I'll Always Have Paris

August 21, 2010

While awaiting for the flight from Riga to Paris, I found another LIDO restaurant (really cheap cafeteria style eatery that serves traditional Latvian cuisine) at the airport. With a few Latvian Krona in my pocket, I pointed to a chicken skewer that would use up every coin. As the server scooped up the skewer onto my plate, I suddenly realized that my math was off and I was 5 cents short. Horrified at the thought of abandoning the chicken, I asked this lady in line for money. Yes folks, I am officially a beggar!!! The lady was quite nice and joked that it could happen to anyone before going through her change purse for 5 shiny copper coins. The chicken did taste fantastic though.

2010 08 19 - Riga Airport - the Lido Restaurant

The flight landed in CDG airport on time and with Neomi's direction in hand, I got on the RER B and arrived in Paris again. This was the city where I had my first taste of Europe exactly 10 years ago and I fell in love with it all over again. The Gobelins area where I was staying had a great neighbourhood feel, with plenty of cafes, patisseries, bistros, and bars beneath apartments and residences.

2010 08 19 - Paris, France - my hotel in the Gobelins area


2010 08 19 - Paris, France - my room

I walked towards the Quartier Latin, partly to explore it again and partly to see if I could find the pub where I had a great time with my friends Gerry and Karine years before. Like everything else pre-digital camera, my memory was sketchy and could not find the pub. The Quartier Latin looked very different than what I could remember. Instead, I found a great bistro in St. Germaine and enjoyed my Chardonnay with beef, grilled tomatoes, potatoes and beans.
It was a really early supper by Paris' standards.

2010 08 19 - Paris, France - dinner at a bistro in St. Germaine

With plenty of daylight left, I walked through the Jardin de Luxemburg and found so many people just relaxing on the many chairs available for public use or just lying on the grass. Nearby, I jealously eyed the people on the public tennis courts serving, volleying, slicing and laughing. Despite having no tennis gears, I was secretly hoping that someone would come and ask me to sub in. Oh how I miss thee!!


2010 08 19 - Paris, France - people relaxing in the Jardin de Luxemburg


2010 08 19 - Paris, France - the Senate in the Jardin de Luxemburg

The following morning I got up early because the first of three free walking tours began at 10 a.m. at the Opera. It woultd take about an hour to walk over, passing thru the Quartier Latin, crossing the Seine and by the Notre Dame, and cutting through the Louvre. Everywhere I looked was a great photo moment and I just barely made it to the tour as Bernard began his speech.

2010 08 20 - Paris, France - the three free walking tours


2010 08 20 - Paris, France - walking thru the Louvre in the early hours

We learned about the Opera, the sewers and the phantom that haunted there. He then took us through alley streets into the Edouard VII area. To our surprise, the alley streets were being turned into a movie set of Paris in the 30’s for Martin Scorcese’s next film. We next walked through the most expensive address in the city, Place Vendome, where notables such as Chanel and Dior must have their presence there. After walking through the Jardin des Tuileries, we ended the tour at Place de la Concord next to the Obelisk and the Champs Elysees.

2010 08 20 - Paris, France - the crew working on the set for Scorcese's next film


2010 08 20 - Paris, France - walking thru Edouard VII's quarter

From there, Jolene, her mom (both from Malaysia) and I (yes, others have the same intent) rushed to the metro to get back to Notre Dame for the 2nd free walking tour at noon. We had minutes to spare and unfortunately could not wait for the free automated toilette (it took almost about 30 extra seconds each time someone finish using it to self clean everything, including flooding the floor, before another person can get in). Luckily, the 2nd walking tour on Notre Dame was a bit shorter as we learned about the history and architecture of the famed cathedral.

2010 08 20 - Paris, France - one of the many beautiful carvings on the Notre Dame Cathedral

After the 2nd tour, I grabbed a sandwich before the last tour on the Quartier Latin was to begin. This time I really had to go and who did I find waiting in line already at the automated toilet? Jolene and her mom! We had a good laugh at this, but mainly to distract our bladder needs while waiting for each automated self cleaning process. We conspired about how we could perhaps cheat the system and skip the in between cleaning, but in the end, we were too afraid to risk receiving a full body wash inside the machine.

Once Jolene and her mom finished their business and got out, they rushed to the next meeting point as the toilette door slowly closed to do its self cleaning one last time before my turn. They promised to delay the free tour as much as they could until I caught up. By this time I really had to go and the 30 seconds seemed like hours. Finally, the door opened and I stepped in, frantically pressing the door close button so that I could enjoy this moment in private. It was a painful process both physically and mentally. For a brief moment, I even missed the public restroom with the dirty floor and the single trough!!

Jolene and her mom were able to employ their delay tactics and I found the tour group in the Notre Dame plaza heading towards the Quartier Latin. We learned more about the quarter but I still did not find the pub I was looking for. We also walked through the famed Sorbonne, the oldest university in Paris with many notable alumnae, including Jacqueline Kennedy. We ended the tour at the great Pantheon.


2010 08 20 - Paris, France - Jolene and I at the Pantheon

Jolene, her mom and I were completely exhausted by this time. We all had very little time in Paris so we decided to meet up later again at the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees at night. With a quick shower, a snack and a rest, we met up again and watched the Eiffel Tower slowly lit up from dusk to evening. I didn’t know how many shots I took but there just wasn’t a bad angle with this Paris icon. Once we got to the Arc de Triomphe, we walked down the Champs Elysees and finished the night at La Doree (the macarone was awesome). I got back to my hotel just before 11 and went out for dinner, this time, in accordance to a true Parisien style.
2010 08 20 - Paris, France - shoppers (mostly Asians!!) line up for LV at the flagship shop on the Champs Elysees


2010 08 20 - Paris, France - the most beautiful moment when the Tour Eiffel lit up


2010 08 20 - Paris, France - the Arc de Triomphe at night

The next morning I had 3 hours to visit Sacre Coeur and Pigalle (I’ve been to both before but always loved them) so I took the funicular this time and got up to once again a beautiful view at Montmartre. The cafes and stalls were just starting to open and it was as magical as I remembered it. I wish I had more time to have a coffee and a beignet before heading back down. The Moulin Rouge was as seedy as I remembered it as well, but I thought it was a closer walk. Hopping back on the metro, I picked up my bags at the hotel, checked out and headed to Gare Austerlitz to head down to the heart of France to visit my friend Karine.
2010 08 21 - Paris, France - the beautiful Basilique de Sacre Coeur


2010 08 21 - Paris, France - the panaramic view from the Sacre Coeur


2010 08 21 - Paris, France - morning at Montmartre


2010 08 21 - Paris, France - Montmartre wakes up with the Sacre Coeur in the background


2010 08 21 - Paris, France - the famed Moulin Rouge

1. On the train to Limoges, France
2. St. Leonard de Noblat, France
3. The baked goodies I bought at the patisserie....
4. There are just so many places in Paris and surrounding to come back to, and many other places worth a second and third visit.

A Tale of Two Baltic Cities

August 19, 2010

The ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn only took two hours, so I checked my luggage in the locker and explored. This boat was much nicer than the Viking Line, with more interesting observation decks, bars, and comfortable seating areas.

I got into Tallinn, Estonia in the late afternoon and I was a bit concern. I had no idea what a former soviet occupied country would look like before and certainly had no inkling of what it would look like now. I was quite surprise to find that it was no different than any normal mid size city I visited. There were old buildings mixed with new ones, shops and hotels, typical cars and local people. There wasn’t anything that screamed old soviet communism.

As I approached the intersection with the huge Stockmann department store and a brand spanking new Swisshotel, I turned and found my hostel (GIDIC Backpackers), a broken down condemned wooden building in a gravel lot. It was surreal how unsightly it could be and if it was in Nepean, the city council would complain. The facade inside was not that much better, with broken door frames, peeled wallpaper, and the only men’s bathroom that pooled water towards the toilets (we were allow to use the women’s bathroom the next day).

2010 08 15 - Tallinn, Estonia - the should be condemned GIDIC Hostel

Luckily the staff were super friendly and great local tips. Although the areas around the hostel was closing down for the evening, the old town, a walled enclosure with beautiful old buildings, great restaurants, interesting shops, and plenty of bars, would stay open into the late hours during the summer tourist season.


2010 08 15 - Tallinn, Estonia - the entrance into Old Town



2010 08 15 - Tallinn, Estonia - one of the many restaurants in the Old Town



2010 08 15 - Tallinn, Estonia - the beautiful town square in the Old Town


The prices were amazing too, especially just after breaking the bank in Scandinavia. Estonia was also in the process of adopting the EUR, but until then, the local Estonia Kroon (EEK) was in circulation. Using the map I found myself a great little pub called Hell’s Hunt serving local brews. The server was awesome too, advising me to that the appetizer (herring with potatoes and sour cream) I ordered could be a meal in itself. It was like eating sashimi, so fresh and yummy. I think I paid less than $8 CAD for the meal and two pints.



2010 08 15 - Tallinn, Estonia - pickled herrings with sour cream and potatoes

The next day I went on the free walking tour (they are everywhere now) and I had the best time. Helen was a funny and outgoing university student and for the next two hours kept us laughing with her insights of what Estonians were all about. It was quite interesting to hear how they felt when they were forced to become part of the Soviet Union and then their liberations years after.



2010 08 16 - Tallinn, Estonia - Helen, our guide, recounting stories at the Free Walking Tour



2010 08 16 - Tallinn, Estonia - Rooftops of the Old Town


I also met a lot of other tourists and after the tour, Francesc from Spain and I decided to go explore some of the areas outside of the old town, including an old abandoned concert hall with obvious Soviet influenced architecture but now covered with graffiti and broken beer bottles. We met up later back in the old town for a great Estonian dinner and more drinks at the Hell’s Hunt. Yeah, I would go back to Estonia again.


2010 08 16 - Tallinn, Estonia - dipping my hand in the Baltic Sea


2010 08 16 - Tallinn, Estonia - sharing a pint at Hell's Hunt

The next day, I boarded a bus from Tallinn to Riga, Latvia, another former Soviet occupied country. My bus buddy, Marie from France, told me that she got tired of work and decided to travel the world and had been on the road for nine months now. Her passport was full of stamps from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Chile, Argentina and laughed about cheated in Brazil (got the stamp from stepping into the Brazilian side of the falls), and many more. I was so tempted to one up her but then realized I just got a new passport renewed and I got only my tiny stamp from entering the UK and one tiny stamp from flying to Copenhagen. Feeling extremely inadequate, I adjusted my sitting position and kept my passport to myself.

After sharing horrible Estonia hostel stories, Marie did not have a place booked yet in Riga. So she followed me to check out my hostel. When we arrived, we were floored how two Aussies (Jarryd and Ben) could afford to turn the top two floors of the trendy barrack building in the middle of the touristy old town into such a great hostel, the Blue Cow Barracks. Unfortunately, the hostel was fully booked and so Marie left to find another.

2010 08 17 - Riga, Latvia - the converted Barracks



2010 08 17 - Riga, Latvia - the Blue Cow Barracks Hostel

After settling in (and doing a full load of laundry for free), I joined Jarryd and Ben at the restaurant downstairs for cocktail happy hour. A few more rounds and a steak dinner afterwards, it was great that I didn’t have far to stumble home.


2010 08 17 - Riga, Latvia - Happy Hours at the Barracks


Back at the hostel, Noemi and Antoine, both musicians from Paris, helped me with finding a great boutique hotel in their neighbourhood for my next stop. We all veged in front of the giant flat screen with Merieke and Richard from Holland in the living room having a lazy night. Jarryd and Ben must have passed out when my 3 room mates Iago, Concha and Raquel from Spain arrived late. With my limited Spanish and mostly English, I checked them in and gave them the same information as I got earlier, including their room keys and maps to the city. Everyone was quite grateful (including Jarryd and Ben the next morning) and I think I just found my true calling.

The next day I explored the art nouveau section of the town before meeting up with the free walking tour. We went through little Moscow and most of the old town. After a rest back at the hostel and meeting my new roommates whom I didn’t have to check them in this time, I ended the day with the sun set view on the 26th floor at the Radisson Skyline bar.
2010 08 18 - Riga, Latvia - one of the many buildings in the Art Nouveau section


2010 08 18 - Riga, Latvia - Rats Square


2010 08 18 - Riga, Latvia - beautiful buildings in the old town



2010 08 19 - Riga Latvia - our tour guide from the Free Walking Tour



2010 08 18 - Riga, Latvia - the Freedom Monument, honoring those killed in action during the Latvian War of Independence (the Radisson Hotel is in the background)


2010 08 18 - Riga, Latvia - Sunset from the 26th Floor Skyline Bar at the Radisson

1. At the airport in Riga
2. Paris, France
3. Everything I ate was captured on camera....
4. Perhaps taking some day trips visiting other cities of Estonia and Latvia, definitely would have loved to go to Vilnius, Lithuania, next

Finnishing Off

August 15, 2010

My first ferry ride across the Baltic Sea was very uneventful. It was a long ride (7 am to 7 pm) to get from Stockholm to Turku (longer to Helsinki), so I booked myself a cot in a cabin for 4. It was the cheapest of all options, so it was not surprising that the cabin was situated in the bowel of the ship, below the barn animals and the criminals. But as luck would have it, I got the cabin all to myself, a little lonely but no snoring noises!!! If we were to hit an iceburg, I just hope someone would remember that I was down there and to come down and rescue me (of course, after distributing all the life jackets to the cows and sheep first).

2010 08 11 - Crossing the Baltic Sea on the Viking Line - my cabin was on deck 2, only the sea is below that!

After a nap and a shower, I was refreshed and I got to explore the ship a bit more. It had the typical restaurants and bars but not much of an observation deck. Some people parked themselves on the floor, in the hallway, etc. I was very glad to have a cabin to crawl back to now.
When the ship arrived an hour early according to my watch, I was quite surprised until I realized Finland was a time zone ahead of Sweden. I barely got time to packed my stuff out of the cabin. Turku was a small coastal city, once the capital of Finland. There were many Swedish and Russian influences as the Swedes lost Finland to the Russians back in the days. Anne, the Finnish friend I met in Manchester, UK, gave me a tour of the city. We also took a bus out to the country side to check out the seacoast. The highlight of the visit had to be when Anne invited me to attend a free rehearsal of Les Miserables with her and her roommates (all music majors) that night. Apparently there was a music festival in town that week, shocking, and the musical director opened the rehearsal to the public for that night only!! They rehearsed four scenes, all sung in Swedish but the music of Jean Valjaen, Fauntine, Cosette and Mario was universal. We ended the evening at another open concert in the park with traditional Finnish acappella sisters singing about a hunky plumber.

2010 08 12 - Turku, Finland - awaiting for the Les Miserables rehearsal


2010 08 12 - Turku, Finland - Music Festival

The next day I took the train to Helsinki. The city was buzzing with people, cars, music, and the smell of food, quite a contrast from Turku. I found the hotel I reserved (no rooms at any hostels) and it was actually quite a fine, quaint little place. Unfortunately, it was there where I experienced my first blue screen of death. I know I know, it probably had nothing to do with the hotel, with Helsinki, etc. but the thought of being disconnected to the world frightened me. Funny how one can place so much reliance and be so attached to a routine on such short time frame.

Helsinki was very walkable, and I set out to explore the same route using the hop on hop off city bus tour map as my guide. Some of the buildings or sights listed on the brochure were very sketchy where I wouldn't not have consider them as tourist stops. Hopefully the those who paid for the bus tour got more from the audio tour guide. Anyways, I did make it to the Olympic stadium and went up the tower (worth the 2 EUR).


2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympic Stadium


It was there I found out why all the hostels were booked, the Helsinki Marathon was happening that weekend and the finishing line (or maybe starting line) was at the Olympic stadium.


2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - setting up for the Helsinki Marathon

Following more on the route, I came across the odd sculpture Classico Musicae by Sebellious. The main stretch and the waterfront were also quite enjoyable, with lots of music and food stalls (had a roadside paella and a yummy ice cream). The true highlight though was definitely the Carl Engel’s dome church Tuomiokirkko at the Snaatin Tori (senate square), where locals hung out on the steps having a picnic while tourists snapped away with their digital devices.

2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - the Classico Musicale by Sebellious


2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - waterfront market


2010 08 14 - Helsinki Finland - Tuomiokirkko at Snaatin Tori


It was then the city streets were barricaded and cheers were heard loudly when the first marathon runner appeared around the corner. I stood along with hundreds of people lining the route and supported every runner that came by. The next loud ovation came when the first female competitor ran by, adding to the excitement of the city and a great Finnish to my Scandinavia leg.

2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - the first male runner at the Helsinki Marathon


2010 08 14 - Helsinki, Finland - the first female runner at the Helsinki Marathon

1. On the ferry to Tallinn
2. Tallinn, Estonia
3. I took pictures of every meal for this leg, including the ice-cream cone....
4. Maybe Suomenlinna, the military fortification, now an UNESCO Heritage Site.

Stocking Up

August 11, 2010

After the long bus ride, I realized that nothing beat the comfort of train travel in Europe. This would be the last time I book anything the last minute.

Upon arrival, I found Stockholm quite interesting in terms of its layout. It was made up of several islands connected by many bridges and highways. My hostel was in the west island of Kungsholmen (Kings’ Island), mainly residential with the Stadhuset (city hall) at the eastern tip. The hostel was actually a cave in the basement, very weirdly laid out and had no windows. My dorm mate Yulia (from Belarus) and I endured two nights of thunderous snoring from our mysterious Mexican friend. I finally used my ear plugs for the first time on this trip.

The main island, Gamla Stan (Old Town), was dominated by the magnificent 1754 Kungliga Slottet (Royal Palace). Like all other tourists, I waited patiently for the daily changing of the guard at noon. Meeting up to my expectation, it was a spectacular display of unison, precision, music, and equine elegance. Even the marching guards galloped on foot, interesting yet comical. At the gift shop, the recent wedding photos of the Crown Princess Victoria to her fitness trainer Daniel Wrestling dominated postcards, magnets, coasters, and every available surface you could stick their faces on.

2010 08 09 - Changing of the Guards at Kungliga Slottet, Gamla Stan


2010 08 09 - Souvenirs from the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Wrestling

The next day I went on a free walking tour (you only tip the guide at the end) and found out more great tidbits of Stockholm. We went by PUB, the department store where the owner handpicked a young clerk to be in the promo ad for the store and launched the career of Greta Garbo. We witnessed an intersection with 4 H&M stores just because the corporate headquarter was there so they felt like having a presence. We were offered a chance for millions if we could solve an old murder mystery where the state minister and his wife were gunned down one evening in 1986. Lastly, it was told that we should always keep a lookout for anyone famous as many celebrities enjoyed a relaxing stroll in the city.

2010 08 10 - a plaque detailing the location where the state minister and his wife were gunned down

After the tour, I set out to satisfy the real reason I went to Stockholm, to see the biggest IKEA in the world!!!! I found the free IKEA shuttle (it was actually quite difficult to find as they moved the damn stop) and took us about 15 minutes to suburbia. There, I saw my Eden, the Legoland for adult, the magnificent artistry of widgets and allen keys. I met Billys and Ektorps, Bestas and Gorvs. I found out that most tables and furnitures were named after Swedish towns, and the carpets and rugs were named after Danish towns. The Danes were not pleased to be stepped on once again by the Swedes. I ended the visit with some Swedish meatballs at the IKEA restaurant (the best price in town) and battled my way for a seat on the shuttle with the real shoppers and their loots.

2010 08 10 - the long awaited IKEA shuttle arrives


2010 08 10 - Five floors of IKEA

In the south island of Sodermalm, I scoped out the ferry port as I plan on taking the Viking Line to Finland. It was a good thing that I made the pre-trip because I saw the line ups for the boarding pass/ticket validation was extremely long. I made a mental note that I needed to arrive earlier on the day of my departure. Sodermalm was also a place with less expensive restaurants and local favourites. After wandering around the neighbourhood, I settled in a bar restaurant with some Eastern European influence.

I forgot to mention that there was a music festival in Stockholm that week (it seemed every city had something going on in the summer). I found a huge crowd (clearly older and family oriented) near the Operan waterfront singing in harmony with some lady chanteusse (probably quite well known in Sweden). Then a few blocks over at the Kungstradgarden, I was mixed up with the hip hop generation to OMG on a giant screen. With music everywhere and a beautiful night, I took in the harbour night lights one more time before heading back to my cave and my earplugs.

2010 08 10 - Open concert at the Operan


2010 08 10 - Open concert at the Kungstradgarden


2010 08 10 - harbour view at Stockholm

1. On the Viking Line to Turku
2. Turku, Finland
3. The bag of chocolate cookies I bought....
4. The Absolute Ice Bar and some interesting museums that would be worth a visit on a rainy day.