Hey all.
Sorry about the lack of updates. We've been away for a few days. Here's a day by day recap of my trip to france. Sorry it's long..
Day 1 (Sunday): Travel to Beaune
So we wake up pretty early, around 7:00 am or so to get ready for the beautiful 10 hour drive ahead of us. there was somewhat of a gathering the night before as a few guides came off trip and some more showed up for the travel. We also had one of the Toronto office girls come on trip (luckey, if someone cancels within 30 days, they can't change the info, refund the client what they would profit but cannot refund the hotels. So every once and a while a luckey sales employee gets to go on trip for free to experience and be able to sell the B&R experience to clients booking) stay with us. Everyone is somewhat tired but being the group we are.. everyone's in good spirits. The drive to Beaune (even though it takes FOREVER) is pretty amazing. We drove along the west coast of Italy up tp Genova. Not too bad of a drive. lots to see and we've got some guides on the trip telling us about the areas. From Genova we travel north through Torino and through the Alps. Amazing sights and lots of tunnels. THe longest one through Mont Blanc is about 11.5 kms long. Finally we're in france (like 7 or 8 hours later) and on the home streatch. by now we're all a little tired and restless but luckley we all make it there without wanting to hurt eachother.
Upon arrival, we all just dump our stuff and walk downtown to Le Grand Cafe for aperitifs (wine...FANTASTIC wine and appetizers). I get to meet alot of the Butterfield crew (Including George and Martha Butterfield) I havn't yet met and all the guides are having a reunion. Lindsay (Toronto sales member) and I just kinda chit chat because we know no one else there really and all the people are having their little reunion. After this, a large group of us all went out for dinner. At this point it's about 9 pm or so.. All these countries eat pretty late. I don't think anyone eats dinner before 8. Then back to the hotel to rest up for a LONG few days.
Day 2 (Monday): First day of Guide Gathering
Wake up from a well rested night to head over to the office for 9:00 am for breakfast. Everyone's ready for a nice day of re-training in van safety and bicycle maintenance. Luckley there's lots of experienced guides and this doesn't take TOO long. By about 4 or so, we get to go for a ride. A few of the people who have been guiding for a while out of beaune and I decide to go on a nice road ride. Start going through the town of Beaune (which is an amazing cute little town) and then it's like out of a storybook.. we're on this small side street, turn around a corner and it turns into beautiful wine country with rolling hills. it was amazing. The ride was great. Not too long, about 45 k or so with a couple nice climbs though. Not used to the climbing that they have here in Europe. There aren't hills this big in Ontario. After getting rained on, about 10 minutes before we're back at the office, we realize it's pushing 6 pm. we all kinda hectically rush back to our hotel rooms to change and get ready for the evening's events.
Tonight we meet at George Butterfield's private residence (which he rents out) for aperitifs. He's got a beautiful property. It's a house that they think used to be an old munitions storage and cannon field. His yard backs on the old city walls and the parking lot is in where the moat used to be. How awesome is that. At around 7:30 - 8 pm we all dispurse for dinner at pre determined restaurants with groups. I was luckley enough to have dinner at one of the houses of the employee's, Jill. Her husband, Oliver (a current guide), is an amazing cook. We had such a great dinner and some awesome wine. We were able to streatch the budget of 35 euro a little further than the restaurant people. Since we were at a house though, we had music and could let loose a bit. Everyone out at the restaurants went out to a local club after they ate dinner. We just partied and danced at Jill's place all night. I think the final count was 13 bottles of wine (4 of them were 2 L bottles) as well as a bottle of merr (kinda like grappa) and Oliver did have a bottle of vodka out at one point. There were only about 12 people that came over throughout the night. At about 2 am we did have to keep it down a bit after the police showed up. 3 am.. it was home time. Gotta get ready for another day.
Day 3 (Tuesday): Day 2 of Guide Gathering
Same as before. We start of at 9 am for breakfast at the office. at about 9:30 or 10 all the staff go and sit in presentations getting refreshed on procedures. I get to hang out with and prepare trips with Mika and Flo (the 2 mechanic's in the French office). They just want to make sure that I'm comfortable and know what I'm doing with the computers. everything goes well. Lunch time comes around and we drive to meet all the guides (who go on basically the same bike ride we went on the day before) at an amazing restaurant. This company spares no expense. We had an amazing meal. After lunch we head back to the office where Mika and Flo have me put together a bike and just make sure I'm not going to fall behind and am up to the standards they set. by this point they don't even worry abiout me anymore. They see I'm a quick learner and am fit for the job.
Tonight we head out to a beautiful wine bar for aperitifs. George, Martha and Eric (the current CEO) all do little speaches and stories while we're all enjoying fantastic wine and getting ready for dinner. Tonight is the final night dinner as some of the guides are leaving to go on trip. Dinner is in the next room being catored by Oliver. We had an amazing 5 course dinner. Between a few of the courses the guides had to act out skits where they would present a trip which they have not been on before to a new client. All the guides are so amazing and are great characters. I couldn't even re-create the skits if I wanted to. Keep in mind that for every dinner we have.. there is always wine on the table which never seems to end. tonight's wine was brought by George. It was from his private collection and it was so good. I think we wet through about 30 or 40 of the 300 bottles he has of this one particular red wine. I'm sure the same was for the white. After being down in the restaurant till about 1 am, some of the poeple head over to a bar. I decide that because I was awake till 3 am the night before, I'm going to sleep. I walk back to the Hotel with Lindsay (who is such an awesome person).
Day 4 (Wednesday) Last Day of Guide Gathering
Meet up at 9 am again for Breakfast (which is always amazing) Hang out in the office with Mika and Flo and just tie up all the loose ends that they thought I needed to know. Set up a few vans with roof racks and ladders that we just got back from the rental company and they had me prep a trip from front to back for them, just to get the practice in. Lunch was catored to the office. Again... AMAZING! Thai food. I havn't eaten anything other than pasta pizza or something containing butter or cream since I got to Italy or France. It was good for a change. After lunch we headed upstairs because it was proposed that the office staff have to present their own skits regarding problems the guides ALWAYS encounter. Me and the other 2 mech guys had a very small role in one which was fun. The rest of the afternoon we just hung out until about 4 pm or so when the guides had the option of going on their final ride of the gathering. Lindsay and I decided that we wanted to go and explore the town of Beaune because we havn't had a spare moment to do this.
It's an awesome little town. Kinda reminds me of some of the places I saw in Ireland. Tight streets, cool shops, a bunch of people walking around and it just seems like it's a place with history. We went and visited the old Hospital they have. It's an OLD hospital that started in the mid 1400's and was open until about 1970. Now it's a historical site and tourist attraction. It was a pretty amazing place. After leaving we realized that we needed to walk back to the office for Pizza dinner. Luckley we stumbled on one of the chocolate places that Lindsay HAD to stop at. We couldn't find it at all, then it was staring right at us. It's famous at the Toronto B&R office for having great caramel candies.
We enjoyed a relaxing pizza dinner with the remaining guides. It was nice to just hang out for a few days and get to know everyone. After dinner, Lindsay, Jenn (another one of the Toronto office girls who will be in Beaune until July) and I walked over to see the Guide Apartment which Jenn is staying at while she's there. We got outside the guide apartment which is right "downtown" in the centre square and there's a band playing some pretty good music. There were about 15 people all playing Brass dressed up pretty rediculously, like cowboys, people in jumpsuits, in winter gear. It was odd, but cool. We got to the guide apartment. Amazing place. Everything B&R has is just beautiful. It's a wicked little apartment that has wood beams everywhere. It seems like all the places in these countries are just amazing. So different from home. By this point, it's about 11:00 or so and time to head in. I've got a long day ahead of me in driving and Lindsay has to catch a train at 7:30 am.
Day 5 (Thursday): Home Time (well back to Italy)
I woke up a little early to meet Lindsay, wait with her at the train station, and say goodbye (well.. see you in July). Then I walk over to the office and pickup our van to drive home in. First time driving stick in a long time, driving basically a dodge sprinter (a brick on wheels) in a country I've never driven in before. Luckley there were no cars on the street but driving around here is pretty easy. and I'm a little rusty but not BAD at driving stick. Get back to the hotel and meet up with the crew I'm driving home with. We packed up our van and headed out of France for 8 am. It took us about 10 hours to get there so we're all prepared to get back to Italy at about...6:00 MAYBE 6:30 because we're dropping 2 people off in one of the cities on the way home. Everything was great until we got to the Mont Blanc tunnel. It took us an hour just to get to the enterance. So we lost an hour there. Then on the trip to Bologna (where we were dropping off passengers) We got stuck in such crazy traffic. And it wasn't just in Bologna, between there and Florence, there was MORE crazy traffic. We just knew we were luckey because we weren't the only crew stuck in it.
After getting through everything, we didn't get back to the Arezzo office until about 8:30 - 9 pm. it took about 12 hours for the whole trip. BALLS TO THAT. But it was fun. I was with Georgio (one of the guides) who is amazing. Once we were back, we just went out for dinner with a few others that got here a little later than we did then called it a night.
It was an amazing trip. I hope I get to do it again. I think I'd take the train next time though. In total costs (paid by B&R) we figured it costed about 600 Euro per vehicle to get there and back in gas and tolls.
Thanks all who read all this.. I know it was a little long winded but there was much to talk about and I'm sitting here bored in the rain. It won't stop!!!!
I miss you all. Talk to you soon!!!
Sorry about the lack of updates. We've been away for a few days. Here's a day by day recap of my trip to france. Sorry it's long..
Day 1 (Sunday): Travel to Beaune
So we wake up pretty early, around 7:00 am or so to get ready for the beautiful 10 hour drive ahead of us. there was somewhat of a gathering the night before as a few guides came off trip and some more showed up for the travel. We also had one of the Toronto office girls come on trip (luckey, if someone cancels within 30 days, they can't change the info, refund the client what they would profit but cannot refund the hotels. So every once and a while a luckey sales employee gets to go on trip for free to experience and be able to sell the B&R experience to clients booking) stay with us. Everyone is somewhat tired but being the group we are.. everyone's in good spirits. The drive to Beaune (even though it takes FOREVER) is pretty amazing. We drove along the west coast of Italy up tp Genova. Not too bad of a drive. lots to see and we've got some guides on the trip telling us about the areas. From Genova we travel north through Torino and through the Alps. Amazing sights and lots of tunnels. THe longest one through Mont Blanc is about 11.5 kms long. Finally we're in france (like 7 or 8 hours later) and on the home streatch. by now we're all a little tired and restless but luckley we all make it there without wanting to hurt eachother.
Upon arrival, we all just dump our stuff and walk downtown to Le Grand Cafe for aperitifs (wine...FANTASTIC wine and appetizers). I get to meet alot of the Butterfield crew (Including George and Martha Butterfield) I havn't yet met and all the guides are having a reunion. Lindsay (Toronto sales member) and I just kinda chit chat because we know no one else there really and all the people are having their little reunion. After this, a large group of us all went out for dinner. At this point it's about 9 pm or so.. All these countries eat pretty late. I don't think anyone eats dinner before 8. Then back to the hotel to rest up for a LONG few days.
Day 2 (Monday): First day of Guide Gathering
Wake up from a well rested night to head over to the office for 9:00 am for breakfast. Everyone's ready for a nice day of re-training in van safety and bicycle maintenance. Luckley there's lots of experienced guides and this doesn't take TOO long. By about 4 or so, we get to go for a ride. A few of the people who have been guiding for a while out of beaune and I decide to go on a nice road ride. Start going through the town of Beaune (which is an amazing cute little town) and then it's like out of a storybook.. we're on this small side street, turn around a corner and it turns into beautiful wine country with rolling hills. it was amazing. The ride was great. Not too long, about 45 k or so with a couple nice climbs though. Not used to the climbing that they have here in Europe. There aren't hills this big in Ontario. After getting rained on, about 10 minutes before we're back at the office, we realize it's pushing 6 pm. we all kinda hectically rush back to our hotel rooms to change and get ready for the evening's events.
Tonight we meet at George Butterfield's private residence (which he rents out) for aperitifs. He's got a beautiful property. It's a house that they think used to be an old munitions storage and cannon field. His yard backs on the old city walls and the parking lot is in where the moat used to be. How awesome is that. At around 7:30 - 8 pm we all dispurse for dinner at pre determined restaurants with groups. I was luckley enough to have dinner at one of the houses of the employee's, Jill. Her husband, Oliver (a current guide), is an amazing cook. We had such a great dinner and some awesome wine. We were able to streatch the budget of 35 euro a little further than the restaurant people. Since we were at a house though, we had music and could let loose a bit. Everyone out at the restaurants went out to a local club after they ate dinner. We just partied and danced at Jill's place all night. I think the final count was 13 bottles of wine (4 of them were 2 L bottles) as well as a bottle of merr (kinda like grappa) and Oliver did have a bottle of vodka out at one point. There were only about 12 people that came over throughout the night. At about 2 am we did have to keep it down a bit after the police showed up. 3 am.. it was home time. Gotta get ready for another day.
Day 3 (Tuesday): Day 2 of Guide Gathering
Same as before. We start of at 9 am for breakfast at the office. at about 9:30 or 10 all the staff go and sit in presentations getting refreshed on procedures. I get to hang out with and prepare trips with Mika and Flo (the 2 mechanic's in the French office). They just want to make sure that I'm comfortable and know what I'm doing with the computers. everything goes well. Lunch time comes around and we drive to meet all the guides (who go on basically the same bike ride we went on the day before) at an amazing restaurant. This company spares no expense. We had an amazing meal. After lunch we head back to the office where Mika and Flo have me put together a bike and just make sure I'm not going to fall behind and am up to the standards they set. by this point they don't even worry abiout me anymore. They see I'm a quick learner and am fit for the job.
Tonight we head out to a beautiful wine bar for aperitifs. George, Martha and Eric (the current CEO) all do little speaches and stories while we're all enjoying fantastic wine and getting ready for dinner. Tonight is the final night dinner as some of the guides are leaving to go on trip. Dinner is in the next room being catored by Oliver. We had an amazing 5 course dinner. Between a few of the courses the guides had to act out skits where they would present a trip which they have not been on before to a new client. All the guides are so amazing and are great characters. I couldn't even re-create the skits if I wanted to. Keep in mind that for every dinner we have.. there is always wine on the table which never seems to end. tonight's wine was brought by George. It was from his private collection and it was so good. I think we wet through about 30 or 40 of the 300 bottles he has of this one particular red wine. I'm sure the same was for the white. After being down in the restaurant till about 1 am, some of the poeple head over to a bar. I decide that because I was awake till 3 am the night before, I'm going to sleep. I walk back to the Hotel with Lindsay (who is such an awesome person).
Day 4 (Wednesday) Last Day of Guide Gathering
Meet up at 9 am again for Breakfast (which is always amazing) Hang out in the office with Mika and Flo and just tie up all the loose ends that they thought I needed to know. Set up a few vans with roof racks and ladders that we just got back from the rental company and they had me prep a trip from front to back for them, just to get the practice in. Lunch was catored to the office. Again... AMAZING! Thai food. I havn't eaten anything other than pasta pizza or something containing butter or cream since I got to Italy or France. It was good for a change. After lunch we headed upstairs because it was proposed that the office staff have to present their own skits regarding problems the guides ALWAYS encounter. Me and the other 2 mech guys had a very small role in one which was fun. The rest of the afternoon we just hung out until about 4 pm or so when the guides had the option of going on their final ride of the gathering. Lindsay and I decided that we wanted to go and explore the town of Beaune because we havn't had a spare moment to do this.
It's an awesome little town. Kinda reminds me of some of the places I saw in Ireland. Tight streets, cool shops, a bunch of people walking around and it just seems like it's a place with history. We went and visited the old Hospital they have. It's an OLD hospital that started in the mid 1400's and was open until about 1970. Now it's a historical site and tourist attraction. It was a pretty amazing place. After leaving we realized that we needed to walk back to the office for Pizza dinner. Luckley we stumbled on one of the chocolate places that Lindsay HAD to stop at. We couldn't find it at all, then it was staring right at us. It's famous at the Toronto B&R office for having great caramel candies.
We enjoyed a relaxing pizza dinner with the remaining guides. It was nice to just hang out for a few days and get to know everyone. After dinner, Lindsay, Jenn (another one of the Toronto office girls who will be in Beaune until July) and I walked over to see the Guide Apartment which Jenn is staying at while she's there. We got outside the guide apartment which is right "downtown" in the centre square and there's a band playing some pretty good music. There were about 15 people all playing Brass dressed up pretty rediculously, like cowboys, people in jumpsuits, in winter gear. It was odd, but cool. We got to the guide apartment. Amazing place. Everything B&R has is just beautiful. It's a wicked little apartment that has wood beams everywhere. It seems like all the places in these countries are just amazing. So different from home. By this point, it's about 11:00 or so and time to head in. I've got a long day ahead of me in driving and Lindsay has to catch a train at 7:30 am.
Day 5 (Thursday): Home Time (well back to Italy)
I woke up a little early to meet Lindsay, wait with her at the train station, and say goodbye (well.. see you in July). Then I walk over to the office and pickup our van to drive home in. First time driving stick in a long time, driving basically a dodge sprinter (a brick on wheels) in a country I've never driven in before. Luckley there were no cars on the street but driving around here is pretty easy. and I'm a little rusty but not BAD at driving stick. Get back to the hotel and meet up with the crew I'm driving home with. We packed up our van and headed out of France for 8 am. It took us about 10 hours to get there so we're all prepared to get back to Italy at about...6:00 MAYBE 6:30 because we're dropping 2 people off in one of the cities on the way home. Everything was great until we got to the Mont Blanc tunnel. It took us an hour just to get to the enterance. So we lost an hour there. Then on the trip to Bologna (where we were dropping off passengers) We got stuck in such crazy traffic. And it wasn't just in Bologna, between there and Florence, there was MORE crazy traffic. We just knew we were luckey because we weren't the only crew stuck in it.
After getting through everything, we didn't get back to the Arezzo office until about 8:30 - 9 pm. it took about 12 hours for the whole trip. BALLS TO THAT. But it was fun. I was with Georgio (one of the guides) who is amazing. Once we were back, we just went out for dinner with a few others that got here a little later than we did then called it a night.
It was an amazing trip. I hope I get to do it again. I think I'd take the train next time though. In total costs (paid by B&R) we figured it costed about 600 Euro per vehicle to get there and back in gas and tolls.
Thanks all who read all this.. I know it was a little long winded but there was much to talk about and I'm sitting here bored in the rain. It won't stop!!!!
I miss you all. Talk to you soon!!!