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Published: February 7th 2009
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Paris
Eiffel Tower on a clear day. Lovely! This happened back in August 2008. So I'm going to be stingy with the deetz, but itz better than nothing, eh? Oh, and in these pictures you'll notice a drastic change in hair. My apologiez. This new bob-looking thing on my head was never supposed to happen.
Okay so we go to Paris, France. See the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Champs-Elysees, all that good shtuff. I mentioned back in the China entry that I have a big problem with jet lag. Well being on a plane for an entire day, then being awake for another day with absolutely no sleep... yes, I was cranky. Sue me. So I didn't really enjoy my first day in Paris. The other days I was still kind of a little biznatch, but I was annoyed. Not to be mean, but after traveling with people your own age, going places with the mom. NOT FUN. Sorry.
One day we did take a trip out to see Roland Garros where they play the French Open. That was pretty neat. We got a tour of the grounds including the locker rooms (where the greats Federer and Nadal put all their shiz before a match).
Paris
pretty, oui? We went in the press room, the actual interview room (where the greats sit and do their post-match interviews!!), and even got to step on the clay court itself! Much better than the Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow visits, I must say.
Anyway so after a few days in the City of Lights, we fly to Copenhagen. Spend a day sight-seeing there and then board Holland America's Eurodam for a 10 day Gems of the Baltic cruise WHOOO!
Now Denmark is remarkably clean. Maybe it's because it's so far north or something, but the sky seemed closer. Or maybe I'm insane. And yea, saw the Little Mermaid and that adorable post-card port-thing. Had a nice hot-dog like morsel of food, but overall I was still being a total bitch to my comradez. Sorry.
But once we get on the ship, my mood really improved. How can you not be happy on those things?
Stop 1: Tallinn, Estonia. Clean, crisp air. Nice buildings. Noting too incredibly special, but I mean we were only there for a few hours. They did sell some nice chocolates at the port, though.
Stop 2: Helsinki, Finland. My favorite place evar! Our excursion
Paris
Notre Dame was to this couple's house out in the countryside and it was just lovely. My mom and the Finnish woman arranged Sarah and I to marry their sons, so that's cool. They had a WW2 canon in their backyard, an old car in the front, and an orchard so I think the families will blend nicely. Haha. But yea. Took a little walk up a cliff, looked down at the lake, tresspassed on someone's property (whoopz). And I ate the best goddamn danish, ice cream, and strawberries that this good earth could provide. HEAVEN, we swears. I was so sad to leave. Finland, Finland, Finland. That's the country for me!
We also stopped at a place in the actualy city...just a little marketplace and their was a church, too. I'm telling you. Lovely place.
Stop 3,4: St. Petersburg, Russia. For some reason I was thinking Russian and English at least had the same alphabet. Nopez. Couldn't read a damn thing. Which was fine, though, really because I was with an embarrassingly American tour group. I'm not gonna lie, this was not a good day. It's just not a good idea to bring a group of 30 or so senior
Paris
Monet! citizens to The Hermitage in peak tourist season. And for godsakes who mentioned a bathroom? YOU PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO GO probably. Jerks. So yea. My memories consist of shuffling through enormous crowds at The Hermitage and at Catherine's Palace. Beautiful places, but a little hard to enjoy in that environment. Shame.
Day 2 in St. Petersburg was a little bit more enjoyable. We went to a grocery store. Simple, but I loved it. That's the kind of stuff I like to see when I go places. not the big tourist traps. I find piles of pickles for sale me enjoyable than gold-leaf crowning around a tacky palace statue, sorry. After the grocery store (of before?) we rode the subway which was way clean. Very nice. And then we went to a vodka tasting, which was disgusting.
Stop 5: Stockholm, Sweden. Underwhelming, but I mean all we did was a bus tour for 4 hours and got out like twice. Love ABBA, though, so that helps.
Stop 6: Warnemunde/Berlin, Germany. I had scheduled to take the train into Berlin and do a tour there, but backed out last minute. I don't feel bad though. I'm not dying
Paris
obnoxious to see Berlin. So I stayed at the port and read. Nice day.
Stop 7: Arhuus, Denmark. Pretty. Boring. Saw a rainbow, though, and that was cool. This was the day I realized I hate wind and hair that won't go back into a ponytail more than anything else on the planet.
Stop 8: Back in Copenhagen. Overall the cruise was good. Not as fun as my first time in the Mediterranean. I think if the ports are going to be boring (which, I'm sorry, Scandinavia kinda is) then at least let the weather be warm (it was not). The food and entertainment on bored weren't as fun as 2006 either, but I loved Cruise Director Shane and DJ Glenn... even though they probably hated seeing us everywhere... gotta get them Dam Dollaz though right!? Right.
So overall, mediocre vacation. Probably won't go back. I'm kind of over Europe. Well I'm over toursity visits, anyways.
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