Last day in London today...
Dublin tomorrow...
Home on Monday!
It's been a FUN 3 weeks... but I feel as if I am in some sort of limbo world right now. We don't have a home here anymore, and we are ready to be back in the US now.
It's going to be very strange to leave Europe, but there are so many people that are already home in the US that I hung out with over here... I will probablly cry on the flight home. This is it now. It's just a strange strange mix of feelings. Happy and sad all at once.
So this is it. I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures over here, and I can probablly tell you tons more when I see you in the states, because this is only the tip of the iceberg. This has been the most amazing experience ever. Definitely changed my life, the way I look at the world, and changed me as a person. : )
Well, see you state side then!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Harry?... Harry Potter?
Today we went to Buckingham Palace and watched the Changing of the Guards. It was pretty neat to watch, and oh wait!- The band played music inside while the changing was taking place... but what was one of the songs they played? Sweet Caroline. Ya, prolly one of the Queen's favs or something. (That'd be my guess.)
Umm then we went to Victoria Station and had ourselves a picnic in the sun. From there we went to Old Bailey and St.Paul's Cathedral. (I wanted to sing the song and feed the birds... but I didn't want to be judged/my friends threatened to leave me so that did not occur but) Then we went to the British Library which has a very impressive collection of various things. Some Shakespear's original works, Jane Austen's diary, origianl Beowolf, Alice in Wonderland, the Magna Carta. My fav section was the music... they had the original 'Messiah' handwritten by Handel. Some Mozart... and a BUNCH of scraps of paper and even a birthday card which the Beatles wrote the lyrics to some of their songs on. The best was for 'Help' where they wrote some lines, scratched them out and wrote over it. It was sooooo cool!
From there we went off in search of Platform 9 3/4 in King's Cross Station. So the other night when we came back from Wicked, we went past it and it was actually at Platform 4. When we went there today it wasn't there and people thought I was making it up... I was sad. I knew it was there (because it was kind of a strange place to put 9 3/4 and it was sticking out a lot, but fenced in at the time...)
Why was it no longer there and there was actually a smaller version than what I had seen by Platform 8 today? It was the set for filming for part of the movie. We could have seen Harry Potter for reals yesterday...
Then we had some dinner. Played some cards. And now Katie and Lizzi are heading to Scotland. Allison and I have one more day left in London, and then we head to Dublin. And then HOME on MONDAY!!!
Umm then we went to Victoria Station and had ourselves a picnic in the sun. From there we went to Old Bailey and St.Paul's Cathedral. (I wanted to sing the song and feed the birds... but I didn't want to be judged/my friends threatened to leave me so that did not occur but) Then we went to the British Library which has a very impressive collection of various things. Some Shakespear's original works, Jane Austen's diary, origianl Beowolf, Alice in Wonderland, the Magna Carta. My fav section was the music... they had the original 'Messiah' handwritten by Handel. Some Mozart... and a BUNCH of scraps of paper and even a birthday card which the Beatles wrote the lyrics to some of their songs on. The best was for 'Help' where they wrote some lines, scratched them out and wrote over it. It was sooooo cool!
From there we went off in search of Platform 9 3/4 in King's Cross Station. So the other night when we came back from Wicked, we went past it and it was actually at Platform 4. When we went there today it wasn't there and people thought I was making it up... I was sad. I knew it was there (because it was kind of a strange place to put 9 3/4 and it was sticking out a lot, but fenced in at the time...)
Why was it no longer there and there was actually a smaller version than what I had seen by Platform 8 today? It was the set for filming for part of the movie. We could have seen Harry Potter for reals yesterday...
Then we had some dinner. Played some cards. And now Katie and Lizzi are heading to Scotland. Allison and I have one more day left in London, and then we head to Dublin. And then HOME on MONDAY!!!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
london calling.
Hmmm currently I am in a lot of pain.... starving yourself for 3 days and then eating a normal meal is not a good life plan.
Venice was beautiful. City on the water... it was really fun. Our hostel was a little meh... there were a ton of Dutch children running around and screaming all night, so we basically didn't sleep for like 3 nights.
I am now in London!!!!
Yesterday we went to teh National Gallery- saw some Van Gogh and Monet. Then we met up with some of Katie's friends and then we walked around Parliment/Big Ben/ the London Eye/ Westminister Abbey. Then we chilled in Trafalger Square for awhile... took some pics by some big lions. Then we met up with our friend Alex. We went to Hyde Park... chased some pigeons, and then we all went to Wicked!!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!! : )
Today we went to the British Museum. It was pretty cool, there is a lot to see, but it was almost sad at the same time. They have taken sooo many things from around the world and brought them to the museum, but that means that for example- the Partheon in Greece does not have anything anymore. It's ALL in London. Sooo mixed feelings about some of that but... We then went and saw Henry VIII in the Globe Theater. Sooo good! We were groundlings though, and so we stood the whole 3 hours. Then we went to Covent Gardens and then bought stuff and made dinner. Busy busy busy!!!
Venice was beautiful. City on the water... it was really fun. Our hostel was a little meh... there were a ton of Dutch children running around and screaming all night, so we basically didn't sleep for like 3 nights.
I am now in London!!!!
Yesterday we went to teh National Gallery- saw some Van Gogh and Monet. Then we met up with some of Katie's friends and then we walked around Parliment/Big Ben/ the London Eye/ Westminister Abbey. Then we chilled in Trafalger Square for awhile... took some pics by some big lions. Then we met up with our friend Alex. We went to Hyde Park... chased some pigeons, and then we all went to Wicked!!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!! : )
Today we went to the British Museum. It was pretty cool, there is a lot to see, but it was almost sad at the same time. They have taken sooo many things from around the world and brought them to the museum, but that means that for example- the Partheon in Greece does not have anything anymore. It's ALL in London. Sooo mixed feelings about some of that but... We then went and saw Henry VIII in the Globe Theater. Sooo good! We were groundlings though, and so we stood the whole 3 hours. Then we went to Covent Gardens and then bought stuff and made dinner. Busy busy busy!!!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Florence!
Florence is beautiful... which I am starting to think that it is just an Italy thing. I love it!
We went to the musseum and saw Michaelangelo's 'David' today. Very cool! It is a really really big sculpture. I mean we saw 'The Pieta' in St.Peter's in Rome, which is absolutely gorgeous and in my mind the most beautiful sculpture ever. But David was huge. It is crazy to think he carved it... and yet was able to make it so smooth but yet detailed. So that was sweet.
We also bumped into our friend Tanner from our program in Valencia in the museum... so random. Once again the world is not as big as I thought it is.
The streets here are really fun to just walk down and have a stroll. Today we hiked up a hill to see a lookout point over the city as well.
Yesterday the rain from Rome followed us here, so we went in many churches to shelter us through the storm.
Our hostel here is the best one yet. I know I keep saying that 'this one is the best', but I'm for serious this time. It is the best. We have a computer in our room. We each have a wardrobe. We have free breakfast consisting of either Scrambled/fried eggs, an omlete or french toast. And they have dinner here for super cheap. 2.50 euro for a pizza or big plate of pasta. And there is a terrace that lights up at night. We can write on the walls... ya, it's really cool.
Tomorrow we are off to Venice. We have to take the 'water bus' to get around the city though since it's actually an island. I'm excited! I don't know if our hostel has internet though, so hasta luego!
We went to the musseum and saw Michaelangelo's 'David' today. Very cool! It is a really really big sculpture. I mean we saw 'The Pieta' in St.Peter's in Rome, which is absolutely gorgeous and in my mind the most beautiful sculpture ever. But David was huge. It is crazy to think he carved it... and yet was able to make it so smooth but yet detailed. So that was sweet.
We also bumped into our friend Tanner from our program in Valencia in the museum... so random. Once again the world is not as big as I thought it is.
The streets here are really fun to just walk down and have a stroll. Today we hiked up a hill to see a lookout point over the city as well.
Yesterday the rain from Rome followed us here, so we went in many churches to shelter us through the storm.
Our hostel here is the best one yet. I know I keep saying that 'this one is the best', but I'm for serious this time. It is the best. We have a computer in our room. We each have a wardrobe. We have free breakfast consisting of either Scrambled/fried eggs, an omlete or french toast. And they have dinner here for super cheap. 2.50 euro for a pizza or big plate of pasta. And there is a terrace that lights up at night. We can write on the walls... ya, it's really cool.
Tomorrow we are off to Venice. We have to take the 'water bus' to get around the city though since it's actually an island. I'm excited! I don't know if our hostel has internet though, so hasta luego!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The End of our Roman Holiday
Last day in Rome. We are currently waiting for Lizzi's sister to meet up with us. She's been traveling since Sunday morning now and had to deal with a bunch of delays\missing her flight to Rome because of the volcano...
We will be in Florence tonight though!
We will be in Florence tonight though!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Prego.
Today I was blessed by the Pope in St. Peter's Square!!! Sooooo cool!
We've done and seen everthing really... we toured the Colosseum, the Palantine Hill, and the Forum. We've seen the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Stairs, and the Pantheon. Yesterday Erik, his roommate and I toured the Vatican Museum, and saw the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's--- it was AMAZING!!!
We've done a lot of walking around the city. Last night we found ourselves on top of a huge building that has some government stuff in it, but we looked over the Colessuem\Roman Ruins and St.Peter's at night. It was gorgeous.
It was also 'Night at the Museum' night last night. So all the Museums were free from 8pm-2am in Rome. We hit that up as well then.
It's been raining like the whole time though, so we have some really sad feet right now...
And the starvation diet hasn't really been working. We've been living on pizza, pasta and gelato, which is delicious! We're in Italy though, so...
So, I've basically found another city I absolutely love. (Well maybe 2 since the Vatican is techically another city\country?)
FINAL NOTE: I feel like I should be heading back to Valencia anytime now... but I'm not. And that makes me soo sad. I really really really miss Spain. I mean I am loving Italy, but I really miss Spain, and speaking Spanish. There's a girl in our room in the hostel who's from San Sabastian tho, and I chatted in espanol for awhile tonight with her. It was really nice! I haven't lost my Spanish yet! (She actually complemented my Spanish! : ) Yay!)
We've done and seen everthing really... we toured the Colosseum, the Palantine Hill, and the Forum. We've seen the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Stairs, and the Pantheon. Yesterday Erik, his roommate and I toured the Vatican Museum, and saw the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's--- it was AMAZING!!!
We've done a lot of walking around the city. Last night we found ourselves on top of a huge building that has some government stuff in it, but we looked over the Colessuem\Roman Ruins and St.Peter's at night. It was gorgeous.
It was also 'Night at the Museum' night last night. So all the Museums were free from 8pm-2am in Rome. We hit that up as well then.
It's been raining like the whole time though, so we have some really sad feet right now...
And the starvation diet hasn't really been working. We've been living on pizza, pasta and gelato, which is delicious! We're in Italy though, so...
So, I've basically found another city I absolutely love. (Well maybe 2 since the Vatican is techically another city\country?)
FINAL NOTE: I feel like I should be heading back to Valencia anytime now... but I'm not. And that makes me soo sad. I really really really miss Spain. I mean I am loving Italy, but I really miss Spain, and speaking Spanish. There's a girl in our room in the hostel who's from San Sabastian tho, and I chatted in espanol for awhile tonight with her. It was really nice! I haven't lost my Spanish yet! (She actually complemented my Spanish! : ) Yay!)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Roma
Allison and I are in Rome! It is gorgeous!!!
We flew out of Malta, and then took a bus to the city center of Rome. We found our hostel pretty easily... it's really close to the train station, and also the Colosseum.
So we had a nice leisurly stroll about the city. We grabbed some cheap pizza and then sat down for awhile in front of the Colosseum. Then we walked by the Ancient Ruins... and then sat in front of the Trevi Fountain for awhile and ate gelato.
Rome isn't as big of a city as I thought it would be... we are in walking distance of everything really.
Our hostel is pretty sweet. We are getting a free pasta party tonight, and free breakfast! Sooo we may not starve after all. : )
Tomorrow Lizzi and Erik get here, super excited.
We're planning on doing the Vatican on Sunday and everything else in between that. We have 5 days here, so Allison and I might do a day trip to Pompei on Monday...
I just can't believe I'm in Rome right now. So much history... and it's a beautiful city. I love this!
We flew out of Malta, and then took a bus to the city center of Rome. We found our hostel pretty easily... it's really close to the train station, and also the Colosseum.
So we had a nice leisurly stroll about the city. We grabbed some cheap pizza and then sat down for awhile in front of the Colosseum. Then we walked by the Ancient Ruins... and then sat in front of the Trevi Fountain for awhile and ate gelato.
Rome isn't as big of a city as I thought it would be... we are in walking distance of everything really.
Our hostel is pretty sweet. We are getting a free pasta party tonight, and free breakfast! Sooo we may not starve after all. : )
Tomorrow Lizzi and Erik get here, super excited.
We're planning on doing the Vatican on Sunday and everything else in between that. We have 5 days here, so Allison and I might do a day trip to Pompei on Monday...
I just can't believe I'm in Rome right now. So much history... and it's a beautiful city. I love this!
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