France 2007: Day 1 - MNL - AMS - CDG

I hate flying. Will someone invent teleportation already. Today Margie and I spent 20 hours or so getting to France. No sleep last night, wanted to save it for the plane. Had the misfortune of having the only aisle chair in the plane with a metal safety box of some kind in the seat before it, cutting off my leg room and making for just a FANTASTIC 14-hour flight to Amsterdam, our first layover.

The KLM Stewardesses were nice. Normally I ignore them but these Dutch ones were especially nice. Kahit Virgin Mary-blue yung uniforms, and for that matter the entire plane. The food was better too, but like all airplane food it was still shit. Just a little prettier.

In Amsterdam I found myself staring at the Dutch. The last time I was in Europe was in '97, and my memory of it is spotty. I remember Rotterdam, with big fat chickens running on the road; Amsterdam and the canals and the Anne Frank House and the wax museum, and one of our tour-mates getting hit by a tram. But I didn't have much contact with the Dutch. They're very tall which I suppose is typical of Europeans, but also they speak very good English, and with an American-based accent. The women are pretty, very fair and most with striking blond hair, though there are several with jet black hair and pale eyes. The men are huge, in coats that made them look even bigger. Unlike HK and Singapore and even the States, this time I really felt like I was in a different country.

Our hotel, Hotel Castex, is small but is very nice. We took a brisk walk outside where it was two degrees. Two. Degrees. Buti na lang we took notes in Amsterdam on how to dress for the cold. It's the first time in my life to wear a scarf. And it's raining too. We got to the hotel at 11 PM, after settling in it was too late to eat or get a drink so we just walked, on our street a stray cat followed us and played with my leg. Even the cats look different. Fat and furry. I'm calling him Pierre.

Anyway, should get some sleep. We only have one day in Paris and we'll do all the places we can tomorrow. Will meet up with Raya, another filmmaker, who's in town as well. Unfortunately there's a strike and the subway isn't running, so it looks like it will be all walking for us. Good thing our hotel is in the City Center. and close to everything. For example, around the corner is the Place de la Bastille where the Bastille Prison stood until it was stormed in the revolution. All that history, just around my corner. What a city.

I'm almost forgetting we're here to work.