Hello. Welcome to my website. It started while I was in Europe for a semester, and I've kept it up since then. I'm now at the University of Chicago Law School, living in Hyde Park, and the story continues. If you want to say hi or visit me, email cfloyd at uchicago dot edu.
"Life is nothing if not the sum of your anecdotes." -Scotty The Body, on storytelling "But it ain't that bad, man. Just figure out the system before the system figures out you." -T. Matthew Smith, on the 1L year "The beer just doesn't taste as good when you're not drinking it with your buddies." -Anon., on being away from good friends "Somebody has to pay the rent around here. Why the hell not us?" -Cotton, on studying for exams
4/30/2003
Mmmm...I just made popcorn. On the stove. We don't have a microwave, so I did it the old way, in a pot with oil. It has been, really, at least ten years since I had stove-top popcorn with real melted butter. That nuked stuff with the butter-flavored powder just doesn't measure up. I say we sink Pop Secret and go back to the old school way. (BTW: I know this has nothing to do with being in Europe. I just wanted to share.)
4/30/2003 02:56:00 PM
The weather here is really beautiful. If you want to see what the forecast is for Graz, go here. As you can see, it's dang near perfect. The other day I met some friends in the Stadtpark. There were hundreds of students basking in the sun. A lot of the guys had their shirts off, and I was very surprised to see many of the girls in bras and panties. Oh well, I guess this is Europe. Maybe I should go to the park more often...
In other news, Frank died. You may remember my trip to IKEA when I bought a little pot of english ivy for my window sill. I had named my plant Frank. Apparently he wasn't watered enough while I was gone. I'm going to pin this one on Mirza (although I didn't exactly mention to him to water my plant). You wouldn't think english ivy would give up so easily, but I guess Frank just wasn't a fighter. This post is in his memory.
4/28/2003
I have decided to make a resolution, based on what I experienced in my travels over the last few weeks: I will begin to call Graz home. I am no longer visting here; I am living here. This will include such aspects as putting up posters on my walls, frequenting certain establishments, and exploring parts of the city I have little business exploring. My friends I visited in other countries had all been there since September or so. I don't know when they stopped visiting their respective towns and started living in them, but all of them had done so. It is time for me to do the same. I'll let you know how that goes.
One sign it's already begun: a new supermarket opened up nearby over Easter. I was thrilled by the fact that it has extended hours, even on Sundays.
I'm back in Graz now. I got in last night around 11pm after a weekend visit to Rachel Campbell in Bamberg, Germany. The trip was really good. It gave me perspective on my own corner of Europe, and I got to see how my friends studying abroad were doing. But right now I'm still tired, so I think I'll take a nap soon.
4/28/2003 03:27:00 AM
4/25/2003
Here I am in Brussels, Belgium. I got in late and paid 28 for a room to myself. It was very worth it. I got a bed and good sleep. I've already visited the Beer Museum of Belguim. It was just OK. But at least I went to the Beer Museum of Belgium, right? Now I'm going to try to find a couple of decent brewery tours nearby and walk around and get a picture of Mannekin-Pis, the little peeing statue fountain whose beer is on tap on the Library. I'll post a copy. Not sure how long I'm staying, but I'm in the home stretch of this trip. Next stop: central Germany, then, finally, Graz.
4/23/2003
I'm in an internet cafe just off of the Blvd St. Germain. The trip from Leeds to Paris took longer than anticipated because of a chain-reaction of late, then missed, trains, but the ferry ride from Dover to Calais was beautiful. I got in kind of late last night so I had dinner and got some sleep. Today I started at Notre Dame and walked along the Seine. I went through the area of the Louvre to the Champs Elyseè. Walked down to the Arc dé Triumphe (sp?), paid to walk to the top, and enjoyed a great view of Paris. From the Arc I walked to the Eiffel area, then by the Invalide, then down St. Germain. I paused for a café au lait in a coffee shop Hemingway reportedly frequented and read more of A Moveable Feast. Then I came here to post and check email. The plan is to catch a play and then a pub tonight, then get up tomorrow for Musee d'Orsay (sp? damn french and its keyboards). And Zach, I will try to avoid the bloody noses.
Ruminations: Paris is absolutely beautiful. Forget Chirac and national rivalries. As the Brits say, I can't be bothered. The bottom line is I'm currently in one of the world's great cities and I intend to make the most of it. There is enough here for a lifetime, but I'm not trying to fit it all in. I am breathing the air, admiring the gorgeous, um, scenery, and taking plenty of pictures. Well, time's up, so more soon.
4/23/2003 10:46:00 AM
4/21/2003
Today I went back to York. The Easter service there was wonderful. Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera Sunday and I never saw a lot of the town, so today I went back. My day started with an English breakfast sandwich. Innocent sounding enough, but the grease on it shortened my life by two years, guaranteed. I took the train to York and took the York Brewery tour, which was actually quite small. But the brewery also contained a pub so I sat, had two award-winning pints, and talked with the brewery employees and some folks from Belfast. One of the Irish guys knew of the Tulsa Roughnecks! Apparently his cousin played for the Irish National team and had been picked up in the States before the league folded, but he still lives in Tulsa. I didn't catch his name.
After the brewery tour I went to the old city center where they have a large open-air market set up everyday. I looked around at their wares and bought a greasy hamburger (took another year off). Then I walked about a mile on top of the city walls, which, unlike those of many other cities, have been preserved. There was a bookstore called W, in which I bought Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast," in response to the numerous recommendations I've received for that particular work. The hamburger wasn't sitting well--damn English beef--so I took some time out on a bench in the York Minster courtyard to read the first two chapters, listen to the cathedral bells, and watch children play. Then I walked around some more and caught the train back to Leeds. Tonight we went back to the Fox and the Newt (the local pub I referenced last time) for their open-mic night. The music quality was very good. It reminded me of playing Monday nights at Brother's in Norman. A group of guys played "Sweet Home Chicago," and I got up on the harmonica to jam. They insisted I stay for some Dylan--"I Shall be Released." And that was my day.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Dover to catch the ferry to Calais. From Calais I will go to Paris, where Jessica Martin has promised to show me the town. Somebody told me Paris was the most beautiful city in the world. Other people told me they couldn't stand the French. I am thus far neutral, but I will ruminate on my Parisian experience for you all shortly. And I will review "A Moveable Feast."
Until then...
4/19/2003
Hi. I'm safe and sound in Leeds, England. Just got back from a local pub, where the owner locked the door and let us stay three hours past closing time. It's apparently pretty common--known as an "English lock-in". Ray (the proprietor) kept telling Irish jokes and asking about America. Dave and I were more than happy to laugh at his comedy and answer his questions. Tomorrow I'm going to York for the Easter service at the York Minster Cathedral there. I look forward to a great Anglican High Church service and a sermon from the Archbishop. Mom and Dad, I'll try to call you before you go to church tomorrow. If I don't catch you then, I'll call you in the afternoon. Happy Easter, everybody!
4/19/2003 06:06:00 PM
im in paris right now on a computer with no shift key. spain was great--very relaxing and hospitable. my train to leeds comes soon, and i wil see dave mccrary there. i wil post again when i have a real keyboard.
4/19/2003 02:12:00 AM
4/16/2003
People are picking on my posts, but criticism is when an artist knows he has arrived!
Frivolities aside, Spain is good times. I actually got to speak German with some exchange students studying here. They insisted on "correcting" the bits of Austrian dialect I've picked up in Graz. It rained all day yesterday, so we stayed in, but today we went to the beach. I saw the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. It was green. We made sandwiches on the sand and sat at a cafe. Then I walked around the center of Castellon. It seems like every city has a park that represents that city's character. The park here was no exception and was very pleasant. Tonight I will experience some Spanish night life. Bring on the sangria and don't call too early! Hasta.
4/16/2003 12:34:00 PM
4/15/2003
I am now in Castellon de la Plana. If you're looking on a map you can find this city on the east coast of Spain between Barcelona and Valencia. It is an hour's train ride north of Valencia. Dan Rowan, of Oklahoma City and Norman fame, is treating me like a king as I stay in an empty bed in his apartment. Carrie Leslie is also visiting Dan, and Hannah McClain (Wade the old roommate's sister) studies here. Altogether I have outstanding company. Yesterday we went for a traditional Spanish dinner of fresh fish, cured ham, bread and cheese with vegetables. It was nourishing, very tasty, and easy on the wallet. What more could one ask for in a meal? Then we went on to Dan's local pub. The owner/bartender is one of Dan's good friends so he was very friendly to us. We played darts and shot the breeze (shot a lot more breeze than bulls eyes). It was a chilled-out good time. Spanish life so far is very quiet, slow and relaxing. That may have to do with Holy Week, but Dan assures me that the pace of things here is never hurried. I like that.
I'll be here until Thursday, and then it's off in the direction of England. I will update more soon.
4/15/2003 10:40:00 AM
4/13/2003
Today I took a nice stroll throught the center of Bordeaux. The city is charming, with lots of parks, monuments, and old stuff next to new stuff. Does that make sense? I think that's one thing Americans find so fascinating about Europe: the old/new juxtaposition. Although the constitutional government of the United States is the oldest and most stable in the world, our civilization is relatively young. Where Tulsa few years back celebrated its centennial, cities here were celebrating their 500th, 1000th, or 2,000 year birthday. These cities are old, but they also have made room for Hugo Boss and McDonald's on the ground level of their old quarters. And they have built highways outside the antique walls and malls that the highways lead to. So Europe is a mix of old and new that Americans never experience outside of certain spots in New England, and even then it is not the same.
A quick note on the war in Iraq: When I got on the train in Graz the Marines had mounted their first excursion into Baghdad. When I got off the train in Bordeaux the city had fallen. We really are in a new age of unstoppable American might. That's not hubris; that is documented fact. Does might make right? Not by itself. The people of ancient Athens found that out the hard way. As Spiderman said, with great power comes great responsibility. America is the proverbial NFL linebacker in a room full of horse jockeys. Beating them up isn't the problem. It's getting along afterwards. We have to remember the Iraqi people and commit to helping them build a real country. Otherwise it won't matter how many statues the 101st Airborne pulls over. So support our troops and support the Iraqi people. If we believe in what our nation was founded on and show the goodwill that such a belief should produce, maybe, just maybe, people in the Middle East will grow to believe us.
4/13/2003 05:46:00 AM
4/12/2003
Here I am in Bordeaux, France. It is a city of about 750,000 inhabitants, and one of those is my good friend Ben Ratliffe. Ben and I went to high school and college together. He has a penchant for getting great house-sitting jobs, and he certainly has one here in Graz. Thanks to Ben and his employer I have had a bed, kitchen, and laundry for three days, not to mention a guide to the city who is fluent in France. What more could a poor traveling college student want?
[EDITOR'S NOTE: It has been brought to my attention by a well-meaning commenter that I made a small mistake on this post. My guide was fluent in French, not France. Thanks, Rachel. You're always there when I need you!]
4/09/2003
I have made my travel plans, and as far as I can tell they are good. I purchased a rail pass that is good for most of Western Europe. My only concern is getting bored on the trains I take, but I suppose that's life. I depart this evening for Bordeaux, where I will meet Ben Ratliff. Ben is housesitting there and is hosting Justin Lantz, David McCrary and Ruth Bray for the week. I am coming late because of my semester schedule, but I should be there in time to hang out with them for a bit. After Bordeaux I am going to Spain to stay with Dan Rowan and Carrie Leslie. Then I will go back up to France to see more of the country. After that I plan on rejoining David in Leeds, Great Britain for an Anglican Easter, and then I will make my way home through Benelux and Germany, seeing what I can see. If you are in the area and would like me to visit you during that time, email me!
I intend to be blogging during my vacation as much as I can find internet cafes in which to do so. So stay close and check up on me. Here I go on a European adventure!
4/09/2003 07:46:00 AM
4/07/2003
I have been asking around as much as possible to get travel advice. Tomorrow I will go to the travel agent and find out what sort of deals there are. That will determine the extent of my travels this Easter holiday. I hope I find a good deal on a rail pass.
4/07/2003 02:13:00 PM
Travel is expensive. There's no way around it. And I'm about to have two empty weeks for Easter, and I have to fill them. Frustration...
4/07/2003 10:00:00 AM
There was no internet service over the weekend. I heard a rumor that the powers that be are considering shutting it down every weekend. That would be a problem.
4/07/2003 09:58:00 AM
4/03/2003
Not much to say today. I've been checking up on the progress of the war in Iraq, and we're apparently on the edge of Baghdad. Seems like things are going well, but I hope there aren't any nasty surprises for us. The best surprise would be finding Saddam gone Hitler-style in a bunker.
Speaking of evil dictators, I found this blog by Kim Jung-Il. The best parts by far are the IM's with Dubya. If you've ever used internet messaging you'll love it.
I'm solidifying my travel plans. Thanks to everybody that sent advice. I'm hoping to see as much as I can. If you'll be around the western part of Europe at all during April 9-27, let me know, and I'll try to visit you or we can link up somewhere.
Peace out.
(Greg, that's for you)
4/03/2003 12:30:00 PM
4/01/2003
You know, I read Sunday's post and thought, "What in the world is 'both quintessentially European and fully international' supposed to mean?" I apologize for the constipated style. All I can say is, I wanted to say something profound quickly. My attempt fell flat and I'm sorry.
The laundry situation (see Friday March 28) has been resolved. The office lady had wash coins today, and she gave me extra since I'd been waiting so long. Now I just have to actually clean my clothes...
So: Vienna. It was great. No crazy times, unless going to bed before midnight is your idea of a wild night. Justin Lantz and I arrived around noon on Saturday. (Justin, if you dislike the picture, post a better one). After about an hour of navigating the non-intuitive subway system we made it to our hostel, the Wombat. It was a nice, English-speaking, inexpensive place. We split a double room for 18 euro apiece. After we had settled in and stored our luggage we made for the city center. Emerging from the U-Bahn we immediately encountered St. Stephan's Cathedral looming in front of us. Tough to miss. St. Stephan's dominates the skyline and is a symbol of Vienna. We went inside and wandered around. I pulled out my camera to take pictures but no! the battery was dead. That is why you're getting these links instead of my own shots. Pictures soon, people. Soon.
We left there and went around the Innere Stadt on a self-guided walking tour. We saw Hungarian break dancers (basically Hans and Franz doing incredible headspins) and living statues. There is so much architecture of so many varieties, from Gothic to Baroque to Neo-Classical and contemporary. Most of it was paid for by the Hapsburg family, the dynasty that controlled the Austrian empire. After our tour, we sat in an open-air cafe and enjoyed coffee and people watching. Supposedly this is just as much a part of experiencing Vienna as touring the museums. I enjoyed the down-time. We rode the street car around the city and, after dinner (Italian pizza place) made our way back to the hostel. After a drink on the house and some internet surfing to catch up with the NCAAs we turned in. We rose at 9am Sunday to checkout and make the most of our time. The first stop was the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which features a massive collection of art and artifacts accumulated by...you guessed it, the Hapsburg dynasty. That afternoon we rested our tired feet by watching The Third Man in an old-style movie house. It was a classy place, with a balcony and the previously-mentioned glasses of beer. We were two of seven in the theater. I recommend the film, especially if you like old movies. Orson Welles is great, even though he's only in it a short time. After the film we strolled a bit more and I parted with Vienna that evening. But don't worry--I'll be back, with fresh batteries.
4/01/2003 02:20:00 PM
