Just a quick one...

We went out for supper tonight at a more traditional French restaurant and after looking at the menu, ordered something that she recognized. Her pizza was quite delicious according to her. Now, myself on the other hand, wanted something new. So I ordered Carpaccio de beouf. I knew that it was something beef related and thought perhaps it was a stew. But when it was brought to the table, it kind of made me think of a cheeseburger. It had fries, some cheese, even lettuce with it. But the beef was a bit rarer than a burger. In fact it was quite raw. The thin strips of beef were just lying on the plate, cool and raw. There was cheese on top of it and a lemon to squeeze on top of it. All in all very tasty, just not at all what I expected.

Nice is nice...

our last day in Strasbourg we had a little time to kill and thought "hey,we are still having stomach problems. Let's check out the hospital." And that is exactly what we did. Brad and I spent the better part of Sunday afternoon waiting on a hospital bed waiting to hear whether we had anything serious. It was a university hospital so we had our temperature taken frequently, and they even hooked Brad up to an IV, which we figured was to keep him from escaping. They also checked Brad's reflexes by asking him to close his eyes and raise his hands, which seemed a bit penicostal for a country full of catholics. It turns out there was a bit of an infection, but they gave us enough pills to open our own pharmacy and we should be o.k.

After that experience, we were so excited about sitting around and not doing much that we hopped onour overnight train to Nice. Sleeping on a train was not like being gently rocked Ina cradle. It was more like Andre the Giant shaking us. Char wanted to get out of that Pit of Despair. 13 hours later we arrived at Nice. Tired and sweaty we walked to our hotel to find that we couldn't check in until 2pm. Luckily we could drop off our packs and we walked around and put our feet in the Mediterranean Ocean! That was the first off many times that we've gone swimming in two days. The ocean has been amazing. Really salty though. It's like it's salt water or something. For supper we were sick of sandwiches and microwave dinners so we hunted down a good cheap restaurant. What we found was that the local cuisine is excellent! In particular, the spring rolls and sweet and sour pork were phenomenal! Nice really does have the best Chinese this side of the Mediterranean!
Today we walked up Castle Hill, which used to be the fortified city of Nice and were greeted with amazing panoramic views of the ocean, the beach, the city and the hills beyond. We had one of those moments that we couldn't believe we are actually here!
Plans for tomorrow: more beach.
Plans for 2 days from now: more beach and then catch a train to Cinque Terre, Italy. It's a whole new ballgame then. New language, new ethnic foods like "pasta" and "pizza" to try.

Ciao,
Brad and Char

Going backwards is not as good as going forwards...

Well, after a disappointing trip to Versailles (which we would rather not talk about at the moment), we arrived in beautiful Strasbourg. We were greeted with an orchestra welcoming commity, and fresh air. Although we forgot to write down directions to our hostel, a very nice lady pointed us in the right direction, only to have Brad take us in the wrong direction. It was a beautiful walk and the sunset was breathtaking, so even as we arrived an hour later we felt refreshed. The last couple days of exploring Strasbourg and Colmar have been wonderful, kind of like a homecoming for Brad as his ancestors walked the same roads. You can also feel the German influence in the choice of flowers and the architecture, which makes us excited to walk over the Rhine River and into Germany tomorrow.

Strasbourg has been so much better than Paris, which really shows our Canadian-ness. We love our space (at least three feet) and our green spaces with clean air, and we have high hopes after our rest in strasbourg that we can deal with the crowds in Nice.

That's all for now,
Char & Brad :)

More adventures in Paris...

So, I had to go to the pharmacy this morning to pick up some antiboitics and some other drugs. It's an interesting experience buying drugs from a pharmacist that doesn't really speak english. It came down to me making hand gestures and sound effects of bodily functions gone wrong and I got the right stuff.

Did I mention that we both have what we think is food poisoning?

Good times. It actually started a couple days ago with me having to run to the bathroom quite quickly, and then taking the day and just resting. Then yesterday, Char started having the same "symptoms" but because it was Sunday, we couldn't find an open pharmacy. First thing this morning, drug time!! We believe they are working. We would appreciate your prayers for a quick and speedy recovery.

In the midst of sickness, we did go and check out the largest flea market in Paris, which was a bit overwhelming and busy. The Metro stop alone was full of beggars and people trying to sell us used metro tickets. Then outside the station, lots of people hawking belts, watches, sunglasses, etc. Honestly, it kind of reminded me of India. We had read that that part of the city was one of the poorer parts of the city.

Yesterday, we did venture out and found Hillsong Paris, which was really good. It was all bilingual. One song in French, the next in English. It was a neat experience to have that sort of unity in church. Then, onto another pilgrimage: to Starbucks. Let me tell you, if you think Starbucks is expensive in Canada, it's cheap. We paid €8.50 for two small drinks!!

Today, after twe had started our drugs, we again ventured out slowly and found our way to Notre Dame and Sainte Chappelle, two old churches on the Ile de la Cité. Sainte Chappelle was floor to ceiling stained glass and it was breath taking. It was built around 1250 to house "the true crown of thorns". The glass was stunning. Notre Dame was really crowded with other tourists, so I don't think our visit did it justice. It was definitely nice though.

Well, I should go buy some chicken noodle soup for Char and I to eat for supper and some bread for tomorrow: if all goes to plan, we're heading to Versailles tomorrow.

Cheers,

Brad & Char

Ahh, sweet Paris.

I think it's official: we really like Paris!! It's been super good to us. (except this keyboard. The keys are not where I think they should be. If I type like I nor,qlly do; this is zhqt hqppens:) Not pretty. So, anyways pictures do not do justice to things that you see in real life. For example, the Eiffel Tower! It's huge! And greyish-brown. Char and I always thought it was black... huh. We bought the tickets to walk up the stairs to the second floor, which was the cheaper way to go and it's a long way to the top if the top is a long way up! 700 steps to be precise. So that was tiring. But amazing views from the top!

We also went to the louve today. Pictures do not do the paintings justice, they are so much larger in person then in pictures. That's the one thing that seeing things in person does for the appreciation of art, it shows the scale of some of the most famous paintings. And I (Char) feel bad for saying it as an art major, but the Mona Lisa did not make me smile. However there was a picture of monkey painting that sure did the trick.

So far Paris has been good to us, and the apartment we're staying in is lovely, and cosy. We look forward to the days to come and seeing Notre Dame and Versailles. I (char) also plan to buy some really great Paris kitch. That's all for now,

Au Revoir!

In Paris!

We are in Paris! We left Dublin early this morning and arrived in France 10 minutes ahead of schedule. And yes God is so good! After I posted last night, we go word from a lady who is going to rent us her flat for the week! So, 8 days in the city of love! Thanks for al your prayers, it's good to be here. I think we're going to go to bed now...

Bon vivre!

Brad & Char

Future Plans...

We leave for Paris tomorrow morning at 6:30am. That means we have to be at the Dublin Airport at 4:30am. So, that means we don't get much sleep tonight. BUT, on the plus side, we have one night booked in Paris! So, praise God for that. But please keep praying that we could find a good situation in Paris for the rest of the nights we want to spend there.
We're planning on doing some research once we get down there and hopefully finding something good. But for now, we're just gonna giv'er.

Thanks for praying.
We'll catch you later.

Peace.

A day out in the countryside... and a few more pictures.

Well, today our cousin Carrie had a friend of hers drive us out to Glendalough, which as a really old monastic settlement. With ruins that were about 1000-800 years old. It was one of those afternoons that was perfect: whenever Char and I think of Ireland, we think of misty, lush, green hillsides with old stone buildings. As well, add in a major portion of Lord of the Rings type scenery! We fully expected to see some hobbits or elves using the forest paths. Absolutely amazing scenery!

Yesterday, Carrie took us on a walking tour of Dublin, which was really interesting to see the sights and experience the buskers and street performers, the alleys, and the colors of Dublin.
I should add that Carrie is an amazing cook! We have been super blessed to have amazing food while staying with her!! So any cousins, take note and come visit!!
This morning we went to church with Carrie and Dublin Vineyard Church. Again, just a God-send, to come together with other believers and hear a message of the pursuit of holiness and to come to God in worship. Great times. Then, to see the ancient monastery and the outdoor sanctuary of rural Ireland was a great way to continue worshiping God. There are moments that you definitely feel like you are in Europe, and this afternoon was one of them.  

Char with sheep!

St. Kevin's Chapel

The Upper Lake at Glendalough

Char and Carrie

Absolutely amazing!

A few anticipated snapshots of the trip thus far...

in Trafalgar Square

Char likes the lions as well

The Houses of Parliament

Brad attacking Arundel Castle

In Arundel Castle Gardens

Arundel Castle

On Worthing Pier. On the south coast of England.

Bath, England

"Mind the Gap." You hear this every time you get on and off any train in England.

Without warning, a ninja could come and drop kick you as well...

St. Paul's Cathedral, London

Yes,  yes I am...

We did enjoy the great art for free! Tate Modern Art Gallery, London

I'm starting to think in a British accent...

Well, we finally are posting again. We made it to Dublin a few hours ago, after a 3 hour ferry ride. I (Brad) have never been on a big boat again, so to show my excitement, I promptly fell asleep. The back story: on Tuesday, we left London. What did we do in London, you ask? We did the British Museum (Char's highlight was the Egyptian artifacts and mine was the early European history stuff. And everything was absolutely huge!), The National Gallery (we saw some Caravaggio, Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, a Da Vinci and so much more. And they were so much more beautiful in person. Much better than an art text book.), The Tate Modern Museum (we saw some Rothko paintings, interesting installations and scultpures. REALLY COOL!), The Design Museum (an amazing exhibit about type fonts, which I was in awe of), we went to communion at Westminster Abbey (at 8:00am in the morning, with only about 10 other people. Really peaceful experience), The Sherlock Holmes Museum (which was a bit anti-climactic to say the least...), Hillsong London Church (it was Sunday morning and we were hoping to go to church, but had no idea where to go. We got off the Tube at Tottenham Court Road to go to the British Museum, and the first thing we see outside of the tube station was Hillsong London. Amazing! It was held in a incredible theatre that hosts 'We Will Rock You!'which is a Queen musical. Definitely a God thing that we saw it and were able to worship Him with hundreds of brothers and sisters.), and we went down to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, which was not too far from our hostel, and met one of Char's dad's best friends from boarding school in India. He was been doing work with the Muslim people for about 30 years, and one part of his ministry is to go down to Speaker's Corner and debate with them every Sunday afternoon. What an amazing opportunity to see free speech at work! Well worth it if you're in London on a Sunday afternoon!
So, to continue, after we had communion at Westminster, we boarded a train bound for Arundel, a village close to the south coast of England, which happens to have a castle that is still lived in by the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk. For me (Brad) this was the third time I had been in Arundel, so to actually be able to go in the castle was a huge experience! We loved it! Amazing stone architecture and amazing home decor and incredible gardens! We spend the night in a hotel, which was such a relief and hundreds times better than the hostel in London: sharing a room with 10 other people is no way to spend a holiday. Take note.
Then, on to Worthing, home to some of Brad's friends from previous trips to England. It was such a blessing to stay with John and Barbara again and experience warm English hospitality! A whirlwind tour of some local sights ensued with an exciting adventure driving down a pedestrian walkway in Brighton! We got up the next day after a great sleep and adventured up to Bath Spa, where we found the Roman Baths to be expensive, so Char took a very nice picture of the entrance. Instead, we went to the Jane Austen Centre, where we experienced a beautiful gift shop and a slightly cheesy display (perhaps slightly less cheesy than Sherlock Holmes...) After a walk beside the river Avon, we waited for our next train. A game of iPod Scrabble ensued, which Brad won.
We left Bath at 8:00pm, and 3 trains later, arrived at Holyhead, Wales very cold and tired at about 2:00am. Being the cheap Mennonites we are, we "slept" on the station floor to await our 2:00pm ferry to Dublin. Again, not a fun, enjoyable, look back with fond memories event. Especially since I was able to sleep and Char was not, which Char duly noted in her journal at 5:00am. (It's not my problem that I can fall asleep as well as my dad can...) So after a day waiting around Holyhead, we boarded the ferry and now we find ourselves in my cousin Carrie's flat in Dublin! The smell of chicken fried rice is starting to waft in the room, and we are excited about the next few days of seeing the sights of Dublin and it's environs. We feel hopeful that the journey will only get better from here! After a few days in Dublin, it's on to Paris and not being able to speak French.
We're going to try to upload a few pictures in the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
Char is glad we're out of London, so that Brad will stop talking with an English accent. Little does she know that I will pick up an Irish one just as quick...
We'll talk to you soon!
Cheers,

We Think The 80's Are Coming Back With A Vengeance...

As we are at the Apple Store in London on Regent Street, it only seemed appropriate to stop and check our email, Facebook and blog. It's a lot easier this way than on our iPod. Today we got our architecture on and went to St. Pauls cathedral and then to the design museum and then to the Tate Modern. So pretty much we   were in heaven all day. We're hoping for a better nights sleep tonight, because last night was hot and stuffy. And a guy with the loudest flip flops I've ever heard kept going in and out of the room. It sounded like he had suction cups on the bottoms. Yeah hostels... Anyways, we are still doing good. Cheers 'til next time.

It's a long way to the top of the top is way up!

We're here! We made it to London at about 6 a.m. Local time. Our flight was populated by a band sitting right behind us that gave us some entertainment by hitting on a girl that was sitting beside them. For 8 hours. Their persistence was incredible! Anyways, I all of the sudden remembered that I need to buy Bovril when we are on our way home so please remind me. Char and I found our hostel easily enough and wedged ourselves into a 12 bed dorm room. The bunk beds are 3 beds high! Char gets the top bunk cuz she really wanted it. But with the stuffiness and the warmth, she's not so sure. We finally showered after a nap this afternoon. We feel better. But, even more exciting than the eventual hot water in the showers, was the fact that we made our way to 221b Baker St. There we met Dr. Watson and got our Sherlock on. That was cool. Then, we stopped at Starbucks. Coffee is always a good thing and the actual shop looked pretty much the same as any other Starbucks. So, we'll probably go hang out in Kensington Gardens tonight and figure out our next move. Cheers!