Lame Travels: Adventures Through Europe - Part III

Our next adventure involved driving to the English Channel, pulling onto the Chunnel, riding the Chunnel under the channel, then popping out into England! We drove all the way to London on the left side of the road.
When we reached London, we went straight to our hotel, the Royal Air Force Hotel and unpacked. The room was amazing, and the bathroom was almost as big as our room! I am so glad that my uncle booked us a handicap room, as in his room, the bathroom was long, skinny and up two steps.
The first day that we were in London it just so happened to be Canadian Day. Thousands of people were there to celebrate this day, so the area near the Canadian Embassy was packed with a plethora of bodies. I was in my manual chair, so I was not able to control my whereabouts. I hated being pushed through so many people, definitely since my eyes are at butt level. I got overwhelmed, and soon after leaving the hotel to explore the city, all I wanted to do was return to my room.
We did make our way back to the hotel, but not before a man cut me off and my uncle accidentally clipped the man's heals. This man was so rude; he turned around and started to chew me out. He told me that I needed to watch where I was going. My uncle and my mom returned the earful, he quickly retreated and we kept on walking.
When we reached the block our hotel was on, we could see the flickering glow of fire licking a building. While we were out exploring, the Hilton (the hotel one block behind ours) had caught on fire. At this point I honestly felt like crying; tired, overwhelmed, and hungry, all I wanted at that moment was to be in a quiet, still place, and eat something.
We thought it would be a good idea to eat dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, which happened to be next door to our hotel. However, there was a swarm of people outside the cafe as well; everyone in London had the same idea as us. So, we just decided to eat in the restaurant on the first floor of our hotel. This was totally fine in my opinion, as there where way too many people at the Hard Rock Cafe for my liking, and we could eat there the next night.
While we were eating dinner at the Royal Air Force Hotel restaurant, I overheard an older gentleman order three glasses of champagne. I thought "that's weird, why not just order a bottle," but then to our surprise, the three glasses of bubbly wine showed up at our table. I had never tasted champagne before; it was so smooth and I loved it.
We thanked the man who gifted us with the champagne, and then we continued to talk with him. He told us that every time he had traveled to America, he always felt welcome. He wanted to return the  favor and welcome us to England. He went on to say that he had a desk job in Afghanistan, and every month he would return to London for a weekend. He asked me how I liked Europe, and was curious/impressed about my traveling. When this man was finished with his meal, I watched him walk off, and it was obvious that he was an amputee. We had a great conversation, and I am so thankful that I met that generous man. He totally made my day!
The next day, we walked a lot. It was Gay Pride Day, and there were thousands more people celebrating this day. Many of the main streets were blocked off due to a parade, so it was not worth it to pay the 20 some pounds a person to ride a tour bus that was only able to travel a couple of blocks. Needless to say, we walked all day and still did not make it to the famous London Bridge.

Mom and I walking down the middle of the street

Mom infront of a London bus that we did not ride

We did however stride through Green Park to Buckingham Palace and watched the changing of the guard, Big Ben, West Minster, and the London Eye. The next day, we walked through Hyde Park to Princess Diana's house. On the way there, we saw the memorial for all the people that died in the 2005 London Subway bombing, the gates to Notting Hill, as well as, an area where people can stand on their "soap box" and talk about anything they wish.

Mom and I infront of Big Ben

Mom and I with the London Eye behind us (to the left) 

Me infront of the garden at Princess Diana's house

I liked exploring London the latter days of the trip, it was more fun and less overwhelming. I wish we would have been able to ride the London Eye but it was super expensive. Well, come to think of it, everything in London (to my knowledge), is super expensive! When we were venturing through London, we finally found a Starbucks that was not in an airport! Us Western Washingtonians love our coffee and definitely our Starbucks! So when we finally found one (like three days before we were to come home), we were thrilled. So of course we bought one; but come to find out, it was going to cost us about seven dollars for my green tea and about 12 dollars for my mom's foofy coffee drink. Now, it actually was three pounds and 6 pounds, but then double to covert pounds to US dollars.

Starbucks in London

Starbucks was not the only place I found overpriced tea. We went to High Tea: filled up on tea and scones smothered in clotted cream. The best way I can describe clotted cream is a sweet butter-like spread that is even more creamy and smooth. The next morning, my mom found herself in an embarrassing situation when she asked for clotted cream for her toast. Our waiter obviously offended, sophisticatedly told us that they only serve clotted cream with scones at High Tea.

Me at High Tea

For the most part, London was pretty accessible (not including the sea of butts that continuously got in the way). I found a couple places that would be impossible to enter in a power chair, one of which includes a Starbucks, that has stairs up from the street, and then back down to the main sitting area. Something that I did notice is at the "indoor" malls (shops that line an indoor hall way that stretches from on parallel street to the other); at the entrances there would be a step up. Most of the time, a wedge would be shoved up against the stair, so a wheelchair user can access the shops a little easier.
When we were by the London Eye, we came across an upside- down purple cow. A children's play area with oversized blocks and a giant connect four game surrounded the cow. The bathrooms for this area was located on the backside of the cow. We learned that many of the handicap bathrooms in London (including the cow bathroom) are locked and if you live there, a key is available for easy access. As we do not live in London, we were not able to utilize the handicap bathroom and the able bodied bathrooms were located up a couple skinny steps, through a narrow door and on top of that, the bathroom was super tiny. Fortunately for us, a lady went and searched out a worker to open the bathroom for us.

The upside-down purple cow

Later that night, we did get to eat at the Hark Rock Cafe; the original I might add. I had my first mojito and boy was it good. The waitress did not even card me (and I never was except once on the base). The funny thing about this is (well more of just a culture difference) the next day when I returned home to America, I went to Applebee's with my family and I was asked if I wanted a kids menu!
After our adventurous time in England, we drove all the way back to Brussels, packed up all our cloths and everything else acquired along our journey (including Belgium Chocolate and snow globes from all four countries), and then went to bed. Early the next morning, we got up and climbed right back into my uncle's car. We made the mistake of thinking that we could easily fly in and out of Frankfort, Germany. We did not realize how far Brussels to Frankfort really is. So thank you to those of you who drove us back to the Frankfort airport. And thank you to our "going away party". I love that you all showed up at the air port; it was such a nice surprise! I love my awesome family. 

Including the England and Frankfort road trips, we did a lot of driving while we were in Europe. We did travel on the Autobahn through Germany and come to find out, there is a speed limit posted for some sections of express way. Another piece of information that I found out while traveling on the Autobahn and other routes throughout Europe is the rest stops do NOT have toilet seats. So, if you are unable to squat over the metal hole, do not use the rest stops. However, there are handicap bathrooms in all the gas stations (at least all the ones we stopped at). We did have to ask for a key, but there were two bonuses to using the handicap bathroom; my mom and I did not have to pay, and the bathrooms were way cleaner than the rest stops.
I had a splendid time in Europe; trials and all! I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to go on such a wonderful trip. I learned so much about culture, history, and about accessibility throughout North Western Europe. As a Political Science/Social Studies nerd and Disabilities Advocate, I was totally in my element! Thank you to my mom, uncle and to everyone else who made this trip possible.

The Good, The Bad, and Football: Game Tag-alongs

Football season is officially in full swing. Squalicum High School, my alma mater and the school my dad coaches for, has played three games so far. And, I am proud to announce that they have a record of 3-0! I love watching football games, and being apart of almost everything that comes a long with this strategic sport: after game get togethers, celebrating at Applebee's, Thursday team dinners, the cool crisp air of the nights, bundling up in sweaters and blankets, and of course the excitement of the game.
However for me, more than just this wonderful list comes along with each football season; obstacles that have to be overcome, tag along as well. These include, non-accessible stadiums, poorly designed stadiums, inconsiderate people, and overall just plain ignorance.
Every Thursday night before each Friday night football game, some of the moms from the team provide a meal for all the athletes, managers, coaches and their families. Since my dad is a coach and my sister is the team manager, my mom and I always go to the team dinners. Two out of the three Thursday nights, a car was parked in the cross walk part of the handicap spot. The first night, we found this inconvenience when we exited the school after the dinner. A car was parked right next to our van, as if the cross walk part was an actual spot. The next Thursday night, we showed up for the dinner and there was a car diagonally parked, partially blocking the handicap spot, as well as partially in the cross walk part. I do not understand, the spot is marked. Both times, the cars were parents of children who play club soccer; not anyone associated with Squalicum High School football!

Car parked in cross walk part of handicap spot

Car's license plate

Car blocking handicap spot

Two Fridays ago, we traveled to Sedro Woolley to battle the Cubs. That game was so nerve raking the entire time, and we won by one point! While at the game, I did sit in the stands. I like to sit in the stands to be with my family and friends. The away stands, granted they are old, are so inconvenient (for me and others). I have to sit in the walkway, and if I sit straight, I take up the entire width of the walkway. People have to walk up and around and back down, or step over me. 

Chilling in the walkway

Another inconvenience with the stadium is, when I enter the field, I have to cross in front of the stadium, so travel all the way to the other side of the stadium, in grass I might add, to get to the ramp. Now, for me this is not such a big deal. However, for a person who is not able to use the stairs, but can still walk or uses a manual chair, it probably is difficult for them to travel far distances, and/or trek through grass. This is not a smart set-up. I hope if Sedro's stadium is ever remodeled, that the architect  would think about their poor design, and fix it.

Unfortunately, remodeled stadiums that have been brought up to ADA standard, are not always built very well either. Civic, Squalicum's home stadium, has been remodeled and is pretty nice; I love almost everything about the home side. The one thing that I dislike about the home side is, the handicap section is also a "main" walkway. The downfall of this is the walkway passes in front of where I and others who cannot use the stairs, sit. Last Friday night, I counted how many people walked in front of me. When the buzzer bonged to announce the end of the first quarter, 168 people had passed through the handicap walkway. Four of which I know came from the concession stands, walked up the entrance on the right side of the walkway, crossed in front of us sitting in the handicap section, and then proceeded up the stair case next to the other entrance on the left side of the walkway.

Last night, I attended the Anacortes versus Sehome game, and I tried to sit in the handicap section that is all the way at the top of the stadium. The pros of sitting at the very top is one, no one ever walks in front of you, and that is actually about it. The down falls of sitting up there is one, only one person can sit with you, two, the field is so far away the players all look like colored moving dots and three, the door to the hall leading to the elevator can get locked. Last night, I had to use the bathroom, but the door leading to the elevator had been locked. I am so glad that my mom was with me, because I am not physically able to knock on the window to get the announcers attention. What would happen if a person who could not use the stairs or knock on the window, ended up on the platform by themselves, and needed to leave? I do not think I will ever sit up there again.

I love football games and I am thankful for Civic's accessibility. I have made adaptions, like sitting in walkways, and having people walk behind me, so I can enjoy the game like everyone else. I am so proud of the Squalicum football players. Keep up the great work boys, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the season plays out. Go Storm!     

Lame Travels: Adventures Through Europe - Part II

After our time in Garmisch, we traveled to my uncle's house in Brussels, Belgium. While we were there, we toured Brussels, Brugge and Leuven. In Brussels, I had the opportunity to ride a European Subway. I am not sure if I could have made it onto the train in my power chair, as there is about a three to six inch gap between the car and the platform. However, I was told that there is a ramp that can be flipped out onto the platform at the front of the subway. The only problem is, I would have to be able to get the driver's attention. I guess that would be something I would have to figure out if I were to travel by myself. Fortunately, I was accompanied by my family and it was easy for my uncle to pop me across the gap and onto the subway. The other thing that I learned is that not every station has an elevator up to the street; so, before traveling, we had to make sure I would be able to leave the station when I exited the car.

One day when we were in Brussels, we took the subway downtown. I really liked downtown Brussels. There are mid-evil looking buildings that are amazing. On one side of the Gran Plots, the buildings had all burnt down but, had been rebuilt to replicate the originals. Many of the buildings near the Plots were not accessible; they all had stairs. But, this did not stop us from entering; my uncle pulled me right up the stairs, backward, and into each shop.

While in Brussels, I tried the Fritz and the famous Belgium Waffle. Fritz are pretty much thick cut french fries with ketchup, mayonnaise and fried onions on top. The first time I had Fritz, huge globs of each condiment blanketed the top and it seemed as if there was more toppings than potato. In contrast to the Fritz, Belgium Waffles are probably the best dessert food that I have ever tasted. Belgium Waffles are not like waffles here. They do not need toppings, as they are sweet when finished. Belgium Waffles are made with dough, not badder, and the dough is filled with pearl sugar. When cooked, the pearl sugar melts and drips through the entire waffle, caramelizing the outside. The waffle is soft, but is perfectly crispy on the outside. The sticky surface makes the waffle even more enjoyable to eat. We got to watch the vender make our waffles fresh. The dough is pressed out on the iron, the iron is stuck in-between hot plates, then taken back out, flipped over and stuck back into the hot plates. The result; pure deliciousness!

Mom and I with our Belgium Waffles

Another town in Belgium we visited is Brugge. Brugge was a port town before a storm destroyed the canals connecting it to the channel. The canals through the town are now used for tourism. Brugge is also famous for their tapestries (which in my opinion are beautiful). Many of the shops in Brugge were accessible but, the place we wanted to eat at was not, and the area around the steps was also crowded so, we just ate outside. In the middle of ordering our lunch, the lady, sitting at the table next to us, slapped our waiter on the butt. After we asked if the lady had just whacked him, he replied in an italian accent, "that's okay, she's my wife." The waiter's wife had brought her three month old and eight year old daughters to see their dad.

The restaurant that we ate at was on the edge of a large farmers' market, one that to my knowledge is open every day that the weather is nice. There were cloths (socks and underwear to pants and shirts), handmade jewelry, paintings, as well as fruit, vegetables, breads, meats and cheeses. I learned that throughout Europe there are many open markets and when looking at fresh produce, you do not touch or you buy. The jewelry was amazing and I loved looking at all the different designs created by the artists. I had a great time in Brugge and am glad I had the chance to see another smaller European town.   

Leuven, a college town, has some mid-evil buildings as well. One of the buildings has so many gargoyles on it and all the thought and care that was put into it made me appreciate the ancient architecture even more. I am so impressed at how much time and effort was put into each building. It amazes me that in a time of no modern technology, people put so much work into such a time consuming process. Now that we have modern technology, most buildings are mass produced and just put up as fast as they possibly can be built. Buildings should be built with quality materials, passionate architecture, as well as handicap accessibility. 

An interesting occurrence happened to us when we were visiting Lueven. We had a fabulous dinner and explored the town; however, when we went back to the parking garage, it was locked up for the night. There is a sign hanging over the exit that clearly states that the parking garage closes at 7:00pm. How we missed that I have no idea. However, the previous times my uncle had come to Lueven were for concerts. He said that on those nights, the car garage stayed open until after the concerts were over; he did not think anything of it. So, there we were, stuck without the car. I was kind of excited as we started to go over our options. All the obvious resolutions were adventurous, but expensive. If we were to leave the car in the garage, it would mean a 300 euro ticket ($450 US), plus the dollar rate for every hour the car was left in the garage. The other costs would include either staying the night in a hotel or the cost of us all taking the train or a taxi back to my uncle's apartment. Then, my uncle would have to come back in the morning to pick up the car and pay the fine. I was enjoying the idea of the spontaneous adventure but, it came to an end when my uncle found his way into the garage. It just so happened that two girls were in the same predicament as us but, they had the advantage of knowing someone who had a parking pass for the garage. They had called him to help them and when he came we were able to get the car out. We were free to go and did not have to pay the fine. 

After our time in Belgium, we went to Paris, France! I loved Paris even more than I thought I would. My love for Paris did not come from the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or the other main tourist attractions as much as it came from the Latin Quarter. 

Welcome to France

Located in the southeast part of Paris, on the West bank of the Seine River is a hidden gem of the city. History is woven throughout this area, restaurants and bars line the streets, and the food is just as tasty without the tourist price tags. The Latin Quarter is the place to go to see the authentic Paris; this is where to find the Parisian culture of quiet streets in the morning and a hopping transformation that continues late into the night. 

On the first night, we ate at Chez Fernand. This amazing restaurant, along with many other restaurants, cafes, bars and ice cream shops, lined the cobbled backstreet. Tables stuck out of the door, so guests ended up practically sitting on the sidewalk. Many of the restaurants also had their menus posted outside. It is nice to know what can be ordered before entering. And tip to picking a restaurant, do not eat at a place that posts their menu without prices. The feel of the backstreet made me intrigued and I was excited to eat authentic french food. I also spotted the special of the night, duck, listed on the chalked on the outside menu outside of Chez Fernand. A meal of duck, mashed potatoes and applesauce may sound interesting but was prepared perfectly. The mixture so scrumptious trumped every other meal in France by far. To add to the deliciousness, we ordered creme burlee; creme burlee that has set the standard that will never be matched. While at Chez Fernand, I needed to use the bathroom. Now, Chez Fernand is a long skinny restaurant cram packed with tables and chairs. Every seat was filled, which made the pathway to the bathroom even more tricky to get to. When we did manage to work our way back there, we found the bathroom to be super tiny and on top of that, an awkward shape. Now, the building is super old, so I am not complaining that it is not accessible. But what we need to do more is that every time something stands in your way, turn it into an adventure and try to overcome it. Mom and I made the best out of the situation, we laughed a lot and to make it easier, we had someone hold the door open when we went in, and had that same someone open the door back up again when we were finished. I loved my time at Chez Fernand and if I ever return to Paris, they will definitely get my business again!

My scrumptious dinner at Chez Fernand

Our hotel was located in the Latin Quarter, and I loved it. Mom and I had an adventure in making the tiny bathroom work, and we did it. The small area actually came in handy, as there was not a shower chair that I could use. Instead, I sat sideways on the toilet (which was beside the shower), and Mom was able to hold me over the shower (which was actually a tub), and wash my hair using the handheld shower nozzle. The beds were tiny and seemed as if the designer did not know that people over 5'6'' existed; which for my mom and I was fine but for others, they may just find themselves in Shaquille O'neil's shoes. The decor was super colorful and our windows opened like french doors.  There were no screens! This was new for us, and we had to make the decision, cool and noisy, or hot and quieter. I loved the big portrait windows, they reminded me of all the Europe based movies I have watched. My poor mom was tired, so the first night we made the mistake of going to bed at 10:00pm. Sleep did not come, as everyone in the Latin Quarter rings in the morning everyday (well at least the nights we were there)! The second night, my uncle took me exploring, and I had the chance to experience the Latin Quarter down on the streets. We listened to a french folk band play in a pub a little ways down from our hotel. I enjoyed getting to see this part of Paris at night.

The view from our hotel in the Latin Quarter

The view as the sun was setting

We did explore the city of Paris as well. I am so glad that I had the chance to see the Eiffel Tower,  Notre Dame, Louvre, Parthenon, and the Arc de Triomphe. When we were exploring Paris, we also  saw the two bridges covered in locks, a school for the deaf, and the Marie Curie Institute. We also went to Luxembourg Park, to Angelina's, and to the fair. 

The first time I saw the Eiffel Tower, the thought of "I am actually in Paris" flashed through my mind. The Eiffel Tower is humongous. Standing in the square that sits up a little ways from this remarkable land mark, the tower does not seem as spectacular and ginormous as we ended up finding it to be. As we walked towards it, the Eiffel Tower kept growing and growing. At least twice, I remember thinking, "we are almost there" but, we kept on walking. On our way there, we came across a large flight of stairs. My uncle could have popped up the front tires and bumped me down each stair, never the less, on the sides of the stairs are wide flat edges that slope with the stairs. They happen to resemble ramps and both my uncle and I saw this and took it to our advantage.

Mom and I "infront" of the Eiffel Tower

When we arrived at our destination, we realized how big the Eiffel Tower actually is. We ran into our first indentured servants. They are all over Paris, trying to earn their freedom. The men will try to sell mini replicas of the Eiffel Tower for cheap. The money that they make goes to whoever brought them to Paris. Every time the cops would show up, the men selling the trinkets, quickly packed them up and scattered. There were also indentured servants cleaning the bathrooms underneath the tower. There is an elevator down to this bathroom, which was amazingly convenient. 

In contrast to there being an elevator down to the bathroom at the Eiffel Tower, there is not one for traveling underneath Notre Dame. Going to the bathroom at Notre Dame entails going down a flight of stairs, then across a landing, going down another flight of stairs, then across a second landing, turning left, going down another flight of stairs, walking down a hallway, turning left again, then walking down another hallway about three times as long as the first. When we finally arrived at the bathroom, we ran across indentured servants. One of the ladies cleaning the bathroom expected anyone who was going to use the bathroom to pay her on top of the price it cost to use the bathroom. This first time using the bathroom here, it was not clean. However, the next time we used the Notre Dame bathroom, it was very clean and the ladies who were working did not expect a tip. They just kept working away the entire time we were there. 

The first time we went to Notre Dame, a French Cardinal was preaching outside the building. Even though he was speaking Latin and we were not able to understand him the moment was still spectacular. The second time we visited Notre Dame, we had the opportunity to go inside. The interior was breathtaking: the stained glass windows were so beautiful, and the life of Jesus was elegantly carved in the stone throughout the cathedral. 

Mom and I on the east side of Notre Dame

We also walked around the outside of the Louvre and the Partheon. We did not explore inside either of them, as they are both super expensive to tour. I also do not know if the Louvre is accessible or not. The exit that everyone was coming out of was clearly not accessible but, I do not know if there is an alternative exit. The Partheon, an amazing architectural design, resembles the United States Capital. I love them both, and am so thankful that I have got to see each of them. 

While in Paris, we were able to utilize the tour buses. My uncle carried me up the small spiral staircase so I could view the city from the second level of the bus. This was entertaining, as the staircase was just big enough for my uncle, let alone the both of us. My mom folded up my chair and left it on the first level of the bus, and when we came back down it was still there! It would have definitely been an overcoming experience if my chair had rolled off. When on the bus, we could take pictures without having the glare of the windows impair our photos. On the tour busses there are headphone jacks in over 15 different language channels to plug into. 

When riding on the bus, we saw many sites; two of which include the Arc de Triomphe and a newly wed couple hooking a lock to the to one of the lock bridges. When we were walking around the city, we crossed both the lock bridges. My mom's favorite lock (that caught her eye) had "Ted and Queeny" engraved on the front. I would love to one day place a lock on one of the bridges and throw the key into the river. 

While rolling around Paris, I also passed a deaf school and the Marie Curie Institute. These two sites are two places that I did not think that I would come across, but two places that I am glad that I did get to see. I am curious to know if the deaf institute is still in use and if any other countries, including France, require their deaf students to go to a special school. The Marie Curie Institute was a neat treat, as my dad is a chemistry teacher, and I learned about her and her early studies on radiation in his class. 

While venturing around Paris by foot, we went to the Luxembourg Park. In the park, we witnessed Elaine Dreyfus, from Seinfeld, shooting a short film. The park was so beautiful and at one end of the park sits the Luxembourg Palace and on the opposite side stands rows of manicured trees. There is also a staircase at the same end as the palace. When leaving the park, the clouds formed a "staircase" in the sky above the stairs exiting the park.

The staircases

My Uncle insisted that we went to Angelina's and have a cup of hot chocolate, and boy oh boy am I glad that he did! Angelina's hot chocolate is so thick, rich, and creamy; it is as if Dove Chocolate was melted down and poured into a glass of cream. Just like Chez Fernand's creme burley, no other hot chocolate will ever stand up to Angelina's! I loved it's deliciousness and I hope that one day I have the chance to sip it again. 

A culture experience occurred while at a cafe a little ways down from our hotel. My mom ordered a cup of coffee, and then asked for a glass of milk to create her own latte. Our waiter brought out a tiny glass of cream, not exactly what my mom was looking for and he told her that they do not serve glasses of milk. Now the interesting thing to us was, at Angelina's, our waitress brought us a pitcher of cream and whipped cream to go with our hot chocolate! Extremely concentrated coffee without milk and extra rich and creamy hot chocolate anyone?  

Angelina's hot chocolate

After our stomachs ached from the chocolatey goodness, we continued on our way. When we went under the road and came out the other side, we came across a fair in the middle of Paris! My uncle wanted to go on the chair swings, but did not want to go alone. So, I made a deal with him. See, my favorite ride is the Rainbow and I cannot go on it by myself; so, I told him I would go on the chair swings with him, if he took me on the Rainbow. In the end, I got to ride two fair rides in Paris.

One tip for visiting Paris in a wheelchair is many of the main roads do not have crosswalks. Instead, there are stairs that go under the road and then back up to the other side. Be prepared to be bumped down the stairs by a fellow traveler or unfortunately another route will have to be found.

Even though stairs found their way into our path many times on our adventure through Paris, we over came them every time. Overall, I loved Paris!