P1 goes to Europe

I meant to blog each day of my 10 day trip to London and Belgium. However, internet was sketchy at times...I was exhausted at times...I preferred to relax and enjoy it at times.

So I just posted my pre-trip blog post. I also didn't want to advertise on the interwebs that I was far, far from my home. Call me silly. My logical brain knows I have a greater chance of being burgled in Las Vegas based on random chances than some blog stalker discovering my blog and then looking up my address (which I also know is totally accessible online despite my attempts to be quiet).

So now, I'll share some thoughts that I emailed along the way.

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Bonjour from the Eurostar Chunnel Train, Premiere Class. It’s quite nice here. Excellent way to travel! If it had wifi, I’d call it excellent.

So far I have arrived in Gatwick, taken the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station, then a bus to the area nearish the Bolsover St hostel. Then hostel was not that bad. It was far more modern and clean that I was afraid it wouldn’t be. The wifi was sketchy and you had to be in the lobby to use it. Everything is extra at the hostel so while cheap per night, it quickly adds up. For example, I think it was ~20£ per night, but it was 5£ per 24 hours for wifi, 2£ for a towel plus 5£ deposit, and 3,95£ for breakfast that we would call continental. Still the hostel experience is much better than anticipated. I could do again. I’d prefer not to. J

Now we’re in France! I can say I’ve been here.

For sightseeing in London, Wednesday we walked alllllllllllllllllllll over. And I mean all over. Up and down the Thames. I saw St Paul’s, Tower, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, The Eye, part of Westminster, 10 Downing Street, Trafalgar Square without any pigeons.

We took in two musicals: We Will Rock You and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Both fun and energizing! I knew basically one day in London would be a whirlwind however, I really did nothing touristy other than walk in all the important areas. I was surprised at how much it costs to enter everything! For example, it was 14,50 to enter St Paul’s Cathedral, 27£ for 24 hours on the hop on/hop off bus, 12£ to enter something else we considered entering, and 22£ for the London Eye ride, which is 30 mins long! I certainly need to come back with time and some sort of tourist pass. Sitting in a 3 hour musical cost only 35£ which is why we did it twice.

We just passed cows in the French countryside—how cute!

One thing that surprised me about London, knowing how expense hotels were and how pricy the attractions are, is that food is fairly cheap! Fage yogurt in the store is 75p, or roughly $1.50. I pay $1.99 at Fresh & Easy and more than $2 elsewhere. Our fish and chips meal with Irish cider was just over 10£ each. My flights of ales were 2,70! With the wings it was 5£! Chef Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen was not as affordable but still far less than we would pay in Vegas for a celeb chef meal. It was extremely delicious. I started with a spicy carrot, endive, and pine nut salad. It was warm, rather Indian in spice, and included lentils. I liked it yet it was like nothing that I normally eat. Then I tried his short rib burger. It was good but I’m afraid Bachi Burger has spoiled me. The chips though! OMG! BEST EVER!!!! Those chicken wings I had were HOT. I think pure tabasco. Almost enough to make me cry on the first bite.

“On the continent,” the nice English couple seated with me says, “electricity comes in pylons.” Looks like out poles and big grids. The wife says, “They’re holding their skirts up, curtsying.” They are so stinking cute!!


Then I got off that train and on another and then walked 2 hours and now am exhausted.

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Writing you from the Kasteel teh Berge. It’s old, cold, and creaky and I love it! Today I wandered around Oostende. I learned it is pronounced oost-endy. It was gray and windy and like moisture just filled the air. Not rain drops. Just wet air, but cold. Winds straight off the North Sea! Brrrr! It gave me a touch of a sore throat. No tea in the kasteel to ward off the nasties so I am going to drink beers to chase it away!

Once again, the honor system is at play. My train from Oostende to Bruges, 3 euros, but no one checks! No machines to scan your ticket. At the kasteel there is a self-service bar with lots of wine, beers, and sodas. You just take the piece of paper and tally up what you use. Pay at checkout. It’s insane! I noticed at the concert, during intermission, people went to buy things and just left jackets and stuff at their seats. No one touches.

I’ve had my first marriage proposal! The divorced taxi driver in Bruges wants to come back to Vegas with me and get married by Elvis. I told him sure! We have no plans to reconnect. Teehee!

Off to work on my dissertation now. :)

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I thought Belgium was wonderful! Everyone was extremely friendly and kind. In Brussels, they were more polite than friendly. But in Antwerp, Bruges, and Oostende, I met some of the best people ever. Maria and I talked about it yesterday. You can get so jaded living in the US and especially in Vegas, so it's easy to assume the worst everywhere. I had to rely on the non-verbal cues of others sometimes to keep my inner protector calm and stay open to the friendliness that was happening. It's sad but true.

I was surprised at how quickly my brain switched to thinking Flemish. I picked up on several words easily (mostly food and travel/orientation words). I never really switched to French. London was the hardest time I had finding English speakers. I totally need to London all over again. But I'd like to hit the touristy stuff with a tour guide and then leave for the country. My time in Horley was far better than my time in London. One thing I reaffirmed is that I am not a big city girl. What else struck me? Mostly just the compassion of people for strangers and visitors to their country. I think having lived most of my life in touristy areas and experiencing the crankiness of the locals and the exhaustion of the tourists, mostly Americans, I guess I expected the same but I didn't find it

My final thought was on the plane ride home. Flying over Greenland made me cry. I took pics but they really don't do it justice. It was so beautiful! It just struck me how gorgeous the world is.

Then I got very emotional once we hit the mountain west region. I was sad the trip was over, happy to be going home, and the familiar landscape was just pushing the emotions out! I felt so proud of what I accomplished. People thought I was crazy to go to Belgium or to go alone to a non-English speaking country. I absolutely loved it! I'd recommend the trip to just about anyone. There's something very calming and centering too about being alone in a country having to rely on your basic grasp of linguistics and human kindness to navigate, survive, and thrive! I found it oddly relaxing. Powerful. Reassuring even. I'm not saying I'd do as well in an Asian country where I can't use my linguistic skills on characters.