I visited my friend Olti on Monday, who I met in Amsterdam in Bologna. He is doing his PHD there and had invited me to come see his town. It is a big university town, a mixed and diverse city. There are alway people out and about, some tourists but I felt more were locals. Their main square area was like a wheel with the roads like spokes of a bicycle tire. There is an area with 7 churches that are all bordering each other/ very close that is in the downtown area. They call it the red city because a majority of the buildings are an orangey-red color, and also almost all the sidewalks have an awning, like walking in a tunnel amlost but the side is open to the road. Olti said he never has to worry about an umbrella because 95 percent of the sidewalks are covered! Pizza update: I had even better pizza than Venice (lunch), and now I understand that when you order a type of pizza they give you the whole pizza, not just a slice. It is more common that when you order you get the whole pie. And I ate the whole pie too! The crust is thin and when you order a topping they give it to you, unlike some places in the USA when you order mushrooms they thinly sprinkle them on. Here, when you order funghi they give you lots! :) Absolutely delicious! That night we went to have aperitivo (a drink and some bar appetizers/food on a buffet line but you more take a small plate and then go for more after if you are still hungry). After that we went adn met his girlfriend and her friend and went to a bar to play fooseball and enjoyed some spritz!
The next day I climbed a tower they had in the center, a leaning tower...a little scary to look at and think that you will go into it! The 360 view was great and although there were 492 steps, it was worth the climb! I met a girl from Poland there and after the tower we got some special gelato from Gromo, actually an American brand but very tasty and only a few places in Italy. After that she joined Olti and I for a nice italin lunch at a local restarurant, great pasta (with parmigiana of course), coffee, limoncello...
That night we got pizza again and I found out the owners are from Campobossa region (Like Grandma). The pizza was extremely delicious, the same place I went on the first day in Bologna). We walked around town and had a drink in once of the outdoor patio bars in the center and then went back and hung out at the apartment, I repacked my bag for the next morning departure.
SIENA
I arrived in Siena on time as planned, which at first I thought I was going to miss my connection because my first train was 20 minutes late and the original schedule said I only had 5 minuted to change trains but my second train was also late so I made it within 30 seconds of it taking off- I got very lucky! Marco picked me up from the station and he dropped me off in the center of Siena while he went to work, but I didnt have to worry about my backpack which was nice. It was a good thing I brought my rainjacket because about an hour into my town exploration it started to rain. Even with the weather I really enjoyed Siena, it looks straight out of a movie- the small winding streets, up and downhills, little shops everywhere containing wine, cheese, meat, spices, gelato, pizza, souveniers, etc.
There is a church that reminds you of a zebra because it is black and white striped! The main center slopes downward in the open square. Before it started raining it was a large gathering area for people to meet, hang out, sit and have lunch, etc. There were restaurant all arond the outside as well, that were always busy. When it had been raining for about an hour I decided to stp and enjoy a coffee (and take cover) so I took i Albanian style...aka sitting with your coffee for a long time and people watching, enjoying the scenery, and also liking the fact that I was under a roof, hoping that my jeans would somewhat dry..or at least not continue to get wet along with my sneakers..you all know walking around in wet sneakers isnt the most fun activity. Of course I had gelato too...something I will probably have just about everyday I am in italy because it is so good, also they have dark chocolate ice cream which is one of my favorites now that I have tried it. Also, Momma Mia (amaretto, peach, caramel and chocolate swirls, so tasty)! The rain let up after a few hours and as it started getting darker and the lights came on, the moon was rising above el campo (the center of Siena) and it was a beautiful sight. The sky changed from the darker grey to a royal blue and then a pinkish tinge of the clouds as well. I ended up at a gate right outside the main town to see the sun go down with a beautiful view of Tuscany, Oh Siena! That night Marco made a lovely italian dinner of pasta with red sauce, parmegiano, vino, coffee, and even dessert of a special polish cholocate. He is a true gentleman and I had a nice dinner with him!
SAN GIMIGNANO
The next day I went to San Gimignano for a day trip. I havent had otion sickness for a number of years now, but being on that bus for about an hour with all the sdden starts and stops, windy roads, and the heat made me feel like I would vomit. Fo the ride back I went to a farmacia and bought a special medicated gum (yes, a gum) so I would make it back without getting sick again.
San Gimignano is a gorgeous town, a touristy main strip but in my opinion a smaller version of Siena. The town had the same small windy up and doen hill streets, a fantastic view of farmland below (the town is on a hill) and of course has lots of small specialty shoppes. I tried some wine from the region, found delicous cheese that was flavored with aromatics of wine (I sent some of it home, its a good thing they vacuume seal it). There was a shoppe that had their gelato voted the best gelato in the world in a world gelato championship for two years, Donatellos, and indeed it was very tasty! I had one that was purple, and it was a ricotta base with berried, totally amazing!! That night Marco and I went to a resturant to get some pizza and beer and then walk around Siena by night. He gave me a tour and I liked a lot of the places better at night- they were lit up and also the crowds were gone. Siena is famous for a big horse race and I saw where they were building the area for the party for the section of town that won (like a big block party). Also, I found my favorite plazza in Siena (the name was very long, it had the name of three people in it..Bindi being one of them) but that small square was so beautiful!) Words cannot describe how lovely it was! It was like I was back in the Mideival times.
FLORENCE
Friday morning I went to Firenze for the day (Florence). It is very useful that at the train station you can check your bag, it made walking around in the town a lot more enjoyable. Florence is a beautiful town, but a lot bigger than the last ones I have been in! A lot to see, but because I had limited time, I went to the visitors office and the lady there gave me a map and a suggested route to see some of the more famous things in just a day. Every town has a lot of piazzas, churches, and cathedrals. The main cathedral here was spectacular-Cathedral di Saint Maria del Flore- very large and the design and pattern of it was captivating. My favorite was the panoramic view that you get to by taking bus 12 to the top of the hill to the Michealangelo piazza. Up there as well was a recreation of the famous statue of David. I saw the Piazza della Signore and the Palazzo Vecchio, my favorite bridge area so far. The Basillica di Santa Croce was next, then I proceeded to Piazza Pitti which had a gallery and was near to the school area. The Basillica San Spirito was a smaller square with less people, a chrch, and a market. It was a ncie area to sit and take a rest- I have been doing lots of walking and touring!! After that I went to the Basilica si Saint Maria Novella and the main square. I headed from there to the grocery store to buy some dinner and have it before taking the train to Rome!
OFF TO ROME....
Monday, October 1, 2012
Venice
I took the train from Switzerland to Venice, amazing train ride views! I changed in Milan, they have a large marble central station that is a very large building. Outside they have a nice fountain, but I was only there a short time so I didnàt explore Milan too much. I arived at night to Manuels house, before I grabbed a slice of my first pizza in Italy, and in Milan had my first real Italian Gelato (yum!).
Satrday morning I went into Venice and on the way I met three lovely Scottish women who were there together celebrating their birthdays! They took me with them on the water bus and then I joined them in exploring Venice! They had been there preiously so they had an idea of the main areas to go to. Walking through Venice was like a fiarytale, all the small streets, crossing a lot of bridges, and the water was so bright- greenish color. I had heard that the water smelled but I didnt notice. Manuel told me it was only on very hot days becase they water was evaporating and the water isnt very clean so that would make the stuff in the water smell more with heat and humidity. The ladies had kids that had gone on backpacking trips as well so that was nice to hear about. I am always happy to hear about other peoples travel experiences! We had lnch together as well, and I enjoyed window shopping with them. I collected a patch with Venice on it so I can add it to my suitcase too. We parted shortly after lunch (this was the ladies last day in Venice, they had to fly back to Scotland the next day, so they wanted to relax before the journey- I dont blame them!). I spent the rest of the day in Venice and at night went back to Manuels house.
Sunday Manuel accompanied me to Venice where he lived for 30 years so it was nice to have a tour guide! He was so knowledgeable about the city and about Italy in general! I had the most amazing gelato I had ever had, at a place along the water with a characture of a penguin on the sign, I dont rememebr the name of the place unfortunately. Also, the best espresso I have ever had, it tasted creamy but there was no milk added...I will always remember that! I definitely have to bring some Italian coffee back home with me! (Yes, since being in Italy I have begun to drink it again..the thing about coffee here is that you have small cups, not the gigantic ones that Americans like to drink so I think it is better for me: and you also savor the taste more because you sip more slowly here!!
On the tour, I saw some of the quieter streets, less touristic side to venice. I saw where Manuel went to school as a child, and also the most northern part of Venice where there is a small park area. There are numerous churches in Venice, way too many to be able to go into all of them. We took a short gandola ride across the water and saw 2 weddings.
Gandolas, I never knew how specialized the industry was either! In order to be able to be a captain or driver of a gondala you have to go through many steps. First, you need to have your own gondola They are custom made and there are only 2 places left to have them made so you need to be on a list and it usually takes about 2 years to have one custom built, according to your measurements. The side the rower stands on is wider than the opposite side too, for balance. After that, you need to go to a school to learn to row and manever them because there is not a lot of space in the canals and you need to be able to go around other boats and turn them around and keep your passangers safe, etc. The test they put you through at the end is hard and not everyone passes. If you get through those steps, then you are put on a waitlist for a job because the city sets a number of people that can have the gondola jobs and if there is not sn open job then you have to wait for someone to retire and be the next on the list to be able to work in the industry. SO, you may go through all the steps and then not be able to get a job!
Unfortunately my camera decided to have a lens error and stop working, so I was very glad that I took a lot of photos the day before! At Manuels house, we ordered a pizza and he gave me some cool music and introduced me to some sounds I had not been aware of before, an Islandic band that was pretty cool.
Venice thoughts: It was absolutely beautiful, very touristy but with good reason! It is too bad its sinking, but well worth visiting and spending a few days as to not rush through this gem of a city. Maybe someday I will get married here....
Satrday morning I went into Venice and on the way I met three lovely Scottish women who were there together celebrating their birthdays! They took me with them on the water bus and then I joined them in exploring Venice! They had been there preiously so they had an idea of the main areas to go to. Walking through Venice was like a fiarytale, all the small streets, crossing a lot of bridges, and the water was so bright- greenish color. I had heard that the water smelled but I didnt notice. Manuel told me it was only on very hot days becase they water was evaporating and the water isnt very clean so that would make the stuff in the water smell more with heat and humidity. The ladies had kids that had gone on backpacking trips as well so that was nice to hear about. I am always happy to hear about other peoples travel experiences! We had lnch together as well, and I enjoyed window shopping with them. I collected a patch with Venice on it so I can add it to my suitcase too. We parted shortly after lunch (this was the ladies last day in Venice, they had to fly back to Scotland the next day, so they wanted to relax before the journey- I dont blame them!). I spent the rest of the day in Venice and at night went back to Manuels house.
Sunday Manuel accompanied me to Venice where he lived for 30 years so it was nice to have a tour guide! He was so knowledgeable about the city and about Italy in general! I had the most amazing gelato I had ever had, at a place along the water with a characture of a penguin on the sign, I dont rememebr the name of the place unfortunately. Also, the best espresso I have ever had, it tasted creamy but there was no milk added...I will always remember that! I definitely have to bring some Italian coffee back home with me! (Yes, since being in Italy I have begun to drink it again..the thing about coffee here is that you have small cups, not the gigantic ones that Americans like to drink so I think it is better for me: and you also savor the taste more because you sip more slowly here!!
On the tour, I saw some of the quieter streets, less touristic side to venice. I saw where Manuel went to school as a child, and also the most northern part of Venice where there is a small park area. There are numerous churches in Venice, way too many to be able to go into all of them. We took a short gandola ride across the water and saw 2 weddings.
Gandolas, I never knew how specialized the industry was either! In order to be able to be a captain or driver of a gondala you have to go through many steps. First, you need to have your own gondola They are custom made and there are only 2 places left to have them made so you need to be on a list and it usually takes about 2 years to have one custom built, according to your measurements. The side the rower stands on is wider than the opposite side too, for balance. After that, you need to go to a school to learn to row and manever them because there is not a lot of space in the canals and you need to be able to go around other boats and turn them around and keep your passangers safe, etc. The test they put you through at the end is hard and not everyone passes. If you get through those steps, then you are put on a waitlist for a job because the city sets a number of people that can have the gondola jobs and if there is not sn open job then you have to wait for someone to retire and be the next on the list to be able to work in the industry. SO, you may go through all the steps and then not be able to get a job!
Unfortunately my camera decided to have a lens error and stop working, so I was very glad that I took a lot of photos the day before! At Manuels house, we ordered a pizza and he gave me some cool music and introduced me to some sounds I had not been aware of before, an Islandic band that was pretty cool.
Venice thoughts: It was absolutely beautiful, very touristy but with good reason! It is too bad its sinking, but well worth visiting and spending a few days as to not rush through this gem of a city. Maybe someday I will get married here....
Switzerland
In Switzerland, I went and stayed in Luzern, near the middle of Switz on a lake. Such a beatutiful place0 the lake and the mountains together!
The first night I was there, Markus had band practice, he is in a carnival band that plays dring the festival in February right before lent starts. He plays trumpet and it was neat to see their practice; they played modern songs and most everyone in the band had been in it for 7 years at least. Markus had been in it 14 years! He used to be the president of the club but retired last year but still participates in it. The band also has a costume theme and they make their costumes- usually they consist of masks that are very detailed (I got to see the room where the equiptment to make the masks was and some of the ones from previous years)!
Tuesday I explored Luzern. The panoramic view of the Alps on the lake was beautiful and I walked along the old wall with 9 towers that you can climb up half of them. The view from the tower is even better because you can see the landscape with the lake, mountains, the valley, boats, fields, etc. Behind one of the churches there was a large garden that was once used as a cemetay. I saw the famous lion monument, it was a lot larger than I had imagined! Carved into a rock cliff and in front of it there is a pond (you canàt get too close to the monument) but it was breathtaking. Lots of Asian tourists there!! After a while I decded to buy a treat from a bakery, a rhubard cheesecake pie, and sit on the lake and eat it. That night we went to watch football (American soccer). The game was against the ALbanians, and all day I saw lots of Albanians around town with their flags wrapped around them, and wearing their colors and being very loud in support for their team..Switzerland won (The game was IN Luzern) and so near the central station it was madness. We took a different way home to avoid it! Markus had another guest from New Zeland that night named Christof as well who joined us. There is a wooden bridge that was lit up that we went across at night after the game which was really nice to see, one of the oldest bridges in Luzern!
Wednesday it was quite rainy so I used the morning for research and planning the next art of my trip which was very needed because I had not set up anything else previous to my time in Luzern, all I knew was that I was headed to Venice! The afternoon the rain lightened up and I walked with Christof through the towers again and this time the mountains looked much more clear in my photos because the weather (The rain made everything mroe visible). I also decided to go to Zurich and meet one of Markus friends I met the night before and see that area.
Thursday I did a day trip to Zurich and met Renato. He showed me around Zurich and it surpassed my expectations. Zurich is known as the business district but the Old Town in very beautiful! Everywhere you go in Switzerland there is nice scenery, always bodies of water around. The morning I went into some churches, saw a place that is in the game monopoly, and then I met Renato and we went to the University. At the top of the hill there was a great panoramic view of Zurich, and then walked down the most expensive (in the world) and very famous shopping street- Bahanhoftstrase, saw the fountain that was in the lake. We walked under a bridge so we were eyelevel with the water and then enjoyed a beer at Renatos favorite cafe bar. Next I saw an area that was home to crazies at night and then it was time for me to head back to Luzern. I enjoyed the day and the good company.
On my way to Venice I stopped in Interlaken, another town on the lake and it was SO beatiful! I would totally reccommend a train ride through Switzerland, the views are like none other that I have ever seen, probably the prettiest train ride I have ever taken so far! The views were spectacular and I had a nce sunny day to go so that made the visibility even more clear and the colors were so bright and captivating scenery! The houses on the hill looked like sprinkles on a cake...the mountain backdrop and the turquoise waters added to the gorgeousness that took my breath away.
The first night I was there, Markus had band practice, he is in a carnival band that plays dring the festival in February right before lent starts. He plays trumpet and it was neat to see their practice; they played modern songs and most everyone in the band had been in it for 7 years at least. Markus had been in it 14 years! He used to be the president of the club but retired last year but still participates in it. The band also has a costume theme and they make their costumes- usually they consist of masks that are very detailed (I got to see the room where the equiptment to make the masks was and some of the ones from previous years)!
Tuesday I explored Luzern. The panoramic view of the Alps on the lake was beautiful and I walked along the old wall with 9 towers that you can climb up half of them. The view from the tower is even better because you can see the landscape with the lake, mountains, the valley, boats, fields, etc. Behind one of the churches there was a large garden that was once used as a cemetay. I saw the famous lion monument, it was a lot larger than I had imagined! Carved into a rock cliff and in front of it there is a pond (you canàt get too close to the monument) but it was breathtaking. Lots of Asian tourists there!! After a while I decded to buy a treat from a bakery, a rhubard cheesecake pie, and sit on the lake and eat it. That night we went to watch football (American soccer). The game was against the ALbanians, and all day I saw lots of Albanians around town with their flags wrapped around them, and wearing their colors and being very loud in support for their team..Switzerland won (The game was IN Luzern) and so near the central station it was madness. We took a different way home to avoid it! Markus had another guest from New Zeland that night named Christof as well who joined us. There is a wooden bridge that was lit up that we went across at night after the game which was really nice to see, one of the oldest bridges in Luzern!
Wednesday it was quite rainy so I used the morning for research and planning the next art of my trip which was very needed because I had not set up anything else previous to my time in Luzern, all I knew was that I was headed to Venice! The afternoon the rain lightened up and I walked with Christof through the towers again and this time the mountains looked much more clear in my photos because the weather (The rain made everything mroe visible). I also decided to go to Zurich and meet one of Markus friends I met the night before and see that area.
Thursday I did a day trip to Zurich and met Renato. He showed me around Zurich and it surpassed my expectations. Zurich is known as the business district but the Old Town in very beautiful! Everywhere you go in Switzerland there is nice scenery, always bodies of water around. The morning I went into some churches, saw a place that is in the game monopoly, and then I met Renato and we went to the University. At the top of the hill there was a great panoramic view of Zurich, and then walked down the most expensive (in the world) and very famous shopping street- Bahanhoftstrase, saw the fountain that was in the lake. We walked under a bridge so we were eyelevel with the water and then enjoyed a beer at Renatos favorite cafe bar. Next I saw an area that was home to crazies at night and then it was time for me to head back to Luzern. I enjoyed the day and the good company.
On my way to Venice I stopped in Interlaken, another town on the lake and it was SO beatiful! I would totally reccommend a train ride through Switzerland, the views are like none other that I have ever seen, probably the prettiest train ride I have ever taken so far! The views were spectacular and I had a nce sunny day to go so that made the visibility even more clear and the colors were so bright and captivating scenery! The houses on the hill looked like sprinkles on a cake...the mountain backdrop and the turquoise waters added to the gorgeousness that took my breath away.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Update part one
Oh me oh my, it has been a chore to keep this up, sorry all! Well, last time I posted I was in France and since then a lot has been going on!!
I will have to fill in the in betweens but for now, I know my parents and close friends check this to make sure I am still alive so I figured I should probably post an update while I remember and have some time...
I started my backpacking trip through Europe- so far I have been to Berlin and Munich,Germany, Luzern and Interlaken Switzerland, Venice, Venice Maestro, Bologna, Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Rome, Salerno, Almalfi, Positano, Pompei and a few others.
A short recap- Berlin was fun, I tasted my first shwarma (turkish/ lebaneese food) which was totally amazing in kreutzburg (probably spelling it wrong), saw the Berlin Dome and the other must see landmarks, went out and danced at some of the clubs there too.
Munich was a blast, one of my faorite places so far- the city I learned a lot about on a tour I did, and I met an amazing group of people who were wild and crazy like me, maybe more so even :) I ended up staying longer than I had planned but was glad I did! I went to a festival called 99 Steps- everything with 9s. 9 types of food, 9 performers, 9 different djs, 9 of everything pretty much...and on 9-9 (September 9th).
I will have to fill in the in betweens but for now, I know my parents and close friends check this to make sure I am still alive so I figured I should probably post an update while I remember and have some time...
I started my backpacking trip through Europe- so far I have been to Berlin and Munich,Germany, Luzern and Interlaken Switzerland, Venice, Venice Maestro, Bologna, Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Rome, Salerno, Almalfi, Positano, Pompei and a few others.
A short recap- Berlin was fun, I tasted my first shwarma (turkish/ lebaneese food) which was totally amazing in kreutzburg (probably spelling it wrong), saw the Berlin Dome and the other must see landmarks, went out and danced at some of the clubs there too.
Munich was a blast, one of my faorite places so far- the city I learned a lot about on a tour I did, and I met an amazing group of people who were wild and crazy like me, maybe more so even :) I ended up staying longer than I had planned but was glad I did! I went to a festival called 99 Steps- everything with 9s. 9 types of food, 9 performers, 9 different djs, 9 of everything pretty much...and on 9-9 (September 9th).
Monday, August 13, 2012
Stay at the Castle!!
This morning it was 23°C, or ine could say the perfect temperature! We had breakfast with the family that owned the chateau and met a woman and her husband from northern scotland who were also guests of the chateau and her father. After that we headed on the road to our next destination, Chateau Les Merles! We drove for about three and half hours while passing a lot of sunflower fields as well as many castles!! We arrived at Chateau Les Merles (Woohoo!) It's so big!! Charlotte and my room is at the end of the hall. We have another large bath as well and nicely decorated rooms! Wen we got to the castle we started the day with a nice lunch and then laid by the beautiful pool that has the backdrop of gorgeous French countryside. Lucas and Else played some golf while Charlotte and I made some bracelets, enjoyed some ice tea, and then played in the pool until close to 8:00 PM. There was also an inflatable tube and ball that were a lot of fun! The castle also had many features including a winery, golf course, pool, restaurant, stables, and an amazing view.
July 26th:
Else took Lotje and I to Chateau de Brigoidire, a newly opened. Astor to the public. They are in he process if renovating it but the rooms they had done already were very nice! They even had knight armor on the stairs! The wine cellar was neat along with the prisoners area and also its own chapel in one of the side towers.
Outside they had it set up like a festival with a lot of old games they used to play but were still fun! They ha a game where they had all these strings tied like a spiderweb with bells attached and you had to try to make it through without ringing the bells. There was a life sized chess board and some billiards type games as well.
After the excursion we enjoyed the pool an the castle! I read some of my book, The Hundred Secret Senses (great book) while soaking up the sun.
We had our farewell dinner at the castle and I tried a very divine French dessert as well, made of apple (tatata or something like that) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle on top. I also walked into the vineyard and watched the sunset.
The next morning both Charlotte and I got up at the crack of dawn and looked for the sunrise.. That is we walked on a path through the golf course to get a better view. We walked for a total of about 30 minutes and then when we got back to the castle it finally popped above the trees above the horizon so the best view of all was from right as you step onto the start of the golf course at the top of the hill!
Arromanches and Normandie
Arromanches and Normandy!! We went to Normandie and saw the American Cemetery. Lucas took me to the museum while Else and Charlotte went on a tourist train around the town- so beautiful, steep drop off cliffs with crystalline water. The cemetery was impressive, thousands of white crosses and a large monument and 'pool.' Omaha beach was very serene, and well-kept with breathtaking views. Also in the town I Arromanches the view was beautiful.
There unfortunately was a problem with the booking website canceling our reservation for this hotel right on the waterfront do we had to change the plan and instead we drive a fewore hours which would cut down on the next days long drive and stayed in a guesthouse in a chateau called [La G*********]. We got a warm welcome with a glass of wine and although he owners didn't have room at their dinner table because the other guests already filled up the openings, they suggested one of the two restaurants in town (very small town) so we went there and enjoyed dinner and then went back to get ready for the early start the next morning. My room was really nice, I called it my princess room- view outback I a wooden sailboat in the water and also I took a hot bubble bath :) I got some good heavy sleep as well! (July 24th)
La Touquet beach day
Day two of vacation- we awoke this morning leisurely. It was so cute, Charlotte came over and laid with me for a bit. We went down and had a cake slice with honey for breakfast, then I tried my first amazing French croissant: nothing like the ones in the USA! After breakfast we went to unwind and had a very relaxed day at the beach. I covered Charlotte totally in the sand and then made her into mermaid complete with a shell top! Also we went in the sea and played smashball. For dinner we went to La Petit Charlotte :) It was a very nice, relaxing day in the sun.
La Touquet July 21st
July 21 Sunday- today was our first day of vacation!! we ate lunch with a couple of else's friends in Brugge, Belgium. Brugge is a gorgeous town! the Townhall is enormous and very beautiful just as the conblestone streets and old buildings. before we left I had a Belgian waffle with powdered sugar, lekker! we drove the rest of the way to La Touquet after. We stayed at Hotel Equinox and it was very cute, and a great location- one block from the beach! We spent some time at the beach, people were out but but it wasn't too crowded. We were entertained by a woman who was trying to take down her sun tent because when she thought she got it down it would pop back open. Even with other people helping her it still was nearly impossible, a big struggle. We had dinner Att little pizzeria and then had a nice stroll down the French streets. I went back to the beach and it was low tide so I walked out to where the water was and took some nice photos (the beach was pretty empty now web with about 2 hours of light left).
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Leiden, Holland
Yesterday night we went to the best fish place in Holland- it's a local joint with fish you can't find more fresh- it is on the harbor and the warehouses where the boats bring in the fish and they get it ready to ship is across the street. Charlotte and I had Kipling. I was so full when I walked out that when I got home I ended up laying down, playing "Flow" (check it out- a great iPhone game) and falling asleep dismissing all my plans for the evening.
Today was my Leiden day. The day looked as if it could rain at any point, but luckily it held off.
I walked around a market that was by the canals downtown- everything sold from shoes, lace and thread/ sewing materials, cheese, dresses, toothpaste and toiletries, small clog shoes, fresh produce...a little bit of everything! I went to Stedelijk Molenmuseum de Valk (a windmill you can climb up into the different levels and see the rooms in the bottom where some people used to live). I got to go out onto the terrace part as well! The stairs, that is a story in itself. I thought the stairs in the houses in Holland were steep, well these were killer! You had to go down backwards and no joke the angle was probably about 5 %. Also, after climbing in front of where you would step off the stairs there was a trap door- not literally, but they used to open them to move things to the top or top to bottom with a pulley system. It made even me a little nervous to step on and I usually don't mind those things. Very interesting though!
After that, I went to the National Museum of Ethnology/ Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde (which had displays for Korea/ Japan, Asia, China (including a Budda Room- filled with 5 large Buddas), Indonesia, and Afrika. There were artifacts (pots, jewelry, clothing remains, trinkets, etc.) that dated back thousands of years. Also, there were 3 stone samurais that were borrowed from China- 7,000 were found and they are displayed in different museums throughout different countries.
I saw their Town Hall (Impressive Italian style building), as well as Hartebrugkerk (I went inside as well) church, and one on the corner of Rapenburg. There were a lot of people about depute the weather and also it being a Thursday.
The train ride was only about 10 minutes, and I lucked out with the transportation because I arrived to the train station in the morning with a 5 minute wait, when I left a 3 minute wait, then home on the bs about 5 minutes.
When I was back in Den Haag I visited the Peace Palace. There was a half hour audio tour and I learned a lot. Andrew Carnegie built about 300 libraries and also donated a very large check that covered the designing and the start to building the Peace Palace. They had a contest to see whose design would win and a frenchman won. They altered the design a little so that it wasn't so strongly french influenced, but still it is lovely. It has the largest law library in the world, and also I found it interesting that countries from all over the world send gifts to decorate it (even now) as well as when they were building it different pieces were donated to the building of it- for example Germany built it's gate. Unfortunately just after it started ruling the World War broke out but it still remained. To this day it has help settle a lot of cases, and also outside it there is a peace flame where 5 countries flew fire over to put it all together to light the World Peace Flame that still burns. The first World Peace conference was held in the Hague!!
Tonight we had dinner with Loti- Charlotte's babysitter. She is a very lovely girl who is getting her Masters and is working with the organization of the elections (very busy as Europe has around 50 different political parties where as the US has about 2 that are the big runners). We had a deluxe salad dinner with everything you could think of and then watched some of a famous concert afterwards. The weather is still super rainy/ windy (the worst summer for Holland in 35 years). Tomorrow I will start packing for France this weekend!! :) Also, I was told tonight at dinner that we are going to Bruge to see that on our way! I have heard that is an amazing little town (Belgium), and I didn't make it when I was there before so I will be happy to be able to go!
Today was my Leiden day. The day looked as if it could rain at any point, but luckily it held off.
I walked around a market that was by the canals downtown- everything sold from shoes, lace and thread/ sewing materials, cheese, dresses, toothpaste and toiletries, small clog shoes, fresh produce...a little bit of everything! I went to Stedelijk Molenmuseum de Valk (a windmill you can climb up into the different levels and see the rooms in the bottom where some people used to live). I got to go out onto the terrace part as well! The stairs, that is a story in itself. I thought the stairs in the houses in Holland were steep, well these were killer! You had to go down backwards and no joke the angle was probably about 5 %. Also, after climbing in front of where you would step off the stairs there was a trap door- not literally, but they used to open them to move things to the top or top to bottom with a pulley system. It made even me a little nervous to step on and I usually don't mind those things. Very interesting though!
After that, I went to the National Museum of Ethnology/ Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde (which had displays for Korea/ Japan, Asia, China (including a Budda Room- filled with 5 large Buddas), Indonesia, and Afrika. There were artifacts (pots, jewelry, clothing remains, trinkets, etc.) that dated back thousands of years. Also, there were 3 stone samurais that were borrowed from China- 7,000 were found and they are displayed in different museums throughout different countries.
I saw their Town Hall (Impressive Italian style building), as well as Hartebrugkerk (I went inside as well) church, and one on the corner of Rapenburg. There were a lot of people about depute the weather and also it being a Thursday.
The train ride was only about 10 minutes, and I lucked out with the transportation because I arrived to the train station in the morning with a 5 minute wait, when I left a 3 minute wait, then home on the bs about 5 minutes.
When I was back in Den Haag I visited the Peace Palace. There was a half hour audio tour and I learned a lot. Andrew Carnegie built about 300 libraries and also donated a very large check that covered the designing and the start to building the Peace Palace. They had a contest to see whose design would win and a frenchman won. They altered the design a little so that it wasn't so strongly french influenced, but still it is lovely. It has the largest law library in the world, and also I found it interesting that countries from all over the world send gifts to decorate it (even now) as well as when they were building it different pieces were donated to the building of it- for example Germany built it's gate. Unfortunately just after it started ruling the World War broke out but it still remained. To this day it has help settle a lot of cases, and also outside it there is a peace flame where 5 countries flew fire over to put it all together to light the World Peace Flame that still burns. The first World Peace conference was held in the Hague!!
Tonight we had dinner with Loti- Charlotte's babysitter. She is a very lovely girl who is getting her Masters and is working with the organization of the elections (very busy as Europe has around 50 different political parties where as the US has about 2 that are the big runners). We had a deluxe salad dinner with everything you could think of and then watched some of a famous concert afterwards. The weather is still super rainy/ windy (the worst summer for Holland in 35 years). Tomorrow I will start packing for France this weekend!! :) Also, I was told tonight at dinner that we are going to Bruge to see that on our way! I have heard that is an amazing little town (Belgium), and I didn't make it when I was there before so I will be happy to be able to go!
Koln/ Cologne
This weekend I went to Cologne with my friend Ellie. We took a noon train and arrived about 3:00. We went to her hair appointment that was right down the street, then all met (her boyfriend, her and I) and we got some pizza for dinner and some Kolch (a popular German beer). We watched some episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" and then Ellie and I started out getting a drink at a little corner pub. We then all met up and went to a place called "Max" for a drink (nice interior- lit with red lights, decorated with a disco ball, and a nice drink selection). After this, we decided to skip a party we had tickets to because it was about 30 minutes away by tram then had to transfer to the private bus to the event and we decided to just hang close to the house the first night). We ended up going to "Cubana" (a latin music bar) and randomly started talking to (then dancing with) a group of Belgium guys that were on a group trip for the end of college. They were nice, and pretty funny in general! We stayed out until about 6 am then walked home with the sunrise and fell asleep until noon.
Saturday we walked the "love lock bridge"over the Rhein River. There are thousands of padlocks across the fencing of the Hohenzollernbrucke bridge. When couples get engaged (or married) they come here and lock in their love (with their names or initials on the locks) then throw the key off the bridge into the water symbolizing everlasting love, a very sweet idea.
I made a joke about finding my name on a few different ones- apparently I am going to marry a "Jan, Frank, or Jose" hah! We also saw the outside (and inside) of the famous church named "Dom" and also saw the Cologne Cathedral, near central station which is quite impressive as well.
After this, we grabbed some snacks and then got ready for the 14th annual Lights Festival that was to take place later that night on the Rhein River, under the Lock Bridge. There were a lot of people who attended the festival- the bridge was packed, as were the walls and rivers edge below. We luckily managed to squeeze into the front to see the parade of lit up boats cruise along the river under the bridge, and it was a sight to see all the sparklers on the bridge too. Along with the boat parade and tons of food vendors, there were two sets of fireworks- a very nice display too! I thought at one point it was the finale but we had only reached the middle! ...And low and behold, who did we end up running into within the swarms of thousands of people? Yep, the Belgians from last night!!
Round 2 at Cubana bar, again a 6am ending but this time complete with chair dancing, our own "VIP" table per the owner, and it was a night for Hogs (a drink w champagne and mint). Lots of memories made!
Sunday it was drizzly all day so we had a lazy afternoon and watched more of "How I Met Your Mother" which, yes, is one of my new favorites. Also, a great little Italian restaurant, small, crowded but excellent food right around the corner from M's house.
Saturday we walked the "love lock bridge"over the Rhein River. There are thousands of padlocks across the fencing of the Hohenzollernbrucke bridge. When couples get engaged (or married) they come here and lock in their love (with their names or initials on the locks) then throw the key off the bridge into the water symbolizing everlasting love, a very sweet idea.
I made a joke about finding my name on a few different ones- apparently I am going to marry a "Jan, Frank, or Jose" hah! We also saw the outside (and inside) of the famous church named "Dom" and also saw the Cologne Cathedral, near central station which is quite impressive as well.
After this, we grabbed some snacks and then got ready for the 14th annual Lights Festival that was to take place later that night on the Rhein River, under the Lock Bridge. There were a lot of people who attended the festival- the bridge was packed, as were the walls and rivers edge below. We luckily managed to squeeze into the front to see the parade of lit up boats cruise along the river under the bridge, and it was a sight to see all the sparklers on the bridge too. Along with the boat parade and tons of food vendors, there were two sets of fireworks- a very nice display too! I thought at one point it was the finale but we had only reached the middle! ...And low and behold, who did we end up running into within the swarms of thousands of people? Yep, the Belgians from last night!!
Round 2 at Cubana bar, again a 6am ending but this time complete with chair dancing, our own "VIP" table per the owner, and it was a night for Hogs (a drink w champagne and mint). Lots of memories made!
Sunday it was drizzly all day so we had a lazy afternoon and watched more of "How I Met Your Mother" which, yes, is one of my new favorites. Also, a great little Italian restaurant, small, crowded but excellent food right around the corner from M's house.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Belgium and Assen
First, correction from the last post: El Nino is the place Elie and I went the other night.
Also, we went to Delft and it is such a lovely little town, even through the misty rain that potruded through the skies while we were there.
Last weekend
I went to Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium. I arrived by the Rotterdam international train Saturday and Moji and I enjoyed the afternoon ( by the time I got there and averted the no cell p hone credit crisis that I was unaware about until I got there and tried to make a call, and then also I learned that if you have a Holland phone number for some reason the cell providers see itfit to only allow you to recharge in theircountry andnot any other of its European neighbors for the sole purpose of, oh, I dontknow...making yur life difficult for travelers and trying to force them into buying a plan over there when economically, financially, and all the other ways just not a smart idea. I saw Mannekin Pis and Madamme Pis ( yey for sexual equality), had some drinks at Delirium pub which boasts in having along with 3 floors a grand selection of 2,000 microbrews it carries. No, that was not a typo with too many zeros- two thousand, and a book of the selectns to prove it. Then, Out Loud! Club and then Cafe Central where I had some amazing dance memories.
Then in Antwerp I had Belgian waffles, some chocoaltes, one of the greatest hot chocoaltes I have ever had (they let you choose what kind of chocolate you want, very dark, dark, melk, or white) then they add the other ingredients and mix it all together), Het Steen, the skyline, the statue of the man that eats drunk people, and also the central station which has been named one of the best architectural central stations worldwide. Wendy and I found a biug stone hand we got a picture on, as well as a nice little 16th century passageway that was very beautiful and an old church where we each lit candles for people in our lives.
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Assen was a great trip as well, the town is in North Holland and very green. I visited Else's parents and the hou she grew up in. It reminded me a little bit of upstate New York. The clouds were amazing, to say theleast andsomething that you may think is a small difference but it is amazing how they differ from how I have seen them before. One tiem they looked like a quilted blanket with a lot of ripples on top of each other and yet a different time you could see about four layers of them and looked wispy and like soft cotton.
I saw the 'Old Pond' where Else grew up ice skating, and it actually was one that I had seen in a reoccuring dream before as well, amazingly beautiful and serene. We saw baby ducks too and it was so cute to see them swim to thelilly pads and when they were there they would walk across the top of the flaoting leaves.
I also saw a few rock formatioins that were left randomly, usually in fields, of large boulders. Some of them balancing on each other like little tables. It is a bit ofa mystery how they got likethat and also how they can remain balanced like that as well.
We saw at the town square where they were setting up a sand volleyball court in the middle, complete with sand transport for the 2012 European volleyball championships that will soon take place. I have been in luck to see theareas of different big championships onthis trip. A week before I arrived They had the World Kiteboarding Championship at a beach about 10 minutes away from us.
We went to a nice resturaunt and had poufajes with slagroom and the best hot chocolate melk I have ever had (with the Belgian hot chocolate coming in a close second). Wimbledon was on in the afternoon and prefect time with the rain to end our tour and watch it. I also factored in a nap with myself falling asleep to the tiny beating raindrops as the window was cracked open.
Very nice train ride back, including seeing the hint of the last of a rainbow as the backdrop to the green farmlands!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
What's new
A few days ago My friend and I went to a place in schevenigen called tiki but or something like that. It was super cool, right on the ocean and has little tiki like hits over the tables. Also they handsome fire pits with lounge couches with big pillows around and covering it. Reminds me of a cross between an indoor ski lodge and someone's college house, but add it being right on the beach too with a little mexican mixed in with the masks on the walls. After that we went and checked out a big long pier that was enclosed and went out over the water. At the end we wet on the rooftop and got a better view from there. It was super windy, not very warm, but sunny at least!! :) I found the first sort of indoor 'mall' you might call it since I got here.
I successfully found some good postcards as well.
Closer to home I discovered the cutest little bakery with the most delicious homemade sweet treats and it's only about a 20 minute walk. There is a little fruit stand as well- the area used to have a lot more local shops but unfortunately they have gone under the past little while. It's too bad because the square would have been like its own main town square if it had more shops. There I also a little green space and some benches in the middle.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Schedule is coming around
This morning I went on my morning walk to the sea... I actually ran a large part of it! when I got back home I went down to visit Wendy and ended up going to an event at the sports school with lots of blowup obstacle courses. After that, I did some work on my planning for my trip. I have a tentative route now and am growing more excited with every planning session that leads up to more adventures and seeing friends I haven't see in years!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Shelby
Ok, a lot of you know but some of you don't..please keep my cousin in your thoughts and her family the next few months. On her 15th birthday (a few months ago) she went to the dentist because she thought she had a toothache. Little did she know it was much more than that...she ended up having to go to a series of other doctor's and found out she had tongue cancer (it started to spread and then happened very rapidly). Besides being one of the youngest people ever to be found with it (no drinking, smoking, neither do her parents etc.)....within a very short amount of time the swelling got so bad she could barely eat, swallow, talk, anything. Luckily (with my Aunt's skills) they got her into surgery sooner than later. They had to remove almost all of her tongue, she now has a feeding tube and she is working on being able to talk again...she is strong and I know she can do it! Hang in there Shel!! You are a fighter and I know that in the next weeks ahead, even with radiation and chemo that you are a fighter and will make it!! Look how much you have already proved the doctors wrong!! I love you and am thinking of you all the time!! You can do it girl, I know you can! Keep that attitude up because You Can Do It!! :) Love you!
4 Days in Amsterdam- First Big City exploration
This week and I went to Amsterdam Friday night. The weather was kind of rainy so I went to the store and picked up a few groceries and walked around a little bit. Friday night I hung out at home and relaxed with a glass of wine so I could have a nice early start the next morning.
Saturday morning I went to the Anne Frank house, I only ended up waiting maybe 20 minutes to get in (I arrived by 10:00) by the time I figured out which tram to take and then walk from there, which it wasn't very far. After that, I then walked the "nine streets." I saw a lot of unique little shops and by the time I ended up getting home, it was around 6. I had to nap with all the walking around I did, and then Saturday night I ended up finding a couch surfing bar event at Cafe de Vergulde Gaper (near Central Station and the Heineken Experience). It was a cozy little pub, and I ended up meeting other travelers from around the world- Tiago and Alexandre (Portugal), Jenny (England), Sylvie (Lithuania), Diana (DC), Andrey (Russia), and some people from Finland.
Sunday morning I went to the Van Gogh Museum with Diana and Jenny- a lot bigger than I had imagined. The exhibit included photos by people that gave Van Gogh's inspiration, along with ones painted by himself. Also, it was interesting to learn that some of the people who work at the museum today are relatives of his! How neat is that, keeping the family business after all this time. After the museum, Jenny and I picked up a few things for a picnic at Vondelpark (I spent 5 Euro- we even got some Heineken beer for .53 euro each...it was a dark one, very delicious and good to enjoy in the park, especially with how amazing the weather was- very sunny, everyone was out and about- bikes and clusters of people every 10 feet or so. The picnic started out with just the two of us, gradually aiming more and more people- we told a few people, and then they called some people, and so the chain continued. By the end we had about 20 people for our picnic (good turnout for such an impromptu event!). That night Holland played Portugal for football (or if you prefer, American Soccer). Unfortunately, Holland did not win but still it was great to see so many supporters out to watch the game. The people in Europe I think are crazier for soccer than American football fans!! The streets were decorated with tons of orange banners all across lamp post to lamp post, huge inflatable socce balls were hung everywhere, in some places people even paint their houses orange! Everyone wears anything orange that they can get their hands on, lots of face paint as well- the Netherlands colors are red, white, and blue as well... they usually do the flag on their face, each color is a horizontal stripe. Also, the fans are of all ages- there was a family in the bar with a child as young as about 3 to grandma and grandpas even!
Monday morning it was raining when I awoke. Luckily by about 10:30 when I was about to head out of the apartment for my day it stopped. I went to the Amsterdam Bibliothekka... Totally amazing. The biggest library I have ever been to! They have hanging glowing art from the ceiling, kind of like amoeba shaped, or like modern art 'snowflake' type sculptures. One of the floors that lends out music has relaxing music playing on that floor. As the morning went on, I'm pretty sure they had an actual person inside playing the piano (I believe they rotate different local artists that play a few days a month there).
Saturday morning I went to the Anne Frank house, I only ended up waiting maybe 20 minutes to get in (I arrived by 10:00) by the time I figured out which tram to take and then walk from there, which it wasn't very far. After that, I then walked the "nine streets." I saw a lot of unique little shops and by the time I ended up getting home, it was around 6. I had to nap with all the walking around I did, and then Saturday night I ended up finding a couch surfing bar event at Cafe de Vergulde Gaper (near Central Station and the Heineken Experience). It was a cozy little pub, and I ended up meeting other travelers from around the world- Tiago and Alexandre (Portugal), Jenny (England), Sylvie (Lithuania), Diana (DC), Andrey (Russia), and some people from Finland.
Sunday morning I went to the Van Gogh Museum with Diana and Jenny- a lot bigger than I had imagined. The exhibit included photos by people that gave Van Gogh's inspiration, along with ones painted by himself. Also, it was interesting to learn that some of the people who work at the museum today are relatives of his! How neat is that, keeping the family business after all this time. After the museum, Jenny and I picked up a few things for a picnic at Vondelpark (I spent 5 Euro- we even got some Heineken beer for .53 euro each...it was a dark one, very delicious and good to enjoy in the park, especially with how amazing the weather was- very sunny, everyone was out and about- bikes and clusters of people every 10 feet or so. The picnic started out with just the two of us, gradually aiming more and more people- we told a few people, and then they called some people, and so the chain continued. By the end we had about 20 people for our picnic (good turnout for such an impromptu event!). That night Holland played Portugal for football (or if you prefer, American Soccer). Unfortunately, Holland did not win but still it was great to see so many supporters out to watch the game. The people in Europe I think are crazier for soccer than American football fans!! The streets were decorated with tons of orange banners all across lamp post to lamp post, huge inflatable socce balls were hung everywhere, in some places people even paint their houses orange! Everyone wears anything orange that they can get their hands on, lots of face paint as well- the Netherlands colors are red, white, and blue as well... they usually do the flag on their face, each color is a horizontal stripe. Also, the fans are of all ages- there was a family in the bar with a child as young as about 3 to grandma and grandpas even!
Monday morning it was raining when I awoke. Luckily by about 10:30 when I was about to head out of the apartment for my day it stopped. I went to the Amsterdam Bibliothekka... Totally amazing. The biggest library I have ever been to! They have hanging glowing art from the ceiling, kind of like amoeba shaped, or like modern art 'snowflake' type sculptures. One of the floors that lends out music has relaxing music playing on that floor. As the morning went on, I'm pretty sure they had an actual person inside playing the piano (I believe they rotate different local artists that play a few days a month there).
Saturday, June 9, 2012
First Peek at Amsterdam
Today I visited Amsterdam for the first time :)
We arrived in the early afternoon and I took a small tour of the area, had lunch, visited a few beautiful churches (I will fill in the names later). Also, I had my first drink in a pub in Europe! Yeyy, I made it! :) There are so many places to see and explore n the city, along with museums, historical landmarks, fun little shops and restaurants and pubs, etc... <3
When we were in the square Else and I played two others at fooseball and got orange lion head hats to wear to "give us luck." They also had a bachelor party with men from Germany where you pay 1 euro and get to shoot two soccer balls at the groom- you can either be nice and choose to put them through the holes on each side when he hold up his arms (he was wearing a special suit) or just get him with it if you choose, as a joke. It was pretty funny! Also, as soon as I took my lion head hair off, some random guy came up and put another one on me then ran away haha. I guess there's no use fighting the spirit here! I kept it on until we go to the tram stop...
The football game was on and fans here are definitely loyal supporters- everyone had SOMETHING orange on, if not to the extreme (tiger/ lion suits. crazy orange hair, and weird funky hat you can think of, etc). It was awesome! They played Poland- unfortunately they didn't win the match but they play again on Wednesday against Germany so I really hope they do win (also my birthday)!
We arrived in the early afternoon and I took a small tour of the area, had lunch, visited a few beautiful churches (I will fill in the names later). Also, I had my first drink in a pub in Europe! Yeyy, I made it! :) There are so many places to see and explore n the city, along with museums, historical landmarks, fun little shops and restaurants and pubs, etc... <3
When we were in the square Else and I played two others at fooseball and got orange lion head hats to wear to "give us luck." They also had a bachelor party with men from Germany where you pay 1 euro and get to shoot two soccer balls at the groom- you can either be nice and choose to put them through the holes on each side when he hold up his arms (he was wearing a special suit) or just get him with it if you choose, as a joke. It was pretty funny! Also, as soon as I took my lion head hair off, some random guy came up and put another one on me then ran away haha. I guess there's no use fighting the spirit here! I kept it on until we go to the tram stop...
The football game was on and fans here are definitely loyal supporters- everyone had SOMETHING orange on, if not to the extreme (tiger/ lion suits. crazy orange hair, and weird funky hat you can think of, etc). It was awesome! They played Poland- unfortunately they didn't win the match but they play again on Wednesday against Germany so I really hope they do win (also my birthday)!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Rainy Beginnings
So yesterday we all went and visited Futureland. They are making more land in Holland to increase their port. It is by Rotterdam, which we also saw where it was and then went to a little town outside Rotterdam and had lunch at a traditional Dutch cafe. I tried croquets and they were so good! (it is a traditional dutch food- a fried tube with meat and filling that resembles a mashed potato consistency- Also a Heineken).
We walked around the area and saw all the shops and the houses- they are so cute- smaller than US ones but all uniform and lovely. Most all of them have some type of flowers in the front window. Very picturesque town. Also, we visited a chocolate shoppe with very lovely specialty chocolates. At night I made my first Dutch pancake- a to thinner than the ones in the US I am used to, but I like these better. When I am back I will be sure to make some for my friends!
Today has been pretty rainy although as soon as we picked up Char from school the sun came out. It was a very computer productive day... updated my blogs, wrote some emails, started putting my travel ideas onto paper which needed to be done. Also, found out about ParkPop (Europe's biggest free music festival) which is hosted here on June 24th. I want to go! Also, I looked on a map at the places we will be going in France! So exciting!
Tonight we will have an international dinner (E's friend from Australia just got in today). Tomorrow is expecting better weather so then I will go to the tourist office and probably walk around that area, take some photos, possibly grab a cup of tea somewhere as well.
Until then....
Friday, June 1, 2012
Welkom to Das Haag
Goodbye USA, hello Europe!!! And Charlotte, Else, and Lucas! So, I made it :) I flew Thursday out of Syracuse and had a connecting flight in Philadelphia. I had a one hour layover and then had an overnight flight to Amsterdam. It was a nice and smooth transition and no flight problems thank goodness.
The time difference in European countries is 6 hours ahead of the US so I ended up arriving at 8:20am in Netherlands time. I didn't sleep more than 2 hours on the trip here, and am making myself stay awake until tonight to get rid of jet lag the fastest. I was also told that if you take melatonin before you go to sleep once you are in a different time zone than you are used to, it helps you sleep through so you can get your body back on schedule faster. We will see! I know when I hit the pillow tonight I will definitely sleep through the night.
Else and Charlotte picked me up from the airport this morning and even brought a thoughtful balloon with "Welkom Thius" written on it (Welcome Home). It was so sweet! On the drive back from the airport, I saw where the Royal Family lived (we passed it driving) as well as her school, a nice little area with shops, an American School, "Mini world" (Charlotte is telling me what it's called but I can't spell it), and a few other attractions.
I moved my stuff into the house and got settled in. I met a friend from town of Else and Char's and she speaks english which is lovely as well. I tried a koffee candy as well as a bite of licorice that the Dutch are famous for I was told. Also, brown bread with hahosa (sp- like chocolate sprinkles but taste a lot better) on toast. We went to a tennis club and watched Lotje's tennis lesson and now we are relaxing here. So far it has been a great day! The weather is a bit chilly, about 54F ish but in the sun it warms up.
It is beautiful here!! The houses are very cute too!
The time difference in European countries is 6 hours ahead of the US so I ended up arriving at 8:20am in Netherlands time. I didn't sleep more than 2 hours on the trip here, and am making myself stay awake until tonight to get rid of jet lag the fastest. I was also told that if you take melatonin before you go to sleep once you are in a different time zone than you are used to, it helps you sleep through so you can get your body back on schedule faster. We will see! I know when I hit the pillow tonight I will definitely sleep through the night.
Else and Charlotte picked me up from the airport this morning and even brought a thoughtful balloon with "Welkom Thius" written on it (Welcome Home). It was so sweet! On the drive back from the airport, I saw where the Royal Family lived (we passed it driving) as well as her school, a nice little area with shops, an American School, "Mini world" (Charlotte is telling me what it's called but I can't spell it), and a few other attractions.
I moved my stuff into the house and got settled in. I met a friend from town of Else and Char's and she speaks english which is lovely as well. I tried a koffee candy as well as a bite of licorice that the Dutch are famous for I was told. Also, brown bread with hahosa (sp- like chocolate sprinkles but taste a lot better) on toast. We went to a tennis club and watched Lotje's tennis lesson and now we are relaxing here. So far it has been a great day! The weather is a bit chilly, about 54F ish but in the sun it warms up.
It is beautiful here!! The houses are very cute too!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Countdown
Today we had a successful party... A combo graduation party for Andy at tc3 (he will attend Ithaca college next semester to get his bachelors in tv broadcasting), and partly for my going away. It was good to see the gam, and also Sarah and Bryson came over this morning :) gosh he's cute!! Three days until I leave the US!! I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity to become a part of the family, practice English with Char and immerse myself in another culture and gain new experiences and meet new people!! I get to see how the other half of the world lives :) my flight goes through Philly then overnight flight to Amsterdam. Sorry this isn't longer I am going to Skype with my friend from brazil..let's hope it all works out for her to fly over and travel with me for a month!! I would love to see her again!!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Up the Coast
Sad I missed the bartenders bash- literally we left sunday night to make good time, and the Bash was that monday. Also, I guess I'm going to have to wait until next year to meet Hugh Heffner- which my friends met him there- the question is, was it trhe real him? I thought I emt him at Fantasy Fest but then I realized they ahd a celeb look a like contest, and a lot of old men (no offense) can easily look like him with the right outfit, cigar, and as long as they have the right facial structure...idk I want to meet him one day though.
Elethea flew in fromk Peru sunday night at 720. By the time we go out of the airport and such it was about 845 then we went to chipolte so she could get a bag out of Carly's car. Also, nice to be able to say goodbye to them and not rush. We drove from there (n miami) to just south of Jacksonville and stayed at a hotel there overnight (thank goodness bc the next day we had about 11 hours of driving to do. We got to the hotel at 340am and then were up, showered, had breakfast at the hotel, and were back on the road by 9:30 am. Monday we drove to DC and then we stayed monday night, all of Tuesday and then left Wednesday early afternoon for NY. The drive from Florida to DC was raining and at parts I was driving 35mph because you couldn't see in front of you. That made it take a little longer than it should have.
While in DC I got to see my friend Mike and then Wednesday we went and walked H street, took the X2 downtown and decided to tour the Ford Theater and saw where Lincoln was shot and killed. The theater is amazing, breathtaking. Today they still use it for shows, but the overhang where he was is closed off to the public- you can see it from the opposite balcony. We looked at the international spy store, and walked around Chinatown in DC. We went to a Thai place and I got the mango rice dessert- so good! For dinner and happy hour we went to a mexican place with tapas and all got different things to share- I got cactus leaf, also there were different kinds of taces, meatballs, a melted cheese appetizer you put on tortillas (it was yummy). We all got Bleeding hearts (a tequilla drink with a hibiscus "ice ball"- the only way I can describe it, in the middle with little flowers in it too). The drink changed how it tasted every sip- from start to finish it was a little different each swallow. We did the rest of happy hour in Adams Morgan at a rooftop bar, and then over to IronHorse (like a pool hall, with shuffle board and such). I also got a motorcycle ride earlier in the day :) So much fun! The next morning we had breakfast with some grilling action, took a walk, and hung out before we had to be back on the road. We hit chipolte in Maryland and also this really neat frozen ogurt place with a zillion toppings- gummy bears, these little colored rice gummy cake type things, oreos, cookie dough, brownie bits, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, etc. All the good stuff- and the red velvet frozen yogurt was by far my favorite!
Next time I'm in DC I need to go to the Tomb of the Undead (in Arlington- the one where they have a guard that goes around it 24/7) and also to the spy museum.
Back at home Wednesday I unloaded my stuff, and then had the first night sleeping in my old bed in about 9 months.
The next day Elethea left for Burlington, VT and I headed over to Anitra's to see my 'second family.' I took Isabella to Lime Hollow Nature center where we went on a nature hike, I convinced her that she shouldn't hit the trees because it will hurt them, so she started talking to them and apologizing to them (so adorable)!! She also made "soup" in the lake for the ducks with grass and rocks, stirring it with a stick found along the way. The bench was nice to lay on in the sunshine right next to the lake. We also visited the SPCA and found an absolutely adorable puppy named Precious (surrendered) that is light tan with a white line down her forehead. If I was about to get my own place right now I totally would have adopted her on the spot. I cannot wait until I can have my own dog!!!! That, along with a super comfortable bed and new car are the first things I want to buy when I'm back and into a place.
Saturday we went to the Ithaca Farmer's Market and walked around, sampled some cheeses and sat by the water and saw some ducks and the Cornell Crew Team. Next was Stuart Park in Ithaca and had a play date with Amber and her son Chace (he is getting so big!). We also hit the mall- by the time we were home in the early afternoon they both were fast asleep in their car seats. At night we got pudgies pizza (my favorite from home- their tomato sauce and the bread is kind of oily; mix that with a blue cheese for dipping and its heaven in your mouth). We watched The Sitter (Jonah Hill) it was pretty funny!
Sunday we had a chill day and hung out at the house and in town...I met Sarah's baby, Bryson, FINALLY!! He is so adorable- when I held him I didn't want to give him back :) He is a great snuggler baby and has the cutest little smile! It's been too long since I have seen her and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get up here and see him! After that, Isa and Carsen and I went mini golfing at Shipwrecks. First time I had been on the outdoor 18 hole mini golf course. I saw Aspinwall there too. After mini golf we came back and I grilled steaks, hoffman hotdogs, along with making a green salad, and macaroni salad w tomatoes, cheese, cucumber...it was delish! After the kids were in bed I took a well deserved hot jacuzzi bath :) and watched "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints".
It's now monday, and I have successfully had a pancake breakfast, deferred 2 of my 4 student loans for my trip, updated my blog, revamped my couchsurfing profile, gotton my stuff together that was spread throughout the house, charged my cell phone, and gotton together the rest of my packing list that I can start tomorrow for the 31st! I will have to go through and store what I don't need in the garage or back in my room at home, but also maybe I'll get rid of more stuff. Last time I was home I did get rid of about 4 garbage bags worth of stuf- clothes and sheos included. Lets hope to do it again!
Also, Thank you Aunt Patty for fixing my computer. Now I just need it to hook to the internet so I can redownload Itunes and learn about picasa so next time I won't have to go through the heart break of losing all my pics from the last 3 months I was in florida liek my 2nd to last key west trip with D and T that we did a bar crawl and took funny pics aith the statues by Mallory Square////
Elethea flew in fromk Peru sunday night at 720. By the time we go out of the airport and such it was about 845 then we went to chipolte so she could get a bag out of Carly's car. Also, nice to be able to say goodbye to them and not rush. We drove from there (n miami) to just south of Jacksonville and stayed at a hotel there overnight (thank goodness bc the next day we had about 11 hours of driving to do. We got to the hotel at 340am and then were up, showered, had breakfast at the hotel, and were back on the road by 9:30 am. Monday we drove to DC and then we stayed monday night, all of Tuesday and then left Wednesday early afternoon for NY. The drive from Florida to DC was raining and at parts I was driving 35mph because you couldn't see in front of you. That made it take a little longer than it should have.
While in DC I got to see my friend Mike and then Wednesday we went and walked H street, took the X2 downtown and decided to tour the Ford Theater and saw where Lincoln was shot and killed. The theater is amazing, breathtaking. Today they still use it for shows, but the overhang where he was is closed off to the public- you can see it from the opposite balcony. We looked at the international spy store, and walked around Chinatown in DC. We went to a Thai place and I got the mango rice dessert- so good! For dinner and happy hour we went to a mexican place with tapas and all got different things to share- I got cactus leaf, also there were different kinds of taces, meatballs, a melted cheese appetizer you put on tortillas (it was yummy). We all got Bleeding hearts (a tequilla drink with a hibiscus "ice ball"- the only way I can describe it, in the middle with little flowers in it too). The drink changed how it tasted every sip- from start to finish it was a little different each swallow. We did the rest of happy hour in Adams Morgan at a rooftop bar, and then over to IronHorse (like a pool hall, with shuffle board and such). I also got a motorcycle ride earlier in the day :) So much fun! The next morning we had breakfast with some grilling action, took a walk, and hung out before we had to be back on the road. We hit chipolte in Maryland and also this really neat frozen ogurt place with a zillion toppings- gummy bears, these little colored rice gummy cake type things, oreos, cookie dough, brownie bits, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, etc. All the good stuff- and the red velvet frozen yogurt was by far my favorite!
Next time I'm in DC I need to go to the Tomb of the Undead (in Arlington- the one where they have a guard that goes around it 24/7) and also to the spy museum.
Back at home Wednesday I unloaded my stuff, and then had the first night sleeping in my old bed in about 9 months.
The next day Elethea left for Burlington, VT and I headed over to Anitra's to see my 'second family.' I took Isabella to Lime Hollow Nature center where we went on a nature hike, I convinced her that she shouldn't hit the trees because it will hurt them, so she started talking to them and apologizing to them (so adorable)!! She also made "soup" in the lake for the ducks with grass and rocks, stirring it with a stick found along the way. The bench was nice to lay on in the sunshine right next to the lake. We also visited the SPCA and found an absolutely adorable puppy named Precious (surrendered) that is light tan with a white line down her forehead. If I was about to get my own place right now I totally would have adopted her on the spot. I cannot wait until I can have my own dog!!!! That, along with a super comfortable bed and new car are the first things I want to buy when I'm back and into a place.
Saturday we went to the Ithaca Farmer's Market and walked around, sampled some cheeses and sat by the water and saw some ducks and the Cornell Crew Team. Next was Stuart Park in Ithaca and had a play date with Amber and her son Chace (he is getting so big!). We also hit the mall- by the time we were home in the early afternoon they both were fast asleep in their car seats. At night we got pudgies pizza (my favorite from home- their tomato sauce and the bread is kind of oily; mix that with a blue cheese for dipping and its heaven in your mouth). We watched The Sitter (Jonah Hill) it was pretty funny!
Sunday we had a chill day and hung out at the house and in town...I met Sarah's baby, Bryson, FINALLY!! He is so adorable- when I held him I didn't want to give him back :) He is a great snuggler baby and has the cutest little smile! It's been too long since I have seen her and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get up here and see him! After that, Isa and Carsen and I went mini golfing at Shipwrecks. First time I had been on the outdoor 18 hole mini golf course. I saw Aspinwall there too. After mini golf we came back and I grilled steaks, hoffman hotdogs, along with making a green salad, and macaroni salad w tomatoes, cheese, cucumber...it was delish! After the kids were in bed I took a well deserved hot jacuzzi bath :) and watched "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints".
It's now monday, and I have successfully had a pancake breakfast, deferred 2 of my 4 student loans for my trip, updated my blog, revamped my couchsurfing profile, gotton my stuff together that was spread throughout the house, charged my cell phone, and gotton together the rest of my packing list that I can start tomorrow for the 31st! I will have to go through and store what I don't need in the garage or back in my room at home, but also maybe I'll get rid of more stuff. Last time I was home I did get rid of about 4 garbage bags worth of stuf- clothes and sheos included. Lets hope to do it again!
Also, Thank you Aunt Patty for fixing my computer. Now I just need it to hook to the internet so I can redownload Itunes and learn about picasa so next time I won't have to go through the heart break of losing all my pics from the last 3 months I was in florida liek my 2nd to last key west trip with D and T that we did a bar crawl and took funny pics aith the statues by Mallory Square////
Last Southern Florida Memories May 2012
Last month in Florida was certainly memorable! Lots of international friends departures, along with ones across the states. I made some incredible friends throughout this past year in Florida (I am not just saying this- although whenever I leave a place ot sounds as if I have had a new life there coming to an end). In part that is true, but also there are so many influences and experiences that have widened my eyes and expanded my life experiences in every place I have gone.
The South Africans- crazy, smart, fun...I will miss picking on Ashleigh about her living in a mud hut with no running water or tv or electronics, about the rain dances she is so good at, or about her lovely "mystery" accent. I will never forget out activity forum and teram building days/ scavanger hunts...even if I tried I have a permanent rememberance of it (Nelsonated) on my left knee. It's all good Nelson- a good memory at the end. Also, can I say the Christmas party exchange with Will helping me out by buying smirnoff so whoever opened the present got iced?! Hahah And then The crazy amount of beer and alcohol that got passed around- games and booze being the theme. You can tell we like to recreate and have a good time there!
I will miss ladies night with my girls, all the crazy times we had- Annie. Amanda, Elethea and I. Big Chill and CJs, then some nights it extended the next night to Coconuts... ah. yes. And karaoke. Annie Lynch should have been carrying a microphone in her purse! Journey being out number 1 karaoke song. "Give me Everything tonight" by Pitbull being Amanda and my song for going out..ah, I'm gonna miss those times!
The last full moon party- also Cinco De Mayo, and Ailie and Lisa from Scotland's last night...we went down to Morada Bay, got the "local discount" and was a part of the junkaroo parade (you have to be being at that party), the beach parade, the dj inside the smaller beach bar... we had dinner at Bayside..Conch sandwich and some drinks. Oh, Conch Republic you are a good time!
Night fishing a few times with a friend, caught crab and then had a midnight/1 am seafood feast :)
Mustache party/ Cocktail dress/ BBQ going away- Amanda and I got corn, sausages, keilbasa, pasta salda, burgers, then snacky stuff- chips, cookies, drinks, etc. Everyone got to wear a mustache... javi, curtis, jeigh, jose, andrea, aaron, sergay, amanda, me, liz, dan...idk who else. Not many rec dept people came but a lot of my friends in diff departments did so it was nice to see all of them! Swimming in our clothes has been a trend lately- it's too hot and too much of a hastle to go upstairs to get out suits on. LOL
The Pong area- ahh, dice- the infamous game brought to us by our western and yellowstone friends...haha.
Anglers crew- Chatterbox nights, cjs... neverending shots with them. Good people, pool table stripper dances, darts.... oh you know. ;)
Chelsea and Brian and I went out on the jetski and also went tubing and wakeboarding! I did a lot better than the time with Erin at the lake- I got up and even stayed up for a bit! Plus having a day on the water is awesome! We went around and saw some sailboats as well, had a cookout too!
Amy, Dusty, and I went to the sandbar and had a water/boat day as well. If I went out on the water like that all the time/ every week I see how easy it would be to stay down here! I just need to start doing that more and eventually get my own..boat and jetski and wakeboard! haha We did Loraleis for dinner- awesome to go to and from the restaurant on a boat!! Ahh, this is the life... Also, we rented the house and sold my car all in about 10 minutes at the end of the day, plus got a great tan and got to relax and hang all day! Amazing time, I will never forget that day or the people! I wish them the best of Luck in angola, and I know we will meet again- maybe over seas even!
I had a solo day and went down to Anne's Beach, layed out and swam in the crystal clear water. Being as it has been 80+ degrees everyday since February pretty much it isn't hard to have anyh day be a beach day/ I almost missed the cooler weather once in a while...when Elethea and I got back to nyh and were unloading the car it was about 54 which totrally shocked me as I've had about 10 "cold" days in the past 2 years since I've been either traveling or living in Atlanta or Key Largo! That was a shock and had to immediately put on a fleece and my dad's sweatpants over my clothes just to be outside for half an hour at night. My blood has definitely thinned and I am no longer accustomed to the colder weather (aka below 60).
The yellowstone crew- James, Erin, Jen, Rowland...I love them all! I wish I had hung out with them more earlier in the season! (Also Sarah and Josh). They are so funny, and from what I hear I definitely want to go to ( maybe even work for a while) out west/ at yellowstone, and also in Alaska! I have bitten into the traveling "forbidden fruit" and I will never be the same- I long for new places and scenery and experiences. It runs in my blood and fuels my happiness!! haha
Filling water balloons with Dan on the beach was such a hillarious time, we make the funniest jokes while doing it that no one hears- they all hear us laughing and are probably wondering why we are so crazy and what is wrong with us... they'll never understand.
Caitlin's bachlorette party in Key West was lovely- we had a good time with friends, danced a lot, had her on stage a few different times, ate desert at Better Than Sex Dessert Resturaunt, did a hot sauce tasting at Peppers of Key West (Which for all of you that know me fairly well you know that hot and spicy (foods lol) is not my forte), but you will all be very impressed to know that I made it through the whole thing and even tried each one. Yes, by the end we were all sweating and my eyes were watering. 2 bottles of water and half hour later I was still standing...also, if you know me well you know I hardly drink anything (yes, major fault of mine) but 2 whole bottles in half an hour- you know I was pushing myself! They were really good though- the guy who did the tasting had a gas mask he could put on for the really hot ones, like the ones some people need to sign waivers for because they are so hot they can physically harm your insides. Needless to say I tried hot sauces but not the ones that were dangerous to my health! I'm not that crazy. We were about to a 5 on the scale to 10...not too bad especially for my taste buds. The ride on the way down with Nic and Dan was probably the most fun I've ever had in a car. I remember laughing an awful lot to where my stomach and face hurt, and belting out Celine Dion, Spice Girls (I think) and other fantastic classics, among singing to the man in the car next to us while waiting in the parking lot who proceeded to chuckle to himself.
One thing I did not do while in the keys (which I forgive myself because I only learned ofit like 3 days before I left) is this water rocket type thing..maybe I should say jet pack. Marriott and in Marathon they do it (you have a jetpack on your back and it shoots you into the air- or underwater, and you can steer it and go up/down/around..you look like a superhero is the only way I can describe it. This was Micheael Trixx night to do his magic show at the Chill, but it ended up downpouring and was nice to see the last storm head across the water. The next time I am down there I definitely am doing that and volunteering to socialize the dolphins.
Num Thai is still my fave sushi place- although Myaki (sp) in Homestead was really good too, I went there with Jake. Bayside had good food and a great view, also the Mahi Sloppy Joe at Big Chill is sooooo delish. I can't get anything else there/ I still have never tried the Wedge (a kind of salad) that is popular down there.
Cheers to south Florida and Island living... it definitely is a laid back way of life for fisherman and ocean folk!
The South Africans- crazy, smart, fun...I will miss picking on Ashleigh about her living in a mud hut with no running water or tv or electronics, about the rain dances she is so good at, or about her lovely "mystery" accent. I will never forget out activity forum and teram building days/ scavanger hunts...even if I tried I have a permanent rememberance of it (Nelsonated) on my left knee. It's all good Nelson- a good memory at the end. Also, can I say the Christmas party exchange with Will helping me out by buying smirnoff so whoever opened the present got iced?! Hahah And then The crazy amount of beer and alcohol that got passed around- games and booze being the theme. You can tell we like to recreate and have a good time there!
I will miss ladies night with my girls, all the crazy times we had- Annie. Amanda, Elethea and I. Big Chill and CJs, then some nights it extended the next night to Coconuts... ah. yes. And karaoke. Annie Lynch should have been carrying a microphone in her purse! Journey being out number 1 karaoke song. "Give me Everything tonight" by Pitbull being Amanda and my song for going out..ah, I'm gonna miss those times!
The last full moon party- also Cinco De Mayo, and Ailie and Lisa from Scotland's last night...we went down to Morada Bay, got the "local discount" and was a part of the junkaroo parade (you have to be being at that party), the beach parade, the dj inside the smaller beach bar... we had dinner at Bayside..Conch sandwich and some drinks. Oh, Conch Republic you are a good time!
Night fishing a few times with a friend, caught crab and then had a midnight/1 am seafood feast :)
Mustache party/ Cocktail dress/ BBQ going away- Amanda and I got corn, sausages, keilbasa, pasta salda, burgers, then snacky stuff- chips, cookies, drinks, etc. Everyone got to wear a mustache... javi, curtis, jeigh, jose, andrea, aaron, sergay, amanda, me, liz, dan...idk who else. Not many rec dept people came but a lot of my friends in diff departments did so it was nice to see all of them! Swimming in our clothes has been a trend lately- it's too hot and too much of a hastle to go upstairs to get out suits on. LOL
The Pong area- ahh, dice- the infamous game brought to us by our western and yellowstone friends...haha.
Anglers crew- Chatterbox nights, cjs... neverending shots with them. Good people, pool table stripper dances, darts.... oh you know. ;)
Chelsea and Brian and I went out on the jetski and also went tubing and wakeboarding! I did a lot better than the time with Erin at the lake- I got up and even stayed up for a bit! Plus having a day on the water is awesome! We went around and saw some sailboats as well, had a cookout too!
Amy, Dusty, and I went to the sandbar and had a water/boat day as well. If I went out on the water like that all the time/ every week I see how easy it would be to stay down here! I just need to start doing that more and eventually get my own..boat and jetski and wakeboard! haha We did Loraleis for dinner- awesome to go to and from the restaurant on a boat!! Ahh, this is the life... Also, we rented the house and sold my car all in about 10 minutes at the end of the day, plus got a great tan and got to relax and hang all day! Amazing time, I will never forget that day or the people! I wish them the best of Luck in angola, and I know we will meet again- maybe over seas even!
I had a solo day and went down to Anne's Beach, layed out and swam in the crystal clear water. Being as it has been 80+ degrees everyday since February pretty much it isn't hard to have anyh day be a beach day/ I almost missed the cooler weather once in a while...when Elethea and I got back to nyh and were unloading the car it was about 54 which totrally shocked me as I've had about 10 "cold" days in the past 2 years since I've been either traveling or living in Atlanta or Key Largo! That was a shock and had to immediately put on a fleece and my dad's sweatpants over my clothes just to be outside for half an hour at night. My blood has definitely thinned and I am no longer accustomed to the colder weather (aka below 60).
The yellowstone crew- James, Erin, Jen, Rowland...I love them all! I wish I had hung out with them more earlier in the season! (Also Sarah and Josh). They are so funny, and from what I hear I definitely want to go to ( maybe even work for a while) out west/ at yellowstone, and also in Alaska! I have bitten into the traveling "forbidden fruit" and I will never be the same- I long for new places and scenery and experiences. It runs in my blood and fuels my happiness!! haha
Filling water balloons with Dan on the beach was such a hillarious time, we make the funniest jokes while doing it that no one hears- they all hear us laughing and are probably wondering why we are so crazy and what is wrong with us... they'll never understand.
Caitlin's bachlorette party in Key West was lovely- we had a good time with friends, danced a lot, had her on stage a few different times, ate desert at Better Than Sex Dessert Resturaunt, did a hot sauce tasting at Peppers of Key West (Which for all of you that know me fairly well you know that hot and spicy (foods lol) is not my forte), but you will all be very impressed to know that I made it through the whole thing and even tried each one. Yes, by the end we were all sweating and my eyes were watering. 2 bottles of water and half hour later I was still standing...also, if you know me well you know I hardly drink anything (yes, major fault of mine) but 2 whole bottles in half an hour- you know I was pushing myself! They were really good though- the guy who did the tasting had a gas mask he could put on for the really hot ones, like the ones some people need to sign waivers for because they are so hot they can physically harm your insides. Needless to say I tried hot sauces but not the ones that were dangerous to my health! I'm not that crazy. We were about to a 5 on the scale to 10...not too bad especially for my taste buds. The ride on the way down with Nic and Dan was probably the most fun I've ever had in a car. I remember laughing an awful lot to where my stomach and face hurt, and belting out Celine Dion, Spice Girls (I think) and other fantastic classics, among singing to the man in the car next to us while waiting in the parking lot who proceeded to chuckle to himself.
One thing I did not do while in the keys (which I forgive myself because I only learned ofit like 3 days before I left) is this water rocket type thing..maybe I should say jet pack. Marriott and in Marathon they do it (you have a jetpack on your back and it shoots you into the air- or underwater, and you can steer it and go up/down/around..you look like a superhero is the only way I can describe it. This was Micheael Trixx night to do his magic show at the Chill, but it ended up downpouring and was nice to see the last storm head across the water. The next time I am down there I definitely am doing that and volunteering to socialize the dolphins.
Num Thai is still my fave sushi place- although Myaki (sp) in Homestead was really good too, I went there with Jake. Bayside had good food and a great view, also the Mahi Sloppy Joe at Big Chill is sooooo delish. I can't get anything else there/ I still have never tried the Wedge (a kind of salad) that is popular down there.
Cheers to south Florida and Island living... it definitely is a laid back way of life for fisherman and ocean folk!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Spring Break
Ah, Spring Break..a lovely busy time here at the resort. Keeps you on your toes, time flies, but it also means that whiel time is flying the season is coming to an end and people will start departing soon...it's nice to have the luxury of moving around and meeting so many people from all over the world but it's always a little sad when it ends- kind of like graduation- lots of memories to look back on- bittersweet. But a lot are moving onto new challanges and experiences too :) I'm so excited about mine!!
I actually am about a little under 2 months from my next big venture, and 6 weeks away from visiting family and friends (It's been about 8 months since I've been home). I'm excited to see y'all..and my dogs/animals!! Lots to do upcoming in preparation but once a few of the bigger things are done (like selling my car) then the rest will not be as hard (I hope)!
Tomorrow is my first full day off in about 3 weeks so I am super psyched! Minis having to do my taxes (which I already have half done thankfully)- I may go jet skiing and or paddleboarding. Also I'm going to SLEEP IN (Very exciting)!!
I'm off to figure out what tonite will bring..I think the NCAA championships possibly...
I actually am about a little under 2 months from my next big venture, and 6 weeks away from visiting family and friends (It's been about 8 months since I've been home). I'm excited to see y'all..and my dogs/animals!! Lots to do upcoming in preparation but once a few of the bigger things are done (like selling my car) then the rest will not be as hard (I hope)!
Tomorrow is my first full day off in about 3 weeks so I am super psyched! Minis having to do my taxes (which I already have half done thankfully)- I may go jet skiing and or paddleboarding. Also I'm going to SLEEP IN (Very exciting)!!
I'm off to figure out what tonite will bring..I think the NCAA championships possibly...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Rainy Lazy Day Off and I love It!
A few nights ago we had DJ night at the Wreck. They had an airbrush artist come in to do trucker hats for us...met Henry and Stephen from Charleston (or Charlotte)- one of those two, I always get them confused, although Charleston is in SC and Charlotte in North. Got some solid nights of sleep which my body definitely needed!
Last night a huge group from the reef went out to Coconuts. Lots of fun, Aaron, Erin, James, Jess, Monica, Me, Ailie, Lisa and her bf, Ryan, Duncan, Pat, Patty, Matt, Crisitina, Amy, Cam, Adam, Ryan... so much fun! Involved was stage dancing, James-riding (haha), and tons and tons of dancing!! (I love dancing!!!!!).
Sadly a lot of people's end dates are coming up soon! I love season and all the people it brings, but at the end it is always nostalgic. The world nostalgic is the best descriptic word, I love it. Also, last week I learned a new one I like too- esoteric (Thanks Mickey)!
I skyped today and am getting so excited about my trip!! Again, "Chance of a lifetime"- I'm going to make my life a "life of a lifetime" and fill it with the most amazing journeys, people, experiences, friends, families, and feelings! Why not make your life one of your dreams? As much as I can help it, I would rathe be doing things that are enriching my life, sense of being, expanding my knowledge of other cultures, practices, people, etc. than doing something monotonous all my life, or worse something I don't enjoy. I know there will always be responsibilities- and I am well aware of them, but also I am the person to go off the beaten path, create my own, and not conform to what other people think.
I also had a lovely conversation with my friend I met at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival today as well! (Which, I don't hink I posted about which I should fill you in on- Maria and KellyAnne came down and we all camped on the beach for the festival. The first night it was very rainy, but we made the best of it- music, snuggled in a tent with some champagne, ocean, w&w). Couldn't get any better! Falling asleep to the sound of rain mixed with ocean, and then waking up to the ocean/beach- there is nothing better! There were a few hiccups, such as a raccoon getting into the tent and taking out bagels- we weren't fast enough with getting it all in a bear bag... and during the hooping workshop someone who will have bad karma decided to take my bag and our more important belongings..but other than that, there was nothing else we had to worry about besides the tide so we had a great time the rest of it! We had a few beach campfires and stayed until the sun came up- fire poi, led hula hooping, conversating, blanket-wrapped and toes buried in the sand. COPE is a band from Tampa (really great), and also from my neck of the woods- Driftwood and Sim Redman Band. Chaka Khan was there (she was alright but was very picky with her backstage crew), Fishbone, a sick dj who mixed live drum beats with his music,, some reggaeton/ jamaican bands, and also some spanish/latin styles.
I received my first Thai massage and it was amazing. Sydey from Jacksonville does great work! Last night I stayed on a hammock on the beach- THAT was an amazing sight waking up on the beach to sunrise, it actually was cold though- I could see my breath that morning. I also had some great dance partners...Leroy was a good man, and Tim was my favorite. He was also part of the volunteer staff- "Camp Ranger." Him and I danced and I had more fun than I think I had ever dancing with someone! I will never forget that man for as long as I live :)
Here in the Keys, things are picking up for us again- Spring Break has started so everyday is steady and this leads up to Easter when it will be insane. I am excited to see this easter egg hunt on the beach- I guess we have over 1000 eggs everywhere! It sure will be a sight!
I am excited, going to catch up with my Annie :) YeyyY!
Keep an open mind to new possibilities and be open to the opportunity when it presents itself, it will when the time is right! Don't be scared to take risks either~ In order to evolve there needs to be change!
"If you always do what you always did, you will always be where you always were" -D. Seuss (I think it was his quote)!!
Last night a huge group from the reef went out to Coconuts. Lots of fun, Aaron, Erin, James, Jess, Monica, Me, Ailie, Lisa and her bf, Ryan, Duncan, Pat, Patty, Matt, Crisitina, Amy, Cam, Adam, Ryan... so much fun! Involved was stage dancing, James-riding (haha), and tons and tons of dancing!! (I love dancing!!!!!).
Sadly a lot of people's end dates are coming up soon! I love season and all the people it brings, but at the end it is always nostalgic. The world nostalgic is the best descriptic word, I love it. Also, last week I learned a new one I like too- esoteric (Thanks Mickey)!
I skyped today and am getting so excited about my trip!! Again, "Chance of a lifetime"- I'm going to make my life a "life of a lifetime" and fill it with the most amazing journeys, people, experiences, friends, families, and feelings! Why not make your life one of your dreams? As much as I can help it, I would rathe be doing things that are enriching my life, sense of being, expanding my knowledge of other cultures, practices, people, etc. than doing something monotonous all my life, or worse something I don't enjoy. I know there will always be responsibilities- and I am well aware of them, but also I am the person to go off the beaten path, create my own, and not conform to what other people think.
I also had a lovely conversation with my friend I met at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival today as well! (Which, I don't hink I posted about which I should fill you in on- Maria and KellyAnne came down and we all camped on the beach for the festival. The first night it was very rainy, but we made the best of it- music, snuggled in a tent with some champagne, ocean, w&w). Couldn't get any better! Falling asleep to the sound of rain mixed with ocean, and then waking up to the ocean/beach- there is nothing better! There were a few hiccups, such as a raccoon getting into the tent and taking out bagels- we weren't fast enough with getting it all in a bear bag... and during the hooping workshop someone who will have bad karma decided to take my bag and our more important belongings..but other than that, there was nothing else we had to worry about besides the tide so we had a great time the rest of it! We had a few beach campfires and stayed until the sun came up- fire poi, led hula hooping, conversating, blanket-wrapped and toes buried in the sand. COPE is a band from Tampa (really great), and also from my neck of the woods- Driftwood and Sim Redman Band. Chaka Khan was there (she was alright but was very picky with her backstage crew), Fishbone, a sick dj who mixed live drum beats with his music,, some reggaeton/ jamaican bands, and also some spanish/latin styles.
I received my first Thai massage and it was amazing. Sydey from Jacksonville does great work! Last night I stayed on a hammock on the beach- THAT was an amazing sight waking up on the beach to sunrise, it actually was cold though- I could see my breath that morning. I also had some great dance partners...Leroy was a good man, and Tim was my favorite. He was also part of the volunteer staff- "Camp Ranger." Him and I danced and I had more fun than I think I had ever dancing with someone! I will never forget that man for as long as I live :)
Here in the Keys, things are picking up for us again- Spring Break has started so everyday is steady and this leads up to Easter when it will be insane. I am excited to see this easter egg hunt on the beach- I guess we have over 1000 eggs everywhere! It sure will be a sight!
I am excited, going to catch up with my Annie :) YeyyY!
Keep an open mind to new possibilities and be open to the opportunity when it presents itself, it will when the time is right! Don't be scared to take risks either~ In order to evolve there needs to be change!
"If you always do what you always did, you will always be where you always were" -D. Seuss (I think it was his quote)!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Post 55
Post 55
Glorious Day off- went to find a place to read my book (Wanderlust), it ended up raining and heavy winds so Liz and I rolled down windows/ opened doors as long as we could to still enjoy the fresh air. She napped while I read for a few hours. Checked out the psychic dome that we always drive past.
Jan 12- Adventure Day with D and T. We ventured to Key West today, cloudy conditions in the morning btu the sun burned through the clouds by noon. We walked around Duval, got lunch at Irish Kevin's along with the first Key West drink of the day. Earthbound Trading is always one of my favorites, D and I got jewelry, and then we continued the ventures- Wet Willy's, the original Sloppy Joe's joint (now called Uncle Tom's), Hard rock, Two Amigos, and (___). Yes, made sure to do a mini hoop session before we left. Success.
Got some exciting ventures coming up!!
Mostly shopping all day and pub crawl.
Found No Name Pub for dinner but it was so busy and a long wait- I checked where my dollar was posted before, and pretty obviously, it was covered by now, seeing as I had done that like almost 3 years ago.
Glorious Day off- went to find a place to read my book (Wanderlust), it ended up raining and heavy winds so Liz and I rolled down windows/ opened doors as long as we could to still enjoy the fresh air. She napped while I read for a few hours. Checked out the psychic dome that we always drive past.
Jan 12- Adventure Day with D and T. We ventured to Key West today, cloudy conditions in the morning btu the sun burned through the clouds by noon. We walked around Duval, got lunch at Irish Kevin's along with the first Key West drink of the day. Earthbound Trading is always one of my favorites, D and I got jewelry, and then we continued the ventures- Wet Willy's, the original Sloppy Joe's joint (now called Uncle Tom's), Hard rock, Two Amigos, and (___). Yes, made sure to do a mini hoop session before we left. Success.
Got some exciting ventures coming up!!
Mostly shopping all day and pub crawl.
Found No Name Pub for dinner but it was so busy and a long wait- I checked where my dollar was posted before, and pretty obviously, it was covered by now, seeing as I had done that like almost 3 years ago.
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