Cote d'Azur

Hello,
The last couple of days have been fantastic despite coming from the Swiss alps. I was slightly worried that no place could match up.

I am staying with yet another friend of mine from my exchange in Paris. I have been staying with Katerina for the last couple of days and been taking day trips to Nice and Marseilles (Did I mention that I love this train pass?). Overall, the Cote d'Azur is most definitely all it's cracked up to be. The cities do have many striking similarities, a beach, mountains, and palm trees. The temperature yesterday was about 30 degrees Celsius.  I took a walk last night in sandals and shorts. I must say given the temperature I'm used to in Montreal, that's amazing.

Traveller beware!
I was in Nice yesterday walking on the boardwalk enjoying the scenery of the beach and mountains when all of a sudden I see "some guy" who pretends to find a gold ring. He asks me if it's mine? Then he tries it on and it doesn't fit he asks me where I'm from and hands it to me as good luck. I walk away and maybe 5 steps later he comes back and asks if I wouldn't have a euro or two to give him. Clearly, I told him he can keep his fake gold colored ring. Needless to say, I then checked my pockets to make sure him or someone else hadn't picked my pockets. This is just a lesson to  remind you that you need to be alert or anybody can easily take advantage of you. No matter what people can just see a tourist a mile away.

I am writing to you from the high speed train to Paris to meet Dominique, the plan is to head to Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Munich over the next two weeks. We will also be fortunate enough to catch the last couple of days of Oktoberfest. It is most certainly one of the most touristy things you can do but hey when in Rome. Besides, who knows if I'll ever be in Germany again. Overall, Should be an awesome time.

Until next time,
Be well Montreal/rest of the world (have I mentioned that I love this application that tells me where people are logging in from?)

-Jonathan  

Luzern, Switzerland

What a city... This is the kind of place where you walk out of the train station and say WOW I am lucky to be alive. This place feels like a breath of fresh air...


Here is a picture of my friend Vanessa and I on our way to climb Mount Pilatus which you actually see in the video below.

Last but not least, a video of the view from the balcony. Again this is just a "Holy Cow" moment. This morning was all about drinking a coffee on the balcony and enjoying the moment.

Here is a picture of the view in case the video doesn't work.










Tomorrow I will be off to Interlaken...
Until next time,
-Jonathan

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Leuven

Amsterdam, Holland.

 It has definitely been a while since my last entry but what can I really say? I guess I have just been having a good time. Let's begin with the city of sin, otherwise known as Amsterdam. This city is very much different then any other place I have been in Europe. It may not be the prettiest place on earth but it has a rough kind of charm that is seldom found. How else are you really suppose to react when you overhear someone asking a prostitute if anal costs extra? Of course, just around every corner is coffee shop waiting to sell you everything from pot, to hash to magic mushrooms. With the right company (my friend Aviva), this can be a fun experience. The picture to your left is me eating a raw herring, here is better picture of the fish. I have to admit the fish itself looks absolutely repulsive. But being me I knew I had to try it. In the end it really wasn't so bad, definitely a very fishy taste.


Rotterdam, Holland. Paul and I

Right after Amsterdam I made a stop in Rotterdam to see another old friend from exchange. I have to admit I had a great time in Rotterdam. Not to mention Paul is an excellent cook. Rotterdam is definitely less touristy then Amsterdam but I got the chance to learn  about the history with my personal tour guide. During the second world war, the city was bombed literally to the ground because it had a large port. To this day, the city still has a fire line that outlines the damage around the city.

I am hoping that one day I will eventually get the chance to repay the favor when Paul comes to Canada. That is if I can get him and some of my European friends to cross the Atlantic ocean.

Leuven, Belgium. Walter (Toms roommate), Tom and I

My current location is Leuven, Belgium. I am staying with my buddy Tom who I met on the Camino. He was nice enough to show me around town and teach me about the culture. The last time I went to Brussels for a weekend I had already decided it was the place to indulge in all sorts of fantastic food and drink. One thing most people are not aware of is that French fries are from here. So why the french name? During the second world war, Americans came from abroad and thought Belgian people were french because they spoke french. Just to name a few things worth trying, Belgium chocolates, moules et frites (muscles and fries), Belgium waffles, and of course the beer.





Below you will see three beers with their respective goblets.

With a selection of 652 types of beer trying each one is a fools challenge. However, this doesn't mean you can't try. I have to admit that there is really just every single type/flavor imaginable. Just to name a few, blond beer, brown beer, white beer, lemon, lime, cherry, raspberry, apple, etc...

The trappistes beer tend to be the best. This means that they are brewed by monks. Alcohol percentages vary anywhere from 6 to 12%. I guess when you make a vow of celibacy your going to compensate by making your beer wicked strong.

 Tomorrow I will be off to Bruge, Belgium which has been given the name of Venice to the north. The day after I will be Switzerland. Ready or not, here come the alps.


 -Jonathan