My Unknown Caller Returns

By | November 7, 2009

From Me To U2
It’s old news now, but U2 is coming to Edmonton in June 2010!

The Monday after we returned from Las Vegas I saw rumors about an upcoming announcement and was thrilled to see a planned stop at Commonwealth Stadium. The U2.com pre-sale started less than 36 hours after the concert was announced and I was back in the same uncomfortable and stressed situation of vying for tickets. Would I play the odds and expect a second show to be added? Or should I play it safe and get seats?

The second tour date never happened, but from my understanding Live Nation stopped the roll out of a second show due to slow ticket sales. Hours after the public sale tickets were still available, and even the following day seats were available in the upper balconies. AC/DC sold out Commonwealth in the summer within minutes, and since this show did not get that same treatment Edmonton will only be enjoying one show. It’s easy to get hung up on the show that got away, but the important item here is that U2 is coming and I can stay within my area code to see them perform.

I ended up buying two seated tickets (closer to the center of the stadium to fully appreciate the stage from the front) and two general admission tickets. I often say that the April 10, 2001 performance I saw of U2 in Calgary was a life changing experience, and I think being on the floor for that was a strong reason why the night was so memorable. To get an optimum spot on the floor you have to wait in line. In 2001 I was in line for eight hours, and that is the norm for most lineups, especially if you would like a chance at the ‘inner circle’. I am still not sure which way I am leaning, we have already seen the show from the seats and a floor performance would give us more appreciation for the frenzy; but at the cost of sitting and waiting all day.

I came across this time lapse video of the “Claw” as it was constructed, performed on and torn down the other day and it immediately brought my excitement level back up for the show. Now to just get through the next eight months.

Nose Bleed Count
nose bleedThe count is now up to nine. There have been a few close calls but were just drips compared to the river of blood that is needed to count for this. The humidifier has been brought out of hibernation as I try and battle the dry climate.

My New TV Life

By | November 6, 2009

To me there are two types of TV: When Lost is on, and when Lost isn’t on.

Unfortunately we sit in that eight month void when Lost is not on, but I am able to get by with the new fall programming on the networks. My weekly viewing routine has stayed the same as last year, but with a few slight changes.

The cast of NBC's Community

30 Rock and Community join my ‘watch immediately’ category. I was able to catch up on 30 Rock over the summer months and have been happy to add this to my weekly programming. After going through the series in a matter of weeks I was really satisfied and glad to finally catch up on a show that has been dominating the Emmy’s for the last few years.

Community was a leap of faith and it has paid off in a big way. The pilot was made available for online viewing prior to its network premiere so I had read a bit of chatter about from those in TV IV and thought it would be worth looking into. It had a slow start and I was doubtful if I would stick with it, but after a third of its season I look forward to Thursday’s when I can see this in the NBC comedy sandwich.

During the summer months we also caught up on Entourage and Weeds. After seeing bits and pieces of Deadliest Catch we tuned in for its complete season on Discovery and love every moment of it. We can say that we have seen Deadliest Catch in four separate countries, a show none other can claim.

True BloodA surprise addition to my schedule came when I had some time in September to watch both seasons of True Blood. After you binge on a show there is always some separation anxiety, but after finishing True Blood I was in a rough spot. I haven’t felt this kind of withdrawal from a TV show since Dexter. Even now I still miss it, and the wait for its return next summer is made easier knowing that Lost stands between me and the return to Bon Temps.

There Goes My Hiro

HeroesIt has been almost a year since I saw my last episode of Heroes. This time off was not intentional, we just never got around to watching the remainder of season three after its mid-season break. As the months went on we had stock piled enough episodes to binge properly we just never returned.

We continued to put it off in favor of some other time, and when Buffy and Angel occupied our summer we fell further away from Heroes.

Now season four is off and running and with nearly twenty episodes to catch up on our motivation and enthusiasm about returning to a show that has betrayed us was growing thin and I finally made things official and bid farewell to Heroes.

Wingman Deleting Heroes

I have never quit a show during its run. Shows have been cancelled on me (Daybreak) while I was watching and others came to an end (Battlestar Galactica, ER); but I have not stopped mid-season on a show before. Abandoning a show I have invested many hours in was a difficult choice, but it was oddly liberating to no longer have Heroes hanging above me.

My Summer of Buffy

By | October 30, 2009

“What I did on my summer vacation” by Sean Gursky

Buffy and AngelThis past summer, Jenna and I spent some quality time watching a TV show. Our television summer hiatus included watching two shows: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Two shows is a small number, but these two shows comprised of twelve seasons, had 254 episodes between them and it consumed four months of our time.

The Whedon vempire (vampire empire) was cheesy, fun and a good way to make the gap between new television. When Angel became its own series we watched the shows the way they were meant to be watched, meaning we were true to the air dates of the shows and watched them in the order they aired. This made any character or story cross overs a little more enjoyable. Oz would leave Sunnydale and then appear in LA, or when it involved a major reveal like Drusilia or Darla going from one show to the other, or Faith crossing between Los Angeles and Sunnydale it was a great payoff. I wish they would have utilized that more because when it happened it was fun television.

Trying to review these shows is tough, each had such strong high’s and such terrible low’s. We were warned about season one of Buffy, and it’s a good thing because if we didn’t know it would improve our enthusiasm to continue would have been lower than a snake pit that frat boys worship in their basement. One thing I did appreciate was that even if an episode was weak it would be referenced later (usually in jest) or they would go back to a character that was introduced (Ms. Calendar).

I have always read about Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog and Dollhouse being Whedeonesque but I never appreciated that until Buffy. There is a definite character and language style about Whedon shows. It was a common occurrence that a serious episode would end on a one liner from Xander. Or there would be one extra beat too many after a line and credits would roll. It was common that there would be throw away lines that were awkward and didn’t fit, but it was Whedon’s trademark coming through.

Buffy was our favorite series of the two, and some of the best episodes I have ever seen came from Buffy. Episodes like Passion, The Body, Hush or The Gift were amazing. They were what kept us coming back for more, hoping for repeat perfection. The seasons started to blend together but I was a big fan of two through five. When season five started I was against it completely because they blindsided the audience with the introduction of Dawn.

After you grudgingly started to accept her appearance they explain how she is The Key and the season takes a staggering turn for awesome. The finale of season five was amazing. It was the perfect series ender, and even though season six was strong (Buffy struggling with being brought back could have been a nice parallel for how the show felt about being brought back from cancellation), it was too fitting of an end.

My favorite character of the two shows was Wesley. When he appeared in Buffy he was a bumbling, awkward and terrible Watcher. Giles slapped him around and after Faith went rogue he crumbled, packed up his life and went to LA where he became awesome. The transition was slow, and not without character torment. As Angel progressed Wesley came into his own with interesting story arch’s, and had several seasons of him struggling against Angel, Gunn and Fred.

She wasn’t my favorite character, but Cordellia’s transition between Buffy and Angel was amazing. In Buffy she was an annoying cheerleader that toyed with the emotions of others. When she showed up in LA she had a purpose and provided something to the team. She became compassionate and was doing things with the interest of others at heart. Her story became a little too much for us to enjoy around season four but her transition from boring to brave was good while it lasted.

It’s odd, but when we were watching Angel we wanted more Buffy, and when we were watching Buffy we wanted more Angel. We found the best experience was when Angel and Buffy shared an episode or story line (before the Angel spin off). When Angel got his own show the mystique around him was lost and the hiding in corners Angel character from Buffy had gone. I did enjoy that Angel became this caricature and instead of shying away from it they would play it up, especially in episodes like Smile Time.

However, I did enjoy the back story of Angel. There weren’t many episodes that went to his past but there was always enough to give new information on his character. There was always enough Drusilia or Darla but those two became my favorite b-characters. Drusilia never changed, she was always a star gazing, wide eyed doe and I liked her for that. Her occasional growls to Spike or lines like “I’m going to be a mummy” always kept me amused.

After much encouragement from Tracey to watch these shows I am glad we took the time to get through them, and maybe years from now we will go down this road again but for now we will let students transformed into hyena’s lie and concentrate on fresh TV in the 2009-2010 schedule.

My Biggest Little Mistake

By | October 29, 2009

In a city of lights, gambling and open alcohol you can describe Las Vegas in many ways but the one word I have to sum up our trip is: awesome. The weather, the sights, the shopping, the entertainment…everything about the city (or rather the Strip) was great. Before we had even left we were planning our return trip and what we would do again or differently. The city may be fabricated but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great place to spend some time.

The fact you can do something until 11PM and still be able to go somewhere, see something and continue your night is wonderful. We are so used to things closing down at a certain hour in Edmonton that it took a bit to remind ourselves of where we are and what it means to keep on going. There is no need to go to bed before midnight because you can always see and do more.

We did what people usually do in Vegas. We walked the strip, saw shows, gambled and went to a buffet. We stayed at the Venetian and during the check in I pulled the $20 trick to get a room upgrade. Bribing is not something I am familiar with but when I read that site I realized this was something I could try, and if it failed, I was only out $20. I did what the site recommended, put the money between my drivers license and credit card and asked if there were any complimentary room upgrades available.

The clerk was gladly checking but when she saw the $20 she smiled a big smile and worked a little harder for us. Because I don’t know what view our standard suit had before I don’t know if I ended up with a room upgrade or not but we ended up with a 37th floor view in the Palazzo tower overlooking the Treasure Island and had a view of Fashion Show Mall and north. It was a pretty incredible view and I will definitely try the $20 trick again when we return.

After surviving England’s public transit for two weeks we weren’t concerned about the Las Vegas bus system. The Deuce (Ride the Deuce!) was an effective way of getting around the Strip, except during busy hours or when the bus was full…which was often. There were times I thought it would have been faster to get out and walk then taking the bus, but when going from MGM Grand to Fremont Street having the bus was kind of nice.

On Wednesday and Thursday Jenna and I attacked the Outlet malls. Our first experience was at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and we loved it. We had to change from the Deuce to another bus to get there but the brief moments of ‘are we going the right way’ were worth it when we arrived. This area is what South Common should have been: walking distance to everything, no need for a vehicle and a great selection of products. We spent hours walking around, slowly accumulating more bags.

On Thursday we went to the Las Vegas Outlet Center on the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard and walked the whole mall, buying as we went and spending a whole afternoon spending. We decided that both Outlet locations could be hit up in the same day assuming you start at the superior north Premium Outlets location and then ended the day at the Outlet Center.

We also saw a few shows while we were there. Courtesy of Tix 4 Tonight we were able to get a bit off the retail value of the shows we went to. We started off by seeing the Cirque du Soleil show “KA” and were floored. We left their MGM theater feeling amazing. Everything about the performance was inspiring and mesmerizing. Even the parts that weren’t interesting to me were still really well done. The stage was one of the biggest features to this performance, it added so much to the show that I often wondered how they were doing something or how it was possible. Seeing “KA” was the highlight of the trip, and that’s saying a lot because Blue Man Group and U2 were also in the mix.

After being unable to buy tickets for “Love” for several days we decided on “Blue Man Group”, which leads me to…

I Blue Myself
Jenna and I were in our seats at the Blue Man Group theater when a person from the show came up to me and asked if I would like to be a crowd participant in tonights performance. I didn’t need much more convincing and I was taken to a back office and briefed on what would happen and how I would be involved. They changed my shoes in exchange for black ones and I returned to my seat not knowing when the men with blue gloves would come for me.

The show was more humorous then I expected but the use of music and the pantomime was great. Every time the Blue Men stepped into the audience I was expecting them to come over to my section and pluck me out. Around the 3/4 mark of the show it finally happened and I was lead on stage and put into a white jumpsuit with the aid of the Blue Men. I am not sure how it happened but around this time I ended up with blue in my hair and on my face, Arrested Development references immediately ran through my head. I put on a helmet and was lead off stage.

Not to spoil anything for those who haven’t seen the show but my involvement on stage had paint, a pulley, white canvas and a 40 pound block of Jello. A Google search on this gag can elaborate more but when people ask if actual audience members were used the answer is definitely yes.

U2 360 Tour
I love U2. They are the soundtrack to my life and their shows are like nothing I have ever seen before. With only Toronto and Vancouver dates on their second leg of the 360 Tour we set out to Vegas to see them perform in the smallest venue on the North American tour. Leading up to the Rose Bowl concert being filmed the last week of shows have had a fairly standard setlist while the guys got everything sorted out, and it did not disappoint, even if it was flawed with a few grievances.

Like mentioning the stage at “KA” you have to talk about the “Claw” U2 used on this tour. I knew it was big, but I had no idea it would be that massive. The “Claw” legs went right to the edge of the field and took up Sam Boyd Stadium. As the show went on I found myself staring at the “Claw” and taking the whole sight in.

The new material from “No Line On the Horizon” sounded great live. Songs I was unsure about on the album came to life on stage. The techno remix of “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” was surprisingly good, superior to the album version, and reminded me of the U2 I knew on their 1997 PopMart tour. Prior to “No Line On The Horizon” Bono announced they were going to rock for a bit, and they did..for all of two songs.

Going from “Horizon” into “Elevation” got the crowd into it, but then all momentum of this rock train came to a halt when “In a Little While” was played. It’s a good song, a surprise from “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”, and it fit with the ‘rocket ship taking off in ‘Elevation’ and lyrically ended with ‘In A Little While’ but it ruined a great flow. Following that was “Unknown Caller” and I felt the energy get sucked right out the stadium. It may have been the encouraged sign along on the chorus to embarrassing lyrics but I got the impression that this song was not well received.

I try not to complain too much about setlists, I know that U2 will never play “Exit” or jump into a 40 foot lemon and come out rocking “Discotheque” but at least understand the flow of your songs and how not to put the brakes on a fun moment. Fortunately Bono and Edge made their way to the rotating arms of the stage and rocked “Until The End of the World” super hard. It may have been the strobe light from the stage or the arms slowly approaching each other but this song was a definite highlight.

The laser suit Bono wore during “Ultraviolet” was excellent. I am so happy this song is in rotation on this tour, it was a standout performance against all other songs I have seen live. The snippet of “In God’s Country” and the complete “Unforgettable Fire” were other stand outs. Compared to the past tours I felt the intimacy was gone, but going from an arena of 18,000 to a stadium of 42,000 can do that. To their credit U2 still tried to play to all sides of the stage, however the front audience got the majority of the face time (and rightly so). It was a fantastic show and I am eagerly awaiting their June 2010 performance when I can finally stay within my area code to see them perform.

That was our trip to Vegas. We accumulated over 4,800KM’s in distance on this trip and are looking forward to returning and seeing more of the things we missed this time around. Feel free to see the rest of the photos in the Gallery here.

Tube Steak Challenge
I had a single hot dog in Vegas…but it was really big. I don’t know if this means I can count it as a single hot dog or two? Here is a photo of the hot dog and my hand as a reference. Part of me thinks it should count as one, but due to the size of the dog I can also see how it could count as two.

Drinks are larger in Vegas and you don’t say “it’s really like the size of three drinks”, you say it’s one and move on. Further to this, Jenna was unable to finish her hot dog so was that 1.5 or a solid 2? Thoughts?

Hot Dog Challenge - 17 or 18

Nose Bleed Count
Nose Bleed AnimationAt the beginning of October I began a new challenge: to see how many times a year I get a nose bleed. It started off with several nose bleeds in September but I wanted to know the exact count so October began and immediately I had a nose bleed. Suddenly an odd thing happened and I was retaining my blood for two weeks…then I went the dessert and averaged a bleed a day bringing my count up to six. I even had the dreaded, and impressive, ‘double barrel’ where each nostril was bleeding, this has only happened to me one other time in recent memory.

Upon returning from Vegas I received another nose bleed so as October comes to a close my Nose Bleed Count is at an unhealthy seven. Will my Nose Bleed Challenge out pace the Tube Steak Challenge?

My Big City Life

By | October 19, 2009

Las Vegas Skyline

Where has the time gone? It feels like we just unpacked our bags following our England/France trip and are now packing up again for Las Vegas. There was a month between arrival and departure times but since jet setting life isn’t one we are familiar with it feels like a quick turn around.

U2 Concert ClawWe are heading to Vegas for a few days to shop, see the sights, drink in public and end the trip with U2. We are going into the trip mostly unprepared. We have a few things we would like to see but are just going to see what happens and make it up as we go.

We will spend all of our time on or around the Strip. We figured there wouldn’t be enough time to see Hoover Dam, Mead Lake or the Grand Canyon, so those excursions will have to wait for our return trip; but first we have to survive our first trip there…

My Time Away From Frames

By | October 14, 2009

It has been over four months since my surgery, and yesterday I had my final appointment of 2009. I have not noticed any improvements or discomfort over the last few months, it has felt natural; almost like I never had glasses at all. I was seeing 20/20 in July, but I had to guess on some letters. Yesterday I was still rated at 20/20 and some of the letters did not seem as fuzzy before, or maybe I exaggerated how fuzzy they were originally; either way my score remained the same. I do wish my eye sight was a little stronger, but 20/20 is the optimum eye sight so I shouldn’t be too upset over being normal.

The doctor has recommended I stop taking Flarex as part of my daily regime as there was no scaring or haze on the eye. He did note that my pressure was high and told me that about 10% of patients who use Flarex have increased pressure in the eye because of it. When I go for my next appointment in six months my pressure will be re-evaluated then and we can see if not using Flarex helped, or if it was related to something else all together.

With a clean bill of sight I feel good about my decision. The weeks following the surgery were difficult, but not having to travel with glasses, contacts and appropriate solution is amazing and worth the frustration I had in June. If I play hockey I can just get my gear and go. I don’t have to plan my day around when I put contacts in or if they need to go through another round of solution to make sure they are sufficiently lubricated.

I am not sure what to do with my glasses. I have some frames I like a lot, but I will never wear them again. When I need to wear glasses again it would cost more to get the new prescription put into the frames than to order a new pair online, but throwing them out is like Kerry Weaver walking for the first time without her cane. I will think on this further and hold onto the frames…for now.

In the mean time, can Sean see yet? Yes!

My Marseille Middle

By | October 4, 2009

“I spent a week in Marseille one weekend.”

On September 11th we flew in Marseille with Ryanair and stayed for the weekend. One member of our foursome went home on Sunday night (13th) but the rest of us stayed another day and returned to England on Monday…and this was our trip, starting with some random thoughts:

  • The smell was bad at the best of times. People wouldn’t pick up after their dog, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if we stepped over human waste at time.
  • The wind would pick up litter from the streets or papers from the restaurants and blow them about.
  • All public toilets had no toilet seats or were broken.
  • Gypsies, lots of them.
  • The view was always worth stopping and giving a second look. Being on the Mediterranean certainly helped.
  • Being the oldest city, and second largest in France, gave Marseille a definite culture
  • An old city isn’t without its history and Marseille had plenty of that, even if we couldn’t fully read the ‘historical information’ signs posted around the city.
  • Not a fake city, it wasn’t trying to hide what it was
  • When you use the Marseille Underground Network the tickets are shot out after being validated. They would usually go half a foot in the air and get about a foot of distance This sort of tomfoolery would not stand in London when people are rushing you at the gates when you pull your ticket up. It was fun.
  • All the vehicles in Marseille have damage (photo link) on them, in one form or another. Parking is also a nightmare, I would be terrified to own a vehicle of any value here because there is little regard for others property.

Marseille was a fantastic way to break up our stay in England. The city was ripe with history (being the oldest city in France), had gorgeous sights being situated right on the Mediterranean and had plenty to occupy us in the immediate area. Unfortunately the city also had a definite and foul odour, was rampant with Gypsies and very dirty. There was always a wind from the Vieux-Port (Old Port) and napkins, wrappers and papers would litter the walking area. It is easy to talk down on the city, but we all had a fun time.

When we arrived Friday night I was overwhelmed with the language. I took French in Junior High and High School, but never fully committed to it and forgot anything worthwhile; so I was completely at the mercy of the broken French that Jenna and Matt knew. It was a very strange experience to be overwhelmed with another language, something that never quite happened on our trips to Cuba or Mexico.

Our first full day in Marseille started early with cafe (photo link) and bread. It was not a filling breakfast, but it was a start. We purchased a City Pass from the Marseille Tourism office, and it was the best money we spent on the trip. This book allowed us free admission into almost every attraction we saw, covered our transportation for two days and even allowed us to try free samples from local businesses.

Notre-Dame de la Garde above Marseille Carousel in Marseille Clouds over a building, Marseille Streets in Marseille War Memorial, Marseille

We began the tour of Marseille by going up to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Notre-Dame is visible from anywhere in Marseille, and the views from the top were amazing. You really got a sense of how large Marseille was, and how very little we would explore in our weekend there. Like all Chapels we saw, the interior was immaculate and impressive.

View from Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Tourist at Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Interior at Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Interior at Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Interior at Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Viewing Column at Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille

Later in the day we took a boat ride (photo link) to Chateau d’If. The Chateau was originally a fortress and with the views it had out into the water, it is easy to see why (photo link). You could look back and see all of Marseille. Even the Notre-Dame seemed small against the skyline. We heard conflicting reports that the trip to the Chateau wasn’t worth it, but we had to disagree because it was enjoyed by all of us.

Chateau d'If, Marseille Chateau d'If, Marseille Lonely chair at Chateau d'If, Marseille Inside a cell at Chateau d'If, Marseille View of Notre Dame de la Garde from Chateau d'If, Marseille Education Session at Chateau d'If, Marseille

Marseille - Chateau d'If (Pano-Autostitch)

After Chateau d’If we continued the boat ride to Îsles du Frioul. The area we got off at was simple enough, but when we walked away from the cafe’s we were in the Calanque de Morgeret (photo link). It was an amazing sight. This little inlet of beach had boats out in the water, the new foreign terrain as it dipped into the Mediterranean. It was something we had only seen on postcards and we were here. After doing some sight seeing we all put our feet (photo link) in the water. The significance of doing it was greater than the enjoyment of doing so as the rocks in the water were pretty hard and made it uncomfortable to stand, but we can say we did it.

Marseille - Isle Fruele (Pano-Autostitch)

After a day of disappointing food we referred to the travel book to see what local restaurants it recommended and we pointed ourselves in the direction of La Port Des Anges. This was the French experience we were all looking for. It may have been the atmosphere but this was one of the best meals we ever had. Ordering from a menu written on a small chalkboard our waiter was patient when we attempted French, but was also able to speak partial English. After we made our meal selection he picked a bottle of wine from a local vineyard that would be appropriate for all of our entrées.

The perfect storm of senses was brewing and it was amazing. We were surrounded in a foreign world, eating great food, sharing a bottle of fantastic wine; the whole experience was intoxicating. Our two hour stay included another bottle of wine and for dessert we had cheese, as selected by Heather. At first the cheese was an unusual meal closer, but when the cheese was mixed with a little bit of jam and honey it was the perfect end to a great meal.

La Cure Gourmande (biscuit factory) in Marseille. La Cure Gourmande (biscuit factory) in Marseille. Chateau d'If and Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille Sunset over Old Port Sunset in Marsille

Sunday started off with more cafe and our first significant encounter with being exploited as tourists. Our simple crepe (photo link) and coffee breakfast was horribly expensive. It is possible that we really did eat 44€ worth of food, but it is easier to assume our neglectful and poor service providing waiter made the number up on the spot. This breakfast was also marred with a verbal exchange between Matt and a Gypsy…which was more the Gypsy talking to Matt. We think that she cast a curse on us, and the first indication of the curse was the expensive breakfast.

Undeterred by the Gypsy Curse we headed off into the city, ventured onto public transportation (photo link) and headed towards Palais Longchamp. This tribute to water came out of nowhere. We were walking down a plain enough looking area and as we turned a corner this large and impressive structure was before us. Even after Notre-Dame de la Garde and Chateau d’If, Marseille still had a few architectural surprises for us. It is tough to say what the highlight was from this weekend in France, but it can’t go without mentioning Palais Longchamp.

Palais Longchamp, Marseille, France Palais Longchamp, Marseille, France Palais Longchamp, Marseille, France Palais Longchamp, Marseille, France Palais Longchamp, Marseille, France

After walking around the structure and going into the Natural History Museum we skirted across the road and went into Musée Grobet-Labadié. This was a house (photo link) full of doinks, but really expensive (photo link) and old doinks. I didn’t know what I was getting into at the Musée, so most of their collections were given a casual glance from me, but it was an interesting stop in our day.

The surprises continued as we worked our way through the city to Cathédrale de la Major. Perhaps it was the dirty back road way we took to the Cathedral, but when we arrived we were impressed. I can’t say what it was that made this place stand out, perhaps it was the cardboard like appearance, open interior or simplistic decoration but I liked it. After seeing Notre-Dame de la Garde, Kings College, St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey Cathedrals it is something that another Cathedral can still make me stand back and go ‘whoa’.

Our last night in Marseille had a giant bucket of mussels (photo link) and drinking many pints at an outdoor bar. Being surrounded by locals added to this experience as we ordered drink after drink. Even the homeless person sleeping on the cement meters away or the mysterious increase cost on our final round of drinks could not taint our final night send off to Marseille.

Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathdrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathdrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France Cathédrale de la Major, Marseille, France

Our final day in Marseille was one that went on for too long. Our flight was leaving at night, but we had to check out of the hotel at noon and we had the burden of carrying our carry-on with us for the remainder of the day. To get a load off our back, and feet, we booked a Calanque Tour (map of Calanques and we went from Les Goudes to Cassis). Marseille may have been tainted a bit by the dirt, smell and general “I would like to be back home”, but getting on the Mediterranean and seeing these beautiful inlets changed our minds easily.

After being on the land side of a Calanque (from Saturday afternoon when we put our feet in the water at Calanque de Morgeret) these inlets were just as amazing from the water. Several times we wanted the boat to stop and allow us to explore, but I think it’s best they kept us on the boat because not everyone would have been so eager to return.

Calanques in Marseille Calanques in Marseille Calanques in Marseille Calanques in Marseille Calanques in Marseille Calanques in Marseille

Between this and the two London (1, 2) posts that concludes our impromptu, and amazing, trip overseas.

My London End

By | September 25, 2009

This is a Piccadilly line service to Cockfosters.

The trip to Marseille took place a week after we landed in London but I will write about it last to keep the flow of London going.

It was nearly a week into our trip and we were feeling confident. We gotten used to the time change, commuting between the cities and were acting as if we were locals by stopping at the grocery store on our way home from a day in London. We ventured out into different brands of Jaffa Cakes, starting with McVities and trying the Marks & Spencer brand (which we found superior). All of our confidence was about to questioned the day we visited the Tower of London, and subsequently Tower Bridge.

When you think about the history, the blood and the battles that the Towers have seen it is quite remarkable. The Tower of London was something we would recommend to anyone in the area because it was really engaging. We were walking through areas that were built in 1078, stood in the same cells that housed significant members of London’s history and saw their masonry work as they carved graffiti into the walls (photo link). The Crown Jewels was also breathtaking. I have never seen anything sparkle so vibrantly before, and to see the items used at every Coronation was special too. I may not fully agree with the Monarch relationship to Canada, but I can respect their order and pageantry when it comes to the royalty.

Towers of London Entrance Traitors Gate Towers of London Tower Bridge from Towers of London Cell Graffiti Towers of London Guarding the Crown Jewels Building London

Towers of London Peek-a-boo Old and New at Towers of London Tower Bridge London Tower Bridge with Bascules Opening London Entering Tower Bridge London

We continued the Tower trip and walked across Tower Bridge, which is when we encountered…

Troubling Tower Bridge
As we were making our way across Tower Bridge a man with a thick foreign accent got Jenna’s attention. At first we brushed him off because we assumed he was selling something, but when we realized that he wanted us to take a photo of him on the bridge we stopped. When we got over to him he indicated that he wanted me in the photo with him. This was odd, but I obliged. He put his left arm around me and with his right arm he held a cellphone up to my ear. I could not hear anything coming out of the ear piece but Jenna noticed there was an England and USA flag sticker as well as one that said ‘Happy Birthday’ on the phone.

Jenna took a photo and I broke free of my smiling captor. Then he indicated that he wanted us to switch spots so now I was taking a photo of Jenna. She was hesitant but obliged. After she was done we hustled our way off the bridge. As we walked off we checked our pockets, made sure nothing was removed or placed on us, washed our hands and continued on with our day. Perhaps it was a harmless situation and the person just wanted photos of “American tourists” on the bridge, or maybe it was something more sinister. Whatever it was, we will never know…until it’s too late.

We were put off for the rest of the day, but persevered our trek along the Thames and finished the day at Monument (photo link). What happened on Tower Bridge was the most bizarre story we had from the trip, and perhaps that is a good thing.

The next day was a Circus for us. Piccadilly Circus has the allure of being a mini-Times Square, complete with large televisions and it being flooded with traffic and vehicles. If that’s all it was then what was the appeal of going there? For no reason than to say we did. Unfortunately our trip to Piccadilly Circus did not start out perfect as we were 2.5 miles away from where we needed to be. Perhaps I misread the Tube stop, or it was bad planning, either way we were quite lost and had a long walk ahead of us. 2.5 miles does not sound like much, but when you have been walking for a week straight, are wearing uncomfortable shoes and are navigating a new city it amplifies the distance.

This mistakes was not without its benefits. Because we were in South Kensington we were able to go to Exhibition Road and take a look at a museum. We were pretty tired of museums at this point, however we thought we could handle the Science Museum. If we were properly rested and planned the day better we could have spent the whole day going between the Natural History Museum, Victoria & Alberta Museum and complete the Science Museum; but if we had done everything we wanted to in London there would be no reason to come back and do more. We were tired of crowds and getting a little travel weary so we stopped our museum trip short and continued the trek to Piccadilly Circus.

Science Museum Kensington Entrance London Actual Space Suit at Science Museum Kensington London Blue Colouring at Science Museum Kensington London Internet Likes at Science Museum in Kensington London

The walk was better than we expected. We walked past the Royal Albert Hall (photo link), and followed Hyde Park (photo link) and enjoyed one of the quieter moments outside. Finally we arrived, and obviously it was full of people. There was construction on several street corners and that added to the chaos. I took a few photos from where we stood (photo link) and sought refuge in the Underground (photo link). We went from one Circus to another, this time Oxford Circus for famous shopping along Oxford Street.

Of course it was crowded here as well. It was along Oxford Street that I got my shoe bug and would be consumed by shoes. I needed to replace the shoes I bought because I had multiple blisters and aches in my legs so we stopped at John Lewis and I bought a pair of reliable, and comfortable,
Merrel shoes
(photo link). However, the shoes I really wanted (Veja) were unavailable in my size and were the source of my shoe quest for the remainder of the trip.

We saw a bit of Oxford Street and vowed to return during the late morning when the streets would be less busy, when Apple a Day would complete and The Road would happen. Before we could get to there, we visited Brighton. The day after we returned from Marseille we went from one coastal town to another. We cut our sleep short, took an early train into London and were in Brighton by 11 AM. The weather was going from drizzling to windy and it looked like it would affect our day on the coast. After going to the decadent, lavish, over the top and most superfluous (photo link) ‘Royal cottage home’ at the Royal Pavilion the clouds had thinned and the sun was out (photo link).

We went to Brighton on the recommendation of a co-worker. However, after doing a bit more research on the city I knew my purpose for the pilgrimage: to see the iconic Brighton Pier. Years ago when I launched seagurs I used the 3 Column Relaxation theme by Clemens Orth and its default header graphic was the Brighton Pier. I was fascinated by the pier, and even though I took the effort to find out where the pier was I never thought I would be in a position to see it for myself. Four years later I walked across the pier that laid atop of seagurs.

Brighton was a nice town, and had a different vibe than London. It could have been the weather, or it being a weekday, but there was a more relaxed atmosphere to the city (photo link). Had it been a weekend, or nicer weather, I imagine the pier would have been swarming with people. The lack of locals did allow me to fully appreciate Helter Skelter (photo link), the slide that influenced one of my favourite Beatles songs. Who knew that the seagurs pier would contain a gem like this? We finished Brighton off with shopping along their famous Laines and made the two hour commute back ‘home’.

Seeing Helter Skelter lead nicely into the following day where Jenna and I did it on The Road.

Train Terminal in Brighton Royal Pavilion Brighton Clouds Over Brighton Pier Clouds Over Brighton Pier

The Road
Platform 9 3/4’s was one thing, but going to Abbey Road was beyond anything I could have imagined. It moved me to be in the presence of such a historic place. I imagine this is a bit of what I would feel if I visited the U2 Joshua Tree (assuming it was still around), but not to let that detract from Abbey Road; it was amazing. The closer we got to the studio I could see the graffiti on the wall and was overwhelmed with goose bumps. The wall outside the studio is painted over frequently but you would never tell because it was full of names, messages and well wishes. I did my part to contribute to the graffiti. In retrospect I wish I would have written something more profound, but in a few weeks it won’t be visible anyway.

I smiled the whole time I crossed the sidewalk. I never posed for a photo on there, simply saying I was there was enough for me. Besides, to do the photo justice you need four on the road and one taking the photo. This was a huge personal highlight and am glad we made the effort to get there.

Abbey Road Crosswalk London Abbey Road Wall Graffiti London Abbey Road Studios London

Apple a Day
It started out innocently enough, but while in Cambridge we came across an official Apple store. I was curious and had to go in. It was identical to the West Edmonton Mall location but I was able to say I did. While we were in Brighton I saw another Apple store. This was becoming a trend so I had to go in, look around and take a photo. The final, and grandest Apple store I had ever seen, happened on our final full day in England as we returned to Oxford Circus to see the beautiful two story store on Regent Street. If I ever go to NYC I will see the Fifth Avenue store, but until then, the Regent Street store will stand as the best against all our Apple stores I saw. It was two stories, had a glass stair case and everything about it was luxurious.

Cambridge Apple Store Brighton Apple Store Regent Street Apple Store Regent Street Apple Store

Leaving Is Hard To Do
The day of our departure was well planned, but we had no idea we would be running for four hours. We left for the train station and little late and had to run to the platform to catch the 6:09 train into Liverpool Street Station. It arrived without incident, and we moved onto phase two of the plan: getting from Liverpool Street Station to London Bridge Station. It is 1.5 miles between the stations and is a walk that can be done in about twenty minutes. Alternatively we could have taken the Tube and got there in a fraction of the time. Unfortunately the great equalizer was our luggage and neither of us wanted to subject ourselves to the torture that both options provided. As good as the Tube is, it is not very friendly to those that are disabled so even if we made it to the platform we would have to jam our luggage, and ourselves in the carriage.

We completed our trip in London by taking a new mode of transport: a cab. It may have been the more expensive option it was one that gave us peace of mind. We arrived at London Bridge Station in one piece and with time to spare before the next train. Our arrival to Gatwick Airport was simple and without incident, however we were not prepared for what awaited us in Gatwick Airport.

The line to check in at Thomas Cook/Canadian Affair was long. Like most things in England, they were efficient with queues and were able to check in in under thirty minutes. We are always afraid of going over on baggage weight, and we had good reason to be concerned this time because the few items we were bringing back had significant weight to them. Jenna was under by several kilograms, next up was my bag and it fluctuated on the scale before settling at exactly 20.0KG. The perfect pack, no more, no less, the bag was a thing of travelling beauty. The lady at Thomas Cook did not share our excitement, as if she sees perfectly packed luggage every day.

We could not admire the scene for long because we gave ourselves 2.5 hours at the airport and that allowance was being eaten into in a big way. There were public announcements about delays in security and we saw the line wrap around the Departure area so we gave up one line for another. An hour later we were through security and had an hour until our plane was going to leave, except we did not know which gate we were leaving from. Before we fly we like to sit, catch our breath, and explore the terminal. Instead we stood in front of the departures board (photo link) waiting for our Calgary flight to be assigned a gate number. Forty minutes before departure our gate number finally appears and it is at the other end of the terminal (with an estimated 20 minute walk to get there), so we pick up our carry on and walk briskly to the furthest gate.

We get to the gate with time to spare but have spent the last four hours running against the clock and at the end of a long marathon we collapse in our seats. We were both asleep on the plane before it reached cruising altitude and were settling in for our trip back to Canada…where I would have my luggage searched for the second time in nine hours, and this time it was all because of hot dogs in a can.

The trip recap concludes with the weekend we spent in Marseille.