restaurant called "Huitres". It was enjoyable, but I liked the walk down to the statue of the boy peeing (I'll post a picture on FB later) which is famous in Brussels.
Afterwards, we had a Belgium waffle with chocolate and banannas (yum), and then made our way to Delerium. This is a bar with over 2,000 beers, including the favorite of my colleage Gulden Draken, which is 10.5%. I also partook in a cherry beer (imagine a heavier cooler), and a pomegrante wheat beer. Both very tasty, and very buzz-inducing.
Now, I have to go up and pack, since I'm off to Amsterdam tomorrow. I'll have some water to help sober up. It'll be nice to sleep into 9am tomorrow. Brussels is lovely, but I'm glad to be moving on. King, out.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Day 11
If this entry doesn't make much sense, I'm trying to squeeze it in before heading to bed after an exhausting day. Plus, if you come to my blog to logical entries, I question your sanity.
Today started with a cab ride to Brussels Midi train station. Actually, back that up, today actually started with a chocolate croissant and a smoothie (with 5 servings of fruit). We took a 3 hour train ride to the Frankfurt airport where we had a 1 hour meeting. The ride to Frankfurt was interesting, as there was so much gorgeous scenery as we moved from Belgium to Germany, and most of the way across that country.
The Frankfurt airport is a massive structure. I counted 8 terminals, 2 train terminals, and a conference center (where we had our meeting). The shops could put Rideau Center to shame. Knowing it would likely be my last time in Germany for a while, I picked up a soccer scarf, some post-cards, and two fridge magnets.
Then we trained back to Brussels on a German "ICE" train. We reached speeds of over 250 km/h. Luckily it was dark, as it would have been hard to look outside at those speeds given I was facing backwards.
Tomorrow is our last day of meetings, and my last full day in Brussels. I'm going to try to hit a few touristy spots, but the timing of my meetings make it difficult. I MUST pick up some chocolates at some point tomorrow, as many of you have ordered those before I left.
Again, I'll say just how tired I am, and how days are fading together. Hopefully I can snap a few pictures tomorrow to help remember my time in the beautiful Brussels.
Lastly, here's a quick shoutout to Five Finger Discount, my Thursday night Frisbee team in O-Town. Give them hell tomorrow G & Co.
Today started with a cab ride to Brussels Midi train station. Actually, back that up, today actually started with a chocolate croissant and a smoothie (with 5 servings of fruit). We took a 3 hour train ride to the Frankfurt airport where we had a 1 hour meeting. The ride to Frankfurt was interesting, as there was so much gorgeous scenery as we moved from Belgium to Germany, and most of the way across that country.
The Frankfurt airport is a massive structure. I counted 8 terminals, 2 train terminals, and a conference center (where we had our meeting). The shops could put Rideau Center to shame. Knowing it would likely be my last time in Germany for a while, I picked up a soccer scarf, some post-cards, and two fridge magnets.
Then we trained back to Brussels on a German "ICE" train. We reached speeds of over 250 km/h. Luckily it was dark, as it would have been hard to look outside at those speeds given I was facing backwards.
Tomorrow is our last day of meetings, and my last full day in Brussels. I'm going to try to hit a few touristy spots, but the timing of my meetings make it difficult. I MUST pick up some chocolates at some point tomorrow, as many of you have ordered those before I left.
Again, I'll say just how tired I am, and how days are fading together. Hopefully I can snap a few pictures tomorrow to help remember my time in the beautiful Brussels.
Lastly, here's a quick shoutout to Five Finger Discount, my Thursday night Frisbee team in O-Town. Give them hell tomorrow G & Co.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Day 10
First business day in Brussels was busy, especially since I spent very little of it in Brussels. We had a meeting scheduled at 10am downtown, but the owner, who's a bit of an eccentric, invited us out to Gent, where our second meeting was scheduled at 1pm. He picked us up at the train station (lovely train ride btw), and we went out to talk over a drink. My colleague had a 10% beer, while I opted for the less potent 8% brew. Luckily, I had ate a heavy breakfast (chocolate croisant, cheese, banana, smoothie, etc.) or I would have been as buzzed as my colleague ;-)
We then happenned into the most friendly taxi driver in all of Gent, who took us on a fun tour of the city (250K pop.) before dropping us late for our second meeting. The gentleman we met was almost as outgoing and energetic as the first guy, but he did give us a lot of information. Our taxi driver then came to bring us back to the train station. We tipped well since he was such a character.
Did some work before supper, then went out the Brussels Grill, where I sampled a 9% beer with my meal. The Belgium make some wonderful beer, and I plan to try a few other brews before I head off Friday morning.
After squeezing in a workout tonight (after hearing about some of your workouts back in Ottawa, I felt guilty), I'm down in the lobby, where the Internet is free, telling you about my day. I'll head back up when this is done, since I have to get ready to head to Frankfurt tomorrow for a meeting. It's a bit of a train ride, but I'm looking forward to relaxing along the way.
I'll level with you and admit that this trip is starting to wear me down. I wake up not knowing where I am, and one meeting is starting to role into the next. Worse is that I'm barely having time to catch my breath, yet alone see the sights in the cities we're passing through. Lastly, I'll admit I'm having a hard time with people at work, who don't seem to realize I can't respond to their queries in a moment's notice (6 hour time difference, limited connectivity, so much prep work and meetings over here)...*sigh*
Ok, no more complaining. I'm off to Germany tomorrow...and that makes me happy. For those of you who don't know, my background is over 50% German, so I look forward to my return to the motherland. If only for a few hours.
We then happenned into the most friendly taxi driver in all of Gent, who took us on a fun tour of the city (250K pop.) before dropping us late for our second meeting. The gentleman we met was almost as outgoing and energetic as the first guy, but he did give us a lot of information. Our taxi driver then came to bring us back to the train station. We tipped well since he was such a character.
Did some work before supper, then went out the Brussels Grill, where I sampled a 9% beer with my meal. The Belgium make some wonderful beer, and I plan to try a few other brews before I head off Friday morning.
After squeezing in a workout tonight (after hearing about some of your workouts back in Ottawa, I felt guilty), I'm down in the lobby, where the Internet is free, telling you about my day. I'll head back up when this is done, since I have to get ready to head to Frankfurt tomorrow for a meeting. It's a bit of a train ride, but I'm looking forward to relaxing along the way.
I'll level with you and admit that this trip is starting to wear me down. I wake up not knowing where I am, and one meeting is starting to role into the next. Worse is that I'm barely having time to catch my breath, yet alone see the sights in the cities we're passing through. Lastly, I'll admit I'm having a hard time with people at work, who don't seem to realize I can't respond to their queries in a moment's notice (6 hour time difference, limited connectivity, so much prep work and meetings over here)...*sigh*
Ok, no more complaining. I'm off to Germany tomorrow...and that makes me happy. For those of you who don't know, my background is over 50% German, so I look forward to my return to the motherland. If only for a few hours.
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