So it's been a few days, and a lot has gone down...for instance one brother has split and gone west in preparation for fulfilling the promise of a full and virtuous life....that wouldn't be me.
Anyway, when we last left Signore Pete, I was in Florence about to hop a train for Nice...well that didn't happen because at the last possible second (and unknown to me at the time AFTER I had already missed said train) I was able to contact yet another Moss in Italy, Stef. She graciously put me up in her apartment and let me feel young again hanging out with her crew and painting Florence red...so to speak. Ah, to be in school and livin in a flat in Florence...don't forget life is good.
After a few more days of eating and drinking all that Italy had to offer I hopped the next train out of the country, bypassing the Backpacker's Heaven (timing just didn't work) and headed for that bastion of food and wine we know better as France. I got here, but it took a bit longer than expected as yet again....this seems to be a habit of the european railway system, they made us lug all of our shit off the train and hop a bus for another station that is only a good hour ride away. Not a big deal, but when you were down to going commando because of a lack of clean clothes and the bus is hot....let's just say I feel for my fellow passengers as I must have smelled like a certain area of Siam Reap's summer outdoor unrefrigerated meat market....bad. At least I met some interesting folks on the ride, including a member of the Peruvian Parliment on a work/play assignment in Europe....I think it is safe to call that my first diplomatic meeting of the trip. Cool guy, but he didn't understand Italian as well as he thought he did, evidenced by our almost missing the bus to the next train because he was sure the train went through to Nice today, but not tomorrow...okay Wilbur.
On to France, a blessing, a marvel, one of my favorite places. I settled into my room at Hotel La Residence last night to find that it was perhaps the smallest room I had ever set foot in, walk-in closets included. It was a marvel of engineering seeing as they fit a bed (single), toilet (barely) , and shower (not bad) in this space....that said, I still switched rooms this AM into a room that, get this, makes that one look huge-orama. I swear to you this thing barely fits the bed and I can probably touch one end with my toes and the other with my hand, palms flat, no stretching. Oh well, we live with what we got. Two more things, and then I will let you get on with your lives...all two of you who read this that is.
Monaco, the Independent Autocratic state that takes up 3 km of prime med beach space. I have only a few ways to put it:
Rich
Independently Wealthy
More Money than Sense
Ferraris Everywhere
Clean Like Only Rich People can be
Wierd
Didn't go to the casino, didn't need to, soaked up the wealthy suburb feeling, felt poor and underdressed, hopped the train back for a slightly (and I do mean slightly) less ritzy place for a bite to eat...that being Nice, where I am staying.
On to dinner. As many of you know, I like food. I like rich, satisfying, quality chow...not your Sizzler experience (although...) I have been forced to be a bit more frugal in my spending in the face of our impending economic collapse, so I haven't had a real monster of a meal in a while...other than cooking for Stef and her roomate. That said, I still wanted to keep my dinners less than 12 or 15 bucks...mission accomplished...and in such a big way.
Sinner, I mean dinner, this eve consisted of the following:
A pastis to start the meal (Pernod or something like it)
I splurged for the Fois Gras app....uhhhmmmm fois grassssssss
My main was a do it yourself (as in they bring you the ingredients, you mix it up) helping of Steak Tartar...I know madcow, but I guess I'm just a live on the edge kind of guy.
Dessert consisted of a nice portion of Creme Caramel and the whole meal was accompanied by a carafe of the house rouge...yeah baby I know my french and shit.
All said, a damn fine meal, all except the creepy clown picture up in the corner that kept making me shiver involuntarily. It was really wierd and spooky, as the rest of the restaurant's motif was pics of deer grazing accompanied with their stuffed heads...those wacky french.
Well speaking of frugality, I think it is time I stopped wasting my $$ on the Internet and headed for a glass of vino.
Ciao, Au Revior, bubye
Anyway, when we last left Signore Pete, I was in Florence about to hop a train for Nice...well that didn't happen because at the last possible second (and unknown to me at the time AFTER I had already missed said train) I was able to contact yet another Moss in Italy, Stef. She graciously put me up in her apartment and let me feel young again hanging out with her crew and painting Florence red...so to speak. Ah, to be in school and livin in a flat in Florence...don't forget life is good.
After a few more days of eating and drinking all that Italy had to offer I hopped the next train out of the country, bypassing the Backpacker's Heaven (timing just didn't work) and headed for that bastion of food and wine we know better as France. I got here, but it took a bit longer than expected as yet again....this seems to be a habit of the european railway system, they made us lug all of our shit off the train and hop a bus for another station that is only a good hour ride away. Not a big deal, but when you were down to going commando because of a lack of clean clothes and the bus is hot....let's just say I feel for my fellow passengers as I must have smelled like a certain area of Siam Reap's summer outdoor unrefrigerated meat market....bad. At least I met some interesting folks on the ride, including a member of the Peruvian Parliment on a work/play assignment in Europe....I think it is safe to call that my first diplomatic meeting of the trip. Cool guy, but he didn't understand Italian as well as he thought he did, evidenced by our almost missing the bus to the next train because he was sure the train went through to Nice today, but not tomorrow...okay Wilbur.
On to France, a blessing, a marvel, one of my favorite places. I settled into my room at Hotel La Residence last night to find that it was perhaps the smallest room I had ever set foot in, walk-in closets included. It was a marvel of engineering seeing as they fit a bed (single), toilet (barely) , and shower (not bad) in this space....that said, I still switched rooms this AM into a room that, get this, makes that one look huge-orama. I swear to you this thing barely fits the bed and I can probably touch one end with my toes and the other with my hand, palms flat, no stretching. Oh well, we live with what we got. Two more things, and then I will let you get on with your lives...all two of you who read this that is.
Monaco, the Independent Autocratic state that takes up 3 km of prime med beach space. I have only a few ways to put it:
Rich
Independently Wealthy
More Money than Sense
Ferraris Everywhere
Clean Like Only Rich People can be
Wierd
Didn't go to the casino, didn't need to, soaked up the wealthy suburb feeling, felt poor and underdressed, hopped the train back for a slightly (and I do mean slightly) less ritzy place for a bite to eat...that being Nice, where I am staying.
On to dinner. As many of you know, I like food. I like rich, satisfying, quality chow...not your Sizzler experience (although...) I have been forced to be a bit more frugal in my spending in the face of our impending economic collapse, so I haven't had a real monster of a meal in a while...other than cooking for Stef and her roomate. That said, I still wanted to keep my dinners less than 12 or 15 bucks...mission accomplished...and in such a big way.
Sinner, I mean dinner, this eve consisted of the following:
A pastis to start the meal (Pernod or something like it)
I splurged for the Fois Gras app....uhhhmmmm fois grassssssss
My main was a do it yourself (as in they bring you the ingredients, you mix it up) helping of Steak Tartar...I know madcow, but I guess I'm just a live on the edge kind of guy.
Dessert consisted of a nice portion of Creme Caramel and the whole meal was accompanied by a carafe of the house rouge...yeah baby I know my french and shit.
All said, a damn fine meal, all except the creepy clown picture up in the corner that kept making me shiver involuntarily. It was really wierd and spooky, as the rest of the restaurant's motif was pics of deer grazing accompanied with their stuffed heads...those wacky french.
Well speaking of frugality, I think it is time I stopped wasting my $$ on the Internet and headed for a glass of vino.
Ciao, Au Revior, bubye
