Peter's Tour Diary Entry #3
Sent Sunday the 23rd of May
Hello everybody! Welcome to entry #3 of the ongoing overseas saga of Peteypie
Frogworth aka Peter Hollo.
I'm in The Web Bar in Paris, a place that surpasses Amsterdam's Internet
Cafe in coolness. Massive Attack's latest album playing at the moment -
beautiful. Mind you, it's more expensive than Amsterdam!
Interestingly, the PC I'm using has a French keyboard, but I can change
the keyboard setting to English (United States). Then when I'm touch-typing,
everything comes out right. But if I look at the keyboard I get hopelessly
confused!
Before the diary, a little update on FourPlay:
**We're playing at the enormous English techno festival Homelands,
on Saturday the 29th of May, in the Chillout Room. Weird to be playing
a techno festival, but it's presented by the Mean Fiddler (a VERY big booking
agency/promotion type group in UK) and our splendid agent Jordan seems
to have them rather interested in FourPlay!
**Some of you may know that next September we're going to be touring
Holland as part of an Australia/Netherlands cultural exchange program,
with some other Australian bands and dance troupes and things. Well this
is now definitely confirmed for 2000, and it just happens that they're
having some sort of opening function on the 4th of June. So we're heading
over to Amsterdam for two nights to play at the function, and to play a
gig somewhere else in Amsterdam as well.
Great stuff!
**Then on the 17th and 24th of June we're playing showcase gigs at
a club in London called Bartok. They're public gigs, but showcases because
Tania from the Mean Fiddler and Rob Caiger (who promotes ELO among other
people) have organised for various important music industry people to come
along. These should be great gigs, and if you know anyone who'll be around
London then, get them to go!
There you go, more news as it comes to hand ;)
ON TO THE DIARY.
When we left our hero (or was it anti-hero?), he was having a splendiferous
time in Antwerp. It really is a lovely place and I'll go back there next
time I'm in Europe. Only, I forgot to mention a small problem:
The day after I wrote the message, my one full day in Antwerp, was
the festival of l'Ascension. Not just *A* public holiday, but such a public
holiday that NO shops were open other than eateries, NO *museums* were
open... Altogether insane. So I walked around and saw a lot that way, sat
in the main square and drank hot chocolate and wrote a couple of letters...
And then in the evening I saw the movie Pi, which I've been wanting
to see for a LONG time. Happened to be walking past a cinema and saw a
poster for it ;)
A black & white self-financed movie made by Darren Aronofski, about
a Jewish mathematician working on patterns in the stock market, going crazy
and being chased by a stockbroking firm as well as by some Hassidic Jews
after his talents to find the name of God in the Talmud...
Yep, very weird. But the main reason I was so keen to see it is because
the soundtrack is by Clint Mansell, from my favourite band ever Pop Will
Eat Itself (who broke up a few years ago sadly). Great experience, seeing
it with Dutch and French subtitles ;)
The next day, Friday the 14th, I woke early to have breakfast and check
out of the hotel by 10am. I thought "Ah well, I've got all this stuff to
carry round but why don't I just go into town a bit before going to Brussels?"
Good idea Peter. Pity none of the shops open till 11 isn't it?
DAMN!
So I ended up walking around with all the junk and finally just getting
on the train to Brussels.
Talked to Katie on the phone briefly; always great to hear voices from
home. Got there, walked all the way round Central Station (literally circumnavigated
it) and couldn't for the life of me work out what bus to catch to the Youth
Hostel. So I ended up taking a taxi. "Parlez-vous anglais?" "Non" Oh. The
first test of my school-boy French, which I haven't studied, I worked out,
for NINE years.
Did alright I think. It's certainly gotten better, but even now in
Paris it's still _just below_ really usable I think... I can understand
enough though I guess.
Well I get to the hostel and check in and then I find out that I can't
get the room till 2pm. So I locked up the luggage and went to an internet
cafe for a bit, paid too much but got lovely printouts of Diary Entries
#1 and #2.
After getting the room (which I should mention was on the THIRD floor,
no lift) I went into town and walked around for ages. I discovered, as
I have in every city, that really everything including the hostel was in
walking distance if you're willing to walk a bit. Found a couple of second
hand record stores and a good English-language bookshop [Editor's note:
Another Waterstones]. Then later I found an AMAZING record store called
"Music Mania". Stood around gawking at everything for so long that by the
time I took my pile of things to listen to up to the desk, they were closing.
So guess where my first stop was the next day? *Grin*
The Next Day. Saturday the 15th. Went to Music Mania, got there before
11am and it wasn't open yet. So I got the darkest and yummiest chocolate
gelato I have ever seen, and walked around the block with it.
At this point I'll mention an interesting fact: The Dutch, and the Nederlandisch
Belgians, are incredibly friendly and helpful people. As soon as I got
to the French part of Belgium (where Brussels is) I found the approachability
of the people dropped considerably. Oh well. I want to note this because
after a little while I found that with extra charm and effort, one can
get through to these people and they turn out to be on the whole very nice
too...
Anyway, Musica Mania was great and after listening to LOTS I ended up
with two 12"s and two CDs, all weird drum'n'bass stuff. Erm, I wish I could
say "I spent some money" and leave it at that.
However...
Walking in a direction I hadn't gone before, I came across a little
comics shop called "Utopia", with lots of English-language comics. The
details will mean something only to a few, so I won't mention them, but
I was looking at the Cerebus books (enormous "phone book" collections of
this ongoing series which is the longest single storyline in comics ever)
and asked the guy how much they were.
He told me that if I got more than one he'd give me a 25% percent discount.
Some quick mental arithmetic told me that I'd never find them this cheap
again, and I wanted them eventually. I'd read up to number 6 of Chris's
collection, and number 5, "Jaka's Story", is one of the most moving and
clever comics I've read, so I got books 5-12, as well as various other
rareish and not-so-rare items. Argh. *Very* heavy, very spendthrift (there
goes about 2 weeks' spending money!) but worth it. I also got 3 cello strings, which aren't cheap. So, feeling rather
light-headed after all this big spending I went back to the hostel, read
a bit, and wandered around ineffectually for the rest of the day. The hostel
had a computer connected to the net, for a reasonable price, with a English
keyboard (YAY), so I just used that.
On Sunday the 16th I went sight-seeing. I decided I'd spent enough money
in shops for the next week or two, so I just looked. The main square is
quite impressive, with gilded buildings and stuff; on the whole the architecture
is more imposing and less friendly than that in Antwerp. Brussels's main
tourist attraction, for some unfathomable reason, is the "Mannekin Pis",
a little statue/fountain of a boy pissing. Went and looked at it, went
"oh", and continued on my way. What's the attraction? Don't ask me.
Got some nice Belgian chocolate opposite it though.
Next day, Monday the 17th, I was off to Luxembourg. Had very little
expectations for Luxembourg. It started off pretty badly simply because
with all the Cerebus books I had ANOTHER unweildy bag to carry. Almost
died getting there, but whilst my room was on the fourth floor there was
actually a lift up to the third, so that bit was ok *grin*.
Luxembourg turned out to be very beautiful. The area around the station
is not that lovely, but walk up a couple of blocks and one gets to the
first bridge, across this amazing valley which surround the old city like
a moat.
There are castles on either side at the top of the valley, and little
bits of town and garden-type area down beneath.
Went to an internet cafe where the girl only charged me for an hour
when I'm sure I was there for 1 1/2... After dinner, I walked around the
valley with the fucked-up drum'n'bass of Pantunes Music on my Discman [Excuse
the language, but "fucked-up drum'n'bass" seems to be a genre-defining
term...]
Did I mention that it doesn't get dark till slightly after 10pm in
Europe at this time of year? I always find that weird.
On Tuesday the 18th, the first thing I did was put ALL the comics, plus
the stuff I had for the philosophy conference and some other bits and pieces
into a bag and take them to the post office to send home. It was extraordinarily
expensive, but worth it. Back to one big heavy backpack, one small heavy
backpack and one cello...
Not a great deal to do, and it was raining lightly. I went to the same
internet cafe and the same girl undercharged me... not complaining. Then
I walked and walked, with Wagon Christ on the Discman (you do need to know,
honest!) - through the valley on the other side of the city, all around.
It was very tiring but very beautiful, and I got to see a lot of the city,
and attempt to understand the French historical commentaries (no hope with
the German!)
On Wednesday the 19th I attempted to wake early enough to catch the
early train to Strasbourg. Breakfast included two boiled eggs with (GASP!)
runny yolks. Too delicious. However, I missed the train, and had to wait
an hour or something for the next one.
Getting on the train after me was a black woman who had, no kidding,
more luggage than me... and heavier. I helped her drag it all onto the
train. She then worried about where she had to change and things; we worked
it out and at Metz I helped her cart it off the train again. Hope she made
it to her destination.
Got to Strasbourg and thanked myself kindly for choosing a hotel close
to the train station. It was pouring, so I somehow managed to hold an umbrella
in the left hand as well as the small backpack, and push the cello case
with the right hand (I'd be lost without those skate-board wheels!) But
the hotel was very easy to find, and conventiently had a lift again *grin*
and my room had a lovely double bed with a hard mattress. Mum & Dad
rang and we talked for about half an hour.
Strasbourg was, as I remembered from the when I was there with SBS Youth
Orchestra (5 years ago), very beautiful. The hotel didn't have any maps
and the guy conveniently said "you can get them at the tourist office,
at the Cathedrale" - great, so how do I find the cathedral without a map?
So I walked around aimlessly for a while, did find the cathedral and get
a map, and then proceeded to keep getting the map upside down in my head.
I thought I was good at this sort of thing... I do this at every new city,
and after about half an hour I'm fine.
On Thursday the 20th I decided I'd go to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary
Arts. Found it alright, crossing this amazing "covered bridge" full of
ancient statues of half man half beast creatures and stuff, only to discover
it didn't open till noon. So I just walked (been doing a lot of that, hey!)
Found the Synagogue de la Paix, now a modern Israeli looking building
as the original was destroyed in WWII. Felt suitably Jewish, and was almost
knocked down by the hordes of Jewish kids coming out of school...
Then I walked across to the east side. Strasbourg is built around a
large island (which the cathedral and the old city is on); the station
is off the island on the west; the university is on the east. In the uni
area I got a delicious bread roll filled with kefta, salad and frites.
Then I found the "Best Coffee Shop", an internet cafe mentioned in the
Lonely Planet guide. Great place, but Start decided to freeze up, so I
had to go back later.
Went back to the hotel via the Museum; looked in, wandered around the
foyer and then glumly decided that for 30 FF it wasn't for me. Don't worry
people, I WILL make it to more museums!
In the evening I went back to the Best Coffee Shop and helped some
giggly French girls work out how to use their email. "No, don't send it
just to Address@hotmail... you need hotmail.com"
"Ah! 'otmail POINT comme".
Quite amusing. The girl spoke OK English, so I managed to explain it...
Had a great Turkish Pide for dinner, then early to bed, so I could
take the 9:53 train to Paris the next day.
Friday the 21st. I actually managed to get up in time to catch the train!
Got to Paris and got a carnet (10 train tickets) and took the Metro to
Hotel de Ville. I was only two blocks from my hotel, but I still managed
to go down the wrong street. Same new-city syndrome.
Got to the hotel, wearing jumper and duffel coat, up one flight of steep
stairs to reception. My room was on the FIFTH floor, which I should explain
is five floors up from the RECEPTION, so in reality the SIXTH floor. And
NO lift. Tiny little room, but it's cheap and I don't really mind. Was
sweating like a pig, because it turned out to be the first day in the month
I've been in Europe that was actually T-shirt weather!
Walked from the hotel, which is on the Rue de Rivoli, all the way along
to the Place de la Bastille. Felt *extremely* happy to be in Paris, which
is a wonderful and exciting place. I like cities *grin*
I had the names of two record stores to visit, so I looked them up in
the phone book and found their addresses. They were easy to get to from
Bastille. Unfortunately Rough Trade seemed to be closed, and although there
was no sign, I think it's closed permanently. However, the other, Wave,
is an extraordinary place in terms of experimental music - a Parisian Synaesthesia,
Mark... I was hoping not to spend any money for a while still, but caved
in. Ah well, got some rarities anyway, and mostly Paris will be sight-seeing,
not shopping. And YES, museums don't worry!
[Amusing anecdotes later however...]
My hotel is in the Marais district, a very cool area. Very central -
walking distance from everywhere, only about 5 minutes to the Pompidou
Centre, and right in the old Jewish district. I decided to walk back via
the Jewish district and try and find some Jewish food for dinner. It was
only when I got there and saw everything was shut that I realised it was
Friday night - Shabbat! Idiot atheist Jew that I am. Oh well, I'll go back
there when it's not the sabbath I guess.
The buildings were covered in posters of Netanyahu. I felt like going
up to the first one and tearing it off, shouting "SUCKED IN BIBI! THEY
GOT RID OF YOU!" Damn pleased with the Israeli election result ;)
There were also posters of that crazy Lubavicher Messiah, saying "We
Want Moshiach Now!" and stuff. Proving that orthodox Jews are just as weird
as fundamentalists of all religions.
After a Chinese dinner, I took the metro a few stops up to Place de
la Republique and found The Web Bar. Saw the girlfriend of Chris Bendall
(who we know from school and Uni) there - not a close enough friend for
it to be a really bizarre coincidence, but amusing nonetheless. (Tim, you
have to remind me of her name!) [Editor's note: It's Kirrily.]
Walked home and it wasn't nearly as far as it seemed on the map, maybe
20 minutes.
On the 22nd of May, I began the day with a croissant for breakfast,
with a bag of cherries to eat while I did the laundry. The laundry ended
up taking over an hour, so I had to supplement the cherries with some corn
chips *chuckle*
Walked around, found most of the Jewish shops were still closed, but
there was a cool deli called Jo Goldenberg's...
Read a short story but was dying of boredom so I rang Danae and chatted
for about 15 minutes. Kirra sent her love from downstairs, and I felt a
little less disconnected from the world. Paris should be good and next
Friday I'm back in London and seeing Danae and Kirra again... And on Saturday
I'm seeing the rest of FourPlay!
After the laundry was finally finished, I lugged it up the six flights
of stairs to my room, and then decided to walk in the other direction up
the Rue de Rivoli. The Louvre turned out not to be as far as I'd thought
either. However, get this: The Louvre was ON STRIKE! I picked up a leaflet,
which explained that they're massively underfunded and the "personnels
of the Ministry of Culture" have decided to take action.
"The Ministry of Culture's budget is only 0,9% of the total budget
of the State, in other terms a trifle." Cute English but an important issue,
seems fair enough to me; I'll go back in a couple of days. No interest
in seeing the Mona Lisa though; I've already seen her in person and she
did nothing for me, I've never seen the attraction. But there's lots there.
Most looking forward to the Musee D'Orsay though!
I walked from the Louvre to the Left Bank and explored a bit there.
There's lots to see. Went to the Sorbonne, which looks more like a prison
than a University. Had French Onion Soup for lunch - Yum. A lot of the
places these days have "service compris" which means one doesn't have to
worry about how much to tip, but does mean they're even more expensive...
Hot chocolate for 20 FF is normal - that's almost AUD$5!
Went back to the Web Bar in the evening, and wrote this email!
After which I wrote: "And I've been here far too long, so I'll sign
off now."
Only Start's website had gone down in the meantime, so I had to copy
and paste the whole lot into an old hotmail account I had and email it
back to myself... So I'll keep going up until now, Sunday the 23rd.
After leaving the Web Bar, I walked back to the Jewish area of the Marais,
in particular the Rue des Rosiers. Went to Jo Goldenberg's and got some
matzo, olives and salami to have for lunch(es). Then I noticed there was
a restaurant in the back. I had a lovely matzo dumpling soup and Weiner
Schnitzel, accompanied by klezmer music from a trio - double bass, guitar
and violin. Fun! But it was expensive ("127 FF, Monsieur - service NOT
included". No kidding, the waiter actually said this!)
So that was a one-off. Next good Jewish meal will be in New York Made me a bit homesick though - hey Monsieur Camembert members, write
to me!
Today, Sunday the 23rd, I ended up getting up quite late. The French
drivers delight in having horn-tooting competitions at 1am on the Rue de
Rivoli...
Talked to Tim for a bit, then walked to the Pompidou Centre. And guess
what? It's closed for renovations until 1st of January 2000! Just my luck.
I practised some cello, amazingly enough, rang home, and then came
here to the Web Bar to send this email, which I shall now do. Nobody has
honoured me with their presence on ICQ, so I'll just go walking down the
Boulevard de Beaumarchais now I think ;)
Miss you all, do keep in touch!
Love Peter.
P.S. I've hidden all the recipients again this time, so you don't get
to find out who else is reading this...
