Archive for Travel Stories
Euro-travelin’ – The Rest
Posted by: | CommentsParis. International City of Romance. The City of Lights. The Epicenter of All Things Culinary. Who wouldn’t want to go there on a European vacation?
Us, that’s who.
Even after Paris won the Rock-Paper-Scissors contest, both Sleeping Beauty and I were hesitant about our decision. We’d already booked a flight out of Brussels in two days, so we knew our journey would be ending there one way or another. And Paris just seemed so… well… touristy. The departure board at the train station was tempting, with delicious sounding places like ‘Lillie Flandres’ and Crepy Villers’ on offer.
Euro-travelin’ – Strasbourg
Posted by: | CommentsTo some people, buying a train ticket to a place you’ve never been in a place you’ve never been, with no idea where you’ll be staying that night or even if you’ll take that train all the way to your destination would seem like an exercise in stupidity. To me it’s an adventure. Thankfully Fiona agrees, or if she doesn’t exactly agree, at least she plays along well.
Euro-travelin’ – The Mighty Jungfraujock
Posted by: | CommentsThe next morning, I sauntered to the ticket window at the train station and requested two tickets to the top of the Jungfraujock. The guide books had warned that the ride we were about to embark on was ‘the most expensive train ride in all of Europe.’ Most expensive?!?! That’s really saying something in this part of the world. Turns out those guide books weren’t kidding. I knew with certainty after signing the slip that my dreams of owning a real Swiss watch would never come true, and my nightmare of bankruptcy became one signature closer to reality, previous night’s winnings or not. But hey, it’s a vacation, so what the hell?
Euro-travelin’ – Interlaken
Posted by: | CommentsSo where was I??? Oh yeah…
Swiss trains are legendary for their punctuality. You could set your $15,000 watch by the arrival and departure of an SBB Metroliner. Of course affording that watch would be a bit more difficult after buying a couple of train tickets. As we learned, EVERYTHING in the country of holy cheese is expensive, including using the public bathrooms. The cost is evidently based on the severity of your business. For men, it’s one franc to stand at the urinal, two if you need to sit down. Ladies get a little break, it’s only one franc for whatever it is that ladies do in the ladies room. It bears repeating my new found mantra: Switzerland is a Very Expensive Place. They should put that motto on the flag somewhere.
Euro-travelin’ – Geneva
Posted by: | Comments“Ladies and gentlemen,” the typical pre-flight spiel started as Fiona and I settled into our seats, “welcome to EasyJet. I’d like to inform you that currently the plane is being refueled, so please leave your seat belts unfastened.” At this point the flight attendant has my attention, as he pantomimes unbuckling a seat belt, “in case we need to get out of the plane quickly.” He follows that last statement with a pantomime of jumping out the door.
Fiona and I looked at each other, knowing that we were in for a vacation experience of a lifetime.
Leavin' on a Jet Plane
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