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18Jun
June 17, 2009 – 9:53pm (Wednesday)
While I was in Paris I was asked by a new friend if I was inspired by being there, in Paris. I explained to her that what inspires me the most is the journey, the experience of traveling from place to place. Sometimes you get time alone and sometimes you end up in a train cabin with people on a similar mission, to reach that ultimate destination. I think that traveling the way that I am, alone on the train, affords me a luxury that is priceless. I get to see the beautiful landscape of the Earth and meet new people along the way. Once again, I have no regrets. I have met some great people on this journey and I have learned a lot about myself. Just 2 weeks in and I’ve already started to rethink my life. During this journey I have crossed paths with artists, writers, artists, directors, business people, families, and single youths. While I was at the Notre Dame cathedral I met a Scottish gentleman who was there celebrating his 16th anniversary (I think?) with his wife. He said to me that he thought that more Americans need to travel and that he didn’t think enough of us did. I agreed with him. We just feel that we have this great big country and that we don’t need to experience different cultures. I think that we definitely need to expand our horizons. We need to travel somewhere beyond the immediate USA. I know that a lot of us go to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, and places like that but I think we need to break through those boundaries. Let’s expand our comfort bubbles. I know we can do it!!!
18Jun
I cried. Why, I don’t know. I guess traveling on the train really brings out my passion. I read somewhere that the way to really identify your true passion is to start thinking of things that you might want to do and the first thing that brings tears to your eyes is your passion. I guess that my passion is travel. I feel that I have so much pent up inside of me. So much anger. So much sadness. So much frustration. I think that we go day to day masking these emotions and never really get a chance to unleash them. So many people wonder why I chose to do this trip alone. I have no regrets at all. I’m glad that I did it alone. I think everyone should do it at least once in their lives. Just you. No one else. When it comes down to it I think we all need to spend more time with the person that truly knows us…ourselves. It’s that person that we let no one see, not even our families or best friends. We all have that person inside of us that we guard so well. Honestly, if I had someone with me on this trip I wouldn’t have been able to reflect on all these things. Company can be very awkward. Especially when traveling. You start talking about anything just to alleviate the boredom or to fill empty gaps or uncomfortable silences. You never really get a chance be alone in your own thoughts. Now I see why monks choose a life of seclusion. Not to say that I would ever go that route! I enjoy people; I enjoy conversation, and socializing. But this trip is about me. I need to find myself and reclaim my identity and this trip is just what I needed. I’m halfway to nirvana. 3 more weeks to go! I know I can do it!
18Jun
June 17, 2009 – 7:14pm (Wednesday)
I am now on the train traveling from Paris to Rome. My 3 days in Paris were very inspiring, thought provoking, and interesting. Paris, to me, is just an older version of New York. Stepping off of the train and getting on the metro you are drowned in a sea of great diversity. There are so many different ethnicities there. White, Black, Asian, Spanish, Indian, you name it. After a day being there I had mastered the whole metro system. If you are a native of any big city that has a train system like New York, DC, San Francisco, etc. you should not have a problem getting around. There were so many times that I had to remind myself that I was in Paris. I literally felt right at home being from the East Coast. Walking around, once again, I got the feeling that no one could tell that I was a tourist. I had people coming up to me at times asking me for directions. LOL. And I’m pretty good at picking up negative/positive energy and the whole time I was there I didn’t feel like anyone even thought about robbing me. As I was explaining to someone that I met at my hostel, I guess when you grow up in an urban environment you kind of develop a certain type of instinct. I think you could take any kid from any ghetto or hood in the world and transplant him/her anywhere in the world and they would make it easily. It’s like that saying about New York. “If you can make it here you can make it anywhere.”
The people of Paris are BEAUTIFUL. Out of all the European cities that I have travelled to thus far Paris has the highest concentration of beautiful women in my opinion. All different skin colors from dark chocolate to caramel to vanilla. As I was leaving to get my train to Italy I saw this gorgeous Black woman. She was tall, slender, long hair, with a svelte figure. She was walking through the metro as if it was the catwalk. If I had to put money on it I’d bet she was a model. I could do nothing but stare. LOL. Also, Paris, has definitely brought back my appreciation for fashion. People here know how to dress. Not just some of them, EVERYONE. After being in Seattle for 7 years where fashion is an afterthought it was definitely a breath of fresh air. I know that the stereotype of Parisians is that they are snobby and arrogant but I don’t see it that way. To me they are just very genuine. People don’t walk around with fake smiles on their faces so when someone does smile at you it’s truly from the heart. Once again, that is one thing that I miss about the East Coast. I would have to say that Paris has earned a place on my list of one of the cities that I’d love to live in. I think its right up there with New York. It’s not as big as NY but the energy is there. The vibe is there. The swagger is there. Overall, I really enjoyed my time and I know it will definitely be a spot I will visit many times in the future.
For my last day in Paris I spent it with a friend that I haven’t seen in 8 years. I met her in Miami when she was on vacation there with her sister. Now, 8 years later, she’s married with 3 kids and I’m still single with no kids. Hanging out with her and her kids made me wonder if that is a life that I will have someday. Sometimes I feel that is what I want and sometimes I feel like it isn’t. Oh well, I guess time will tell. One thing that I did learn though is that when a woman in France has a child she can choose to take either 1 year or 3 years off from her job to take care of the kids. And check this out, THEY STILL PAY YOU FOR IT. Not only that but you get to choose, either the man or woman can do it. I guess Michael Moore wasn’t exaggerating in his Sicko film. And from what I hear the health care there is top notch and FREE to everyone. How about that?
15Jun
Today I went to the Louvre and if i could choose one word to encapsulate this place it would have to be MASSIVE. I walked around this place for almost 4 hours and barely scratched the surface of amount of artwork there. Here are some pictures from it. I was going to do Notre Dame but the weather is so crappy I think I’m just gonna chill at the hostel for the rest of the night. Paris is EXPENSIVE. I have already spent about 70 bucks and all i’ve had is 2 meals and a fruit tart. I think I’m gonna get a bottle of wine at the local grocery store or something. Enjoy the pics. Peace out…
15Jun
June 15, 2009 – 11:53am (Monday)
I am eating at the famed Le Deux Magots. A funny thing happened. The waiter brought me some pretzels as a snack before my meal. I’m sitting out on the terrace but it is enclosed area except for the main entryway. Well, there are these little birds that keep flying in. They look like finches. One of them just flew onto my table and started snacking on my pretzels like it was nothing. I looked at him, he looked back at me like he was saying “And, What?” LOL. That’s funny as hell.
15Jun
I arrived in Paris yesterday and the weather was really nice. I was able to switch out of my jeans into some shorts and a t-shirt. After hitting the hostel and a taking a quick shower I went down and had a couple of drinks and talked to a few people. I’m staying at the St. Christophers Paris hostel and it’s really, really nice. It’s in a brand new building and I have a single room with shower inside. I’ll post pics of it later. I only had a half day yesterday so I didn’t do much. I hit the Montmarte and the Eiffel Tower then had dinner at a cafe around the tower. I met an American family traveling at dinner and they are actually doing the same type of thing as I am. Although it’s 4 of them, LOL. It’s nice to know that even during the current economic climate people are still getting out and traveling. After getting back to my hostel around 1am on the subway I was exhausted so I just passed out.
Today the weather sucks!!! It’s raining. I thought I left Seattle to get away from that. Oh well. I didn’t really want to get up this morning but I will remain vigilent. I feel really wiped out today after 12 days of non-stop going from place to place. Still got blisters on my feet but I’m gonna get something done today!
14Jun
Looking from the window of the railway train
Trying to wipe away past memories that left a permanent stain
From sunshine to rain, mountains to plains
As myriads of thoughts flash through my brain
And emotions seep through my veins
I have lost myself, but more of me I intend to find
As the wheels from the locomotive turn with each country that I leave behind
I’m greeted by smiles and whispers, laughter and stares
Beautiful hospitality as well as those who don’t seem to care
Within the essence of madness there is an overwhelming peace
Like finding a meal within the belly of the beast
The nights are shorter and the days are longer
But as the milliseconds race by I can feel myself getting stronger
At the conclusion of this journey what shall I become?
I know not the answer but to this void I shall succumb
14Jun
After a somewhat frustrating time in Prague with the train being late and terrible customer service I was greeted with nothing but hospitality at the Berlin train station. The attendant at the service desk was very helpful. I was told that I would have to catch a train the next day to go to Paris, but that they would pay for my hotel stay. I was given a voucher for the hotel night and it even included a full breakfast in the morning (not just the Continental BS that the hotels try to pass as breakfast). I figured that as long as I’m in Berlin I might as well venture out and see what there is to see. It was about 9pm. I asked the guy at the hotel desk about some good places to go and he pointed me to the direction of a club across the street. It was a techno club and I’m not really into that kind of music but I figured what the hell. I met a security guard there from America who was pretty cool. He’s a black guy from Arkansas who has been in Germany for about 7 years. He suggested that I hit one of the clubs that play R&B/Hip Hop and he helped me look through the local disco guide to find some places. The only problem is that clubs there don’t really get started until midnight or 1am. Seriously, no one even shows up before then. I found out that there was a club just around the corner that plays reggae music. I then asked him if it was safe to walk around at night alone and he told me that I shouldn’t have any problems. He says that there are some skinheads here and there but no one is going to mess with you unless you are being a complete idiot and there are 15 of them and just one of you. LOL. Nevertheless, he assured me that I would be fine. Also, the club is right at the beginning of the Berlin wall and I’ve always wanted to check that out. As I’m walking to the club I pass by a couple of girls and ask them where the club is just to make sure I’m headed in the right direction. They giggle, ramble something in German, and point that it’s just down on the right. Then one of them starts to flash her breast at me as the other one is pulling her away. DAMN. Germany is definitely a lot different than Prague. LOL. The people there are scorching hot compared to the coldness of Prague people. I checked out the reggae club but it was pretty much dead at 11:30pm and I was told the party doesn’t even really begin until 1am. Since my train was due to leave at 6:40am I decided to head back to the hotel and get a few hours of rest. Maybe I’ll head back to Berlin on the tail end of my trip!
6/14/2009 – 9:06am
As I was traveling on the train from Prague to Berlin I met a couple of girls from the UK. I told them about my blog and gave them my card. One of them was intrigued that I was starting a website detailing my experiences as a Black American traveling. She said that she was very aware that it must be different for me as opposed to her as a white woman and also surprised that she’s never seen anyone else with a blog based on the experiences of traveling while black. There are tons of resources pertaining to traveling as woman alone. She has done a lot of traveling and has noticed that every time she stays at a hostel it is full of white people and maybe a couple of Asians. She hardly ever sees any Black Americans and wondered why. After giving it much thought I also have similar questions. Could it be purely because of economic disadvantage? Lack of interest? Fear? Or maybe it’s a combination of all of those things. I think that if more people traveled it would eliminate a lot of racism in the world and it would force people out of their comfort zones. I’m not naïve enough to think that racism would ever end because as long as there are 2 people in the world there will be some form of discrimination. Hopefully this blog can be used as tool or possibly an inspiration for other Black Americans who have always wanted to travel abroad but couldn’t quite get past that fear of the unknown. I have optimism that I will. We shall see…
14Jun
Prague is a beautiful city! It is the most beautiful city that I have seen in my life so far. The architecture, the artwork, and design of the buildings are amazing. The details are so intricate. You could walk around the city all day doing nothing but looking at them and snapping pictures. I think I took at least 300 pictures there. It’s also a pretty safe city in my opinion. There was not a moment that I hesitated to walk around with my camera in my hand and I saw others leisurely strolling with lots more expensive cameras than I had without a care in the world.
As far as the people, well, that’s a different story. While I did meet some really nice folks, the majority of the people there, in my opinion, were just rude. I’m not sure if it’s just a cultural thing or if they just get frustrated with the English language but for what the city is abundant with in beauty it is very lacking in customer service. There are many examples that I could give but here is one that stands out to me. I went into the McDonalds to get something to eat. Now, I don’t usually go to McDonalds but since Czech food isn’t really my cup of tea it was the only thing familiar that I knew I could stomach. I go up to the counter and order a double cheeseburger and ask if they can put Big Mac sauce on it. They sell Big Mac’s and they also sell double cheeseburgers so I wouldn’t think it would be that much of a big deal. I order it like this in America all the time and it isn’t an issue even if it’s something that they have never done before. The guy looks at me with a confused look and says “No, we don’t do that here”. Okay. Then I ask, “Well can you just put some Big Mac sauce in a cup and give it to me on the side?” He then walks away and asks someone else (possibly a supervisor) and I’m given the same response that it’s just impossible for them to tell the kitchen to give them a side of Big Mac sauce. Now it may seem that I’m complaining over something so small but seriously, how hard is it? When a very large portion of your economy is based off of tourism (60% I heard) I would think that they would try harder to please their customers/cash cows. I guess being an American I’m used to being treated like, well, a paying customer. And I’m not the only one. I ran into a couple of girls from France and a couple of girls from London that all said the same thing about the service.
As for the financial aspect of my visit, Prague may be one of the cheaper cities in Europe but it’s definitely not cheap. I paid $12 USD to do 2 loads of laundry at the self serve Laundromat! And they charge for everything from ketchup packets at the McDonalds to using the toilet. Needless to say, after taking tons of pictures and spending 3 days there I was ready to go. But just my luck, my train ended up being 90 minutes late leaving Prague, which made me miss my overnight train to Paris that I was supposed to get from Berlin. Once I got to Berlin though it was like night and day…..