The Uyugan Times

After 3 days in Brussels, our first major trip was to Paris aboard a high-speed train, which took us there in an hour and a half. We passed farms and small towns on our way. We passed plains and rolling hills, and made me wonder why in those fields, countless battles were fought since time immemorial. The preponderance of evil over the good in each and everyone of us? Man's/woman's inhumanity to man/woman?

In the Global village, there's similarity in many of the major cities and yet each is unique in its own way. The ethnic make-up of the major cities has changed, inhabited by many people from different parts of the world.

London is not much different from Toronto, populated by many people from the Indian-subcontinent and the former British African colonies. The same with Paris and Brussels inhabited by many people from the former French and Belgian African colonies.

When we cannot rule the waves, it's best not to waive the rules.

A Pinoy cabbie in London met us at the rail station and quickly drove us around the city to familiarize ourselves with the tourist sites.

The next day we took some guided tours of the city: Westminster Abbey and the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, then a walk at the business district. The following day we toured Windsor Castle,

Toronto, Ontario - Non-travelers, our travels in the past 2 decades or so, except for trips to Quebec and south of the border, were mainly trips back home to Batanes on family matters. Naturally, it was the same family matters that took us to travel the other way around. Instead of our traditional route across the Pacific, it was across the Atlantic this time.

Europe always fascinates because of places and stories we all read about in our youthful years, but we ourselves never really thought of visiting the place till a family occasion in Brussels prompted it.

                Cheaper than flying across North America and the Pacific to Batanes

              All the major cities of the continent are within easy reach of one another

Brussels was our home base in the 2-week visit to Europe. It's interesting that all the major cities of the continent are within easy reach of one another by rail. Many travel on backpacks and people from all walks of life could travel around the major cities of the continent (EU).

The first day in Brussels was spent visiting tourist sites including the royal palace. The next couple of days were for the family occasion that was the main reason for the visit.

             The glorious past of a once great power is very much in evidence in Paris

Paris is Paris and never a larger version of Brussels, but there are some similarities beyond the French language.

Paris has lots to offer travelers. We spent 3 days in the city but it takes much more than that to really see such a historic and yet a modern city. We visited the major tourist sites: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, opera houses and museums, and even took a cruise on the River Seine. We also visited the Palace of Versailles.

At the Notre Dame Cathedral, I remember my favourite aunt and English teacher Joanne C. Narag and my essay on: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The glorious past of a once great power is very much in evidence in Paris.

                                         I never smelled so many armpits all my life

life. The scent of people from different parts of the world permeated the air. My thoughts were: What am I doing here; I'd rather be in Batanes.

                Please watch your belongings, there are pickpockets aboard the train

The travel to Amsterdam was a day trip, and on our way back to Brussels aboard the same type of commuter train, a public announcement: Please watch your belongings, there are pickpockets aboard the train. WOW! This must be Europe? Well, we have them in all the major cities of the world, but to a greater or lesser extent in others. Today, it's hard to tell the difference between the major cities in many ways.

We left Brussels by rail for London where we spent the next 3 days before returning home to Toronto. The train ride took 2 hours, 20 minutes of which was spent under the English Channel. As we emerged from the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel, England's pastoral setting was a welcoming site.

                                         Rule Britannia! Britannia rule/s the waves!

where we watched another changing of the guards, while my daughter took the rail to Manchester to meet her former Canadian classmate now taking graduate studies in England.

At Westminster Abbey, thoughts were of my favourite aunt and English teacher Joanne C. Narag and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. At the Poets' Corner of the Abbey were buried Chaucer, Dickens, Kipling, Shakespeare, etc.

Like Paris, London was fascinating with lots of historical sites and lots of tourists. It has some similarities with Toronto, especially in the business district that there were times that I thought I was in Toronto, but the two cities are really beyond comparison in many ways.

Toronto was still a fur trading post when cities like London and Paris were already seats of powerful empires. That glorious past is very much present in these cities and the reason why millions of tourists visit each day.

              A London visit may not be complete without an Underground experience

play the Old Testament way of an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, then go for it. However, if it's the New Testament way of turning the other cheek, then play accordingly. Sadly, too many people who claim to be of the New Testament still play by the Old Testament.

Unlike Paris that has some unique graffiti stations, graffiti on subway/station walls has not elevated to art form in the Underground.

                 Major cities similar in many ways and yet each is unique in its own way

                                        Pinays/Pinoys: Here, there and everywhere

There are also many Pinays/Pinoys in these cities: Here, there and everywhere, but not as many as some nationalities. As we witnessed or as told, many are doing just fine, thank you; equally as many are doing not as well, but the message was loud and clear: Don't cry for us Pilipinas!

Generally, the major cities are safe and peaceful although we were warned of pickpockets, and even bag snatchers, in some areas of some cities. This is typical of major cities in the world, but to a greater/lesser extent in others. Still, equipped with common sense, and some knowledge of the cities, it's safe to travel to these cities, save bad luck.

                                             Line-ups: Here, there and everywhere

After 3 days in London, we left for Toronto. There's no place like the home city, indeed. Prior to that, however, the bane of travel that I disliked the most: Line-ups: Here, there and everywhere.

There were line-ups at check-ins, line-ups at immigration, line-ups at boarding, line-ups at deplaning, line-ups at customs, that I wondered, why do people have to put themselves all through this hellish experience?

Nevertheless, our travel to these parts of Europe was a great experience, and it's noted that there are many more great places to see, but will we ever return? Other family members love Paris and London and want to return, and also visit other great places (Rome and Athens, Cologne and Vienna, etc.) when they have the chance. I'm pleased with the enthusiasm and I encourage it.

Personally, however, who knows, not yet the return while the memories of the line-ups are still fresh on my mind. When the line-ups fade away or become distant memories pressed between the pages of my mind, then probably. It's hard to tell.

Returning to Toronto, we realized how less crowded and how more civilized the city is compared to the bigger cities. Still, Toronto is not perfect. It has its share of lesser people and it has its share of lesser places, but nothing that approximates the bigger cities.

Toronto is in a league of its own! Vive le difference! - vbc, September 2005

Flying across the Atlantic to Europe is not cheap, but much cheaper than flying across North America and the Pacific to Batanes. Surprisingly, once in England and the continent, it's really affordable to travel around Europe by rail and other means.

We took a British Airways flight from Toronto to London and then onward to Brussels on Belgian Airlines.

Landing at London's Heathrow, the airport was busy. A major gateway to and from all the continents, the airport is one of the busiest in the world. There's touchdown and take-off every 30 seconds.

We deplaned and checked-in for our connecting flight, and after an hour's flight from London, we arrived in Brussels.

After the 3rd day, we returned to Brussels where we spent the next 4 days touring Brussels and other parts of Belgium and The Netherlands.

The 1st day was BBQ time with family and friends. The 2nd day was spent touring the business district of Brussels. The 3rd day was a trip to the Diamond Museum in Antwerp, and the last day to Amsterdam and the renown red light district, which is a tourist site.

This trip to Amsterdam was unplanned and aboard� the cheaper commuter train. It was a terrible mistake on our part to take this train. I now recommend the high-speed trains instead of the commuter trains.

The ride on the commuter train left a not so pleasant scent or smell, if I may say so. With all due respect, Europe's unwashed, both from within and from without (outside) Europe, are in abundance in many of these commuter trains. O' boy, I never smelled so many armpits all my

London's subway or Underground or the Tube as they call it is one big system. It has around 12 lines compared to Toronto's 3 lines, but the 2 major lines that crisscross the city were almost like Toronto's.

Unlike Paris where we had some difficulty with the subway, partly due to language, we didn't have much problem with the Tube.

The Underground is well connected to the British rail system. Rail usage in the UK, and even more so in continental Europe, is higher compared to North America, simply because car ownership rate is lower. Canadians don't use the rail as much as the use of their cars.

Subway systems the world over are crowded especially during rush hours and the Tube is no exception. Londoners walk briskly, in and around the stations, so better walk the walk or go with the flow, or they could be walking on your back (I think, but I could be wrong). As in any crowded place, sometimes pushing and shoving is the name of the game, and one time I was compelled to play the part.

In life, we simply can't avoid some types of people. I suppose one of the rules of engagement is: If they