Vienna, Clervaux, Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, oh Paris. Again you will find the naming of places but no descriptions of them. I don't even know if it were this trip when I went up the Eiffel Tower for the first time or a subsequent one. With that, I present to you the latest installment of my 1997-1998 journal from Europe, complete with original spelling, grammatical, and factual errors.
31 Oct 1997
I stopped in Vienna on the way back from Italy - it was just half a day. Yes, it was out of the way, but I wanted to see it and didn't know if I'd get another chance.
Well, my stuff didn't get stolen, but I didn't get a lot of sleep on the train. I guess it was enough because I'm still running. Vienna was wonderful. It is truly a beautiful city. I would like to come back sometime and see a symphony or even an opera. Wien is to music what firenze is to art.
It was cold, but I walked around all day. I saw the magestic buildings of the old Austrian-Hungarian empire. I walked around the Prater. It would be a great place to hang out in the summer. I sat there for awhile feeling for the first time this semester the end of summer. I was ready to go about 5pm but the train doesn't leave until 9:30. It was dark by 5pm, which makes wandering around harder to do. So I walked around and window shopped and dreamed. I had to pay a $12 supplement to ride this train to Koblenz (so glad I don't have to get off at 6am in Frankfurt and wait for the 7:50 train to Trier/Lux.) I'm so ready to go home to Lux. I'm getting kind of lonely.
I don't mention the brass band that I stopped to listen to, but it was great to listen to free music!
8 Nov 1997
What a week. Last Saturday I got to go the Frankfurt to Koblenz route along the Rhine, which I love. It's my favorite train ride. I got home around noon, wrote my postcards, took a shower, ate some Frosted Flakes, and went to bed about 4pm and slept until 8am Sunday morning. Then I went to Clervaux. It was very beautiful. Nothing about the Battle of the Bulge Museum or the kids playing on the tank? Nothing about the autumn-colored Ardennes forests? Nothing about actual Clervaux?
On Tuesday we went to Bizarre and again on Thursday, but Tuesday Ernie was there, and Erika felt uncomfortable the whole night. I don't remember who Ernie was. Then Thursday she gave Matt the note. The note. A juvenile "I like you" note. As if we were in elementary school! Friday I took my poli-sci exam and I'm sure I nailed it. Wednesday I went to Bruxelles for like 2 hours. It took three hours to get there. I walked through the tourist shopping distrcit, failed to find out any info on group flights, but I did get a Belgian Waffle with chantilly et fraises. My class was at 6pm and I thought I could go to Brussels for the day? Six hours on a train for two hours in the city? Insane! I missed Hitler the class because I didn't change trains at Esch and got to the chateau at 7pm. I watched Not Without My Daughter. A movie about an American woman who marries an Iranian-American man. When they go to Iran to visit his family, he won't let her return to the US. She has an opportunity to escape but won't go without her daughter. Friday after my exam, we skipped core (Mary, Matt, & I). Mary and I sat in the kitchen with Erika while she fretted about the letter. Matt was cool with it, though.
We left for Paris yesterday. It was a four hour train ride. Hans went, too, and Bethany was on the train with us, along with some gross smoker with yellow fingers and a disgusting cough. He smoked four cigarettes before he went into the corridor. I think the car was supposed to be non smoking. We saw a rainbow on the train ride.
When we got to Paris, we went straight to the hotel to check in, and then ate at McDonald's. Peer pressure. Then Matt & Mary went to the store & bought some alcohol. Matt had already bought some Bailey's. Hans got drunk and talked all night, and Mary, always the party pooper, went to bed first. At least she got up in the morning this time. Hans was shafted in his high school musicals. He also talked about religion. I disagreed with his views but didn't tell him. Ha! I'd never withhold my thoughts these days! He doesn't believe in Hell. And he doesn't think you have to love Christ to go to Heaven. He thinks everyone goes there. I should have asked him about Hitler.
Anyway, we left at a descent time in the morning, to my surprise. We went straight to Notre Dame, which wasn't as I had imagined it. I don't know what I thought it would look like. Then we walked to the Champs- Elysees and ate at Burger King. Peer pressure. Matt & Mary paid me back for the hotel I had charged on my visa, but not Hans. I charged two French CDs and The Verve to my Visa, and then went to Hagen Daas. I had capucino and Cafe ice cream. I also saw U2 perform Mofo at the European MTV awards, though I didn't hear it. I made Hans pay for mine. He still owes me like $8, but I doubt I ever see it. Hans, you owe me 8 bucks! Ha!
We then walked to the Arc de Triomphe. From there we went to the brown Eifel Tower with the 784 jours until 2000 sign on it. I felt like I was at King's Island. Except the Eiffel Tower is three times taller than the replica at King's Island. And it's freaking Paris! Then Mary wanted to go to the place where Diana died. It was under the replica of the flame of the statue of liberty. How ironic. Like Alanis Morrisette's definition of ironic? Cuz it's not. It was really sad, but cool at the same time because there were things written in so many different languages. From there we took metro back. Matt & Mary went to the gare. Hans came with me to the Hard Rock Cafe and went to a bookstore. I bought my guitar pin but didn't go into the restaurant. We went to the gare and got on the train, and less than four hours later, we got to Lux. Matt and I hurried to catch the :54 train, and here I am. Paris was cool. I plan on going back next semester. Apparently I had already decided at this time I was going to stay another semester. Surprised I didn't mention it earlier. I'm glad I went with Matt & Hans & even Mary who doesn't share any of my interests. But it was a good weekend, and I'm going to bed soon.
Matt does some wierd teeth grinding thing in his sleep.
14 November 1997
Went to Erika's house tonight to eat dinner. It was wonderful pasta and ok cider & wine. Erika and I had too much, I think. Then we went and saw LA Confidential which wasn't that great. Erika was acting wierd, but so was Matt. It's like he avoided me all night...I don't know why he would, but I just felt that way, for some reason. Last night we went to Bizarre, and Brad and I were the only ones who drank. So maybe it had something to do with that. Lately it seems as if he just wants to stay away from us - I think it's Erika's fault because of the note. They still haven't talked about it yet. Today Kristine left her key and so she couldn't get into the house to pack and leave for Prague. I'm sure she'll blame me tomorrow. I'm sick of her irresponsible behavior. I think she needs to grow up. Right now I'm tired and am going to bed.
21 Nov 1997
Three weeks of classes left - I can't believe it. I'm done with traveling for the semester although I really miss it. Being here on weekends makes the time go even faster, because you begin a new week without realizing you've left the last one.
Tonight Matt, Erika, Mary, and I went to see Peacemaker with George Clooney. I liked it, but Matt & Erika didn't too much. It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it was fun. Then we went to Pub 13, and I think we were the first ones to return after the trashing incident. I don't remember what the "trashing incident" was, but I can guess which drunken morons were involved. Matt & I had a decent conversation on the train about how exhausted we are and was glad to know that I'm not the only one feeling like this. I can't wait till I get to go home. I need a break. School is so hard. Tomorrow and Sunday I will be busting my butt to get things done. It's getting to the point where Luxembourg feels like Oxford (where Miami is located, not England), except I like most of the people here. Though I have learned how to extremely dislike some people on a personal level, I have a lot of great friends to counter that feeling. Helenrose is the biggest moron on the planet. I can't wait till I never have to see her or a few other waste of skin people. But next year at Miami may be cool.
28 Nov 1997
Yesterday we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie (w/whipped cream) made from pie filling from the American military base near here. Everyone was drunk - it was pretty disgusting. I remember how pissed I was. Brad M got drunk on 3 glasses of wine & champaigne. We went to the pub by the train station. A man there who knows Matt O bought the second round of drinks for us.
Only five entries in the span of one month. I was enjoying my time, finally. I was LIVING in a foreign country, not spending a few months on vacation. I couldn't travel any more because I didn't have enough money for it and I had used all of my Eurorail days, but it didn't bother me because I was returning for another semester. And I didn't have to deal with The Clique after that.
31 Oct 1997
I stopped in Vienna on the way back from Italy - it was just half a day. Yes, it was out of the way, but I wanted to see it and didn't know if I'd get another chance.
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| Prater |
It was cold, but I walked around all day. I saw the magestic buildings of the old Austrian-Hungarian empire. I walked around the Prater. It would be a great place to hang out in the summer. I sat there for awhile feeling for the first time this semester the end of summer. I was ready to go about 5pm but the train doesn't leave until 9:30. It was dark by 5pm, which makes wandering around harder to do. So I walked around and window shopped and dreamed. I had to pay a $12 supplement to ride this train to Koblenz (so glad I don't have to get off at 6am in Frankfurt and wait for the 7:50 train to Trier/Lux.) I'm so ready to go home to Lux. I'm getting kind of lonely.
I don't mention the brass band that I stopped to listen to, but it was great to listen to free music!
8 Nov 1997
 |
| Best use for a tank |
On Tuesday we went to Bizarre and again on Thursday, but Tuesday Ernie was there, and Erika felt uncomfortable the whole night. I don't remember who Ernie was. Then Thursday she gave Matt the note. The note. A juvenile "I like you" note. As if we were in elementary school! Friday I took my poli-sci exam and I'm sure I nailed it. Wednesday I went to Bruxelles for like 2 hours. It took three hours to get there. I walked through the tourist shopping distrcit, failed to find out any info on group flights, but I did get a Belgian Waffle with chantilly et fraises. My class was at 6pm and I thought I could go to Brussels for the day? Six hours on a train for two hours in the city? Insane! I missed Hitler the class because I didn't change trains at Esch and got to the chateau at 7pm. I watched Not Without My Daughter. A movie about an American woman who marries an Iranian-American man. When they go to Iran to visit his family, he won't let her return to the US. She has an opportunity to escape but won't go without her daughter. Friday after my exam, we skipped core (Mary, Matt, & I). Mary and I sat in the kitchen with Erika while she fretted about the letter. Matt was cool with it, though.
When we got to Paris, we went straight to the hotel to check in, and then ate at McDonald's. Peer pressure. Then Matt & Mary went to the store & bought some alcohol. Matt had already bought some Bailey's. Hans got drunk and talked all night, and Mary, always the party pooper, went to bed first. At least she got up in the morning this time. Hans was shafted in his high school musicals. He also talked about religion. I disagreed with his views but didn't tell him. Ha! I'd never withhold my thoughts these days! He doesn't believe in Hell. And he doesn't think you have to love Christ to go to Heaven. He thinks everyone goes there. I should have asked him about Hitler.
Anyway, we left at a descent time in the morning, to my surprise. We went straight to Notre Dame, which wasn't as I had imagined it. I don't know what I thought it would look like. Then we walked to the Champs- Elysees and ate at Burger King. Peer pressure. Matt & Mary paid me back for the hotel I had charged on my visa, but not Hans. I charged two French CDs and The Verve to my Visa, and then went to Hagen Daas. I had capucino and Cafe ice cream. I also saw U2 perform Mofo at the European MTV awards, though I didn't hear it. I made Hans pay for mine. He still owes me like $8, but I doubt I ever see it. Hans, you owe me 8 bucks! Ha!
Matt does some wierd teeth grinding thing in his sleep.
14 November 1997
Went to Erika's house tonight to eat dinner. It was wonderful pasta and ok cider & wine. Erika and I had too much, I think. Then we went and saw LA Confidential which wasn't that great. Erika was acting wierd, but so was Matt. It's like he avoided me all night...I don't know why he would, but I just felt that way, for some reason. Last night we went to Bizarre, and Brad and I were the only ones who drank. So maybe it had something to do with that. Lately it seems as if he just wants to stay away from us - I think it's Erika's fault because of the note. They still haven't talked about it yet. Today Kristine left her key and so she couldn't get into the house to pack and leave for Prague. I'm sure she'll blame me tomorrow. I'm sick of her irresponsible behavior. I think she needs to grow up. Right now I'm tired and am going to bed.
21 Nov 1997
Three weeks of classes left - I can't believe it. I'm done with traveling for the semester although I really miss it. Being here on weekends makes the time go even faster, because you begin a new week without realizing you've left the last one.
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| RIP, Pub 13 |
28 Nov 1997
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| Shopping for the feast |
Only five entries in the span of one month. I was enjoying my time, finally. I was LIVING in a foreign country, not spending a few months on vacation. I couldn't travel any more because I didn't have enough money for it and I had used all of my Eurorail days, but it didn't bother me because I was returning for another semester. And I didn't have to deal with The Clique after that.
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