procrastinatress

This truly is a “tourist trap,” with the same ol’ t-shirts and knick-knacks you can buy at any other destination (customized, of course, but still…). However, I highly recommend going to where the fishing boats are docked, especially if you can make it there early in the morning. This won’t take long but if you are the daydreaming type it can be highly rewarding.

One other tip… unless you absolutely LOVE sourdough bread I’d recommend avoiding Boudin (the Sourdough Bakery & Cafe). Worst customer service I’ve had in a long long time and the bread wasn’t even all that great. Our chowders had nary a piece of seafood in them. Very disappointed, especially considering the prices.

Finally made it to San Francisco! I only got to stay for two days but I LOVE it there! SF is noisy, dirty, gritty, colorful, and full of life… also very European in a way. To me it seemed like a blend of Marseille, Berlin, and Prague. It has the “rough port city” appeal of Marseille, Berlin’s crazy people, and Prague’s adorable little shops and hidden spots. I enjoyed being able to get just about anywhere using public transportation… a big plus in my book and something I miss around here.

Also, don’t laugh but beggars around the world should be sent to workshops in San Francisco! Never have I been asked for money in such charming, creative ways. Yes, I gave money… and I wonder who got the better deal in those transactions.

Last but not least… I know this is going to sound weird but I’m grateful for the big quake in 1906 because it’s the reason much of San Francisco is built “turn of the century” style… which is what I love :o)

I’m hooked… can’t wait to go back!

... I’ll probably visit the cathedral while I’m in Cologne but the real reason I’d like to go is that I’d like to explore their Chocolate Museum! It’s built on a little “island” in the Rhine River, and designed to look like the bow of a ship from the outside. And inside (that’s the interesting part) they have a chocolate fountain designed to look like a cocoa bean tree. Well, an abstract one, anyway. I hear you can get little wafers to dip into the liquid chocolate… If that isn’t worth visiting then I don’t know what is!
http://www.schokoladenmuseum.de

I visited Salzburg on a tour through Austria. We went to Vienna first, then Graz, and from there to Salzburg. Salzburg felt very “German” and it’s one of the few places I’ve traveled where I didn’t feel welcome at all. Something very arrogant about the people there. I wouldn’t recommend it. Though I guess if you don’t mind feeling like an unwelcome guest you might enjoy the architectural and cultural highlights…

I had the very best vacation of my entire life in France (I backpacked from Lyon to Nice and back to Lyon via Marseille, with a few stops in between). Would love to do something similar again, ideally on my own (you meet more people if you’re traveling alone, and it’s easier to do something on a whim, the ability to do both of which was a reason I loved it there as much as I did). Also, there are a few other places I’d like to see, including Bordeaux and the Northwest.

Another beautiful place I’ve been to is the Auvergne, that gorgeous volcanic landscape dotted with little hamlets. It is THE place to go if you like to hike (you can get some very good hiking guides at the office du tourisme in Clermont-Ferrand and probably elsewhere, too). The hiking trails are VERY well maintained and offer some awesome views. I recommend going in the fall when it’s cool and you get that breathtaking fall foliage (think New England, with a few castle ruins in between). Also, if you like cheese (or even if you don’t, particularly) you should plan to visit St. Nectaire, an old village in the mountains where you can buy yummy, strongly flavored St. Nectaire cheese and go for a stroll through old alleys.

Great, now I REALLY want to go back :o)

Lyon is one of the greatest cities I have ever visited, it is utterly beautiful and charming, and a great place to just stroll until your legs can’t carry you any longer. Le Vieux Lyon (Old Town) with its beautiful buildings and little shops is a great place to spend all day and then ask yourself, is it really time for dinner already? Check out the traboules, narrow covered alleyways / passages that run inside buildings from one street or square to another. The traboules were used to transport silk without risking getting it wet in the rain. It’s fun to enter one of the traboules without a clue as to what’s on the other side, and in between—don’t forget to look up from time to time, there are some fascinating views to be had! The picture above shows la Tour Rose (the Rose Tower), which is inside a traboule courtyard. It’s a hotel by the way, for those of you who have lots of money to spend on accomodations. Below is a photo of a traboule.

To backpackers and other not-so-affluent travelers I highly recommend the Auberge de Jeunesse du Vieux Lyon, it is a neat orangey-red building on a hill overlooking the city (right above Old Town) and the view is breathtaking—as is the ascent, by the way, especially with a heavy backpack and in the summer! The AJ is quite affordable and nicely furnished. They have a great breakfast room, too, and in the summer you can eat outside. If you need to call someone there’s a phone booth right up the hill :o)

When I went to Lyon the new auberge had just opened about a week ago and I stumbled upon it by accident (that is, because they kicked me out of the old auberge in Venissieux, which is an ugly building situated at the edge of town in the middle of an industrial zone, and is very hard to reach by public transport). So I guess I was lucky, because the new auberge was still brand-new and pretty empty. These days it would probably be best to make a reservation, as I’m sure everyone traveling to Lyon has heard about it by now. By the way, the terms “old” and “new” auberge may be confusing, as the “old” auberge (which has been around longer) is really in a “newer” (concrete) building, whereas the “new” auberge is in an “old” / historic building.

The building towering over the AJ is La Fourviere (or, to use its accurate name, la Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere). It’s a beautiful church but the real reason people go up there (I think) is the gorgeous view you have from the hill it sits on. There’s a visitor’s platform with the usual souvenir stands and lots of opportunities to get an awesome picture of the city, either by taking it yourself or by buying a postcard. For maximum aaaaah effect and minimum effort I recommend taking the “funiculaire” up from Vieux Lyon (the view of Fourviere is great when you step out of the station), and walking back down through the picturesque park connecting La Fourviere and the city below. Don’t forget to look up from time to time so you don’t miss out on the fabulous views of La Fourviere above.

By the way, rumor has it that those spire thingies on top of the Fourviere towers were installed by France Telecom to cover up their antennas; the company supposedly paid well to have their antenna placed on the highest spot in town, and the proceeds were used to restore La Fourviere. I haven’t been able to verify this story but could well imagine it being true.

While you’re in Vieux Lyon, don’t forget to do some shopping; you can find beautifully painted silk scarves, wooden puppets, and all kinds of crafts products. If you have lots of money to spend, there are more art galleries and boutiques than you can possibly explore (both in Old Town and elsewhere). Also, somewhere in Old Town there’s a really cute flower/plant store which is worth seeing (I hope it’s still there). Well, and last but not least there’s food, great food, all over the place so just let your nose guide you.

While you are walking about town keep your eyes open so you don’t miss out on the great trompe-l’-oeils (murals painted to look deceivingly like real facades). Here’s an image for ya: