One thing I've learned from observation is that there is one overwhelming theme throughout all of Britain: space consciousness. :) Anyone who has been to the UK can understand what I'm talking about-- small rooms, even smaller hallways, tiny roads, strategically placed gardens, steep stairs... In many restaurants, don't be surprised if you get seated at a table with other people!! Any open space is free game!
My house in Swansea... to start-- our neighborhood uses up every inch of free space. It is a "terraced house" meaning that even though it is considered a house, it is attached to the houses on both sides so that basically our entire block is just one long building.
We've got three floors and let me tell ya, the stairs are steep! My room is the "shoebox," kindly nicknamed because of being the smallest in the house. It's about 8 by 10 feet... yes, tiny tiny. Good thing I was only allowed to bring two suitcases with me for this year because there wouldn't be room for more than that! In order to fit in a desk and a bed, the door to my wardrobe doesn't even open all the way. I also have a sink in my room- which comes in handy when someone is in the bathroom, but is also kind of funny when I really stop to think about it. I've had friends over before to watch movies or hang out-- maneuvering in the small enclosure is a bit like doing a dance.
My favorite part of my house is the bathroom. Keeping in mind that my house was most likely built in the early 1800s, I am content to be satisfied with not understanding the original architect's thoughts when designing... For starters, the light switch is not only outside of the bathroom, but above the door. I am not the tallest, so yes, this means I have to jump to turn on the lights every time I need to relieve myself. Not only is the light outside the room but it is also motion sensored- in theory. In reality it just pretty much has a mind of its own. 9 out of 10 times, while relieving oneself, the lights go off and you're forced to flail your arms around until they come back on. You may ask why, if the light is motion sensored, we don't just leave the switch on. Well, because it also has a mind of its own, that means it also switches on on its own as well. It gets better. The shower... aside from being tiny (which makes shaving ones legs incredibly difficult), has a switch to turn on the water. I don't really know if this is normal or not throughout homes in Britain, as I haven't seen it in anyone else's homes, but we have it. And just like the awkward light switch, the water switch is equally awkwardly placed-- out in the hallway. For those of you who have devious minds-- yes, that means that in theory you could turn the water AND the lights off while someone was inside. Luckily, none of us housemates have gotten to be close enough friends to feel comfortable playing any practical jokes!
This last bit is unrelated to the inherent architecture of our house, but has still been something I've had to cope with. One of my housemates is on the university surfing team. While this is super cool, it means that he's got a wet suit that needs to be hung to dry from time to time. Wales is a wet climate, eliminating the effectiveness of hanging something to dry outside, so the best place in the house to hang a damp wetsuit is in the shower. I cannot even count the times I have stepped into the bathroom, sometimes half asleep in the middle of the night-- and seen the dark outline of a person in the shower. My heart stops each time!!
I learned recently that they don't make "big" refrigderators in Britain. While this may not be entirely true, there is definitely less of them. Which explains why instead of having one big fridge, we have two small fridges. This gets complicated sharing between five, but usually just ends up meaning having less in the house and more frequent visits to the grocery store. It also brings up a few grocery discrepancies I have come across-- namely, eggs and milk. In the UK, they do not keep their eggs in the fridge. That is one habit I have had a hard time changing, but there have been times that the space in the fridge doesn't allow for my carton of eggs. I have not gotten food poisoning or anything, so it must be OK. The other thing is they have milk that doesn't need to be in the fridge. It does once its opened, but it allows for my housemate who likes to buy his food in bulk to store bunches of milk in the cupboard until he's ready to use them. I can't bend on this one, it is just too weird to me, so I continue to buy fresh milk. When I was staying at Juliette's in Bordeaux, I learned that they don't even have a fresh milk option in France. Weird.
Living in a house with 4 other people, sharing a tiny bathroom, and strategizing how to organize the "shoebox," have all been learning experiences. Lots of laughs and lots of memories. I think that its going to make me appreciate the day that I have my own bathroom and kitchen utensils that much more.
Today marks six weeks until I head back to the States for good. I cannot believe how fast things have gone... but I'll save that mushy stuff for another blog later. Spring is one of my favorite times of year in Iowa, and let me tell ya, I miss a good thunderstorm. So, the next thunder-boomer that rolls through, take a moment and enjoy it on my behalf :) Miss you all!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
some things I didn't mention before
I've decided that it is not fair to leave all of my faithful blog followers believing that all of my adventures and traveling have gone off without their moments of lost-ness or confusion. My blog thus far reads a lot like a movie, editing out the bloopers... However, trust me. There have been a few.
Let me start by talking about money. One of my biggest questions when I first arrived on this side of the pond was related to how everyone claims that "traveling Europe is SO cheap and easy." Ok, so how do I do it? I suppose I could agree-- but only if you're willing to eat less, sleep less comfortably, and travel at the mercy of the system, sometimes taking a roundabout way or leaving at a less convenient time. Let me explain... traveling Europe is not technically cheap by any means. My bank account can attest to that. It is less expensive to travel around once you're over here relative to if I were to start in the States and come to each place separately. We have found ways to reduce cost, like being willing to stay in less desirable places or take the longer bus or train ride.
Traveling on a budget means cutting corners and being willing to be very flexible. The least expensive train to Wimbledon was at 3:58 AM. Most of Megan and my adventures have begun at some ungodly early time in the morning in order to avoid "peak" travel times. On our particular train to Wimbledon I only vaguely remembering getting on the train, I believe we were the only ones to board in Swansea, and while I recall falling asleep the only one on the train, I woke up with my head on some kind businessman's shoulder on a packed train somewhere just outside of London! Ah!
That same weekend, our night in Brighton was our first experience with a youth hostel. After having stayed at several hostels and budget motels, I can tell you first hand that there are definitely differing degrees of nice-ness when it comes to places to stay. And truthfully, while you can get lucky and find some diamond in the rough, mostly you just get what you pay for. The reviews for the hostel in Brighton had mentioned it being a louder place to stay, but for 15 pounds a night we were willing to give it a try. What we didn't expect was the hostel to be above a pub and the bartender to double as the receptionist. Sketchy doesn't even begin to describe the vibes coming off this place.
Because it was our very first experience with a hostel we agreed we would try to participate and meet people, because we'd heard that was common in that environment to meet up with other travelers and make friends. We'd only been in the pub for a half hour when a crew came in that transformed the place into a full blown music-blasting dance club. People of all shapes, sizes and styles started pouring into the room. While we are not above a good night out, this was not the scene we'd been looking for. Suddenly thankful for the three flights of stairs that separated us from the ground floor and our room, we turned in for the night. After being woke in the night to a false fire alarm (probably set off by the impromtu smoke machines being carried onto the make-shift dance floor) and sleeping with one eye open all night, we packed our stuff up and carried on our way to our next destination early the next morning.
I have discovered since being in Europe that I get motion sick from time to time, particularly on buses. I had my first experience on a day trip to Cardiff with actually being sick on a bus. It was awful. I will spare you all the details, but this truth has since made travelling a little more difficult because buses are usually the cheapest way to go. Sometimes motion sickness can be combated by sleeping, but other times I feel like I'm being tortured slowly.
Ever heard the Scottish song I Would Walk 500 Miles by the Proclaimers? "And I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more..."? It might as well be my theme song minus the falling part. Any time the walk won't absolutely kill us, we have. I have walked across the entirety of London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome. I have walked under sunshine, in rain (lots of rain), wind, fog, and snow. There are times where we've been tempted to take the bus or a tram-- and times we've given in, but I am sure that we have saved significant amounts of money by using our God-given transportation mechanisms. :)
Have we ever gotten lost? More than we'd like to admit. Luckily, none of our mishaps have been significant enough to leave us sleeping on a bench in an abandoned parking lot or been for any significant period of time. When we were in Irun, Spain we decided we'd explore the area. Being lost wouldn't have really been that big of deal because Irun isn't that big, except it started raining-- complete with gusting wind. We were miserable. Wandering around the streets in a non-English speaking city drenched wasn't my idea of fun. Obviously, we found our way back to our hotel and survived, but I can only imagine what locals who saw us trudging through puddles with my umbrella blown inside out must have thought. I mean, Megan and I are both blonde hair-blue eyed girls. We obviously weren't locals. Haha.
After checking out a few hostels, we decided we prefered the atmosphere of a budget hotel. Budget hotels are a little like pulling a hotel's name out of a hat. Each experience has been different. We stayed in a hotel that was like a house that someone had converted into rooms for rent in Amsterdam. The steps up to our 4th floor room had been steeper than any I'd ever encountered and just wide enough for my shoulders to go through. It was less than clean, and our room had 3 single beds in it (in case we wanted to invite a friend?) and one of those 'wet room' bathrooms where the shower floor is the whole bathroom so water spreads out all around even the toilet. Our hotel in Barcelona had been absolutely lush, one of those diamonds in the rough I'd talked about. It wasn't in the middle of the city but we'd lucked out and it was right next to an underground station that took us straight into downtown Barcelona.
Most memorable award goes to Rome. Hotels in Rome, particularly around Easter, were incredibly expensive. We agreed to book a hotel that was less expensive but on the edge of the city, hoping for another experience like Barcelona. Ha. Not so much. Our first clue was when the transportation desk at the airport described our hotel as "by the sea." (Rome is about 30 miles inland) But the website had said there was "complimentary bus service." While the actual hotel was really nice, and we had plenty of room for the three of us, getting into the city each day was an adventure in itself! Our hotel was out in the middle of the countryside, and the complimentary bus service meant walking a quarter of a mile down the access road and standing on the side of the highway to flag down a bus.
Our first morning in Rome was so frustrating. We went out to the bus stop like the man (who, bless his soul for trying, spoke very poor English) had told us to. Three, obviously not Italian, girls standing on the side of the highway... 5 buses passed without stopping. We had no idea what we were doing wrong when finally a local stepped out. I bet her family had a good laugh over dinner that night as she told them about how silly we looked standing out there. We learned from watching, though. While we'd only just been standing below the bus stop sign, we observed that you have to stand, pretty much in the middle of the road and flag the oncoming bus down. A 20 minute bus ride dropped us off at the outermost underground stop where we transferred onto that and made our way into the city. Every day was an trek flagging the bus down and then on the other end, trying to remember which random spot on the highway to get off at to get back to our hotel. Considering all of the ways in which that situation could have gone poorly, we did quite well.
Traveling has been incredible and exhausting. Looking back, I have to say just how lucky I feel that things went as smoothly as they have. I am aware that at every turn, each train and each hotel or hostel there was potential for disaster. The experiences I have had will be with me forever.
Let me start by talking about money. One of my biggest questions when I first arrived on this side of the pond was related to how everyone claims that "traveling Europe is SO cheap and easy." Ok, so how do I do it? I suppose I could agree-- but only if you're willing to eat less, sleep less comfortably, and travel at the mercy of the system, sometimes taking a roundabout way or leaving at a less convenient time. Let me explain... traveling Europe is not technically cheap by any means. My bank account can attest to that. It is less expensive to travel around once you're over here relative to if I were to start in the States and come to each place separately. We have found ways to reduce cost, like being willing to stay in less desirable places or take the longer bus or train ride.
Traveling on a budget means cutting corners and being willing to be very flexible. The least expensive train to Wimbledon was at 3:58 AM. Most of Megan and my adventures have begun at some ungodly early time in the morning in order to avoid "peak" travel times. On our particular train to Wimbledon I only vaguely remembering getting on the train, I believe we were the only ones to board in Swansea, and while I recall falling asleep the only one on the train, I woke up with my head on some kind businessman's shoulder on a packed train somewhere just outside of London! Ah!
That same weekend, our night in Brighton was our first experience with a youth hostel. After having stayed at several hostels and budget motels, I can tell you first hand that there are definitely differing degrees of nice-ness when it comes to places to stay. And truthfully, while you can get lucky and find some diamond in the rough, mostly you just get what you pay for. The reviews for the hostel in Brighton had mentioned it being a louder place to stay, but for 15 pounds a night we were willing to give it a try. What we didn't expect was the hostel to be above a pub and the bartender to double as the receptionist. Sketchy doesn't even begin to describe the vibes coming off this place.
Because it was our very first experience with a hostel we agreed we would try to participate and meet people, because we'd heard that was common in that environment to meet up with other travelers and make friends. We'd only been in the pub for a half hour when a crew came in that transformed the place into a full blown music-blasting dance club. People of all shapes, sizes and styles started pouring into the room. While we are not above a good night out, this was not the scene we'd been looking for. Suddenly thankful for the three flights of stairs that separated us from the ground floor and our room, we turned in for the night. After being woke in the night to a false fire alarm (probably set off by the impromtu smoke machines being carried onto the make-shift dance floor) and sleeping with one eye open all night, we packed our stuff up and carried on our way to our next destination early the next morning.
I have discovered since being in Europe that I get motion sick from time to time, particularly on buses. I had my first experience on a day trip to Cardiff with actually being sick on a bus. It was awful. I will spare you all the details, but this truth has since made travelling a little more difficult because buses are usually the cheapest way to go. Sometimes motion sickness can be combated by sleeping, but other times I feel like I'm being tortured slowly.
Ever heard the Scottish song I Would Walk 500 Miles by the Proclaimers? "And I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more..."? It might as well be my theme song minus the falling part. Any time the walk won't absolutely kill us, we have. I have walked across the entirety of London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome. I have walked under sunshine, in rain (lots of rain), wind, fog, and snow. There are times where we've been tempted to take the bus or a tram-- and times we've given in, but I am sure that we have saved significant amounts of money by using our God-given transportation mechanisms. :)
Have we ever gotten lost? More than we'd like to admit. Luckily, none of our mishaps have been significant enough to leave us sleeping on a bench in an abandoned parking lot or been for any significant period of time. When we were in Irun, Spain we decided we'd explore the area. Being lost wouldn't have really been that big of deal because Irun isn't that big, except it started raining-- complete with gusting wind. We were miserable. Wandering around the streets in a non-English speaking city drenched wasn't my idea of fun. Obviously, we found our way back to our hotel and survived, but I can only imagine what locals who saw us trudging through puddles with my umbrella blown inside out must have thought. I mean, Megan and I are both blonde hair-blue eyed girls. We obviously weren't locals. Haha.
After checking out a few hostels, we decided we prefered the atmosphere of a budget hotel. Budget hotels are a little like pulling a hotel's name out of a hat. Each experience has been different. We stayed in a hotel that was like a house that someone had converted into rooms for rent in Amsterdam. The steps up to our 4th floor room had been steeper than any I'd ever encountered and just wide enough for my shoulders to go through. It was less than clean, and our room had 3 single beds in it (in case we wanted to invite a friend?) and one of those 'wet room' bathrooms where the shower floor is the whole bathroom so water spreads out all around even the toilet. Our hotel in Barcelona had been absolutely lush, one of those diamonds in the rough I'd talked about. It wasn't in the middle of the city but we'd lucked out and it was right next to an underground station that took us straight into downtown Barcelona.
Most memorable award goes to Rome. Hotels in Rome, particularly around Easter, were incredibly expensive. We agreed to book a hotel that was less expensive but on the edge of the city, hoping for another experience like Barcelona. Ha. Not so much. Our first clue was when the transportation desk at the airport described our hotel as "by the sea." (Rome is about 30 miles inland) But the website had said there was "complimentary bus service." While the actual hotel was really nice, and we had plenty of room for the three of us, getting into the city each day was an adventure in itself! Our hotel was out in the middle of the countryside, and the complimentary bus service meant walking a quarter of a mile down the access road and standing on the side of the highway to flag down a bus.
Our first morning in Rome was so frustrating. We went out to the bus stop like the man (who, bless his soul for trying, spoke very poor English) had told us to. Three, obviously not Italian, girls standing on the side of the highway... 5 buses passed without stopping. We had no idea what we were doing wrong when finally a local stepped out. I bet her family had a good laugh over dinner that night as she told them about how silly we looked standing out there. We learned from watching, though. While we'd only just been standing below the bus stop sign, we observed that you have to stand, pretty much in the middle of the road and flag the oncoming bus down. A 20 minute bus ride dropped us off at the outermost underground stop where we transferred onto that and made our way into the city. Every day was an trek flagging the bus down and then on the other end, trying to remember which random spot on the highway to get off at to get back to our hotel. Considering all of the ways in which that situation could have gone poorly, we did quite well.
Traveling has been incredible and exhausting. Looking back, I have to say just how lucky I feel that things went as smoothly as they have. I am aware that at every turn, each train and each hotel or hostel there was potential for disaster. The experiences I have had will be with me forever.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
18 days running and here I am, inside
Hopefully those of you who have been following my blog have started to recognize the weather patterns in Wales. Rain.. Rain.. Cloudy.. Rain.. Bit of sun.. Rain.. Haha. You'll be able to understand then, the significance of the fact that for 18 days straight now, Swansea has been full of sunshine! It has been absolutely wonderful. It is so much easier to get out of bed in the morning or walk to class when I don't have to worry about puddles or my brolly turning inside out.
Of course then, its only appropriate that it be essay and exam time. With only two more weeks of lecture remaining in term, I have FOUR essays, totaling more than 12,000 words of intelligent discussion, due in the next week and a half. With a strategic plan in place, incorporating short and long term goals, as well as implementing a personal reward system, I am hoping to complete my essays with time to spare. I am not a procrastinator. Procrastinating makes me anxious. Thus, making up systems and plans to complete my work helps me to keep from stressing out.
Sitting by the window, longing to be out under the lovely blue sky, I am researching and writing about the Fortunes of the Welsh Language since 1900. Just like my essay writing, the history of the Welsh language has not always been an easy road. Prior to 1900, schools had a wooden paddle they called a "Welsh not." Students overheard speaking Welsh were given the not. Throughout a school day, they could pass the not along to other students whom they caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the day, the student left with the not was paddled.
Being an outsider, the question I had to ask was, "Why is the Welsh language so important?" It is only spoken in Wales and Patagonia, Argentina, and the truth of the matter is that everyone can speak English just as well or better. After asking around and doing some of my research, the answer to that question seems to be a matter of pride and patriotism. Wales never wanted to be apart of Britain, they just didn't have a choice. There are committees and groups in place for the purpose of preserving Welsh National Identity, furthering Welsh nationalism, and seeking more international recognition as a separate identity from Britain. The truth is, though, that at this point, the Welsh language is pretty much the only thing that distinguishes Wales from the rest of Britain.
Only half of the population of Wales can speak Welsh, and significantly less consider it their first language. Because so many English people are moving into Wales and so much business is done in English, the Welsh language continues to slowly decline. However, there seems to be an ever so slight comeback in the wind. While Welsh has traditionally been the language of the working class, campaigns to promote the language as a means of Welsh national identity have sparked an interest in upper class citizens who can afford to take Welsh language classes in their free time. I have met Welsh people who are passionate supporters of promoting Welsh nationalism through preserving and advertising the Welsh language, and I have met Welsh people who are indifferent to the issue. Sometimes it seems a little bit silly to have every single road sign and public notice written in both English and Welsh, but regardless of your stance on the duplications, the Welsh language IS unique and you won't see it anywhere else (unless, of course, you find yourself in Patagonia).
In conclusion, yes, it is a beautiful sunshiney Saturday morning and I am working on an essay. I don't know if that makes me more dedicated to my studies, or just that much more of a nerd. I guess I am just hoping that I will be rewarded for my commitment to my work with more sunshine after this next week and a half of essay-ing. :) Don't worry... its not really that bad. According to my goal-reward system, 100 more words and its break time!
Of course then, its only appropriate that it be essay and exam time. With only two more weeks of lecture remaining in term, I have FOUR essays, totaling more than 12,000 words of intelligent discussion, due in the next week and a half. With a strategic plan in place, incorporating short and long term goals, as well as implementing a personal reward system, I am hoping to complete my essays with time to spare. I am not a procrastinator. Procrastinating makes me anxious. Thus, making up systems and plans to complete my work helps me to keep from stressing out.
Sitting by the window, longing to be out under the lovely blue sky, I am researching and writing about the Fortunes of the Welsh Language since 1900. Just like my essay writing, the history of the Welsh language has not always been an easy road. Prior to 1900, schools had a wooden paddle they called a "Welsh not." Students overheard speaking Welsh were given the not. Throughout a school day, they could pass the not along to other students whom they caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the day, the student left with the not was paddled.
Being an outsider, the question I had to ask was, "Why is the Welsh language so important?" It is only spoken in Wales and Patagonia, Argentina, and the truth of the matter is that everyone can speak English just as well or better. After asking around and doing some of my research, the answer to that question seems to be a matter of pride and patriotism. Wales never wanted to be apart of Britain, they just didn't have a choice. There are committees and groups in place for the purpose of preserving Welsh National Identity, furthering Welsh nationalism, and seeking more international recognition as a separate identity from Britain. The truth is, though, that at this point, the Welsh language is pretty much the only thing that distinguishes Wales from the rest of Britain.
Only half of the population of Wales can speak Welsh, and significantly less consider it their first language. Because so many English people are moving into Wales and so much business is done in English, the Welsh language continues to slowly decline. However, there seems to be an ever so slight comeback in the wind. While Welsh has traditionally been the language of the working class, campaigns to promote the language as a means of Welsh national identity have sparked an interest in upper class citizens who can afford to take Welsh language classes in their free time. I have met Welsh people who are passionate supporters of promoting Welsh nationalism through preserving and advertising the Welsh language, and I have met Welsh people who are indifferent to the issue. Sometimes it seems a little bit silly to have every single road sign and public notice written in both English and Welsh, but regardless of your stance on the duplications, the Welsh language IS unique and you won't see it anywhere else (unless, of course, you find yourself in Patagonia).
In conclusion, yes, it is a beautiful sunshiney Saturday morning and I am working on an essay. I don't know if that makes me more dedicated to my studies, or just that much more of a nerd. I guess I am just hoping that I will be rewarded for my commitment to my work with more sunshine after this next week and a half of essay-ing. :) Don't worry... its not really that bad. According to my goal-reward system, 100 more words and its break time!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
ironic?
--> I had to take a break from writing the other day. There was just so much to say about Rome! But it was not where the story ended. During our time in Italy, we took one day and made the journey south to see Naples and Pompeii. I had remembered learning about Pompeii in middle school but never really grasped what it meant or the implications of the history associated with it until now. Behind us in this picture, mostly covered up by clouds (unfortunately) is Mount Vesuvius. The still-active volcano six miles from the village of Pompeii erupted in 79 AD with such force and magnitude that the initial gas from the eruption killed everyone in the village from asphyxiation within three minutes of the initial blast. Everything was buried in 60-some feet of ash and pumice. In the 1500s, archeologists began to uncover the city, which had been extraordinarily maintained by the ash.
--> Excavation work has been going on for a couple hundred years now, and there is still much to be done to uncover the city. They know that the village had suffered from a destructive earthquake a couple years prior to Vesuvius and was in the process of being rebuilt when terror struck again. As you wander the streets, I was struck by how advanced people were 2000 years ago. 2000 years, which I am now realizing in the scope of time isn't that long, I had perceived to be very primitive. These people definitely weren't. You can still see sliding doors, a plumbing system, remnants of art, open-air markets, restaurants, an arena, and an outdoor theater with accoustics as good as any built today... It was unreal. They say that there were about 15,000 people who lived in Pompeii and while they did not have the technology to predict volcanic eruptions like we do today, they lived by instinct. 12,000 people evacuated the city based on intuition prior to the eruption. The remaining 3,000 were killed and buried in ash. 
--> One of the methods that archeologists are using to learn more about the people of Pompeii is plaster-cast molds. While some of the actual arifact, or in this case, bodies, are not preserved by the burial, the original shape still remains. They have been able to create several plaster-cast molds of people who would have been killed and buried. 
--> On a lighter note, though, this is a picture of the best preserved house they have on site. There are several rooms, this one is the room you walk into when you first come through the front door. It has an open spot in the middle of the ceiling and a spot on the floor beneath it for catching water from rain. You can still see paintings and artwork on the walls. The other thing we were told about here, that I found quite interesting, was how resourceful the people of Pompeii were. In their bathroom, there were seperate places for urine and defecate. This was because they would sell the defecate to farmers to fertilizer and use the urine for a source of ammonia. Kinda gross, but resourceful!As you all are aware by now, the volcano with the really long, unpronouncable name in Iceland erupted a few days ago and has caused all sorts of problems here in Europe. I feel I am definitely getting my dose of volcano education between my trip to Vesuvius and now the more recent chaos. Who knows, maybe I will be needing to take a boat home in June? Anyone willing to come pick me up? Haha.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
life is learning
Just when I thought I was starting to get a handle on things that were history and the concept of "old," I was exposed to a whole new kind of "old." Last week, my friend from home, Chelsea, made the jump over the pond to visit me during my Easter break. She, along with my usual travel buddy, Megan, and I made the trek to Rome for the weekend.
I am struggling to put the words in place to describe all I learned and realized in the four days we spent in Italy. I have to admit that while I was familiar with Rome, I didn't really know what to expect at all. While I am aware of the basic plot line of the movie Gladiator, I've never actually seen in, and while I am in no way criticizing the education I received from the Waterloo public school system, I also feel I have never learned more about history (including the history of America) than I have this year. I would almost even venture to say that I learned more this last weekend about history than I learned during the entirety of my middle school years.
I grew up with my mom always saying in my ear, "Life is learning." We were the family that may miss a day of school here or there for traveling or the "take your daughter to work days," things like that. When I was younger, Mom's anecdote, "Life is learning," was an excuse to cut class. I am a true believer now. Anymore, every day I step out of my doorstep is a new experience. I feel like if our brains grew in proportion to the knowledge we were exposed to, mine would have blown up to the size of a hot-air balloon this year. Anyway... don't worry, I won't bore you with all of my educational enlightenment, just a few highlights.
<-- Our first stop was the Colosseum. I had no idea that this Roman engineering genius (the invention of cement) had been built in just eight years-- completed in 80 AD. Yes, 8-0. Chelsea, Megan and I opted for a guided tour of the Colosseum and barely made the start time our first morning in Rome due to struggling initially to navigate Rome's public transportation system. We came running up 20 seconds before the tour was going to start, hustling to get our radio sets and headphones plugged in, and were immediately hit with the date of the massive structure next to us my knees got a bit trembly. To be honest, I just can't believe its still there. Testimony to Roman enginuity. So the cool thing about this particular picture I included for you, is that in the last 2000 years the actual stage, made of wood, is no longer there-- so you can see down into the intricate passages where the people who would have been facilitating the Gladiatorial contests were able to lead the exotic animals or contesting Gladiators, whatever the occasion called for, in and around to any number of trap doors on the arena floor, in order to enhance the element of surprise. The current Colosseum staff has also kindly built part of what the wood floor was like so your brain only has to some of the imagination work to figure out how it would have looked.
<-- Right next to the Colosseum is Constantine's Arch. It was built in 315 AD to commemorate the victory Constantine had over Maxentious. While the arch itself is interesting, because Constantine had the builders use not only new art on it, but also re-use art from older monuments, and because it outlines the battle and how God helped Constantine defeat Maxentious, it was also interesting to me because of its significance. After this victory, Constantine reversed the persecution of Christians in Rome. I have grown up hearing about religious persecution and reading about it in my Bible, but the history and reality of it became real to me at that moment. Standing between the arch that signified the relief that Christians in Rome had to have felt, and the Colosseum, where many of them were fed to lions for their beliefs, I was awestruck. (This same day we also visited Palatine Hill, walked through the ancient Forum, people watched while tossing wish coins into the Trevi Fountain, visited Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon, and strolled through the markets of the Piazza Navonna... but if I told you all I saw, learned or noticed, we would honestly would be here for a week)
<-- One less historical thing about Rome that I appreciated was the abundance of water. The Romans are known for their beautiful piazzas and stunning fountains. But I learned that they also serve a purpose. Because it gets so hot in Rome, the city has always made sure that the water is clean enough to drink. While I wouldn't suggest picking up a cup from the bottom where its been sitting or been littered with dirty coins, it wasn't unusual to see people drinking from the faucets. So this is me drinking from the fountain in the Piazza de Spagna, right in front of the Spanish Steps. In addition to the fountains, they also had water faucets for people to fill their water bottles on every block. What great ideas those Romans had! Day two began with a visit to another country... Vatican City. Only 110 acres and with a mere population of 800, it is the smallest country in the world. Despite its small size, it packs a serious punch. Inside the Vatican walls are the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, and the pope's residence.
<-- The queue was a mile long it seemed. Luckily, we'd pre-booked a tour and had queue-jump priveleges. Everyone we'd spoken to had said doing a tour of the Vatican Museums was the only way to go. The place is too huge and there are too many things to see a person would get lost on their own. Our guide even said that if a person were to spend just one minute at each peice of work, it would take something like 15 years to see it all. All the ninja turtles were accounted for: Michaelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael... you know what I mean. It is legal to take pictures in the Vatican Museums by the way. Of the hundred plus photos I took, I am sharing this, one wall in one of Raphael's four rooms of painting, because I really liked it. Its called the School of Athens, in the room called the Stanza della Segnatura. Each wall depicts a branch of knowledge, and this particular one is philosophy. One reason I really liked it was because they say that each of the great Greek philosophers can be seen in the painting, like Plato and Aristotle (and from the number of people you can see in the photo, many more).
I did get to go in the Sistine Chapel, however, it is illegal to take pictures so I have nothing to show you, but I will tell you that it was much more impressive than a photo could ever do it justice anyway. Michaelangelo was a genius.
<-- Our last stop in the Vatican was at St. Peter's Basilica. The one people see today is actually the second St. Peter's. Pope Julius II made the decision in 1505 to demolish the first and rebuild a bigger and better one. Obviously a controversial decision, but either way it was done and the one that is there today is huge and beautiful. Built right over the top of St. Peter's tomb, it is cleverly known as "the church on the Rock," with reference to Peter's biblical reputation as the "rock" for whom God would build his church on. As you can see in the picture, it is not a humbly designed place. The altar in front is a mere 5 stories high, the architectural design of the place made so that the paintings and monuments got larger the higher up on the wall they are, to keep the perspective from being too daunting.
<-- Chelsea, Megan and I chilling out on the Spanish Steps. This photo is taken immediately after I consumed the best gelato I have ever had in my entire life. Unfortunately, there is no photo of the actual gelato due to the fact that I was so captivated by its flavor I didn't want to put it down. I am looking pretty happy post-gelato, though, aren't I?
I am struggling to put the words in place to describe all I learned and realized in the four days we spent in Italy. I have to admit that while I was familiar with Rome, I didn't really know what to expect at all. While I am aware of the basic plot line of the movie Gladiator, I've never actually seen in, and while I am in no way criticizing the education I received from the Waterloo public school system, I also feel I have never learned more about history (including the history of America) than I have this year. I would almost even venture to say that I learned more this last weekend about history than I learned during the entirety of my middle school years.
I grew up with my mom always saying in my ear, "Life is learning." We were the family that may miss a day of school here or there for traveling or the "take your daughter to work days," things like that. When I was younger, Mom's anecdote, "Life is learning," was an excuse to cut class. I am a true believer now. Anymore, every day I step out of my doorstep is a new experience. I feel like if our brains grew in proportion to the knowledge we were exposed to, mine would have blown up to the size of a hot-air balloon this year. Anyway... don't worry, I won't bore you with all of my educational enlightenment, just a few highlights.
<-- Our first stop was the Colosseum. I had no idea that this Roman engineering genius (the invention of cement) had been built in just eight years-- completed in 80 AD. Yes, 8-0. Chelsea, Megan and I opted for a guided tour of the Colosseum and barely made the start time our first morning in Rome due to struggling initially to navigate Rome's public transportation system. We came running up 20 seconds before the tour was going to start, hustling to get our radio sets and headphones plugged in, and were immediately hit with the date of the massive structure next to us my knees got a bit trembly. To be honest, I just can't believe its still there. Testimony to Roman enginuity. So the cool thing about this particular picture I included for you, is that in the last 2000 years the actual stage, made of wood, is no longer there-- so you can see down into the intricate passages where the people who would have been facilitating the Gladiatorial contests were able to lead the exotic animals or contesting Gladiators, whatever the occasion called for, in and around to any number of trap doors on the arena floor, in order to enhance the element of surprise. The current Colosseum staff has also kindly built part of what the wood floor was like so your brain only has to some of the imagination work to figure out how it would have looked. 
<-- Right next to the Colosseum is Constantine's Arch. It was built in 315 AD to commemorate the victory Constantine had over Maxentious. While the arch itself is interesting, because Constantine had the builders use not only new art on it, but also re-use art from older monuments, and because it outlines the battle and how God helped Constantine defeat Maxentious, it was also interesting to me because of its significance. After this victory, Constantine reversed the persecution of Christians in Rome. I have grown up hearing about religious persecution and reading about it in my Bible, but the history and reality of it became real to me at that moment. Standing between the arch that signified the relief that Christians in Rome had to have felt, and the Colosseum, where many of them were fed to lions for their beliefs, I was awestruck. (This same day we also visited Palatine Hill, walked through the ancient Forum, people watched while tossing wish coins into the Trevi Fountain, visited Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon, and strolled through the markets of the Piazza Navonna... but if I told you all I saw, learned or noticed, we would honestly would be here for a week) 
<-- One less historical thing about Rome that I appreciated was the abundance of water. The Romans are known for their beautiful piazzas and stunning fountains. But I learned that they also serve a purpose. Because it gets so hot in Rome, the city has always made sure that the water is clean enough to drink. While I wouldn't suggest picking up a cup from the bottom where its been sitting or been littered with dirty coins, it wasn't unusual to see people drinking from the faucets. So this is me drinking from the fountain in the Piazza de Spagna, right in front of the Spanish Steps. In addition to the fountains, they also had water faucets for people to fill their water bottles on every block. What great ideas those Romans had! Day two began with a visit to another country... Vatican City. Only 110 acres and with a mere population of 800, it is the smallest country in the world. Despite its small size, it packs a serious punch. Inside the Vatican walls are the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, and the pope's residence. 
<-- The queue was a mile long it seemed. Luckily, we'd pre-booked a tour and had queue-jump priveleges. Everyone we'd spoken to had said doing a tour of the Vatican Museums was the only way to go. The place is too huge and there are too many things to see a person would get lost on their own. Our guide even said that if a person were to spend just one minute at each peice of work, it would take something like 15 years to see it all. All the ninja turtles were accounted for: Michaelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael... you know what I mean. It is legal to take pictures in the Vatican Museums by the way. Of the hundred plus photos I took, I am sharing this, one wall in one of Raphael's four rooms of painting, because I really liked it. Its called the School of Athens, in the room called the Stanza della Segnatura. Each wall depicts a branch of knowledge, and this particular one is philosophy. One reason I really liked it was because they say that each of the great Greek philosophers can be seen in the painting, like Plato and Aristotle (and from the number of people you can see in the photo, many more).I did get to go in the Sistine Chapel, however, it is illegal to take pictures so I have nothing to show you, but I will tell you that it was much more impressive than a photo could ever do it justice anyway. Michaelangelo was a genius.
<-- Our last stop in the Vatican was at St. Peter's Basilica. The one people see today is actually the second St. Peter's. Pope Julius II made the decision in 1505 to demolish the first and rebuild a bigger and better one. Obviously a controversial decision, but either way it was done and the one that is there today is huge and beautiful. Built right over the top of St. Peter's tomb, it is cleverly known as "the church on the Rock," with reference to Peter's biblical reputation as the "rock" for whom God would build his church on. As you can see in the picture, it is not a humbly designed place. The altar in front is a mere 5 stories high, the architectural design of the place made so that the paintings and monuments got larger the higher up on the wall they are, to keep the perspective from being too daunting. 
<-- Chelsea, Megan and I chilling out on the Spanish Steps. This photo is taken immediately after I consumed the best gelato I have ever had in my entire life. Unfortunately, there is no photo of the actual gelato due to the fact that I was so captivated by its flavor I didn't want to put it down. I am looking pretty happy post-gelato, though, aren't I?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easter blessings!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! I found myself celebrating Jesus's resurrection making the trek back to Swansea. While it wasn't quite the same as celebrating in a church with my family, I found myself celebrating despite the abnormal setting. In addition to the usual celebration, there was one thing that made this Easter more special this year, and I can't help but share.
For those of you who are less familiar with my family, I have an older sister, Kim who is married and has four beautiful children ages 7, 5, 3 and 1. Last summer Kim was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Last Friday was her 5th round of 6 chemo treatments. In the midst of the icky chemo, it truly was a good Friday... She got scans back indicating that she is winning the battle! Her most recent scans show no cancer cells in her body! Praise God!!!
Thank you to those of you who have been praying for my family this year and throughout Kim's treatment. Still one more chemo treatment and a bone biopsy ahead, but celebration must be paid for the current victory!
I also can't help but put in a plug: In the midst of Kim's treatment battle, she's not short on ideas about how to use her experiences and love for others to make a difference in the world. As of last Friday, two of her entrepreneurial adventures have been selected to compete for Pepsi Refresh community grants for $25,000 and $50,000 in Des Moines for community good.
The Pepsi Company decided during this year's Super Bowl to NOT advertise but to instead take that money and distribute it in other more innovative ways to communities across the U.S. Kim's organizations made the first cut in being selected for the month of April. This is a huge step in just being selected!! Now she is competing for the actual grant awards.
The projects with the most votes get the grants... The following are the links to vote for Kim's organizations:
If you happen to be interested in more information about the companies, there are links on the right hand side of my blog under "Things I Like." Click Be.Cause or Be Women.
Thank you again! Happy Easter!
For those of you who are less familiar with my family, I have an older sister, Kim who is married and has four beautiful children ages 7, 5, 3 and 1. Last summer Kim was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Last Friday was her 5th round of 6 chemo treatments. In the midst of the icky chemo, it truly was a good Friday... She got scans back indicating that she is winning the battle! Her most recent scans show no cancer cells in her body! Praise God!!!
Thank you to those of you who have been praying for my family this year and throughout Kim's treatment. Still one more chemo treatment and a bone biopsy ahead, but celebration must be paid for the current victory!
I also can't help but put in a plug: In the midst of Kim's treatment battle, she's not short on ideas about how to use her experiences and love for others to make a difference in the world. As of last Friday, two of her entrepreneurial adventures have been selected to compete for Pepsi Refresh community grants for $25,000 and $50,000 in Des Moines for community good.
The Pepsi Company decided during this year's Super Bowl to NOT advertise but to instead take that money and distribute it in other more innovative ways to communities across the U.S. Kim's organizations made the first cut in being selected for the month of April. This is a huge step in just being selected!! Now she is competing for the actual grant awards.
The projects with the most votes get the grants... The following are the links to vote for Kim's organizations:
and
If you happen to be interested in more information about the companies, there are links on the right hand side of my blog under "Things I Like." Click Be.Cause or Be Women.
Thank you again! Happy Easter!
carpi diem
With last two months on this side of the pond left, and looking ahead to my plunge back into the "real life," the reality is that I begin dental school in August. And along with that reality, the fact that traveling like I have had the opportunity to do these last months won't be apart of my "routine." What's a girl to do? Well... carpi diem! Seize the moment! I am in the middle of grasping every single day with both hands, willing myself to be a sponge to soak up all of the experiences I have at my doorstep.
With that.. Megan and I seized the opportunity to head to Spain from Bordeaux. We made a pit stop in Irun (San Sebastian) on the northwest coast before taking the 6-hour train ride to Barcelona. While most of the cities that I have been to thus far have had plenty to do for a couple days stay, this one left me wanting more. Barcelona had so many things to offer. How does a girl do it all in two days?? Lets just say I am definitely going to be in need of a new pair of Nikes when I get home!
--> I don't really know how to explain Barcelona except that there are several different "categories"... We'll start with the "Old city." Barcelona used to be an old Roman walled city (those Romans sure did get around!). Portions of the Roman city still remain, tucked in the Gothic quarter, but they are harder to spot due to the way they are mixed in with the rest of the tightly packed buildings. So we opted for a walking tour. This picture of me is decked out in my "nerd gear," as I like to call it. Camera in hand, headphones, with radio transmitter around my neck to hear the guide better, in my ears, and my purse tightly tucked under my arm to combat pick-pocketers. What you can't see is my passport protector strapped around my waist, under my clothes and my "Eyewitness travel Europe tourism" book and map of Barcelona in my bag. All I need is one of those khaki safari hats and my sunglasses on and my look would be complete.
So the coolest part about Barcelona being an old Roman city isn't the usual old churches, but that they have actually uncovered some of the old city remains-- of which is underneath the current city! They have created a history exhibit that you can go down into, beneath the streets and see. I liked the way we did it though, which was to look down into the windows (like a basement) of the museum at the remains, so you got the perspective of it being under your very feet. This tour also took us to the chapel where Columbus returned to share with the king and queen about his discovery of a new passage to Asia... Of course we all know that it wasn't really Asia...
--> Along the line of the old city wall line is an immensely popular pedestrian street, La Ramblas. At the top is the square shown in the picture, with pretty fountains. True confession: I am a sucker for street entertainment. I could be captivated for hours by street magicians, men without heads, mediocre musicians, women dressed as fairytale princesses, or the everyday person completely covered with silver spray paint pretending to be the tin man. I absolutely love it. La Ramblas had an incredible selection of this particular type of entertainment, as well vendors selling everything from turtles to beautiful paintings. At the bottom end of the street is the seafront, as well as a giant monument to Columbus... and my first-ever sighting of the Meditteranean Sea.
--> The Barcelona seafront was redone and made to be vacation resort caliber in 1992 in preparation for the Olympics. Supposedly, it was so successful they never looked back. They even still call the area, with the high rise hotels along two miles of sandy beachfront, the Olympic Village. And yet another form of street entertainment... sand castle building!
-->It's also worth noting that the 1992 Olympic grounds (the stadiums and pools and fields) were built on a mountain/park on the western edge of the city near the castle of Barcelona. Atop a mountain, the views from the stadiums overlook the entire city. We did go up the mountain and see the castle and view... Can you imagine watching the world's best high divers with this in the background? Ah....
--> Of course we had to "experience the culture" as well. My Spanish is quite sparse... "Hablo muy poco Espanol" (with a charming smile of course). In the cultural department, having a real conversation with the locals was pretty much out of the question. So we opted for food :) Sangria and Paella. Yummy yummy. Of course they had to serve the sangria in a fish bowl sized glass! Luckily, it was our last "experience" of the day.
Outside the "old city" is a whole new world architecturally. Barcelona has had two very famous artists, Antoni Guadi and Pablo Picasso, with very unique styles. Guadi's mark is more noticeable from the street because he was an architect. Bold colors and designs-- it was right up my alley. There were museums, a park, a church, and other various buildings he had designed. We only had two days in Barcelona, and I hope you've already begun to understand the vastness of what the city has to offer, so of course we had to make choices about what we wanted to see. We chose the park, which houses his home and church, Sangrada Familia. The park felt a lot like an oversized playground and his home, designed by him, reminded me of a lifesize gingerbread house. My pictures really didn't do it justice, so if you have time, please google Park Guell in Barcelona. (http://www.gaudidesigner.com/uk/parc-guell.html)
--> And the church, an incomplete masterpiece. Guadi died before the completion of La Sangrada Familia. Gaudi started work on it in 1883 and worked on it until his death in 1926. Located perfectly in the middle of the city, it is supposed to be a symbol of the identity of the Barcelona. It is being built, based on the original designs Gaudi had, completely on the donations of the people. Because of this, its completion is slow going. The side of it shown in this picture is a representation of the Easter story underneath four of the twelve spires representing the twelve disciples. The following is a website that shows more pictures of the beautiful church: http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/index.php
I easily could have spent days exploring Barcelona. There was so much to see and do. Hopefully, someday, I'll have the opportunity to go back :)
With that.. Megan and I seized the opportunity to head to Spain from Bordeaux. We made a pit stop in Irun (San Sebastian) on the northwest coast before taking the 6-hour train ride to Barcelona. While most of the cities that I have been to thus far have had plenty to do for a couple days stay, this one left me wanting more. Barcelona had so many things to offer. How does a girl do it all in two days?? Lets just say I am definitely going to be in need of a new pair of Nikes when I get home!
--> I don't really know how to explain Barcelona except that there are several different "categories"... We'll start with the "Old city." Barcelona used to be an old Roman walled city (those Romans sure did get around!). Portions of the Roman city still remain, tucked in the Gothic quarter, but they are harder to spot due to the way they are mixed in with the rest of the tightly packed buildings. So we opted for a walking tour. This picture of me is decked out in my "nerd gear," as I like to call it. Camera in hand, headphones, with radio transmitter around my neck to hear the guide better, in my ears, and my purse tightly tucked under my arm to combat pick-pocketers. What you can't see is my passport protector strapped around my waist, under my clothes and my "Eyewitness travel Europe tourism" book and map of Barcelona in my bag. All I need is one of those khaki safari hats and my sunglasses on and my look would be complete.So the coolest part about Barcelona being an old Roman city isn't the usual old churches, but that they have actually uncovered some of the old city remains-- of which is underneath the current city! They have created a history exhibit that you can go down into, beneath the streets and see. I liked the way we did it though, which was to look down into the windows (like a basement) of the museum at the remains, so you got the perspective of it being under your very feet. This tour also took us to the chapel where Columbus returned to share with the king and queen about his discovery of a new passage to Asia... Of course we all know that it wasn't really Asia...
--> Along the line of the old city wall line is an immensely popular pedestrian street, La Ramblas. At the top is the square shown in the picture, with pretty fountains. True confession: I am a sucker for street entertainment. I could be captivated for hours by street magicians, men without heads, mediocre musicians, women dressed as fairytale princesses, or the everyday person completely covered with silver spray paint pretending to be the tin man. I absolutely love it. La Ramblas had an incredible selection of this particular type of entertainment, as well vendors selling everything from turtles to beautiful paintings. At the bottom end of the street is the seafront, as well as a giant monument to Columbus... and my first-ever sighting of the Meditteranean Sea.
--> The Barcelona seafront was redone and made to be vacation resort caliber in 1992 in preparation for the Olympics. Supposedly, it was so successful they never looked back. They even still call the area, with the high rise hotels along two miles of sandy beachfront, the Olympic Village. And yet another form of street entertainment... sand castle building!
-->It's also worth noting that the 1992 Olympic grounds (the stadiums and pools and fields) were built on a mountain/park on the western edge of the city near the castle of Barcelona. Atop a mountain, the views from the stadiums overlook the entire city. We did go up the mountain and see the castle and view... Can you imagine watching the world's best high divers with this in the background? Ah....
--> Of course we had to "experience the culture" as well. My Spanish is quite sparse... "Hablo muy poco Espanol" (with a charming smile of course). In the cultural department, having a real conversation with the locals was pretty much out of the question. So we opted for food :) Sangria and Paella. Yummy yummy. Of course they had to serve the sangria in a fish bowl sized glass! Luckily, it was our last "experience" of the day.Outside the "old city" is a whole new world architecturally. Barcelona has had two very famous artists, Antoni Guadi and Pablo Picasso, with very unique styles. Guadi's mark is more noticeable from the street because he was an architect. Bold colors and designs-- it was right up my alley. There were museums, a park, a church, and other various buildings he had designed. We only had two days in Barcelona, and I hope you've already begun to understand the vastness of what the city has to offer, so of course we had to make choices about what we wanted to see. We chose the park, which houses his home and church, Sangrada Familia. The park felt a lot like an oversized playground and his home, designed by him, reminded me of a lifesize gingerbread house. My pictures really didn't do it justice, so if you have time, please google Park Guell in Barcelona. (http://www.gaudidesigner.com/uk/parc-guell.html)
--> And the church, an incomplete masterpiece. Guadi died before the completion of La Sangrada Familia. Gaudi started work on it in 1883 and worked on it until his death in 1926. Located perfectly in the middle of the city, it is supposed to be a symbol of the identity of the Barcelona. It is being built, based on the original designs Gaudi had, completely on the donations of the people. Because of this, its completion is slow going. The side of it shown in this picture is a representation of the Easter story underneath four of the twelve spires representing the twelve disciples. The following is a website that shows more pictures of the beautiful church: http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/index.phpI easily could have spent days exploring Barcelona. There was so much to see and do. Hopefully, someday, I'll have the opportunity to go back :)
warning: word explosion ahead
It's an inside joke inside my family (not anymore, though) that I am a person with a "word quota" per day... a certain amount of words with which I need to share with the world each day.. My brother jokes that if I've had a quiet day he pities the person who gets stuck with me at night. I start by saying all of that because, well, my housemates have been gone the last two days and I've got so many exciting things to share with everyone about my last ten days that I thought you may need a proper warning.
From my last entry, you know I had made my way to Bordeaux to visit a friend. My words were restricted while there due to the French keyboard. Typing was so hard!
<-- Bordeaux was beautiful, and it was extra special to visit with the help of Juliette and her family because of being from there and opening their home to Megan and I to stay. So... to start the food her mother prepared was amazing. Fresh baguettes at every meal, yummy pasta, ham, salad... MMmmm.... This picture is of Juliette and I in Lacanau, a beach town west of Bordeaux. It wasn't quite warm enough to hit the beach in a swimsuit and go for a swim, but it wasn't hard to picture how packed the area would be as soon as the real heat comes!
<-- For one of the evenings, we went out for dinner with some of Juliette's friends. Talk about a "local experience." Juliette was the only one at the table who spoke both English and French fluently. The extent of my French is "bonjour," "pardon me," and "au revoir." Pathetic, really. Thank goodness smiles are universal! We ate at a restaurant in the Bordeaux city center and then went for a stroll. The ambiance of Bordeaux felt sophisticated. I don't really know how to explain it, but it made me want to sit outside a cafe and sip some of that world-reknowned red wine and talk about global issues. A photo doesn't really capture it well, but this photo is looking out over one of the bridges. During the summer, the open area you see before the river is a water mural. Bordeaux boasts the largest square in all of Europe-- lined by quaint cafes, elegant city buildings and then backed up against the river... there was a garden and also this water mural.
<-- I feel a little embarassed to admit I am not a wine drinker. Embarassed because I was unable to grasp the significance of the wine chateaus we visited. Bordeaux, as most of you know, is known worldwide for their wine... This photo doesn't do it justice at all... but what I was going for was to show the vastness of this region of grapes. Try to imagine when the grape vines are in season! We drove for over an hour and still all you could see were rows and rows of grapes. While there were literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of chateaus, we visited the Medoc and St. Emilion regions. You may recognize some of the bigger chateaus... Petrus, Canon, Cheval Blanc, or Beau Sejour-Becot. I will be honest and tell you that I don't know much about wine..
<-- The oldest Bordeaux area to produce wine, Saint Emilion. This is where the chateaux Cheval Blanc was. There were quaint wine shops everywhere on the tiny, winding cobblestone streets. Saint Emilion's is considered a midevil French village, with its first vineyards were estimated to have been planted in the 2nd century. Amazing!
From my last entry, you know I had made my way to Bordeaux to visit a friend. My words were restricted while there due to the French keyboard. Typing was so hard!
<-- Bordeaux was beautiful, and it was extra special to visit with the help of Juliette and her family because of being from there and opening their home to Megan and I to stay. So... to start the food her mother prepared was amazing. Fresh baguettes at every meal, yummy pasta, ham, salad... MMmmm.... This picture is of Juliette and I in Lacanau, a beach town west of Bordeaux. It wasn't quite warm enough to hit the beach in a swimsuit and go for a swim, but it wasn't hard to picture how packed the area would be as soon as the real heat comes!
<-- For one of the evenings, we went out for dinner with some of Juliette's friends. Talk about a "local experience." Juliette was the only one at the table who spoke both English and French fluently. The extent of my French is "bonjour," "pardon me," and "au revoir." Pathetic, really. Thank goodness smiles are universal! We ate at a restaurant in the Bordeaux city center and then went for a stroll. The ambiance of Bordeaux felt sophisticated. I don't really know how to explain it, but it made me want to sit outside a cafe and sip some of that world-reknowned red wine and talk about global issues. A photo doesn't really capture it well, but this photo is looking out over one of the bridges. During the summer, the open area you see before the river is a water mural. Bordeaux boasts the largest square in all of Europe-- lined by quaint cafes, elegant city buildings and then backed up against the river... there was a garden and also this water mural. 
<-- I feel a little embarassed to admit I am not a wine drinker. Embarassed because I was unable to grasp the significance of the wine chateaus we visited. Bordeaux, as most of you know, is known worldwide for their wine... This photo doesn't do it justice at all... but what I was going for was to show the vastness of this region of grapes. Try to imagine when the grape vines are in season! We drove for over an hour and still all you could see were rows and rows of grapes. While there were literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of chateaus, we visited the Medoc and St. Emilion regions. You may recognize some of the bigger chateaus... Petrus, Canon, Cheval Blanc, or Beau Sejour-Becot. I will be honest and tell you that I don't know much about wine..
<-- The oldest Bordeaux area to produce wine, Saint Emilion. This is where the chateaux Cheval Blanc was. There were quaint wine shops everywhere on the tiny, winding cobblestone streets. Saint Emilion's is considered a midevil French village, with its first vineyards were estimated to have been planted in the 2nd century. Amazing!
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