#the bus drove through luxembourg

[allfillernothriller]

Omw to Brussels to see Yard Act again for the last gig of the EU tour 🥰

[adventurebeforedementia]

Home late - thanks to Ciaran

We’re back home again after 67 days away - 24 hours later than intended after getting caught up in Storm Ciaran.

The storm hit Northern France hard and so we had to slightly change our plans. With Ciaran heading straight for us, we drove further than we intended on the penultimate day, to stay as close to the Channel Tunnel as possible for our last night. Then battered by strong winds and torrential rain, we crossed back into the U.K. and headed straight for a night at the Drum Inn pub in Ashford where we began our journey two months earlier, to let the storm pass.

Our last few days in France had been at a little village in Normandy - Les Andelys - on the banks of the River Seine and just 60 miles from Paris. The village was charming and a favourite stop for river cruise ships making their way through France. Having camped close to the shipping lane in Venice, we now found ourselves staying close to the shipping lane for river cruises in Les Andelys.

There were dozens of Americans spending their dollars here and the shops were geared up to catch these tourists. We prefer the natural and historic wonders, however, rather than those found on the High Street, so we headed for the ruin of the Chateau Gaillard that stands above the village. Building of the chateau began in 1196 under the auspices of Richard the Lionheart, who was simultaneously King of England and feudal Duke of Normandy.

The castle is listed as an historic monument and most of it is now in ruins but the inner Bailey is open to the public. You guessed it - we climbed up to the chateau and discovered it was the only day in the week when it was closed! We were able to explore the ruins, however, and enjoy the fabulous views across the river and surrounding countryside. It was well worth the climb.

Our drive through the Normandy towns and villages on our journey home- deliberately avoiding the sterile motorways - was so interesting with the trees showing off their stunning autumn colours. This has definitely been the most amazing trip.

We have driven almost 3,000 miles across Belgium and Luxembourg into Switzerland, Northern Italy and Southern and Northern France.

We have visited nine cities and numerous towns and villages and three spectacular lakes.

We have marvelled at eight Cathedrals, numerous parish churches, chateaux, ancient bridges and historic buildings.

We have visited bears, watched flamingoes in flight, seen herons go fishing and dodged a snake in the lake.

We have travelled miles on public transport - bus, train, ferry, boat and tram - and our bikes.

We have walked more than 450,000 steps.

We have eaten far too much gelato and too many cakes and drank too much wine and our fair share of cocktails.

But most importantly, we have visited Northern Italy which we have been wanting to do for years and spent time back in one of our favourite regions, the South of France.

We have met so many new people and helped a lovely French couple find their way to their friends’ house before being invited to spend the afternoon with them, even though they didn’t speak a word of English. Absolutely priceless.

And along the way, we have learnt some Italian and embarrassed ourselves enough in French that our grasp of the language must have improved - surely?

Now it’s time to give Big Boy a well deserved rest until our next great adventure.

[e-devotion]

softly and tenderly

We are in the middle of an awesome series at The Community Fellowship.  It is called CLASSICS and uses hymns to remind us of the faith and theology that God has given us.  These truths literally help us have firm faith during tough times.

These have been tough times.  A pandemic is something we have never experienced before and would like to be over.  The last week has been strange with a shortage of gas and people running to fill up their cars.  It resulted in many of our local stations being out of gas for hours or even a day.

We have looked at the hymns “How Great Thou Art” and “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”.  This Sunday we move on to “Amazing Grace” which is likely the most popular hymn, at least of my day.  Join us Sunday at 10:10am as we continue this series

Let me pause this Friday to share a story with you.  Joey Martin attends our church, serves with our Raceway Ministry team and is a great dude.  He shared a story about his father that I would like to pass on to you, and he gave me permission to do so.  This is awesome.  Enjoy…

"Softly and Tenderly"

During WWII, my daddy, Webster Martin was drafted into the U.S. Army, 80th Division. He saw action in France, Italy, and I believe Luxembourg. He was in the infantry and was also a radio operator. In one particular skirmish, in which I'm not exactly sure of the location, he was pinned down in a foxhole, more than a likely a bomb crater. He was by himself and very scared, and there was lots of ordinance being used, and he very much feared for his life. He prayed to "All Mighty God", (as he would state), that if God would get him out of this situation, he would turn his life over to Jesus. Not too long after that, the shelling slowed down, and he was able to return to his unit minutes later, and they were able to push on. 

About a year later, he was shot in battle in France. 

The bullet went through his right hand… into the stock of the rifle… then in his side, piercing some internal organs… then out his back. After being in a field hospital, he was sent to a hospital somewhere in England. While in England, the Army decided to send him home, which he did… actually sailing home on the Queen Mary, that was used as an Ally hospital ship at the time.

He was then sent to a base in North Carolina until he was fully recovered. After recovery, he went home to Bassett, Virginia.

The first Sunday that he was home, he went to church, and kept his promise to God and accepted Jesus into his life. The song they were playing as he was walking up the aisle?

"Softly and Tenderly...Jesus is calling".

Did he stick to his guns and follow Christ Jesus?

Jump ahead 60 years… give or take.. at Pocahontas Bassett Baptist Church, where he had been a deacon for decades… off and on, drove the church bus for many years, and had been in the adult choir, for what they think was 45 plus years. Due to old age and medical issues, he had told the music director, George Hearn, that he was afraid he couldn't be in the choir any longer. The choir got together and decided to do something special for him. By the way, my brother Jimmy was in the choir as well.

On a particular Sunday, we all went to church, knowing they were going to do something special at the end for him, except he had no idea of what was coming. 

As the preacher finished his sermon, and started a prayer of invitation, my girls, Whitney and Taylor, who were probably 14 and 11 at the time, snuck out of the pew and met my brother on the stage. As the preacher finished, a lone piano started playing, and my girls and my brother started singing the 1st verse of "Softly and Tenderly...." to which my daddy, as well as myself, and others, completely lost it. Then the choir director raised his hands for the rest of the church to stand, then the huge pipe organ kicked in, and everyone finished the song.

Not a dry eye in the house.

Afterwards they presented him with a plaque in honor of his service and after the service had a dinner downstairs, where his first cousin, who was also the pianist mentioned earlier, and others belted out hymn after hymn.

He passed away in 2004.

Jump ahead many years, when Carrie Underwood sang the hymn at the CMA awards, in memory of those lost in the country music business, and those lost in the shooting at the music festival in Las Vegas that year. Even Carrie Underwood choked up singing the song near the end. 

We were all messaging each other… "I'm not crying, you're crying"

So yes, as you said in your sermons, that these songs can bring back memories. Your first week of the series, it was hard to sing "How Great Thou Art" without getting emotional. That was one of my fathers favorite as well. My Mamma typed the words to that song, as well as "I'd Rather Have Jesus...Than Silver or Gold" on index cards and would tape them inside our medicine cabinet and sing while she was getting ready in the mornings. We tried to retrieve them when we sold their house, but the yellowed cards fell to pieces.

……..

That is a powerful story that hits us in our hearts.  Thank you, Joey, for sharing.  May each of us share our stories of how we came to faith in Christ and how that has changed our lives.

Acts 2:21  NLT

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

[offtheisland]

Luxembourg and France!

Hallo!

It’s been a while since I’ve written a post, so here’s a long one to make up for it! Since it is currently fall break (Herbstferien) in North Rhine Westphalia, AFS offered some students in the area the opportunity to travel to Luxembourg and surrounding areas for a few days. I was fortunate enough to be able to go along, and it was such a lovely trip! I met AFS students from around the globe, saw some AFS-CBYX friends from Hamburg, and also had the opportunity to spend a few days getting to know my Betreuerin (AFS liaison/mentor), because she came on the trip as well.

The trip started early Sunday morning, when we got on a bus from Duisburg and drove for four hours to Luxembourg City, the capital of Luxembourg. We checked into our hostel and went straight downstairs to eat lunch...I had the biggest bowl of mussels I’ve ever seen, plus a salad, French fries, and a dessert (it was only 10€ for everything!). After lunch, we went out exploring the city for a few hours and bought a few snacks at Monoprix, a famous French grocery store. The cashier who rang me up spoke five languages–Luxemburgish, French, German, English, and Portuguese. Shortly after, we went to bed because we were so tired! I only knew one of my roommates, she was at language camp in Hamburg with me, so it was really nice to see her again! The other two were from Norway and Finland, which I thought was so cool!

↑ A view of Luxembourg from the bridge that was near our hostel.

Monday morning, we woke up early to visit Metz in France. It was my first time in France, and I was so happy to be able to add another country to the list of places that I’ve been! This entire trip was also a great opportunity to practice my French. We saw the Cathedral of St. Stephen and also just walked around the city–along the river and through winding old streets that were quintessential “Old Europe”. At one point, myself and another girl branched off from our larger group and walked by ourselves for a bit...and we discovered a park with a statue of Marquis de Lafayette in it. He left from Metz when he came across the Atlantic to help the American colonies fight for independence. As we are both Hamilton fans, we had a miniature jam session next to the statue performing Guns and Ships from the musical. (We also made sure to check that nobody else was around so we wouldn’t disturb any peace, in case you were concerned about that.)

↑ The Cathedral of St. Stephen from the outside...

↑ ...and a tiny corner of the inside. I just really liked the lighting in this picture.

For lunch, we went to a French restaurant, where I ordered quiche for myself and also ordered everyone else’s meal, because they did not speak French. It was nice to feel useful with a language, for once! Since coming to Germany I’ve had very few moments where I was better at the necessary language than someone else was. We had crêpes for dessert, because when in France...

After lunch, we still had plenty of time before we had to go back, so we went to a pharmacy (because French pharmacies are supposedly the best) and a few other stores. We also went to the cutest little café and had coffee and hot chocolate! I felt very French, even though I know there is more to a culture than its cafés. Just before leaving the café, I played a piece on the piano in the corner. Normally I would never do something like that, but I figured, “Why not?” and I am really glad I did.

↑ Another bridge view! Specifically, a bridge view in Metz.

Tuesday was Halloween! Only the Americans in the group really knew what it was all about, but it was fun nonetheless. In the morning we visited the Bock casemates, which at one point were actually used to defend the city from invaders. People lived inside and everything! Now, they are a UNESCO World Heritage site. They were a little spooky, especially in the dark corners!

↑ Inside the casemates, and a view from one of the “windows” of the casemates. They were partially carved out of rocks that were already there, partially constructed with stones from elsewhere. During World War II, they served as bomb shelters.

After that, we walked around the entire city of Luxembourg...inside the cathedral, past various historic buildings, and even through the luxury shopping district.(Luxembourg is one of the richest countries in the world, so naturally they have a few streets worth of designer boutiques.) We didn’t buy anything, only window shopped, but it was still really fun! And before going back to the hostel for the evening, we went to a bookstore. They sold books in Luxemburgish, French, German, and English. If one lived in Luxembourg, it would be so easy to learn so many languages! I bought a French to English dictionary, and the cashier spoke to me in both French and German. This is normal for Luxembourg though, I have no idea how their brains don’t get mixed up! Mine certainly was.

As it was freezing cold and all of the stores were closed, a few of us decided to have a night in, so we watched Hocus Pocus (a classic Halloween movie!) and ate chocolate before going to bed. It was a pretty successful Halloween overall.

Wednesday was the last day of our trip, so after packing up and eating breakfast, we left the hostel and headed to Trier, the oldest city in Germany, that has been around since Roman times. We passed under the Porta Nigra, a giant Roman gate that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as a few other Roman monuments while walking along the designated “tourist route”. (I figured that was the best way to see as many monuments as possible in the least amount of time!) Even the parts of the city that were not leftover from Roman times were very old, and just as beautiful! The town really looked as though it had come from a story book.

↑ The Porta Nigra.

↑ View from the town square in Trier.

↑ Yep, this is real. It was a palace for one of the old rulers of the region, but now it’s just a historic site. The garden had statues and hedge mazes and everything! It reminded me of Alice in Wonderland.

Our last stop before heading back to the bus and driving home was the cathedral, where All Saint’s Day Mass was going on. I was a bit disappointed that we wouldn’t be allowed to walk around because of the service, but it turned out that we were allowed to stand in the back corner and observe. That ended up being better, because the organ was playing and the choir was singing for Mass! I was completely floored by the sound of it all, the acoustics were unbelievable. A great way to end a wonderful trip!

Thanks for reading this (very long) post, tschüss!

[okjimin]

Germany

when i went skiing w/ my school we drove through europe and the drive took 24 hours and we stopped off somewhere at like 3am for a toilet break and we were all so tired and delirious and we were like uhhhh which country are we in?? and everyone thought we were in germany but when we got back on the bus the teacher told us we were actually in luxembourg 

[newestbalance]

Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel and her rebellious interior minister huddled with their parties on Monday in an effort to defuse a brewing dispute over her refugee policy that is threatening to bring down the German government only three months after it was sworn in.

At the heart of the dispute is a pledge by the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, to reverse the open-door policy toward migrants that the chancellor adopted in the summer of 2015, when she agreed that anyone seeking asylum could enter Germany. Mr. Seehofer leads the Bavarian conservative party, the Christian Social Union, the sister party to Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and a crucial coalition partner.

More than one million people entered Germany in the first year of the asylum policy, a majority of them coming up through Bavaria, which shares a 500-mile border with Austria. At the time, Bavarians turned out in droves to welcome the refugees with gifts of food and clothing at bus and train stations, and the government of Munich pledged to provide a bed for every migrant headed there. But the state has since soured on such generosity.

Mr. Seehofer has vowed to refuse entry to undocumented migrants and those who have already registered in another European Union member country, part of what the Bavarian conservatives are calling an “asylum reversal.”

The chancellor and her Christian Democrats pledged in the agreement defining the terms of their government that 2015 would remain an exception that was not to be repeated. But Mr. Seehofer’s party faces a crucial election in October, and it is determined to toughen its stance on migration, faced with the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant, populist party Alternative for Germany.

“We are convinced that Germany needs reversal in its asylum policy,” said Markus Söder, a member of Mr. Seehofer’s party and the governor of Bavaria. “Of course, it would be good if there is a European solution, but in three years that hasn’t been reached.”

As interior minister, Mr. Seehofer has drawn up a 63-point plan for tackling migration to Germany. It was supposed to be put before the cabinet last week, but Ms. Merkel refused to approve the point about turning back people at the borders.

The chancellor has long insisted that migration is a Europe-wide problem that can be solved only through a Europe-wide agreement, and that adopting Mr. Seehofer’s position would spell the end to freedom of movement throughout the European Union, a cornerstone of membership in the bloc. Under what is known as the Schengen Agreement, most countries in the bloc allow foreigners who enter one member state to cross into others without showing their passports or clearing customs.

Ms. Merkel has been asking her coalition to delay addressing the question until European Union leaders convene in Brussels to discuss immigration and other issues affecting the 28 members of the bloc on June 28 and 29. But the migration issue has stymied the partners for years, and the recent rise of euroskeptic governments has not made the efforts easier.

Members of her own conservative party are split, with the more conservative wing backing Mr. Seehofer and the more centrist members throwing their weight behind the chancellor.

“We won’t accept that the Schengen system is given up on the Belgian, Dutch and the French and Luxembourg western borders,” said Armin Laschet, the conservative governor of Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. “A European solution is the only acceptable way.”

If Mr. Seehofer, who has long been critical of the chancellor, decides to defy her, it could spell an end to the 70-year alliance between his Bavarian conservatives and those whom she represents in the remainder of the country.

That, in turn, could lead to the collapse of Ms. Merkel’s government, which also includes the center-left Social Democrats, who joined only reluctantly and are still struggling to recover from their poor showing in the national election last September.

Later on Monday, the chancellor is to meet Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy, representing the new, populist government in Rome, which has taken a hard line on migration. Italy’s support will be crucial if the chancellor is to draw up a joint European Union agreement on the issue.

The post Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together appeared first on World The News.

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[dragnews]

Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel and her rebellious interior minister huddled with their parties on Monday in an effort to defuse a brewing dispute over her refugee policy that is threatening to bring down the German government only three months after it was sworn in.

At the heart of the dispute is a pledge by the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, to reverse the open-door policy toward migrants that the chancellor adopted in the summer of 2015, when she agreed that anyone seeking asylum could enter Germany. Mr. Seehofer leads the Bavarian conservative party, the Christian Social Union, the sister party to Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and a crucial coalition partner.

More than one million people entered Germany in the first year of the asylum policy, a majority of them coming up through Bavaria, which shares a 500-mile border with Austria. At the time, Bavarians turned out in droves to welcome the refugees with gifts of food and clothing at bus and train stations, and the government of Munich pledged to provide a bed for every migrant headed there. But the state has since soured on such generosity.

Mr. Seehofer has vowed to refuse entry to undocumented migrants and those who have already registered in another European Union member country, part of what the Bavarian conservatives are calling an “asylum reversal.”

The chancellor and her Christian Democrats pledged in the agreement defining the terms of their government that 2015 would remain an exception that was not to be repeated. But Mr. Seehofer’s party faces a crucial election in October, and it is determined to toughen its stance on migration, faced with the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant, populist party Alternative for Germany.

“We are convinced that Germany needs reversal in its asylum policy,” said Markus Söder, a member of Mr. Seehofer’s party and the governor of Bavaria. “Of course, it would be good if there is a European solution, but in three years that hasn’t been reached.”

As interior minister, Mr. Seehofer has drawn up a 63-point plan for tackling migration to Germany. It was supposed to be put before the cabinet last week, but Ms. Merkel refused to approve the point about turning back people at the borders.

The chancellor has long insisted that migration is a Europe-wide problem that can be solved only through a Europe-wide agreement, and that adopting Mr. Seehofer’s position would spell the end to freedom of movement throughout the European Union, a cornerstone of membership in the bloc. Under what is known as the Schengen Agreement, most countries in the bloc allow foreigners who enter one member state to cross into others without showing their passports or clearing customs.

Ms. Merkel has been asking her coalition to delay addressing the question until European Union leaders convene in Brussels to discuss immigration and other issues affecting the 28 members of the bloc on June 28 and 29. But the migration issue has stymied the partners for years, and the recent rise of euroskeptic governments has not made the efforts easier.

Members of her own conservative party are split, with the more conservative wing backing Mr. Seehofer and the more centrist members throwing their weight behind the chancellor.

“We won’t accept that the Schengen system is given up on the Belgian, Dutch and the French and Luxembourg western borders,” said Armin Laschet, the conservative governor of Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. “A European solution is the only acceptable way.”

If Mr. Seehofer, who has long been critical of the chancellor, decides to defy her, it could spell an end to the 70-year alliance between his Bavarian conservatives and those whom she represents in the remainder of the country.

That, in turn, could lead to the collapse of Ms. Merkel’s government, which also includes the center-left Social Democrats, who joined only reluctantly and are still struggling to recover from their poor showing in the national election last September.

Later on Monday, the chancellor is to meet Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy, representing the new, populist government in Rome, which has taken a hard line on migration. Italy’s support will be crucial if the chancellor is to draw up a joint European Union agreement on the issue.

The post Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together appeared first on World The News.

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[dani-qrt]

Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel and her rebellious interior minister huddled with their parties on Monday in an effort to defuse a brewing dispute over her refugee policy that is threatening to bring down the German government only three months after it was sworn in.

At the heart of the dispute is a pledge by the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, to reverse the open-door policy toward migrants that the chancellor adopted in the summer of 2015, when she agreed that anyone seeking asylum could enter Germany. Mr. Seehofer leads the Bavarian conservative party, the Christian Social Union, the sister party to Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and a crucial coalition partner.

More than one million people entered Germany in the first year of the asylum policy, a majority of them coming up through Bavaria, which shares a 500-mile border with Austria. At the time, Bavarians turned out in droves to welcome the refugees with gifts of food and clothing at bus and train stations, and the government of Munich pledged to provide a bed for every migrant headed there. But the state has since soured on such generosity.

Mr. Seehofer has vowed to refuse entry to undocumented migrants and those who have already registered in another European Union member country, part of what the Bavarian conservatives are calling an “asylum reversal.”

The chancellor and her Christian Democrats pledged in the agreement defining the terms of their government that 2015 would remain an exception that was not to be repeated. But Mr. Seehofer’s party faces a crucial election in October, and it is determined to toughen its stance on migration, faced with the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant, populist party Alternative for Germany.

“We are convinced that Germany needs reversal in its asylum policy,” said Markus Söder, a member of Mr. Seehofer’s party and the governor of Bavaria. “Of course, it would be good if there is a European solution, but in three years that hasn’t been reached.”

As interior minister, Mr. Seehofer has drawn up a 63-point plan for tackling migration to Germany. It was supposed to be put before the cabinet last week, but Ms. Merkel refused to approve the point about turning back people at the borders.

The chancellor has long insisted that migration is a Europe-wide problem that can be solved only through a Europe-wide agreement, and that adopting Mr. Seehofer’s position would spell the end to freedom of movement throughout the European Union, a cornerstone of membership in the bloc. Under what is known as the Schengen Agreement, most countries in the bloc allow foreigners who enter one member state to cross into others without showing their passports or clearing customs.

Ms. Merkel has been asking her coalition to delay addressing the question until European Union leaders convene in Brussels to discuss immigration and other issues affecting the 28 members of the bloc on June 28 and 29. But the migration issue has stymied the partners for years, and the recent rise of euroskeptic governments has not made the efforts easier.

Members of her own conservative party are split, with the more conservative wing backing Mr. Seehofer and the more centrist members throwing their weight behind the chancellor.

“We won’t accept that the Schengen system is given up on the Belgian, Dutch and the French and Luxembourg western borders,” said Armin Laschet, the conservative governor of Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. “A European solution is the only acceptable way.”

If Mr. Seehofer, who has long been critical of the chancellor, decides to defy her, it could spell an end to the 70-year alliance between his Bavarian conservatives and those whom she represents in the remainder of the country.

That, in turn, could lead to the collapse of Ms. Merkel’s government, which also includes the center-left Social Democrats, who joined only reluctantly and are still struggling to recover from their poor showing in the national election last September.

Later on Monday, the chancellor is to meet Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy, representing the new, populist government in Rome, which has taken a hard line on migration. Italy’s support will be crucial if the chancellor is to draw up a joint European Union agreement on the issue.

The post Merkel Seeks Migration Compromise to Keep Coalition Together appeared first on World The News.

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[giddayfromtheuk]

In November, I met up with my sister in Paris.

An opportunity had come up for her to attend a conference there and after some last-minute hunting for flight (her) and Eurostar (me) deals, considerable fossicking around on accommodation websites and much emailing, we managed to cobble together a pretty fabulous rendezvous for ourselves.

It was not my first trip to the City of Light – that was way back in 2000, and I’d been three times since (as a tourist, that is) – but this was the first time I’d visited so late in the year.

Temperamental to the core, Europe’s grand old dame put a pretty formidable foot forward, for the most part shrouding herself in icy-grey light and a bone-chilling wind. Occasionally she would toss her drab cloak aside, yielding a few hours of brisk blue sky before her grey mood returned. But Autumn had smeared its dazzling colours over her tree-lined boulevards, smattering her towers and turrets with its trademark reds, oranges and golds. We were enchanted.

L to R: Jardins du Luxembourg; Les Jardins du Pont Neuf (taken from the Padlock Bridge); behind Notre Dame Cathedral

I mentioned before that this was not my first trip to Paris but for Lil Chicky it was. As with all first times, there are must-sees-and-dos so a long[ish] list made its way across the world and based on what I knew – and a rather tight planning window – I made us a bit of a plan.

Disclaimer: I do not profess to know Paris well, not like some other people I know. But those ‘others’ have given me some cracking recommendations for my previous visits – my last trip was in 2013 and involved pootling around some lesser known places in between hours spent reading in sun-drenched parks or lingering at outdoor cafes watching the world go by.

So here was my dilemma: How should I balance the new versus the I’ve-seen-it-before, the I-need-to-see-everything against quiet moments of contemplation and reflection that for me make Paris…Paris?

It turned out to be easier than I thought. It had been so long since I’d done the first time things that it was a real treat to go back and do them again. And in most cases, we managed to add a little something extra. So hang on to your woolly hats peeps, here’s your armchair tour of my best bits of Paris.

The Hop-On-Hop-Off (affectionately known as HOHO) bus drove us around the city sights for a couple of hours on Sunday morning and we got some great photos particularly of the ferris wheel on the Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower.

The following afternoon we joined a small skip-the-line group (skip-the-line is so worth paying for – I will never live in Britain long enough to love a queue), so were on la Tour Eiffel just as night fell. The city lit up before us and with the tower glowing and sparkling above us…

Far right: Standing on the second level as the light show happens.

…we got the lift right up to the summit (a first for me, very windy and VERY high – over 1000 feet!). We treated ourselves to a [plastic] glass of [expensive] champagne to toast our efforts – it would have been rude not to.

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One morning we spent an hour visiting the stunning Sacre Couer Basilica in Montmarte…

…then strolled through Place du Tertre, its cobbles dappled with easels and Autumn colour. We walked back down the hill of Montmarte via Rue Lepic, stopping to admire the local art and architecture along the way…

…before pausing opposite the Blanche Metro at the bottom for a cheeky photo of the Moulin Rouge. Many years ago I went to a show in this area but have never stopped here during the day – the Pigalle district doesn’t look anywhere near as risque in the daylight.

On a another afternoon we wandered up the Champs Elysees to the Arc du Triomphe…

…then climbed the 284 steps to the top for the most spectacular views of both Paris and the star-shaped Place Charles de Gaulle below us. We booked our skip-the-line tickets just as we arrived so were able to show them on our phone and walk straight in and up. Definitely my top pick for Paris views.

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On our last morning we spent a few hours at the Louvre Museum wandering through the extraordinary palace building and admiring a few of its most famous exhibits…

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…as well as some not so famous ones (yet!).

I laugh out loud every time I see this photo!

We visited the breathtaking Notre Dame Cathedral…

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…and the 13th century royal chapel on the Ile-de-la-Cite, Sainte-Chapelle.

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Map in hand we stalked the famous, and infamous, at the Pere Lachaise Cemetary…

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…and throughout our stay in Paris, found a few ways to honour those that we’ve loved, and lost.

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A month has passed since I let myself into the snug hotel room at Villa Pantheon and hugged my sister hello. We went on to create so many wonderful memories. For five days, we ambled through the boulevards, avenues, gardens and alleyways of Paris together. We walked until we didn’t think we could walk anymore, falling into our beds each night with aching backs, feet and legs only to get up and walk all over the city again the following day. We drank wine, got lost and explored (not always in that order). We laughed – sometimes until we cried (there may have been a ridiculous hat involved) – and ate far too much cake than is considered good for a person.

L to R: Our trip to the fabulous Angelina on Rue de Rivoli (with special Aussie friend); our discovery of an Angelina outpost at the Louvre and its location-themed special; this absolutely divine tarte tatin at Brasserie de la Tour Eiffel was scrumptious – the cake of trip for me!

But above all, we surrendered to the joy of simply being together…

…and that peeps was definitely the best bit of Paris.

After many a trip, I saw #Paris with a first-timer's eyes again last month - it was wonderful In November, I met up with my sister in Paris. An opportunity had come up for her to attend a conference there and after some last-minute hunting for flight (her) and Eurostar (me) deals, considerable fossicking around on accommodation websites and much emailing, we managed to cobble together a pretty fabulous rendezvous for ourselves.

[marquetteglobal]

“A millennial’s worst nightmare” - Emma Nitschke

November 11, 6:10 a.m. Raining. France. Twenty minutes before I was supposed to leave for an all-day trip to a different country. Alone. In a crowd of strangers.

And I lost my phone.

I admit these circumstances made me panic a bit and I didn’t borrow a stranger’s phone to call my own right away. I hoped and prayed that I had left it in the uber and that both the driver and his next passenger were good people who would keep my phone safe for me.

I don’t think they were. By the time I got back to my dorm at midnight and was able to call my uber driver, he didn’t even look before telling me no one had left a phone in his car that day.

But that’s skipping ahead. All in all, my solo, phoneless trip to Luxembourg was very pleasant. Luckily I had my camera with me and the tourist office had excellent free maps. And Luxembourg is a very safe, very small country where you can’t turn a corner without bumping into something historically significant.

The biggest problem I had was that since everyone has a phone now, people are thrown off by the question “What time is it?” and thus may or may not tell you the right thing. I asked three people that question over the course of the day. Only the American gave me the right answer. I did end up pacing in a dark parking lot waiting for the bus for an hour because of a wrong answer, but that was it.

The next morning I went to church and told my aggressively friendly priest what had happened. He asked one of the parishioners to help me out. She drove me to two police stations, two town halls, and a metro office. No one had returned my phone.

Since any phone I bought here wouldn’t work on my American plan once I got back, my mom and I decided that she would buy me one there and mail it to me. We prayed it would get there with no problems.

Wrong again. On the last day of my shipping window, the US mail tracker told me the French post office had tried to deliver my package, but they were keeping it since I wasn’t home to sign for it, so I went to the post office. The lady there told me it must still be on the truck. She said the same thing the next day. The day after that they told me the central post office had never even received my package. The next week I tried one last time and they told me that since my package wasn’t there, they didn’t know where it was and couldn’t tell me where it might be. I was very frustrated.

My mom had filed an inquiry with the US post office which got her a phone number to Chronopost, a shipping company that’s pseudo-related to the French post office. Turns out they had my package this whole time and never left me a card like they were supposed to. They also send text alerts. Except they didn’t know my mother’s cell phone number or mine if I even had a phone. So I have no idea how they expected me to know they had my package.

My delivery was rescheduled for Monday morning. I waited near the door for three hours. The doorbell never rang. No one ever knocked. I checked my email to find a message from Chronopost that they had tried to deliver my package but since I wasn’t home, I could reschedule it again or pick it up from their warehouse in the middle of nowhere. I was extremely upset.

But the lady from church drove me to the warehouse the next day and I finally got my package. I don’t know if I would ever have gotten it without her.

Those two weeks trying to get my package was an absolute hell. I cried so much I rubbed dried salt off my cheeks and I couldn’t sleep through the night once. Not because I didn’t have a phone: I’m really against being reliant on technology. But because of the constant frustration of postal workers refusing to help me, the absolute irrationality of Chronopost’s delivery system, and not knowing if I would ever get my very expensive package.

But stuff like this happens. It’s bad at home, but it can be a lot worse abroad, when you’re working in an unfamiliar and seemingly illogical system. I don’t want this experience of mine to scare you away from study abroad. Hopefully nothing bad happens to you, but if it does, once the situation is resolved, you move on.

I won’t tell you not to lose your phone, because you can’t control that. I will tell you to make sure you’re connected to a cloud service before you even leave the U.S. so you don’t lose 1600 photos. And never get anything shipped to you from home. Ever. And if you ever need help, people at church can be very nice.

[designshuttle-blog]

Precious Plastic & Benelux

Das nächste Ziel vom DESIGNSHUTTLE war Eindhoven. Dort lebt Dave Hakkens, ein Produktdesigner, der sich damit beschäftigt Plastikmüll zu recyclen und etwas neues daraus zu erschaffen. Er baut Plastikschredder und Spritzgussanlagen und stellt die Bauanleitungen ins Internet, weil die ganze Welt aus den Massen an Plastikmüll etwas neues machen soll und zu einem besseren Umweltbewusstsein angeregt werden soll. Er arbeitet daran jetzt schon einige Jahre, fährt in verschiedene Länder, um dort Vorträge zu halten und seine Community wird immer größer. (Mehr dazu auf preciousplastic.com) Auch Moritz hat sich die Bauanleitung angeschaut und in seinem letzten Semesterprojekt in einen alten Rimowa-Koffer eine transportable Fabrik gebaut. Mit diesem Koffer war er in Island und hat aus dem dort entstandenen Plastikmüll Trashponys als Souvenirs gegossen. Um Dave Hakkens, seine Werkstatt und seine Arbeit kennenzulernen, machten wir uns auf den Weg zu ihm. Moritz präsentierte #recycledinasuitcase und vermachte der Werkstatt ein Trashpony für das „Precious Plastic Museum“. Überall lag altes Plastikspielzeug, welches wieder eingeschmolzen wurde, um damit neue Oberflächen zu entwickeln. Die drei Jungs, die dort arbeiteten sind großartige Köche und sorgten sehr gut für unser leibliches Wohl. 

Da Rotterdam nicht weit entfernt liegt, besuchten wir Freunde von Gerda für einen Abend und wurden auch dort wieder herrlich bekocht. 

An der Küste fuhren wir weiter nach Belgien und besichtigten dort Antwerpen und Brüssel. Da wir unsere Räder dabei haben, konnten wir den Bus immer außerhalb der Stadt parken und viel angenehmer die Umgebung erkunden. Die Temperatur wurde auch immer frühlingshafter und der Weg führte uns weiter über Luxemburg nach Frankreich, wo wir nur noch auf der Landstraße durch wunderschöne Landschaften und traumhafte Dörfer fuhren. Ein paar Eindrücke haben wir auf  Fotos festgehalten.

Niederländische Küste

Antwerpen

Atomium Brüssel

Haare waschen an der Loue - Frankreich

Schlafplatz an der Rhone

The next station of the DESIGNSHUTTLE was Eindhoven. There lives Dave Hakkens, a product designer who recycles plastic waste to recycle and create something new out of it. He built plastic shredders and injection moldings and published the construction instructions in the Internet, because the whole world should create something new out of the masses of plastic waste and he wants to stimulate a better environmental awareness. He has been working on it for several years now, is travelling to different countries to give lectures and his community is getting bigger and bigger. (More on preciousplastic.com) Moritz has also used the building instructions and built in his last semester project a transportable factory in an old Rimowa suitcase. With this suitcase he was in Iceland and created trashponies as souvenirs out of plastic waste. To meet Dave Hakkens, his workshop and his work, we set out for him. Moritz presented #recycledinasuitcase and gave the workshop a trashpony for the "Precious Plastic Museum". Everywhere layed old plastic toys, which were re-melted to develop new surfaces. The three guys who worked there were great cooks and were very good at our physical well-being. Because Rotterdam is not far away, we visited friends of Gerda for an evening and were also cooked there again gorgeous. On the coast we went on to Belgium and visited Antwerp and Brussels. Because we have our wheels, we could always park the bus outside the city and explore the surroundings much more pleasantly. The temperature was getting more and more springing, and the road took us across Luxembourg to France, where we drove along the country road through beautiful landscapes and beautiful villages. We recorded some impressions on photos.