Luxembourg (Luxembourg City)

This is where I am now. Update to come later.

France (Paris, Fountainebleu)

Partied with the Life of Guy here. He threw a great bash for all his peeps at INSEAD. Great party. Met up with his girlfriend and her mom as well in Fountainebleu who flew in from Canada for Peter´s graduation. Great times. Thanks G.

Germany (Hamburg)

The train to Hamburg from Warsaw was excellent. I ended up reading The Pianist which gave a brilliant depiction of what it was like to live as a Jew in Warsaw during the German occupation between 1939-1945. The movie, starring Brad Compton's love child, Adrian brody, won some Oscars...looking forward to watching it again when I get back to Canada.

Actually, come to think of it this whole reading thing is new to me. Reading a book from start to finish in a day was unheard of...since traveling I've read about 7 books...whoa! that's more than 1 a month. Wow. Anyhoo, I recommend the following

1. Fit For Life - health book from the 1980's that emphasizes eating high water based content foods (fruits and veggies) and combining your meals properly with high water based content food...common sense book that has given me that extra boost of energy
2. Care for the Soul - the title sounds corny but how much of us really know what soul means. I thought I did until I read this book...has made me change my outlook and opinions on life in so many ways...essentially, don't over analyze and try to find solutions for everything...live life today and enjoy it for all its nuances and quirks

Andre picked me up at the bus station in Hamburg. World Cup fever was obviously on, evidenced by all the people dawning their national flags as capes and chanting loud and obnoxious songs in their foreign languages. We grabbed some donairs (Germany has the second largest Turkish community in the world outside of Turkey) and some pints of Astra beer. Hamburg is a cool city. It was amazing for the amount of cars and people that live here, not to mention the surge of tourists that are running around the streets, how uncongested the city felt. Everything flows smoothly...no real traffic jams...none that I saw anyway.

I spent 2 days in Hamburg. Andre worked during the day while I toured around the city and checked out some sites and watched football. Got my haircut for the second time in almost four months. I've been letting it grow now that it is not falling out as much since I quit my job. I played football with Andre and his friends which was a lot fun. What better place to play football right now than Germany. I was rusty but still had some ol moves to impress the locals. Canada isn't really regarded as a soccer nation by the Germans so I had to make them recognize. Visited Andre's mom out in this countryside town just outside of Hamburg, where Andre grew up. Absolutley beautiful. Couldn't have thought of a better place to grow up...other than Dartmouth, Nova Scotia of course :) Andre had a few music teaching appointments that afternoon at the highschool so I decided to tag along. He had a percussion class, a pop singing class and finally a saxophone class to teach. I ended up banging away at the drums like a monkey...first time I played the drums...probably will be the last time...je suck. Next were the pop singing classes...belted out Hero, Angels, and I Will Always Love You...first time I took such a course...it may not be the last either. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I just sat and watched the little kids strangle their saxpohones for 40 minutes. I've had better times.

After, Andre and I walked his half German Shepard/ half Doberman Pinscher dog around the neighbourhood...yikes...Andre had a big yak of the Whopper that was sitting in his stomach like a brick all afternoon. Good times for Andre.

We got back to Hamburg and Andre, had a few more yakking apponintments so I had to walk and grab a bus to the train station. Came close to missing my train to Paris, but with the help of an arrogant, obnoxious, cigarette smelling Frenchman I managed to find the right train. I was taking the overnight to Paris where my best friend Peter Guy, who has been studying at INSEAD this past year, (located just outside of Paris in a town called Fountainebleu) would be awaiting me at the Garde de Nord train station in Paris at 9am in the morning....um, probably not.

Poland (Warsaw)

I am just outside Paris, France right now. Sitting in some dormitory full of MBA nerds. Peter Guy, of guydawg.blogspot.com fame, is interviewing with the Chairman of Rothman's Inc., the holding company that owns the majority of Bensons & Hedges while I kill some time and update my blog.

So here is the update. Poland first, Germany second and we'll finish off with France for now.

After a nice little stop over in Vilnius, Lithuania, I bought a ticket for Warsaw, Poland. Lithuania is by the way a great country...I didn't give it enough credit and I haven't really talked about any of the Baltics that much but all three countries are on the top of my recommended list. I liked Estonia the most...probably because I found the people a little friendlier but all in all, I had no real problems communicating in any of the countries. Mostly everyone speaks English.

Although, Warsaw is conisdered by many Poles not to be the best of what Poland has to offer in terms of beauty and attractions, I nevertheless picked it as my stop over into Germany. After a relatively comfortable 8 hour bus ride to Warsaw from Vilnius, I made my way to the city centre where the family that was hosting me lived. I have been using hospitalityclub.org for accomodations in Europe. Check it out. Great service. You can stay at people's places for free and/ or they show you around town, or have you over for dinner, etc.

I received the royal treatment from a lovely couple that I stayed with in Warsaw. Daniel, Ola, and their little six month old girl, Matylda, immediately made me feel welcome upon my arrival. Daniel had actually gone to the bus station to pick me up but we got our lines crossed and I ended up arriving an hour early and taking the bus to their place. Nice gesture either way. They have the most amazing little girl. Big beautiful blue eyes and I never heard her cry once. I think it was the first time she saw a Canadian or maybe she was wondering what that funny smell was... coming from my sweaty unwashed clothes. They are really blessed to have such a wonderful baby.

So I put my clothes in the wash while Ola prepared me a delicious snack consisting of Polish pickles, Polish sausage and other cold cuts, and fresh bread. Shared a beer with Daniel and a hooka on their patio, with a great view overlooking the city, and we chatted about a lot of stuff. Mostly what Polish are famous for and what Canadians are famous for, what it was like going to school pre-communism and post-communism, etc. Really interesting. Fortunate for me, that Daniel and Ola have an excellent command of the English language...where as my command for the Polish language is non-existent. They gave me my own bedroom, free access to their computer and an extra key to come and go as I wish. Couldn't have asked for more.

I only spent a little more than 2 days and 3 nights in Warsaw but I left with really good impressions of the city and the richness of its culture and history. I did a little sightseeing on my own and then checked out an antique market with Daniel. He also gave me a great tour of the old and new city of Warsaw. It's quite amazing how this city was totally leveled by the Germans more than 50 years ago but has managed to rebuild itself similar to the way it used to look like before the German invasion (more evident in the old city). Warsaw, like its Eastern European neighbours is growing at lightspeed. You can tell by all the construction that is going on around you. Although, there are only a handful of skyscrapers at the moment (a good thing), the city will probably have dozens more in another 15 years or so.

Ola prepared Polish pancakes for breakfast one morning, and I also tried beetroop soup and, of course, perogies with Daniel. Polish food is very hearty...what we all like to call comfort food. Deeeelish.

One of the more memorable sights in Warsw is the Jewish cemetary. Built on 33 hectares of land in the old Jewish quarter, it was really something that made me step back and say...wow. Not wow in a good way, but wow...this is really depressing. Thousands of Jews are buried here and continue to be buried here. To think of all the people that were murdered because of some crazy idiot and his beliefs. Really makes you think of how something like this ever happened. Out of respect, I wore a head cover, a kippah, as I toured around the cemetary....felt a little bit like an imposter. A Jewish family spotted me and asked where I was from. We had a nice conversation until they asked what my last name was. Farrell? Is that Jewish? Nope. Oh, well...nice meeting you. It was kind of weird after that point. Interesting to see nevertheless and I recommend it to anyone visiting Warsaw.

Had a great time in Warsaw but I was pressing to go to Germany in time to make it to Paris...where I am now. So I bought a train ticket for Hamburg (about C$150) where I was going to meet my friend Andre, who I had traveled with in South America a few months earlier.

p.s. Pictures to come sooner...or later

Lithunia (Vilnius)

It's 1pm here in Vilnius, Lithuania. My feet are aching from all this traveling the last few days. It's nice and hot here today. Visiting these ancient cities are cool but it can be a little tiring. I'm thinking I need to hit a beach soon, or maybe I will find a park somewhere that is not totally infested with drunk bums. Lithuanians love their booze...I think I counted 5 drunkards that stumbled in my general direction last night. Some real keepers in there for the ol photo album.

Vilnius is located in the Southeast region of Lithuania. It is a city of 600,000 people and according to Lonely Planet, famous for the world's only Frank Zappa statue....huh?...who is Frank Zappa? I've heard the name but not really the music...I think he is Dan Fraleigh's era.

The five hour journey from Riga was more comfortable than my trip from Tallinn to Riga, simply because the bus was more than half empty. For the most part the weather in the Baltic states has been sunny during the days (19-25 Celcius) and chilly at night. I have to figure out what I am going to do tomorrow. Was thinking of heading to Poland but I may change course on that. Have heard some bad things about Poland. Who knows, may head to Warsaw anyway. Will write more later. Ciao ciao for now.

Latvia (Riga)

Ok, so now I am in Riga, Latvia (capital of Latvia). Took a five hour bus trip from Tallinn to Riga to get here on Saturday. The quality of buses are not as good as South America. Seats are more cramped and it seems that the trips take forever.

No onboard entertainment...only conversations with drunk Russians at the back of the bus...example, "Nesky chesky blah blah blah...burp...blah blah". "Huh? Sorry I no speak-a Russian-ano". "Nesky chesky blah blah blah...burp...blah blah" (this time he gives me a good whiff of the dumplings and boiled vegertables he had for lunch. Timely, considering I was starving at this point - clearly throwing up was my next option). "Oh yeah, ok. Great". (I give him the universal thumbs up, as a sign of peace commrade...please don't smash the beer bottle over my head and leave me with a 50 stitch scar, similar to the one you have on the back of your head. So now as he takes another swig of his beer, he points to the bottle and motions with his index finger and his beady black, bloodshot eyes) "No, ok? You, tell, no, ok"? (I smile and say) "Yeah, ok dirtbag. No". (I finish with a thumbs up and he in turn returns with a thumbs up followed by another stagnant boiled potato burp - aw, we're now best friends...commrades). Needless to say, I've had more enjoyable bus rides. Such is traveling in Europe I guess.

Updates and pictures coming soon. Ciao ciao. Lithuania tomorrow.

Estonia (Tallinn)

So I left London after a few days and flew to Tallinn, Estonia (the capital). Why Estonia? Why not? I am planning to make my way west to Hamburg, Germany for the 20th (staying with my good friend Andre who I met in Argentina) and meeting up with my other friend Ziyad (from Toronto) to catch some World Cup action. Then making my way to Paris for the 24th to light up the sky at P Guy's Heaven or Hell INSEAD MBA party.

So Estonia was a good starting point. Tallinn is absolutely beautiful. Definitely one of my top 3 spots on my trip thus far. Felt like I was back in Medevil Times...no not the restaurant...the real thing!

Ok, be warned these posts are pretty boring...nothing exciting here...I just want to make record of it. I will update them later with pictures.

England (London)

I am in Europe now. In Riga, Latvia. How did I get here? Well, I flew to London, England from Hong Kong on the 31st of May. Stayed with my friend Lisa Sanguedolce (from Toronto) for a few days. She lives in an amazing part of London called Maide Vale. Beautful. Near Notting Hill, the neighbourhood made famous from the movie of the same name. Lisa is a fab host. Everyone has been so nice thus far. This was my second time to London (2000 was my first with none other than P Guy and Smitty Red/ Gingerbeard Man) and I totally see it from a different point of view...meaning, I could actually live in London one day. Love it!

Lisa, showed me around all the great spots in London. I will update more later and post some pictures.