Amsterdam ;-)

Hey readers ! Writing to you from the train on the way to Berlin ( yes I’ve changed my traveling plans once again..… I decided to stay in Amsterdam a bit longer… and then go directly to Berlin from there… no more Copenhagen, Denmark) which is about.. a 7 hour train ride..but before I get into that.. let me tell you guys about Amsterdam!

I got there around 19h00 on the 3rd of May.. my trains had been a bit delayed.. and it caused me to miss one of my connections.. but I guess I have amazing luck… or..something.. because It turned out the train I was on that I thought I was suppose to end at Uther Central ( where I missed my transfer… ) didn’t end there… it actually went way beyond Amsterdam Amstel.. so I rushed back on to it! And then the rest was a piece of cake… I’ve gotten quite use to finding the closest public transportation.. and with the help of google earth.. im usually pretty well oriented. Took the tram.. and then I arrived at my friend ,Saskia home shortly after .. And the Adventure continued! Since I had decided to stay a week there…. I took things at a slower pace … took the time to have great conversation with Saskia.
Since a week’s time is hard to write about without going on and on… I’ll save you guys the confusion of following my random type of thinking / writing and stick with the listing format.
May 4th Saskia took me biking all around Amsterdam ,showing me some of the most famous site.. Important museums, the center of the city, the red light district ( which is more touristic than anything else… I mean.. when you see families walking around talking pictures of the prostitutes posted up in the window.. you wonder.. whether it not just all a catch.. to get people intrigued about Amsterdam and come visit.. this goes for the infamous “Coffee Shop” let me just state it once quickly.. “I’ve been told”.. its bad quality .. that the Dutch chemically enhance the THC from its original 50 something chemical ( i think it is.. ) to a higher dose of 7 them.. and the other ones are left out… and so “I’ve been told” that it gives you paranoid type of result… rather than the cloud type of… fun ? plus.. its way over priced … its.. about 6 € for.. what they call a “gram” ( which is... not.. its more like .6 .7 ) and.. “So I’ve been told.. “ It’s better in Canada. ;)
May 5th there was a bunch of free concert around the center of Amsterdam.. in honor of Memorial day.. which was the 4th ? if I’m not confusing my day… We watch the ceremony on the teli ( t.v.) that night . I spend my evening downtown.. Hopping from stage to stage listening to music I’ve never heard before.. there’s this one bang that I liked.. called Giovanca … and in between different states… I went to a sex museum a friend from Perugia had told me all about…

pictures are up on the photobucket under Eurotrip May 6th Saskia and I went to the Ann Frank House. There was a like a 2 hour line to get in.. but it was worth the wait… I was the annex .. where her family hid out… with quotes of her diary on the walls. ( and if you were familiar with the story it was very interesting standing in the exact location where she wrote it originally.. where is all happened..) The part that really caught my attention however was from them being discovered ..In one of the room of the house here was a type of exposition of where all of the member of the annex were sent to and how they died…. The only one who survived was her father Otto Frank. From then on the museum turn into how he reacted from reading his daughter’s diary and what he did about it…. Needless to say he did his all to publish it .. and then.. he started foundations against discrimination.. and well there was so much…. Ask about it in a comment if your really interested…
May 7th was a sluggish day for me.. we ran some errands… and then Saskia took me to an independent film movie theater and we saw “Los Viajes del Vento” which was… indeed an independent film.. lol with beautiful scenery of Columbia….
May 8th Saskia took me to her house in the country to do some gardening. It was absolutely beautiful !

we spend a few hours there.. and then she drove me around Holland to all these different towns.. I was impress by how flat the scenery is here ( no mountains) and.. they are literally bellow sea level . Go check out the pics in the photobucket under Eurotrip> Amsterdam and there is explications on some of them yay! Oh and that night I went out to meet some of the couch surfing community… yes I know not all of you know that I’ve been couch surfing for a large part of this trip so far… I’ll make another post just explaining it. But for this one lets just leave it at I have a fun night meeting people from all over, and some Amsterdam locals too . Travelers have such interesting stories!
May 9th I stayed in.. and continued showing Saskia the technology of today… Computers.. and some Internets sites! I thinks its wonderful that she’s intrigued to learn about facebook and all that jazz! Saskia if you reading this, keep it up! You’re doing great! :-) oh and sweets if your reading this use the word chameleon in a sentence next time we talk :)

Until next time readers. Stay safe . and leave comments bellow! :)

Fun Fact: did you know Amsterdam was called Amsterdam because its where the Amstel ‘s river dam is located.

Belgium

Pairs Nord-Brussels-Namur-Charleroi
Each travel day... seems to be longer and longer... the train train to Charleroi that normally takes an hour and a half from Paris Nord... took me.. about 6 and a half hour counting the time in between my transfers and the actually time I spend aboard the train... I had a four hour lay over in Brussels.. so I decided to venture out and get to know the city a little... I figured the train station I was at.. had to be the one that was on the map that I had of the center.... but... once I got outside I realize I was way off .. (Brussels. actually.. has.. 3 or 4 different train station) I had walked out strait into the "zone" as they say here ( the ghetto ) of Brussels.. and granted it was day light.. but with my laptop in my bag.. and the fact that I wasn't extremely awake.. and energetic.. the ghetto didn't seem very welcoming.. (nor safe as a matter of fact..) So.. after walking in a circle..trying to find my way back.. I headed directly to the train station.. and waited out the four hours in a coffee shop..

Once I got to Chareloi Mathile was waiting there for me with the mom and her sister.. that was on the same train that i was. It was wonderful to see her again! We talked about our future travel plans and our study abroad in Italy all weekend long.. and she took me to all these school events of hers where I got to meet a bunch of her friends.. and fellow scouts! It was great to be adopted into her family! and her life style! Towards the end of my stay we went to Brussels for a day( which was an adventure on its own.. We rushed to a train.. that came in late anyways..and since we planed on buying our tickets on the train.. and we never got controlled.. we rode for free to Brussels aka comic book heaven... we walked around a whole lot.. visited the Comic book museum.. and then I saw this building in the distant.. that looked important.. and we decided to set out for it... little did we know.. after walking an hour in the rain in the same direction.. the building hadn't gotten any closer .. we were discouraged.. but we kept on.. and when we finally got to this .. building we found out that it was a closed church.. lol .. fun fun... ) and then to Namur where her door room is :) It was a Short but Sweet little insight into life in Belgium! Just like this blog is!


More Pictures like always can be found in my Photobucket under Eurotrip> Belgium

Paris!

Umm.. I dont know where to start...
Paris is Amazing! definitely my type of city ! It's super rich in culture, history, arts, people from all over the world!

April 25th
Strait off the train I met up with lily, we went and dropped of my stuff and then headed strait to the Louvre ..where I lost lily not even 5 mins into our visit, but..some how after my I don't know how long.. visit I found her ! The louvre is a great museum, but as im realizing more and more.. unless you study a piece of art.. or know something about the author .. or something.. its not all that interesting.. to just look at something.. I means.. sure there's always the technique to sit back and admire but...
After the Louvre we went to "le Jardin des Tuiliere" ( beautiful.. giant park), "le champs des Elysees" ( a street filled of expensive fancy stores... ) and then the "Arc de triomphe" the next day we went to "Notre Dame" , "Le palacede Justice" , "le musee Pompidou"(we didnt go inside but its a very cool architecture building ) , "la marais" (aka the villaged, which i absolutely loved) and then we went to see a french movie called "tout qui brille" which.. was.... well..... a french movie ?? lol... every.. predictable.. simple..slow passe.. I think i could of filmed it.. but.. let me stop bashing it..
April 27th I went to Park Monceau ( which is a beautiful little park, I think they were filming an independent movie.. in it.. because I saw a lot people carrying mics and video cameras.. ) spend the morning there and then walked from there to the Eiffel Tower ( which.. how many of you guys been too ??? do you agree.. is just a metal structure.. that has.. no purpose ?? its one of the biggest touristic spot... legit.. I heard more foreign languages.. then french..but.. standing underneath it.. I honestly didn't get what it was all about.. I mean.. maybe.. its a bit negative to look at it.. but.. its just my point of veiw.. oh but dont get me wrong.. it is a very pretty design piece of metal )
Later that day I went to a different friends house in Paris, Andres who lives in Montmatre, Which is the neighborhood where the film Amelie 2001 was filmed! Its also where lots or famous artist ,like picasso, lived back in the day... its a beautiful little neighborhood with "Sacre Coeur" right in the middle of it !
I spend the afternoon of the 28th visiting it! and sitting on the steps of "Sacre Coeur" watching street theater and break dancing! it was all very pleasent!
On the 28th I went to visit the Museum D'orsay, where I saw a gorgeous collection of impressionism, realism etc.. from artist like Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Cezanne and Paul Gauguin. And let me just say.. I really adore Monet! and Impressionism.. I really think its one of my favorite form or art, all the little lines coming together.. all the different colors.. forming a beautiful picture from a far... I kind of think its a perfect symbolism for my life !.. ( well one of my philosophies.. anyways.. ) After the museum I walked around Paris.. and got myself.. perfectly lost.. I didnt get to the train station like I wanted to..but I got to one of the train station officies .. which served me just as well! Tomorow I'm off to Belgium.. yes indeed I am.
At 18h00 I met up with people from Wesleyan! It was great to see some people that finally.. knew me from.. the State.. lol I know It's kind of silly ( to be wishing to be somewhere else.. while im in places like paris, barcelona, rome... ) .. but i can't wait to be home... I miss CT and all of you guys in the QC!

Sorry if this blog is a bit grocery list style.. its just that paris.. is soo full of attraction.. that one could take.. months ( if not years ) visiting.. and ..years talking about.. so I'm keeping it simple! :) Here are some pictures of the places I mention above.. and like always the rest can be found in my photobucket under Eurotrip> Paris


Me in front of the Louvre

Parc Monceau

Eiffel Tower

Sacre Coeur

Besancon

I got to Besancon around one the train..was delayed about 20 mins.. which is not all that bad.. for the SNCF… ( which is presently. No longer on strike! I’m excited about that ! lol ) Juliane was waiting for me there with her sister ( I think its popular to have your sister visit you during your vacations.. oh yes.. did I forget to mention.. for the last two weeks.. I think.. its been.. kind of like spring break in france.. for the College students.. ) . Juliane is a fellow Rotary International veteran ! It was great to reminisce about the good ol’ past.. when ii first traveled abroad on my own… Juliane was one of the exchange students that came to Connecticut… the year I was off to Venezuela.. we met at a picnic.. while our Rotary experiences over lapped! I had a great time at Besancon over all! Even though it was a short visit.. from the 23 mid day.. to the 25th 8h00 when I caught my train to Paris.. ( which is where I’m writing you guys from by the way ! hihi ..smiles.. I’m running on 4 hours of sleep this time ! )
As soon as I got to Besancon we went directly to Juliane’s house in her cute little cat!! Fiat 500 to drop up my stuff off, and then without losing time.. we went to do some grocery shopping and then to the historical center of the city to walk around a bit .. and then back home to do some laundry.. and then to Juliane’s school.. for an even organization meeting she had to attend… then to a friends house to pick up the mattress I was going to sleep on.. Some more back in forth.. it was hilarious trying to fit a twin mattress inside a fiat 500 ! :)
then back to their place to eat some American Dominos Pizza lol.. I love the clash of culture! the rest of the evening was very college life like! .. apt hopping.. from gatherings to gatherings.. in a group of 10 people … I got an insider look… on the “quiet” ( near exam week) French college life style. It was great lol!
The 24th The same group of friends from the night before threw a BBQ in the yard behind their apartment complex. We got some sun! and ate hot dogs.. French style.. with.. real sausages.. and French baguettes.. for the buns!  it made me smile! .. Some of the guys played “baseball” and then.. juliane, her sister, and I went to “La Cintadelle” http://www.citadelle.com/ which is a fort/castle from.. the medieval period… which they turned into a zoo! We saw Kangaroos , lions, tigers, monkeys ( all types ! ) flamingos and many more

check out the pics! Eurotrip > Besancon I had a blast there! I like the fact that it wasn’t just .. an old stone fort.. like.. they actually made something out of it.. something that would attract visitors of all ages.. and not just historians :-)
Later than day we went back in to town to get out self hydrated and meet up with some other friends to go to a Chinese restaurant ! and……..yes Chinese food in France is different.. perfect example this is stir fried rice … in france Smiles! We stayed at the restaurant.. I think it must have been at least five hours… with the slow service.. and .. then us talking.. fun times. We ended the night early thought because my and Julian sister ( her names mailene (probably spelling it wrong .. but its pronounce my-lene in English.. lol )(( yes mom your with me in spirit ! )) had to catch the 8h16 train to Paris….

-Write to me guys ! I love getting feedback on what I share with you all!!!
Xox. Lorriane

Nantes part II

So I’m a bit behind Readers,my apologies .

Mercredi April 21 Donc, I ended up staying two extra days in Nantes, Clemence’s sister , Caroline took me in! which was quite nice of her!( pics ) this is a picture of the view from outside her window… gorgeous sunset! I which I took a pictures earlier on… it was even prettier! Later on that day we went downtown where there was a children’s Carnival! It was cute! We walked around for a bit and then went to a travel agencies…for college students… I’m not sure if I completely understood what it was.. but I’m pretty sure Clemence and her sister told me it was a place where they could get scholarships to go travel from the European Union … like if they wrote a report.. on there travels.. and focused on a certain aspect…of the culture.. they were all set.. and could get up to 1000€ which is pretty sweet! Free traveling anyone ?? lol
Later on that night .. we went out with some of their friends to a Chicha bar

hung out there for a bit.. It interesting .. to hang out with different types of people.. the subjects of conversations .. are all very different.. I’m not sure how to describe it.. but.. its both refreshing.. and nostalgic.. at the same time…
On the 22th Caroline and I went to an exposition inside the Lu companies old factory… ( you know Le petit écolier, les biscuit qu’on mange tout! smiles ) the Lu entreprise started in Nantes.. way back went.. it was interesting to see the old factory.. and even more interesting to see the expositions… it was art like this
and this

We spend all morning there.. and then in the afternoon.. I wondered off alone to the Cathedral of Nantes.. and an other church… called St. Catherine.. I think.. and then to a garden of the city… which I taught was absolutely beautiful! I spend the rest of the afternoon there.. day dreaming! … my camera died.. soon after I got there.. so there isn’t all that many pictures..but still go check them all like always in the photobucket under Eurotirp>Nantes
The next morning I was off on an 7h00 am train to Besancon… transferring in Paris… a 5 hour train ride.. on 3 hours of sleep…Priceless! Lol I think I’m really getting the hang of traveling around Europe by train!

Nantes part 1

And an experience it was... I went to go take the train at 9 pm.. and noticed that it was the only different one on the "Departures board" so I went into customer serviced and asked about it.. and the nice Spanish guy told me ...that they didn't know any real information about it.. and they they were still waiting on France to tell them what was going on... As time went by.. the board changed to some other thing I didn't know... SO I went in to ask again.. and this time they flat out told me the train had been cancel and they were in the process of getting us (all 150+ people) buses.. but .. to makes this story shorter.. a 12h trip by train .. turned into a 15h trip by bus.. I missed my connecting train.. (oh.. and other fun fact.. there was some Volcano or something.. that caused all this fogged.. and no air-crafts have been flying throughout .. all of France.. and.. i think some parts of Europe as well ..so everyone that was suppose to be flying .. are trying to take trains out.. )all trains were booked ( the ones that were running that is because there is still a strike going on in France) .. until Wednesday the 21th... luckaly.. I went to a different train station in Paris.. and found a local train that had still some seats..that would be me closer to nantes.. and then from there.. i'd have to find another train... lol... I did...and I finally got to Nantes at 7:15pm Clemence was waiting for me at the train station, we walked to her place.. and we made dinner with her roommate and her sister..ate and then we watch "the gladiator" it was nice. a great end of a long day.

April 19th!
Was my brothers birthday! :) I went downtown to visit the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany ( its one of the little pictures bellow.. or its in his birthday video too.. ) Its quite nice... the museum ( the inside of the castle) cost money... so I didn't go it.. but I did walk around all the little service path... around the towers, and such...

Later on that day I met back up with Clemence and we went to L'ile des Machine which is a wicked cool island , and industrial island where they have decided to built giant machines...like this one!

It moved and shoots out smoke and everything.. .you can even take a ride on it.. (see the top part .. its big enough for like.. 15 Asians to stand there!) I didn't get to see this one move... but.. just imagining it was pretty awesome!

On the rest of the island there's all these ... warehouses.. empty buildings.. and shipyards.. and then there was this rings... for .. modern art purposes ?? lol I'm not sure.. but I took this picture.. and I'm quite proud of it !


Clemence and I walked back to meet her roommate and some of her friends.. we had some coffee European style.. so in an outside "terrace" of a coffee shop.. which was pretty much just like drinking coffee in the middle of the street ;) and that night all of her friends came over.. and they had this nice little dinner party... Quite an enjoyable evening. ( althought its not always to jump into a group of friends.. and fit in...)

April 20th... I stayed "home" and did some planning for the rest of my trip ..
OH side note it turns out that I'm staying here in Nantes until the 23rd and then going to Besancon .... I'm technecly in the Loivre Valley District anyways..


Here are some pictures of Nantes.. and as always.. more can be found in the photobucket under Eurotrip > Nantes

Simon's Birthday video!