Sunday, January 29, 2006

Petit tour de L'Europe

This week I had to go to Paris and Basel, Switzerland and I promised Zee to take a few pictures of his birthland. The flight was delayed, I arrived at 20.00h in Basel, walked around for an hour (in minus seven degrees Celcius) but found absolutely nothing of interest. Next day I was told that they put me on the wrong side of the Rhine Valley..

I really don't enjoy flying in these small planes. They fly lower altitudes than regular planes and are more turbulent. I once experienced an airpocket where the plane fell for about a kilometer..

I ordered a cup of tea in Cafe Alexander where I was kinda overdressed compared to the pimps and vagabonds that had Alexander as their conference room.


Opposite my hotel room there was this beautiful little stripclub where drunk men argued all night long. It was impossible to get some sleep. So I blogged until the battery of my laptop gave up on me.

Next morning I was told that my secretary arranged a hotel in the Basel Messe area which can be compared to our Amsterdam red light district. Wonderful..

The Swiss clouds on the way back made me forget everything immediately. They looked like you could walk on them. Aren't they beautiful?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh Dimitri, you make me crave so desperately to travel again. I love to fly; I love seeing other places, people, cultures. Paris I think I love most of allI never liked to stay in the plastic Hiltons, but preferred those quaint little establishments along the left bank.When Husband was with me I had to stay in the better hotels (business, you know) but when I escaped by myself - off to the left bank! Sidewalk cafes, watching humanity pass by, the mimes and singers. I still have framed posters from the Musee Gustave Moreau hanging in my bedroom. Controversial artist in some ways but I liked his work.There was a marvelous little shop near the river where I found an antique jug from Persia. Husband avowed it was ugly but I like it.
Geneve was the cleanest city I ever saw but Husband said that the Netherlands were clean and beautiful too. I did not have the opportunity to travel there with him. I found the banks in Geneve rather intimidating. Such amazing security.
Lucky you, to be able to travel, but when it's so much business perhaps it isn't quite as much fun.

Unknown said...

And yes, the clouds are lovely. Sometimes they look like marshmallow mountains, or great puffy mounded pillows.

LesleyinNM said...

Switzerland is so beautiful! Lucky you!
I don't like those little planes either. Then again, I don't really like planes at all.

Vee said...

(lol) an interesting trip Dimitri? Are you sure they put u on the wrong side? hehehe
Clouds are gorgeous!

Kathleen Callon said...

Yes they are, and I'm jealous of your travels.

JBlue said...

Those clouds are amazing.

Anonymous said...

I love that above the clouds feeling too.

When I was parachuting it was so wonderful to free fall through clouds, so quiet and still then falling right through them with the ground much closer Aaargh!:>)

Anonymous said...

Don't know why that came through as anonymouse!

Sorry Dimitri it's Mother D.

OT there's a Chocolate laughing Budha on the Chocolate deities site

http://www.chocolatedeities.com/deity.php?deity=buddha

DA said...

Touring around Europe is indeed the best part of my job Worried. Paris and Geneva are great. Barcelona is my favourite though..

I gues you prefer 747 "upperdeck seats" as well Lesley..

I am sure it was some kind of mistake as my secretary isn't all that funny Vee:-)

Thx Kathleen and Julian..

Parachuting Mother D? You get me more curious every time..Btw that looks like one big fat delicious Buddha

Anonymous said...

Chuckle Dimitri don't be too impressed I am very bad at it!

Believe me jumping out of aeroplanes several thousand feet up doesn't suit me at all ;>)