Near Latin Quarter is a small used bookstore called Shakespeare and Company. Nikki told me that the place was owned by a relative of Walt Whitman. It was a place to get inspired…reminded me of going to Powell’s Bookstore as a high school kid.
I love reading on the Kindle and iPad, but there is certainly something special about picking up a book and opening it.
It’s past midnight here but just wanted to give you a quick update. Paris had been amazing thus far. I live with my friend Adam in an apartment that’s five minutes from Notre Dame.
We have been working and sight-seeing a lot, with an impromptu trip to the Apple Store. My favorite part so far is speaking French to the locals…or at least trying to.
Shaking your head yes and pointing are universal.
More detailed updates soon, but here are a few photos.
It’s amazing that after a few days into my trip to Europe I already found what I was seeking. It was in a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina called Medjugorje. There, was the apparition site of Our Lady of Medjagorje. My friend Vivian and I drove from Split, Croatia and crossed the border to Bosnia.
I was seeking peace, simplicity and tranquility in my life, and as we arrived to the site in the village, I knew it was on top of that hill. We hiked up to the hill…my heart beat heavily with anticipation. As I got to the top I saw the most beautiful woman ever…there she was, Our Lady of Medjugorje. There stood a statue of the Virgin Mary, depcited as described by the children who saw the apparition in 1981.
“She is 18 to 20 years old, slender and around 165 cm tall. Her face is long and oval with black hair. Her eyes are blue with delicate eye lashes and thin black eyebrows. She has a nice, little nose and rosy cheeks. She has beautiful reddish thin lips and her smile is more like some indescribable gentleness. It’s visible as if somehow under her skin.”
There at the shrine was a group of Italian pilgrims. To see in the eyes of these people was simply life-changing…tears of joy about their journey to this very sacred site (regardless of what people believe). At this site, there were no egos or selfishness, but a sense of humility and thankfulness.
I brought some rosaries up that Vivian bought from the gift shop, but they were unblessed. I’m glad I still remembered how to speak Italian and asked with my broken American accent, “Scusi, dove e padre?” which means “excuse me, where is the priest?” They quickly called for the priest to come over. He looked at me and I asked:
Ti benedirò questo rosari, padre? (Will you bless these rosaries, father?)
He replied, “Sarebbe il mio onore, mio figlio” (It would be my honor, my son)
It doesn’t matter what religion one is or what one believes or doesn’t believe, this was beautiful. This area was a convergence of cultures and people seeking the same thing: peace.
We sat on the hill for a few hours, just to witness what was in front of us: a statue accompanied by world travelers, looking over the horizon of the country.
I noticed an elderly Italian man, who could barely stand up, hitting the rocks with his cane. It’s a tradition to bring rocks back from Medjugorje. I realized what he was trying to do and ran over to him. Together we looked for stones that were big enough to break. I grabbed another stone and hit the other one to break it into small pieces. “Molto difficile da rompere,” he said, which means “very hard to break.” He gave me a hug and said “grazie mille.” We shared some tears of joy…two strangers who traveled to the same place…whose lives crossed paths.
This is what I was looking for: conversation with friends and strangers alike, as I seek peace, simplicity and tranquility.
Like the myth goes, I was able to stare directly at the sun. Believe it or not.
Kanye West has marble conference tables. Diocletian has a freaking marble palace right on the Adriatic Sea. Diocletian – 1. Kanye West – 0. Thanks for playing.
My good friend Damon suggested I stop by Split when he found out I was going to Croatia. I am very glad he suggested it. It’s a beautiful city for a getaway with a very rich history to it. It was really hard to not think about Assassin’s Creed while walking through this ancient/medieval town. It’s amazing to see how well designed things were centuries ago and have still withstood the test of time.
That’s one thing I’ve really noticed about Europe. Design is life. Everything, from the chair, toilets and palaces have been considered design-wise. They have less space so have to make things more versatile.
My friend Vivian and I went to see Diocletian’s Palace and couldn’t help but notice this cat, just laying there on a seat cushion, sleeping in the middle of a huge crown. Kitty cat don’t give a sh*t what Diocletian thinks!
We climbed up San Dominik’s bell tower to get a better view of the city. Those who know me well are very aware that I’m terrified of heights. That said, I always love climbing churches because they usually offer the best view of the city…at least in Europe!
When we got to the top we saw this:
What do you think this sign means? I think it means “don’t drop your red panties, ladies.”
The quote of the trip was definitely from our waitress, who definitely has a sense of town pride. She first says “one day is not enough” and when she found out we drove here from Zagreb, here response was, “In Split, Zagreb is zero.”
I am planning to take Damon back here so we can share experiences together.
I officially spend about an hour in Paris. After landing in Charles de Gaulle International Airport, I immediately walked out the terminal to go in another one, heading to Croatia. I don’t know much about Croatia except heard it’s a very beautiful country with a lot of history. That was enough for me to go there.
It is so beautiful here. The people are very friendly and the air is so fresh with the smell of plants, flowers and other wildlife—probably the freshest air I’ve smelt in my life. Yes, that includes Washington State. I can’t stop looking at the people, who vary from olive skinned and dark hair to tall and blonde.
Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, reminds me very much of Siena, Italy. The streets and architecture combined with the old men in Adidas track suits. The most beautiful thing about Zagreb though is the culture. At 4pm I realized that most of the city was outside at Cafe Bars having coffee, food and conversations. This went on all night. If I were back home people would probably still be working until 8pm or later. I believe people just open shops until late at night and just take breaks whenever possible.
The plan now is to rent a car and drive down to Split per the recommendation of Damon. I’m planning to drive over to Bosnia to check that out tomorrow. I only wish I knew how close I was to Budapest, so I could visit. That might have to be for another time, or later in the trip.
Here are a few other photos:
A few months ago I quit my job that I liked at ExactTarget, to pursue something. What it was, and what it is, I am still seeking. I knew what I wanted to do: design, draw, paint, travel the world, get in adventures and use my God and self-given skills to make this world a better place. Whether it’s helping someone with basic concepts of composition or be there for a friend in need, that is certainly to be determined.
I begin this journey in good spirits: having a caring family, great friends (old and new alike) who inspire me, a loving pet and everything a young man can ask for. I travel to look find what I’m looking for but also to figure out what I’m looking for.
If you ask me the question “why did you book a one-way flight to Europe?” my answer is simple: I don’t know, because I could and because I should. One of my favorite quotes is from J.R.R. Tolkein, “not all those who wander are lost.” This is it. As Odysseus did, he entrusted the wind of the gods to send him home, and I shall do the same. I first must disappear and get lost to be able to find and re-discover myself, in hopes I return as a better person than I was before.
My travel plan is as simple as this: I don’t really know.
All I know so far is I’m going to Croatia to visit a country that I know very little about: that the story goes that the Virgin Mary appeared in Medjuajore, that former NBA star Toni Kucoc is from there, and that for some reason there is a giant bronze statue of Bruce Lee.
After Croatia I am staying at an apartment I’m renting in Paris: blocks away from the Lourve, Notre Dame Cathedral and Apple Store. I assure you the Apple store was not planned.
Here is to the unknown and uncharted waters. I firmly believe there is never a good time to do anything. You can wait for the tides to be perfect and one day realize that you grew old waiting for them to be perfect.
My travel plans are simple: get on the first plane, bring my passport and figure the rest out when I get there. We live in a world with good people who will help one another out. I spent some time with my friends Mary Lou and Shawna to learn French. I will figure it out.
If you want to follow my journey, subscribe to this blog and follow me on Twitter.
David
I think Foursquare often gets criticized for things it really shouldn’t, such as people saying they don’t want to use it because they don’t want people to know where they are at. Well, that’s a great reason to not use it. However, Foursquare is pretty amazing when you’re sharing with your friends. I learned that first-hand this week.
I personally have no problem checking into public locations since I’ll be in the midst of a bunch of other people—feel relatively safe. I’m also a guy and most people don’t want to creep on guys. As usual, I checked into San Francisco International Airport. As I was sitting at a coffee shop, working away, I get a notification via Twitter that my old ExactTarget coworker Meggie checked in at the airport again. I immediately replied to her and said we should meet up.
We ended up meeting in Union Square and got a chance to catch up for a while. If it wasn’t for Foursquare, I probably would not have known she was in the same area as me. This is the thing I like about Foursquare.
I was going to blog about my entire trip to New York but that would take a Hell of a long time. Instead, I’ll write them in multiple posts. I’ll write about why I went, which is for many reasons, and absolutely none. One of the reasons I decided to go freelance was to be able to travel, see friends, meet people and just work in different locations. It is shocking to people when I told them that I’ve never been to The Big Apple before. I’m interested in art, design, culture and hipster girls. Why I’ve never been there before is beyond me.
So I booked a flight and went.
For four days, I just lived my life as a New Yorker: went to work, met new people, visited friends, and yes…even had Sunday brunch. After living in Seattle for five years I’ve quickly realized how it is merely a large small town. Everyone here seems to know each other and social groups are already established. To make new friends, let alone relationships, is damn near impossible. There was something really charming about the attitude of New Yorkers. I experienced it first hand when I ordered a sandwich and asked the server how she’s doing? She looks at me and replies, “What do you want?” I wasn’t offended at all, but quickly realized that people have things to do here and places to be. Even the old people push you out of the way if you’re walking too slow.
Here are a few photos from my trip:
My friend Gabrielle, who I randomly met at a coffee shop there. I’ve never met a girl so nerdy, it amazes me. It should have been Riker
A convergence of friends. There is something beautiful about all of your friends from different circles meeting and getting along. I absolutely love it. The highlight of this get-together was Jessica meowing on the streets of East Village.
Meeting Warhol. Those of you who know me well understand my obsession with Andy Warhol. The man is my inspiration and my hero, and the both of us have quite a bit in common. Though I’ve seen his work in person before, it was such an honor to see his most famous work with my own eyes.
Vivi! Veronica De La Cruz and I started as strangers on Twitter, and now we’re family.
In the evenings I just walked around and intentionally got lost in the city. Something about being a nobody was beautiful. So many people who have so many stories, and it’s up to us to hear them and tell our own. As cliche as the Jay Z and Alicia Keys song is, the lights definitely inspire you.
Something has been different with me since I’ve returned. I need to go back.
When I travel and work, I try to keep things light. It’s less things to lose if the unfortunate happens and less things to carry. However, I still need some firepower to get work done efficiently. These are the things I take with me:
Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB Charger. For about ten bucks, this is the best charger money can buy. With three plugs and two USB chargers, this little guy can charge everything you carry, including letting someone plug into yours as well (that’s what she said).
32 GB iPad. I don’t need the iPad when I travel, but it’s certainly nice to have when I want to kill time on the plane to read, browse on the web or watch a movie. Most of the time I need a fully powered laptop as I land so it’s better to use the iPad battery first before I bust out the big gun.
11″ MacBook Air. I made some tweaks to mine. Well, Damon and I both did—increasing the RAM to 4 GB. The reason I take the Air over the MacBook Pro when traveling is that it’s lighter and has more battery life. In a quick mission, a commando is going to take the MP5, not the heavy M16.
Moleskine Squared Notebook ($17.95). Notice how soldiers still carry a combat knife despite carrying other weapons? The reason is they need something practical and essentially unlimited use. This 240 page notebook is plenty for me to take any notes or draw.
H&M Man Bag Thingy ($20). It’s amazing that a $20 bag can fit everything I need to work without the need to carry everything with me. I absolutely love this bag. The only thing I would suggest is put some padding in there to protect your laptop and other electronic equipment. Another advantage is you can just roll this bag up and put it in another bag for traveling.
Bose IE2 Headphones ($99.95). Hey look, an IE I like! Of course all Bose products are a bit more spendy but these are great to use. I like the headphone volume control so I can use it on my Mac or iPhone for having calls.
