Without further adieu

It all ended in Paris.

I arrived, they surrendered.

OK, I think I managed to go my entire trip w/o making a surrender joke. I couldn't wait any longer. So there.

Mainly due to Orsay, Louvre and Rodin, I took more pics in Paris than any other city. Included here are a couple hundred of the 750-plus I snapped. Just about every building in that city has a grand feel and presence, making it hard not to just constantly take random shots.

Oh, and there was this tower of which I took a few pics, too. Again, the pics from Paris are right here. User: ysports@mailinator.com -- pass: jeremystone. Enjoy.

One of my favorite (of my many favorites) Rodin sculptures can be seen below in a 360-degree video walkaround.



And here's a brief vid of the lovely Eiffel Tower doing it's hourly nightly light-up.



And finally, the pep band...



Possibly more videos to come. Possibly. But that's pretty much it for the pics.

I'd dub Lynn a hitter

People ask what the highlight of this trip was.

Hard not to say Dublin.

It wasn't even so much a touristy experience as it was about the music, friendly folk and cider. And a nice break from the continent, too.

So enjoy some pics of my all too brief stay in Ireland, along with several videos below. Included are two of the musical pub crawl, one of Jess Klein and one of this funky art-type thingy (there also was a female version).

Again, Dublin pics are here, snapfish username is ysports@mailinator.com and password is jeremystone, and the videos are below. And you are welcome for all this completely unnecessary explanation.

Can't get that at Starbucks

Ah, the space cake. If only they hadn't run out of vanilla shakes.

Here one can find some pics from Amsterdam. And they aren't as, well, juicy as one might expect. Bad things happen to people who take pictures of window (un)dressings, so y'all will have to settle for streets and alleyways that really did have red lights, though they didn't come out all that well in the pictures.

And as a reminder, snapfish username: ysports@mailinator.com -- password: jeremystone

I cut my leg yesterday. I have no idea how. Don't remember doing it. But it clearly was bleeding. Not the first time I've found some random bloody cut on me recently. My sister says she doesn't like that, that I shouldn't do that anymore. She's been telling us what to do since toddlerhood, so I'd better listen ...

Just thought I'd share. Again, the new pics are here.

Also, enjoy these terribly compelling clips. First was supposed to be a still shot; didn't realize vid setting was on. Second is, well, Dutch softball. As for my comment to the camera at the end ... for those who get it, ha! For the 96 percent of you who won't, let's just say it has to do with ColecoVision.

Ich bin ein Baum!

After Venice came Berlin.

I don't only mean on my trip, but rather in the universal scheme of things. Or evolutionary. Alphabetically, if you loop back around? I don't know. I'm tired. Anyway...

Photos of and from the Berlin portion of my adventure can be found here. And again, if you don't want to sign up for Snapfish, use the following...
user: ysports@mailinator.com -- pass: jeremystone

I didn't get very descriptive with these captions, so any wonderings on images, let's hear 'em.

Again, Berlin pics are here. See previous couple blog entries for Italy pics. And in case you are wondering/had forgotten, Berlin included a trip to the zoo. Hence the pic you see here. What, you wanted the Berlin Wall or something? Sheesh. For that you'll have to click on through.

Meanwhile, the video below is of the Fallen Leaves portion of the Jewish Museum. And yes, you're supposed to walk in/on the exhibit. I think it actually somewhat captures the solemn, haunting solitude you might experience in person.

You know, if you were there. In person. Ya dig?



And here's just a small snippet of the wacky parade that lasted something like 326 hours.

No drapes to be found

Another day, another set of pics.

And as you might guess, this set is of Venice, which was my final stop in Italy. The pics can be seen here. I did a couple of touristy/cultural-type things in Venice -- but being there only two days, I spend most of my time just exploring and taking it all in. Which was time very well spent.

And some of the pics, if I may be so bold (awful ... just awful), came out quite nifty. That's right, I went with nifty. Can't fall back on groovy all the time.

DON'T WANT TO SIGN UP FOR SNAPFISH? Shame shame. Use this logon ... user: ysports@mailinator.com
pass: jeremystone

(My god, blinking text is annoying.)

Still to come: Berlin, Amsterdam, Dublin and Paris. And more random videos. Below are two -- one of more animals in Berlin ...



... and one of some odd fashion show-type thing in Venice with kids a bit too young to be fashioning.

Back, back, back, back in the U.S. ... A.

Many of you have been asking, in person, for more details about the trip. I've got a few, maybe, but most of it was in the blog! Sorry to disappoint ... I'll try to think of some more stuff.

In the meantime, I'm finally uploading some photos. The one above, somewhat appropriately, was the sunset at JFK that greeted me upon my return to the States. Follow the link for the first batch of photos, which basically includes some wacky stuff: odd signs and pictures of food. Exciting, I know, but it's a start.

I took lots of pics. This could take a while. Oh, and Snapfish makes you sign up. Sorry. Deal with it.

Also just uploaded: some pics from Rome and some pics from Assisi.

The first photo link (MISC). Again.

And the second one (Rome). Again.

And the third one (Assisi). Again.

Oh, and Tony Stewart just wrecked at Dover. Poor Tony. Ha.

In the meantime, enjoy this random vid from the Berlin Zoo...

And on that note ...

Well, the strike hasn't seemed to impact the metro much, as I made it to the monument where the Bastille once stood (I would have stormed it, but it's in the middle of a busy traffic circle with no crosswalks) and then back to Musee Rodin without a hitch (though I may have limped slightly).

Rodin is a different experience when nobody is rioting. I spoke to a couple of the museum workers who were there yesterday. They said they basically were stuck inside the museum all day, and that protestors were tossing firecracker-like explosives into the garden where many of Rodin's sculptures stand (or sit and think, as it may be).

But aside from one floor of the place being closed, no big problems today. Much of Rodin's work is fascinating. He was a master at capturing angst and emotion, and beauty (and I'm told he wasn't too nice a dude). I'm really not sure why this place is relatively downplayed in some guides. It's not a massively overwhelming or entrancing experience like the Louvre or Orsay, but nonetheless plenty worthy.

Some of the sculptures are impressively complicated -- especially one of several city founders being marched to the scaffold. The Thinker overlooks the place while the unfinished Gates of Hell (which, according to several historians, lead to Gary, Ind.) stand almost in his gaze.

There were many other notables, including The Kiss, the two hands and Victor Hugo. Good stuff. I'm in.

After Rodin I headed up to the Gare St. Lazare area to meet Julien for lunch. Then it's back to Pont du Noo-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, some souvenir shops somewhere and then the airport.

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Fast forward.... Good lunch, souvenirs surprisingly hard to find, ended up running a bit behind sked, bus to airport running way behind because of strike, shared cab with two other people (didn't this already happen in Venice?) and got there in plenty of time partly b/c my flight time was 50 minutes later than I thought.

On the plane now. Seems like a good time for ...

RANDOM STUFF:
*Woman on the street the other day said, "excuse me."

I said, "yes?"

After hearing me speak, she said, "I'm sorry, you are not French?"

No, but don't be sorry about that.

*Good exchange I didn't witness:
Some chick: "I don't drink white wine, only red. I'm a wine snob."

LN: "That doesn't make you a snob. That makes you stupid."

*Almost dream moment in Dublin:
Guy at club: "Are you playing tonight" before Jess Klein?

Me: "Only if you need me. Just hand me a guitar and I'll be ready to go."

Guy: (laughs) "Ok, we just might."

They didn't. Damn.

*FUN FACT: I actually watched the Champion's League final last night. And got into it. Sorry, Lago -- though y'all could have been down 3-0 in that one.

*By the way, there's been more MSFT-YHOO merger/partnership talk. From an insider's perspective, here's the real scoop:

THIS CONTENT HAS BEEN REMOVED AND MAY NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE REPOSTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING IN THIS MATTER. court order aqsm4u2c-ilkt2000.

*Summing me up:
Me: Laughing at something.

KW: "Are you amusing yourself?"

Me: "Usually."

*This morning at a street market I found giant gummy bears. Yes, I'm lowercasing this time because they were awful. The ones in Germany, however, were the real deal. And pretty much just like in U.S. (in Haribo I trust).

*Cabbie wisdom:
(talking about American views of French folk, and vice-versa)

"Americans from New York are good. From California? Good. But not from places like ... Dallas."

And his thoughts on Paris St. Germain, the local football club?

"A catastrophe. Catastrophe."

Then he asked me which American football (soccer) team is best. I only vaguely remember what I told him because really, who the hell knows? (Sorry Revs and Dynamo ...).

OK, as for my three-week tour ...

Maybe later I'll have some final thoughts to tie this all together (like admitting that I already am pondering another Eurotrip). And I'll post some photos here and/or on Snapfish. But for now...

Thanks to all those who followed along here, commented and emailed, and to everyone who hosted me (David&MJ, and Kathryn) and guided me around these (not terribly) strange places (including old friends I saw and new ones I found) and to those who gave/lent me useful advice stuff. Advice and stuff are good.

Also to all family, friends, coworkers and other miscellaneous mammals who encouraged me to take this trip and didn't call me crazy (at least not because of this). And, of course, to dad for picking me up from airport ... Though I suppose I should wait to see if he actually decides to get me.

Also, thanks to the groovy folks I met throughout the trip (but not the un-groovy ones) for making it more memorable. Good times, good times. And nice job, All-Stars, in surviving three weeks and not quite crippling me.

It goes without saying, but thank you Jess Klein and the Republic of Ireland. Now go kick Wales' ass.

Oh, and Mr. Sarkozy -- that's OK, you can pick up lunch next time.

And with that...

Au revoir, Paris. Ciao, Europa.

Grazie.