Switzerland is Weird
"There will be internet cafes everywhere," people told me. "You'll be able to email all the time." Liars. First of all, we never stop long enough to do anything, and second, the few internet cafes I've found have also been blue with smoke, and the one computer terminal is sticky with the filth of seven million people. No thank you. Right now, I'm taking advantage of someone's wi-fi connection by sitting in a stairwell at 2:00 a.m., with my laptop. "Internet cafes everywhere," indeed.
There are so many stories I want to tell. But it's 2:00 a.m., and I have to get up early tomorrow to go to Venice.
Naomi: I stayed for two nights in an illegal anarchist squat in Amsterdam. It was everything I imagined it would be, including cold nights, dirty blankets, and amazing art and activities going on all the time. It was also full of surly anarchist-punk types who had no interest in being friendly with foreign visitors. I learned a lot about their theories of living by your own impetus, and ignoring the Western work ethic. It's a hard life, but it seems very fulfilling. It also made me miss my life in Canada, though. I think I'll buy a bunch of stuff as soon as I get back. Just for fun.
Bev: I saw a woman in Italy today with a designer mullet. It was all pouffy and short on top, with long straight bits coming down underneath, but it was definitely a dressed-up version of a classic rocker-mullet. Everyone in Italy is dressed in the latest fashions all the time. The woman wear tonnes of makeup all day, and everyone has huge sunglasses on. It's like being in a cartoon about Italy. You'd love it.
Monkey: Wanna know how much better my driving is getting? A couple of days ago, driving through Paris, I was on a wide, 4-lane street that had NO lines on it. None. Cars were just driving wherever they felt like driving, and I was doing the same. And there were scooters and bikes weaving through traffic all over the place. I was cool as a cucumber. In fact, I may have swerved around some people. I think when I come back, I may end up being the guy that everyone hates on the road. We'll see.
Mum and Dad: The anarchist squat isn't as bad as it sounds, I didn't make fun of anyone in Italy out loud, and I'm driving very, very safely.
One more thing before I go to bed: The Eiffel Tower is amazing. We thought it would be lame and kind of cheesy, but when you're standing underneath it, it's impressive and beautiful and you really can't get over the fact that you're standing under the Eiffel Tower. And then you buy a tiny Eiffel Tower souvenir and realize why it all seemed so lame and cheesy to begin with.
There are so many stories I want to tell. But it's 2:00 a.m., and I have to get up early tomorrow to go to Venice.
Naomi: I stayed for two nights in an illegal anarchist squat in Amsterdam. It was everything I imagined it would be, including cold nights, dirty blankets, and amazing art and activities going on all the time. It was also full of surly anarchist-punk types who had no interest in being friendly with foreign visitors. I learned a lot about their theories of living by your own impetus, and ignoring the Western work ethic. It's a hard life, but it seems very fulfilling. It also made me miss my life in Canada, though. I think I'll buy a bunch of stuff as soon as I get back. Just for fun.
Bev: I saw a woman in Italy today with a designer mullet. It was all pouffy and short on top, with long straight bits coming down underneath, but it was definitely a dressed-up version of a classic rocker-mullet. Everyone in Italy is dressed in the latest fashions all the time. The woman wear tonnes of makeup all day, and everyone has huge sunglasses on. It's like being in a cartoon about Italy. You'd love it.
Monkey: Wanna know how much better my driving is getting? A couple of days ago, driving through Paris, I was on a wide, 4-lane street that had NO lines on it. None. Cars were just driving wherever they felt like driving, and I was doing the same. And there were scooters and bikes weaving through traffic all over the place. I was cool as a cucumber. In fact, I may have swerved around some people. I think when I come back, I may end up being the guy that everyone hates on the road. We'll see.
Mum and Dad: The anarchist squat isn't as bad as it sounds, I didn't make fun of anyone in Italy out loud, and I'm driving very, very safely.
One more thing before I go to bed: The Eiffel Tower is amazing. We thought it would be lame and kind of cheesy, but when you're standing underneath it, it's impressive and beautiful and you really can't get over the fact that you're standing under the Eiffel Tower. And then you buy a tiny Eiffel Tower souvenir and realize why it all seemed so lame and cheesy to begin with.