Love is remembering to ask about the leftover scrambled eggs.
Love is bagel bites at 3am and impromptu sleeping on the pull-out bed.
Love is talking until 4am and then having breakfast before falling asleep.
Love is taking a nap in the car at night while the rain hits the roof.
Love is hot cocoa and Sword in the Stone on a rainy Sunday.
Love is family game nights and birthday parties.
Love is Beauty and the Beast sing-a-longs.
Love is kissing outside the Cheesecake Factory above Union Square.
Love is wrestling over a nerf football.
Love is learning to play poker.
Love is surprise Halloween parties.
Love is Christmas bears, dinosaurs and German lions. Oh my =)
Love is Costco grocery shopping in the rain.
Love is breakfast on Pacific.
Love is San Fransisco after a rainy day.
Love is a cup of noodles shared at a rainy Arco on Sunday night.
Love is playing a card game that lets you exercise your creativity.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Breakfast Eggs
Time passed quicker than I thought, and I've enjoyed every moment of it. I feel like I'm living life so fully that I haven't had enough time to relax. And when I do relax, I feel guilty about it and start washing a dish or cleaning the living room. But, while I should be sleeping in a bed under the burgundy red blanket he bought us as a welcome home gift, I felt the need to update. One moment may last all of a second but the memory remains forever. The moment I'm particularly thinking about is about breakfast eggs. He scrambled six last Sunday. We ate banana Cheerios and Morning Farm bacon (even though its fake, its actually pretty decent). We had leftovers of eggs and, just like him, he insisted I save the remaining dollop (what word does one use for the measurement of scrambled eggs?). I told him it could never be enough worthy to keep, but he was adamant that I eat them the next morning for breakfast. I think the last thing he told me before driving back to Santa Cruz was, "If I come back next week and you haven't eaten them, I'll throw away all of your food."
And that's how I know. Because true love is remembering to ask about the leftover eggs. I promise I'll eat them tomorrow. =)
And that's how I know. Because true love is remembering to ask about the leftover eggs. I promise I'll eat them tomorrow. =)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Prague
 | ||
| Chelsea and I at the gardens in Prague |
We learned a thing or two on our trip to Prague with Hannes and Sib.
- When one of your traveling members says she feels ill, it's a good idea to bring a plastic bag...just in case.
- Driving to Prague is efficient. Unless there is trafic on a Friday afternoon, then you won't make it there until 1am.
- If you meet a hostel owner named Roman, he'll be a pretty awesome guy.
- Peter from New York is also cool. He'll lend you milk for your coffee and tell you how splendid life is. He's a kindergarten teacher, but don't let that fool you. He's a bad ass.
- People in Prague speak German.
- When they translate menus from Czech to English, they will most likely say weird things like "roasted fatback" and "Yeast fruit dumplings with cottage cheese."
- There are more KFCs in Prague than McDonalds.
- Don't touch the shiny dog plaque at the base of the statue on Charles Bridge. It's bad luck.
- The word for "muffin" in Czech is "muffinky."
Sunday, July 4, 2010
See You in June
June was the month of people coming to visit. =) After Jeff's adventure in Germany, I got to finally see the closet "family" I have in Folsom. After almost 10 months of little communication, the Lichtman's came to visit. Missing a flight to Barcelona (my fault), we finally welcomed them to Tubingen for a short few days before they flew back to America. We spent our time walking around the Altstadt, riding on a stockerkahn (and subsequently getting raining on by a freak thunder storm on a stockerkahn) and relaxing at various bakeries, biergartens and restaurants we love around town. They left only a short two days after arriving, leaving me little time to prepare for our theater show, which was performing the very next week.
Monday arrived and my stomach couldn't help but to somersaults as I prayed I wouldn't forget any of my lines. Even though I knew it forwards and backwards, I couldn't help worry that if I forgot a line, I couldn't even improvise for my other actors onstage. But Monday came and went, and with each day we received more audience members, more compliments and more praise for the show. =) Each night, we'd enjoy a beer and dinner with our theater friends, and I would quietly count down until my last visitor would come.
That Friday, the last day of my show, Damon was scheduled to arrive just in time to see me perform. He finally arrived, welcomed by Alexis, who would escort him to the theater. I remember waiting under the bleachers when I enter from and being even more nervous than I had been on Monday. Even though Damon wouldn't be able to tell if I messed up, it was still nerve-wracking to know he was not only in the same room with me, but the same continent.
The next week, Damon's visit was better than I had expected. ^__^ We made dinners together, met with friends at various bars and apartments, visited the capital of the state, attended a flea market and festival on the river, had a picnic in the park, paddled on a boat on the river, shared ice cream, stayed awake at night, went shopping for family and enjoyed some much-deserved quality time. It was so nice to finally be with him. Skype may have been the best option up until this point, but it's nothing like seeing him in 3D =) It was all such a pleasant surprise, and I can't wait for all the fun memories to come when I get back to the States.
Life has a funny way of working out for the best. And the wait was worth it. ^__^
Monday arrived and my stomach couldn't help but to somersaults as I prayed I wouldn't forget any of my lines. Even though I knew it forwards and backwards, I couldn't help worry that if I forgot a line, I couldn't even improvise for my other actors onstage. But Monday came and went, and with each day we received more audience members, more compliments and more praise for the show. =) Each night, we'd enjoy a beer and dinner with our theater friends, and I would quietly count down until my last visitor would come.
That Friday, the last day of my show, Damon was scheduled to arrive just in time to see me perform. He finally arrived, welcomed by Alexis, who would escort him to the theater. I remember waiting under the bleachers when I enter from and being even more nervous than I had been on Monday. Even though Damon wouldn't be able to tell if I messed up, it was still nerve-wracking to know he was not only in the same room with me, but the same continent.
The next week, Damon's visit was better than I had expected. ^__^ We made dinners together, met with friends at various bars and apartments, visited the capital of the state, attended a flea market and festival on the river, had a picnic in the park, paddled on a boat on the river, shared ice cream, stayed awake at night, went shopping for family and enjoyed some much-deserved quality time. It was so nice to finally be with him. Skype may have been the best option up until this point, but it's nothing like seeing him in 3D =) It was all such a pleasant surprise, and I can't wait for all the fun memories to come when I get back to the States.
Life has a funny way of working out for the best. And the wait was worth it. ^__^
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Made My Day
Some days I can't even explain the happiness I take from my daily life in Germany. Yesterday was one of those days. I was especially in a good mood because Jeff had just come to visit. He was sleeping at Chelsea's place and Mike had stayed the night too. I woke early to shower and await their call. At noon, we all headed into town to our favorite bakery/cafe'. Padeffka will always hold some of my favorite memories with Lisa. It's in that cafe' that she's heard some of my most interesting thoughts and stories. It's there, we spoke of our families and friends and our wishes and hopes for the future. And Jeff got to enjoy it's delicious assortment of breads and pastries. He even told us he was no longer allergic to chocolate, and I immediately offered our hot chocolates for him to sample.
After an hour or so of relaxing, we made our way into the Altstadt, always a favorite place for me. He exchanged his money and we bummed into Hannes in front of the bank. After quick introductions, Hannes let us know he'd see us later tonight for dinner and we said goodbye and headed to Nonnenhaus--a small grocery store in town. Jeff sent a post card to his girlfriend and we picked out a few good looking drinks for that night's soiree before heading to Lisa's Wohnung where David was wonderfully preparing vegetarian and meat lasagna.
A few problems occurred regarding planning our trips with Jeff, as well as his solo adventure to Berlin on Saturday, but with a little help, we managed to figure everything out. Mike organized the trip to Berlin for Jeff and ended up hitching a ride there himself. Hannes graciously offered to call his friend in Berlin to have the boys stay there until Tuesday and Lisa found a cheap alternative adventure since Amsterdam wasn't going to work out. We ended up booking a flight to Budapest for three days ^_^
After a great dinner with splendid company, we all took our own part in cleaning up. While I cleaned up the table and set the chairs straight, I got a chance to thank Hannes for his help. When I helped stack the dirty dishes by the sink, I got to watch Chelsea and Lisa place slices of eggplant on David's back as he was lying on his stomach on the floor and wasn't giving us the satisfaction of moving. And while I got my chance to wash some of the dishes, I got to get to know Nazario just a little better than before and realize what a nice and enjoyable guy he is. Since he's not only Italian, grew up in Germany and is involved in his church in town, I couldn't help wishing I could take him home for Kara ^_^
Later, around 10pm, we all ended up walking to the Irish pub near the Brechtbau Theater, called Saints and Scholars. We set up shop on a table outside and I met up with Dagmar, a friend from Black Comedy, who encouraged me to get a strawberry daiquiri with her....a great choice I soon learned, haha. Chelsea, Mike, Jeff and David showed up next, after hammering out the details to the Berlin trip, and soon our table was crowded and full of people laughing, drinking, hugging, taking pictures and catching up. Some friends I hadn't even planned on seeing walked by the pub and decided to join us for the night and some friends called and wanted to know if we'd still be around later so they could join us.
Well, the night ended slowly. Jeff and Mike left first to get some sleep before their journey and then a few others followed shortly after. When Daniel showed up at midnight after work and dinner, it was only Dagmar, Maria, Hannes, Oliver, Nazario, Chelsea and I. So we spoke mainly of theater and film, all in German. When I'm outnumbered to Germans in my company, I always speak German. It's nice to know that after a long night, a few drinks and a lot of fun, I can still carry a lengthy conversation in German without too much help.
By 1am, Daniel, Hannes, Chelsea and I were left. All headed in the same direction, we walked up the street and tried to say our good byes. But, as what commonly happens to me when I'm spending time with such interesting people, we ended up talking on the corner of the street for another hour. Chelsea and Daniel talked of Whose Line is it Anyway, and I talked to Hannes about his adventures when visiting his mom who's lived in Afrika for the last 6 years. We parted ways at 2am and Chelsea and I walked home listening to our iPod.
There's nothing in life more enjoyable than company with people you know you're going to miss someday.
After an hour or so of relaxing, we made our way into the Altstadt, always a favorite place for me. He exchanged his money and we bummed into Hannes in front of the bank. After quick introductions, Hannes let us know he'd see us later tonight for dinner and we said goodbye and headed to Nonnenhaus--a small grocery store in town. Jeff sent a post card to his girlfriend and we picked out a few good looking drinks for that night's soiree before heading to Lisa's Wohnung where David was wonderfully preparing vegetarian and meat lasagna.
A few problems occurred regarding planning our trips with Jeff, as well as his solo adventure to Berlin on Saturday, but with a little help, we managed to figure everything out. Mike organized the trip to Berlin for Jeff and ended up hitching a ride there himself. Hannes graciously offered to call his friend in Berlin to have the boys stay there until Tuesday and Lisa found a cheap alternative adventure since Amsterdam wasn't going to work out. We ended up booking a flight to Budapest for three days ^_^
After a great dinner with splendid company, we all took our own part in cleaning up. While I cleaned up the table and set the chairs straight, I got a chance to thank Hannes for his help. When I helped stack the dirty dishes by the sink, I got to watch Chelsea and Lisa place slices of eggplant on David's back as he was lying on his stomach on the floor and wasn't giving us the satisfaction of moving. And while I got my chance to wash some of the dishes, I got to get to know Nazario just a little better than before and realize what a nice and enjoyable guy he is. Since he's not only Italian, grew up in Germany and is involved in his church in town, I couldn't help wishing I could take him home for Kara ^_^
Later, around 10pm, we all ended up walking to the Irish pub near the Brechtbau Theater, called Saints and Scholars. We set up shop on a table outside and I met up with Dagmar, a friend from Black Comedy, who encouraged me to get a strawberry daiquiri with her....a great choice I soon learned, haha. Chelsea, Mike, Jeff and David showed up next, after hammering out the details to the Berlin trip, and soon our table was crowded and full of people laughing, drinking, hugging, taking pictures and catching up. Some friends I hadn't even planned on seeing walked by the pub and decided to join us for the night and some friends called and wanted to know if we'd still be around later so they could join us.
Well, the night ended slowly. Jeff and Mike left first to get some sleep before their journey and then a few others followed shortly after. When Daniel showed up at midnight after work and dinner, it was only Dagmar, Maria, Hannes, Oliver, Nazario, Chelsea and I. So we spoke mainly of theater and film, all in German. When I'm outnumbered to Germans in my company, I always speak German. It's nice to know that after a long night, a few drinks and a lot of fun, I can still carry a lengthy conversation in German without too much help.
By 1am, Daniel, Hannes, Chelsea and I were left. All headed in the same direction, we walked up the street and tried to say our good byes. But, as what commonly happens to me when I'm spending time with such interesting people, we ended up talking on the corner of the street for another hour. Chelsea and Daniel talked of Whose Line is it Anyway, and I talked to Hannes about his adventures when visiting his mom who's lived in Afrika for the last 6 years. We parted ways at 2am and Chelsea and I walked home listening to our iPod.
There's nothing in life more enjoyable than company with people you know you're going to miss someday.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Back to the Future
It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.
I usually wake up a few times in the middle of the night. Some would call it a restless sleep. I call it my regular routine. Last night was no different. But I don't mind it, most of the time. Most of the time, I enjoy the feeling of falling back asleep and dreaming. Last night I kept waking from the constant buzz of people at a party next door and the vibrations of a loud bass. To top it off, being sick and having a cough makes things more complicated.
But I got to sleep in, so I woke in good spirits. After waiting too long for the shower, and making myself a cup of morning tea, I headed out the door. Picking up some snacks, missing my bus stop, discovering that Tubingen has a graveyard and walking all the way to Lisa's house, I finally arrived for our scheduled Back to the Future marathon. Israel actually decided to join us this time, and it made me happy to see things begin to go back to how they once were. I miss spending time with him. We even spent some time excitably talking about The World Cup in June. In a half hour, Chelsea and Mike arrived and we made tomatoes with mozzarella and started the first movie.
After 5 hours of movies, 4 spilled drinks (one of which, I wore), one bag of popcorn, and insisting that Lisa's mom look like one of the actresses, we were finally finished. Rubbing my eyes and trying not to yawn, I kissed Lisa on the cheek and said goodbye. I'd see her the next day, and I had some much deserved rest to catch up on.
Yet here I am. Still awake. ^__^ Seems to happen a lot. I don't mind. Tonight I'm awake because of what Doc said in Back to the Future (^above quote^). I use to worry a lot more about the future. It always made me anxious. It was like something I felt I couldn't control because so much depended on it. It was always so messy and complicated to think about. Now, I am sometimes comfortable knowing only a few things are certain in the future. One of them is that my sister will always be around, even if she doesn't live by me. And the other is something I hope will be as great as I think it will be.
Ah, Future, you don't scare me so much these days. And maybe, someday I'll actually look forward to you all the time.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Rain in May
This morning I woke to a cloudy day. I sat by my window while rubbing my sleepy eyes. I had fallen asleep the night previous to a irritating email, and had just woken from a strange dream, so I noted that the day was as dreary as I felt.
The room was dimmed by the clouds and was chilly because I had left my window cracked from the night previous. It was sprinkling outside so I grabbed a blanket off my bed and snuggled into my cozy chair. Remembering the promise I made last night, I decided to upload some pictures from Black Comedy for a friend.
Gazing down at the street below my window, I saw that the rain was harder than I had thought. Some people were rushing. I’m guessing most of them were students running late to class or an officeworker who’d overslept and was trying to catch a bus. Ironically, I'd be doing the same thing in about an hour. Others were idly walking by, umbrellas in hand. From thier blurred faces, they’d all seem like mechanical things clad in color-coded attire off to do their part in a greater system. It seems sad that the demands of everyday living slowly drains them of life.
To shake my dreary feeling, I made myself a cup of tea. I've finally found a flavor that suits me. I don't like the idea of adding other ingredients to tea (lemon, milk, sugar) while I should just be able to enjoy it as it was meant to be. I opened my window a bit more to let the sound of rain pour into the room. It was nice. I never noticed the smile that crept up my face until I had placed the warm mug against my lips.
Looking up, the sky was covered by pale silver wash of gray. I guess the small rainstorm had come in the night and had realized I needed a little cheering up the next morning. I even noticed the smell of the fresh crisp rain as I got ready for class. As I put on my long socks and boots, I admitted to myself that I have always disliked the gloomy light when the sky is overcast, but I will always welcome the fresh scent and feeling
of rain. I don’t really know why. It’s nature’s magic after all.
The room was dimmed by the clouds and was chilly because I had left my window cracked from the night previous. It was sprinkling outside so I grabbed a blanket off my bed and snuggled into my cozy chair. Remembering the promise I made last night, I decided to upload some pictures from Black Comedy for a friend.
Gazing down at the street below my window, I saw that the rain was harder than I had thought. Some people were rushing. I’m guessing most of them were students running late to class or an officeworker who’d overslept and was trying to catch a bus. Ironically, I'd be doing the same thing in about an hour. Others were idly walking by, umbrellas in hand. From thier blurred faces, they’d all seem like mechanical things clad in color-coded attire off to do their part in a greater system. It seems sad that the demands of everyday living slowly drains them of life.
To shake my dreary feeling, I made myself a cup of tea. I've finally found a flavor that suits me. I don't like the idea of adding other ingredients to tea (lemon, milk, sugar) while I should just be able to enjoy it as it was meant to be. I opened my window a bit more to let the sound of rain pour into the room. It was nice. I never noticed the smile that crept up my face until I had placed the warm mug against my lips.
Looking up, the sky was covered by pale silver wash of gray. I guess the small rainstorm had come in the night and had realized I needed a little cheering up the next morning. I even noticed the smell of the fresh crisp rain as I got ready for class. As I put on my long socks and boots, I admitted to myself that I have always disliked the gloomy light when the sky is overcast, but I will always welcome the fresh scent and feeling
of rain. I don’t really know why. It’s nature’s magic after all.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
What's America's favorite German word?
I read a study yesterday to decide worldwide, which German words were "das schoenste deutsche Wort (the most beautiful German word.)". In August 2004, 111 countries were asked, and I found the list of words to be enjoyable. Thought I'd share.
To begin with, Germany decided which words they found the "most beautiful." Among them, Liebe (love), Frieheit (freedom), Sonnenschein (sunshine) and Schmetterling (butterfly). I can't decided if they just found the meaning of these words to be beautiful or the actually sound of the word. Hmm, that's thought provoking.
America's number 1 "most beautiful German word" was Gemuetlichkeit. Funny enough, the word means someone's good social behavior or charming demeanor. Most countries consider Liebe to be the most beautiful word. Perhaps, the most well-known German word. I'm sure there's no connection there at all. =)
One German was asked for his most beautiful German word. The joker replied "Rhabarbamarmelade." That's a fruit marmalade jam. Apparently, his wife's name is Barbara. He says, it brings him great joy to say, "Barbara, bitte bring mir die Rhabarbermarmelade." Now, there's a tongue twister. ^__^
I guess I'll have to think about my choice for such a contest. I'm sure I'll get back to you.
To begin with, Germany decided which words they found the "most beautiful." Among them, Liebe (love), Frieheit (freedom), Sonnenschein (sunshine) and Schmetterling (butterfly). I can't decided if they just found the meaning of these words to be beautiful or the actually sound of the word. Hmm, that's thought provoking.
America's number 1 "most beautiful German word" was Gemuetlichkeit. Funny enough, the word means someone's good social behavior or charming demeanor. Most countries consider Liebe to be the most beautiful word. Perhaps, the most well-known German word. I'm sure there's no connection there at all. =)
One German was asked for his most beautiful German word. The joker replied "Rhabarbamarmelade." That's a fruit marmalade jam. Apparently, his wife's name is Barbara. He says, it brings him great joy to say, "Barbara, bitte bring mir die Rhabarbermarmelade." Now, there's a tongue twister. ^__^
I guess I'll have to think about my choice for such a contest. I'm sure I'll get back to you.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Why I Enjoy My Sore Muscles
Last night I fell asleep pretty quickly. Sure, I had a lot to think about but I'd say for the most part, all my thoughts were silver-lined. The next time I woke up it was 8:30am and the sun was dripping slowly through my window. I have a new habit of waking at around 8:30am. I don't have blinds to keep out the sun, so I am often awoken by the sun's rays hitting my cheek. All I remember so early was that I had a good dream. I turned to my side, preparing to drift into another good dream about him, when it hit me. My left knee hit the bed and pain from it's injury jostled me awake again. I noticed suddenly that not only my knee hurt, but my thighs, arms, shoulders, neck and back.
How does one procure such a cornucopia of sore muscles in one day? If you're Rachel, through theater, of course. It was at 8:30am in the morning, after wincing from the pain, that I had to chuckle quietly to myself. Why do I voluntarily devote so much time and energy in theater? I couldn't even go a year in Germany without seeking out theater. And not just one play, but two, could suffice...as if I had to make up for lost time. And not only that, but I've already see two professional musicals (one in London and one in Germany) and one amateur play in Tubingen.
I don't consider myself exceptionally devoted to theater (I've realized it's something I want to do as a hobby, not as a career) and yet, I still receive such satisfaction from it. I'll spend 8 hours every weekend rehearsing and 3 hours/4 days a week at the theater running lines. I'll lose sleep, procure bruises, skip dinner and juggle classes/homework/tests and work just to be in a show. And why?
Simple. I love it. Every bit of the show. I love the first day we read through lines. I love meeting new people. I love being stressed about the choreography, and spending my weekends painting the set. I love the first run-through. I love the costumes, and the first dress-rehearsal. And, on opening night, I love showing my friends how hard I've worked. I don't think I'd enjoy it as much if my friends never saw it. I do it to make them laugh and smile. It's not the applause I like, but the pure and simple fact that I've helped my friends have a really unique and enjoyable night. =)
How does one procure such a cornucopia of sore muscles in one day? If you're Rachel, through theater, of course. It was at 8:30am in the morning, after wincing from the pain, that I had to chuckle quietly to myself. Why do I voluntarily devote so much time and energy in theater? I couldn't even go a year in Germany without seeking out theater. And not just one play, but two, could suffice...as if I had to make up for lost time. And not only that, but I've already see two professional musicals (one in London and one in Germany) and one amateur play in Tubingen.
I don't consider myself exceptionally devoted to theater (I've realized it's something I want to do as a hobby, not as a career) and yet, I still receive such satisfaction from it. I'll spend 8 hours every weekend rehearsing and 3 hours/4 days a week at the theater running lines. I'll lose sleep, procure bruises, skip dinner and juggle classes/homework/tests and work just to be in a show. And why?
Simple. I love it. Every bit of the show. I love the first day we read through lines. I love meeting new people. I love being stressed about the choreography, and spending my weekends painting the set. I love the first run-through. I love the costumes, and the first dress-rehearsal. And, on opening night, I love showing my friends how hard I've worked. I don't think I'd enjoy it as much if my friends never saw it. I do it to make them laugh and smile. It's not the applause I like, but the pure and simple fact that I've helped my friends have a really unique and enjoyable night. =)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Unexpected
How can I ever explain how I felt when I picked up that package from the international office? On the outside, it looked as any other package a student would receive. Green and red international post stamps covered it's front. I didn't expect it. I looked closer, and surprise reached my eyes as I noticed who it was from. Carefully unwrapping the package, I soon realized what was inside. I took the letter out first, and slipped my finger under the sealed flap of the envelope. I don't know much about the card, it looked hand-made (perhaps from his mom?) but the words inside brought a smile to my face as my eyes started to burn. It was the most kind gesture anyone had done for me in a long time.
I can't explain how good it made me feel to know I crossed your mind. You not only thought about me, but cared enough to let me know everything would be ok.
Thank you
I can't explain how good it made me feel to know I crossed your mind. You not only thought about me, but cared enough to let me know everything would be ok.
Thank you
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Starting All Over Again
Just signed up for a Shakespeare Culture and Literature class...taught in English. Ok, ok, I know I should be taking university classes in GERMAN but I have three other International Learn-German classes, so I figured having one class that actually interests me won't be a big deal. Thus, I have created the perfect week, leaving my Mondays and Fridays free from classes. Thursdays and Tuesdays I'll be busy with play rehearsal, which has further stressed me out. How will I ever memorize all my lines in German and deliver them with the skill I have as an actor? Hmm, I hope I manage to pull it off. =)
Today was beautiful. I sat with my fellow Californians on the grass in the park and licked at a delicious ice cream while dividing my attention between reading Timeline and listening to my friend, Delene, explain her trip back home to America during our month long break. As the sun hit my back while I lied on by stomach in the grass, I wished never to leave the spot. I vowed that the majority of my free time between classes would be spent by the river, or at the park, because someday soon I will not have such a splendid opportunity. Someday I hope to enjoy a lazy afternoon like that with someone special, but for now, I'm simply happy enough to be in the sun again. After a long, harsh winter, I am newly energized to explore my Altstadt and take a jog along the river.
Today was beautiful. I sat with my fellow Californians on the grass in the park and licked at a delicious ice cream while dividing my attention between reading Timeline and listening to my friend, Delene, explain her trip back home to America during our month long break. As the sun hit my back while I lied on by stomach in the grass, I wished never to leave the spot. I vowed that the majority of my free time between classes would be spent by the river, or at the park, because someday soon I will not have such a splendid opportunity. Someday I hope to enjoy a lazy afternoon like that with someone special, but for now, I'm simply happy enough to be in the sun again. After a long, harsh winter, I am newly energized to explore my Altstadt and take a jog along the river.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Munich, city with a lot of history
Munich is home to thousands of historical events that I had barely even uncovered from the two times I had been there previous to Dani's visit. This time, we had a bit of time to stroll around the city, and decided to take a tour from our favorite company; a student-run tour group set up in almost every major European city. They are technically free, but it's more of a tip-them-what-you-think-is-best kind of deal. To them, knowledge shouldn't come at a price. Not being much of a tour fan, I'd say this was the only tour I'd actually ever take.
Suppose I won't bore one with details of Munich. Because of that, I won't mention that Oktoberfest actually began as a wedding anniversary party for Mad King Ludwig and we still celebrate it 200 years later, nor will I bore you that almost every historical event was effected in some humorous way by beer. =)
That day we met up with David and his family who had come to visit him. We ended the day at the famous Munich Hofbrau Haus. After prosting my 1/2 of dark beer with Dani's dark Radler, we ate traditional Bavarian food, listened to brass music from musicians who played in Lederhosen and exchanged stories of our recent adventures.
The nest day, we met up once more with David and his family. Before Dani had come to visit, she had only one main request; she wanted to see a concentration camp. Since I had not yet seen one, we decided the very first permanent concentration camp outside of Munich was the very one to see. Full of a sad history, I learned more about what humanity is capable in that one day than in any history book you could read.
The morning of April 1st, after saying farewell and thank you to Lisa's aunt and uncle who housed us for the last few days, we drove up to the most photographed place in Germany, Neuschwanstein, the castle of Mad King Ludwig. I had previously seen in covered in snow in January, so this was my chance to see it in spring time. Hmm, I guess I wasn't told that in Bavaria, snow is still pretty common in April. Awesome. We drove into the parking lot and were greeted with a downpour of snow. It was snowing more than in January. I wrapped my thin wind breaker around me and put on one more pair of socks as we wished Lisa and Dani a fun time taking the tour of the castle. I had been once before and didn't need to spend money on it again.
Finally, by 5 pm that night, we had driven back to Tubingen, dropped off our belongings and grabbed some food and hot chocolate in my favorite (and most frequented) bakery, Padefke. Since that was the last night Dani would be in Germany, we invited David and his family out with us to our only Mexican restaurant for a farewell dinner. We sipped Capirinias and Mojitos and reminisced about our time in Munich and Paris. But as soon as we arrived back home, I collapsed on my bed in such a state of exhaustion that I almost forgot to take off my shoes.
There's nothing like a warm and familiar bed after a month of traveling. =)
Suppose I won't bore one with details of Munich. Because of that, I won't mention that Oktoberfest actually began as a wedding anniversary party for Mad King Ludwig and we still celebrate it 200 years later, nor will I bore you that almost every historical event was effected in some humorous way by beer. =)
That day we met up with David and his family who had come to visit him. We ended the day at the famous Munich Hofbrau Haus. After prosting my 1/2 of dark beer with Dani's dark Radler, we ate traditional Bavarian food, listened to brass music from musicians who played in Lederhosen and exchanged stories of our recent adventures.
The nest day, we met up once more with David and his family. Before Dani had come to visit, she had only one main request; she wanted to see a concentration camp. Since I had not yet seen one, we decided the very first permanent concentration camp outside of Munich was the very one to see. Full of a sad history, I learned more about what humanity is capable in that one day than in any history book you could read.
The morning of April 1st, after saying farewell and thank you to Lisa's aunt and uncle who housed us for the last few days, we drove up to the most photographed place in Germany, Neuschwanstein, the castle of Mad King Ludwig. I had previously seen in covered in snow in January, so this was my chance to see it in spring time. Hmm, I guess I wasn't told that in Bavaria, snow is still pretty common in April. Awesome. We drove into the parking lot and were greeted with a downpour of snow. It was snowing more than in January. I wrapped my thin wind breaker around me and put on one more pair of socks as we wished Lisa and Dani a fun time taking the tour of the castle. I had been once before and didn't need to spend money on it again.
Finally, by 5 pm that night, we had driven back to Tubingen, dropped off our belongings and grabbed some food and hot chocolate in my favorite (and most frequented) bakery, Padefke. Since that was the last night Dani would be in Germany, we invited David and his family out with us to our only Mexican restaurant for a farewell dinner. We sipped Capirinias and Mojitos and reminisced about our time in Munich and Paris. But as soon as we arrived back home, I collapsed on my bed in such a state of exhaustion that I almost forgot to take off my shoes.
There's nothing like a warm and familiar bed after a month of traveling. =)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Paris
Ahhh, the City of....Love? Well, maybe for those few people who find busy streets and the smell of cigarette smoke charming, but for me, it was just a new adventure to be had. Dani, Chelsea, Mike and I were lucky enough to rent a car at a reasonable choice and stayed at a hotel (cheap accommodations as always, plus they sneaked me in) in a jenky part of Paris. However, the first night we were there we parked along the water's edge and walked over the oldest bridge to view Notre Dame at night. With the full moon shining in the background, I was in awe over it's shear enormous...ness. =) After a jaunt down the river, we made it to the famous Eiffel Tower, which literally sparkled and shined as we approached. I never actually thought the Eiffel Tower sparkled at night, and for that moment, I was completely impressed by Paris.
The next day we fulfilled Mike's life-long wish of Disneyland Paris. At first, I set my standards low for my favorite amusement park, but as soon as I entered it almost felt like being back in California. Except everyone spoke French and smoked in the park. Aside from that, I continued to be pleasantly surprised by the rides and friendliness of the French cast members. By the end of the day, I had decided that Big Thunder Mtn. Railroad, Indiana Jones (in Paris, a roller coaster) and Space Mtn. were my favorites. Can you imagine I actually ended up loving loops on roller coasters? That surprised me. =] The only complaint I had was the fact that my lower back (a part of my body that has caused me considerable discomfort in the last few years) suddenly decided it wanted to remind me of how easy back pain can come back. Thus, I winced and choked down my complaints as we were all having too much fun to be slowed down.
Sunday we hung out in the Walt Disney Studios, which was basically a smaller version of California Adventures. After seeing a few shows and shops, we decided Disneyland Paris was much more exciting and ended up riding Indiana Jones as well as Space Mtn. again (twice). As Mike drove us back to the hotel that night, I fell fast asleep in the car with no trouble.
Today, however, we had a packed morning. WE woke up bright and early (6am) and shuffled out the door, bags in hand. Arriving to Paris at 7:30am, we parked and walked to the Louve down the street. Walking into it's glass pyramid was more thrilling than I thought it was going to be. Basically, I've never been a fan of huge, eleborate museums, but hey, this was suppose to be the best of the best, so I gave it a try. We ended up seeing Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, The Code of Hammerabi and tons of Roman statues. Besides having back pain still, and being exhausted from lack of food, the trip was fun. We ended up leaving just as the crowds started to swarm, and grabbed take-away pizza and crepe's (a must) and parking in front of the Eiffel Tower. We figured seeing it in daylight was a very wise choice. And so it was. We set out our food and ate lunch on a wooden park bench in front of the Eiffel Tower. For about an hour and a half we simply hung around on the grass, taking silly photos, catching up, and relaxing. It was probably the best part of the day for me.
The rest of our day consisted of the 6 hours journey back to Germany. Nothing exciting to report except that I fell asleep again (tends to happen in the car) and we drove by some French town called Bitche. =)
Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed and tomorrow we pick up Lisa and all head to Munich for the rest of the week. Maybe by the weekend I'll have a chance to finally relax haha
The next day we fulfilled Mike's life-long wish of Disneyland Paris. At first, I set my standards low for my favorite amusement park, but as soon as I entered it almost felt like being back in California. Except everyone spoke French and smoked in the park. Aside from that, I continued to be pleasantly surprised by the rides and friendliness of the French cast members. By the end of the day, I had decided that Big Thunder Mtn. Railroad, Indiana Jones (in Paris, a roller coaster) and Space Mtn. were my favorites. Can you imagine I actually ended up loving loops on roller coasters? That surprised me. =] The only complaint I had was the fact that my lower back (a part of my body that has caused me considerable discomfort in the last few years) suddenly decided it wanted to remind me of how easy back pain can come back. Thus, I winced and choked down my complaints as we were all having too much fun to be slowed down.
Sunday we hung out in the Walt Disney Studios, which was basically a smaller version of California Adventures. After seeing a few shows and shops, we decided Disneyland Paris was much more exciting and ended up riding Indiana Jones as well as Space Mtn. again (twice). As Mike drove us back to the hotel that night, I fell fast asleep in the car with no trouble.
Today, however, we had a packed morning. WE woke up bright and early (6am) and shuffled out the door, bags in hand. Arriving to Paris at 7:30am, we parked and walked to the Louve down the street. Walking into it's glass pyramid was more thrilling than I thought it was going to be. Basically, I've never been a fan of huge, eleborate museums, but hey, this was suppose to be the best of the best, so I gave it a try. We ended up seeing Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, The Code of Hammerabi and tons of Roman statues. Besides having back pain still, and being exhausted from lack of food, the trip was fun. We ended up leaving just as the crowds started to swarm, and grabbed take-away pizza and crepe's (a must) and parking in front of the Eiffel Tower. We figured seeing it in daylight was a very wise choice. And so it was. We set out our food and ate lunch on a wooden park bench in front of the Eiffel Tower. For about an hour and a half we simply hung around on the grass, taking silly photos, catching up, and relaxing. It was probably the best part of the day for me.
The rest of our day consisted of the 6 hours journey back to Germany. Nothing exciting to report except that I fell asleep again (tends to happen in the car) and we drove by some French town called Bitche. =)
Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed and tomorrow we pick up Lisa and all head to Munich for the rest of the week. Maybe by the weekend I'll have a chance to finally relax haha
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Oi Vey
Who do you talk to when the person who should understand you the most, doesn't get you at all?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Best Italian Food in Sweden
[taken from my travel log, dated March 7, 2010]
We arrived in Sweden at around 9am, rubbing our tired eyes and lugging our backpacks and belonging off the ship. My initial reaction to Stockholm was how beautiful it was. The harbor especially. The water ways wove and weaved throughout the city and the inhabitants of Stockholm lived on separate islands and inlets for this very reason. I liked how spread apart and yet somehow centralized Stockholm seemed to me. We decided to walk to our hostel, which was about a mile trek through snow and ice that covered the streets and sidewalks. Breathing heavily, we arrived at the lodging just in time to check-in and after throwing our things into the bedroom, Chelsea and I collapsed on our beds. We were exhausted and ended up taking a nap for 3 hours. We awoke later that night and Mike suggested we grab some chow before the stores close. We roamed the streets, and checked out a few places, but our minds weren't into it. Finally, we found a cozy-looking restaurant squeezed between two large buildings and we shrugged our shoulders and opened the door. Inside was a snazzy-styled Italian restaurant. It was warm and inviting, o we plopped ourselves down into the nearest booth. The waiter came over and greeted us with big smiles and we both soon realized he spoke neither English or German, so we spent the next few minutes pointing at the menu or playing charades to let him know what we wanted. He was really kind and brought us a huge salad bowl and basket of bread. Now, to starving travelers who are use to spending money on a simple glass of water, the salad and bread made us cautious. Was it a trap? Would we have to play for this in the bill? Every other table seemed to have the same salad and bread, so we decided to dig in. It looked so good that at that point, we didn't care if we had to pay for it or not. When our meals came, we were pleasantly surprised by it's large portion sizes and great quality and decided right then that this little shop had the best Italian food in Stockholm =]
We arrived in Sweden at around 9am, rubbing our tired eyes and lugging our backpacks and belonging off the ship. My initial reaction to Stockholm was how beautiful it was. The harbor especially. The water ways wove and weaved throughout the city and the inhabitants of Stockholm lived on separate islands and inlets for this very reason. I liked how spread apart and yet somehow centralized Stockholm seemed to me. We decided to walk to our hostel, which was about a mile trek through snow and ice that covered the streets and sidewalks. Breathing heavily, we arrived at the lodging just in time to check-in and after throwing our things into the bedroom, Chelsea and I collapsed on our beds. We were exhausted and ended up taking a nap for 3 hours. We awoke later that night and Mike suggested we grab some chow before the stores close. We roamed the streets, and checked out a few places, but our minds weren't into it. Finally, we found a cozy-looking restaurant squeezed between two large buildings and we shrugged our shoulders and opened the door. Inside was a snazzy-styled Italian restaurant. It was warm and inviting, o we plopped ourselves down into the nearest booth. The waiter came over and greeted us with big smiles and we both soon realized he spoke neither English or German, so we spent the next few minutes pointing at the menu or playing charades to let him know what we wanted. He was really kind and brought us a huge salad bowl and basket of bread. Now, to starving travelers who are use to spending money on a simple glass of water, the salad and bread made us cautious. Was it a trap? Would we have to play for this in the bill? Every other table seemed to have the same salad and bread, so we decided to dig in. It looked so good that at that point, we didn't care if we had to pay for it or not. When our meals came, we were pleasantly surprised by it's large portion sizes and great quality and decided right then that this little shop had the best Italian food in Stockholm =]
I'm On a Boat
[taken from my travel log, dated March 6,2010]
This morning we woke early, said our quick good bye's, grabbed some rye bread and headed out to Helsinki's harbour. There, we bought tickets for an over-night ferry, The Viking Line. The ship was huge; much bigger than any boat I've ever been on, and if I was impressed with the outside, it paled in comparison to it's interior. Each deck had either a bar, restaurant or both and some decks even had grocery stores, lounge areas, or stages with live music. By the time we boarded the gigantic vessel, it was already 8pm and we were ravenous for dinner. After grabbing some cheap eats at a Mexican restaurant, we were headed to the upper deck when we heard some swanky live music coming from the hallway. Upon further inspection, it wound up being a live African band who played a combination of jazz music and African style instruments (my favorite being steel drums). Chelsea and I usually can't help but move to beats, so we started grooving in the back, hopefully hidden from view. Wrong, haha. The lead saxophonist set down his instrument and asked us to dance. Before I knew what was happening, he pulled Chelsea and I onto the floor and started, I guess, swing dancing with us. It was hilarious and Mike couldn't help but laugh at us.
After the dance lessons, Mike, Chelsea and I set ourselves down on some comfy chairs overlooking the ship's effortless attempts to break apart the large chucks of ice in the Baltic Sea. A hour later, we had finished off some sodas, played a few rounds of Monopoly, the card game and enjoyed the piano players valiant attempts to sing Johnny Cash with his Swedish accent. I let Chelsea and Mike know I was tired and wanted some good reading/writing time on the bottom deck where our cabins were located so we parted and they headed in the direction of a dance floor. Below decks, our cabin floor wired and groaned as the bottom of the ship hit and broke apart ice. With the addition of the engine room, I thought to myself that it was funny how soothing the noise was to me. I stayed up for an hour enjoying the peace and passed the time engrossed in a book. Sleep overtook me later, and the day day, I awoke to the sound of the captain letting us know we had a half hour until arriving in Stockholm.
This morning we woke early, said our quick good bye's, grabbed some rye bread and headed out to Helsinki's harbour. There, we bought tickets for an over-night ferry, The Viking Line. The ship was huge; much bigger than any boat I've ever been on, and if I was impressed with the outside, it paled in comparison to it's interior. Each deck had either a bar, restaurant or both and some decks even had grocery stores, lounge areas, or stages with live music. By the time we boarded the gigantic vessel, it was already 8pm and we were ravenous for dinner. After grabbing some cheap eats at a Mexican restaurant, we were headed to the upper deck when we heard some swanky live music coming from the hallway. Upon further inspection, it wound up being a live African band who played a combination of jazz music and African style instruments (my favorite being steel drums). Chelsea and I usually can't help but move to beats, so we started grooving in the back, hopefully hidden from view. Wrong, haha. The lead saxophonist set down his instrument and asked us to dance. Before I knew what was happening, he pulled Chelsea and I onto the floor and started, I guess, swing dancing with us. It was hilarious and Mike couldn't help but laugh at us.
After the dance lessons, Mike, Chelsea and I set ourselves down on some comfy chairs overlooking the ship's effortless attempts to break apart the large chucks of ice in the Baltic Sea. A hour later, we had finished off some sodas, played a few rounds of Monopoly, the card game and enjoyed the piano players valiant attempts to sing Johnny Cash with his Swedish accent. I let Chelsea and Mike know I was tired and wanted some good reading/writing time on the bottom deck where our cabins were located so we parted and they headed in the direction of a dance floor. Below decks, our cabin floor wired and groaned as the bottom of the ship hit and broke apart ice. With the addition of the engine room, I thought to myself that it was funny how soothing the noise was to me. I stayed up for an hour enjoying the peace and passed the time engrossed in a book. Sleep overtook me later, and the day day, I awoke to the sound of the captain letting us know we had a half hour until arriving in Stockholm.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Likritsia
Licorice-one of the many things that sets my apart from the typical American (minimalism being another one). One of the first things I noticed and learned about Finland was its love of licorice...as well as their love to putting just about anything on rye bread. Today, we went to the mall and spent 10 Euros on every "typical Finnish" chocolate candy bar they could find for me. All of them either contained mint, Carmel or licorice. I even bought a licorice-flavored ice cream (sounds dissatisfying but to me, it was well-thought out idea!). After buying a doughnut with licorice icing, we strolled to the dried fruit and nut store and packed up on peppered cashews (my favorite) and dried mango (another favorite) and drove home to spend one last night with our knew friends. Everyone met up at Laura's house and we played a few games they taught us and we taught them Never Have I Ever and Two Truths and a Lie.
Tomorrow we leave for Stockholm on an overnight ferry! Let's hope it can break through the ice as easily in the Baltic Sea as it did while venturing to Estonia. Every other ferry but ours has cancelled their lines because of the ice, so I hope not to reinact the Titanic issue. =]
Tomorrow we leave for Stockholm on an overnight ferry! Let's hope it can break through the ice as easily in the Baltic Sea as it did while venturing to Estonia. Every other ferry but ours has cancelled their lines because of the ice, so I hope not to reinact the Titanic issue. =]
Estonia and Why It's Worth a Visit
[taken from my travel log, dated March 4, 2010]
Ok, so maybe Estonia wasn't the most epic country I've ever been too. It was cold, sad and full of recently independent people from the SSR. Having no previous knowledge of Estonia's culture (let alone it's existence) I had curious eyes about it. We took a three hour ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn, the most visited city on the coast, and I exchanged my Euros for Estonian Krones. There money is colorful and full of pictures of birds and scary looking people, so I kept a few for myself. =) After strolling through the streets, and taking pictures of all the colorful buildings, we took refuge from the snow in a Medieval tavern. The place was really authentic and served only food that Estonians could have prepared in the middle ages. Lynda and I had some home-made garlic and herb bread with fresh-churned butter and Chelsea and Laura feasted on elk jerky and wild boar with potatoes and beans. The atmosphere was charming while their only source of lit was by candles and it smelled of wood, good food and spices from the kitchen. So, for that, Estonia has become a highlight of my trip thus far!
Ok, so maybe Estonia wasn't the most epic country I've ever been too. It was cold, sad and full of recently independent people from the SSR. Having no previous knowledge of Estonia's culture (let alone it's existence) I had curious eyes about it. We took a three hour ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn, the most visited city on the coast, and I exchanged my Euros for Estonian Krones. There money is colorful and full of pictures of birds and scary looking people, so I kept a few for myself. =) After strolling through the streets, and taking pictures of all the colorful buildings, we took refuge from the snow in a Medieval tavern. The place was really authentic and served only food that Estonians could have prepared in the middle ages. Lynda and I had some home-made garlic and herb bread with fresh-churned butter and Chelsea and Laura feasted on elk jerky and wild boar with potatoes and beans. The atmosphere was charming while their only source of lit was by candles and it smelled of wood, good food and spices from the kitchen. So, for that, Estonia has become a highlight of my trip thus far!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Super Sauna
[taken from my travel log, dated March 3, 2010]
Today we had our first ever sauna. In Finland, sauna is a very typical, weekly activity that helps heal the body and clear the mind. So, to get the full experience, we naturally agreed to do it! Almost every family has a sauna in their house, and we were all invited to go to an older couple's sauna and enjoy company, food (again, no complaints) and the sauna. While Mike, the host and another guy Maitus had their sauna (which, if you don't know, consists of taken off all your clothes, sitting in a hot wooden hut and sweating, then dipping into cold water and rushing back to the sauna again), the girls (Chelsea, the hostess, Lynda and our friend Laura)ate and talked of the future, our past and our present.
When it was our turn, Lynda, Chelsea and I were the first to take off our clothes and bravely venture into the hot sauna. Now, to say it was merely "hot" wouldn't have given it justice. it was 212 degrees Fahrenheit....basically if the temperature didn't get to you, the steam that came off of the hot coals we used would. The hostess would pour a large copper ladle of water onto the coals and a burst of steam would emerge, eventually burning your eyes, but supposedly, helping your body and mind. My favorite part was dipping into the water. They had a creek running under the sauna hut and it was being fed by the snow that kept falling into the creek. So, extremely cold water greeted those who submerged their bodies into it for 15 seconds, which felt like an hour. However, if you could ever image an image of three naked girls running outside, dipping into an ice cold creek and squealing out of surprise and then rushing back into the sauna, you should....because it would have been a humorous site to see. =]
I felt accomplished though. Like I had experienced something truly unique and well, something I'll never have the chance to do again. And these are the moments when I feel like everything I'm doing is worth it. Because having these kinds of memories will be the most valuable things I ever own.
Today we had our first ever sauna. In Finland, sauna is a very typical, weekly activity that helps heal the body and clear the mind. So, to get the full experience, we naturally agreed to do it! Almost every family has a sauna in their house, and we were all invited to go to an older couple's sauna and enjoy company, food (again, no complaints) and the sauna. While Mike, the host and another guy Maitus had their sauna (which, if you don't know, consists of taken off all your clothes, sitting in a hot wooden hut and sweating, then dipping into cold water and rushing back to the sauna again), the girls (Chelsea, the hostess, Lynda and our friend Laura)ate and talked of the future, our past and our present.
When it was our turn, Lynda, Chelsea and I were the first to take off our clothes and bravely venture into the hot sauna. Now, to say it was merely "hot" wouldn't have given it justice. it was 212 degrees Fahrenheit....basically if the temperature didn't get to you, the steam that came off of the hot coals we used would. The hostess would pour a large copper ladle of water onto the coals and a burst of steam would emerge, eventually burning your eyes, but supposedly, helping your body and mind. My favorite part was dipping into the water. They had a creek running under the sauna hut and it was being fed by the snow that kept falling into the creek. So, extremely cold water greeted those who submerged their bodies into it for 15 seconds, which felt like an hour. However, if you could ever image an image of three naked girls running outside, dipping into an ice cold creek and squealing out of surprise and then rushing back into the sauna, you should....because it would have been a humorous site to see. =]
I felt accomplished though. Like I had experienced something truly unique and well, something I'll never have the chance to do again. And these are the moments when I feel like everything I'm doing is worth it. Because having these kinds of memories will be the most valuable things I ever own.
Snow Pegasus
[taken from my travel log, dated March 2, 2010]
Today we woke and ate a hearty, warm and delicious Finnish breakfast. That usually contains rye bread, meat, cheese, cucumbers, and rice porridge.Soon, we met up with the guys who Mike would be staying with. We had all agreed the night previous that an epic snowman should be built and thus, our day's quest began. When we arrived in a snowy park, the men hunted out the perfect location and Chelsea, Lynda and I decided we would like to create something a little more exotic, thus a snow Pegasus emerged. Three hours later, the men had finished a truly gigantic snowman, and our Pegasus lay peacfully beside it. We took photos because we were so proud of it.
We left our creations, hoping they wouldn't be snowed over the next morning, and went to Jonnis's house, where his family had made us another great feast for the afternoon. Finnish people love to feed you, and for me, I couldn't have accepted that cultural norm more gladly.
Today we woke and ate a hearty, warm and delicious Finnish breakfast. That usually contains rye bread, meat, cheese, cucumbers, and rice porridge.Soon, we met up with the guys who Mike would be staying with. We had all agreed the night previous that an epic snowman should be built and thus, our day's quest began. When we arrived in a snowy park, the men hunted out the perfect location and Chelsea, Lynda and I decided we would like to create something a little more exotic, thus a snow Pegasus emerged. Three hours later, the men had finished a truly gigantic snowman, and our Pegasus lay peacfully beside it. We took photos because we were so proud of it.
We left our creations, hoping they wouldn't be snowed over the next morning, and went to Jonnis's house, where his family had made us another great feast for the afternoon. Finnish people love to feed you, and for me, I couldn't have accepted that cultural norm more gladly.
Finally Finland
[taken from Travel journal entry for March 3, 2010]
Today was one of the craziest travel journeys I've ever had. Travel as in anything that could have gone bad, did. We almost missed our trains, purchased tickets that actually didn't exist, almost lost Mike, stayed in an underground for three hours which ended up being more like a wind tunnel, and once we finally made it to Frankfurt, Germany's worst looking city ever, we realized we missed the crucial bus we needed to take us the hour-journey ride to the Ryan Air Airport, which is inconveniently located no where near Frankfurt. The next bus would end up arriving at the airport an two hours later, giving us a stressful 10 minutes to run through check-in, customs, and security before the gate closed. And that's just what we did, run. The only part that ended up being humorous was when we realized they thought my boots must have been some sort of security problem because I was treated like they must have hidden a bomb. Of course, upon further inspection, they realized, I was no terrorist but just a tired and hungry traveler who just had buckles on her shoes.....oi vey.
Thankfully, the plane was still loading passengers, and we made it safely on. We left Germany as snow began to fall and landed in Finland to more snow than I could have imagined. My luggage had a hard time keeping up with me as I trudged through the snow where my friend Lynda and her friends greeted us with big grins and signs (literally, it was an authentic Welcome Wagon). We then enjoyed the most peaceful ride back to their home where delicious chili awaited my starving body. That night all of Lynda's friend's threw us a grand get-together and we ate good food, met good people, learned some Finnish and played some Finnish games similar to games from my Comedy Improv class.
Today was one of the craziest travel journeys I've ever had. Travel as in anything that could have gone bad, did. We almost missed our trains, purchased tickets that actually didn't exist, almost lost Mike, stayed in an underground for three hours which ended up being more like a wind tunnel, and once we finally made it to Frankfurt, Germany's worst looking city ever, we realized we missed the crucial bus we needed to take us the hour-journey ride to the Ryan Air Airport, which is inconveniently located no where near Frankfurt. The next bus would end up arriving at the airport an two hours later, giving us a stressful 10 minutes to run through check-in, customs, and security before the gate closed. And that's just what we did, run. The only part that ended up being humorous was when we realized they thought my boots must have been some sort of security problem because I was treated like they must have hidden a bomb. Of course, upon further inspection, they realized, I was no terrorist but just a tired and hungry traveler who just had buckles on her shoes.....oi vey.
Thankfully, the plane was still loading passengers, and we made it safely on. We left Germany as snow began to fall and landed in Finland to more snow than I could have imagined. My luggage had a hard time keeping up with me as I trudged through the snow where my friend Lynda and her friends greeted us with big grins and signs (literally, it was an authentic Welcome Wagon). We then enjoyed the most peaceful ride back to their home where delicious chili awaited my starving body. That night all of Lynda's friend's threw us a grand get-together and we ate good food, met good people, learned some Finnish and played some Finnish games similar to games from my Comedy Improv class.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Northern Exposure
"The world is a book and those who never travel only read one page."
[taken from my travel log, dated Feb. 28, 2010]
We leave for Finland tomorrow morning. Tonight, however, we take the late night trains all the way to Frankfurt...a city I'm only aquainted with because I sometimes have to fly out of there with Ryan Air. Currently, Chelsea and I are waiing for Mike at our favorite resturant/bar. Oddly enough, it's locatd in the bahnhof. Laugh if you must, but apart from it's deep wood tables, frosted glass windows and stained glass lights, this place is special to me for it's charming atmosphere. Here you'll find locals as well as out-of-towners, enjoying some good food or their favorite drinks while they wait for their train. Everyone from the dapper gentleman on a business trip to the local bohemian artist in the corner, you are bound to find something interesting. To me, it's the perfect place to people-watch.
Until next time, I shall say Ciao! And hopefully, Finland welcomes me! Unfortunatly, it'll have to welcome me with snow covered arms, but eh, that's part of it's charm, no?
[taken from my travel log, dated Feb. 28, 2010]
We leave for Finland tomorrow morning. Tonight, however, we take the late night trains all the way to Frankfurt...a city I'm only aquainted with because I sometimes have to fly out of there with Ryan Air. Currently, Chelsea and I are waiing for Mike at our favorite resturant/bar. Oddly enough, it's locatd in the bahnhof. Laugh if you must, but apart from it's deep wood tables, frosted glass windows and stained glass lights, this place is special to me for it's charming atmosphere. Here you'll find locals as well as out-of-towners, enjoying some good food or their favorite drinks while they wait for their train. Everyone from the dapper gentleman on a business trip to the local bohemian artist in the corner, you are bound to find something interesting. To me, it's the perfect place to people-watch.
Until next time, I shall say Ciao! And hopefully, Finland welcomes me! Unfortunatly, it'll have to welcome me with snow covered arms, but eh, that's part of it's charm, no?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Just One Step Closer
Tonight I'll be eating dinner in a bus station, and taking a midnight train to Frankfurt. A few restless, and yet relaxing hours at the airport and we'll be taking a flight to Finland. From there, Stockholm, Ireland, Scotland and back to Germany to meet up with Dani, who's coming at the end of March. A whole month of travel and I feel somehow impatient for it to start. I guess that's how I am now. I like the thrill of booking flights, riding trains and walking around a city I've never seen before.
I just noticed recently how much I love riding trains. A friend said it makes the best sound. Planes are so muted and consistent whereas cars make so much noise and one has to deal with the surrounding noise of traffic. But trains are different. And it's something I know I'll miss when I go back.
Speaking of going back, I just booked my flight back. It was a relief only because I finally bought the stupid thing. It ended up being 500$ because we waited so long. I fly back on July 30th. Thankfully, it's later than I expected. Although, now I only have less than a month to pick classes, move into a new dorm/apartment, see family, get my car...oh, and deal with culture shock. Yea, that'll be fun =].
I suppose I'll keep tabs on what I've been up to on my travels. I have a journal and hopefully I'll actually remember to write in it.
Ciao!
I just noticed recently how much I love riding trains. A friend said it makes the best sound. Planes are so muted and consistent whereas cars make so much noise and one has to deal with the surrounding noise of traffic. But trains are different. And it's something I know I'll miss when I go back.
Speaking of going back, I just booked my flight back. It was a relief only because I finally bought the stupid thing. It ended up being 500$ because we waited so long. I fly back on July 30th. Thankfully, it's later than I expected. Although, now I only have less than a month to pick classes, move into a new dorm/apartment, see family, get my car...oh, and deal with culture shock. Yea, that'll be fun =].
I suppose I'll keep tabs on what I've been up to on my travels. I have a journal and hopefully I'll actually remember to write in it.
Ciao!
Friday, February 26, 2010
The One I Love by Greg Laswell
But I should probably say that I'm unsure why I'm running
running away from
the only thing I want
Yeah, I should probably say that I'm unsure why I'm running
running away from the one i love
running away from
the only thing I want
Yeah, I should probably say that I'm unsure why I'm running
running away from the one i love
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Vienna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsEBGhbSKVc
Great vacation, with some great people. I learned that Vienna really doesn't like dogs without muzzels on, their buildings are beautiful, they have famous chocolate called Mozart kugels, and they'll always be helpful to you. I met a man who sang opera and wished to visit America, a man who had too much to drink and a few sweet ladies at a traditional sweet shop. We tasted famous chocolate cake, famous ice cream and some delicious cinnamon chocolate covered almonds. Oh, and if you're able to go, make sure you see the cemetary. Some of the most famous classical composers are buried there, so you shouldn't miss out. =]
Great vacation, with some great people. I learned that Vienna really doesn't like dogs without muzzels on, their buildings are beautiful, they have famous chocolate called Mozart kugels, and they'll always be helpful to you. I met a man who sang opera and wished to visit America, a man who had too much to drink and a few sweet ladies at a traditional sweet shop. We tasted famous chocolate cake, famous ice cream and some delicious cinnamon chocolate covered almonds. Oh, and if you're able to go, make sure you see the cemetary. Some of the most famous classical composers are buried there, so you shouldn't miss out. =]
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