Happy New Year to everyone.
Yah, even that kid that used to kick my ass at lunch time just for fun. I met him later in life and I'd love to say he didn't look so bad anymore, but he actually looked worse. Just one tough guy.
Some more of my European knowledge nuggets.
- No matter how hard you try to avoid hitting people in the malls you fail. Even picking a corner tucked far away from everyone still got me bumped a few times. Oh, there are no seats in the malls, hence trying to rest while standing. It seems like people navigate by bumping...
- Here in Switzerland lights go red, then yellow, then green. I have no license for that stuff??
- Also, about the lights, your light is strategically planted before the entrance to the intersection only. This means if you nudge too far forward you pass you light, and have no idea when you can go. Also, makes trying to predict the light switching extremely hard on a cyclist. I've had to learn a whole new basket of tricks.
- If you want to feel like 5' 10" is a giant then travel to Spain. The majority of the men are short and mostly look like either boxers or wrestlers. Maybe it was our hunt for cheap accommodations that created this view.
- They have multi-level grocery stores! I got about half-way through the groceries and couldn't find the nuts, cereal, milk, etc. I saw the escalator but immediately thought it was up to the rest of the mall. When I scoured the store again for the missing items with no luck I took a closer look and realized people were going up there with the shopping carts. I thought the carts were being held level by the owners but when I got there I realized there was a separate escalators for the carts. You and your balanced cart travel side-by-side up or down the escalators. I'll try to get a picture next time. Words can't describe how cool this looks.
- Rooms with a kitchenette in Spain seemed to always have a few handy things in the fridge. A bottle of wine, an energy drink, and a Beer! The first time I thought it was left behind by the privious renter, so immediately drank the Beer in fear they might return to collect. Then when we got our 2
nd room we had the same.
Opps... Just in case we were following an absent-minded renter, I again quickly drank the beer. ;)
- They have a "Cheers" bar in Spain?? A perfect model with the Indian, and a porcelain Norm with a beer in hand and all.
- Europeans love small dogs more than Americans
- Going into underground parking with anything bigger than a Geo Metro will cost you a lot of time shifting through your gears trying to stop from scrapping up your car.
All for now. Lets all make 2008 one to remember and cherish forever!
Well, I have been threatening to post some pictures from my rowing single on Lake Geneva and here they are. I have been rowing the last few days and it is quite mesmerizing with the Alps lingering all around the lake.
