This weekend was my last trip before my final weekend in Florence and then my parents coming. It is so crazy how time has flown by here. I went on the school trip to Southern France which is suppossed to be the last hurrah trip so about 90 GIF people went so it was huge and great. We stayed in a hotel in Nice that was 1 block from the beach so of course after our tour the first day we all ran to the beach. The tour of Nice in the morning was nice. Honestly I think we are all kindof tired of tours at this point so mostly we were taking pictures of cool places and soaking in the sun on the walk. It was nice to get oriented with the city. We also got to see where Elton John and George Cloony's houses are as well as the hospital where Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had their twins (just a bit of celebrety facts that I thought was interesting). Then we ended at a famous Bar called Waynes for a light lunch and wine and then it was off the the beach.
I think everyone had the same idea so we all put on our swimsuits and ran down there. Unfortunetly the beaches in Nice are rocky not sandy like at home but its ok we made it work. Nice actually has to manually rebuild their beaches every year because of the erosion in the winter. We laid out our towels, had a beer, slept, chatted and went swimming...the water was still cold but did feel nice. Since we were out there all day and alot of us have not seen the sun for a while when we got back tons of people were burnt. Luckily for me I was just slightly pink not like the lobsters some people were looking like. That night I went into old town with some girls where we wandered around to find a small hole-in-the-wall resturant that had French food. I had Ratatouille and I have to admit I may have ordered it just because I had learned about it from the Disney movie....but it was still delicious. Also, France gives you free tap water which is awesome!!!! The little things we take for granted.
The next day we took a bus to Aix-en-Provence (more inland France) where we wandered around markets, got yummy crepes and basically relaxed and explored..nothing too exciting happened there but it was really pretty and the market was great and huge. That night I explored Nice some more, made my own dinner to save some money ( and I wasnt that hungry) and basiucally relaxed and went to bed. I feel really old that I didnt go out any night but I think all of us are so worn out from traveling so much that this was our relax and recover trip, and I have to admit it was sooo nice. The last day the bus took us to Monte Carlo, Monaco which is actually a different country that many people think is part of France. This is where the famous Monaco Grand Prix race is heald. It is really cool because the race car track actually is the streets of Monte Carlo so there are really nice roads and bumpers all over. Also there were the nicest cars I have ever seen there. Monte Carlo is also famous for its casino which I didnt get to see because it didnt open until 2 and we were not there that long. On our bus ride back to Florence we wound up the hill and saw where the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters of Tennis on clay courts was being played and we could see all of the courts and stands filled with people. It was pretty cool even though I am not a tennis player.
So I would say it was a successful last trip to send my time here in Europe. Now I have to get craxking on papers and studying this week. I have 2 finals, a quiz and one paper due this week and then 2 finals and a paper do next week so I have alot to do, so I am definetly staying in Florence this weekend. Then my parents are coming in on the 22nd so I cannot wait...of course they cant either as my mom I swear stared backing 2 weeks ago. We are going to explore Italy some more and relax alot which will be great as the weather is about a constant 70 degrees now. I hope all is well at home. I will be back and hope to see everyone in 3 weeks!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Beer, Brats and Lederhosen
I just have to say I am proud to be German. Munich I think has moved up my list of the most favorite places I have been. Last weekend I took an 8hour drive to Munich which actually was not nearly as bad as it seems (I think I have just gotten used to bus rides now).
The first day we were there we woke up early for Mike's Bike tour. The guide was funny and entertaining which made it way better because I am a little tired of the typical tour by now. We rode all around the city seeing famous squares, standing exactly where Hitler stood in some instances and learning the history of Germany. Then the tour went through the English Garden (where there is a nude grass area...yes we saw things in only 70 degree weather). And then we stopped at a beer garden. I got Currywurst and shared a radler beer (beer with lemonade) with a friend of mine. Of course some people didnt share and so getting back on the bikes was a funny sight as some people were a little bit happier. The weather was absolutely amazing and everyone we met talked about how lucky we were. After the bike tour we got to explore for the day, so of course the group all wanted to go to the famous beerhouse called the Hofbrauhaus. There we met a group of German boys who were wearing sweatshirst full of bells, signatures, and crazy feather hats. Turns out they has just been released from the army and were celebrating. We found out that before you go one to any form of higher education in Germany you used to be required to enter the army or do civil service for a certain amount of time. This requirement had just been abolished so these 20 year olds were celebrating. It was fun to learn all about Germany and the culture. Later that night I ate a traditional German dinner of some sort of pork and a potato dumpling (honestly its kind of rubbery). But the group I was with sat for hours at our table just relaxing and chatting which was great and of course I had to get my first apple strudel of the trip.
The next morning, Saturday, was the Dachau Concentration Camp tour. Dacchau was the only concentration camp to be open the entire time of WWII so it is full of history and stories. We had a great tour guide who was actually a historian and a concentration camp specialist so she led an amazing tour. The camp itself was built for 6000 people and at its highest point had about 40,000...I could not even imagine. It was an erie and sad experience but I am very glad that I did it. There were definetly moment where I was stunned and felt uncomfortable but I think that is normal. Its is honestly hard to explain the experience.
That afternoon we had free so a large group of us went to an open air market, which of course had another beer garden...those things are everywhere in Munich!!!. But I got a Bratworst and walked around with my friend Hannah. We got fresh fruit juice, honey gummy bears and endless samples for the super nice German people. Then we ventured up to Olympic Park to see the stadiums. The park is huge and with 70+ weather it was the BEST thing to do. Hannah and I sat on the grass for at least 2 hours chatting away and enjoying the amazing view of the lake, watching paddleboats and soaking in the sun. I could live in Munich easily. The BEST part of the trip by far was when a small group of us decided to go check out another beer hall by our hostel that night. Turns out we encountered the HUGE strong beer fest. There was a live German Band standing on barells barefoot playing instruments. Everyone was dreessed up in traditional clothes (we were almost out of place in normal clothes) and everyone was standing on chairs dancing and drinking out of steins...I love Germans thats all I can say. We sang and danced along. It was the true experience...and I took plenty of videos to document how cool it was. Needless to say my dinner that night was amazing beer and applestrudel...welcome to Germany.
The last morning we woke up for a shorter bus ride to Neuschwanstein to see King Ludwig's Castle which is the one that Walt Disney based his sleeping beauty castle off of. We got tickets to go inside and everything was lavishly paintied, with jewels and mosaics everywhere. Everything you would ever hope a castle would be. There were even secret doors and cave passageways. It was very fun....I just wish I had a crown:)
Finally it was time to take the long bus ride home, but overal it was a great trip. Only two weeks left with Souther France trip next weekend and then finals. My aunt Kat and uncle Tom are here this week so it is very fun to have familiar faces around!
The first day we were there we woke up early for Mike's Bike tour. The guide was funny and entertaining which made it way better because I am a little tired of the typical tour by now. We rode all around the city seeing famous squares, standing exactly where Hitler stood in some instances and learning the history of Germany. Then the tour went through the English Garden (where there is a nude grass area...yes we saw things in only 70 degree weather). And then we stopped at a beer garden. I got Currywurst and shared a radler beer (beer with lemonade) with a friend of mine. Of course some people didnt share and so getting back on the bikes was a funny sight as some people were a little bit happier. The weather was absolutely amazing and everyone we met talked about how lucky we were. After the bike tour we got to explore for the day, so of course the group all wanted to go to the famous beerhouse called the Hofbrauhaus. There we met a group of German boys who were wearing sweatshirst full of bells, signatures, and crazy feather hats. Turns out they has just been released from the army and were celebrating. We found out that before you go one to any form of higher education in Germany you used to be required to enter the army or do civil service for a certain amount of time. This requirement had just been abolished so these 20 year olds were celebrating. It was fun to learn all about Germany and the culture. Later that night I ate a traditional German dinner of some sort of pork and a potato dumpling (honestly its kind of rubbery). But the group I was with sat for hours at our table just relaxing and chatting which was great and of course I had to get my first apple strudel of the trip.
The next morning, Saturday, was the Dachau Concentration Camp tour. Dacchau was the only concentration camp to be open the entire time of WWII so it is full of history and stories. We had a great tour guide who was actually a historian and a concentration camp specialist so she led an amazing tour. The camp itself was built for 6000 people and at its highest point had about 40,000...I could not even imagine. It was an erie and sad experience but I am very glad that I did it. There were definetly moment where I was stunned and felt uncomfortable but I think that is normal. Its is honestly hard to explain the experience.
That afternoon we had free so a large group of us went to an open air market, which of course had another beer garden...those things are everywhere in Munich!!!. But I got a Bratworst and walked around with my friend Hannah. We got fresh fruit juice, honey gummy bears and endless samples for the super nice German people. Then we ventured up to Olympic Park to see the stadiums. The park is huge and with 70+ weather it was the BEST thing to do. Hannah and I sat on the grass for at least 2 hours chatting away and enjoying the amazing view of the lake, watching paddleboats and soaking in the sun. I could live in Munich easily. The BEST part of the trip by far was when a small group of us decided to go check out another beer hall by our hostel that night. Turns out we encountered the HUGE strong beer fest. There was a live German Band standing on barells barefoot playing instruments. Everyone was dreessed up in traditional clothes (we were almost out of place in normal clothes) and everyone was standing on chairs dancing and drinking out of steins...I love Germans thats all I can say. We sang and danced along. It was the true experience...and I took plenty of videos to document how cool it was. Needless to say my dinner that night was amazing beer and applestrudel...welcome to Germany.
The last morning we woke up for a shorter bus ride to Neuschwanstein to see King Ludwig's Castle which is the one that Walt Disney based his sleeping beauty castle off of. We got tickets to go inside and everything was lavishly paintied, with jewels and mosaics everywhere. Everything you would ever hope a castle would be. There were even secret doors and cave passageways. It was very fun....I just wish I had a crown:)
Finally it was time to take the long bus ride home, but overal it was a great trip. Only two weeks left with Souther France trip next weekend and then finals. My aunt Kat and uncle Tom are here this week so it is very fun to have familiar faces around!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Amazing Amalfi Coast!
Yay sun!!!!! This weekend I went to the Amalfi coast of Italy. We stayed in Sorrento and then traveled to Capri, Positano and then Pompeii on the last day. It was a great fun, exhausting, relazing trip all in one. We arrived in Sorrento and checked into out cabins. Each group had a small cabin to themselves in the middle of orange and lemon trees. It felt like we were in the amazon. I stayed in a cabin with 4 other people which was a blast and then there were 6 other Gonzaga girls in another cabin so it was a perfect group.
The first full day we went to Capril to go on a hike. We had been told it was difficult but we all figured we were in good shape. Little did we know we would be rock climbing for parts of it and trecking uphill on steap loose rocks for at least an hour. I have to admit tit was soooo rewarding and a blast even though we complained and laughed through the whole thing. The views above the island of Capri were spectacular and the sun was blazing so some people even got burnt. The hike was so high that at one point we were even above the cloud line. It was a crazy experience that I already want to do again...even though my calves are still killing me. On the way down we took the famous Spanish stairs. These stairs go down the side of the cliff zig-zagging and there are over a thousand. It would have been ok if we hadnt just hiked for an hour or if the steps had been evenly spaced but of course this was not the case. Our legs were shaking like none other by the end.
After the hike we were soooo hungry so we got the infamous Caprese sandwiches we had heard so much about. And yes they are as good as expecited. Fresh bread, marinated tomatoes and mozzerella. It was the first of many.
Of course afterwards we had to take a boat trip around the island. So we found a local guy about our age who hooked us up with a friend of his who agreed to illegally take 11+ him on a boat that only allows 8 total. The entire time he made us duck out of the harbor and was searching for police as not to get caught it was histerical. This captain was so enthusiastic about his rock figures in the shapes of animals and he also took us into some caves similar to the blue lagoon which were beautiful (we couldnt go into the actual blue lagoon becuase it closes before 2 becuase of high tide). It was a blast, and I have some great pictures to show it. Eventually we hearded back to Sorrento on a ferry and we were so exhausted we all showered and basically went to bed (not even getting dinner).
The next day was our beach day in Positano, a small romanitic Italian city on a hill on the coast. All of us girls put on our swimsuits and dresses for the day. Of course right when we got there and layed out our towels, the clouds rolled in and the rain came along with them...of course. So our beach day didnt happen as planned but it was still fun to see the beautiful city. That afternoon some poeple decided to go into Naples to get the infamous pizza, yet my cabin decided to stay in Sorrento since we hadnt even seen the city we were staying in yet. While 3 people slept I ventured out with my friend Russ to explore the streets. Little did we know sorrento is way bigger than expected and has tons of little allyway streets filled with fun shops. We scoped out resturants or dinner and found some fun souveniers. For dinner we reassembled the cabin and went to a resturant famous for its Buffalo Mozzerella. It was delicious. We enjoyed a great relaxing meal together and then explored the busy nighttime streets of Sorrento. Of course being absolutely exhausted hit us again and we retired to bed waayyy earlier than we expected again (we are getting old).
The last day we went to Pompeii with the entire tour group. We went on this trip through the same program as greece which is called Euroadventures. This tour was led by Father Bruno who is a character. Is is an old priest who basiclaly couch surfs, draws, runs and says "dawg" all of the time. He is actually friends with my friends from Portland, the Bergmans and slept on their couch for a while so it was fun to bond with him over mutual friends. He defiently made our trip. WHen we got to Pompeii Bruno got us a guide and also bought us lunch. The city was way bigger than I expected and the molds of the victims take your breath away. It is earie. Finally it was time to venture home but it was a spectacular trip. only 3 more weekends to go now until school is over...scary.
The first full day we went to Capril to go on a hike. We had been told it was difficult but we all figured we were in good shape. Little did we know we would be rock climbing for parts of it and trecking uphill on steap loose rocks for at least an hour. I have to admit tit was soooo rewarding and a blast even though we complained and laughed through the whole thing. The views above the island of Capri were spectacular and the sun was blazing so some people even got burnt. The hike was so high that at one point we were even above the cloud line. It was a crazy experience that I already want to do again...even though my calves are still killing me. On the way down we took the famous Spanish stairs. These stairs go down the side of the cliff zig-zagging and there are over a thousand. It would have been ok if we hadnt just hiked for an hour or if the steps had been evenly spaced but of course this was not the case. Our legs were shaking like none other by the end.
After the hike we were soooo hungry so we got the infamous Caprese sandwiches we had heard so much about. And yes they are as good as expecited. Fresh bread, marinated tomatoes and mozzerella. It was the first of many.
Of course afterwards we had to take a boat trip around the island. So we found a local guy about our age who hooked us up with a friend of his who agreed to illegally take 11+ him on a boat that only allows 8 total. The entire time he made us duck out of the harbor and was searching for police as not to get caught it was histerical. This captain was so enthusiastic about his rock figures in the shapes of animals and he also took us into some caves similar to the blue lagoon which were beautiful (we couldnt go into the actual blue lagoon becuase it closes before 2 becuase of high tide). It was a blast, and I have some great pictures to show it. Eventually we hearded back to Sorrento on a ferry and we were so exhausted we all showered and basically went to bed (not even getting dinner).
The next day was our beach day in Positano, a small romanitic Italian city on a hill on the coast. All of us girls put on our swimsuits and dresses for the day. Of course right when we got there and layed out our towels, the clouds rolled in and the rain came along with them...of course. So our beach day didnt happen as planned but it was still fun to see the beautiful city. That afternoon some poeple decided to go into Naples to get the infamous pizza, yet my cabin decided to stay in Sorrento since we hadnt even seen the city we were staying in yet. While 3 people slept I ventured out with my friend Russ to explore the streets. Little did we know sorrento is way bigger than expected and has tons of little allyway streets filled with fun shops. We scoped out resturants or dinner and found some fun souveniers. For dinner we reassembled the cabin and went to a resturant famous for its Buffalo Mozzerella. It was delicious. We enjoyed a great relaxing meal together and then explored the busy nighttime streets of Sorrento. Of course being absolutely exhausted hit us again and we retired to bed waayyy earlier than we expected again (we are getting old).
The last day we went to Pompeii with the entire tour group. We went on this trip through the same program as greece which is called Euroadventures. This tour was led by Father Bruno who is a character. Is is an old priest who basiclaly couch surfs, draws, runs and says "dawg" all of the time. He is actually friends with my friends from Portland, the Bergmans and slept on their couch for a while so it was fun to bond with him over mutual friends. He defiently made our trip. WHen we got to Pompeii Bruno got us a guide and also bought us lunch. The city was way bigger than I expected and the molds of the victims take your breath away. It is earie. Finally it was time to venture home but it was a spectacular trip. only 3 more weekends to go now until school is over...scary.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Spring Break in Greece- My Gyroadventures:)
So Greece was my destination for Spring Break and wow I cant believe how fast it went by. The trip truly felt like a short weekend (of course it was filled with alot of travel). A group of my friends and I signed up with a tour group called Euroadventures that was founded by a GU grad to do the trip. This way we did not have to plan anything...it was all done for us which was awesome and made things so relaxing which is how spring break should be.
We took a bus to the port of Anconda where we caught an overnight ferry to Greece. Picture a 3 star cruise ship complete with a disco, bars, pool, rooms etc. Being able to just hang out on a ship made the travel much easier. Then we arrived in Greece only to have to take another ferry to the island of Corfu. Turns out March is still before tourist season as well so when we got to Corfu and especially the little town we were staying in it was deserted. Literally nothing was open except for our hotel. Thankfully the hotel had great cheap lunches and provided us with 3 course Greek dinners which were delicious. Also, because we were basically the only group staying in the hotel that can fit 700 we all have ocean view rooms...so alot of our time was relaxing on our decks.
The first full day there some of my friends and I decided to go on the quad safari for the day that the hotel offered. It was 6 hours exploring the island views and beaches and offroading on a quad. It was SOOOO much fun and beautiful. We drove through the tiny hill towns that you think only exsist in movies with the little old lady sitting on a chair in the doorway, the men socializing at a bar, sheeps and goats in wooded pastures. It was amazing.
The second day I decided to just hang out on the beach as it was 70+ degrees out. I even got a tiny bit burnt which of course is gone now. We has the most amazing day reading, talking, doing yoga on the beach, swimming (it was still a bit cold) and just playing around like little kids.
Eventually it was time for us to leave on an overnight bus to Athens. Talk about a wierd expeience but I was surprised to sleep decently well for the conditions. We all had a twilight moment when the bus driver drove onto a ferry and we all wake up to the bus spinning and all we can see is water and a massive bridge above us...crazy things in Greece.
Now on to Athens we arrived at 8:30am and then immediately had a tour to see all the main sights and orient outselvves with the city. Coffee was a priority to survive the day even part way so we found the nearest Starbucks and CostaCoffee. We saw Parlament buildings, changing of the guard (they wear really funny shoes), the first modern olympic games stadium, and then ruins and up to the Acropolis. The Acropolis has amazing views of all of Athens becuase nothing in the city can be built higher. Also, the ruins themselves are so amazing to see. The city is actually in the process of reconstructting all the the ruins to how they would have looked which I found very interesting that they are not just keeping them in the current state. The rest of the day I spent with my friend Ashley as we faught the desire to sleep to keep exploring the city.
That night all of the Gonzaga travelers signed up for an authentic greek meal at a nearby resturant and we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. food and wine kept coming and coming and coming. masaka, tziki ( I am sure I am butchering all of the spelling), lamb, chicken, stuff that I have no idea what it was but probably about 20 plates total and then traditional greece dessert of greek yogurt and honey with these almond bar things. We couldnt move after to say the least.
The next day I ventured out with a group to see all of the other ruins that were closed the day before and we definetly saw them all. Of course eventually we were ruined out and just explored around. And then we ran into a riot/demonstration. There were just tonds of riot police guarding all of the government buildings and then we walked further and found the actual protestors with signs and calls. we ran into someone who spoke english who just said it was unsafe and stay away...ok great so thats exactly what we did. eventually it all dispersed with no violence so all was fine. But it was interesting to see what we hear about in the news. Eventually it became time to leave Athens after ruins, markets and greek food galore and it was back onto the overnight ferry and then the bus back.
Now I am home in Florence...it is just as sunny here now and I do not want to go to class at all. But, I cant really be that lucky:) I hope all is well at home! Only 1 month to go.
We took a bus to the port of Anconda where we caught an overnight ferry to Greece. Picture a 3 star cruise ship complete with a disco, bars, pool, rooms etc. Being able to just hang out on a ship made the travel much easier. Then we arrived in Greece only to have to take another ferry to the island of Corfu. Turns out March is still before tourist season as well so when we got to Corfu and especially the little town we were staying in it was deserted. Literally nothing was open except for our hotel. Thankfully the hotel had great cheap lunches and provided us with 3 course Greek dinners which were delicious. Also, because we were basically the only group staying in the hotel that can fit 700 we all have ocean view rooms...so alot of our time was relaxing on our decks.
The first full day there some of my friends and I decided to go on the quad safari for the day that the hotel offered. It was 6 hours exploring the island views and beaches and offroading on a quad. It was SOOOO much fun and beautiful. We drove through the tiny hill towns that you think only exsist in movies with the little old lady sitting on a chair in the doorway, the men socializing at a bar, sheeps and goats in wooded pastures. It was amazing.
The second day I decided to just hang out on the beach as it was 70+ degrees out. I even got a tiny bit burnt which of course is gone now. We has the most amazing day reading, talking, doing yoga on the beach, swimming (it was still a bit cold) and just playing around like little kids.
Eventually it was time for us to leave on an overnight bus to Athens. Talk about a wierd expeience but I was surprised to sleep decently well for the conditions. We all had a twilight moment when the bus driver drove onto a ferry and we all wake up to the bus spinning and all we can see is water and a massive bridge above us...crazy things in Greece.
Now on to Athens we arrived at 8:30am and then immediately had a tour to see all the main sights and orient outselvves with the city. Coffee was a priority to survive the day even part way so we found the nearest Starbucks and CostaCoffee. We saw Parlament buildings, changing of the guard (they wear really funny shoes), the first modern olympic games stadium, and then ruins and up to the Acropolis. The Acropolis has amazing views of all of Athens becuase nothing in the city can be built higher. Also, the ruins themselves are so amazing to see. The city is actually in the process of reconstructting all the the ruins to how they would have looked which I found very interesting that they are not just keeping them in the current state. The rest of the day I spent with my friend Ashley as we faught the desire to sleep to keep exploring the city.
That night all of the Gonzaga travelers signed up for an authentic greek meal at a nearby resturant and we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. food and wine kept coming and coming and coming. masaka, tziki ( I am sure I am butchering all of the spelling), lamb, chicken, stuff that I have no idea what it was but probably about 20 plates total and then traditional greece dessert of greek yogurt and honey with these almond bar things. We couldnt move after to say the least.
The next day I ventured out with a group to see all of the other ruins that were closed the day before and we definetly saw them all. Of course eventually we were ruined out and just explored around. And then we ran into a riot/demonstration. There were just tonds of riot police guarding all of the government buildings and then we walked further and found the actual protestors with signs and calls. we ran into someone who spoke english who just said it was unsafe and stay away...ok great so thats exactly what we did. eventually it all dispersed with no violence so all was fine. But it was interesting to see what we hear about in the news. Eventually it became time to leave Athens after ruins, markets and greek food galore and it was back onto the overnight ferry and then the bus back.
Now I am home in Florence...it is just as sunny here now and I do not want to go to class at all. But, I cant really be that lucky:) I hope all is well at home! Only 1 month to go.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Crazy for Carnival
Last weekend I decided to brave Venice Carnival for the weekend with 7 other friends. Of course we thought it was a great idea to take the 4:30 am train to save money so we were all exhausted and grouchy. Then we arrived in Venice and decided to cheack into the hostel. Lets just say it was a little sketchy, not the cleanest, and wasnt even marked. It all worked out in the end as we ended up being right in the center of Florence on the main road and they also gave us free dinner which was a plus. I think everyone that was living there was a study abroad student from Florence so we met a ton of people which was alot of fun.
We spent alot of time wandering around on Friday which was an amazing idea because most of the crazy crowds showed up for the weekend. The costumes were amazing. It was basically Halloween for adults. We decided to join in the fun and bought masks and took tons of pictures af all the people. I was talking to a guy from Germany the next night who was with a bunch of locals dressed up like cacti and he said that all of the locals know about the costumes and do very elaborate ones and then come just so people can take pictures of them. It is a blast. we discovered the fun of having pictures taken of you on saturday when we sat out on the window ledge of our second story room that looks right out onto a canal and then a bridge for the main road. We all had our masks on and just let people take pictures and talked to people. It was probably one of the main highlights of our trip.
On saturday we ventured to Murano to see the glass which was a great idea to avoid the crowds. The glass is beautiful but it is definetly touristy. We were just happy to soak in the sun sitting on the waters edge and eating gelato. The other highlight of our trip was Saturday night. We ventured to St. Marks square where we ran into gonzaga friends by chance and then we somehow snuck into the main square dance party. They were playing 80s italian music and I have never danced in that many tango lines in my life. Everyone was dressed up and having a blast. After a long night and walking along the water and on the streets with the hundreds of other people still up at 2 am we went to bed to head out the next morning. I am so glad I got to experience this Venice traditions and would defintly go back soon. Be sure to check out my pictures on facebook the costumes are amazing!!!!!
For your info: this weekend I leave for spring break in Greece...hopefully it remains safe:) I will update when I get home!
We spent alot of time wandering around on Friday which was an amazing idea because most of the crazy crowds showed up for the weekend. The costumes were amazing. It was basically Halloween for adults. We decided to join in the fun and bought masks and took tons of pictures af all the people. I was talking to a guy from Germany the next night who was with a bunch of locals dressed up like cacti and he said that all of the locals know about the costumes and do very elaborate ones and then come just so people can take pictures of them. It is a blast. we discovered the fun of having pictures taken of you on saturday when we sat out on the window ledge of our second story room that looks right out onto a canal and then a bridge for the main road. We all had our masks on and just let people take pictures and talked to people. It was probably one of the main highlights of our trip.
On saturday we ventured to Murano to see the glass which was a great idea to avoid the crowds. The glass is beautiful but it is definetly touristy. We were just happy to soak in the sun sitting on the waters edge and eating gelato. The other highlight of our trip was Saturday night. We ventured to St. Marks square where we ran into gonzaga friends by chance and then we somehow snuck into the main square dance party. They were playing 80s italian music and I have never danced in that many tango lines in my life. Everyone was dressed up and having a blast. After a long night and walking along the water and on the streets with the hundreds of other people still up at 2 am we went to bed to head out the next morning. I am so glad I got to experience this Venice traditions and would defintly go back soon. Be sure to check out my pictures on facebook the costumes are amazing!!!!!
For your info: this weekend I leave for spring break in Greece...hopefully it remains safe:) I will update when I get home!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Buda and Pest!
BUDAPEST!!!! I just got back from an amazingly relaxing trip to Budapest. Turns out Budapest is actually two towns on either side of the Danube river connected by bridgest. The Buda side is known for being richer and a better place to raise your famil, while the Pest side is where all of the young people lives and is known to be more fun.
We arrived on Swiss air Thursday night and I have to say Swiss air is the best flight I have ever flown on. Any flight that gives be chocolate after great food and free wine on a 1 hour flight earns major brownie points in my book. We finally arrived at our hotel only to have our jaws drop to the floor. We stayed in a 5 star hjotel that the European Defense Ambassadors were staying. There was security everywhere and it also gives you an idea of how amazing this hotel was (we felt a little out of place but soaked in everyminute). We have a gathering right away where we were greeted with champagne and some people even showed up in their robes and slippers from the room. We were living in style. The first full day, friday, we woke up for breakfast and then our city walking tour. I think everyone will agree with me that breakfast was one of the highlights of our trip. It was like a breakfast candy store. Omlets made fresh, smoothies, pastries, endless kinds of cereal, fruit, sandwhich stuff, eggs, hasbrowns, BACON, the list goes on and on and on. Basically we all stuffed ourselves every morning because it was soooooo good. THen we went on to our walking tour which was great to see some of the main sights of Buda and Pest. Also the transportation there with undergrounds, metros and buses make it easy to get anywhere. We saw the palace, monuments, the public baths, the opera house and many more (see pictures online soon). That afternoon, I decided to experience my first public baths with a group of friends. I had never realized how huge they were!! The place we went to had 3 huge outdoor pools (pretty much hot tubs) but all different temperatures. Then it started snowing so we spent most of our time outside in the amazingly warn baths with snow falling on our heads. On the inside of the complex were so many different baths it was easy to get lost, there were whirlpools, hot, cold, scented, colored, sanas, uv rooms, the list goes on. It was fun to explore everywhere, but outside definetly was the best.
Saturday we willed ourselves up again with breakfast galore and then went on our second tour that was communism based. I had never realized how recent it was that communism still ruled HUngry. Our guide had lived through it and gave accounts of the differences in perspectives and lives between her, her parents and grandparents, affected by these times. Our first stop on the tour was the lady with the palm leaf statue that was created during the communist rule but it is now recognized as the liberation statue and is also one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Budapest. Next we went to the communist park where all of the communist statues that were erected were placed after the rule ended. It was very desolate and made you feel disjointed. It was cool to see the stuaes and hear the history instead of them being destroyed. Finally they ended our tour on a positive note by taking us to the underground wine cellars with the largest wine barel in the world (there are only two others like it with the same dimentions).
Then the tour dropped us off at the market where I finally had Langosh (I cant remember how to spell it correctly but thats how it is said). It is a fried dough that they traditionally put sour cream, garlic sauce and cheeze on. it was deliciously bad for you:) We explored a bit got some souveniers and then my friends and I decided to go to the hospital on the rock.
We went on a tour and saw where the hospital was, the old tools and medicines. This hospital was also used in WWII by the Germans as a bunker to hide and stay protected because Hungry sided with the Nazis during the war. I cant believe they actually lived through it and the tours made WWII and communism rule so real and made me realize how recent everything happened. Of course after all of this touring everyone made it back to the hostel to enjoy their spa with a grand pool, 2 hot tubs, 2 saunas and a steam room. More relaxing was so nice after midterms. we were living the life.
That night was the boat cruise. We had an endless buffet dinner with Hungarian food, wine and a jazz band and beautiful views of the city from the Danube river. We had a blast dancing and eating until we couldnt manage anymore food. Then the next morning I had to fly home:( And now I am about to go to class again.
Update: I also saw my friend Bert last night. He had surgery on his jaw and now has to titanium plates in his chin. He looks much better, feels better and is walking around and will most likely come home today. his mom is here and I showed her around a bit (hopefully she can have a little bit of fun and see some sights while she is here).
Hope everyone is doing well at home. Miss you all!!!
We arrived on Swiss air Thursday night and I have to say Swiss air is the best flight I have ever flown on. Any flight that gives be chocolate after great food and free wine on a 1 hour flight earns major brownie points in my book. We finally arrived at our hotel only to have our jaws drop to the floor. We stayed in a 5 star hjotel that the European Defense Ambassadors were staying. There was security everywhere and it also gives you an idea of how amazing this hotel was (we felt a little out of place but soaked in everyminute). We have a gathering right away where we were greeted with champagne and some people even showed up in their robes and slippers from the room. We were living in style. The first full day, friday, we woke up for breakfast and then our city walking tour. I think everyone will agree with me that breakfast was one of the highlights of our trip. It was like a breakfast candy store. Omlets made fresh, smoothies, pastries, endless kinds of cereal, fruit, sandwhich stuff, eggs, hasbrowns, BACON, the list goes on and on and on. Basically we all stuffed ourselves every morning because it was soooooo good. THen we went on to our walking tour which was great to see some of the main sights of Buda and Pest. Also the transportation there with undergrounds, metros and buses make it easy to get anywhere. We saw the palace, monuments, the public baths, the opera house and many more (see pictures online soon). That afternoon, I decided to experience my first public baths with a group of friends. I had never realized how huge they were!! The place we went to had 3 huge outdoor pools (pretty much hot tubs) but all different temperatures. Then it started snowing so we spent most of our time outside in the amazingly warn baths with snow falling on our heads. On the inside of the complex were so many different baths it was easy to get lost, there were whirlpools, hot, cold, scented, colored, sanas, uv rooms, the list goes on. It was fun to explore everywhere, but outside definetly was the best.
Saturday we willed ourselves up again with breakfast galore and then went on our second tour that was communism based. I had never realized how recent it was that communism still ruled HUngry. Our guide had lived through it and gave accounts of the differences in perspectives and lives between her, her parents and grandparents, affected by these times. Our first stop on the tour was the lady with the palm leaf statue that was created during the communist rule but it is now recognized as the liberation statue and is also one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Budapest. Next we went to the communist park where all of the communist statues that were erected were placed after the rule ended. It was very desolate and made you feel disjointed. It was cool to see the stuaes and hear the history instead of them being destroyed. Finally they ended our tour on a positive note by taking us to the underground wine cellars with the largest wine barel in the world (there are only two others like it with the same dimentions).
Then the tour dropped us off at the market where I finally had Langosh (I cant remember how to spell it correctly but thats how it is said). It is a fried dough that they traditionally put sour cream, garlic sauce and cheeze on. it was deliciously bad for you:) We explored a bit got some souveniers and then my friends and I decided to go to the hospital on the rock.
We went on a tour and saw where the hospital was, the old tools and medicines. This hospital was also used in WWII by the Germans as a bunker to hide and stay protected because Hungry sided with the Nazis during the war. I cant believe they actually lived through it and the tours made WWII and communism rule so real and made me realize how recent everything happened. Of course after all of this touring everyone made it back to the hostel to enjoy their spa with a grand pool, 2 hot tubs, 2 saunas and a steam room. More relaxing was so nice after midterms. we were living the life.
That night was the boat cruise. We had an endless buffet dinner with Hungarian food, wine and a jazz band and beautiful views of the city from the Danube river. We had a blast dancing and eating until we couldnt manage anymore food. Then the next morning I had to fly home:( And now I am about to go to class again.
Update: I also saw my friend Bert last night. He had surgery on his jaw and now has to titanium plates in his chin. He looks much better, feels better and is walking around and will most likely come home today. his mom is here and I showed her around a bit (hopefully she can have a little bit of fun and see some sights while she is here).
Hope everyone is doing well at home. Miss you all!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Barcelona and life...
I am soooooo bad about updating this. It has been two weeks since Barcelona and I still have not written about it and I am about to leave for Budepest today! In my defense we did have miderns and a little mishap this week with my friend falling and fracturing his jaw.
Barcelona was absolutely amazing though. If I was able to choose another place to study abroad I would want it to be there. When we first arrived we checked into our hostel which Tom, my friend from home, suggested becuase he studied abroad in Spain. We were advised to speak to Israel if we needed anything. Luckily he was the one to check us in and as a result told us everywhere to go in the city, how to get there and during our entire trip got us into clubs and amazing resturant. The highlight of our trip was going to his favorite tapas bar and ordering a bunch of tapas appitizers to share and drinks. We tried some wierd fish almost like squid that I cant remember the name of, veal, these famous spanish potatoes, spanish omlets, warm goat cheeze, and so many other things. It was great to get a taste of authentic Spain food right when we arrived.
My favorite part would have to be the HUGE fruit market off of the famous Las Ramblas street. I got huge bowls of fruit for 2 euro and half pinables cut up for 1. It was a fruit lover heaven. Las Ramblas street itself was great for tourist watching and the endless street performors that line the street are fun to watch and laugh at. Twice we walked all the way down to the beach where we sat for hours, soaked in the sun, drank beers on the beach and just watched the sailboats on the calm ocean...it was the life. We also saw alot of Gaudi buildings, the famous church (which is suppossed to be the biggest , most significant architectual completion in our lifetime), and also when to Gaudi park. Because of the nice weather we just wandered and saw so many cool things. The park was especially fun because you could hike to the top and see the entire city.
Of course we had to go experience the well known Spain nightlife as well. Yet Spain going out there does not mean late at night but actually early morning. The last night we were there we met up with the entire group of Gonzaga people on the trip and went to a world known club called Razzamataz which has 5 rooms with balconies and pathways on top of the buildings that are outside to get from one huge themed dance room to the other. It was insane. We didnt even leave from our meeting place with a hostel until 1:45 and then left the club at 5:45 only to have to check out of the hostel at 10 am and catch a plane. I have to admit it was worth it for the experience of seeing such an amazing club. I dont think I could live in Barcelona and survive their night life.
This week was midterms which was alot of cramming. I had 3 in one day and then one yesterday, which happened to be the day we found out about my friend Bert so I was a little distracted for the test. I hope I did ok at least. I did go see Bert at the hospital with some friends he was in good spirits and will have surgery on friday and his mom arrives today. They will put a metal plate in his chin and then they believe he will be able to stay in Florence which is the best news. We will see though just keep him in your prayers.
I leave for Budapest in 3 hours though. I have no idea what to expect. I guess it is cheap and known for its baths so I have brought a swimsuit. Also I know we have an authentic dinner planned on a boat. I will try to update more often to let you know how it is! I miss everyone alot.
Barcelona was absolutely amazing though. If I was able to choose another place to study abroad I would want it to be there. When we first arrived we checked into our hostel which Tom, my friend from home, suggested becuase he studied abroad in Spain. We were advised to speak to Israel if we needed anything. Luckily he was the one to check us in and as a result told us everywhere to go in the city, how to get there and during our entire trip got us into clubs and amazing resturant. The highlight of our trip was going to his favorite tapas bar and ordering a bunch of tapas appitizers to share and drinks. We tried some wierd fish almost like squid that I cant remember the name of, veal, these famous spanish potatoes, spanish omlets, warm goat cheeze, and so many other things. It was great to get a taste of authentic Spain food right when we arrived.
My favorite part would have to be the HUGE fruit market off of the famous Las Ramblas street. I got huge bowls of fruit for 2 euro and half pinables cut up for 1. It was a fruit lover heaven. Las Ramblas street itself was great for tourist watching and the endless street performors that line the street are fun to watch and laugh at. Twice we walked all the way down to the beach where we sat for hours, soaked in the sun, drank beers on the beach and just watched the sailboats on the calm ocean...it was the life. We also saw alot of Gaudi buildings, the famous church (which is suppossed to be the biggest , most significant architectual completion in our lifetime), and also when to Gaudi park. Because of the nice weather we just wandered and saw so many cool things. The park was especially fun because you could hike to the top and see the entire city.
Of course we had to go experience the well known Spain nightlife as well. Yet Spain going out there does not mean late at night but actually early morning. The last night we were there we met up with the entire group of Gonzaga people on the trip and went to a world known club called Razzamataz which has 5 rooms with balconies and pathways on top of the buildings that are outside to get from one huge themed dance room to the other. It was insane. We didnt even leave from our meeting place with a hostel until 1:45 and then left the club at 5:45 only to have to check out of the hostel at 10 am and catch a plane. I have to admit it was worth it for the experience of seeing such an amazing club. I dont think I could live in Barcelona and survive their night life.
This week was midterms which was alot of cramming. I had 3 in one day and then one yesterday, which happened to be the day we found out about my friend Bert so I was a little distracted for the test. I hope I did ok at least. I did go see Bert at the hospital with some friends he was in good spirits and will have surgery on friday and his mom arrives today. They will put a metal plate in his chin and then they believe he will be able to stay in Florence which is the best news. We will see though just keep him in your prayers.
I leave for Budapest in 3 hours though. I have no idea what to expect. I guess it is cheap and known for its baths so I have brought a swimsuit. Also I know we have an authentic dinner planned on a boat. I will try to update more often to let you know how it is! I miss everyone alot.
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