Monday, March 30, 2009

Germany

I took a crazy route home to Gelsenkirchen from Paris. I decided I wanted to see some mountains before I went back, so I went back via Geneva, Switzerland. I thought why not spend the whole day travelling and looking out the window since my Eurail pass allowed me that freedom. So I watched the landscape through France, the land is still brown this time of year, as it changed and quickly became more mountainous. I saw what I came to see, white swans glided over pristine lakes the color of gems. In Geneva I spent three hours walking along the lake and through the park. I stopped and ate the remains of the bread and red pesto I bought in Paris. I looked up at the mountains framing the lake. They were so pretty and snow covered, almost cheesy like the cover of a hot cocoa box. Then I took a train to Freiburg, Germany where I walked around in the dark quiet little city, feeling or imagining that I felt the black forest around me. The darkness was thick and seemed to crawl out enveloping the city in lively vines. I saw a pretty church. I saw more than I wanted of Freiburg that night, but that is a story you will have to ask me about another time. I felt silly and tired that night as I put my weary self on a smooth white overnight ice train to Gelsenkirchen with one stop in the morning.
Mark opened his door to me and we ate a delicious Mark style breakfast with coffee and I told him of all my adventures. I felt surprisingly good after sleeping upright in my seat on a train, my purse in my arms under the coat I was using as a blanket.
I am sorry that there are no pictures here of Gelsenkirchen. It isn't a city that is even listed in guidebooks, but because Mark, Mark, and Charley are there it felt like a home base for a while and I actually really started to like it. I always walked with excitement down the pedestrian cobblestone streets whenever I arrived back in town from auditions and adventures. I enjoyed walking Charley the Boston Terrier through the park and going to the little outdoor market to get fish or delicious cake to share over coffee. Mark and Mark were so kind to me that I don't know how I could ever repay them.

Back in Germany :)





Our Friend the Eiffel Tower

I think that many people all over the world love the Eiffel tower. Maybe some Parisians don't love it, but it seems strange not to love the Eiffel tower. When I was all over Paris looking for it and I finally reached it on a sort of gloomy day I actually felt disappointed in it. There were army guys in camouflage with huge guns guarding the area under the tower, and tons of people even during this off season. There were hot dogs, fries and snacks sizzling in overpriced little snack stations and loud rap music playing. There were beggars around and blankets laid out with thousands of Eiffel tower key chains for sale. I actually felt scared when I saw the guns. I guess that was the point. Well, that night when I went back to the youth hostel and met a new friend, he convinced me that I couldn't think that about the Eiffel tower and that I really couldn't leave Paris unimpressed with the Eiffel tower. So even though I felt tired from walking all day, I agreed to go out for an evening walk, because how often do you have an opportunity to do something like that and it's Paris? I am so glad I went. The Eiffel tower really is beautiful and somehow magical at night. I have to admit the Eiffel tower made me feel all fluttery inside. Below are a few pictures from our walk.

Glitter





What a neat view from the youth hostel, right outside my room

Top ten Guide to Parigi

I didn't have a guide for Paris. I brought a very detailed guidebook for Germany on my trip, but I was lucky to find a guidebook in Italian for Paris when I was walking around on Montmartre. Some one left it near one of those binocular stations. I looked around listened for people speaking Italian, didn't hear anyone and slipped the guide into my bag. When I left Paris I stuck this guidebook on the youth hostel bookshelf with some other guides so that it can help enhance some Italian's future trip to Parigi.

My Brother's Bridge, images of Paris