European Trip Diary

Paris

The eurostar to Paris is the first major delay I had in Europe, even
the flight into heathrow was only delayed like 20 minutes, and that's
a 13 hour flight. Before the tunnel every announcement was English
first, and immediately after the tunnel it is quickly reversed with a
vengeance and efficiency not seen anywhere since. Paris. Oh where do I
start to complain? Since disembarking, every sign is confusing and
every toilet is either pay per pee, not working, stink like hell, or
non existant. Everything is disorganized and they are oblivious of it.
And their street layouts, omfg. If a 1 yr old toddler start to
scribble on his nappy the streets will be much better designed. The
street map is better suited in musee louvre as an abstract art. Kids
might be taught to color in on these streets, but as a foreign touist
trying to navigate between two points with just a fold out map, it's
utter shit. Sac unt blurr... Thankfully the waiters are abit more
friendly than some of the London establishments, and the bistro even
though quite average in retrospect, offers adequate service. The
boulevards and rues of Paris reminds me intensely of shanghai
streetscape in my neighbourhood, and broad sidewalk, tall apartment
blocks and trees are so ever familiar. Even the erratic driving and
mild stinking and littered streets are familiar. Went to sacred heart
basilica and the domey church and the 300 steps look out tower with
birdpoo smell is absolutely charming. The Catholics do know how and
where to build their grand chapels in the world. However it's only
built in 1800s, which the kings chapel in Cambridge is much more
historic and grand in comparison. Compare to the gothic straight up
and down pillars of kings chapel, sacred heart is much more modern and
inviting, the painting of Jesus on the dome is also impressive. The
market near sacred heart was quite charming with the lady singing
French songs with the hand winded music blowing machine (I'm very
intrigued as to how it works, it's just a row of card with lines of
holes in them, kinda like the early computer punch cards, maybe it's
by air blowing through these openings, but then the cards might be
worn out by air quite quickly) still it's charming to see a stout old
french woman singer doing solo with a music punch card machine. There
are crepes shops sprouting out of every single shopfront to exploit
tourists unyielding need for crepes, together with all sorts of
souvinirs. Ate lunch at a corner restaurant serving mussles, frog
legs, snails (yummy) and onion soup, all are very frenchy. Plus bread
of coz, the chewey sections of the long sticks. After lunch it's more
of the charming marketplace plenty of portraitists around too to
pursuade Ppl to take up their service. Subwayed to concorde after
finding out the whole layfette area is closed for biz Sunday, how very
rude. Busrting with urine, a cinema finally allowed me to release my
piss. Unimpressed, a subway ride to Concorde is a much needed
surprise. French subway is old and it feels

Versaille

Grand mirror rooms and marble and bronze halls beat Buckingham palace
easily. The canopy paintings, sculptures, and ginormous gardens exudes
regal opulence. A proper luxury chateau, this is the place to chill
out for a befitting king.

British museum, London tower, Knightsbridge, harrods

These are probably the places strike me most as British-ness. If I'm
to donate my life long accumulation of reasure to any public
institution, I would probably donate to British museum without any
further investigation. It's a free entry museum with magnificent
structure and clear layout, giving emphasis to periodic focus in
exhibitions and free guided tours, of the two tours I happen to
stumble across, the Chinese and roman tour, both tour guides happened
to be highly literate in the subject matter and very friendly to talk
to, without the French or Italian stobbiness. Rosetta stone, clock
work with it's clean animated explanation, jade collection，most
exhibits are true treasures and they provide cross reference to other
civilizations at the same period. Definitely will come back to visit
again and savour the history, perhaps to follow all the guided tours
over a 2 day museum trip just in the British museum. Of coz next time
should be armed with more knowledge about the period before plunging
into the exhibits, of coz ditto for the arts. London tower: I've never
heard of the tower until I visited, it's actually a true true castle
and fortress built over centuries first since the Norman days when the
roman occupied London and much of the English isle. Again true
treasures were kept in this exquisite castle, chief among them the
excellence display and history of the royal crowns and jewellery.
Cullinan diamonds and co. Royal armoury is also quite interesting as I
view all old armour for the first time. But got to see more at French
army museum but by then it's getting old. A common theme in Europe has
been the persecution of Christians and their struggle, and the
grandeur of the catholic chuches over the years, be it gothic, roman,
baroque or neo classic. The nearby London bridge is lovely too. Not
too far away is the also awesome and very gothic parliament house Nd
big Ben and cathedral, which didn't get a chance to visit since it's
early closing time. Knightsbridge is definitely a highlight in the
English tour, the most exclusive postcode in real estate oozes class
and cash. 2 bugatti veyrons and a handful of slr, carameras

Italy, Portugal

Italian service ultra crap, 45 mins to 1 hour wait typical. That
include Monaco touristy places. The medieval town near nice is quite
nice and picturesque. Monaco is over rated and probably spent too
little time there. Rome is old and dirty. Capri is rushed. Maybe it's
like what they say, Italy you need to savour it slowly. Capri would be
a much nicer destination if a boat is chartered (wonder how much) and
at least 2 days are spent on the island and nearby islands are toured.
A day trip from Rome can be extremely hectic and tiring, highly
ynrecommended.

Barcelona and Madrid

Madrid is abit unexpected because once i get rogue taxi driver trying
to hijack us and once baggage boy also hijacked us for money.
Unemployment rules I guess.