Hunter and I are at the airport. Our plane leaves in an hour an ten minutes. This trip flew by so fast. We're both bummed it's over, but happy to go home.
Also, I just got the worst milkshake in history. I even sent it back to be remade; I've never sent anything back before. The second one was just as terrible. It's watery, like someone blended milk, water, and vanilla extract. :(
Until our plane takes off I'll try to tell everyone all about our last days in London.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Note the Scenery
Hunter blowing a flower thingy on the trail to Eze. One of the beautiful views of the Med. Sea.Keeping You Interested
A water fountain in Brugge. We still aren't sure if the water there was drinkable... but we survived!
Short Update!
We will be back in the States in a little more than 24 hours. It's insane how fast this trip has gone by! Though we are sad to leave so much undiscovered, I think we'lll both be happy to be home. See you all very soon...
P.S. Tomorrow in the airport I'll try to write all about wonderful London. :)
P.S. Tomorrow in the airport I'll try to write all about wonderful London. :)
Monday, June 15, 2009
All is Well
London is great and Hunter's family is even greater. We are having tons of fun, though our high speed travels may be catching up with us. We're both starting to get more and more tired. I guess that's good timing though, since we leave Europe on Wednesday afternoon.
Today we explored the Tower of London, saw all the other big sights, and wowed ourselves with Harvey Nichols and Harrods. AWESOME.
More details to come later...
Today we explored the Tower of London, saw all the other big sights, and wowed ourselves with Harvey Nichols and Harrods. AWESOME.
More details to come later...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Our last night in Belgium was spent with our favorite prostitutes.
This morning we boarded our first train. We were scheduled for two connections.
In the middle of nowhere the train stopped and people outside were arguing. After 20 minutes an announcement came on: the train track to Antwerp was broken. We were lost but jumped on a train. It was so full we were in the back compartment with the conductor.
The train stopped at the next rural station where weakd be taking busses to either Antwerp or Brussels.
Hunter was mad and wouldn't stop complaining. I was scared we wouldn't get a bus because there were like 200 people stampeding.
Finally we made it to Antwerp, barely made it on a train to Bruxelles, and now are riding the high speed to Calais. Only a ferry and another train to go!
It's been a really long day. By the end of it we will have travelled for 13 or 14 hours.
We can't wait to be at Brian's! And to finally do real laundry :)
This morning we boarded our first train. We were scheduled for two connections.
In the middle of nowhere the train stopped and people outside were arguing. After 20 minutes an announcement came on: the train track to Antwerp was broken. We were lost but jumped on a train. It was so full we were in the back compartment with the conductor.
The train stopped at the next rural station where weakd be taking busses to either Antwerp or Brussels.
Hunter was mad and wouldn't stop complaining. I was scared we wouldn't get a bus because there were like 200 people stampeding.
Finally we made it to Antwerp, barely made it on a train to Bruxelles, and now are riding the high speed to Calais. Only a ferry and another train to go!
It's been a really long day. By the end of it we will have travelled for 13 or 14 hours.
We can't wait to be at Brian's! And to finally do real laundry :)
Friday, June 12, 2009
Anne Frank and More...
Today we started our day at with hot chocolate and the Anne Frank House.
The house is so neat. I read the Diary of Anne Frank in 6th grade, so it was awesome to see. All the rooms are empty, because they were cleared out by the Nazis. The father, the only one who survived, asked that it remained unfurnished. All that remains are the pictures Anne glued to her wall. It was a great experience.
Then we went to the same awesome food place again! I loooove it! Then we shopped a bit and now we're headed to another museum. Our train leaves before 10 am tomorrow. It will be off to London!
The house is so neat. I read the Diary of Anne Frank in 6th grade, so it was awesome to see. All the rooms are empty, because they were cleared out by the Nazis. The father, the only one who survived, asked that it remained unfurnished. All that remains are the pictures Anne glued to her wall. It was a great experience.
Then we went to the same awesome food place again! I loooove it! Then we shopped a bit and now we're headed to another museum. Our train leaves before 10 am tomorrow. It will be off to London!
I Can't Stop Gawking
Amsterdam. We left the train station and walked through Chinatown, right into the Red Light District.
All I can say is: shocking. There really are prostitutes. A lot of them. There really are "coffee shops" and you can smell them a block away. The Red Light District is all sex, hippies, old perverts, and young tourists.
We walked through the rain until we found a steakhouse with a 9 euro special. The food was great, but the decor was hilarious. The Dutch take on the American Southwest is tiki huts, canteens, cave drawings, leather, and Mexican music.
Our hostel is in a historic building right in the action. It shares the block with a sex show, a few "windows" and the Cannabis College. This really is a strange place.
Our roommates are 4 canadian boys and a couple from Australia. All they do is lay in bed and watch the Discovery Channel all day.
Our first morning, Hunter and I took a tour of the city. It was 3 hours long and totally fascinating. We learned:
Amsterdam was once the boat trading capital of Europe. It has had prostitution forever. Sailors loved girls. Interestingly, a huge church is in the Red Light District, because sailors liked to repent afterwards (or buy an Indulgence for future sins).
Amsterdam was also the site of the ONLY direct resistance against the Nazis. When the Germans came in, boxing clubs were formed by non-Jews to protect the Jews. When a Nazi officer was beat into a fatal coma by the boxing group, the troops got pissed. The Jews were immediately surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Within one day, the Dutch went on strike in every line of work, including those building Nazi airplanes. 200,000 people met in Dam Square to protest the Nazis. The Nazis reacted by shooting into the crowd and executing the mayor...
The current state of Amsterdam (totally liberal) is an attempt to avoid crazy regimes. Thus the drugs and prostitution. Prostitutes here rent windows, are protected by the police, are tested regularly, and pay taxes. Crazy. (Oh and it's 50 euro for 15 minutes!)
After the tour we ate at an awesome food market cafeteria. It is seriously my favorite place in all of Europe. Everything is fresh and cooked in front of you: pastries, sandwiches, salads, juice, ice cream, fruit, etc. I had tortllini and got to pick all ny ingredients.
Last night we walked around all night looking at prostitutes. It's actually exciting, especially when you see someone make a deal. We even found a house filled with red light windows!
Side note: we've been offered cocaine at least 5 times. You walk by someone and they whisper it to you. It's weird and scary.
Sorry to scare you guys!!! We haven't done anything bad and feel very safe. Only a few more hours to go!
All I can say is: shocking. There really are prostitutes. A lot of them. There really are "coffee shops" and you can smell them a block away. The Red Light District is all sex, hippies, old perverts, and young tourists.
We walked through the rain until we found a steakhouse with a 9 euro special. The food was great, but the decor was hilarious. The Dutch take on the American Southwest is tiki huts, canteens, cave drawings, leather, and Mexican music.
Our hostel is in a historic building right in the action. It shares the block with a sex show, a few "windows" and the Cannabis College. This really is a strange place.
Our roommates are 4 canadian boys and a couple from Australia. All they do is lay in bed and watch the Discovery Channel all day.
Our first morning, Hunter and I took a tour of the city. It was 3 hours long and totally fascinating. We learned:
Amsterdam was once the boat trading capital of Europe. It has had prostitution forever. Sailors loved girls. Interestingly, a huge church is in the Red Light District, because sailors liked to repent afterwards (or buy an Indulgence for future sins).
Amsterdam was also the site of the ONLY direct resistance against the Nazis. When the Germans came in, boxing clubs were formed by non-Jews to protect the Jews. When a Nazi officer was beat into a fatal coma by the boxing group, the troops got pissed. The Jews were immediately surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Within one day, the Dutch went on strike in every line of work, including those building Nazi airplanes. 200,000 people met in Dam Square to protest the Nazis. The Nazis reacted by shooting into the crowd and executing the mayor...
The current state of Amsterdam (totally liberal) is an attempt to avoid crazy regimes. Thus the drugs and prostitution. Prostitutes here rent windows, are protected by the police, are tested regularly, and pay taxes. Crazy. (Oh and it's 50 euro for 15 minutes!)
After the tour we ate at an awesome food market cafeteria. It is seriously my favorite place in all of Europe. Everything is fresh and cooked in front of you: pastries, sandwiches, salads, juice, ice cream, fruit, etc. I had tortllini and got to pick all ny ingredients.
Last night we walked around all night looking at prostitutes. It's actually exciting, especially when you see someone make a deal. We even found a house filled with red light windows!
Side note: we've been offered cocaine at least 5 times. You walk by someone and they whisper it to you. It's weird and scary.
Sorry to scare you guys!!! We haven't done anything bad and feel very safe. Only a few more hours to go!
Brugge, Beers, and the Belfry
We arrived in Brugge where we found good prices for a private room. Having a private bathroom is so nice!
While getting change at the front desk, Hunter met Steve and Mara, an American couple from Maryland.
We all went out together that night and were bummed to find that the whole city closes at 6 pm. Still, we managed to find an Irish pub where everyone had a drink. The waitress was awesome and I even got a free cookie with my hot chocolate.
That night we stayed up late playing cards with our new friends.
The next morning we met for breakfast. Instead of jam for the bread, they have chocolate spread! It is awesome!
We bought a museum pass and explored an old palace, two churches, and the belfry. The first church was cool, but was second tier compared to those in France. It did have a Michelangelo statue though, the only piece that left Italy during the artist's lifetime.
The other church was... Interesting. It is the church that holds the blood of Christ, which was recovered during the 12th century crusades. Catholics all over the world believe it's the real deal. Right when we arrived the priests started a ceremony. Prayers were said and the blood was placed on a pillow. We walked up and looked at it, but other people touched it and said prayers.
Next we walked up the belfry, which was like 350 old-school spiral steps. The view was awesome, but the trip was definitely a work out.
We ate lunch at a cool pasta place, but they wouldn't give us free water. The first waiter we had was rude and refused to serve us. Also, the first restaraunt we tried kicked us out. It was a bit uncomfortable to feel mistreated.
The guys headed off to a brewery tour and Mara and I went shopping. Chocolates galore!! The belgian and dutch are all about sweets. They also have waffles, which are in the top 3 most amazing desserts ever. The are so tasty, filled with sugar, and smothered in toppings. Mara and I shared a chocolate one.
Later we met up with the boys at the same Irish pub. This time Hunter and I shared a Steak and Guiness Pie, which was amazing! Hunter said I hogged it though.
The next day we said goodbye to our friends. We had so much fun with them. :(
Hunter and I spent the morning buying chocolates and presents for all our friends and family. Then is was off to Amsterdam! We got off at a wrong station, but oh well!
P.S. Brugge really is the Venice of the North. So beautiful.
While getting change at the front desk, Hunter met Steve and Mara, an American couple from Maryland.
We all went out together that night and were bummed to find that the whole city closes at 6 pm. Still, we managed to find an Irish pub where everyone had a drink. The waitress was awesome and I even got a free cookie with my hot chocolate.
That night we stayed up late playing cards with our new friends.
The next morning we met for breakfast. Instead of jam for the bread, they have chocolate spread! It is awesome!
We bought a museum pass and explored an old palace, two churches, and the belfry. The first church was cool, but was second tier compared to those in France. It did have a Michelangelo statue though, the only piece that left Italy during the artist's lifetime.
The other church was... Interesting. It is the church that holds the blood of Christ, which was recovered during the 12th century crusades. Catholics all over the world believe it's the real deal. Right when we arrived the priests started a ceremony. Prayers were said and the blood was placed on a pillow. We walked up and looked at it, but other people touched it and said prayers.
Next we walked up the belfry, which was like 350 old-school spiral steps. The view was awesome, but the trip was definitely a work out.
We ate lunch at a cool pasta place, but they wouldn't give us free water. The first waiter we had was rude and refused to serve us. Also, the first restaraunt we tried kicked us out. It was a bit uncomfortable to feel mistreated.
The guys headed off to a brewery tour and Mara and I went shopping. Chocolates galore!! The belgian and dutch are all about sweets. They also have waffles, which are in the top 3 most amazing desserts ever. The are so tasty, filled with sugar, and smothered in toppings. Mara and I shared a chocolate one.
Later we met up with the boys at the same Irish pub. This time Hunter and I shared a Steak and Guiness Pie, which was amazing! Hunter said I hogged it though.
The next day we said goodbye to our friends. We had so much fun with them. :(
Hunter and I spent the morning buying chocolates and presents for all our friends and family. Then is was off to Amsterdam! We got off at a wrong station, but oh well!
P.S. Brugge really is the Venice of the North. So beautiful.
amsterdam
We are in the red light distric and its quite interesting to walk around and look at all the women in the red rooms and all the guys who pay them. This is a test let's see if it works
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Luxembourg: Better than Expected
Our train arrived early and it was raining outside. The city seemed okay but we were exhausted. The bus driver came off really rude, but he suprised us by dropping us off in front of our hostel, rather than the bus stop.
The hostel is by far the nicest we've had. We fell asleep on the couch waiting to check in. Everything is new, the floors are marble (seriously), and it's clean!
Aside from the hostel, the country is beautiful. All the buildings (churches, businesses, houses) in the Old Town are muted colors with charcoal roofs. They are absolutely beautiful and the whole city is a UNESCO site. There are huge old bridges, a slow river, and all kinds of plants and gardens.
A system of casements runs through the hills, since this site was a major fortification from 1100 to 1870. We toured them and got great views of the city.
There was also a bike race through Old Town, so tons of celebration followed. It was a great experience and surprise for us. The German influence is really present here, even though French is still spoken.
We relaxed all day, explored, and got the best sugared almonds ever. Then we made a huge mistake: Pizza Hut in Europe.
Hunter was wooed by the Cheezy Crust Pizza; I was indifferent. What I expected to be 10 euro of so was 20!! So basically, we bought a stupid pizza we could've had back home for aaporximately 35 USD. We were so mad at ourselves! We've decided to starve ourselves tomorrow for punishment.
Tomorrow we're slowly making our way through Luxembourg and Belgium to Brugge. We wish we could stay here longer, but we're running out of time! Brugge should be cool though. It's a Medieval city called "The Venice of the North."
Miss and love you all!
The hostel is by far the nicest we've had. We fell asleep on the couch waiting to check in. Everything is new, the floors are marble (seriously), and it's clean!
Aside from the hostel, the country is beautiful. All the buildings (churches, businesses, houses) in the Old Town are muted colors with charcoal roofs. They are absolutely beautiful and the whole city is a UNESCO site. There are huge old bridges, a slow river, and all kinds of plants and gardens.
A system of casements runs through the hills, since this site was a major fortification from 1100 to 1870. We toured them and got great views of the city.
There was also a bike race through Old Town, so tons of celebration followed. It was a great experience and surprise for us. The German influence is really present here, even though French is still spoken.
We relaxed all day, explored, and got the best sugared almonds ever. Then we made a huge mistake: Pizza Hut in Europe.
Hunter was wooed by the Cheezy Crust Pizza; I was indifferent. What I expected to be 10 euro of so was 20!! So basically, we bought a stupid pizza we could've had back home for aaporximately 35 USD. We were so mad at ourselves! We've decided to starve ourselves tomorrow for punishment.
Tomorrow we're slowly making our way through Luxembourg and Belgium to Brugge. We wish we could stay here longer, but we're running out of time! Brugge should be cool though. It's a Medieval city called "The Venice of the North."
Miss and love you all!
Paris: I Guess We Can't Get Enough
We made it back to Paris in record time, but almost had nowhere to stay. The first place was in the ghetto outside Paris. The second place had no vacancy. The third place was also far, but it was our only option. The place was 7 stories and very ecclectic. Every inch of wall was painted in primary colors, floors seemed deserted, there was a restaraunt, and a bar/club in the basement. Strange.
We spent the whole afternoon in the Louvre and got in for free. The building is absolutely amazing beyond believe. It amazed me 100 times more than all of the artwork. Every corner and space was detailed; every ceiling featured a painted story. It was awesome to imagine Napoleon walking through its halls.
The artwork was also pretty cool. We saw paitings by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Boticelli, etc. We even saw the Mona Lisa, though we both wonder why it's so awesome. My favorite exhibit was the Egyptian Antiquities. They had everything, including a mummy! Oh yeah, and Hunter was starving and bought a sandwich; it turned out to be cheese and carrot. Haha.
After the Louvre we went to a historic district I'd read about: St. Germaine. We found a cool Italian place where you watch one guy hand make all the pizzas. Hunter got an awesome pizza and I got homemade tortellini creme. The cream sauce was the richest, best I'd ever tasted and the shells were stffed with cheese.
The next day in Paris was really fun, even though we wasted the first 2 hours trying to get to Normandy (maybe I can go with my dad someday though!). We headed to Versailles, got on the wrong train, and met an American couple on their honeymoon.
The palace is amazing, but comepletely overdone. Every inch is marble, bronze, or painted by someone famous. We saw all the Kings and Queens quarters, the Hall of Mirrors, and even the door Marie Antionette used to escape the rioters.
The gardens were also awesome (sorry, everything really IS awesome). The manicured beauty went on as far as the could see. There were fountains, statues, hedges, trees, flowers, lakes, etc. All were perfectly arranged and kept. I kept imagining a Jane Austen novel taking place there.
Hunter and I bought sandwiches, rented bikes, and rode around the whole cross-shaped lake. We also saw Marie Antionette's house, which is hidden in the gardens. I'm not usually crazy about gardens, but I think everyone should see these at least once. They are unimaginable.
That night we went out to the Latin Quarter, which is full of clubs and college kids. We wanted to finally have a night out on the town, since we'd failed to go out so far.
There weren't sketchy bars or skanky girls puking behind bushes. The whole street was bustling: restaraunt owners beckoning you, artists painting, crepes cooking, clubs bouncing, ice cream eating, etc. We ate a gyro in a little shop while we built up our courage to enter George's, a club where a bouncer checked you out and let you in.
We were really nervous because 1) We weren't dressed really nice and 2) We couldn't speak French. After thinking we wouldn't get in... We did! It was my first club :)
The waitresses wore Mardi Gra masks and served drinks to all the packed tables. We looked the menu and almost died: 8euro drinks! After all the hassle of getting in, we gave in to the moment and ordered just one. Hunter had the most expensive Corona of his life, but at least my strawberry smoothie had a sparkler in it!
After the club we headed back to the hostel on the metro. Two crazy guys were belting out the lyrics to Kanye West. Come to find out, they were American and staying at our place.
Their sininging continued all the way home and they even got booed by a group of ten year olds. They were really cool guys and we wish we could've met them earlier. They were all from NY. Emile was Parisian and spoke 4+ languages. Parker was a slight nerd. Nate was a 7 foot giant. It was a great night and we spent 2 hours chatting with them until we decided bed was a good idea.
We spent the whole afternoon in the Louvre and got in for free. The building is absolutely amazing beyond believe. It amazed me 100 times more than all of the artwork. Every corner and space was detailed; every ceiling featured a painted story. It was awesome to imagine Napoleon walking through its halls.
The artwork was also pretty cool. We saw paitings by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Boticelli, etc. We even saw the Mona Lisa, though we both wonder why it's so awesome. My favorite exhibit was the Egyptian Antiquities. They had everything, including a mummy! Oh yeah, and Hunter was starving and bought a sandwich; it turned out to be cheese and carrot. Haha.
After the Louvre we went to a historic district I'd read about: St. Germaine. We found a cool Italian place where you watch one guy hand make all the pizzas. Hunter got an awesome pizza and I got homemade tortellini creme. The cream sauce was the richest, best I'd ever tasted and the shells were stffed with cheese.
The next day in Paris was really fun, even though we wasted the first 2 hours trying to get to Normandy (maybe I can go with my dad someday though!). We headed to Versailles, got on the wrong train, and met an American couple on their honeymoon.
The palace is amazing, but comepletely overdone. Every inch is marble, bronze, or painted by someone famous. We saw all the Kings and Queens quarters, the Hall of Mirrors, and even the door Marie Antionette used to escape the rioters.
The gardens were also awesome (sorry, everything really IS awesome). The manicured beauty went on as far as the could see. There were fountains, statues, hedges, trees, flowers, lakes, etc. All were perfectly arranged and kept. I kept imagining a Jane Austen novel taking place there.
Hunter and I bought sandwiches, rented bikes, and rode around the whole cross-shaped lake. We also saw Marie Antionette's house, which is hidden in the gardens. I'm not usually crazy about gardens, but I think everyone should see these at least once. They are unimaginable.
That night we went out to the Latin Quarter, which is full of clubs and college kids. We wanted to finally have a night out on the town, since we'd failed to go out so far.
There weren't sketchy bars or skanky girls puking behind bushes. The whole street was bustling: restaraunt owners beckoning you, artists painting, crepes cooking, clubs bouncing, ice cream eating, etc. We ate a gyro in a little shop while we built up our courage to enter George's, a club where a bouncer checked you out and let you in.
We were really nervous because 1) We weren't dressed really nice and 2) We couldn't speak French. After thinking we wouldn't get in... We did! It was my first club :)
The waitresses wore Mardi Gra masks and served drinks to all the packed tables. We looked the menu and almost died: 8euro drinks! After all the hassle of getting in, we gave in to the moment and ordered just one. Hunter had the most expensive Corona of his life, but at least my strawberry smoothie had a sparkler in it!
After the club we headed back to the hostel on the metro. Two crazy guys were belting out the lyrics to Kanye West. Come to find out, they were American and staying at our place.
Their sininging continued all the way home and they even got booed by a group of ten year olds. They were really cool guys and we wish we could've met them earlier. They were all from NY. Emile was Parisian and spoke 4+ languages. Parker was a slight nerd. Nate was a 7 foot giant. It was a great night and we spent 2 hours chatting with them until we decided bed was a good idea.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Quick Update
We met some really cool American guys and are hanging out with them tonight. Full details tomorrow during our trip to Luxembourg!
So Many Chances, But We're Just Too Dumb
Going to Versailles... Got an email from mom that Obama was speaking in Normandy... We wasted 2 hours trying to get a train or rent a car. Completely impossible. Now we hate ourselves, it's raining, and half the day's gone. Hunter says we were stupid cause all our parents told us to go like a month ago, plus we both wanted to... But didn't. Hopefully Versailles is awesome. Oh, and we went to the Louvre yesterday! More info to come...
Friday, June 5, 2009
Bon Apetit!
Lyon is also the food capital of France. (Also, Old Town is the largest Renaissance district in all Europe). Finding a cheap dinner wasn't an option; we were forced to go gourmet.
It took a while to understand the menus, but then realized this: One price included one starter, one entree, and one dessert. French dining is the polar opposite of American. Waiters get to know you, the pace is very slow, and there are at least 3, but usually like 5, courses.
We decided on the 15 euro meal (expensive, but still a great deal for 3 courses). I got a green salad with goat cheese puffs, steak in wine sauce and potatoes, and creme brulee. Hunter got onion soup (REAL French Onion Soup!), sasauge and boiled potatoes, and a tarte+ice cream thing.
The goat cheese puffs were amazing, even though I was afraid to order them. They were very warm and the first taste is shockingly strong. If I was a kid, I would've spit it out. Taking a moment to handle/decipher the taste lead me to realize it was delicious. Hunter's soup was also amazing. I can't believe he'd never tried it before; he ate the whole bowl. My steak was great (I ordered a medium becausw the French apparently undercook all meat, which I think is a good thing! There's no well-done over here.). The potatoes were strange. Hunter's were boiled, so they had no flavor. Mine had a crazy tart taste. As for the dessert: excellent. I was shocked because I think the creme brulee I've had in the US was actually better. I didn't taste Hunter's, but he cleared his entire plate.
We walked home, feeling intoxicated by food. We were so full, yet felt good, and were slightly sluggish. It was so tasty! I think the US is missing out a lot with its fast food and supermarkets.
It's now Friday morning and we're off to Paris. The lady told us they were all full, but we found a backdoor route through Dijon. This time we'll actually see the Louve, and maybe also the gargoyles on top of Notre Dame. We're also planning a day trip to Versailles.
It took a while to understand the menus, but then realized this: One price included one starter, one entree, and one dessert. French dining is the polar opposite of American. Waiters get to know you, the pace is very slow, and there are at least 3, but usually like 5, courses.
We decided on the 15 euro meal (expensive, but still a great deal for 3 courses). I got a green salad with goat cheese puffs, steak in wine sauce and potatoes, and creme brulee. Hunter got onion soup (REAL French Onion Soup!), sasauge and boiled potatoes, and a tarte+ice cream thing.
The goat cheese puffs were amazing, even though I was afraid to order them. They were very warm and the first taste is shockingly strong. If I was a kid, I would've spit it out. Taking a moment to handle/decipher the taste lead me to realize it was delicious. Hunter's soup was also amazing. I can't believe he'd never tried it before; he ate the whole bowl. My steak was great (I ordered a medium becausw the French apparently undercook all meat, which I think is a good thing! There's no well-done over here.). The potatoes were strange. Hunter's were boiled, so they had no flavor. Mine had a crazy tart taste. As for the dessert: excellent. I was shocked because I think the creme brulee I've had in the US was actually better. I didn't taste Hunter's, but he cleared his entire plate.
We walked home, feeling intoxicated by food. We were so full, yet felt good, and were slightly sluggish. It was so tasty! I think the US is missing out a lot with its fast food and supermarkets.
It's now Friday morning and we're off to Paris. The lady told us they were all full, but we found a backdoor route through Dijon. This time we'll actually see the Louve, and maybe also the gargoyles on top of Notre Dame. We're also planning a day trip to Versailles.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Romans and the Renaissance
We arrived in Lyon at 10:30pm and were shocked to find a modern, dirty, unwelcoming front. We tried to hurry through the metro system to our hostel as quickly as possible. We got hustled numerous times that night, something that hadn't happened to us anuywhere else in France.
We met a cool guy that spoke 6 languages in the hostel. The place was slightly run down, but the atmosphere was great. Unfortunately, the rooms were sex-segregated. Hunter had 3 other roomies; I had 5. It was pitch black trying to unpack quietly. Luckily a girl, Simone, showed me my nightlight.
I slept terribly, but Hunter slept like a rock. Breakfast was actually different: chocolate cereal! It was so delicious. Our hostel had a view over the Rhone and the Old City. We were on top of a huge hill.
The girls in my room were really cool and we ate breakfast together. Simone is from Canada. She is travelling for 1 month, then teaching English in Italy for 1 month, and finishing the the summer with a month of Italian classes. The other two girls were British and were there shopping for a summer flat. Hunter's roomates were Australians touring Europe for 5 months.
The showers were afwul and only stayed on for 3 seconds each time you pushed the button. Still, we got ready and checked out Old Town churches. All the churches are beautiful and there are tons of them. Hunter gets really creeped out in them.
Instead of sitting down for lunch, we ate little goodies we found in various shops. We shared a bread/pizza/bell pepper roll thing that was DELICIOUS, a strawberry crepe, and a chicken/pizza/sandwich. The French know how to cook and eat!!
We also went to a Roman village and museum. It was so cool! It had two ampitheaters still standing and lots of houses/stores. The museum was really informative and fun. The difference from the US is people can walk all over the ruins, wether or not it's safe or damaging.
Next we explored the neighborhood between the Rhone and Seine. It is the New City, even though it was still built in the 18th century (that's Europe for you). New City has tons of modern stores, none of which I could afford. I did, however, find a cute pair of sneakers for only 9 euro!
After a short nap, the best meal ever was had...
We met a cool guy that spoke 6 languages in the hostel. The place was slightly run down, but the atmosphere was great. Unfortunately, the rooms were sex-segregated. Hunter had 3 other roomies; I had 5. It was pitch black trying to unpack quietly. Luckily a girl, Simone, showed me my nightlight.
I slept terribly, but Hunter slept like a rock. Breakfast was actually different: chocolate cereal! It was so delicious. Our hostel had a view over the Rhone and the Old City. We were on top of a huge hill.
The girls in my room were really cool and we ate breakfast together. Simone is from Canada. She is travelling for 1 month, then teaching English in Italy for 1 month, and finishing the the summer with a month of Italian classes. The other two girls were British and were there shopping for a summer flat. Hunter's roomates were Australians touring Europe for 5 months.
The showers were afwul and only stayed on for 3 seconds each time you pushed the button. Still, we got ready and checked out Old Town churches. All the churches are beautiful and there are tons of them. Hunter gets really creeped out in them.
Instead of sitting down for lunch, we ate little goodies we found in various shops. We shared a bread/pizza/bell pepper roll thing that was DELICIOUS, a strawberry crepe, and a chicken/pizza/sandwich. The French know how to cook and eat!!
We also went to a Roman village and museum. It was so cool! It had two ampitheaters still standing and lots of houses/stores. The museum was really informative and fun. The difference from the US is people can walk all over the ruins, wether or not it's safe or damaging.
Next we explored the neighborhood between the Rhone and Seine. It is the New City, even though it was still built in the 18th century (that's Europe for you). New City has tons of modern stores, none of which I could afford. I did, however, find a cute pair of sneakers for only 9 euro!
After a short nap, the best meal ever was had...
Upadte!
Sorry I haven't written! Hunter and I got different rooms so their was some difficulty with having one phone. We're safe on a train headining from Lyon to Dijon to Paris. It's 8:30am here.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Extras...
Hunter now has a French alter-ego, which is arrogant, metrosexual, and loves only France, cigarettes, and croissants. Hunter is also obsessed with BrickBreaker, a stupid game on the BlackBerry. Speaking of cigarettes, we each smoke like 2 a day now, thanks to all the ridiculous second-hand smoke. Hunter needs his tonsils out; he hawks at least 50 lugees per day. I have stepped in dog poo twice. I wore my sandlas for a week straight and almost have 3 blisters. I also bought a fruit drink that turned out to be a drink mix with probably 50,000 g of sugar (and Hunter says he told me not to). We have discovered most all of the stereotypes about French are true: markets, flower shops, everyone smoking, crazy drivers, topless tanning, non-stop wine drinking, pastry obsession, paying to use the bathroom, etc.
Goodbye Sea
Hello all! While we miss you terribly, we might miss the French Riviera even more! As I speak, we're on a train headed for Lyon, France. Yesterday in Antibes was so relaxing. We laid on a small beach (with sand!) outside the ancient walled city of Antibes. As always, we didn't want to put on sunscreen, so we got crazy sunburns. Hunter even put on his shirt while I continued to roast. While in Antibes, we also explored Fort Caree, which was really old and awesome. Unfortunately, our tour guide only spoke French. Most historic sites here only have explanations in French, which stinks. We came home early to pack and figure out our train situation. We discovered that Nimes just wasn't working out. Neither was Geneva. For the sake of our sanity, we settled for a ride to Lyon. We did our laundry by hand and paid 3 euros for a dryer that didn't even work. Then we got Indian food at a little restaraunt. We thought we could share, but the portion was tiny. It was so good, but hardly filling. Feeling poor, we decided to just sleep it off. This mroning we took an early train to Eze, a Medieval city we'd read about. The train dropped us in a beautiful coastal city. Hunter was excited when we found a sign saying "Eze 1hour." I wasn't so enthused. We made the trek anyway and found ourselves on a strenuous path going up a huge mountain. It soon became very tropical and we even found an old house and waterfall. Finally we reached Eze. It sat on top of a hill and was so awesome!! It looked almost like a movie set. It was filled with shops, restaraunts, and hotels that probably cost 1,000 dollars per night. It was an awesome day. We ate our sack lunch and explored. Now we're on the train writing postcards, stuffed from our grocery store finds.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Tragedy
After swimming and tanning for an hour, the rain clouds started to appear again. We packed up our stuff and started for home. We stopped for the regional specialty, paella, but it was a major letdown. It's rice with mussels and shrimp (I didn't eat any nasty mussels) but it didn't really taste like much. Along the way home we found a whole narrow street filled with sweet shops. In one shop there were a hundred types of homemade candies, cookies, and chocolates. We got 2 cookies and 2 candies: it cost 4 euros! We laid out our towels in a park and ate them beside a fountain. After cleaning up at home we decided to run to the train station. After almost 2 hours looking at schedules and almost getting ripped off by ticket guys, we got tickets for a round trip to Cannes, the beach city where all the movie stars come each May. We booked our same hostel for tonight and went to Old Nice. We ate at an Italian restaurant where we'd seen some awesome rigatoni pasta. After we oedered, we realized we only had 27.20 euro between us; we were at a nice restaraunt. Hunter got a trofie pesto and I got the rigatoni al forno. They were both absolutely delicious. There was enough rigatoni left over for lunch for the both of us. Then tragedy struck: THERE ARE NO TO-GO BOXES IN FRANCE!! We ate until we felt sick, but there was so much that got thrown away. It was horrible. Theb, to make matters worse, we were 30 cents short on the bill. We left our money on the table, ran home, only had 20's, got gelato to make change, and gave the guy 2 euro to keep, all before the restaraunt closed. Then we went home (the Finnish were already sleeping) and slept. Today we woke up and rode to Cannes. It had a tiny beach and nothing really historic. We left immediately, got another train, and are now headed to Antibes, which has a castle! Here is past tidbit I forgot to mention: Hunter got a coke at a restaraunt and it cost 4 euros, which he's still mad about.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Yes, They're Topless
Everyone, be jealous. Hunter and I are laying on a Mediteranean beach, surrounded by historic buildings, blue water, waterfalls, and naked old women. We spent the morning walking through the antique markets and exploring Le Chateau, the ruins of a castle and church up above Nice. Now we're sunbathing on the rocky beach; there's absolutely no sand. The water. And temperature are perfect. We plan on exploring, shopping, and eating our way through Nice for the rest of the day...
The Best of Old Nice
Hunter and I spent all night walking the streets of Nice. We thought the city was dead, but we found Old Nice around 8:00pm and it was more than alive. All the people eat later here and all the restaraunts spill out into the cobble stone streets. There's live music and tons of people. It's funny because people here are always eating. In the morning people eat pastries, then drink cofee out of doll-sized tea cups, then there's lunch, then afternoon drinks, late dinner, and late drinking. We ate gelato in the rain and went home. Our Finnish roomates were already asleep.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Nice is Nice
We are now in the South of France and realizing that we have been on fast forward, when we really need to slow down! We had nowhere to stay and tried a few places with no luck. We decided to run over to a hostel with no vacancy to ask for advice. Lucky for us, they had space! We are now staying in a hostel here. It is 5 floors, traditional on the outside, and Ikea on the inside. We are sharing a 4-person room with 2 sisters from Finland. They are 17 and 18. We took a bus up into the hills of Nice where we stumbled upon a beautiful church (with a dead body!), an amazing hillside park with olive trees, little dogs, and people under umbrellas, the Musee Matisse (art museum), and a whole excavated Roman city! Everything was free and we felt like we hit the jackpot. Also, being on a hill, we had an amazing view of Nice and the Mediteranean (I know, that's probably spelled wrong). We rode the bus back down and somehow ended up a mile in the wrong direction. The bus driver kicked us off but told us he'd come back and give us a free ride in 15 minutes. That's where we met the sweetest old lady. She reminded me of my grandma Betty and was so cute! We began talking to her in French, with the help of our dictionary, and found out she knew absolutely no English. Actually, I do think she said "New York," but that hardly counts. She taught us words and we were all laughing together. It was definitely one of the best experiences thus far. When the bus driver finally rescued us we began looking for some cheap food. My goal is 3euro for breakfast, 5 for lunch, and less than 10 for dinner. Hunter, on the other hand, just eats whatever. We ate at a little Italian place with awesome pizza and paninis. We're going back tonight for gelato. We haven't gotten to the beach yet, but we're shooting for tonight and tomorrow. Hunter is still passed out, but I'm ready! We'll be in Nice tonight (and I'M hoping tomorrow).
continued...
Sorry, I'm back! Hunter is napping and I already showered and did my laundry, so it's back to blogging about Paris! So we left our bags at the hostel and hit the market. There was a market for every type of food: pastries, meat, fish, bread, produce. There were also many antique anf thrift stands. It was a dream come true! And unlike America, where only old people and weirdos go to markets, all the Parisians come out to shop. Everyone buys all their food and pulls it around in little shopping bags with wheels. Almost everyone you see at any time has a long piece of bread under one arm. We decided to buy a boat ticket, which allowed a full day of cruising the Siene, hopping along all the tourist spots. I thought I'd seen a lot of Paris beauty, but I hadn't seen anything. Notre Dame is huge and so beautiful! We want to go back and see the roof and gargoyles. The Louvre is even bigger, and I never knew that Napoleon once lived there. It was late, so we decided to visit another time and headed to the Arc de Triumph. Along the way was an awesome obelisk. We'd bought a train ticket and decided to get ready to leave. We didn't want to but every place we tried was totally booked. We bought a couchette bed in a ten-hour train to the South Coast. We were dead by the time we boarded. We shared with an old French man and a young couple. I fell asleep quickly, but Hunter tossed an turned all night. We woke up eaely and met a nice family of 6 from Queen Creek, AZ who traveling Europe. So far, the South is beautiful. All the houses are pink with red roofs and swimming pools. The beaches are rocky and the water's clear blue, like Florida.
Paris: Take Two
I woke up early and showered while Hunter slept in. We had a yummy breakfast at the hostel and headed out in search of a new placw to stay. We stumbled upon a whole street market. My backpack was already killing me so we decided to head back to the hostel and watch our bags (Right now we're sitting on a park bench talking to the coolest old lady who speaks NO English! She's so sweet!)
The City of Lights
Paris was our first night in a hostel and our first chance to catch our breath. We slept in a room with 6 bunks. Hunter and slept head-to-head on the top. All the kids were *merican in our room: Philly, Brooklyn, and Kansas. There was also a girl from Australia who's been living in various hostels for 6 years! Everything was clean and we even got free breakfast, which was bread and jam, and cereal with warm milk. The only downside were the showers, which turned off every 30 seconds and were extremely tiny. (It's Sunday and Hunter hasn't showered since Thursday haha) That night we walked to the Eiffel Tower and watched it light up. It's beautiful and a lot bigger than I'd imagined. What was awesome was the people. Hundreds of young Parisians sat in the grass around the Tower, riding up on mopeds, drinkning wine, smoking cigarettes, laughingN singing, and eating. It was something you'd never see in the US. We decided to save going to the top of the Tower for another time because we were exhausted. Oh and I forgot the drama: our phone wouldn't work in Paris, we were both tired/grouchy, couldn't get to Nice, and were starving. We got a good Indian meal and felt a little better. Then Carol got a hold of her French customer who really helped us out. It was a good night in Paris.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Paris, hostels, and overnight trains
I am writing in the darkness of a couchette on an overnight train headed for Nice, France...
Friday, May 29, 2009
French Trains are Tricky
So apparently you need reservations to ride high speed trains and main lines. Since we didn't know, we are now stuck on an incredibley slow train headed for Paris. Oh and our situation wasn't helped by the fact that our phone was an hour off local time, meaning we slept in until 8 instead of 7. Once we get to Paris we don't know what to do. We were supposed to be in Nimes tonight, but that probably isn't going to happen. That means we lose 32euro on the hostel we booked, since we wouldve had to cancel at 6pm last night.Maybe we'll get to Nimes, maybe not. Maybe we'Ll do Normandy instead. We're bummed but trying to keep our hopes up.
30 Minutes in Dover
Now I've seen the cliffs of Dover. Ecerything is Great Britain is GREEN! On top of the cliffs is an amazing castle and tunnels are cut under it. You can see little windows carved out. I want to tour it on our way back. We would've missed our ferry if it hadn't been 15 min late. Yikes! We were 2 of only 6 foot passengers. Most others drove cars or freight trucks. We met a guy named Josh who was from Texas. He was a little different, but a really nice guy. After the ferry we walked to Calais with him, when suddenly a woman pulled over in her car to help us. Her name was Nancy and she gave us a tiny tour of town as we drove to our hotel. She was so sweet she even took Josh back to her house so he could use her internet. Our room was tiny, yellow, and had bunk beds. We were happy to shower and sleep... But we should've looked at the train schedules...
continued...
We were running late to the train station but managed to meet Brian's family. They live in a really cute, traditonal home. It's made out of flint and brick. Everything was colorful and embellished. Brian's wife made us homemade quiche and salad. It was amazing. On the way to the train station we drove through downtown London, which I think was the West End. It was filled with many colorful people and beutiful old buildings. When Brian parked the car he paid with his cell phone, so interesting. Also, you never seen big trucks or SUVs likw you do in the US! The train station is confusing, especially since we tried to get on the underground one. Finally, with less than 5 minutes to go, we made it on our train to Dover. We are both really excited to spend our last few days with Brian's family. :)
Travels so far...
Our plane was amazing. We had 70 movies to choose from and tons of tv to watch. We even got cute little gift bags with socks, eye masks, and blankets. Even the food was surprisingly good: Chicken, pasta, a salad, roll, and dessert. The ride was smooth and actually pretty quick, though the seats were way too small to sleep in. We arrived on time but were delayed by the airport, they didn't have a terminal for us. When we got off we were given some trouble by the immigration officer for not knowing Brian's address. We just crossed everything out and went through another lady who didn't ask so many questions. Brian was waiting for us outside and took us home in his tiny Toyota. It's so weird driving on the wrong side of the road! Plus, people from London drive so differently. Everyone tailgates, speeds, and never stops, everything is roundabouts.
Stuck in Calais
So we're stuck in Calais. Apparently it's a huge holiday here so all the trains are booked. Our only option is getting to Paris at 4. So much for Nimes. We'll try for tomorrow but who knows, we may not be making it to the festival at all.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Safe and Sound in Calais, France
We are ready to sleep! Write a ton in the morning, don't worry! P.S. We made an American friend on the ferry and we rescued by a monderful French woman who showed us the sights and drove us to our hotel :)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Planning for the trip!
Hey everyone (aka our parents)!
This is a test-drive of the blog... I'm just adding the link to our intinerary, which I'll try to fill in as much as possible! There's a possibility that this will be a total failure, but if not, it might be kinda cool!
Check it out:
http://www.tripit.com/trip/public/id/80F505D8EE33D15072EDA41D659AF1AE
This is a test-drive of the blog... I'm just adding the link to our intinerary, which I'll try to fill in as much as possible! There's a possibility that this will be a total failure, but if not, it might be kinda cool!
Check it out:
http://www.tripit.com/trip/public/id/80F505D8EE33D15072EDA41D659AF1AE
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