Let the European Vacation begin

There's still a lot I feel like a need to write about Africa, to decompress in a way. However since I got off the plane in Paris 2 weeks ago, it's felt like go go go and get out there to see things.
Better catch up instead...

PARIS
No better way to start a morning in paris then a warm croissant or crepe.
I'm hardly the first person to visit this tourist packed city so there's not much point explaining what it's like to be up the Eiffel tower or see the Mona Lisa. Most have been there done that, but hey, just a couple more things to check off the ol'  "Life Experiences List".

We were given a kind warning about the large number of scammers and "Please Suh, could you spare sum change?" type of folks that prey on the touristy type in Paris. The engineer we worked with in Africa warned of a particular scam involving a gold ring. Within the first 10 minutes of our see-the-city adventure along one of the canals headed towards the Eiffel tower, a man walking past eyed John (co worker who I spent the first day with) and I up as potential prey. He bent over as he walked by and found a nice 'golden' ring that magically appeared.
His game plan: Offer it to us, and ask for a LITTLE change in reward for his kind actions.'... How do you say "Shove it" in french?
300m further down the canal we saw two asian men gladly handing a couple bills to a similar looking man. The puzzled look on their faces as they walked away from the kind samaritan and started to realize they were dooped was priceless...

Crepe with nutella and banana before going up Eiffel Tower: Check

Not knowing a single other piece of famous art besides the Mona Lisa at Musee de Louvre: Check

Sit at the top of the stairs below the Sacre de Coeur and listen to a man play Hallelujah on his harp: Check, and easily the most relaxing and peaceful start to a morning in months

First night in a hostel as a solo traveller was almost exactly as I expected. Sit in a room and drink too much french wine with young girls and guys from Tokyo, Texas, Australia, Boston, Norway, Italy, Sweden and Whales. Cold orange juice and a baguette on a canal side patio is a great start to the end of a morning after headache. Maybe a ham and cheese crepe along the way to the next hostel across town too. Man those things are tastey.

Next stop, bed.

Nearly 2 weeks of stuff-i've-been-up-to to throw on here regarding Paris and Holland, but a train from here (currently at family in Putten, Holland) to Munich, Germany in 6 hours means its time to stop hitting the keyboard and start hitting the pillow.

Anxiously awaiting the do nothing but sit and look out the window kinda day it shall be...