BUDAPEST!!!
DAY 1:
the trip started out really really rocky when we got into budapest and realized that hardly anybody around us spoke a word of english, we had no forints (the outrageous money system they use) to our name, and no map in our pockets. getting on the metro to the hostel was interesting... communicating to the women at the booth with low grunts and a lot of pointing seemed to work pretty well but i recommend that if you ever travel to budapest, you at least have a few frases of their gibberish worked out (seriously, hungarian sounds nothing like anything i've ever heard before). Finding the hostel was an adventure in itself but it wasn't the first bit of excitement that we'd have the night we got there. we found the building the hostel was in about 2 hours after getting in (what should have taken 20 minutes or so. haha.) We buzzed the 2nd floor, let ourselves in the huge front door, and started climbing the stairs. The only problem was that there wasn't a single light in the entire place and somehow, we were still outside (a courtyard in the middle of the building). three girls, three full backpacks, and a can of pepper spray... we were hardly moving convinced that someone was playing a cruel joke on us and leading us to our deaths. Finally upon reaching the second floor, the lights flash on, and we are greeted with a friendly hello from the hostel man. he couldn't understand why we had been so scared and said he'd never heard anything about the "scary entrance" before but brushed it off as he showed us to our room.
that sounds like some dramatic ghost story but i swear it was one of the scariest entrances to a new place in my life
anyways, luckily that was the only bad thing i have to say about the hostel. It turned out to be the absolute best one i've seen in europe... the people who worked there were amazing planning out our days, making us tea and coffee, and bringing us out at night. the mattresses were orthopedic and more comfortable than anything i've slept on since the states and we met new people who were also traveling every night we were there.
DAY 2:
The first day we took a long walk down the main stretch of high end stores (budapest's michigan avenue) which was pretty but nothing we could afford except for a bagel and coffee (the first bagel i've eaten since being here.... HEAVEN!!) It only cost us 600 forints each! (and before you freak out mom and dad... that's about 2 euros or $2.50) At the end of the stretch, we found the big park in budapest with lots and lots of grass, trees, parks, cafes, etc. We bought cotton candy (300 forints ~ a euro) and layed in the sun for awhile (every day that we were there it was sunny and about 75 degrees (be jealous :P). Afterwards we rented a 3 person bike and rode around the park for 20 minutes while all the adults gave us weird "aren't you too old for that" looks but at least we had fun doing it. We stumbled into a flea market after biking and bought a few things for people back home (note to readers: do not buy ANYTHING from men in budapest who wear only underwear and fanny packs... even worse if they speak in only low grunts not knowing a bit of english. my friend stephanie bought a bracelet from a man like that and now is trying to get rid of the nasty rash it left on her arm. hahahahah.) After the flea market, we ate some lunch, walked around for a little bit, paid for a bathroom stop (how bogus is that... they've never heard of free public bathrooms), and then headed back to the hostel. By that time we didn't want to venture too far away from the hostel having been gone all day and went to the italian restaurant two buildings down (another note to readers: never get italian food in eastern europe... the pasta we ate was like licking a salt block. they must have boiled it in salt water... we didn't even eat half and our sodium levels sky rocketed). By the time dinner was done, we decided it was best to just go back to the hostel. We stayed in for the rest of the night talking with other people staying there... germans, an austrailian, british couple, and a few hungarians... probably the most of random mix of people i'd ever seen but it turned out to be a good night.
Day 3:
We talked with the hostel guy in the morning about what else he would recommend that we see in the city... after hearing about an underground hospital built into the mountain, we decided that is where the day would start us out at. We headed out early and got to the hospital just in the nick of time for the start of the next tour. We really had no clue what to expect, were a little worried when we got there when they boasted about the biggest wax figure collection in europe, but were glad we did it when the tour was over. It turns out that it was in use as a hospital all throughout World War II and prior mostly as a hospital for soldiers but also for citizens in the surrounding area. The whole place was really kind of creepy feeling but it made sense when we heard the stories behind it and all the things that the hospital had seen.... bombing after bombing after bombing of the city and dealing with the victims that numbered in the hundreds each week. What was also cool about the tour was that they showed us a new part of the underground network, a secret bomb shelter that was just discovered in 2002. It's where they had hidden top secret projects and would take care of the victims of an atomic bomb if there was ever an attack. The fact that I've now seen it is incredible because it's only been open since 2007 and just a handful of people have seen it since then. My only complaint was the 40 year old men from Minnesota who continuously hit on us during the tour and proceeded to invite us out for drinks afterwards. Luckily I had a good excuse... meeting up with my friend Rich from home who was just getting in from Vienna that day. Catch you never creepy old men!
Seeing Rich again was amazing!!! a familiar face from home is the best thing in the world to see. We checked him into the hostel and went for a traditional hungarian lunch... meaning more or less a hearty meal of meat and potatos. It was delicious but we couldn't stop laughing each time the hungarian waiter came to the table answering anything we said with "Yes please". "A Coca-cola?" "yes please". After lunch we ran into a giant protest (which are super common in Europe) and watched it for awhile until we were too creeped out by the hungarian police with their riot shields and billy clubs to stick around (remind me to show you videos of some of the protests I've seen when I get home... they're intense. you'll understand why we didn't want to stand around) We decided afterwards to go to the last day of this big art festival in Budapest the people at the hostel told us about... probably one of the coolest things I saw in Budapest. We looked at some amazing photography on display and relaxed on the grass for a long time after seeing that a group of performers were setting up. We never expected that we would be watching fire dancers perform in Budapest. We watched the whole show which was pretty impressive and then headed back to the hostel with a few bottles of wine planning to just lay back and chill for the rest of the night. We met a bunch of people again in the hostel and basically had a replay of the night before but better since I got to catch up with my friend Rich.... first time I'd seen him since New Years.
Day 4:
to be continued tomorrow... gotta get my beauty sleep :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Crazy Crazy Crazy Week
Really old draft that i never posted... worth seeing i guess since i haven't written in so long.... sorry you guys :(
Wednesday the 18th was my friend Tony's 22nd birthday and we decided that it had to be a good night for him. He's one of the nicest and coolest people I've met here (he actually reminds me of my oldest brother a lot) and that meant all the more reason to give him a birthday that he'd never forget. We all talked to him the day of and wished him a happy birthday but said that unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to go out that night leaving just him and his roomate to go out. In actuality, we had been planning all week on surprising him at our favorite local spanish bar. The night 0f his birthday, everyone but his roomate went there and got set up with cake, drinks, and a birthday crown for him. From there we waited for him and his roomate Felipe (the only one Tony knew was coming) to arrive. We yelled surprise when he walked in and the night began. From there we went to one more bar and talked and laughed the whole night through. Everyone had a blast and at the end of the night, Tony thanked us all for one of the best birthdays in his life.
The next Friday, nobody had classes so Alex, Stephanie, and I planned for a picnic on the beach with lots of food and some wine. We sat along the ocean for hours talking and the group kept growing. We met a few more Americans from our same study abroad program and later, when the sun started to set, decided to join them for happy hour at some bar. It was supposed to be just a quick stop with the guys so they could have 1 euro beers but we ended up staying out until almost nine talking and getting to know our new friends. When we all started to get hungry, Alex and I decided that we were both wanting a hamburger from this new hamburger place we've found here. Everyone who we have brought there since discovering it have agreed that it has the best burgers you can buy outside the US. After filling up on amazing (close to) American food, Alex and I got a call from our friend Pablo who lives in Barcelona asking us to come hang out with him and his friends. I wanted to practice my Spanish and meet all his friends so of course we said yes and went to meet him. We met up with him outside a subway stop and went to yet another bar (haha quit judging me... I hardly drank anything. It's what the spaniards are always doing because meeting up at a bar here is like meeting up at a coffee shop in the US) and played card games in spanish for hours at their favorite bar. It was so much fun! and they were so nice to want to help me with my spanish and anything else I had questions about. By 3am, they were just getting started and decided they wanted to go dancing at a club but Alex, Steph, and I were exhausted and headed home. The thing with Spaniards is that they don't go out at night until like midnight or 1am so it's very common to come home at 8am after a night out... I think they're crazy.
Wednesday the 18th was my friend Tony's 22nd birthday and we decided that it had to be a good night for him. He's one of the nicest and coolest people I've met here (he actually reminds me of my oldest brother a lot) and that meant all the more reason to give him a birthday that he'd never forget. We all talked to him the day of and wished him a happy birthday but said that unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to go out that night leaving just him and his roomate to go out. In actuality, we had been planning all week on surprising him at our favorite local spanish bar. The night 0f his birthday, everyone but his roomate went there and got set up with cake, drinks, and a birthday crown for him. From there we waited for him and his roomate Felipe (the only one Tony knew was coming) to arrive. We yelled surprise when he walked in and the night began. From there we went to one more bar and talked and laughed the whole night through. Everyone had a blast and at the end of the night, Tony thanked us all for one of the best birthdays in his life.
The next Friday, nobody had classes so Alex, Stephanie, and I planned for a picnic on the beach with lots of food and some wine. We sat along the ocean for hours talking and the group kept growing. We met a few more Americans from our same study abroad program and later, when the sun started to set, decided to join them for happy hour at some bar. It was supposed to be just a quick stop with the guys so they could have 1 euro beers but we ended up staying out until almost nine talking and getting to know our new friends. When we all started to get hungry, Alex and I decided that we were both wanting a hamburger from this new hamburger place we've found here. Everyone who we have brought there since discovering it have agreed that it has the best burgers you can buy outside the US. After filling up on amazing (close to) American food, Alex and I got a call from our friend Pablo who lives in Barcelona asking us to come hang out with him and his friends. I wanted to practice my Spanish and meet all his friends so of course we said yes and went to meet him. We met up with him outside a subway stop and went to yet another bar (haha quit judging me... I hardly drank anything. It's what the spaniards are always doing because meeting up at a bar here is like meeting up at a coffee shop in the US) and played card games in spanish for hours at their favorite bar. It was so much fun! and they were so nice to want to help me with my spanish and anything else I had questions about. By 3am, they were just getting started and decided they wanted to go dancing at a club but Alex, Steph, and I were exhausted and headed home. The thing with Spaniards is that they don't go out at night until like midnight or 1am so it's very common to come home at 8am after a night out... I think they're crazy.
my first visitor in Barcelona!! and Valentine's weekend
Bhavik (aka my boyfriend) became my first visitor in Barcelona when he came to see me on Valentine's day weekend! He only was able to be here for a day and a half but he was at least able to see the top things on his list, meet a lot of my friends, and also got invited to dinner by my host family. It was awesome to play tour guide having now learned so much about Barcelona and Bhavik says that he had a lot of fun here too.
He got here on Friday early in the afternoon and Alex, my friend Stephanie and I met up with him at the bus stop. We all got big hugs and I introduced everyone before Bhavik had to run to check into the hostel. We both went in expecting the worst of the worst based on our previous experiences but were pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. It wasn't infested with cockroaches or with creepers or anything like that... actually it was a full apartment with rooms they rent out to groups of people and it was really nice! We had a balcony overlooking the street and a mini chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It may not have been exactly like home but it was definately worth the money we spent for once. I guess there actually are hostels in the world where you can go and not have to worry about catching something. haha.
After letting him get settled in and to relax a little bit, we took a walk down las Ramblas (the main tourist spot in Barcelona with lots of shopping and street performers) and then we met up with some more friends at our favorite Mexican restaurant for just something to drink and snack on before dinner that night. He met my friends Tony and Nicole and Alex and Stephanie met us there too. We got a table and we able to stay and talk for about an hour or so before having to run back to my house here for dinner with my family. Lola and Carlos invited him over as soon as they knew that he was coming and Lola made a huge meal for everyone. We got to the house and started with introductions (thank God my family here speaks a good amount of English otherwise Bhavik would have been lost) and then dinner came shortly afterwards. It was so much fun! and Lola and Carlos turned it into a big event with all mine and Alex's favorite Spanish dishes and one of the "best wines in Spain". We even ate at the "celebration table" where they say they only eat when they have important guests or big events like birthdays. I still can't believe that they were so open to having him over to the house and were so gracious with the food and such. We had lots of little finger foods, baked artichokes (my favorite!!!), spanish tortilla (Lola makes them the best), 2 big salads, bread with tomatos (a spanish specialty), and a few more little side dishes. We were already stuffed when she brought out a huge bowl of fruit salad but somehow managed to finish the whole bowl. The fruit here is a hundred times better than the fruit in the US... even Bhavik was raving about it. He now admits that he's jealous of the food I eat every night and especially jealous of the fruit and my awesome host family. That's exactly what I wanted to hear :) haha. After we were done with dinner, Enrique (the youngest) entertained us with jokes and we all talked for a long time with Bhavik before we had to run out of the house again to meet up with friends. Neither Bhavik or I could thank my family enough. The food that night was especially amazing and I'm still thankful for them having him over.
We met up with all my friends again in the center of town and got to meet my friend Nicole's boyfriend too who was also here for the weekend. All of us went to a small bar to sit and talk for awhile and then to our favorite bar in Barcelona where we have made friends with the bartender. We only stayed out for a few hours mostly just talking and letting everyone get to know the boyfriends but it was a lot of fun. Going to bed early was the best thing since Nicole and I still had to show the guys as much as we could see of the city the next day.
Bhavik and I woke up pretty early and then I took him to Park Guell so he could see one of my favorite parts of the city. It was packed with it being Saturday and evidently a big tourist weekend but we saw more of the park that day then I ever got the chance to see before and on a absolutely beautiful day. We stayed for a good 3 hours, got a bite to eat, and sat in the grass taking in the sun. We looked over the city from the 2nd tallest hill in the city and took lots of pictures. He had a huge smile on his face the whole time... that place really is like a dream world but I swear Gaudi must have been crazy to come up with such ideas.
Afterwards, we took the train down to Gaudi's probably second most famous landmark in Barcelona, the Sangrada Familia (the Gaudi chapel). It was the first time that I had ever seen it too but I expected something different. The side that Gaudi designed and helped built was really really neat and like nothing I've ever seen but the newer side (built after his death still according to his designs) wasn't nearly as cool. It doesn't exactly match the rest so that took away from it but the chapel as a whole is still pretty cool. It's still under construction and is not supposed to be done for a long time but I'd love to see it when it is finally finished. Each design element has a different meaning and is symbolic of something but it won't really have as much of an impact until it is officially done. I want to see it then.
After the chapel, we decided to get a bite to eat at a small restaurant next to the chapel... traditional Spanish paella (seasoned rice and vegetables) and patatas bravas (spanish potatos) and just talked for a long time. Then we took a nap back at the hostel before going out again for dinner that night... lots of good food! We decided to eat with our friends for Valentine's Day and not make any big deal about it. We ate at an inexpensive but really nice restaurant just off the main plaza and stayed there for probably 4 hours talking, eating, and drinking cheap wine (because we're all poor :( ). Afterwards we were thinking that we'd end up going out but instead Bhavik and I just went to get some ice cream and then to bed. It was his last night here and he had to catch a taxi at 4am to the airport so it was probably better that way. Even though it was only a really short trip, it's awesome to see a familiar face and get that taste of home. Just know that I miss you all so much and I can't wait to be back with so many stories and experiences to share with all of you. Maybe you guys can catch me up on what's cool in the states and what I've missed. I'm realizing that I'm SOOO... out of the loop. I can't even tell you what the cool song is on the radio or what movies have come out since Slumdog Millionaire which is the newest movie here right now. They're so far behind! At least I'll have lots of things to do when I get home :)
He got here on Friday early in the afternoon and Alex, my friend Stephanie and I met up with him at the bus stop. We all got big hugs and I introduced everyone before Bhavik had to run to check into the hostel. We both went in expecting the worst of the worst based on our previous experiences but were pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. It wasn't infested with cockroaches or with creepers or anything like that... actually it was a full apartment with rooms they rent out to groups of people and it was really nice! We had a balcony overlooking the street and a mini chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It may not have been exactly like home but it was definately worth the money we spent for once. I guess there actually are hostels in the world where you can go and not have to worry about catching something. haha.
After letting him get settled in and to relax a little bit, we took a walk down las Ramblas (the main tourist spot in Barcelona with lots of shopping and street performers) and then we met up with some more friends at our favorite Mexican restaurant for just something to drink and snack on before dinner that night. He met my friends Tony and Nicole and Alex and Stephanie met us there too. We got a table and we able to stay and talk for about an hour or so before having to run back to my house here for dinner with my family. Lola and Carlos invited him over as soon as they knew that he was coming and Lola made a huge meal for everyone. We got to the house and started with introductions (thank God my family here speaks a good amount of English otherwise Bhavik would have been lost) and then dinner came shortly afterwards. It was so much fun! and Lola and Carlos turned it into a big event with all mine and Alex's favorite Spanish dishes and one of the "best wines in Spain". We even ate at the "celebration table" where they say they only eat when they have important guests or big events like birthdays. I still can't believe that they were so open to having him over to the house and were so gracious with the food and such. We had lots of little finger foods, baked artichokes (my favorite!!!), spanish tortilla (Lola makes them the best), 2 big salads, bread with tomatos (a spanish specialty), and a few more little side dishes. We were already stuffed when she brought out a huge bowl of fruit salad but somehow managed to finish the whole bowl. The fruit here is a hundred times better than the fruit in the US... even Bhavik was raving about it. He now admits that he's jealous of the food I eat every night and especially jealous of the fruit and my awesome host family. That's exactly what I wanted to hear :) haha. After we were done with dinner, Enrique (the youngest) entertained us with jokes and we all talked for a long time with Bhavik before we had to run out of the house again to meet up with friends. Neither Bhavik or I could thank my family enough. The food that night was especially amazing and I'm still thankful for them having him over.
We met up with all my friends again in the center of town and got to meet my friend Nicole's boyfriend too who was also here for the weekend. All of us went to a small bar to sit and talk for awhile and then to our favorite bar in Barcelona where we have made friends with the bartender. We only stayed out for a few hours mostly just talking and letting everyone get to know the boyfriends but it was a lot of fun. Going to bed early was the best thing since Nicole and I still had to show the guys as much as we could see of the city the next day.
Bhavik and I woke up pretty early and then I took him to Park Guell so he could see one of my favorite parts of the city. It was packed with it being Saturday and evidently a big tourist weekend but we saw more of the park that day then I ever got the chance to see before and on a absolutely beautiful day. We stayed for a good 3 hours, got a bite to eat, and sat in the grass taking in the sun. We looked over the city from the 2nd tallest hill in the city and took lots of pictures. He had a huge smile on his face the whole time... that place really is like a dream world but I swear Gaudi must have been crazy to come up with such ideas.
Afterwards, we took the train down to Gaudi's probably second most famous landmark in Barcelona, the Sangrada Familia (the Gaudi chapel). It was the first time that I had ever seen it too but I expected something different. The side that Gaudi designed and helped built was really really neat and like nothing I've ever seen but the newer side (built after his death still according to his designs) wasn't nearly as cool. It doesn't exactly match the rest so that took away from it but the chapel as a whole is still pretty cool. It's still under construction and is not supposed to be done for a long time but I'd love to see it when it is finally finished. Each design element has a different meaning and is symbolic of something but it won't really have as much of an impact until it is officially done. I want to see it then.
After the chapel, we decided to get a bite to eat at a small restaurant next to the chapel... traditional Spanish paella (seasoned rice and vegetables) and patatas bravas (spanish potatos) and just talked for a long time. Then we took a nap back at the hostel before going out again for dinner that night... lots of good food! We decided to eat with our friends for Valentine's Day and not make any big deal about it. We ate at an inexpensive but really nice restaurant just off the main plaza and stayed there for probably 4 hours talking, eating, and drinking cheap wine (because we're all poor :( ). Afterwards we were thinking that we'd end up going out but instead Bhavik and I just went to get some ice cream and then to bed. It was his last night here and he had to catch a taxi at 4am to the airport so it was probably better that way. Even though it was only a really short trip, it's awesome to see a familiar face and get that taste of home. Just know that I miss you all so much and I can't wait to be back with so many stories and experiences to share with all of you. Maybe you guys can catch me up on what's cool in the states and what I've missed. I'm realizing that I'm SOOO... out of the loop. I can't even tell you what the cool song is on the radio or what movies have come out since Slumdog Millionaire which is the newest movie here right now. They're so far behind! At least I'll have lots of things to do when I get home :)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Rome, Paris, and More Barcelona!!!
Lots and lots of Pictures!!! About freaking time... I know. Enjoy!
Viva la Paris!
Wow... I'm getting progressively worse at doing this on a regular basis but I'm trying to get back into doing it daily.
PARIS!!!
Paris is one of the most incredible places I've ever seen and the Eiffel Tower is amazing!! I left on Thursday with my friends Alex, Nicole, and Felipe and landed in Paris at about sunset that night. Flying over it was beautiful and I couldn't help but crawl into Alex's lap in the window seat to get my first view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. We landed and made our way to the hostel which was ridiculously creepy and coming down with a cockroach problem but functional. My expectations for hostels nowadays are dropping more and more so i'm not as disappointed when a cockroach or two are sitting in the closet. At least they weren't in the room I was staying in... just my friends. Anyways, we got settled in and went to get our first taste of french cuisine. Near our hostel was this restaurant that evidently is pretty famous but reasonably priced so we ended up eating there. We had big salads, the most amazing beef I've probably ever had, chocolate mousse, and wine... all included. We also became friends with the waiter named John who judging by the name, I would have never guessed that he was originally from Egypt. He was extremely nice though, translated the menu for us, and offered to show us a good bar or two in the area the following night if we felt up to it. We agreed, made plans, and went back to the hostel to get some sleep before waking up to see Paris in the morning.
By 9am, we were up and out the door and on our way to our first destination, Notre Dame. The church is beautiful and I loved the gargoyles and stained glass but it seems more and more wrong to me that churches like the Notre Dame get turned into tourist destinations. I don't want to know how many pictures there are of people standing infront of Jesus on the cross holding up a peace sign. It kinda loses it's purpose when people decide that rather than being a place to look around and enjoy, it's a perfect photo opportunity for their next facebook profile picture.
Anyways, after walking around the church for awhile, we stopped in a French cafe for breakfast... croissants, coffee (which is no match to the amazing spanish coffee I've been drinking), and orange juice... very french. We then walked to the memorial sight for the French victims of the Holocaust and to the oldest church and tree in Paris. We saw a guillotene that was actually used during the French Revolution and the most famous bookstore in France. We sat around the grounds of a french palace for a little bit and then made our way to the Louvre where we were able to see the Mona Lisa, Venus of Milo, The Wrath of Medusa and soooo... many more famous pieces of art. The crowd surrounding the Mona Lisa is ridiculous!!! Everyone pushes up to the velvet rope to see it and takes 30 pictures of the painting before turning around to get their picture infront of it. I thought it was hilarious to watch and had to take a picture of it but got yelled at by the security man for doing it. I don't know why that would be a problem and not the giant crowd actually taking pictures of the painting itself but whatever. We then walked on to get hit on by two french securtiy men (asked out for coffee because we are "so beautiful) and then I bumped into two of my friends I had met in Rome. I am realizing more and more since I've been here how small of a world it really is. What are the chances that you just so happen to be in the same city in the world at the same time unintentionally let alone the same room in the same building? We got a picture to prove to our friends that we ran into eachother and then said goodbye. Afterwards, Nicole, Felipe, Alex and I decided that after seeing 2/3 full wings of the Louvre, we'd seen enough and continued on to see my favorite part of Paris, the Eiffel Tower!!!!
The sun had just set when we walked up and saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time up close. It is incredible!!! I am so glad that we went to it at night because I think it was a heck of a lot prettier lit up than it is during the day especially when it starts twinkling at the start of every hour for 5 minutes. I took pictures of it probably every 10 feet that I walked and when I finally got to the base, Felipe was already there with a cup of coffee for me to drink next to the Eiffel Tower. I had been telling them for the entire week prior to being there that I dreamed of drinking a cup next to it and he wanted to surprise me by having one waiting for me when I got there. It could have been the best tasting cup of coffee I'd ever had... either that or it was just because I got to drink it next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Either way, I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face.
Next, we went up the tower to the very tip-top and caught one of the most incredible views I have ever seen. It is definately worth doing at night because the city looks absolutely gorgeous with all the lights and in comparison with the pictures I've seen up top during the day, we got the better deal. We were up there for probably a solid half an hour or so before we headed back down but before we could, I had to make a call to my mom from the top of the eiffel tower in paris. It was a short phone call that probably cost a fortune but she was one of the people who I knew would have wanted to be there with me. I'll have to bring her and my dad someday when I get all my student loans paid off... they really deserve it after all they've done for me.
Anyways, I walked away from the tower with the biggest smile that I've had on my face for a long time and the day wasn't even over yet. We were starving after all the ridiculous amount of walking we had done all day and knew of the perfect place to fill our bellies. It's this small restaurant by the hostel we were in with fondue and baby bottles full of wine. The food was great and the experience was like nothing else that I've ever seen. You walk in to a packed room with two long tables on each side and no gaps between you and the person next to you. In order to get to the booth against the wall on the opposite side of the table, the little French man grabs your hand and helps you to step over the table and down into the seat. Little appetizers come first with little glasses of margaritas or something like that followed by fondue and baby bottles of wine (it's what they're know for). It was really funny to look around and see people from all around the world from ages 20 to 50 sipping on wine out of a bottle but to an outsider we all probably looked crazy. We had desert, payed the crazy French owner, and then made our ways back to the restaurant we had gone to the night before to meet up with John, our Egyptian friend.
After he got off work, we all headed down to this surprisingly low-key bar next to the Moulin Rouge for a few drinks before we were so exhausted from the long day that we couldn't keep our eyes open for any longer. When I say that it was surprisingly low-key, I mean that I'm surprised that there wasn't dancing and strippers dancing on the tables. Just about every single other bar, store, or club near the Moulin Rouge involved sex toys and dancing/stripping women. I guess it's more or less because of the impressions I got from the movie "The Moulin Rouge" but the moden day one isn't nearly as innocent. There's not even much to see besides the neon windmill but it was neat nonetheless. We got to the bar and only stayed for about an hour before we said goodbye to John and headed back to the hostel to get some much needed sleep before we needed to wake up again ready to go for another long day.
Felipe had us all dressed and out the door again by 9 insisting that he let us sleep in but I'm not sure that I could anything less than sleeping to 11 as sleeping in. We went first to the Arc of Triomph built in the center of Paris in honor of Napoleon. It was neat but I can't say that I was thrilled to climb to the top so early in the morning with sore feet from so much walking the day before but it was worth seeing. I wish the we could have gotten a little nicer weather but seeing the Eiffel Tower in the mist and all the streets radiating out in all directions from the arc was pretty cool.
Afterwards, we walked down avenue Montaigne which is basically the equivalent to Chicago's Michigan Avenue just to find out that the only thing we could afford was McDonalds. I got a burger having decided that croissants were airy dough balls that don't fill you up. A burger, fries, and a coke was perfect though since I was really starting to crave some good old American food. At least their McDondalds in Paris are fancy though because I didn't feel nearly as bad grabbing such terrible food since dining in means eating in a leather booth with nearly nice-restaurant-like decorations. I guess they don't quite understand the concept of cheap fast-food restaurants.
After filling our stomachs, we went to the Orsay Museum which houses some of the most famous pieces from Van Gogh, Monet, and Manet. It's placed in an old train station which must have been beautiful itself in addition to all the artwork is in my opinion, a must see in Paris if you have the time. I really liked seeing it and I think the rest of the gang would agree with me too.
After spending at least 2 hours at the museum, we hopped on a train to the Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris where we were not prepared for snow but were surprised by a couple inches. We were freezing having been spoiled with the beautiful, almost always sunny weather of Barcelona but seeing the palace was well worth the trip. I wish we could have seen more of it except for the bedrooms, the hall of mirrors, and random meeting rooms but it was still cool to stand on the same ground that the king and Marie Antoinette walked on. The hall of mirrors was my favorite part and looking out the windows at the grounds of the palace. It would be well worth it to go back someday during the spring or summer when the gardens are blooming. It would be absolutely beautiful. Going there really made me want to watch the movie Marie Antoinette so I could better understand the significance of Versailles but that'll have to wait now until I get back to the states. I'll have a whole list of movies to watch when I get back.
We left Versailles after it closed for the night and walked into heaven (aka Starbucks) where we warmed ourselves up with coffee like we drink at home, talked with all sorts of people, and ran into more friends from home. The coolest people I'd say that I met in Paris was this husband from egypt and his wife originally from the US, both of which had just moved to France. The wife was especially interesting to talk to and was eager to hear about us, where we're from, and where we're going in life. We talked for at least an hour before realizing we had to grab a train back to Paris but we both wished eachother luck in life and said bye. We jumped on the train back to Paris eager to get out of the cold and starving once again for a good meal.
We picked out a restaurant just across the river from Notre Dame called Pizza Marzano and had the most amazing meal any of us had had in a very long time. It was a typical European meal... 4 hours!!! but we talked a lot, ate great food, and drank the best wine I've ever had. I ordered a pizza and scarfed the whole thing down on my own and then one of the best desserts I've ever had too. The French really do know how to do food right. I find that the longer I'm here, the more European I become as far as my eating habits go. We always rush everything so much in the states but here, eating any meal is a long process. Four hours to any American sounds ridiculous but here that's pretty typical. I'm going to get back to the states and freak out when I only have a half an hour for lunch. That's unheared of over here.
After dinner, we went back to the hostel for one last night in the hole in the wall and then left the following morning. It was an amazing experience and Paris is definately a must-see city but coming back to Barcelona was a great feeling. I still like Barcelona over any of the other cities I've visited in Europe and appreciate it a lot more (especially the weather :D). France is amazing though too including the people... we didn't come across a single French person who wasn't willing to help us out and everyone was really really friendly. I'm not sure where all the stereotypes come from but now actually having gone to Paris of all places see it exactly in the opposite way. We had absolutely no problems. Also, the food (for the most part) is delicious! They know how to do food but they eat way to much bread. The thought of a croissant now makes me sick and it was two days before I wanted any bread again having ate so much in France. Spain still takes the prize for the best cup of coffee too!
PARIS!!!
Paris is one of the most incredible places I've ever seen and the Eiffel Tower is amazing!! I left on Thursday with my friends Alex, Nicole, and Felipe and landed in Paris at about sunset that night. Flying over it was beautiful and I couldn't help but crawl into Alex's lap in the window seat to get my first view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. We landed and made our way to the hostel which was ridiculously creepy and coming down with a cockroach problem but functional. My expectations for hostels nowadays are dropping more and more so i'm not as disappointed when a cockroach or two are sitting in the closet. At least they weren't in the room I was staying in... just my friends. Anyways, we got settled in and went to get our first taste of french cuisine. Near our hostel was this restaurant that evidently is pretty famous but reasonably priced so we ended up eating there. We had big salads, the most amazing beef I've probably ever had, chocolate mousse, and wine... all included. We also became friends with the waiter named John who judging by the name, I would have never guessed that he was originally from Egypt. He was extremely nice though, translated the menu for us, and offered to show us a good bar or two in the area the following night if we felt up to it. We agreed, made plans, and went back to the hostel to get some sleep before waking up to see Paris in the morning.
By 9am, we were up and out the door and on our way to our first destination, Notre Dame. The church is beautiful and I loved the gargoyles and stained glass but it seems more and more wrong to me that churches like the Notre Dame get turned into tourist destinations. I don't want to know how many pictures there are of people standing infront of Jesus on the cross holding up a peace sign. It kinda loses it's purpose when people decide that rather than being a place to look around and enjoy, it's a perfect photo opportunity for their next facebook profile picture.
Anyways, after walking around the church for awhile, we stopped in a French cafe for breakfast... croissants, coffee (which is no match to the amazing spanish coffee I've been drinking), and orange juice... very french. We then walked to the memorial sight for the French victims of the Holocaust and to the oldest church and tree in Paris. We saw a guillotene that was actually used during the French Revolution and the most famous bookstore in France. We sat around the grounds of a french palace for a little bit and then made our way to the Louvre where we were able to see the Mona Lisa, Venus of Milo, The Wrath of Medusa and soooo... many more famous pieces of art. The crowd surrounding the Mona Lisa is ridiculous!!! Everyone pushes up to the velvet rope to see it and takes 30 pictures of the painting before turning around to get their picture infront of it. I thought it was hilarious to watch and had to take a picture of it but got yelled at by the security man for doing it. I don't know why that would be a problem and not the giant crowd actually taking pictures of the painting itself but whatever. We then walked on to get hit on by two french securtiy men (asked out for coffee because we are "so beautiful) and then I bumped into two of my friends I had met in Rome. I am realizing more and more since I've been here how small of a world it really is. What are the chances that you just so happen to be in the same city in the world at the same time unintentionally let alone the same room in the same building? We got a picture to prove to our friends that we ran into eachother and then said goodbye. Afterwards, Nicole, Felipe, Alex and I decided that after seeing 2/3 full wings of the Louvre, we'd seen enough and continued on to see my favorite part of Paris, the Eiffel Tower!!!!
The sun had just set when we walked up and saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time up close. It is incredible!!! I am so glad that we went to it at night because I think it was a heck of a lot prettier lit up than it is during the day especially when it starts twinkling at the start of every hour for 5 minutes. I took pictures of it probably every 10 feet that I walked and when I finally got to the base, Felipe was already there with a cup of coffee for me to drink next to the Eiffel Tower. I had been telling them for the entire week prior to being there that I dreamed of drinking a cup next to it and he wanted to surprise me by having one waiting for me when I got there. It could have been the best tasting cup of coffee I'd ever had... either that or it was just because I got to drink it next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Either way, I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face.
Next, we went up the tower to the very tip-top and caught one of the most incredible views I have ever seen. It is definately worth doing at night because the city looks absolutely gorgeous with all the lights and in comparison with the pictures I've seen up top during the day, we got the better deal. We were up there for probably a solid half an hour or so before we headed back down but before we could, I had to make a call to my mom from the top of the eiffel tower in paris. It was a short phone call that probably cost a fortune but she was one of the people who I knew would have wanted to be there with me. I'll have to bring her and my dad someday when I get all my student loans paid off... they really deserve it after all they've done for me.
Anyways, I walked away from the tower with the biggest smile that I've had on my face for a long time and the day wasn't even over yet. We were starving after all the ridiculous amount of walking we had done all day and knew of the perfect place to fill our bellies. It's this small restaurant by the hostel we were in with fondue and baby bottles full of wine. The food was great and the experience was like nothing else that I've ever seen. You walk in to a packed room with two long tables on each side and no gaps between you and the person next to you. In order to get to the booth against the wall on the opposite side of the table, the little French man grabs your hand and helps you to step over the table and down into the seat. Little appetizers come first with little glasses of margaritas or something like that followed by fondue and baby bottles of wine (it's what they're know for). It was really funny to look around and see people from all around the world from ages 20 to 50 sipping on wine out of a bottle but to an outsider we all probably looked crazy. We had desert, payed the crazy French owner, and then made our ways back to the restaurant we had gone to the night before to meet up with John, our Egyptian friend.
After he got off work, we all headed down to this surprisingly low-key bar next to the Moulin Rouge for a few drinks before we were so exhausted from the long day that we couldn't keep our eyes open for any longer. When I say that it was surprisingly low-key, I mean that I'm surprised that there wasn't dancing and strippers dancing on the tables. Just about every single other bar, store, or club near the Moulin Rouge involved sex toys and dancing/stripping women. I guess it's more or less because of the impressions I got from the movie "The Moulin Rouge" but the moden day one isn't nearly as innocent. There's not even much to see besides the neon windmill but it was neat nonetheless. We got to the bar and only stayed for about an hour before we said goodbye to John and headed back to the hostel to get some much needed sleep before we needed to wake up again ready to go for another long day.
Felipe had us all dressed and out the door again by 9 insisting that he let us sleep in but I'm not sure that I could anything less than sleeping to 11 as sleeping in. We went first to the Arc of Triomph built in the center of Paris in honor of Napoleon. It was neat but I can't say that I was thrilled to climb to the top so early in the morning with sore feet from so much walking the day before but it was worth seeing. I wish the we could have gotten a little nicer weather but seeing the Eiffel Tower in the mist and all the streets radiating out in all directions from the arc was pretty cool.
Afterwards, we walked down avenue Montaigne which is basically the equivalent to Chicago's Michigan Avenue just to find out that the only thing we could afford was McDonalds. I got a burger having decided that croissants were airy dough balls that don't fill you up. A burger, fries, and a coke was perfect though since I was really starting to crave some good old American food. At least their McDondalds in Paris are fancy though because I didn't feel nearly as bad grabbing such terrible food since dining in means eating in a leather booth with nearly nice-restaurant-like decorations. I guess they don't quite understand the concept of cheap fast-food restaurants.
After filling our stomachs, we went to the Orsay Museum which houses some of the most famous pieces from Van Gogh, Monet, and Manet. It's placed in an old train station which must have been beautiful itself in addition to all the artwork is in my opinion, a must see in Paris if you have the time. I really liked seeing it and I think the rest of the gang would agree with me too.
After spending at least 2 hours at the museum, we hopped on a train to the Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris where we were not prepared for snow but were surprised by a couple inches. We were freezing having been spoiled with the beautiful, almost always sunny weather of Barcelona but seeing the palace was well worth the trip. I wish we could have seen more of it except for the bedrooms, the hall of mirrors, and random meeting rooms but it was still cool to stand on the same ground that the king and Marie Antoinette walked on. The hall of mirrors was my favorite part and looking out the windows at the grounds of the palace. It would be well worth it to go back someday during the spring or summer when the gardens are blooming. It would be absolutely beautiful. Going there really made me want to watch the movie Marie Antoinette so I could better understand the significance of Versailles but that'll have to wait now until I get back to the states. I'll have a whole list of movies to watch when I get back.
We left Versailles after it closed for the night and walked into heaven (aka Starbucks) where we warmed ourselves up with coffee like we drink at home, talked with all sorts of people, and ran into more friends from home. The coolest people I'd say that I met in Paris was this husband from egypt and his wife originally from the US, both of which had just moved to France. The wife was especially interesting to talk to and was eager to hear about us, where we're from, and where we're going in life. We talked for at least an hour before realizing we had to grab a train back to Paris but we both wished eachother luck in life and said bye. We jumped on the train back to Paris eager to get out of the cold and starving once again for a good meal.
We picked out a restaurant just across the river from Notre Dame called Pizza Marzano and had the most amazing meal any of us had had in a very long time. It was a typical European meal... 4 hours!!! but we talked a lot, ate great food, and drank the best wine I've ever had. I ordered a pizza and scarfed the whole thing down on my own and then one of the best desserts I've ever had too. The French really do know how to do food right. I find that the longer I'm here, the more European I become as far as my eating habits go. We always rush everything so much in the states but here, eating any meal is a long process. Four hours to any American sounds ridiculous but here that's pretty typical. I'm going to get back to the states and freak out when I only have a half an hour for lunch. That's unheared of over here.
After dinner, we went back to the hostel for one last night in the hole in the wall and then left the following morning. It was an amazing experience and Paris is definately a must-see city but coming back to Barcelona was a great feeling. I still like Barcelona over any of the other cities I've visited in Europe and appreciate it a lot more (especially the weather :D). France is amazing though too including the people... we didn't come across a single French person who wasn't willing to help us out and everyone was really really friendly. I'm not sure where all the stereotypes come from but now actually having gone to Paris of all places see it exactly in the opposite way. We had absolutely no problems. Also, the food (for the most part) is delicious! They know how to do food but they eat way to much bread. The thought of a croissant now makes me sick and it was two days before I wanted any bread again having ate so much in France. Spain still takes the prize for the best cup of coffee too!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
When in Rome... :)
Rome is beautiful.... much much different than either barcelona or anywhere back in the states but still amazing. I left on thursday morning for the airport and got to Rome with no problems what so ever. Getting into the airport on the other side was no process at all... they didn't even stamp anybody's passport. I waited in the airport for Bhavik to come and pick me up since I didn't want to navigate Rome by myself and after a short time, he was finally there and we headed out to check in at the hostel. It was the first hostel I had ever stayed in so I don't have anything to compare it too, but both Bhavik and I thought it was really creepy. We walked into the tiny front entry way and were shocked when we were greeted by at least 10 people. A few introduced themselves, offered us drinks (no thanks!), and then we were showed around. We got our keys and went to find our beds in a creepy, practically empty room. There were two beds, 2 wooden chairs, a small closet, and a bedside table. The walls were completely bare except for a mirror and the floor was cold and dirty. We both looked at eachother ready to get the heck out of there but decided to make the best of it. Advice to anyone who ever is considering staying in a hostel... bring a pair of flip flops and your own sheets if possible. It would have made it a lot more comfortable. At the very least, it was an experience. We did meet some cool people though!
Anyways.... after a little time at the hostel to get settled, we decided to go out and get some food and walk around for a little bit before going to bed. We walked around the area around the hostel for probably an hour before we settled on mediocre pizza since nothing else was open but it wasn't terrible. The suckiest part about Europe a lot of the time is that people actually sleep and stores close unlike our 24 hour Walmart's and Walgreen's in the US. Dessert was really good though! We had gelatto (italian icecream for those of you that don't know) for the first time that weekend but after that I was addicted. In the first 48 hours, I'd say I ate gelatto at least 4 times. I didn't really get the chance to see much since I was exhausted from traveling but I was at least I got some italian food the first night there!
The next morning, Bhavik had class so he "hired" Jim to show me around Vatican City and the Basillica until he got out. I met Jim (aka one of my best guy friends) at a metro stop close to the Vatican which was exciting since I hadn't seen him since before Christmas and then my tour began. He's a history major so he insisted that I let him giving me the "grand tour" and I let him but I'm pretty sure it just fluffed his ego. He wants to start giving free tours to tourists now... what a nerd. Anyways, the Vatican was amazing!!! I saw where the pope lives, the Basilica, and the Swiss guards that protect it. Lots of pictures to come! (let me know if you're still not able to see them) The Basilica is HUGE. If you look at the pictures and at the letters that line the celing, you can get an idea of just how huge. The letters by themselves are 6 feet tall but they look tiny stories above your head. The big black and gold altar is more than 7 stories tall! It's beautiful! The sheer size alone makes it an amazing building and then you get to the artwork. You'll have to see it for yourself... like every other picture I've taken, nothing does it justice. Also, there are all sorts of popes, bishops, and saints buried under the Basilica making it all the more special. It's definitely one of those places to see before you die.
After that, Jim and I headed back to their school/residence hall/dining hall (all in the same building) to meet up with Bhavik and surprise my roomates from school. They didn't know that I was coming so we made it sound like they just found some random person on the street that they needed to see and they came down to find me. I think it took both of them a second to put it in context but they both ran into my arms straight afterwards. It was so good to be with all my closest friends again! and in Rome?!?! The whole trip felt like a dream. I got to look around the "rome center" and meet all their friends for awhile before Bhavik and I went out to get some food and then went back to the hostel to get changed for dinner. Dinner was nothing fancy (since we're poor college kids living in Europe ($$$)) but it was amazing to be back with my friends. It's a little piece of home and familiarness that I think I needed.
Later that night, we went out to this bar with all my friends and some of their new friends too (who are also amazing people!) that was called "Stairs". We had so much fun! It was like a reunion but better since we were in Rome. By the end of the night though, we were all partied out and went home or moreso to the hole in the wall to get some sleep. Surprisingly, I slept like a rock.
In the morning, we woke up reasonably early to meet up with everyone in Vatican City so we could all go to the Vatican Museum. It's a lot to take in in just a couple hours but I had the chance to see some amazing things that a lot of people will never have the chance to see in all of their lives... the sistene chapel for one was beautiful! I really didn't know what to expect having only seen bits and pieces of it but wasn't disappointed. In addition to that, I stood infront of famous paintings and statues that I never even imagined I'd be able to see. Standing there feels absolutely surreal!
After the museum, Bhavik and I went to check out the Colosseum, the Roman Forum (the oldest part of Rome), and the surrounding areas. The Colosseum was exactly what I expected it to be (although I only got to see the outside since tours ended early in the afternoon). He and I sat next to it for a long time sitting, talking, and watching person after person trip over a loose comment. It was hilarious but maybe we sound crazy... it's probably one of those you had to be there things. After that, we walked around the outside of the Roman Forum (again it was closed to visitors walking through it because everything in Europe is closed when you want to see it) but I can it least say it looks really neat from the outside. It's incredible to be walking around ruins that are 100's and 100's of years old because we have nothing like it in the states. The history in Europe is so extensive! It still amazes me that something can be so old and yet still be standing so well preserved. I definitely want to go back to see everything for longer and to see more. You can't see Rome in 2 days.
We headed back to the Rome Center after the Colosseum for dinner and meeting back up with friends. Dinner again was basic (pasta (of course!), vegetables, and fresh cheese!) but delicious! That night we went out for more gelatto (over a hundred flavors to choose from!!!) and got to see the Pantheon at night. It's one of the best preserved buildings in Rome and probably one of my favorites. It looks really pretty at night! After that, I unfortunately had to say goodbye to everyone because my plane was leaving at about 9am the next morning but I know I'm probably going to see them in mid-march in Madrid. It'll be a really cheap trip for me and a lot of fun to see them again! I can't wait! Bhavik and I went back to the hostel for the last night, talked for a little bit and then passed out for a short night of sleep. I had to wake up at about 6am to get to the airport in time for my flight. Saying goodbye sucked but I get to see him again this coming weekend for Valentine's day so at least it's not too long. I can't believe it's already here already! I'm really excited to show him around Barcelona. It's an amazing city! and I can't wait to show him around and impress him with my Spanish! I actually met a women on the metro today that told me that my Spanish is excellent. I'd say I'm getting close to fluent but my speaking skills still aren't perfect. I want to leave here speaking it like a Spaniard. My host family says I'm on my way!
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