Stan's Belgium/France Travel Report

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 16:21 -0700

This was so immense, I had to create a whole separate web page for it...

Enjoy!

http://usagiyojimbo.com/eurotrip.html

Stan also has a great photo album at http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4425627

Click on any of the folders. If you need a password, it is: usagi

Special thanks go out to UYD-Daimyo Fanfan for taking care of the Sensei while he was making his European appearances.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 17:07 -0700

Thanks for posting the travel report, Todd.

I suggest reading the report before viewing the photos, so you'll know what the pictures are about.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 17:29 -0700

Sure thing Stan. I did try fitting in a few photos with the travel report to add a little visual effect. I hope I got them right.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 17:57 -0700

Stan looks a little spooked out beside the wall of skulls, although I'm sure I wouldn't look too confident either if I was there instead. I wonder how I'd feel if I knew my skull was going to be glued on a wall for display...?

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 18:26 -0700

Great travel report and some fantastic photographs. Still think the Catacombs are pretty creepy. It is also the first time I ever saw a photo of Stan without a smile, pretty serious place

.

Maybe we can get Todd Shogun to fix up all of Stan's previous travel reports like this, with a permanent page for each trip report (and photos), all grouped together in a new Travel Report section for the Dojo....

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 22:27 -0700

Dude I wish...it's hard finding the time to do retroactive stuff. Steve when are you going to learn HTML? WE NEED YOU!!!

Fanfan · Post by **Fanfan** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:18 -0700

Stan, i really think that photos of mussels are under representated...

And i have to come back to the Brussels area, i still have a lot to see !

some details :
There are 2 Opéra in Paris, the old one Opéra Garnier and the new one Opéra Bastille
Sunday morning it was not RER but 45 min of suburb train cancellation, and i was quite stressed to miss the train...

Sheeps are called "moutons du pré salé" : sheeps from the salty meadow.
In Mont Saint Michel every restaurant or store had a famous name (but not linked with Mont Saint Michel), the name of the famous omelettes restaurant that looks like an Harry Potter show was la Mère Poularde (Mother Fattened Pullet/ Madam Poulet)

Reading the report one could think that Morgan(e) is a widespred name, i would answer : no ! it is just that Cyril and i have a good taste...

I completely agree : Zolibato (jolibateau pronunced by children : nice boat) is a must eat restaurant.

The beach we stopped to see a house was l'anse du Guesclin ( a very famous french guy of the 100 years war)
About Corsairs : we should talk of Surcouf... taking a whole english warship. The english captain : "ah that's the problem with french, you only fight for money, we, we fight for honor." Surcouf : " you say true, we only fight for what we don't have..."

Ted Naifeh (2 books in France, Courtney Crumrin and Polly et les Pirates) : "i need informations, like where to eat ?"

Peraphs you can think i look glad on the photos, the fact is : i was !

About the Korean artists, Park Hee Jung made for me an Usagi fanart, she should have give it to Pierre Paquet on sunday but the fact is : for the moment this fanart is lost (for me)...

For D Day beaches, we should have had more time, i really think that we were lucky with the weather and that you have seen a lot in only a few days... and that's a good excuse to come back in the area.

I hope to publish soon some more photos of the trip...
i have to write a travel report too

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:09 -0700

Fanfan wrote:Stan, i really think that photos of mussels are under representated...

I did not want everyone to think I only ate mussels on my trip. I only had them at lunch and dinner.

And an occassional snack.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:57 -0700

Tom Spurgeon at

www.comicsreporter.com

linked the travel report from his site.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 13:39 -0700

I like it

tayocham · Post by **tayocham** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 14:40 -0700

A very nice addition! Thanks for posting!

Mr. Sakai, whoever your photographer is did a helluva job. Those were some great snapshots!

Also, reading that journal made me hungry...

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 15:00 -0700

tayocham wrote:
Mr. Sakai, whoever your photographer is did a helluva job. Those were some great snapshots!

Fanfan, besides being an exceptional "travel agent", is a terrific photographer. When he wasn't there, I usually just asked whoever was around. Strangers are very accommodating to an ignorant American traveling alone and who doesn't speak the language.

Mark Evanier at:

http://www.newsfromme.com/

also posted a link to the travel report.

Post by **Maka** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:30 -0700

Fanfan wrote:Stan, i really think that photos of mussels are under representated...

That's a lot of mussels (and that's only the first picture):
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPho ... 050200&f=0

Hello Mr. Sakai,

A couple of questions:

1) How much is traveling/signing a part of your job/business plan? Or how much of it is for personal enjoyment (eating good food, traveling, seeing places, old and new friends/fans) and how much is it just good UY promotion (sell more books)?

2) Is there a place in the USA that is similar to the Belgian Center for Comic Strips? Do Europeans just appreciate comic artist more than Americans?

3) Do you journal every day you travel on the computers in hotels? Or do you do it the old fashion way with pen and ink? Or do you just have a great memory and write about it later?

Thanks for sharing your travel report as always. This is the coolest carousel I've seen.

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPho ... 050499&f=0

It looks like fanfan had enough seafood on this trip:
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPho ... 050700&f=0

Peace,

maka

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 19:02 -0700

Maka wrote:
Fanfan wrote:A couple of questions:

1) How much is traveling/signing a part of your job/business plan? Or how much of it is for personal enjoyment (eating good food, traveling, seeing places, old and new friends/fans) and how much is it just good UY promotion (sell more books)?

2) Is there a place in the USA that is similar to the Belgian Center for Comic Strips? Do Europeans just appreciate comic artist more than Americans?

3) Do you journal every day you travel on the computers in hotels? Or do you do it the old fashion way with pen and ink? Or do you just have a great memory and write about it later?

1) Traveling is an unexpected perk. I travel mainly for enjoyment. I am fortunate to be in a business where publishers and conventions/festivals invite me to different places. I usually negotiate a couple of extra days to visit the area or visit with friends.

2) As a whole, Europe has a greater appreciation of comic art. Currently, the only museum in the US that I can think of is the Comic Art Museum in San Francisco. There is also the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, but that is dedicated to one person. Mort Walker is still looking for a location for his museum, after the Empire State Building site fell through.

3) I usually write every day, otherwise it all runs together. I usually take my lap top along, but I left it at home on this trip to cut down on the things I have to carry. I just used a pen and my travel sketchbook.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 18:49 -0700

The really strange part about this trip is when I returned home, and opened by suitcase. There was one of those notices from the TSA that they had opened my bag. The signed book from Hermann was missing, but there was a pair of pantyhose in its place.