Damjan and I have been having a fine time trekking around Oxford and Cambridge. There are many old and beautiful buildings here. I’m being educated in the English notion of beauty. I’ve always enjoyed period dramas like Pride and Prejudice and Sherlock Holmes, when they were always ‘taking a turn about the garden’ and angsting in the moors. I’m seeing it for myself. Everything here is neat and graceful. There are an awful lot of lawns you aren’t allowed to walk on — unless you’re high up in the university ranks. There is definitely a ‘rank hath its privilege’ culture here. More about this later.
Anyway, tomorrow Damjan and I are going to take the train under the English Channel and arrive in the most romantic city in the world — Paris! Good thing we’re not sick of each other yet. If we were, then I would take advantage of the latest offering from the clever people at Google: Google Romance. Damn, those Googlians think of everything.
Personally, I had always thought that Venice was the most romantic city in the world, but part of my family is from northern Italy, so maybe I’m a little biased. 🙂
I saw that Google Romance thing, too. Being that it is related to my research, I checked it out. Having the ability to spam a server with a variety of personal ads cannot be good…for so many reasons.
Have you actually tried searching something in the Google Romance page?:
http://www.google.com/romance/start.html?#
hmmmm… Paris! You *must* have a try of “Le Cinq” at the four seasons hotel, Pierre Gagnaire at hotel Balzac (and if you can get a booking, try Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee). Oh, you must get along to the ballet as well, I think La Bayadere is playing at Bastille.
…and don’t forget the crepes and cider.
… and remember to wear your beret everywhere so you fit in! (Eeeeeveryone in France wears berets, right?)