Euro Trip 2008

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I decided to give sleep a miss tonight to make sure I have my bag packed properly for Paris. Somewhere at the back of my head a voice is telling me: Vanity...must look chic in Paris! But in the end I gave the idea up, I'd rather be able to walk fast and cover a wider area than be strutting around looking good with a painful bunion that could spoil my long awaited visit to Paris! Naah I don't want that! So goes both my denims and long coats/jacket and my woolies too into my bag to keep me warm!

We've spent the night at Rebrücke and was a bit silly to have stayed too late. Inspite of forewarning Marven we musn't stay long, we ended up later than we planned. Thanks to Wii...or not! They must have thought I am a dumbed old fart! But then again they've got a lot more practice so I was able to console myself with that!

When I finally managed to convince him it was time to call it a night, my cheapskate friend decided we won't take a taxi as previously planned but instead will walk to the train station. I would say it is a good 2ks from his parent's place in the middle of the night on snowy roads (snow was actually falling that time) and the air was quite chilly!

So I walked with a couple of young boys. Okey, guys but tonight they are acting like little boys! I am glad Tom, Marven's mate, was with us. It was a little bit easier talking to him being a bit sober than Marvo.

After walking for about twenty minutes, they saw a bus and urged me to run as fast as possible. I was puffing but managed to get on the bus on time.

catching the RE train to Schonefeld airport at dawn...bbbbbrrrrrrr cccccooooollllddddd!!!!

the foreground of Schonefeld Airport, Berlin

Red Xmas Trees; only the French would think of it I reckon

Orly Airport was quite busy. I noticed a group of red Christmas Trees in the Foyer on our way out to Arrival/Departure area. I thought "who would want a Red Christmas Tree?'...HHHmmm... well I suppose...it's Paris after all! Dubbed as Fashion Headquarter...they have a licence to be different even with their Christmas Trees!

Found out how we can get to our hotel from the Airport Information Desk. After giving the details of our hotel the Info Clerk/Staff produced a computerised directional instruction showing which train/bus to take and the distance and travel time also included. I thought that was quite impressive. Marven was gobsmacked by the kind of service too saying "you'll never get this service in Germany!"

Unfortunately it wasn't as easy as it looked. There were no buses, we stood at the platform for ages. I decided to go back for more info. And while I was inside, the military arrived and were in the process of cordoning the area. I just managed to get back to Marven before they completely barricaded the area where we were.

I approached one of the policemen: Pardon Monsieur, do you speak English? He said, little bit! I asked what's happening. He said "airport is close, baggage stolen, no people can leave the airport". I relayed it to Marven and he said "we better find a way to get out of here in a flash!"

We ran to the other direction, our hand carry luggage in tow. We tried to get on a bus, any bus and asked to be dropped to the nearest Metro. From the Metro, same story; I have no French and the lady at the Information Counter had very little English. But she was quite good and actually accommodated our inquiries. She gave us another set of instructions to get to our hotel.

I followed Marven almost blindly after we got our 3 day pass. He is used to travelling by train so my guts told me I'll just follow and he is more often right than wrong. Right now my mind is too tired to even try and figure out where we are going. Several stations later, we came out into daylight! Got a bit disoriented but found the Number 62 Bus Stop that will drop us near our accommodation.

I enjoyed the bus ride just watching the passengers hop in and off the bus while trying to absorbed as much detail as I can of the area we were passing. We counted how many stops to go before the Seine River. I know that once we've crossed the river we are only a bus stop away from our hotel. While in the bus I had a moment of reverie: could not help but miss my Auntie Almie. After all it was her romance novels that I use to read against her approval that planted little seeds of dreams in my heart and longings to one day see these places! And today is that day! From the bus stop, there's about 3 minutes walk to Le Auteuil Tour Eiffel, our hotel.

our hotel in Paris

Le Auteuil Tour Eiffel or simply Tour Eiffel hotel...

Checked in, showered and out again in a flash. We have no time to waste. Jack Frost was waiting by the corner ready to nip our toes but we decided to walk back to the River anyway! We walked down to the world well-known river, crossed it over one of it's bridges to get to Eiffel Tower which is about 2 blocks away, stopping halfway to mimick the Parisian version of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue stands in a small island, Ile des Cygnes, in the middle of Seine.

Bridge Passy holds this arches that holds the railtracks...

It was lovely even in that cold winter air!

from Passy Bridge, a great view of Tour Eiffel

After a few minutes of leisurely walk, we climbed up into the Passy Bridge. The Passy Bridge is a double decker bridge: it has a lower deck where the cars and buses run. This deck serves as the foundation that holds the upper deck which is the railtrack for the city train. Passy Bridge, I learned, is the only bridge in Parish that has a roadway, a pedestrian path and an overhead Metro rail. From here you are rewarded by an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower.

There were a few couples taking photos here. This is when it pays to travel with a buddy. I watched the others running back and forth trying to make timed exposures to the point of me feeling sorry for one. I asked Marven to offer to take photos for them which he did. And as the saying "what you give you receive"goes... the gentleman offered to take a photo of us too! From here we walked back down to the promenade and walked the length of the block just admiring the views, boats and yatchs and the romantic atmosphere!

I told Marven I am happy I finally made it here. And added "the only sad part is that when I was dreaming of this, I was dreaming I would be walking with the man I love." He gave a dry sarcastic laugh and said..."don't worry I feel the same way".

Tour Eiffel flooded in Blue at night was a mesmerising sight...just as filling as the yummy crepes sold near it's foot...

It would have been lovely or can I use the word romantic(?) if I was with someone who loves me or someone I love...but I was not. Anyway we just laughed about it. Two good mates, both unloved (it seems to be the case at that moment anyway)! What a sad state of mind to be in in Paris, the City of Love!

But for now, I was just happy to soak in the air of fun, grandeur, love, romance, whatever and yeah...the flavour and aroma of croissants.. chocolat croissants and crepes! Yeah, lovely yummy oh so mouth watering crepes!

We stayed out until midnight spending a good hour finding our way back to the hotel. I was bugged by the time we got back.

our destination is Parc Disneyland

Next day, we were off to Disneyland, did everything we could do in one day and got back to our hotel again just before midnight.

We realised later on it pays to buy the Zones 1 - 6 days pass rather than the Zones 1-3 we got as the previous allows you to travel outside of Paris City. So we have to purchase an independent ticket to Disneyland.

The long queue to the Hollywood Hotel - it was a 45min wait...and freezing outside...

Then we wasted a lot of time queuing up for tickets because we were silly enough not to prebook it. The queue was very long and must have taken half of our time there.

The Hollywood Hotel, a little bit more interesting but not as scary as the Tower of Terror in Gold Coast OZ

Most popular ride is the Hollywood Tower Hotel (totally different from the Tower of Terror). For me it was the Pirate of the Carribean. Marven made sure we got to ride on all of the rollercoasters.

******Here below are a few more shots we took from Disneyland:

the main building at Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Castle, inspired by Neuchswanstein Castle

Our last day, we checked out early, stopped at a Brasserie for our French Breakfast and headed to Mont Parnasse for a 360 degree view of the city of Paris

From Mont Parnasse a quick dash in the Metro that took us to Louvre where we got soaking wet due to snow fall. There was a feeling of lightness and somehow I felt like a little child again...carefree, fun, in sync with nature!

Our last stop was to have another look at Notre Dam. It was lovely when we saw it last night, illuminated in the dark. I actually did not think we had the time but Marvo took us there anyway. Then it was time to head back to Orly Airport.

view form our River Seine Cruise

me at the foot of Tour Eiffel at night

Tour Eiffel flooded in Blue at night was a mesmerising sight...just as filling as the yummy crepes sold near it's foot...

Fairy Tale Castle Avenue at Disneyland Paris

210m Tour Mont Parnasse, highest point in Paris

On the top of highest business bulding in Paris

Action Show

Disneyland Castle, inspired by Neuchswanstein Castle

written by

jorgn_craw on December 7, 2008 from Paris, France

from the travel blog: Euro Trip 2008

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Once again, we are off to Schönefeld Airport. EZYjet is not on the menu today, we are having German Wings instead! It's one of the few low-cost carriers in Germany but with a difference: leather seats! My travel buddy told me we don't have to scramble for our seats today like we do with EZY and true to his word, German Wings actually pre-allocate seats.

Potsdam BahnHof (Central Train/Bus Station)

this is what I really love here in Germany, their pastries are more yummmy than Paris...

saw this on our way to the airport- looks like a lethal weapon, whoever made it, I hope he wasn't thinking of what I am thinking..

Just like our trip to Paris, we had to get up early to catch the train. But this time we took the S-BAhn to Potsdam (Central) Bahnhof to catch the one going the other side of city (I believe, going South).
It is about the same distance but have less stops. Here at the Potsdam Haupbanhoff, thre is a very nice bakery with yummy oooohhh so mouth- watering pastries!!!!

Had a quick photo with the German Wings Bear after checking then straight thru to wait for our boarding time. Picked up a few postcards and realised I left my pen at the customs check-in area inside the white plastic tray where I dumped all by bits and pieces. Being use to the slow pace at home where most people are still quite honest, I went back for it but the officer told me it wasn't there.

Feeling disappointed I went back and told my mate... "people are not so honest here" and he agreed. Now I understand why he kept telling me before I left for Germany that he won't allow me to go out on my own or that I should not be to trusting if strangers are trying to be too friendly or trusting. I got reminded with the adaptor I left at our hotel in Schwangau. That was never returned either. It appears like who ever found it did not tell the management about it, and the management did not bother to question their workers even after calling them several times. Anyway, I decided I wasn't gonna let this little thing affect my mood today.

Marvo has kept this trip a secret. It was his little surprise for me. I know he has booked this flight since September and I have pestered him with questions about it but he never gave in. He just kept saying I will like it.

There are only 3-4 places I have in mind taking to consideration the surprise element he mentioned in this trip. I know he is great at picking up hints of things I like or interested at. It could only be Cologne or Heidelberg and the only other cities I could think of are Stuttgard and Frankfurt. Munchen could be another one but we have been that way so my heart is leaning towards Cologne.

German wings flying over the planned new Berlin Airport

boarding for my first German Wings flight..

Flight was great! Especially after entertaining half of the passengers. I supposed people here are used to flying with Easy Jet so they don't go to their allocated seats or the lady culprit just didn't read the row number right. I realised the seat I was going for was 25A instead of the 24A I have in my boarding pass.

Anyway, last few minutes before take off, a guy spoke to me in German and motioned I was seating in his seat. I told him "sorry I don't speak German" but moved out of his seat anyway. I tried to explain that the lady was seating on my seat blah blah blah! Anyway, the lady vacated our seats and we moved back to the row behind us only this time Marvo was trying to seat by the window. Without thinking I grabbed him by the collar and very loudly and very emphatically told him "No No No, you are not taking my seat Mister!" and yanked him out of the way! Half of the passengers found that quite entertaining and triggered a chain of giggles and laughs and friendly remarks from everyone. If there is one thing I like about Germans, it would be their sense of humour and today proved that even more! And I feel good having helped set a lighter mood for everyone at the start of a gray day!

the train station at Bonn Airport

Of course by this time I already knew we are going to Cologne! Cologne=-Bonn airport is as I have expected. From the arrival area, we turned left to take the escalator down to catch the train. Before that I watched my buddy get our train tickets from the German only speaking machines:-)) They are one of the reasons I have limited myself to just walking around Babelsberg or staying in when Marvo went back to work. They do not cater very well to non-German speaking visitors like me. For a city like Berlin, Postdam or Cologne which would be one of the most visited cities in the world, I wonder why they can't be like the French who has their train info system translated in 5 languages.

I feel 100% more confident in France, a country whose language I too have no knowledge of; simply because every direction, every instruction are duplicated in English. Germany is not the same. I guess eventually they will get there. But for now, non-German speaking individual travellers will find it pretty hard moving around the country. There are very few info centres and the ones available closes very early. In saying that most if not all of the younger ones do speak English or can speak some English!

I would not have a clue how to get myself to Potsdam from Schönefeld Airport if I got there after 8pm. I saw locals hitting the roof simply because even they cannot figure out their own train-ticket disbursing machines.

it was wet but it was fun at the Xmas Market here by the Cathedral...

Anyway, Cologne was great treat! I loved it, the Christmas Market at the base of Cologne Cathedral,

the streets teeming with shoppers in Cologne

the shopping (which reminds me of the crowd in Manila or Sydney); and the made in China items which proliferated in all the shops we have gone to. I fell in loved with a Lacoste bag but fell out of love again when Marvo showed me the label. That was good, I saved another EUR69.00

It would be injustice to go to Cologne without buying some Special Cologne Water! The store where it was first made is still in operation but I bought my Köln-Wasser in one of the souvenir shops by the Cathedral!

mind boggling.....who ever made this masterpiece... I was really blown away with it...

Coming out of the train station, Marvo asked me to stop and take a big breath before I take another step. I thought "Gee he is being over dramatic again"...but obliged anyway so I took a long and deep breathe in, breathen out and took the step! I turned to my left and lo! and behold infront of me is the Gigantic Gothic Masterpiece that I have only seen in photos. I stood there for a moment, actually much longer than a moment. I remember way back in UST while doing Art Appreciation papers in uni; Cologne Cathedral was one of the few buildings I found interesting. It would be one of the few reasons I have overstayed at the Library. I use to watch (not read) lots books with photos of European buildings. I never in my life thought I will actually come this close to Cologne Cathedral.

The very top of Cologne Cathedral

details of the windows inside the Cathedral

Xmas Market at the foot of Cologne Cathedral

The closer I got the harder it was to believe these were all done hundreds of years ago. The amount of work, planning, expertise, time and lives trapped in this masterpiece is way out of my comprehension. I just gave in to my inner instinct: "if I can't fathom it... swim and go along with the flow".

First we went down to the basement and checked all the bits and pieces there and the ruins and learned all about the family that were buried in that fortress under the cathedral. Then Marven guided me to a bench and started to say.."I am just a bit worried with your foot (I was limping on my left foot, rushing out and jumping from the stairs in one of the train stations from Disneyland Paris whee landed on the side of my foot,it has been so sore and currently a bit swollen) and told me about the Tower! He explained there are 509 steps going up and then will have to come down the same way. "There are no lifts up there and you will have to come down the stairs on foot again and the stairs are very narrow". That was how he explained it.

I thought about it for a moment and decided a sore foot is not going to stop me today. I don't know if I will ever be this way again. So I said "the pain in my foot is only a state of mind" I can think and worry about it later on but for now I am here to experience everything I can in the little time we have. And if I have to climb up 509 steps on a swollen foot to get a 360 degrees view of Cologne and then down again..thinking of Sir Richard Branson's book, I said "Screw it, let's do it!

But first he took me inside the Cathedral, we spent quite sometime there. I needed that to absorb everything I was seeing. I left him taking photos and I wandered around just admiring this masterpiece imagining the kind of people whose hands and minds created and put this awesome masterpiece together.

The details inside and outside...I could not help but compare and convinced myself Notre Dame in Paris pales in comparison to this one.

I suppose they had to put this for the public to have an idea what they are getting themselves into

By the way, the stairs up to the tower I found out is a continous very narrow spiral staircase (I did not count the steps). I forgot about my sore foot, my fear of falling took over and all my focus was centered on not making silly mistake or down I fall continously to the bottom. My only chance of stopping is if any one of the people coming up can stop me. I must say it can be a challenge to people suffering from acrophobia or claustrophobia.

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view from the top after 509 steps up the Tower

We were early for our return flight but we just stayed at the airport and enjoyed a drink as we watched the sun for the first time during the day...just a glimpse of it as it was setting. Then we found out our flight back to Berlin is delayed by almost an hour.I was quite tired and we spent our time snoozing until our plane arrived. In contrast to the boarding gates in Auckland where you have to walk quite a bit to get to the loo...Cologne Airport has them in every boarding gate!

We got back to Berlin late in the evening which gave us a bit of time to stop in the city to buy a few food supplies from a shop I believe could be the only shop open that time of the night. I bought what I thought was fresh eggs only to be told later they are hard-boiled eggs.

I wish I could be as carefree as this boy on the train...

I was quite fascinated to see Bikes and Dogs (maybe even chooks) are allowed in the train...

written by

jorgn_craw on December 11, 2008 from Cologne, Germany

from the travel blog: Euro Trip 2008

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a travel blog by jorgn_craw

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27 Nov / Trip Back to Potsdam

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28 Nov / Zwickau & Dresden

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Schloss Sanssouci: An Appointment with Frederick the Great!

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Visit to the Reichstag-Berlin City of Peace

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A Day in Cologne

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A Quiet Day - No Photos

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then it was time to say Auf Wiedershen...

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