Coraggio, Ü 9

I completely forgot to talk about the museums... Here is the brief. I liked the Museum of Science(Da Vinci Museum) in Milan very much, except lots of labs weren't open when I visited. All the duomo in Italy I visited were beautiful. Most of the places in Rome were crowded. Vatican has enormous collections of pretty much everything.

Notre Dame de Paris was absolutely magnificent. There was mass going when I entered. I could not understand anything they said. The music sounded solemnly beautiful. The treasure room has impressive luxurious collections. That's what I was missing in my soul!? Louvre is just huge. I glanced two floors of Italian and French paintings. There are a lot more to see for my next visit! Eiffel was full of people that I didn't bother to do anything but standing underneath to take pictures.

Not very long ago, I got a gig for a group of pretentious peops writing about museums around the world. This may have been the best time fulfilling their wishes. C'est la vie!

Coraggio, Ü 8

        This one is fully dedicated to Ms. M in Ddorf. Ms. M is an American who has moved to Germany decades ago. Because of her connections in all the theaters, everyone knows Ms. M whenever I mention it in front of my fellow musician friends in Europe. I was connected to Ms. M through Tom. Ms. M had studied with Tom quite a while ago in the US. After Tom's email introduction, I wrote to Ms. M online and she very generously offered me her place while wandering around in Germany. I shall be forever grateful for this. My head has been occupied by spending all my saving soon. My friends told me about fund raising websites and so I built one on my website. After feeling embarrassement sending the group email out for money, I so far, collected 5 USD, which was the test transaction from my love.

          Do I worry about money? I'm feeling on edge everyday. Not to mention that I still somehow need to pay my lawyer 2500$ upon the approval of my petition. Nor to mention that I still don't have an airline ticket to go back to Taiwan yet.  The longer the adventure gets, the more poverty I will become. The kind offers from my friends and from Ms. M to whom I was a complete stranger. They prolong the chance of potential success. Or at the very least, I don't just die from hunger with shelters(a good word from Bear Grylls). Every single one of them was great company providing laughters for my unknown destiny.

        If I make it to Europe, it's because of all these people. There is nothing I can match in return, and I hope one day I will be able to help when I am more capable. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY!!!

Coraggio, Ü 7

              The whole purpose of this trip is to find job. How successful has it been? I finally went back to YAPTRACKER again. Matt told me about writing to ZAV long ago but I completely forgot about that. I've sent my applications to various organizations with some requests of dates according to where I was at that point. A competition in Italy got back to me, except the dates conflict with so many other things. At the same time, it wants to charge me a ton of money for registration to the competition and the hotel business. After I arrived Paris, I received some news about Freni's masterclass in Italy. Again, with just the audition plus student housing registration up to 195 Euro. It also means routing back down to Italy by the end of September after my audition with an agent in Karlsruhe. It's a huge task to my reflex. Alright, I have to use my brain unlike reflex... Perhaps, as Dottie likes to say, "I bounced back well!"

                No one got back to me about the dates I was available. I have to make their schedules happy. At least, all the Italian organizations got back to me after processing my applications from the deadlines. Most of them were the reminders of payments. Of course. The myth of writing to houses for audition chances wasn't really working. There must have been so many applicants already that most of the houses didn't even get back to me. An agent told me that there is an Asian overflow that he doesn't even want to hear me. When I sang for a Studienleiter, he told me that with my talent, I should be able to find some jobs once they hear me. However, some places didn't even want to hear me before I take some German language classes. With that being said, until this very moment, the only one who agrees to hear me is the one agent in Karlsruhe. I was told to stay strong and focused in Germany but I didn't see anything happening in the area in terms of auditions. When La Scala wrote to me to remind me of the payment of the application, I decided to risk my application fee.

                A message to my love, and the application fee for both Freni and La Scala was done. After the payments, I heard back from both Freni and La Scala having audition opportunities by the late Septembre. The trip down is inevitable. Friends also told me datajobs.de, but you must be in the union to use that website. I kept hitting the wall writing to people/theaters/agents. Out of no where, I saw Hungarian State Opera casting for mainstage on Ytracker. It didn't cost money and I emailed my material right away. A few minutes later, Ágnes wrote me back and said that she would call me a day later for my audition time. I was very impressed but I knew no Hungarian except one swearing word Ligeti taught me in Taiwan during Don Giovanni rehearsal. The day later didn't bring the news from Ágnes. I then wrote another email telling her that I also had a German cellphone if that was easier to be approached. So, I got it from Ágnes. The audition time is in a few hours, 17:00 on the 18th of September. Finally, I looked at where Budapest is on my Eurail map. In the mean while, I checked the tourist situation as a Taiwanese person from the tourism Büro. I happily confirmed the time, and here I am in Budapest.

Coraggio, Ü 6

The train from Marseille to Paris was OK. Eurail pass in Paris gets restricted in various scales. Anyways, I still got all I wanted without too much hustle. I got in Paris and the train station felt just like the subway in New York. I found Nicolas' place easily, and that was the very first time I met his wife, Kae! Immediately, I read both their weddings' albums from Japan and from hmm hmm...(How dare I...) They are both very upbeat, the laughter never stops between us!

They gave me a tour of their apt. It was fully equipped, and I saw that famous Nespresso machine again! After that, they took me to a very nice French restaurant. We pretty much shared our food(Asian influence!), and I ordered Goat testicles! The food was delicious but the service was only OK according to Nicolas. But then, he still wanted to leave an Euro or two as tip!? Oh well, let the French do what they want in France!

After the meal, we watched some south park and turned in. Green, a Taiwanese friend living in Brusells, told me that we could meet up the day after. After getting a nice haircut in Paris, I went to Gare du Nord but I missed Green. After calling him, we finally met up with his friend Yiching and Alice. First we got the amazing icecream fix! And then, we walked around to look at the river. Again, fun time went by really fast, we then decided to buy some grocery and made Green cook for us. There he was, making a 4 course, 5 star restaurant quality taste and presentation. These three straight girls melt and tried to turn Green straight again but en vain!

It was so late when I went back to the apartment. Nicolas almost locked me out and luckily they were still awake. I came in and told them my adventure. Sleepy time!

And the next day, I got my hair highlight. It cost way too much money and I will only do this unless someone else pays for it. I went to Notre Dame de Paris and started to walk toward Louvre. After walking by Louvre, I felt this huge hunger. I decided to take my Paris hairdresser's suggestion going for Korean food. After walking more and more, I found the restaurant rest at that moment. Yes, people in Paris eat around 9pm. While suffering from extreme hunger, I saw this sign of "Taiwanese Bubble Tea and Taiwanese Deep Fried Chicken Bento Box". My eyes were in tears!!! The owner told me it's only open until 7pm if I want to dine in at that moment(6pm). I told them that I was so hungry that there would not be any problem in terms of eating fast!

There they were, deep fried chicken bento box and my bubble tea... I was in heaven!

I went back to the apartment with huge excitement. Everyone was impressed by my random discovery. I later on found that place online. It was the most famous place to get Taiwanese food. My dear Taiwanese people. Thank you for feeding me!!!

Another day has gone, Italo and I met up in front of the fountain. He told me about this intersection from Boheme in Paris. The street names have been forgotten already but they sounded very convincing. I took a ton of pictures as a tourist. We looked around Louvre, Eiffel, and ended up getting lunch somewhere around. I got this delicious duck dish of meat and fat! After lunch, there was more looking around and eventually we decided to visit his studio and checked out some music. Again, fun time went by in no time.

I had a little chat with J in the apt and I decided to look at the arc of triumph! For some reason, because everything looks grand in Paris, I wasn't really turned on to take pictures. I got a picture of the arc, and I left right away. On the way down, I saw a fnac and immediately thought about being able to purchase ticket to Louvre in fnac. So, I walked in and used my poor French asking for the ticket to Louvre with no manner. The doorman was very nice to give me compliment about my French. I thanked him and got my ticket. On the way out, I almost bought walking dead comic books. That reminded me it was time to contact my walking dead council! 

Yiching and I decided to meet up after my Louvre trip. After walking like crazy in Louvre, Yiching took me to all the cool shops around. We bought Hermes cookies and ate some of our purchase at the park. The rest was for Nicolas and Kae. Later they really appreciated these small colorful sweets!

I was a wimp when Yiching was seriously showing me around. Eventually I slowed her down with one funny taste mojito on a party boat. She then took me to this cute village to see more cool shops and some photos of a cool grandma. Once the so called broadway singers started to sing, I grabbed Yiching and escaped. Yiching decided to take me to a Vietnamese place. We were lucky to get a table right away. The meal was incredibly tasty and affordable. On the way out, I saw this huge line of people waiting to get in. Yiching then told me that the line's there even in winter.

Nicolas and Kae went away on the weekend but they had been checking me out on fb. I brought back the goods and shared my stories with them. There were many more places to see. Next time!

Coraggio, Ü 5

            Being an Asian in Europe may be quite an experience. Before I'm even able to speak their languages fluently, there are already boys, men, and old fools going crazy for just my appearance. My 3 day house mate Gian Carlo in Siena, the entrance keeper of Bocca della verità in Rome, the man who lent me his phone to call Hsiaopei on my first day in Milano, a crazy drunk lady who really wants Alice and me to go to her house for dinner with her son, and now, a waiter giving me a note of his comment and his number while bringing the check in a café in Paris. Oh! European guys, you are such flirts.

              Happy days in Marseille flew by. I mailed a box of goods to Jared. At the same time, I wasn't sure what to get Alice and Nicole. One day I was out around the port, I bought my childhood memory, GTO. That was later the gift for Alice wishing her GTA! My only thing in return for Nicole would be to speak French next time I meet her. I guess I can't ask Alice to let me stay in Marseille at this point. My french is getting better but still pretty broken.

               Marseille felt like home because of the sea. I was so in love with the calanques. While I was walking around, I decided to get in planet sushi. There was a little sushi train running around the tables and I couldn't figure out how to ask the server, "do I must eat from the train instead of ordering in the restaurant?". Luckily, the tourists next to me spoke English. They translated and I got a Tiger role and tea. It was a delicious meal!

               Oh! I miss the days I don't need to pack.

Coraggio, Ü 4

           After the endless walking days in Roma came the journey to Marseille. I missed Freccia Rossa badly. The regional trains cross the border are pieces of crap. The dirt on the windows showed how much they cared about the train. Luckily, I didn't pay for neither, since none ever came to check me up. And even if I had to pay, only 1.5 or something like that each.

            I was checking the TGV in France. The French is more difficult. They not only restrict Eurail pass holders to a specific place. If the place gets sold out, the Eurail pass holders will be required to buy a full fair. Seriously? And from the Eurail pass website, there are booking sites for Italy, Switzerland, Germany, but no France. Indeed, the French is extra special.

            It was war when I was trying to get on three trains to get to Marseille. The trains are old, and the seating set up is funny. My coach has two restroom but one is not working. At some point, one passenger was shouting like someone is stuck on the door. Later on, by other passengers' translation from languages to languages. Finally, I learned that the man was shouting because he realized that his wallet got stolen right before the door closed. I heard of the pick-pockets so often, but that was the first time I experienced it.

            Because of the delay, I was three minutes late when I arrived Nice. I had to wait for another hour. It was not good because Alice was gonna come pick me up at Marseille St. Charles. I went to the public phones but I couldn't figure out how to use it at all. Finally, I turned off the data running on my iPad and sent an email to Alice. Ah! Verizon is gonna cash me bad.

            An hour later, I hopped on the train. And a few hours after, we got in Marseille. I recognized Alice right away. It must have been two years since the last time I saw her in New York. The hyper super shuttle driver thought we were sisters. (really?) She took me to her Volkswagen, and I started to experience the beauty of Marseille. Right after I got in the car, I sensed the promptness in traffic. I was very impressed by people driving so close to each other and to react so fast. Wait until you see how they park on the pedestrian walkway. It's hell for Jared indeed. Amen to rental cars, I suppose!

            Right after my arrival, Alice took me to the church with a golden statue on top of the roof. The view was great. The entire Marseille was under our feet. It was very windy and eventually we had to leave because it started to get chill.

             A beach known of very few people was led by Alice. It wasn't big and there she was, a topless woman getting sun tan. Woohoo to Marseille! Alice told me that people go topless in France very often. We then, went to les goudes, a very cute fisherman's village. Alice pointed out some very expensive restaurants on the way. Maybe one day, we will go visit them together!

             Another drive on the narrow streets, we reached Alice's. It was a house full of modern technology. They have light switches with brightness control, a bread machine, a vacuum machine with a tube connecting to the wall sucking dirt and stuff right through the wall, a Nespresso coffee maker, wifi(pronounced in French, please), and so on. Everything is neatly stacked. My room has the shades with an electrical switch. Everything feels very convenient to access. I'm in Marseille? What a pleasant surprise! Alice's mom, Nicole, is a very independent woman. The two of them took great care of me. I can never thank them enough. Nicole's english is definitely better than my French. I wrote in my thank you card saying that next time, I will speak more French.

             Later, Alice decided to take me to her favorite Thai restaurant. It was unfortunately now open. She was puzzled but soon we went to another street to search for dinner. It is common for French to have dinner starting around 9pm. I slowly got used to it by waking up late. Ha! Eventually, we found a Lebanese restaurant. We ordered the 22EU menu including many different kinds of appetizers, an entree, choices of dessert, and tea. It was heaven. BTW, we parked in the parking lot, and the parking lot didn't have the pedestrian door open. Alice was all dressed up, and we had to walk out from the entrance of the cars.