New Blog Post!

Well, there are several events to recount, so I don't have to search hard for material.

With my return to the States fast approaching, the thought of sitting in my room in Paris for another three weeks was nauseating. With the lightest load of work for final exams, it seemed there was just enough to do in Paris to keep me bound to the ancient 750 grid. What a horror, thinking of all the places in Western Europe I would be unable to travel to from the far side of the Atlantic! 

And so, with little regard to my academic schedule, which I remind you, is quite light, I whipped together travel plans for three days and two nights of traveling in the lands North of Paris. Once again, I had caught scent of the northern, germanic winds. 

Still, I was timid, not willing to make any substantial leap in that direction. Taking small steps, I went from Paris to Lille, the capital of the Nord Pas de Calais region, not far from Dunkerque, where the British Expeditionary Forces took flight across the channel in the spring of 1940.

Like the American South, the North of France has a special reputation - namely for the homeliness of its people and the cold, windy North and the effect it takes on the people mentally. Close to the Walloon region of Belgium, the language takes a different tone. There is a Walloon language unique unto itself - never have I heard such gibberish! I wanted out almost as soon as I arrived! Then I had a delicious crêpe (chèvre and honey served with a delicate salad), and the uneasy feeling passed.

I took the 7:26 a.m. train to Brussels the next morning. My second visit to the city after a day-trip there with my father in the fall of 2007, I was destined to repeat a day-trip-length visit. I was excited to see the city in full bloom, but was rather disappointed as I walked around the city, poorly planned compared to other, more compact European capitals. Yes, the bruxellois architecture is nice, a blend of new and old. The new dominates the old in the Beglian city; it's a young nation, even compared to the United States. The sprawling Parc du Cinquantenaire was constructed in 1880 to celebrate independence from the Dutch in 1830. The French don't have a monopoly or patent on revolution.

The highlights of my day in Brussels were a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, a delicious fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juice drink, a waffle I bought from a guy in a truck, seeing the European Commission buildings, and viewing the Parc du Cinquantenaire with its magnificent arcade. The latter was stunning, a view that would have bowled me over had I not been so exhausted. I was disappointed to learn that the René Magritte Museum is not yet open! I took a picture of the entryway.

Holy Belgian waffle!

With no hotel or hostel booking in Brussels, I decided to catch the train to the Hague a day early that same afternoon. In the train station Bruxelles-Midi, I took this picture:

This foldable-style (term may be incorrect; I'm going from a direct translation from French) bicycle type seems to be catching on in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In London, however, the trend is fixed-gear bicycles. Stars such as Chloe Sevigny opt for the foldable-style:

It all goes to show the practicality and comprehensiveness of public transportation in these countries, with the Netherlands at the forefront. Travel by train is energy efficient and comfortable. I might as well tell you that one plus one equals two. Subway lines create a web of connectivity, and are sufficient for commuting to work. Trams, buses, and suburban subway lines enhance this web, connecting neighborhoods and suburban districts. Travel on foot remains a significant part of daily activity, but in fact, makes for less hassle. Image - a life free from parking, navigating poorly marked areas, highway on ramps and exit ramps, not to mention a more palatable atmosphere. 

Compare to : American rail system

It's important we remind ourselves from time to time of our own imprint on the planet. In some major metropolitan areas in the US, cars account for 70% of total carbon dioxide emissions. Eisenhower built America the greatest roadway system known to man, but he did so after we had already built the most expansive rail network. Thereafter, our cities were designed with the automobile in mind, which is to say they were built in a manner that is unfriendly to pedestrians. Bicycles do not solve the problem, but they help. As for the fate of the US, large scale legislation got us into this, and it will be large scale legislation that gets us out of it. 

I can't help but to imagine an America free from the big three and the bailout packages they've been given. Imagine if that money were invested in developing a better, faster, more affordable American train system? All this imagining caused me to momentarily forget that ours is a realist nation, no longer the land of dreams. 

Back to Europe!

I wandered Rotterdam for a couple of hours in search of Hostel ROOM Rotterdam. The Netherlands is the first country I have ever traveled to without any speaking ability in the native language, family vacation to France in 1998 excluded. German is closely related to the Dutch language, and while I can make sense of the language in written form, the spoken form is entirely different! Check out this website, there are several recordings available that can give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. 

The hostel was great - the staff was nice and beautiful, and I had an entire room to myself - no repeat of the smelly Scottish trio with poor eating habits experience in Berlin. One of the two tall, blond, Dutch girls on the evening shift invited the guests to the rooftop to view a light show commemorating the Nazi bombing of Rotterdam in May of 1940. This gave us a chance to discuss current political and social world affairs. Nations represented were AMERICA, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and France. Afterwards, I enjoyed a beer with said Dutch girl, who has similar taste in music, and is therefore good. In conclusion, for every bad experience staying in hostels, there is a good one to cloud out the bad one!

The next day I had a nice (buffet!) breakfast with the Canadians. Then, exercising great caution to avoid being struck by a big, Dutch bicycle, I went the Rotterdam Kunsthal and Boijmans museums. The Kunsthal is a temporary exhibition space. I paid €4.50 to see Japanese Kimonos and Prix de Rome architectural, painted, and sculpted works. Check this out:

The Boijmans Museum collection was, simply put, extraordinary.

Adriaen Brouwer (1605, Oudenaarde - 1638, Antwerp)

I hustled back to the Centraal Station to catch a train bound for The Hague. I went directly to the Maritshuis, the Museum in possession of Vermeer's The Girl with the Pearl Earring. It was nice! I stayed until close, and had very little time before my train to Paris to explore the city. What else does one do in the city that is home to Vermeer's greatest work? 

The next day I went to Givery, West of Paris, with the Americans to see Claude Monet's home and gardens. Have you been to the Orangerie, where his large format paintings of water lilies? They were realized here.

It was more a tourist traffic jam than it was an educational visit. This woman has impressionist art printed on her clothing!

For me, the day in Giverny was a last chance to see some of the friends I've made this year, as well as to eat a really big, four-course meal. I hadn't eaten so well in weeks! 

If you're interested in seeing more of my photos from my trip, check them out here on my Flickr page.