My First Trip to Europe...
Jul 28th, 2016, 06:55 AM
#21
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This is very interesting and nostalgic. I was 20 in '69 when my best friend and I spent the summer in Europe, taking trains and hitching all over. Forty-seven years later, that trip is so vivid in my mind.
Jul 28th, 2016, 08:36 AM
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Yes, a long time ago, BUT I sometimes wish I could go back to then when things weren't so developed and when I saw everything with fresh eyes. I stayed till '81 and go back frequently. Just returned July 17th.
Jul 28th, 2016, 01:26 PM
#24
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BLVD KELLERMAN HOSTEL PARIS
Ah my first youth hostel- the typical of the times large-city hostel with humongous dorms with double-decker iron bunks that squeaked like heck.
About 30 or so in a room and thus you have always a loud snorer!
And a seedy seedy crowd all in all - kind of like a London bed sit IMO. There was one really creepy old guy there - scuzzy-looking who always seemed to be lurking around.
Breakfast was the usual hostel fare - a roll or two and butter and jam - almost nothing.
In one of those weird coincidences in life I later learned that the French woman I would marry was working in that Paris hostel during the time I was there- and that's where the notorious parts come in.
She told of countless thefts by STAFF members of things put in the safe and out of lockers, etc. It was scandalous she said.
All in all my first hostel experience scared me away from hostels for a while - after meeting up with two guys on a train I traveled with them for a month or so and we stayed in cheap hotels and pensions - about the same cost as a hostel. Plus we did not have to trek out to the hostel (in those days there were basically only HI hostels and no private or alternative ones like they have so many of now)- trek out there in hopes of getting in - always a long wait in line - and in the morning a long wait in line often just to check out. Plus the 10 pm curfews often and being closed during the day.
On subsequent trips I grew to love hostels but on my first sojourn I thought they sucked - until getting to England and Ireland.
NEXT - ANOTHER SURREAL COINCIDENCE IN LIFE - ORLEANS, FRANCE - after tiring of Paris I sought to see some regional French towns and headed by train for Orleans, a town I much later would grow to know too well.
Only when I got to the U.K. did I once again use hostels and loved them.
Ah my first youth hostel- the typical of the times large-city hostel with humongous dorms with double-decker iron bunks that squeaked like heck.
About 30 or so in a room and thus you have always a loud snorer!
And a seedy seedy crowd all in all - kind of like a London bed sit IMO. There was one really creepy old guy there - scuzzy-looking who always seemed to be lurking around.
Breakfast was the usual hostel fare - a roll or two and butter and jam - almost nothing.
In one of those weird coincidences in life I later learned that the French woman I would marry was working in that Paris hostel during the time I was there- and that's where the notorious parts come in.
She told of countless thefts by STAFF members of things put in the safe and out of lockers, etc. It was scandalous she said.
All in all my first hostel experience scared me away from hostels for a while - after meeting up with two guys on a train I traveled with them for a month or so and we stayed in cheap hotels and pensions - about the same cost as a hostel. Plus we did not have to trek out to the hostel (in those days there were basically only HI hostels and no private or alternative ones like they have so many of now)- trek out there in hopes of getting in - always a long wait in line - and in the morning a long wait in line often just to check out. Plus the 10 pm curfews often and being closed during the day.
On subsequent trips I grew to love hostels but on my first sojourn I thought they sucked - until getting to England and Ireland.
NEXT - ANOTHER SURREAL COINCIDENCE IN LIFE - ORLEANS, FRANCE - after tiring of Paris I sought to see some regional French towns and headed by train for Orleans, a town I much later would grow to know too well.
Only when I got to the U.K. did I once again use hostels and loved them.
Jul 29th, 2016, 09:36 AM
#25
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THE GOOD OLE AMERICAN EXPRESS
Travelers checks were the rule of course unless you wanted to carry a big wad of U S dollars or whatever around - and AMEX offices gave the very best rate for their own checks so I and many bought AMEX checks and then sought out AMEX offices first thing in a city.
There was also the AMEX Client's Mail Service you could use if you have their checks and in days before the Internet everybody wrote letters and picked up these sent from home at the AMEX.
Phone calls were really expensive to the States - you often had to go to a post office (or AMEX office) and use phones there - and try to call collect - 'payable a l'arrivee' I learnt quickly in France. You would go into a little booth in the post office and make your call - keeping it brief of course.
Sometimes when waiting for letters you knew were mailed meant trekking down to the AMEX office daily. Hostels held mail too but they were not as dependable as the good ole AMEX.
Ah thank goodness those days are gone - ATM cards, charge cards and mobile phones making everything so so easy -constant contact which may or may not be good IMO.
Travelers checks were the rule of course unless you wanted to carry a big wad of U S dollars or whatever around - and AMEX offices gave the very best rate for their own checks so I and many bought AMEX checks and then sought out AMEX offices first thing in a city.
There was also the AMEX Client's Mail Service you could use if you have their checks and in days before the Internet everybody wrote letters and picked up these sent from home at the AMEX.
Phone calls were really expensive to the States - you often had to go to a post office (or AMEX office) and use phones there - and try to call collect - 'payable a l'arrivee' I learnt quickly in France. You would go into a little booth in the post office and make your call - keeping it brief of course.
Sometimes when waiting for letters you knew were mailed meant trekking down to the AMEX office daily. Hostels held mail too but they were not as dependable as the good ole AMEX.
Ah thank goodness those days are gone - ATM cards, charge cards and mobile phones making everything so so easy -constant contact which may or may not be good IMO.
Jul 29th, 2016, 09:47 AM
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I spent many hours in line at the AmEx office behind the Opera in Paris, in Rome, in Vienna, etc., picking up letters from my parents, friends and my boyfriend--I was convinced I couldn't spend the summer without him, we broke up six months' later.
I'm sure you remember aerogrammes, turning them sideways to get a few more sentences on the page.
My mom saved all the postcards I sent home, I looked at them all one more time then pitched them about 10 years ago. Also pitched the scapbook I made, I sort of regret that.
Loving these old memories.
I'm sure you remember aerogrammes, turning them sideways to get a few more sentences on the page.
My mom saved all the postcards I sent home, I looked at them all one more time then pitched them about 10 years ago. Also pitched the scapbook I made, I sort of regret that.
Loving these old memories.
Jul 29th, 2016, 10:45 AM
#27
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I'm sure you remember aerogrammes, turning them sideways to get a few more sentences on the page.>
Yes indeedy - like today's college cheat sheets - writing all over as small as possible- every inch- I still have those too -somewhere in some pile I don't know where it even is.
Yes indeedy - like today's college cheat sheets - writing all over as small as possible- every inch- I still have those too -somewhere in some pile I don't know where it even is.
Aug 1st, 2016, 07:40 AM
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I remember going to AMEX for mail-my grandmother was a faithful correspondent! Also aerograms-just recently looked at them again. Just before I moved I reread Frommers $5a day and noted my margin notes. Wonder if any of those places are still around today. If they are, probably under new names and greatly gussied up! what a grand adventure it was!
Aug 1st, 2016, 10:39 AM
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Thanks TD!
ONE OF THOSE WEIRD COINCIDENCES OF LIFE - ORLEANS
I tired of Paris after about 4 days and sought to head into France proper- like many in those days my overall itinerary was totally flexible - my Eurailpass let me hop any train anytime and again there were no discounted tickets by pre-booking - a flat fare by km all over Europe - you could easily buy a Paris to X to X to Rome ticket by paying per kilometre - something not possible today with all the varying fares - it is IME hard to buy tickets in other countries from a third-party country... but I digress
So looking on the map I saw that Orleans was a fair sized city just south of Paris so I headed there - I got off the train at Orleans and only recall trekking down the main drag straight to the Loire River - to see the Loire - and back to the station and caught a train to Blois where I stayed the night but remember very little of what I did there if anything.
But it turned out weird that I chose Orleans of all places to visit first off out of Paris - with a guidebook today I would have never done that with so many better choices.
but as it turned out this was one of those weird coincidences of life as several years later I would meet in Nice at the hostel there a French gal I would later marry and have a son with and where did she live her whole life - Orleans - I may have passed her in the street who knows?
But later when we split she returned to Orleans and raised our son there (he was born there) and as we stayed good friends to this day I spent months and months in Orleans and got to know from being a long-distance jogger (10-14 miles a day) practically every inch of that city which I must say would be low on my list if I could have chosen a French city to have to live in for several summers (when I would watch my young son).
Anyway enough maudlin things - I'm not even sure where I went in order after that and will just now turn to the more memorable things that happened - like when I teamed up with two other footloose North Americans to travel together - one was a straight-arrow college kid from Alberta and the other an obviously gay (so so obvious) slightly older guy from SF!
I met them on the train from Blois down to Bayonne, where we all say we'd get off the train and try the local hostel.
NEXT- SOME LOVELY DAYS AT ANGLET!
ONE OF THOSE WEIRD COINCIDENCES OF LIFE - ORLEANS
I tired of Paris after about 4 days and sought to head into France proper- like many in those days my overall itinerary was totally flexible - my Eurailpass let me hop any train anytime and again there were no discounted tickets by pre-booking - a flat fare by km all over Europe - you could easily buy a Paris to X to X to Rome ticket by paying per kilometre - something not possible today with all the varying fares - it is IME hard to buy tickets in other countries from a third-party country... but I digress
So looking on the map I saw that Orleans was a fair sized city just south of Paris so I headed there - I got off the train at Orleans and only recall trekking down the main drag straight to the Loire River - to see the Loire - and back to the station and caught a train to Blois where I stayed the night but remember very little of what I did there if anything.
But it turned out weird that I chose Orleans of all places to visit first off out of Paris - with a guidebook today I would have never done that with so many better choices.
but as it turned out this was one of those weird coincidences of life as several years later I would meet in Nice at the hostel there a French gal I would later marry and have a son with and where did she live her whole life - Orleans - I may have passed her in the street who knows?
But later when we split she returned to Orleans and raised our son there (he was born there) and as we stayed good friends to this day I spent months and months in Orleans and got to know from being a long-distance jogger (10-14 miles a day) practically every inch of that city which I must say would be low on my list if I could have chosen a French city to have to live in for several summers (when I would watch my young son).
Anyway enough maudlin things - I'm not even sure where I went in order after that and will just now turn to the more memorable things that happened - like when I teamed up with two other footloose North Americans to travel together - one was a straight-arrow college kid from Alberta and the other an obviously gay (so so obvious) slightly older guy from SF!
I met them on the train from Blois down to Bayonne, where we all say we'd get off the train and try the local hostel.
NEXT- SOME LOVELY DAYS AT ANGLET!
Aug 2nd, 2016, 02:12 PM
#32
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ANGLET
I meet these other guys on the train to Bayonne where we hoofed out to the hostel only to be greeted by several very young teens who apparently were part of a group staying there - this turned us off so we hopped on a bus to Anglet, one of the primo beach/surf towns in Europe and stayed in a kind of hostel there - right on the beach - we stayed two days and just laid around - a wonderful respite after Paris.
It was an unplanned stop after Bayonne's hostel seemed like a middle school and it turned out to be much much nicer than Bayonne - at that time a rather gritty town.
Ah the days when your itinerary was flexible - you never knew if you got out to a hostel (they were often out of the town centers) whether it had room or not - if not back to the train station- maybe hopping a night train of which there were zillions then and you could sleep for free in regular cars.
Well that's about all that I recall about my itinerary as after that it is a blur - so will in future posts talk about things I do remember - like steam trains!
I meet these other guys on the train to Bayonne where we hoofed out to the hostel only to be greeted by several very young teens who apparently were part of a group staying there - this turned us off so we hopped on a bus to Anglet, one of the primo beach/surf towns in Europe and stayed in a kind of hostel there - right on the beach - we stayed two days and just laid around - a wonderful respite after Paris.
It was an unplanned stop after Bayonne's hostel seemed like a middle school and it turned out to be much much nicer than Bayonne - at that time a rather gritty town.
Ah the days when your itinerary was flexible - you never knew if you got out to a hostel (they were often out of the town centers) whether it had room or not - if not back to the train station- maybe hopping a night train of which there were zillions then and you could sleep for free in regular cars.
Well that's about all that I recall about my itinerary as after that it is a blur - so will in future posts talk about things I do remember - like steam trains!
Aug 3rd, 2016, 02:12 PM
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SPAIN
The main thing that struck me about Spain at that time was seeing thousands of crude makeshift shacks along the train tracks leading into and out of main cities - this was appalling - Franco was in power and police with guns were everywhere - especially around banks. First time I experienced a police state- Kind of frightening but today a common scene all over Europe, lamentably.
That's about all I remember about Spain except for Sangria! Rumors of guys with long hair getting mandatory cuts at the border or be turned away did not seem to be true- at least in my case.
The main thing that struck me about Spain at that time was seeing thousands of crude makeshift shacks along the train tracks leading into and out of main cities - this was appalling - Franco was in power and police with guns were everywhere - especially around banks. First time I experienced a police state- Kind of frightening but today a common scene all over Europe, lamentably.
That's about all I remember about Spain except for Sangria! Rumors of guys with long hair getting mandatory cuts at the border or be turned away did not seem to be true- at least in my case.
Aug 3rd, 2016, 09:04 PM
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15 years ago DH and I stayed in a small hotel in Paris with tiny rooms, bathtub/shower with no curtain or glass (water on floor), and an Eiffel Tower view for $100. After his first shower there DH said we had to start spending more on hotels. Perhaps he would be willing to go back as that room now rents for 360 euros per night. As one of my friends might say the place has been "tarted up" in the ensuing years as has the restaurant next door, the former Chez Agnes. It's been redone, new owner, menu and hopefully the mice are gone.
Aug 4th, 2016, 01:59 PM
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thanks irishface!
I'm a rail buff or nut - trains and trams and that is one big reason I always wanted to go to Europe and I was not disappointed - trams everywhere in many countries and trains everywhere in all of them I went to.
Trains then to me were more fun - first of all you could just hop on any train anytime with a pass and most importantly:
You could open the windows and lean out the windows (though ubiquitous signs on windows said in 4 languages not to do that for obvious reasons - but a little out was nice or just to stand up at the window and get a breeze.
Compartments however were the rule and these to me were a bother - if the window seats were full you'd be stuck in the middle of a 4-person bench (2nd class) or by the door where you could see hardly out of the train. But you were more intimate and had to mix with others - locals and that was cool.
Back then on say Italian trains mamas and kids would bring a picnic aboard and that was interesting if at times foul smelling!
But those 8-person compartments if full were not very comfy - give me open seating with two in a row anytime.
Rick Steves in one of his early books had a technique for clearing out the locals or other tourists and having the compartment to himself- he said he purposely wore really stinking shoes and socks and would take the shoes off and voila - many others would move on - the ultimate Ugly American of course IMO but effective- (I never stooped that low - always feeling I am a guest on your train and acted accordingly.
Customs officials then came on trains at just about every border crossing - causing a bit of apprehension for whatever reason - I never had any contraband, etc but it was something to get over - give your passport and get it back.
NEXT- STEAM TRAINS
I'm a rail buff or nut - trains and trams and that is one big reason I always wanted to go to Europe and I was not disappointed - trams everywhere in many countries and trains everywhere in all of them I went to.
Trains then to me were more fun - first of all you could just hop on any train anytime with a pass and most importantly:
You could open the windows and lean out the windows (though ubiquitous signs on windows said in 4 languages not to do that for obvious reasons - but a little out was nice or just to stand up at the window and get a breeze.
Compartments however were the rule and these to me were a bother - if the window seats were full you'd be stuck in the middle of a 4-person bench (2nd class) or by the door where you could see hardly out of the train. But you were more intimate and had to mix with others - locals and that was cool.
Back then on say Italian trains mamas and kids would bring a picnic aboard and that was interesting if at times foul smelling!
But those 8-person compartments if full were not very comfy - give me open seating with two in a row anytime.
Rick Steves in one of his early books had a technique for clearing out the locals or other tourists and having the compartment to himself- he said he purposely wore really stinking shoes and socks and would take the shoes off and voila - many others would move on - the ultimate Ugly American of course IMO but effective- (I never stooped that low - always feeling I am a guest on your train and acted accordingly.
Customs officials then came on trains at just about every border crossing - causing a bit of apprehension for whatever reason - I never had any contraband, etc but it was something to get over - give your passport and get it back.
NEXT- STEAM TRAINS
Aug 17th, 2016, 02:05 PM
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Thanks FF- yes that sock ruse was Rick Steves' all-time low, but above his early book's advice to load up from the hotel breakfast buffet to feed yourself for the whole day (I have been guilt of that a bit long ago myself but not like Steves' said.
Nov 22nd, 2016, 01:25 PM
#39
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I set off solo but soon met two other guys on the train and we teamed up- possible to change your course then with railpasses valid at no requirements on any train.
One was a nice kid my age from Alberta - talked with a real Canadian accent and the other was an older gay guy from SF who must have been in heaven with two college guys.
That too was part of the learning experience.
But after a while -getting my feet wet -I decided to set out alone and traveled pretty much by myself ever since and love setting my own pace - never liked traveling with others though on a first trip at first it was nice.
As I said before I learned more on that first solo travel anywhere and first abroad going on my own than I did in all of the classes I took in college - survival and coping skills that gave me so much confidence in life in general. Also walked incessantly around cities and lost about 10 pounds-my mother thought that that was worth it alone!
One was a nice kid my age from Alberta - talked with a real Canadian accent and the other was an older gay guy from SF who must have been in heaven with two college guys.
That too was part of the learning experience.
But after a while -getting my feet wet -I decided to set out alone and traveled pretty much by myself ever since and love setting my own pace - never liked traveling with others though on a first trip at first it was nice.
As I said before I learned more on that first solo travel anywhere and first abroad going on my own than I did in all of the classes I took in college - survival and coping skills that gave me so much confidence in life in general. Also walked incessantly around cities and lost about 10 pounds-my mother thought that that was worth it alone!
