Vacation Highlight: New Friends - Again!

My first full-day in Berlin was busy: jet-lag, bike tour, first date, being doubled on a bike and many beers in between.

At the end of the date, who was super cute and spoke great English, he gave me a bike ride back to my hotel and went on his way. After he left, I realized it was now 1AM and I hadn't eaten (though I'd done a good job of drinking). At that point I thought it a good idea to get something in my belly. So I went to wander to find something.

Along the way I heard these two American dudes in front of me. Since I'm alone, I have to be a little cautious of who I talk to. So, after adequately scoping them out and deciding that they seemed harmless, I stopped and asked them a random question.

Then they couldn't get rid of me. Art & Sergio became by Berlin travel buddies, whether they liked it or not.

We stayed out til 6AM that first night, went on a pub-crawl the second and strolled the streets of Berlin after a nice dinner on the third night.

Three North Americans in Berlin

How much did I enjoy their company? When they left I got immediately sad. Don't worry, I bounced back really quickly, but I did get a little blue after we parted ways.

So a big shout out to my Berlin mates - you guys rocked my world, and helped turn Berlin into an amazing time. Thanks!

I'm camping this weekend

The goal is to turn everything off - no BBM, no Facebook, no Twitter, no nothing.

Well, there will still be texting and calling, but going without those would be ludacris!

Tonight, Jarod, Steve & I are hitting Elk Island Park for a little overnight trip. Me, two gays and a big dog in one tent. I'm so excited.

Jarod and I get to set up the site soon.

I'm pretty sure it will go something like this:



I'll talk to you all in a few days.

Vacation Highlight: New Friends

The day I went to Montmarte and Sacre Couer, I got painfully lost looking for Moulin Rouge. Well, not like actually lost, but frustratingly confused. I then saw two boys walking with an English Frommer's guide and asked if I could follow them to Moulin Rouge.

Um, best decision ever!

Peter and Roberto were friends, from Denmark and Houston, respectively, who met up in Paris for a quick vacation. Fun!

Not only did they help me find Moulin Rouge, they let me tag along for drinks and dinner and dancing. And then we hung out the next day and toured the Luxembourg Gardens and did a boat cruise of the Seine.

We parted ways just before I went to the Avett Brothers, but not before dinner at a resto Jarod recommended. Side story: we took a taxi 300 meters because we couldn't find the place the night before, only to have it end up being closed. Too funny.

Anyways, it was nice to have people to talk to over dinner and take pictures of and with. I really like traveling alone, don't get me wrong, but it is nice to have someone else remind you that what you're seeing / doing is real and not just a figment of your imagination.

So, yeah a shout out to Peter and Roberto.

The rest of Week 1 - Pooped

The rest of week one was exhausting. The thing I forgot to mention was that two days before the Opening Ceremony, the company I work for was involved with a very large, very important event. What this meant was I had already worked 60 hours by the time Friday rolled around.

But fuck it - the Games are only here once, so party I did.

That made the following days more mellow. I watched hockey games with Team Vancouver, saw a live taping of the Colbert Report, did a media tour with CNBC, and just played it cool. The houses were super busy, and difficult to get into.

But on that Thursday, Jarod came for a visit. After a brief presentation, he realized I was right (as always) and that the Games were something he had to see. So he did.

That Thursday I fetched him from the SkyTrain station and we wandered about like tourists. We sat, we smoked, we gawked at the cauldron and the rings, went home and got ready to go out again. I had received a guest pass to USA House and Jarod tagged along with me.

This was the same nigh Evan Lysacek won the gold medal.

We got off the elevators and were greeted by huge group of people with their camera ready. They were disappointed it was just Jarod and I. I was totally freaked out.

We saw Vera Wang, hid out in a corner and were ambushed by a little press event. The gold medal was maybe 5 feet away from us - and we were Canadian! I had no idea how affected I would be by the medal, or to be near someone that happy. Imagine working your whole life for something, and then, just hours earlier, you achieved your goal, your hardwork paid off and you are the best at what you do.

Whoa.

Jarod. the photog, got some great pics of the medal and such. We had a fun little time. We left, went for a pint or two (I can't remember) ate some pizza, then went for third dinner at 3AM. On a Thursday.

We gorged and went home to ready ourselves for the next two days. I may have slipped into a light diabetic coma.

Day 1 - Who expected THAT!?

Week 1 was intense. I knew the city was going to be crazy, but I had no idea how crazy. By the end of Day 1 I was exhausted.

On Day 1 I got to see the Olympic Torch Relay! I was incredibly excited when I was sent on assignment to work with a photographer to get some pictures of the flame as it was in front of one of my clients' buildings. So I got to go and actually see the torch!

I have no idea who was running with it at the time, all I care about is that I got to see it! WOO HOO!

I also got to do a little geeky photoshoot with all of my Canadian gear, just in case anyone didn't believe me.

I watched the Opening Ceremonies with one of my bosses at BC Canada Pavilion, just above Robson Square. Robson Square was one of the Live Sites and they broadcast the events and stuff on the side of a big white building, with the ice skating palace and zip-lining going on just above it.

At the start of the evening, the area below looked like this:

(As taken from my Blackberry)

By the middle of the Opening Ceremony, it looked like this:

Do you see the difference! And that wasn't at it's worst.

The crowds were insane. I thought the Opening Ceremony was nice - I mentioned who I wanted to light the cauldron, but that didn't happen. C'est la vie. I thought they did a good job at representing Canada, and I loved that they had an outdoor cauldron, because it was right by my work, and I got to see it all the freaking time!

The party was cool - free food and free booze and the venue was awesome. I got to see the da Vinci exhibit without all the crowds or waiting in line because the event was at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Those were amazing.

So, that was Day 1. Day 2 was super fun too!

Two drink minimum

I had a great end to 2009 and a super beginning to 2010. Here's why:

I was drunk.

Drunkity, drunk drunk.

It started on December 19, when I landed in Edmo and continued until January 2, when I put down my last drink.

While I was at Jarod and Steve's I polished off their big bottle of Baileys and a ton o beer. At my parents, it was a well-stocked liquor cabinet that kept me ... sedated.

The real trouble began December 27th, when Ron, Big Daddy, and I watched football and drank - all day.

And drink we did.

The final count for the day:
2 Baileys and coffee
1 gallon of beer (we went through 3 of the image to the left. THREE!)
1 shot of JD (I almost hurled, and Jarod make sure everyone knew.)
1 random shot
2 bottles of beer at home
3 bottles of beer at the airport (That's what happens when you get delayed 4 hours)
2 glasses of wine at home again

What did this equal to? My mom yelling at me for being drunk for the first time since I was in my teens. And one hell of a hangover.

My dad asked how I expect to get married when I spend the day drinking with two boys. My response? "Who wouldn't want to marry a chick that can keep up with two grown men?"

Yes. I'm awesome. Or in need of rehab. I'm not entirely sure.

Black 17!

I love gambling. I know it is a total waste of money, but I really really love it. The thrill of winning, and in Vegas, the free booze.

Wednesday Andi and I dragged our hungover selves out of bed and across the street for some grease. Then the pool was calling our names.

Can we just talk about The Wynn for a second? I freaking love this hotel - two sinks in the bathrooms, automatic curtains, great buffet, huge rooms, and fresh fruit by the pool. I didn't want to leave, and if I didn't have to work, I may not have.

Post-sunning, Andi went upstairs, but I went to wander ... over to the roulette table! Yeah!!

After five hours, countless drinks and many chips I thought it was a good idea to get back to the room and get ready for the evening - after all, it was 7PM!

As I stumbled my way through the hotel, looking for a way out, I realized something ...

I was drunkity drunk drunk.

After a shower, and a change of clothes, we headed out for the evening, however, the best thing about this night was going to be the food and the conversation.

We were told to go to LAX at the Luxor. It was the worst ever. Seriously.

Although my favorite conversation of the night occurred at LAX:

Iris: I give this place 20 minutes and then we should leave
Andi: I give it 10
Andi: (25 seconds later)Let's just go now.

Good. Life. Choice.

The Big Finish

After the awesome-sauce that was the YYYs, Sarin and I drove like mad to make it home for Franz Ferdinand.

Well, I drove, but she was a great co-pilot.

SHAMELESS BOAST: We made it from Seattle to Vancouver in under 3 hours. We were in Surrey at 2.5 hours. I drove the shit out of that car bitches!

We pulled into Vancouver, with plenty of time for show #2 in country #2. Franz Ferdinand at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park.

Have I mentioned how cool Sarin and I are? Because we are. Really fucking cool.

All of my concert-cohorts had been to Malkin Bowl before and told me how great it was, but seriously, that shit is amazing. An outside concert venue in the forest.

Say what?!

The show was super good. Only the second best show I had seen that day, but the competition was unbeatable.

It was a very fun little dance party - made kinda magical by the rain.

After the show, we got lost in Stanley Park, and then I went to the Cambie with Josh and some of his friends. We drank, we laughed, good times all around.

The really strange part of the night comes after we leave and are heading home.

I have seen a live porn before, in Coquitlam on a pubcrawl. And last night, I saw another one.

There, on the sidewalk, in front of the whole world to see, a girl was laying down, spread eagle (pants still on) as her considerably larger boy / girl (we couldn't really tell which) partner layed on her, thrusting (pants on).
Then larger one apparently decided it was time to go home and proceeds to stop traffic to hail a cab. And the poof, they were gone.

Weirdest shit ever!

I got dropped off at home, in safe Kits, and as I am walking to my building, some dude starts making random conversation. As we're walking, I turn to go to my building and he makes the same turn.We live in the same building, and on the same floor. So we had a smoke in front of the building and talked about yoga.

Random.

And that is the second part of my Sunday.

holy fuck, that was a good weekend.