One Crazy Trip

It's been a crazy week...so at least one part of the blog title holds true. But I have had time to watch the passing throngs and pick up some fastion tips.

Some things of fashion note (male readers might want to tune out...I won't hold it against you)...to look like a Londoner wear....dark patterned tights...flats....tweedy trumpet skirts or long skirts...3/4 length coats with wide collars....tall boots over skinny jeans (this is truly a universal trend). If you're a guy (and you're still reading) wear pink shirts or pink ties and the fatter the tie, the more Londonerer you'll look.

In Amsterdam it was all about tall boots and knee length shorts...flats or stubby heels...scarves...natural hair and make up...

In Paris...fashion capital of the world...I couldn't actually spot the trend...maybe I was having a fasion lapse or maybe Paris street style wasn't as distinctive as I expected....

Whatever the case, own your look (as Song would say) and you'll be fashionable in any city...even in Saskatoon.

onecrazytrip has just become a misnomer. It's no longer one trip, but crazy might still apply. I'm awaiting my flight to London Heathrow and am again killing time in an aiport. Toronto's to be exact & not nearly the length of time I spent lying on benches in Minneappolis watching the rather interesting assortment of American travellers.

I'll be in the UK for a week on business (that sounds so official!) and will post to my misnamed blog occasional observations of life in London. Hopefully I am far more successful uploading London pics than I was with the Paris ones...which still sit idley on my home computer waiting to be cyber-shared.

Please post to my blog & keep me company on my next adventure.

While there is a lot of public kissing, which fits the French image, the rumour that Parisians can be rude is a mystery to me. I have yet to encounter one rude person and, in fact, people have gone out of their way to be helpful. The key seems to be to make some effort to speak French, even if it's simply to ask if they speak English. It sounds odd, but it was the advice Fodor's & the hotel owner gave me & it works. Parisians have been gracious and helpful. Chances are tomorrow I'll encounter someone rude, but that could just as well happen in Saskatoon and it could very well be another tourist.

I arrived in Paris yesterday evening and this is what I've learned so far.

Drink Beaujolais - even at lunch. Be unafraid of butter and cheese and croissants. Drink strong coffee. Kiss on the street. Wear lovely shoes. Shop on side streets away from the big labels and tourist traps. Lounge on a park bench with your eyes closed and enjoy the sun. Observe proper etiquette. Greet shopkeepers and waitstaff with 'bonjuor' and 'ouvre' when coming and going. Walk arm in arm. Finally, when you're tired after a long day of walking...take the metro.

My time in Amsterdam got far more interesting when Viv arrived. As tired as she was from the overnight flight, she & I trooped around the Red Light district arm in arm. We marvelled at the salivating men. While my impulse was to avoid the throng...Viv dove right in every chance she got. Alas, I have no pics of that, but you can see other pics now of Amsterdam in the gallary. http://onecrazytrip.internetfortress.com/gallery/main.php

A smattering of pics from Cape Town are now available on the gallery. Visit http://onecrazytrip.internetfortress.com/gallery/main.php

Last night I had a crazy time in Amsterdam. A crazy night for a geriatric that is. After a meal of young Dutch cheese on a roll with fries & mayo, I crashed at my hotel by 7.30. Yup - the promiscious city didn't have much appeal for me I'm afraid. After a week of intense sight seeing in Cape Town, a flight with a crazy old guy & navigating the train & tram system in this city, I was wiped. Last night was about recovery & I slept 14 hours...which is kind of embarrassing when I see it in print, but seemed utterly necessary. Also, I'm travelling without a watch (just to add to the excitement, I never know exactly what time it is unless I'm on a computer or near a public clock) so I had no idea really what time it was when I woke up.

Viv arrives this afternoon...so things are about to get a bit more interesting...;-)

After another 12 hour plane ride, 6 of which where next to some doddery old lunatic who elbowed me relentlessly, I've arrived in Amsterdam. I stole African hotel toiletries to remind me of warmer climes...and because I've ran out of Dove. I have so much to say about all the wierd & wonderful things, but am worried that the nice buy slighly crazy looking lady at the laundromat might throw all my clothes in the dryer on super hot. I would then be cold and smelly for a whole week or would be forced to go clothes shopping in Paris. How horrible.

Will write again soon & hopefully will upload pics. (I know, I know, I keep promising that).

Forget high speed, forget easy access to the net, and (sorry dear friends) forget pics of Cape Town. Likely I'll be able to pop back on in Amsterdam, so in the meantime....here's the Coles Notes version of my stay in Cape Town.

Wine tour. Country side. Surprise penguin visit (Happy Feet!). Windy. Cold. Greenhouse. Flowers! Drive, drive, drive. Dirty bathroom in sketchy part of unknown town. Cool pics of landscape from moving van window. Seafood dinner on the waterfront. Much lying awake at night trying to recover from jet lag.

Sweaty seasick ferry ride to Robben Island. (Robben Island is the prison where Nelson Mandela was held. It deserves more than a brief mention really). Cable car up Table Mountain. Fought fear of heights. (Didn't want to look like a wimp; I already proved I couldn't handle the sea.) Viv gets unusually excited about a lizard on the mountaintop. Back to hotel where I crashed & recovered.

Sun. (Finally!) Bartering at Green Market in city center. Lovely dinner in Camps Bay where gorgeous surfer types walk barefoot along the street. (Much of this going barefoot business here for some reason). Crash again.

Cape of Good Hope. See both Indian & Atlantic Oceans at once. Best curry ever. Sit in my seaside room & take in the view. Eat ice cream and a Brie sandwich and wonder why my clothes are snug.

Today's agenda: sit in sun, buy tea to take home from the grocery store, eat fancy supper with international delegates.

Ironic isn't it? Is it even possible to put on 5 lbs in 24 hours? The food is awesome - such diversity. Even the roti at the convenience store is yummy. Last night we went to the wharf for seafood and feasted on potjie - a traditional spicy South African dish. Today we went wine tasting a route to Stellenbosch - university town & central to the wine region in this area. I'm definitely looking for South African wines when I get home. The fact that I have a cold hasn't detered me from chowing down.

We've been treated extremely well by our South Africa hosts, two government officials who are hosting Viv's conference. They ferried us around all day & took us on a surprise visit to see the penguins. (Cute pics coming soon!) The rest of the international contigent has been steadily arriving and they're a very friendly bunch. Every last one of the 14 on our tour today asked how I was feeling and there was a convoy of pill passing as someone offered me a Tylenol.

I have rather unreliable internet access. It's so slow I haven't been able to send email so I don't think I can upload pics yet. Hopefully when we move to the next hotel things will speed up.

Keep the comments coming! I miss everyone! By the way - when I login to update the blog I often login to my msn so maybe I'll see you there.