KELLY'S GONE AGAIN
…AND HERE'S WHERE I'M AT.Archive for Europe 2009
#59. St. Barthelemy: Heaven and Hell
There are some places where, as soon as you arrive, you might as well have walked straight through the pearly white gates. There are others where, even if only instinctively, you feel fire. St. Barth is both.
#52. Edinburgh: A Few Days During Festival
Here’s the short answer: Edinburgh was awesome. Quick and cool. Fun and fascinating. A perfect getaway.
Well, okay, the getaway part doesn’t really apply to me – seeing as how I’ve “gotten away” on a regular basis for the better part of this year – but the plan was that I’d make the trip with one of my best friends, Hannah, a new mum of a beautiful baby boy. At the end of the day, though, there were too many challenges, and I found myself in that familiar role on the road solo.
But I mean, really…there are worse things in life.
#51. Paris: My To-Do, -See, -Eat, -Buy List
Well, I’ve finally said goodbye to Paris and, oui, I do miss it a little. I’ll relive it here by sharing some memories with you in the form of a list, 20-deep of random things to do, see, taste, hear and buy, should you find yourself in the vicinity. For one reason or another, they helped make my summer pretty splendid. Take from it what you like and, of course, bon voyage!
#50. Brussels, Bruges & Ghent: 2000 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
Ooh, was I sleeping on Belgium. Brussels was my first trip in Europe as a kid (from my then-new home in Germany), and though I have fond memories, I really didn’t crave a return. I did, however, crave those waffles – the one thing that stood out after all those years. So after discovering that the train ride from Paris takes under 2 hours, I bought a ticket and was on my way.
#49. Lisbon: Getting Personal in Portugal
Lisboa was different, not what I imagined. I don’t know what I thought it’d be – more “European” perhaps, wealthier, for sure, maybe even a little conceited from its new-found travel fanfare. I guess I just figured that, like many recently-recognized tourist treats, I’d be hit with a posh shopping district and fusion restaurants.
Smiling, I stand corrected.
#48. Paris: Home Away From Home
Honestly, I’ve had a tough time thinking of what to write about Paris. It’s not that there isn’t overwhelming inspiration around, or that I haven’t enjoyed lots of memorable moments, but I’ve actually been living here. I have a physical address. Paris is somehow sexier when you’re Stateside, and seems pretty normal when you’ve set up shop. That said, I do have a few first impressions on the place that I call home while away from home.
Remember when I was spending my initial time in France along the Cote d’Azur, enjoying the picturesque ease of life near the sea? The scenery, perfectly placid and blissful, kinda’ hard to leave – I mean, you’ve seen the pictures.
But the instant I lugged my heavy suitcases down the steps of the Paris subway system… Read the rest of this entry »
#47. Cote d’Azur: Open Your Eyes
It’s time to move on, but not before looking back. Over the last 2 years, during which time my obsession with the South of France took root for no apparent reason, I’ve been curious to figure out what I would discover here. Certainly the answers will continue to reveal themselves to me after I’m gone, as is the case with most things in life, but some things are evident already.
I’ve learned a lot in a relatively short period of time, about my love for yoga teaching and improved travel skills, for instance, but the bigger answer might just be something I told a friend of mine once. Read the rest of this entry »
Sidebar: In case you had any doubts, I’m officially a Lost Girl
Hey everyone, ‘just a quick update on the KGA website’s place in the blogosphere. As I’ve been exploring this whole blogging thing (which, as you might remember from the very first post, I was “not crazy about” initially), I’ve found that one of the most fun and fantastic results is new friendships and collaborations. Case in point: not long ago, one of my dearest friends, Jenny, e-introduced me to a group of wonderful women whom I’d like to now e-introduce to you: The Lost Girls.
This trio, Holly, Amanda and Jen, are fellow travel buffs and all-around lovely ladies. So, when they asked me to be a guest blogger and contribute my thoughts on France to their “Dispatches from the Road” section, I couldn’t resist! Visit The Lost Girls World online over the next couple of weeks, and you’ll find my words on Cannes, Nice, St. Tropez and Monaco as guest blog features, each layered amongst other LGW blog entries reporting on worldwide wanderlust.
Man, I love this game.
#46. Cote d’Azur: The Sleepers (and Where I’ve Been Sleeping)
Amidst all of these travels to and from, you might wonder “well, where from exactly?” No worries, I’m certainly not packing up and moving on every couple of days; given that I had planned on staying in maybe 3 places throughout the entire summer, I did not bring the proper luggage for that.
No, instead I holed myself up in lovely little place named Carnoles, settled roughly in between Monaco and Menton, on the east part of the coast near the French-Italian border. I wish I could take credit for how I ended up here, say that I asked the right questions, did a lot of comparison shopping, etc., but I didn’t. I found this place on a last minute, impulsive whim, my requirements being only (i) low cost, and (ii) central location for day tripping. Not in my wildest dreams could I have predicted its perfection.
#45. Monaco: Husbanks, Have Nots and Try Hards
Monaco is one of those destinations you kind of have to go to when you’re in the South of France. Once you’re back home, everyone will ask you if you went, and if you come up with some lame excuse as to why you didn’t, get ready to feel even more lame every time someone new tells you what a mistake you made.
Not that they necessarily know first-hand; most people don’t. Monaco is in that relatively small group of exclusive destinations, primarily because it is – let me confirm any doubts – exorbitantly, fervently, seriously dripping with money. Super-fancy cars, tons of docked yachts, more Barclays than bus stops, a special Dior store just for kids… it feels a little like the whole place is sprinkled with gold dust.
#44. Menton: The Secret Garden
Dear Menton,
‘Just a quick note to express my appreciation for the present. Considering we’re sort of strangers, I was taken aback by you reading my cards so well and knowing just what I needed, but my genuine gratitude far outweighs my surprise.
When I quietly stumbled into your garden recently – into the neat array of layered leaves, highly-worshiped citrus trees and divine statues – all of the sudden, all I could think was this: that I wasn’t really so tired. My feet didn’t actually hurt that much. I could probably wait a little longer for dinner. I could definitely push aside all of my recent troubles for a while and make room for this.
Anyway, thanks. It is one of my most brilliant memories yet.
Kelly
#43. Cote d’Azur: The Usual Suspects, Part III
Note to Self:
“Self is no longer in New York City. Self is not riding subway.
Self doesn’t know where it’s going. Remove iPod and pay attention already.”
The plan was this: catch 6:54 a.m. train to Nice, depart Nice at 7:32, arrive in St. Raphael at 8:22, hop on the one St. Raphael morning ferry at 9:30, and be selecting leather sandals by 11 at St. Tropez’s famous Place de Lices market (only on Tuesdays and Saturdays, mind you), before it closed at 1 p.m. But you know what happened. You know I missed my train stop at St. Raphael.
