I've been home for 48 hours now, and am over the jet lag finally...It's odd in that I virtually never suffer from it, but for some reason with this trip it did hit me. Perhaps it has something to do with the cold, and not being able to walk around but rather spending more time indoors than I normally would on a vacation. In any case, after one more good night's rest I should be entirely back on the right clock.
I've already started daydreaming about my next trip, though I am not sure where to go. I do have a few ideas, as well as a few things I want to remember the next time I plan a vacation, so more or less as a reminder to myself I am going to paste them below. The list is pretty much self-explanatory:
Places you have not been but would like to see:
New York
Greece
Spain
Middle East, say Israel?
Egypt---especially Nile River cruise
Antarctica combined with someplace in South America
Ocean cruise
Places you have been and would like to see again:
London
Paris
Monaco
Italy
Things to look for in a Hotel:
Check easyHotel
Check Novotel
Free internet
Guest Laundry for longer trips
Remember:
Take seasonal weather into account: Freezing is no fun, even if you get the trip at a bargain in a place you like. Same with too hot. It's easy to say cold is "no problem" when booking a vacation in July, but look at the actual temperature you will be facing and decide objectively if you want to take the risk. Upon arriving in Berlin, for example, it was literally -9C (about 16F) and snowing...if you decide to travel next December, Egypt or Australia probably should go towards the top of the list. BTW, a really cool place to check archived weather is: http://www.eurometeo.com/english/. You can search by city and by day/hour!
I love cities which have ancient history, not large bedroom communities such as Munich or Berlin. Perhaps, as you get older, this is because you appreciate the importance of something which has permanence rather than fleeting in time. Whatever the reason, keep in mind that you want to see what mankind has brought forth in this world; sitting under a palm tree and sipping a beer would be fun for 15 minutes, but you would be going bonkers after that.
Maybe it is time to try an escorted tour again rather than going solo. Escorted tours are hit or miss, depending on the tour guide and your fellow travelers, so consider it but do not decide right now.
Check into Boingo for Internet access...I was amazed at how much I had to pay for access in the hotels, and Boingo seems to have fairly good coverage at a decent price. Short of that, consider leaving the netbook home and checking email, etc., in Internet cafes. Gotta think this one through, as the idea of being without a computer for a couple of weeks is a bit hard to imagine!
Cut back on the drinks in hotel bars: Nurse one or two at most, or buy a bottle in a supermarket if you want more (or, even sneak it in to the bar and replenish the drink you ordered!). Drink prices, with a couple of snacks thrown in, can come close to doubling the hotel bill....ouch!
I once attended a talk by Rick Steves, the travel guru, and he suggested that we think of travel as a political act, a way to broaden our minds with new ideas and experiences. Since that talk, I have considered travel a way to expand what we know and think, a way to look at things differently and to question the status quo.
To that end, there were, of course, homeless people in all of the cities I visited (save for Monte Carlo). In all cases, the picture was the same: A homeless man or woman sitting on the ground, draped in a blanket, more often than not with a dog as his or her only companion. They would often be reading, or writing, or in some cases staring at the ground, but never aggressive or troublesome to those of us passing by. Often I would drop in some change, with a feeling of powerlessness to change what was just in front of me.
In London, I walked by a man, a typical homeless person, who was sitting on the ground, reading a book, with his dog cuddled up with him, blanket over both of them. I did not give this particular scene any special thought, until I was returning back and passed him again a few minutes later. This time, a female bobbie was standing over him, talking with him. I could not help but wonder what she was discussing, since he had not been causing any trouble so I could not fathom why she would be bothering him. To my surprise, a little eavesdropping revealed that rather than harassing, she was suggesting alternatives to him over sitting on the street. She appeared to be offering places he could go to be warm, and she most certainly was not doing this in a threatening manner, but rather one of empathy. I didn't stay long a it was a very strong scene, though I did manage to snap a picture.
I should point out that I do not follow any one political party line, but I instead make my decision on any single issue based on the merits of that particular case. In some situations I am very conservative, in others very liberal, but when it comes to social matters I firmly believe it is a travesty that we have people starving on the streets, cold, homeless, alone, when we squander our taxes (10% sales tax in WA state alone) on bullshit such as ensuring that salmon can spawn. I don't care to hear about the sustainability theory: That argument is meritless when you compare it to the need to a person--not a salmon, but a person--who is in crisis and in urgent need. I have nothing but disdain for our politicians of either party who turn their backs on people while grandstanding for politically correct environmental issues. Let people starve while spending taxpayer money to ensure that fish can f*@k...yes, it is nothing short of disdain that I feel for that sort of lunacy. In that sense, I can say that this one street scene was, indeed, travel as a political act for me.
In hindsight, Berlin was probably not the greatest choice I could have made, as it really feels more like a flat city than a true historical spot. I thought that with it being the 20th anniversary of the fall of The Wall that there might be a special spirit in the city, but it was not there. Berlin, and Munich for that matter, are not really cities you can dislike, but they are rather boring in that they lack the excitement of Rome, Paris, London, Tokyo, Hamburg or Koeln. Berlin felt like a large bedroom community, nothing wrong with it per se, but just not as vibrant as I had been led to believe.
The Crowne Plaza City Center hotel was actually overpriced for what it offered, and the absurd practice of nickel and diming to death was irritating: They charged me, as a hotel guest, 8 euros to use the 8x10" sauna in the basement, while you could alternatively go to a local neighborhood sauna and pay a little over 20 euros for an all day pass in a full spa facility. I've had good luck with other Crowne Plaza hotels (the Rome St. Peters is a gem!), but the Berlin City Center was a disappointment, especially as I spent six nights there.
Paris--
As I mentioned before, my one and only previous trip to Paris was disappointing, so I was very surprised that I enjoyed this trip so much. My biggest complaint would be the cold, which of course should be expected when traveling to Europe in winter. The Parisians, while still rude, did not really bother me. The beauty, the history, and the novelty of the city, however, stuck me much more than the last time. I feel I would like to return again, to spend a longer time when the weather is warmer.
The Paris hotel, Hotel du Square d'Anvers, was indeed spartan, but it was clean enough, and the location superb. I might stay there again, though it would be tempting to look for a hotel which is a bit nicer, assuming price is not an overriding concern. It was two stars, but price and location were superb.
Monte Carlo--
The highlight of the trip. As much as I enjoyed it (and the relative warmth), I am not sure that I would spend much more than three nights there at a stint, at least not without expanding the exploration to include Nice or Western Italy. The overwhelming oppulence is mind-boggling, yet after a bit feels almost like a prolonged stay at Disneyland: Incredible for a short while, but not enough diveristy for a long vacation. Still, nothing compares with living out the Bond fantasy....
I can't say enough for the Monte Carlo Novotel hotel. It was moderately priced (about $200 per night if you pre-purchase and agree to the no cancellation/no refund risk), yet it was also very clean, bright, modern and well-located. The only complaint is that the techno music in the bar is a bit much if you listen to it for too long (as in taking all your meals there), but that notwithstanding it was a great environment. You don't get the oppulence you would at, say, the Le Meridien, but at one-third the price, and at a better location, I highly recommend the Novotel---and the sauna was free!!
London--
I won't bother saying anything about London because I could go on non-stop about this town! That has been many vacations in and of itself for me, and it will be one again relatively soon. Let me simply say it truly is a homecoming for me. To paraphrase the saying, a man who is tired of London is tired of life.
In short:--
While I don't regret the experience, if I had known awhile back what I know now, I would have skipped Berlin and extended the stays in Paris and Monaco, or I would have substituted Rome for Berlin. Still, it was an incredible trip. Also, if my situation were to permit, I would like to return to Europe in Spring or Fall rather than in winter; should my professional career continue to restrict my vacations to the Christmas season, then perhaps I should consider a Nile cruise or a return to Australia for the next one. All in all, though, weather complaints are relatively minor in the course of memories.
BTW, for hotels in the Heathrow area, I should point out the National Express "Hotel Hoppa" bus which runs from the terminals to all the nearby hotels. If you stay in Central London, transit from LHR to Zone 1 is easy via the tube, the Heathrow Express, or numerous other options, but you don't have these choices if you are staying in the immediate Heathrow area. I paid 20 pounds for a taxi (one way) only to find out later that afternoon that the Hotel Hoppa provides service for 4 pounds. It is a bargain to keep in mind for any LHR area hotel, and it is not well-publicized on any of the hotel websites.
Special mention to the Doubletree Airport in Seattle for a $39 upgrade to a suite on my first night! Granted, it was an opportunistic chance, and it was not guaranteed save for availability at check-in, yet for the cost of three drinks it was an amazing way to start the trip.
Also, while I did not try it on this trip, I heard of and will check out easyHotel for future vacations. This is along the line of easyJet, easyEverything (Internet cafe) and all the related serial entrepreneur attempts: Clean, cheap, no-frills. The handful of hotels they have look incredibly well-priced for their locations, so I am making a note to myself to try them at my earliest chance.
Internet access throughout Europe was very expensive, and spotty in two of the hotels (Crowne Plaza and Hotel du Square d'Anvers) even when paying over $20 per day. What is most annoying is that in many hotels in the US---including the cheapo places I care not to admit having patronized, wireless access is free. while Europe seems to have done a much better job settling on phone cell standards than have we in the US, broadband access, at least for tourists, is a letdown.
Since my trip to Monaco required that I fly in and out of Nice, a rather small airport, flights were not available for an early morning return home, so instead I arranged to travel from Nice to Heathrow on the second to the last day of my vacation. In addition to the pragmatic consideration, this also had the advantage of allowing me a short afternoon/evening in London, my favorite city in the world. Make no mistake about it, when I first planned this vacation I had initially booked two solid weeks in London, but upon further reflection I thought it best to try to branch out a bit, so instead I did the Berlin/Paris/Monaco route instead. Nonetheless, even though this afternoon was just for a few short hours, landing in Heathrow truly felt as if I had come home.
Since I had such a short time in London, I felt it best just to touch upon my sentimental favorites, and they were, of course, as I remembered them: The Strand Hotel looked unchanged; my favorite pub, the Lyceum, was unchanged save for a a new sign out front; my favorite restaurant, Little Italy, had changed names to "La Piazza," but otherwise appeared to have the same menu; the street performers in Covent Garden were still perfomring the same act; the Upper Crust in Charing Cross was still open; and the Adelphi was of course still providing theater, with "Chicago" having moved on to a different venue and "Ratpack" playing in its stead. All in all, home seemed to be unchanged.
I chuckled at myself when I stepped off the Picadilly Line in Covent Garden, and immediately felt that I knew the area far better than Seattle, where I have lived for over five years now. A couple of young women, noticing my "Hard Rock" jacket asked me if the establishment was in the neighborhood, to which I was able to reply quickly, that no, it was near Hyde Park. An elderly man asked me where the Adelphi was, and to my joy and amazement I knew and remembered quite well where it was. If you were to ask me where the Act Theater is in Seattle, I would be reaching for the GPS, but in London I just remembered the location.
While Monaco had been far warmer than either Paris or Berlin, London had the same numbing, bone-chilling cold, so I was only able to walk about for a short bit. In a way, I was glad the weather in London was no warmer than other parts of my trip, else I might have regretted not spending more time in the city. As it is, this is a good time to head back home and to plan on returning when the weather is more conducive to walking and admiring this incredible place.
So it is now my final night, and I am spending it at the Crowne Plaza near Heathrow. The terminal conversions are still in progress, but I believe I fly out of terminal one tomorrow morning. Vacations are always bittersweet at the end, and this is no exception. At some point, I really would like to make Europe a part of my daily life rather than a vacation spot. For now, though, I should be turning in shortly rather than dreading my return home.
So I did manage to pull off the James Bond fantasy on New Year's Eve...the tuxedo, the Grand Casino, a Cuban cigar, and far too many vodkas. But enough about the fantasy (at least for a public blog)...
The Grand Casino was different than the other, surrounding casinos. This one consists of three different "levels" if you will: A free area which is slots, a 10 euro surcharge area with card game and slots, and an additional 10 euro surcharge area for those who are willing to don a jacket and live in the most secluded region.
I arrived at the casino just before 8:00 PM and immediately headed into the "middle" level, paying my 10 euros to have a vodka rocks in the bar. The casino was very nearly deserted at this early hour, but it did give me a chance to walk about and get familiar with the layout. In the front of this middle area is a bar, a (very expensive) buffet, and a restaurant. There were, of course, table games, and a large slot area off to the side, only this slot area was far different than what I had seen the night before. Imagine a cathedral full of slot machines, with the noise there but turned way down. Unfortunately pictures were not allowed, but it truly did seem to be a very incongruous blend, with vegas style slots in what would otherwise have been pure opulence.
I had to try the more exclusive area as quickly as possible, so I paid my extra 10 euros and entered the innermost sanctum. In this area were more tables and a bar, but virtually no patrons, just numerous employees dressed in tuxedos.
Throughout the evening I vacillated between the two areas, and though the crowds did pick up as the evening went on, neither ever become terribly crowded--in fact, the inner sanctum was virtually deserted even when I left at 11:30. I lost a couple hundred euros playing roulette (unfortunately, playing "7" in that sense did not pay off at all). I did get to witness an older Japanese businessman playing thousands of euros at the table, and though I could not tell whether he came out ahead or behind, it certainly did not matter to him: He was the consummate high roller, and was treated as such.
As the mood in the casino was somber and quiet, at 11:30 I decided to leave and see what the outside was like. This was far more in line with what you would expect for NYE: Large, noisy crowd, champagne bottles, "Bonne Annee" in the air. I spent the next half hour there, enjoying the intensity with the crowd. Though not as intense as, say, NYE in Naples, there was in any case an excitement and hope as the new year rolled in. Bonne Annee!
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