Fall break of Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris

Six weeks have gone by with only Facebook photo album documentation of my times in Italy. I was kicking myself a little for not writing more on my blog, but then again, I can only recall taking out old journals a few times in my life. Once to refresh the memory for a class paper, another time out of boredom, after which I decided my 16-year-old inner thoughts were not something that should ever be relived. But, just in case life deals me unfortunate cards and I must live vicariously in this experience rather than be busy in a new experience, I'll try to catch up, starting with the fall break of a lifetime. I went to Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.

Starting with departing from Florence. On the way there, I waited 30 minutes for a train to Pisa before realizing the train wasn't coming (I was engulfed in Harry Potter), so I had to catch another train to get to the airport. When I got to Pisa Central Station, I realized the train to the airport would get me there after check-in time for my flight, so I went down to the street by the station and asked a man unlocking his bike if I should take a taxi to the airport. He said no, I'll walk you there, then put my suitcase on his bike and walked me to the airport. I made it on time for check-in, and he told me if I went to the Florence theater and ask for Alberto the Electrician, he could meet me and give me a tour.

So Amsterdam. This picture, one of many almost identical pictures, well embodies my experience there. I took lots of pictures of Blair and told her "I'd make her famous like Twiggy." Another great Blair memory was the two of us breaking off from the rest of the group to get Thai food and going shopping at one of those gift shops equivalent to Wings in eastern beach towns. After spending a long time contemplating our purchases, I got fingerless, candy cane-striped mittens. The body of the gloves don't keep my hands warm, only remind me of how cold my fingertips are. Blair bought a yellow scarf with purple roses she calls an 'Ed Hardy' scarf.

Other activities in Amsterdam included walking through the redlight district, touring the Van Gogh museum, and hanging out with Dutch boys. Two days wasn't enough.

Then Brussels. I compare the city to Atlanta. Like Hotlanta, which seems a little out of place as a metropolis in the South, Brussels seems to have a bit of an identity crisis as the capital of the EU. It also shares Atlanta's unattractive urban layout and dull, gray building facades. But because it's so awkwardly defined and not a must-see for most tourists, the fun's without affect and doesn't seem to be generated for the masses. The best part was the beer and waffles.

This is a picture at a bar we frequented two nights in a row called Delirium. It had 2,500 different types of beer on tap, a beer-lover's Utopia.

Paris. Here I met high school friend Erin White, who took me on a food tour of the city and made visiting all the must-sees of the city so incredibly easy. I saw the Eiffel Tower, Orsay Museum, Notre Dame and bunches of bridges, among other things. Best things I consumed, a hard call to make, included an omelette, macaroons, and a home-cooked meal at the apartment. Best night out was Halloween. I was a deviled egg, which I realized in retrospect was probably lost in translation in the French-speaking country of France, Erin was Kesha and her roommate Allie was a Frenchman. We danced on a little stage and went back home to eat cheese and watch Jersey Shore. Great to have great friends living in great locations with extra beds.

This is a picture of the Seine River that runs through the city. The trees in the parks and along the river were turning yellow and couples were publicly displaying affection in every romantic or non-romantic (subway?) spot in the city.

That break was amazing. Maybe reliving experiences ain't so bad.