Museums Gratis

You know what is nice? Updated, informative and interesting museums that are free. That's right in a city where a cup of drip coffee is 5 dollars, some of the best museums are free.

While in Copenhagen we visited two stunning museums, the Post and Telephone museum (my favorite) and the National Museum of Denmark. 

Post and Telephone Museum 

Exterior of the Post and Tele Museum

This museum is not listed in the Rick Steve's Denmark snapshot. I am starting to think him and I have very different interests in tourist attractions. He is great about art and history museums but seems to have little interest in science or just unusual cool things. I read about this museum on the visit Copenhagen website. I saw that it was free and located in a cool neighborhood. I expected it to be a small kitchy museum full of random telephones but instead was amazed to find it was a large updated museum that talks extensively about the history of the Danish post office.

Copenhagen: a city of Awesome

Copenhagen was never before on my travel radar. If not for my work having me fly back through there, I never would have experience the wonderful culture charm of this beautiful city.

The only way for me to fly home from Greenland was to go to Copenhagen. Greenland and Denmark are both countries in the Kingdom of Denmark (whatever that means). Doing a little research before I left, Copenhagen sort of reminded me of Seattle. The cities are about the same size, around the same latitude, have similar weather, recycle, value culture and are both broken up by lots of water (Copenhagen is on an island). So naturally I extended my layover to about a week and turned it into a vacation.

Copenhagen is a wonderful mix of old and new. Despite having been a city since medieval times, most of the buildings were built in the 1700s after a massive fire destroyed over 50% of the medieval city. Afterwards the King decreed that all building must be made out of brick. So most of the city is old (but not super old) brick buildings and then interspersed are sleek modern buildings indicative of Danish design. 

Hello Ice Sheet

While in Greenland, I touched the side of the ice sheet, I flew over the ice sheet, I stood across a crumbled ice ramp from the ice sheet but on my last day in Kangerlussuaq, I finally got to walk on it. We drove that bumpy dirt road all the way to the end. The road ends at the side of the ice. We hiked up a well traveled path with other scientists from KISS onto the ice. Normally this time of year the ice sheet would be a thin layer of dirt and gravel over ice cut with small flowing streams. But recent snow left the ice sheet blanketed in a winter wonderland.

Aerial view of the Ice Sheet

A top the ice sheet

Helicopters and Quick Sand

"I have never landed on sand before so you will have to tell where looks best"

On a crisp sunny Sunday morning we met our Norwegian helicopter pilot on the landing pad. There are no helicopters stationed in Kangerlussuaq except a massive search and rescue vessel.

Search and Rescue Helicopter in Hanger

We had four potential stops picked out. The principle investigators (PIs) had scoured google earth looking for sub glacial drainage sites and found 4 candidates (one heavily researched by another team). Our pilot was new to flying in Greenland, his first summer. Because there is no helicopter in Kangerlussuaq he had to fly a B12 from Nuuk. The B12 is a much smaller helicopter than the Huey used in Thule. And in the Air Greenland colors it looks almost like a lady bug. With only 3 of us traveling this time, I got both a window seat and a headset! So it felt like a real helicopter mission. 

Kangerlussuaq: A whole new Greenland

Quick geography lesson. Thule is almost at the top of the globe. It is 750 miles North of the arctic circle. It is latitude 76 degrees. There is only one city in the world with more people further North and that is in Svalbard. Kangerlussuaq however is right on the arctic circle around latitude 67 degrees and is inland as opposed to on the coast. There is a large sound that connects the town to the ocean.

Totally stolen from mappery.com

While in Thule, I was technically still in the US. Being on a military base is still considered the United States. They didn't stamp my passport until I boarded the plane for Kangerlussuaq. And so most of the people in Thule are Danish or American. The prices for food, goods and postage are all heavily subsidized. 

Greenland however is expensive.

Thule by Helicopter

I had never ridden in a helicopter before. But I am a big fan of roller coasters, I am not afraid of heights and I love to try new things. So of course, I was super excited to go.

We arrived to the Air Greenland hanger on Thule Air Force base with 4 people and a truck load of equipment at 9am. Our plan was to collect two river samples and an ice sample and if possible land on the ice sheet. It was a large helicopter a "Huey", the same helicopters used in Vietnam. It could seat about 9 people not counting the crew  and carry cargo. Weather is always an issue for flying and in Greenland the weather can be fierce but we got a nearly perfect day. Partly cloudy and not so much wind. 

Strong winds, Cabin Fever, and the Long Hike

Strong Winds

Friday couldn't be more perfect but Saturday, Saturday was a windy day. When we left base in the morning the skies were clear and it was a bit breezy. We were headed out for our longest hike of the trip, a treacherous 3 mile hike (6 miles round trip) up and down large mounds of rocks to the edge of the glacier. However as we approached the ice sheet, the winds became stronger and stronger. By the time we got out of the car it seemed like perhaps we were the only thing holding the car down. This particular hike would require you to walk directly into the wind. That clearly wasn't going to happen so we drove to another location to sample for the day. This locations was not too far away and the hike was only 30-40 minutes in to the sight walking along the glacier edge.

Edge of said Glacier outside of Thule AFB, Greenland August 24, 2013

Sunny and off the grid in Greenland

The first day in Greenland was rainy and then snowy and then sunny. Of course by the time the sun came out it was 11pm and I really wasn't in the mood for sunny weather. Thankfully the sun decided to stay out all day. We decided to take a trip to one of the data loggers in the field. This particular sight was once located just off a road that lead to the Ice Caves. In recent years, global warming has left the ice caves in less than impressive state and the military is no longer interested in maintaining the road. Our research contact here in Thule said we could go but just know that if the truck got stuck we would be on our own, the military would not come save us.

Greenland: The adventure begins

You're on a noisy, crowded Southwest flight to Baltimore. Children are crying, people are complaining they can't sit together and for some reason you stop in Salt Lake City, just because. You end up in Baltimore, get your luggage and cross the entire airport to a solitary wing on the far side. The interior is new, crisp, with white metal framing and an all glass ceiling. It is 9pm and all the check in counters are empty but one. The only flight on the monitor leaves at 2:20am.

Restaurants in Nice

Honestly we have not had almost no bad meals in Nice. Our one bad experience was a cafe across from the Palais Justice that was so slow we almost left. Otherwise the meals were great. But here are the best (Papayou, La Baie d'Almafi, Farvola, King Kebap, Chez Mirabella, Voyageur Nissart, and La Voglia)

Papayou
date visited: August 12, 2013 dinner
location: Old town Nice

Mondays in Nice are a lot like Sundays, many places are closed. This was our last night in Nice and we wanted to go out for a good meal but all of our first choices (about 10 places) were either closed on Mondays or were on August holiday. So we ended up wandering around old town Nice at night looking for a place. We passed by this place a few times in our wandering, it looked good, it was busy and I vaguely remembered it having good reviews on trip advisor. However it wasn't until we saw the menu that I realized they served Thai food and traditional Nice dishes. 

Villefranche-sur-Mer and other stories

As promised I wanted to give our day at the beach full attention and then talk about our other adventures in Nice including a hike to the neighboring town of Villefranche-sur-mer which means tax-free city on the sea.

The Mediterranean:

Dipping your toes into the warm clear water, the color a vibrant aqua. It is easy to see how this part of the world is known as the Cote D'Azur. Because the color of the water is so distinct and azure is the perfect color to describe it. 

Rick Steves and the couple we met in Paris  warned us that the beaches in Nice are rocky. Now living in the Pacific Northwest I just assumed they meant rocky. Instead the beaches contain no sand, as a budding geologist I feel compelled to go off on a tiny tangent about the definition of sand. Sand is sand because of the size of the grains. All minerals can be classified based on size ranging from silt to boulders and each has a specific size in mm. Sand is between 1/16mm and 2mm in diameter and can be made up of a variety of substances. Usually it is made up of quartz. But as I said, there is no sand on the beaches instead they are covered in what geologists would classify as pebbles and cobbles. Smooth rounded stones of varying size. And from being a huge nerd sitting under an umbrella staring at these rocks they also seem to have varying composition. Most were sedimentary but I did see a few granitic rocks as well. I am particularly curious what geologic phenomena creates a beach like this, I have some ideas but I have not looked into this more thoroughly. 

Our first few days in Nice

Nice is nothing like Paris except of course that most people speak French. Although many also speak Italian.

And this makes sense, Nice has spent much of its history independent from France. In fact it only became part of France after the revolution and it was decided by a vote.

The train from Paris to Nice is a scenic journey. The majority of the distance is covered by high speed travel in the first 2 hours. However once along the coast the train slows down and makes probably 5 stops before arriving in Nice. The last 3 hours of the ride are truly breathtaking views of cliffside villages overlooking the Sea. The train was comfortable, had a cafe car and honestly didn't feel that long. 

Things I have noticed about Paris

1. Most of the city parks do not allow dogs. Most city parks also keep their grassy areas behind tiny fences to keep people from walking, sitting or lounging on it. In all our time in Paris we only saw grass you could sit on at Versailles, at the Eiffel Tour and in front of Les Invalides despite passing at least 20 city parks.

2. I can see why the people of France revolted. Everywhere you go there is some palace or garden for nobility only. Most were built in the 1600s and no doubt contributed to bankrupting the monarchy. 

3. The green walk signs at crosswalks are more like an advisory as people will still try to mow you down. 

4. Brunch in Paris is from 11-4. More like an extended lunch. 

5. Historic markers in Paris typically involve buildings built before 1600 or are related to the French Revolution 

6. There is a cheese shop every few blocks but all seem to be closed when looking for one. 

Restaurants in Paris

This post is all about the best restaurants we visited while in Paris. Consider it a recommendation list or just something to wet the appetite. We were able to visit all of these places without reservations and during the holiday when many restaurants are closed. Restaurants described: Restaurant FL, Cafe Strada, La Cordonnerie, L'as du Falafel, Le 404 and L'Ange 20.

Restaurant FL

Location: Near the Eiffel Tour
Date visited: August 3rd 2013 dinner

This unique modern french restaurant came to our attention via trip advisor. The chef is young and the cuisine is not served in a traditional way. Like many delicious restaurants in Paris, the dining room seats about 30 in very close quarters. They pull the tables out so you can slide in. These intimate venues practically guarantee that you will end up sharing a few words or more with your neighbors.The decor of this small restaurant was also quite unusual, the walls on one side of restaurant had cut-outs to display objects. Mostly wine bottles and a cardboard cutout of a cheeseburger that was positioned behind bars. The other wall had a large graphic painted on it of a sculpture made out of utensils. The dishes are modern takes on classic Southwest French cuisine. They make their own foie gras.

The Louvre

It has been 3 days since we went to the Louvre and I still feel like there is little I could say that would truly do it justice. At the end of this post is a mini photo tour of the weird and wonderful pieces and rooms of the Louvre.

Our time in Paris can really be divided into 3 main categories walking around, eating and art museums.

Of the three art museums we visited (Louvre, D'Orsay and the Centre Pompidou) I felt like I connected most to the art at the D'Orsay. There were a lot of very memorable pieces and the building is beautiful however just being inside the Louvre is an experience. We went on Friday when the Louvre is open for almost 13 hours 9am-9:45pm and collectively we spent around 10 hours looking at art (we took a break to get lunch and another to get a snack). 

Tips for dining in Paris

Eating is one of the highlights of any good trip. This post will include tips for dining and the next post will include a list of restaurants we have tried.

Tips for dining in Paris:

1. Plan ahead. 

Sean and I are spoiled living in Seattle where the quality of food is high even in mid or low range options. If you want a good meal in Paris, check reviews on trip advisor (they have a website, a phone app and a downloadable guide for major cities like Paris for your phone that does not need Internet access). You can also cross reference on yelp but trip advisor is more commonly used. 

2. If you are not in the mood or unwilling to pay 20 Euro a person for a good meal, go to a food stand. 

There are many inexpensive quick options in Paris. Falaffel, Lebanese food, Chinese, sandwiches, etc. Some of them are out of this world good. I had a falafel sandwich in Le Marais that took the cake (read all about it in the next post). But if they are not the greatest it was a small investment and you are still fed. 

Versailles: like Disneyland but no fun

We did everything the guidebook said. We bought tickets ahead of time online and we woke up early but somehow we were still unprepared for Versailles.

Short version: expensive, long lines, screaming kids and just not as impressive as the Louvre 

Long version:  

Musee D'Orsay and Searching for fish

The Rick Steve's guide advised against it but we went to the Musee D'Orsay on a Tuesday (the one day a week the Louvre is closed). Since photographs are not allowed to be taken anywhere from within the museum, links to photographs taken by others are provided.

The line to get in was long and the 5th floor Impressionst gallery was packed but we still had a good time. The museum dedicated to 19th century artists is located in a grand historic train station. Walking in the impressive curved ceiling located 5 stories above is a site to behold. 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Musee_d_Orsay_gr.jpg

We decided to head to the 5th floor first which even at 10am was already quite crowded. The temporary exhibit on this floor showed a private collection of French art owned by American millionaire Spencer Hayes. We tried to figure out how he acquired his welts but the man has no Wikipedia page. His company which dates back to the early 1900s seems to train college students to sell encyclopedias door to door. His art collection is impressive although photographs of his Nashville home and New York City apartment do not show the same taste. 

Moroccan and Chinese food in Paris

After several busy days filled with many many kilometers of walking and staring at galleries, we decided to take the day off. We spent Monday in our quiet neighborhood.

We started the day off with what we thought was an easy French request...cheese. We were in search of a fromagerie and passed several that were closed. What started as a simple morning walk turned into a full on quest. After walking all over Le Marais it became apparent that much like the fish market in Paris that is only open on Tuesday and Saturday, even in France there is a time and place for cheese. 

Not one to come home empty handed we stopped at a local boutique natural food store (think Whole Food's tiny French baby cousin) with a cheese counter and ordered some Brie, Roquefort, and chèvre. Roquefort is a blue cheese with a quite strong flavor after a quick Wikipedia search we found that it gets its blue/green patches from cave mold from a special cave in France. Like beer, wine, and so many other accidental microbiological discoveries the cave mold that makes delicious cheese was found when someone left their bread and cheese in a cave. The bread was consumed by the mold but the cheese became magically delicious. That must have been one hungry or brave man to return to his moldy cheese and eat it. Either way we are all a little better off thanks to his discovery. 

Gallery of Evolution and the Jardin Luxembourg (Day 3)

It is our 3rd day in Paris and by far it has been the most beautiful.

The weather was perfect, in the high 70s and sunny but not glaringly so. We got a late start on the day, I am not on Seattle time but not quite on Paris time either. We left the apartment around noon planning to head to the Jardin des Plantes, the home to the National Natural History museum in Paris but we couldn't help but take a long scenic route.

We walked East towards the heart of the Le Marais neighborhood. The streets to the East are classic Paris. Wide boulevards with beautiful architecture, charming side streets including the St. Paul area which houses both art galleries and antique shops. Just walking around we passed the Hotel de Ville, this beautiful building that is currently used for city administration including the office of the Mayor.

Our first days in Paris

Bonjour from beautiful Le Marais Paris, France!

I am writing to you from our second floor flat on Rue St. Martin. From our door we are less than 200 yards from the Centre Pompidou, the mecca of modern art here in Paris. We arrived Friday afternoon and were able to take a train from the airport to a station minutes from our apartment. One side of the apartment faces the street and overlooks a busy promenade complete with bars, pastry shops, and even a Lebanese restaurant with killer tabouleh. The other side of the apartment faces a (currently) quiet school courtyard. If we were here in the Spring or Fall there would be little privacy from children playing hopscotch but in the summer it is quiet and peaceful and a nice touch of greenery.

In our two days here we have done a lot of exploring of our diverse neighborhood. Learning a bit about the history of Le Marais, it was once a swamp, the word Marais actually means marsh. It was drained in the 1200s and settled by the Templars. The area was popular with merchants because it was duty free. In the 1600s, during the height of French glory, the area was a palatial retreat for the French court. Not as remote as Versailles, La Marais housed mansions of the French Aristocracy including a small palace for court. During the French Revolution the neighborhood was taken by the people of Paris and over time went into disrepair. Over the next few centuries it housed many ethnic groups including the oldest established Chinese neighborhood in Paris and Orthodox Jews. It was not until 1968 that an initiative began to rebuild and revitalize the neighborhood. And it is now one of the most popular and eclectic neighborhoods in Paris.

Les Eyzies to San Sebastian 2011

Email dated 9/13/11

We are writing today from beautiful San Sebastian. The last few days have been amazing. We went from Carcassonne to Les Eyzies on Saturday. It was two short trains and we made it there right on time. The countryside was pretty along the way but I could tell how nervous Sean was when we first pulled into the Les Eyzies station. The town is very small, the guide books say about 800 people. But Sean was pleasantly surprised. We walked from the train station to the bed and breakfast. It was a short walk past a lovely medieval church build in the 1200s.

 Right next to the church was the ferme de Tayac, our bed and breakfast. The owners were an older british couple who were very accommodating. Their place was lovely on probably an acre or two with secluded seating all over, kind of a secret garden feel to the land and a beautiful sunny pool in the back. Our room was decent size and modestly furnished with a farmhouse kitsch décor. They served proper English tea and hot coffee for breakfast, each person given their own private pot and all the guests ate together at a large antique wooden table. Les Eyzies is known for its prehistory and apparently foie gras, the only street in town boast 4, that’s right four shoppes dedicated to the sale of foie gras.

Carcassonne 2011

Email dated 9/9/11

We are writing to you from the terrace of the guesthouse in Carcassonne,France.

 It has an amazing view of the medieval city and castle as well as a view of the park and river just across the quiet street. The last few days have been some of the best.

Our time in Barcelona was as close to perfect as one could hope for. We spent our last day there touring the Aquarium and Picasso museum. The Aquarium was large and had a lot of exhibits of local fish. It certainly made me appreciate the Seattle aquarium all the more. It had no volunteers and no staff to answer questions. It also was not very educational however their shark tank was very well done and a highlight.

Barcelona 2011

Email dated 9/7/11

Greetings from beautiful Barcelona.

We have been here for two days and wanted to take a few minutes to send some photos and videos back home. We arrived Tuesday morning and were able to check into our hotel right away. The location is perfect a couple blocks off the most famous street in the city but still quiet. The room is spacious by European standards.

On Tuesday we went to the famous market in Las Ramblas and ate Pinxtos at a small stand highlighted on the cooking channel and our guide. The food was superb and the tiny plate was the perfect portion. We tried to go to the Cathedral, there is a large cathedral surrounded by Roman walls a few blocks from our hotel but there are security guards at the doors to stop anyone sleeveless from entering. Even in a long tasteful summer dress (its also like 87 degrees out) they would not let me in because my shoulders were bare. Apparently God requires sleeves.

Welcome! All about the Paris 2013 Trip

New luggage, passport, and electrical outlet adapters you know what that means...I am less than 24 hours before the flight to Paris! I have been so busy working on my paper this summer I haven't really had time to think about it but now that the time has come I am excited. I thought I would start this blog by going over the basic travel plan.