Nice...should I begin...

I walk out there outside the door waiting for me is 2 Italian men and 1 Russian women, she's couchsurfing. We recognize each other Nety and I. He entered me a picture earlier so I could recognize him. I did he same but I know he wanted to see how I looked...of course. Do all introductions and begin to walk. We head toward the sea, Nety knows a place that has 5€ mojitos for happy hour.

Nice is clean and easily walkable especially since I don't have to think about where I'm going. Because I'm with a local but still doing the usual memorizing streets, landmarks, and just paying attention to everything around me to return to my hostel later. We walk, talk and get to know one another. I adapt easily,  Anna is quite, shy about her english. Nety talks a lot and I do as well, shocking right! I remember to slow down so they can understand what I'm saying.  Even if they don't they don't ask me to repeat myself, just node their head. 

 Admiring all the shops and restaurants along the way, noticing the people but they're different than I imagined. I imagine them to be much more fancy, stylish, beautiful but they seemed very normal.   I mean I've seen a few beautiful people, but nothing different than you have in america.

There's no breeze and it is warm, and I'm listening to everybody talk but more importantly I'm just staring in the direction of the water.  My mind is at ease my heart is happy. We drink and eat tapas.  It's clear from the beginning that I'm the drinker at the table. So I slow down.  Another lady comes, she a friend of theirs, also italian. They all work in Nice, industry people. The are explaining how they return to Italy on the weekends to be with their families. Which is a short 20 minute train ride.  The Italian girl expresses how much she dislikes France, she is only there for the money. She even goes back home to do her grocery shopping for her home in France. They're talking with their hands  like you imagine it a typical Italian would do,  with the accent stretched out at the end of each word like a typical italian would talk. I mock them because I like the way they sound not because I'm making fun of them.

The charcuterie and cheese board is almost identical to what we serve at my job. I'm waiting to be wowed by the food but so far that hasn't happened. After we finish we walk thru old town. It's different, cramped, everything is small. Very European, we head to a Gelato spot. An Italian guy owns it, Nety explains to me that's all natural.  We pass a busy crazy busy spot but Nety explains that they use artificial ingredients to get the flavors. I get coconut and cookies, yummmmmmm we sit there for a moment enjoying our gelato.  I'm exhausted from the day starting so early and ready to go back to my hostel....but we continue onto A rooftop bar. It's okay but there's no music so I made the assumption they are closing..we each have a drink...I choose champagne, while in Rome... I've already had 5 or so mojitos and feeling sober. We leave there pretty quickly 10 minutes. I am watching the bartender work...he's ok young kid. We head out, again walking down the street, but it's more quiet...we are headed to Nety place for home made lemoncello. 

I thinking to myself night cap? I just want to go but I don't want to be rude and I'm fine since Anna is there and she's couchsurfing with him. We get there, walk in the building, the elevator only fits the 3 of us. We get to his door, it has 4 locks. Deadbolts locks that turn 3 times...eeekkk. we walk in, it's hot. Everything is right there. The bed, kitchen table, closet...the bathroom and kitchen are a couple feet away, literally. I sit at the table and he pours Anna and I each one.  It's sour but good. It's about 2 ounces and I finish quickly because I want to go. Nety he wants me to stay so he brings out an aperitif. The smell made my head draw back, it was high in alcohol content but very smooth almost hazelnut flavor but not.  I have about 5 onces of that in a New York minute. About 15 minutes has passed since we walked in. Anna is sipping hers sitting on the floor, connected to WiFi and on her phone. I get up to say bye and leave. Nety insists on walking me to my hostel. So we go,  not before I ask for a liter of water.  I walk down the stairs so I don't have to be in a closed space with him. He's italian for god sake! Thank goodness my hostel is literally a 5 minute walk. We arrive do the kiss on each cheek thing, and he goes in for a hug, I pat him on the back and pushing him back, nicely but so he understands. I say good night and walk inside. I'm sure I rolled my eyes when I turned around and exhaled. 

So I'm back at my hostel curious who's in the room with me. I walk up the 6 flights of stairs, I enjoy it. I open the door and I see one guy on my left top bunk. There is a bag on the right bottom bunk where I was going to sleep. Dang it! Well top left it is.  

The Journey ...

What is the proper use of the "..." anyways my writer friends?

A very wise, much respected man and personal hero of mine once told me, "we do not own space here, we are only renting it out." That simple sentence changed my whole perspective on life in an instance.  I always listened to my Papa (grandpa), but this sentence made me want to know everything he learned in and about life. What he figured out and how do I get to the true happiness that we are all striving for? 

It's different for all of us.  Some want love, some fortune,  and others fame, but for those that get what they want, it some how seems not to be what they wanted after all. Now hear me out, don't go forming your opinions yet. I'm still searching and I believe that I will always search. There are those who settle and those to strive to be the best they can be. The world never stops evolving. Technology never stops upgrading. So why should we stop dreaming big, setting goals, reaching those goals and setting more? If I have nothing to strive for, nothing to gain in life, what's my purpose?

I crave knowledge, I desire passion, and I want all this life can give me with a clear understanding of how and why. At this point in time it's giving me adventure, new people, new culture, patience, understanding others and myself, and new experiences.   All those things create lasting memories. Papa also told me. "Things come and go, but memories last forever."  I absolutely take this message in full throttle.  I don't ever want to be in my rocking chair looking back on life thinking I should have. So my decisions in life, I don't regret. They are not always the best decisions but I do them for my own reasons, for my life and my journey. Every decision has a consequence my father once told me. I understand that and and am willing to deal with those consequences if needed. Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not saying my decisions are bad, well not all of them...KIDDING...I'm just saying.

More to Come...

I'm headed to Paris tomorrow and have a 5 hour trip so I will write...stay in touch my friends.

France...

It's 4 o'clock in the morning, waiting for a taxi to drive me to the center to meet my bla bla car driver..a carpool service one of my customers told me about..it's a 3 hour drive so I'm excited. ..

Hahaha, carpool went great. Super friendly guy, funny because I thought he was going to be a female. Anyway, at first he pulled up in a white van, the work type, no windows.  I'm sure you can imagine the expression on my face.  Especially when I thought  I was expecting a female in a car.  I was gonna sleep but at this point no chance.  Before I got in his car I asked his name... yep that was him, Sofine.  So I got into this van and start talking, I started asking a million questions.

He delivers a political newspaper 3x a week to Barcelona and back.  He was very friendly,  which gave me hope for the rest of the french people. However, he did warn me that they don't speak english, as my Sweden friend put it, "they are proud of their laanguge, so they don't think they need other languages." Ignorance is bliss, was my response. I thought to myself how bad could it be?

Before we arrived to Montpellier we stopped for coffee and a croissant, he paid which I thought was sweet. I wanted to pay because I didn't want to owe him anything, besides that he was driving me.  He was trying to help me figure out what to do since he was going away for weekend, and couldn't show me around his city. It was never in the plan, but became a desire for him. He started naming all these places he wanted to show me.

He seemed genuinely concerned, calling hotels for me, even offered to let me sleep at his place for a few hours...lol...sweet right? Total pass! He aasked if I wanted to go with him, away...for the weekend.... I also declined. We arrived at my drop spot.  He dropped me off towards the center. Told me just walk straight to the center. me the double cheek kiss and a hug and wish me luck on my journey.

So there I was standing in the middle of a street at 7am, strange place, nobody but me. I'm getting use to this feeling. Sometimes I feel lonely but not this type of lonely.  This isn't at sad lonely, it's just simply lonely. I begin walking, starring at the beauty of Montpellier. As I said before it's early so there are not many on the street except runners and people going to work. I forgot it was Friday.

I admired the style of the people, and everyone smells great. Not even the same, all different. So I'm walking, I think to take out my phone and start snapping away but not this time. This time I'm going to enjoy this place for me. It's romantic, clean, has a very... I want to fall in love feel to it. I notice people starring as I walk by, I have my back pack but they look confused. They can't figure out my nationality. It's okay I keep walking. It's now 11am, I've been walking for a while, I had to pee so bad I stopped to have an espresso just to use the bathroom. I mean if I'm  going to pay I mine as well get something out of it. Of yes you have to pay to use the public bathroom.  Usually ,50€ and since an espresso is only 1,50€ it just makes sense.

It's that time now. To decide do I stay or do I go? I admired the city, walked around for a few hours,  and now I'm back where I started. Took a look atthe map to see if there is anything else I want to see and decide that was a quick no. The train station is in the center so I go to find out my options for a train. It's summer so it's crowded and prices are high. Checked bla bla car and buses. I got declined  on both bla bla requests, I'm sure it's because I'm American. It's a french carpool system, although my first booking experience was great, the rest didn't follow.

At the train station I wait in line for a number. The lady hands me a ticket. I tell her I'd like to buy a ticket go to Nice. She says in english, no one speaks english. Ok. I give this almost blank look. How bad could it be? It didn't bother her at all, she didn't care what the hell I did. I'm waiting and they skip my number. I thought maybe I wasn't paying attention so I got another number. Again! So I go up to her and said you skipped my number. Freaking gives me another ticket. I throw away the previous one, the lady gets mad even though we can't understand each other it's clear she's upset. Really lady? I wait 10 seconds, my number is called. I go up I say, bonjerno, I'd like to buy a ticket to Nice. Its false  advertising that I even say Bonjerno.  This one, she looks at me upset. "No English", ok. I still need a ticket. So I say, "Nice? Ticket. Buy. Go."   she's looking up in the computer for the ticket, as she's doing that, the lady who was upset with me comes over and tells her angrily I threw away my previous ticket. So now the 1st ticket she was going to sell me for the train is no longer available. Okay at this point I'm practicing patience. Finally the next available ticket leaves in 3 hours. I tell her okay.  She looks at me like there's a chance I might say no? HELLO? Where am I going, unless you want to have a conversation with me? Book me the dang ticket. I'll buy it, I pay with 100€, now she smiles!  Is this lady for real? Finally I take my ticket and take a walk.  As a side note I did try and use the automated machine, yep didn't work.

I walk the city a little more. This time with a different type of attitude. I didn't want to think like that. I mean, when I come into contact with someone that doesn't speak english I try my hardest to communicate or get someone who can, so they feel comfortable. Nothing was in english they only spoke french not even spanish, the messages over the loud speaker at the station, the signs Nothing. I'm not going to generalize but in this strange case this was happening.  Eventually I come back to the train station, grab a water, everything chocolate and fall sleep for 30 minutes waiting for the train.

So here I am on the train headed to Marseille to transfer train to Nice. I was going to stop in Marseille  but Sofier told me it's no good. Thank god because when I got there it was the exact way I felt. It looked beautiful from the train window. The whole ride the countryside and sea was amazing, the people eh not so much. Made my connection and it's a completely jammed train. I booked a hostel for a night and found an Italian to host me in Nice from couchsurfing. I'll decide when I get there how long I'll stay. At this point I've been on the go and all I really want to do is layout for the next 3 weeks by the beach.

All this sight seeing is great but my gosh it's exhausting. I want to go to Paris to go but at the smell time I'm kind of over the cities. To go all the way north to head all the way south is pricey..I dunno. I'm going to just keep playing by feeling. 

 Nice is after all destination I wanted to see the most. I booked a hostile for tonight and I found 2 guys on couchsurfing that I can go out to eat with. I'm not sure if I'll go to Paris, the only reason to go there's take a picture of the Eiffel Tower ...okay maybe a little more...

I've arrived to Nice, I need to shower... 

Barcelona

wake up feeling good,  good sleep. Breakfast of Europeans lol...1 orange juice,  2 coffees, and toast with honey. No wonder these people are so skinny...

After i go to the reception desk and buy my city tour bus ticket,  I start to walk the direction of where he, the reception guy said was a couple blocks. Not before he chases me down. He put 3 persons instead of 1. So I patiently waited, 10 minuted later he brings me the right ticket. So i continue. Its cloudy outside so i picked the right day to complete this joueney.  I'm still walking...he lied. A couple blocks my ass, it was more like a mile. I didn't care about this distance but im looking for this stop and oh and i stubbed my toe...So now I'm bleeding like crazy. I start to laugh. Found it! Me and 2 itailians. Funniest part they are juat sitting there...no green headphones coming from their ears...ummmm dudes you're on a bus to tour the city...  smh..italians!!!!

Green, blue, red lines..."get on the bus lady"..in their accent. I've been on and off buses for 4.5 hours now. Can you imagine what you'd  miss by foot.?yikes. 

The weather has cleared so I'm going to change and head to the beach. 

Beach was great.fell asleep in the sand. Tiny speedos, tits out..everyone is just soaking up the sun. Sat on the rocks for a bit. Will get some rest..I am getting up at 2 am catch my carpool then France I go...

Thoughts...

As I walked to the bus stop this morning in Lagos at 6:30am, it was the still of the early morning that I love so much. The Segal's in the distance, the men preparing their shops for a new day, a lady in the grocery store getting her drawer ready for the shift she's about to start and the young man passed out on the side walk with his back pack on, shorts down and snoring. I couldn't help it but I took a picture. The police arrived shortly after so I'm curious what they will do.

I'm feeling great today. The boy at the hostel said "have a nice life", I usually say that to customers when I'm working. I thought to myself, "yes, I'm having an amazing life" after all why not! 

Off to Seville, Spain now should arrive around noon and then I'm not sure. 

  I arrive Seville, jump off the bus and start walking around the station and I am completely confused as to what to do. I'm wondering do I stand in line to buy ticket somewhere else for later, before walking around the city? At this point my cellphone is not working nor do I have a hostel so far. So I will be walking around with my backpack on, it's hot. I decided to use the WC prior to leaving the bus station, this lady held the door open for me and in Spanish told me I could use it without paying that was nice of her.

So I leave the bus station following this couple, she seem to know what they were doing,  they look like they're going on a bus, but what type and to where. Then the city tour bus came and I jumped on that that. Then I'm thinking that alright just drive around the next 3 hours to go to the AVE and jump on a train to Barcelona. After all it is all I kinda wanna do at this point is lay in the sun on a beach somewhere and relax.

So I get off the bus at the bus station that I originally got on the tour bus at.  I jumped in a cab and have him take me to the AVE station which is the high speed train, I get there and try to book a ticket to Barcelona. The man at the counter, kind of rude, but I don't let that bother me tells me there's no available trains till tomorrow at 2:50 p.m. So I try to get a Wi-Fi signal to get online and see what the next possible option is. I booked the ticket for Ryanair to go to Barcelona 2 hours before it takes off. So now i must get in another cab and have him take me to the airport. I get to the airport and have to pay additional fees because I could not print out my boarding pass It's within the 2 hrs to take off. Now I'm sitting at the airport waitinh to go to Barcelona for the next two nights.

I must admit the most difficult part of this trip is finding all the travel arrangements. Which I knew ahead of time its just it can be a little frustrating at times. Especially when my phones not working. But either way I'll figure it out.

Lisbon

Woozer.. Jorge is quite the tour guide. He arrived late 7:30 am but that was absolutely fine.  Once he picked me up it was non stop! Literally non STOP! I did not sleep on the plane, which is very unusual for me. Coming from New York with the time change I only had 2 hours of sleep since Saturday night. And well Jorge was a man on a mission with a very full agenda.  We went non stop from 7:30 am until 11:30pm, squeezing in every single adventure, castle, statues, history, and a multitude of beautiful city views.

Tomorrow I head to Lagos but not before squeezing in a few more things...now I'm going to relax, drink a glass or Porto and pass out. 

So Lisbon has faded into the distance, Lagos is beautiful. Small, very walkable and non intimidating for single travelers such as myself. I'm sure there is much more to this beautiful city however I will only stay the night. Tomorrow I will head to Seville, Spain at 7am. Still to be determines my next move after. 

Portugal Arrival...

Well, I had wrote a nice long post in the customs line and then I hit back arrow and poof gone. 

So lemme start again.  I just arrived in Portugal, I'm currently sitting at the Starbucks in the arrivals section at the airport waiting for Jorge.  Its 7am, and i left NY at 6pm. I slept for 2 hours on the 7 hour plane ride so tjia should be a loooonnnggg day. I just drank a liter of water I was so dehydrated. I know you want to know who Jorge is.  I found him on the coachsurfing website. I figured it would be cooler to have a local host me then a paid tour guide. Plus I'd save on time. I have mixed feelings on how this might go and it will determine the rest of my little planned trip.  Stay tuned👣

Take Off

Life has become so routine for the masses. It seems 24 hours is over the second we wake up. All day we keep to an invisible schedule. Knowing exactly how long it's going to take get ready, eat breakfast, drive to work, have lunch, run errands, workout... by the time we know it the day is gone and we have no idea what we accomplished because autopilot was on. Which brings me to this question, do we ever really live anymore?

I'm very excited about the next 4 weeks of my life.  To be able to slow down and really enjoy life the way its meant to be.  No better place to do just that than europe.  Having a slight idea of what to expect so I'm more calm and comfortable about this journey.   There's something about being solo that is so empowering. It gives me so much time to reflect, learn, and love.

The beginning was so long ago...

I only wish I had started this blog so long ago.  For many that know me I am universally a free spirt.  Photography is one of my many passions and in that I capture the uniquiness of people and situations.  Only if I could wear a 24 hour camera on my forehead, many would have a taste of my world...good or bad that is still to be determined.

As many of you know me I am a bartender in the city of Chicago.  I started to think why don't I start blogging, sharing my experiences, views and opinions with the masses.  So I have decided to  do that.  Since I'm not able to always have a camera on me at least my words, experiences, and stories will keep you entertained.