So, we're currently in Berlin. We've hit Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam so far, and tomorrow Elise and I are heading to Prague while Catrina heads to Rosenheim.
I was actually kind of sad to say goodbye to London. Andrew and company got me a keychain, pair of earrings, and a purse/shoulder bag as going away gifts. It was stressful writing my feature piece at the end (I actually went in to work although the internship was officially over) but I think I left it in pretty decent shape. Saying goodbye to the flatmates was especially sad. Caitlyn, Amanda and we had a pretty good run together. We're already planning to roadtrip out to Penn State to visit them. Hopefully Julie can pop down from NJ to visit at the same time.
Leaving London was of course a hassle, with me on a different train from Catrina and her friend Kevin. I also just barely made my train as I hadn't really taken into account the long walk to the tube avec my stupid suitcase, having to buy a tube ticket since my card had run out, delays on the Picadilly and just basic slowness in general. However I made it to Paris and finally got to see Elise again. YAY.
Paris was nice, but the London weather seemed to follow us, but the sun appeared while we were in Montmartre and I even managed to burn my nose again. A quick tour of the Louvre, climb up Notre Dame, journey up la Tour Eiffel (which I abstained from, once was enough), some bread and cheese, and we were saying goodbye to Kevin and heading to Brussels.
Due to some train issues, we had to nix Bruges from the plans, but Brussels turned out to be beautiful. Catrina and I were amazed by the wide selection and cheapness of the beers at the supermarket and might have bought six while Elise's back was turned. After consuming several, we ventured out to find delicious chocolate-covered waffles and the Delirium Bar. Once again we were overwhelmed with choices. There might also have been a glass theft involved, but I'm not saying anything. The next morning we woke up wondering what all the excitement was about. Turns out by freak chance, we managed to end up in the capital of Belgium for their national holiday. Go us. After hanging out in the park full of little booths, we bought some chocolates and headed to Amsterdam.
Once there we decided we should get our tickets to Germany sorted out. We attempted to queue but were told we had to take a number to wait instead (and we had gotten so good at queueing too). I was standing under the tv showing the list of numbers up next. My balloon from Brussels attached to my backpack happened to float in front of the screen and just as Elise was about to move it, some trainstationman came over and told me "maybe you should go away now." I, of course, had no idea what was going on but finally figured out the balloon problem. Due to the time it took waiting, the tourist info closed and we had no idea how to get to our hostel. With the help of three different guys and a map the actual size of Amsterdam, we managed to make it there. Late as it was, all we managed to do was find food and fall into bed. The next morning we headed to the Anne Frank house, where we of course had to queue. After that, Elise and Catrina went on a wandering around trip that resulted in bagels and coffee and parks and happiness. I jumped on a waterbus and got a tour of the canals on my way to the Van Gogh museum. It was fascinating seeing how his work changed as he moved from Antwerp to Paris to the south of France. After a little more canal busing, I met up with C and E and we jumped on the train to Berlin.
We got in pretty late, so we were thrilled that our friend Ed met us at the station and took us to our hostel. There was some confusion with the room and with the bedding, but we eventually got it worked out. The next morning we walked to the train station to get out tickets worked out and then lay in the Tiergarten before heading to the Brandenburg Gate to meet up with Ed. However, there was some timing issues and we missed each other, so we got bizarre Mexican lunch and then lay in the Lustgarten. We're big fans of napping in parks. We met up with Ed later and ate some delicious Turkish food. After stopping by the apartment Ed is staying at, we headed back to the hostel. Again confusion with the room and the beds, but we thought it was all figured out and sent Ed on his way. FALSE. It was not worked out; they tried to put us in a room that was already occupied. We got our money back and headed out to try and make our way back to Ed's. We thought we might be able to make it, but by thankful freak chance, we ended up on the same tram as Ed. We crashed on his floor and got to meet the actual flatmates the next morning. Both Jeffs were really nice. We're not quite sure where we're staying tonight, maybe here again.
Anyway, tomorrow it's Praha and then Elise and I are joining back up with Catrina in Rosenheim. Yay the south of Germany!
Friday, 24 July 2009
Thursday, 16 July 2009
another travelin' song
today i am mailing my things to germany. this means, that after a quick skype to my mother, i won't have access to the internet on a daily basis. my macbook is making the journey to germany buried deep within my suitcase, cushioned by towels and a combination of clean and dirty clothes....hopefully it will be safe.
we are leaving for paris on friday to be reunited with our dear miss elise. kevin has decided to tag along.
once we are in paris, we are going to make reservations at hostels in brussels, bruges, amsterdam and berlin. we will leave for belgium on sunday. on the 25, i'll head to rosenheim and claire and elise are going to prague for a few days, then they'll come to bavaria too. i know this is just a rough outline, but we will be on a pretty tight schedule and moving around pretty rapidly. we'll post a clearer outline when we get some internet access in france.
Sunday, 12 July 2009
Friday, 10 July 2009
of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, of cabbages and kings
so it is my last day at iwpr, and i am sitting at my desk doing nothing, which is par for the course really. i can't believe that time has gone by so quickly. it seems like only last week, i was interviewing with Caroline and being assigned my projects. now, i am getting a going away party of my own and i have made headway on the afghanistan elections pages. i am going to finish my articles from the states and continue freelancing for iwpr from home. i'm lucky to be able to continue working on my projects from the states. i have really become invested in the elections and it will be a nice portfolio boost to continue working with this organization.
it's also our last weekend here in london. last night, julie, amanda, cait and i went out to this fabulous irish pub in picadilly circus. it was one of the most amazing pubs i have ever been in. it was mammoth, although from the outside you would never guess the maze of stairs, floors and woodwork awaiting you. there was a giant tree carved into a pillar that appeared to be holding up the entire pub. (waxyoconnors.co.uk)
today, while eating my lunch of vegetarian quiche and blueberry tea at what has become my favorite lunchtime haunt near work, i realized just how short of a time i have here. it is going to be a week full of 'lasts'. as excited as i am to continue my journey through europe, to bavaria and finally home, it's sad to thing that i wont see amanda, caitlyn and julie for a while. we've all grown so close and thinking that i can't just go grab dinner or a cider with them will be so strange. luckily, we don't live that far from each other and are already planning visits for the fall.
really, the only thing that has been a damper on this entire trip is Arcadia University (who orchestrated the program). the class was completely useless, the paper was rushed and unorganized and they haven't been helpful in the least. my intership placement was perfect and their random roommate assignment worked out amazingly, but i feel as though the latter part of that equation was a complete accident and not at all based on research of any kind. i love my intership. i hate that i gave Arcadia an exhorbent amount of money to complete it.
our trip to italy was hectic and wonderful. it's something i am really unable to describe in words, a first for me, i know. but as ansel adams once said : "When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence". i hope that you check out the photos i have posted on the flickr site. they are just a small sampling of the 300+ pictures i took on our trip, but i feel as though they represent it well and they are the ones i like the most. i threw them up kind of hastily, so they are unedited and are exactly as i took them, no photoshopping present. (i ask that if you are going to use the photos in any way to please let me know via email: otonoga.1@gmail.com)
this weekend, claire and i are headed to surrey to see leonard cohen. amanda, cait, julie, kevin and i are going to high tea at thelanesborough (thelanesborough.com). and we are going to try to hit up harrods and portobello road again for some last minute gift shopping. i'm excited to see what london holds for my last few days here.
it's also our last weekend here in london. last night, julie, amanda, cait and i went out to this fabulous irish pub in picadilly circus. it was one of the most amazing pubs i have ever been in. it was mammoth, although from the outside you would never guess the maze of stairs, floors and woodwork awaiting you. there was a giant tree carved into a pillar that appeared to be holding up the entire pub. (waxyoconnors.co.uk)
today, while eating my lunch of vegetarian quiche and blueberry tea at what has become my favorite lunchtime haunt near work, i realized just how short of a time i have here. it is going to be a week full of 'lasts'. as excited as i am to continue my journey through europe, to bavaria and finally home, it's sad to thing that i wont see amanda, caitlyn and julie for a while. we've all grown so close and thinking that i can't just go grab dinner or a cider with them will be so strange. luckily, we don't live that far from each other and are already planning visits for the fall.
really, the only thing that has been a damper on this entire trip is Arcadia University (who orchestrated the program). the class was completely useless, the paper was rushed and unorganized and they haven't been helpful in the least. my intership placement was perfect and their random roommate assignment worked out amazingly, but i feel as though the latter part of that equation was a complete accident and not at all based on research of any kind. i love my intership. i hate that i gave Arcadia an exhorbent amount of money to complete it.
our trip to italy was hectic and wonderful. it's something i am really unable to describe in words, a first for me, i know. but as ansel adams once said : "When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence". i hope that you check out the photos i have posted on the flickr site. they are just a small sampling of the 300+ pictures i took on our trip, but i feel as though they represent it well and they are the ones i like the most. i threw them up kind of hastily, so they are unedited and are exactly as i took them, no photoshopping present. (i ask that if you are going to use the photos in any way to please let me know via email: otonoga.1@gmail.com)
this weekend, claire and i are headed to surrey to see leonard cohen. amanda, cait, julie, kevin and i are going to high tea at thelanesborough (thelanesborough.com). and we are going to try to hit up harrods and portobello road again for some last minute gift shopping. i'm excited to see what london holds for my last few days here.
a picture is worth 1000 words
pictures of maida are now on the flickr site
www.flickr.com/photos/edelweissandforgetmenots
enjoy!
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Mostru Maida
If Catrina ever feels the need to explain in greater detail (or even if I do at some point) then, dear readers, you might get a more accurate description of our Italian adventures. As it is, I feel it is better to just get down as much as I can.
To start, we raced from work to class to flat to shower to pack and out the door. After a lost Underground card and ticket problems, we made it to Stansted Airport around 10 pm, Wed. We attempted to work on our 5000 word papers, but apparently in Europe, outlets are nowhere to be found. After staying up all night long, we went to go through security when I realized I did not have my passport because it was sitting on my desk. The others went to get on the plane as I, of course, cried in the airport. There was another plane at 1040, leaving me not enough time to take the train again. One 150 pound taxi ride and graffiti artist Banksy spotting later, I returned to the airport to find that my plane actually didn't leave until 1230 and I definitely could have taken the train. I chose to spend my extra time sleeping on the airport floor. When getting on the plane, turns out we were not allowed to have one bag plus purse and I consequently had to shove everything into my already stuffed backpack. When I finally made it to Naples, I only had about 15 min to make it to the train station. The bus moved as slow as molasses and I then got to sprint across the piazza with all my baggage. Somehow my hat fell out of my bag and since the nice Italian man pointed it out to me, the rapidly sprinting American, I was forced to briefly retreat to retrieve the 2 dollar hat. I don't know how but I made it onto the train.
Of course, turns out we were on the wrong train, but we didn't find that out for another hour. In the meantime, I rapidly consumed most of a bottle of wine that a random Italian man opened using a screwdriver. Once our incorrect train returned us to Naples, we then jumped on a different train that we were pretty sure was going south. Four and a half hours later, hungry, tired, confused and somewhat lost, all six of us could be seen, faces pressed to the windows, staring out into the dark Italian countryside. With a little luck and a lot of phone shouting between Amanda and her mother, we finally made it to Lamezia. Waiting for us were a group of Italians, including Amanda's Nonna. Quickly placed in little cars, we were zipped over to Maida where we were soon stuffed with pasta, what was soon to become a common occurrence. After a brief breakdown and comforting by Nonna, I was finally able to close my eyes and go to sleep. It was around 1 am Friday morning.
The rest of the trip consisted of tiny espressos, fetching water from springs, gelato, pasta and delicious crystal light lemonade, showing the italian guys how to do shots, late night pastries, language barriers, trips to the beach with sandwiches made for us by the italian boys (we of course got sun burnt), more pasta, driving very quickly through the italian countryside with italian boys (you notice they crop up a lot), Nonna's cousins, mamma mia! (yes, they actually say that), more gelato, more beach and sunburns and old men in speedos, more pasta, more driving with italian boys, more pastries, pasta, lemonade, gelato, hilarious music from the 90s, olive groves, eating in the dark, Nonna doing our laundry, fingers smashed in car doors, fingers stung by bees, pasta, beautiful settings and wonderful people. It might seem like the bad things outweigh the good, but I'd still do it all over again if I had the choice (maybe that time I'd remember my passport).
Luckily, our trip back was reasonably successful, lacking the catastrophes of the first journey.
My first trip to Italy is one I don't think I will ever forget.
To start, we raced from work to class to flat to shower to pack and out the door. After a lost Underground card and ticket problems, we made it to Stansted Airport around 10 pm, Wed. We attempted to work on our 5000 word papers, but apparently in Europe, outlets are nowhere to be found. After staying up all night long, we went to go through security when I realized I did not have my passport because it was sitting on my desk. The others went to get on the plane as I, of course, cried in the airport. There was another plane at 1040, leaving me not enough time to take the train again. One 150 pound taxi ride and graffiti artist Banksy spotting later, I returned to the airport to find that my plane actually didn't leave until 1230 and I definitely could have taken the train. I chose to spend my extra time sleeping on the airport floor. When getting on the plane, turns out we were not allowed to have one bag plus purse and I consequently had to shove everything into my already stuffed backpack. When I finally made it to Naples, I only had about 15 min to make it to the train station. The bus moved as slow as molasses and I then got to sprint across the piazza with all my baggage. Somehow my hat fell out of my bag and since the nice Italian man pointed it out to me, the rapidly sprinting American, I was forced to briefly retreat to retrieve the 2 dollar hat. I don't know how but I made it onto the train.
Of course, turns out we were on the wrong train, but we didn't find that out for another hour. In the meantime, I rapidly consumed most of a bottle of wine that a random Italian man opened using a screwdriver. Once our incorrect train returned us to Naples, we then jumped on a different train that we were pretty sure was going south. Four and a half hours later, hungry, tired, confused and somewhat lost, all six of us could be seen, faces pressed to the windows, staring out into the dark Italian countryside. With a little luck and a lot of phone shouting between Amanda and her mother, we finally made it to Lamezia. Waiting for us were a group of Italians, including Amanda's Nonna. Quickly placed in little cars, we were zipped over to Maida where we were soon stuffed with pasta, what was soon to become a common occurrence. After a brief breakdown and comforting by Nonna, I was finally able to close my eyes and go to sleep. It was around 1 am Friday morning.
The rest of the trip consisted of tiny espressos, fetching water from springs, gelato, pasta and delicious crystal light lemonade, showing the italian guys how to do shots, late night pastries, language barriers, trips to the beach with sandwiches made for us by the italian boys (we of course got sun burnt), more pasta, driving very quickly through the italian countryside with italian boys (you notice they crop up a lot), Nonna's cousins, mamma mia! (yes, they actually say that), more gelato, more beach and sunburns and old men in speedos, more pasta, more driving with italian boys, more pastries, pasta, lemonade, gelato, hilarious music from the 90s, olive groves, eating in the dark, Nonna doing our laundry, fingers smashed in car doors, fingers stung by bees, pasta, beautiful settings and wonderful people. It might seem like the bad things outweigh the good, but I'd still do it all over again if I had the choice (maybe that time I'd remember my passport).
Luckily, our trip back was reasonably successful, lacking the catastrophes of the first journey.
My first trip to Italy is one I don't think I will ever forget.
Annie et Lisa
Annie and Lisa's guest blog is supposed to go here only they are incommunicado at the moment and on a tiny farm in France. If they ever choose to post their London adventures here, so be it. If not, well, they came, they saw, they left. The end.
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