A Bit of Advice

Well I have learned a few tips from studying abroad and travelling so I thought I would share them.

Tips for Studying Abroad:
-research the area because you will be living there
-explore your town/city
-join a club or some sort of activity, basically get involved in your community
-don't burn yourself out by trying to go somewhere every weekend
-remember that whatever you buy you have to get home somehow
-meet locals or people who go to the university full time
-keep a financial journal
-set aside alone time
-have fun

Tips for Travelling:
-pick good travel buddies
-always have a plan b or c or d
-don't be too uptight, sometimes you miss trains
-eat local food, but cook most of your meals yourself to save money
-check the free shelf in hostel kitchens
-don't spend all your time on a computer
-do what you enjoy doing, not what you think you should be doing
-have restful days
-keep a financial journal
-really consider what clothes you are bringing, you don't need as much as you think you do
-go on free tours (you tip at the end, but its still cheaper and all the ones I have been on were fantastic)
-sending postcards to people is cooler than getting them stupid souvenirs
-ask people staying in the hostel for advice about what to do and where to go
-take more pictures of people than things and places
-keep a travel journal or blog 'cause otherwise you will forget the details
-HAVE FUN!!

Hope it helps!

Our Final Days

Well our final day in Madrid finally came. We ended up hanging out with 2 of Ally's friends that she met while studying in Italy. We walked to this gorgeous park and they even treated us to dinner 'cause we didn't have much money left. It was no kebab but it was very nice of them to do that for us. I think Ally was really thrilled to see them and they both seemed nice enough. It was just weird that it was our final day.

A night of packing, a subway trip to the airport, and then a flight to Miami. We had a 7 hour layover there but thankfully Ally's boyfriend rescued us. He took us to get Cuban food and to see the beach. So much better than sitting in the airport. And then another quick flight and I was back at home eating Chinese food and watching The Newsroom.

I still haven't gotten it through my head that I am not going to Bradford, but I have so much to do here in preparation for this school year. Hopefully it won't be too long until I am travelling again and I can see my friends.

But for now I am a homebody. 

San Fermin 2013 (Pamplona)

As we headed to the bus station we ran into the Australian couple (DJ & Allie) we had met in our hostel. They were headed to Pamplona on the same bus as us, but they looked much more prepared. They were all decked out in the gear so we ran to a store around the corner to do the same. Honestly it wasn't a bad deal and now I have souvenirs.
The bus only took about an hour and then we checked our stuff into the storage area in the bus station. We ended up losing track of DJ & Allie so we just decided to wander the streets and take it all in. So many people were out in the streets and were already drinking, or still drinking. We decided that we needed to catch up so Ally got a bottle of sangria and I got a jug of mojitos that was pretty disgusting. We sat and drank in the square and then enjoyed some traditional dancing that basically pushed us out of the main part of the square.

Unfortunately it was still early and we had to get through the whole night. While sometimes this is not a problem, I was just tired and it was a struggle. After roaming around again and hanging out we went back to the park next to the bus station and tried to get some sleep. Lets just say it didn't go well. I think Ally and Alex managed to get a bit of sleep, but I was awake the entire time. It was so cold and I just couldn't get warm. Also more than once some guy approached me and tried to get me to sleep with him. Basically I would open my eyes and some random dude would be bent down staring at me so it was a bit creepy.

Anyway the night slowly creeped on by and finally it was time to go to the stadium so we could get tickets for the bull fights and get in line for seats inside. We had decided not to run, although we kind of wanted to, because multiple people had told us that basically there was no way that we wouldn't get pulled out because we are girls. Also we just didn't know what to expect so we were a bit nervous. Anyway it is now officially on my bucket list to run with the bulls in Pamplona so I am going to have to go  back and at least try.

So we watched the run on a screen in the stadium and parts of it were pretty intense, but the best part came later. After all the runners made it into the arena and all of the bulls were taken out, people were just casually walking around and taking pictures. Little did they know that one by one the bulls would be re-released into the stadium. You should have seen how quickly some of them jumped or threw themselves over the walls. Sometimes you couldn't even see the bull because there was so many people in the stadium, but then you would see a pair of legs fly through the air and thats not normal. Apparently its also a thing to try and jump clean over the bull. Its like the people in the arena wanted to get hurt. Really the real danger came if you mistreated one of the bulls because then one of the locals in the stadium would beat the shit out of you. I saw one guy get kicked in the face, one get fiercely punched in the face, and another person was beating on guy so badly that someone came and had to pull him off. Of course what counts as "mistreating" the bulls isn't clear.

Ally even saw someone she went to Spring Hill with in the mass of people avoiding the bull and we saw DJ. We ended up leaving with him and Allie and a couple of friends they had made that night. We ended up going to a bar and celebrating the run 'cause a couple of them actually ran with the bulls. DJ said it was the best experience and he was so hyped up about it all.

Eventually the day came to an end, and we didn't get to see the bull fight 'cause we had to catch our train. I think I could go back and do it all more effectively, but we just didn't know what to expect. Still it was a blast and it definitely was an experience. 

San Sebastian

Well things did not go as smoothly as planned. The first thing we did was go to the wrong train station. Yep, there is more than one station in Madrid. We had to take a train from were we were to another station, and we even almost made our train. If we hadn't gone to the wrong platform we probably would have been able to get on our train, but we were not that lucky. Instead we had to spend about 4 hours in the station waiting on the next train.

No big deal really, but once we got to San Sebastian it took us about 1 1/2 hours to find our hostel. We were staying inside a park and the directions said follow the yellow arrows, but then the arrows disappeared and we had to find another way to get there. Thankfully, with some help from some really nice people, we made it. And all the grocery stores had closed by then so we were forced to order a pizza (no complaints on that one). Also Ally got to finally see one of her friends that she studied abroad with in Italy last year.

Since we got in so late we didn't get to explore the area until the next day. But it was beautiful once we got to see it. The beaches were all pretty crowded, but I just picked a spot on a wall near the bluffs and watched the waves roll in and crash against the rocks. Its definitely a place you could spend a bit of time in, but that afternoon we were off to Pamplona.

Madrid

Well one thing is for sure, Madrid is so much hotter than Barcelona. At times it seemed a bit unbearable. And for some reason we always found ourselves out and about during midday. I'm still impressed that I didn't get burned.

But starting from the beginning...

As soon as we got to Madrid we had to spend four long hours in the station waiting for our turn to buy tickets to San Sebastian and then from Pamplona back to Madrid. For some reason you cant use your Eurail pass to reserve seats online in Spain. Despite the wait we did eventually get our tickets and man was it a load off our shoulders. All of our transportation for the rest of the trip was taken care of. But we were beat when we got to our hostel. Basically all that we could manage to do was run out and grab some groceries and then eat.

The next day we headed out to explore and walked around El Sol and then to the temple. It was so hot, and since we had no plans we chilled at the park. I think we both even managed to fall asleep for at least a few minutes. For a portion of our lounging about we even got to listen to some guy play the guitar. I am pretty sure we saw some other noteworthy landmarks, but the heat completely erased all memory of them.

To see Madrid a bit more efficiently, we did another free walking tour which started at Plaza Mayor. Turns out below the plaza is where the torture chambers for the Spanish Inquisition were, but now it is just a carpark. Also Madrid had its own Robin Hood who really liked the ladies. We got to see the old city walls and the opera house and some other old stuff. Oh, another fun fact: The oldest restaurant is in Madrid. It has a Guinness World Record plaque and everything. Then we got a shot of this liquor that is only made in Madrid and it is served in a chocolate shot glass. A CHOCOLATE SHOT GLASS! In my opinion that should be the only kind of shot. The bar we went to was right off Plaza Mayor and also off the plaza is a lovely market with tons of tapas. I got this lovely squid one, but stupidly I only got one. Do not make the same mistake I did.

The next day we just rested up for Pamplona and enjoyed some churros. We were both a bit apprehensive about San Fermin so we didn't want to tire ourselves out. That night however, on our way to drop off our bags with someone Ally goes to school with, we ran into the Mrs. Pride pageant and had to weave through a mass of people enjoying the celebration. Everyone was in such a good mood and and so spirited, but the place smelled like piss.

So while Madrid does have its places to see and things to do, I personally prefer Barcelona. Then again, maybe it was just that it was way too hot.

Barcelona

After a mad dash to the airport (well not really that mad, but still) we flew to Barcelona and began the Spanish leg of our European tour. We even managed to make a friend immediately after exiting the metro station. This sweet man asked us how to get to La Sagrada Familia but all we could was tell him that he was close. He ended up chatting with us and giving us his hostel info and email. Too sweet. It was a bit off putting. After that we got to our hostel despite the fact that a police officer told us that it was in the opposite direction. And as soon as we went out to wander around, we ran into our new friend again. So much for never seeing him again.

Also that day the Supreme Court ruled on DOMA/Prop 8 so we headed out to get a celebratory drink with this girl from our hostel. Unfortunately the drinks didn't happen, but we did get to see the beach at night and enjoy a spectacular moon. 

The next day was our beach day and we had been looking forward to it for a long ass time. We had a bit of trouble getting there, but no one else did 'cause it was packed. The beach was full of people, but we wormed our way in. Oh, and I didn't get sunburned! 

We also "snuck in" to the W Hotel and wandered around a bit. We even stole fruit from a tray that someone had placed outside of their door. I mean who gets rid of perfectly good fruit?! We also stole a napkin and an apple just 'cause we could. Guess we didn't get it out of our systems in Venice. 

After our beach day we actually saw some of the sights. We explored La Sagrada Familia (buy your tickets in advance) and I ran into a girl I went to high school with. It was pretty weird. I mean I don't even run into high school people back home, but somehow I managed to do it in Barcelona. At least it was someone I like. So definitely go to La Sagrada Familia. Technically it isn't completed yet, but it looks like a giant sand drip castle. It's pretty bizarre. Then we explored the city on a Sandleman's free walking tour and like always it was amazing. Turns out all of the sand on the beach was brought in from Egypt before the 1992 Olympics. Also bull fighting has recently become illegal in the area. 

And to celebrate our fabulously productive day we had a romantic picnic next to the harbor, but with paella instead of currywurst.

Saturday was just as busy. We went on this free biking tour of Gaudi's works (bike rentals were 5 euros) and had a blast. It was a lot less stressful than biking in Amsterdam and this time we didn't really have to worry about where we were going. And no one got hit by a car. Also our tour guide, Rudy, kind of looked like Gaudi and was a really cool guy. Definitely do this and at the end they give you cheap beer and sangria. Then to celebrate your not dying, hangout on the beach and watch the sailboats or go to the market on Las Ramblas and get some fruit or do both.

On our free walking tour our guide told us about some traditional Catalonian dancing that takes place early Sunday mornings (like 11:00) next to Picasso's public mural so we had to check that out. It was definitely worth it. There is a band and a huge crowd and a bunch of circles of older people doing this specific dance. It looks beautiful and they all seemed to be having a blast. Then to spice things up a bit we watched some break dancers and I accepted the fact that I will never be able to do that. Rats! 

Once the dancing had ended we walked through winding streets and unfortunately got followed by a drunken man. We even had to pop into a store to get away and when that didn't work the store owner helped us out. Thank goodness for her. Oh, and then we went to the beach again.

Originally we were supposed to leave on Monday, but we were just having too much fun so we extended our stay by a day and went hiking at Monserrat. It is beautiful up there and if you climb all the way to the top of the mountain (after taking the train and the tram) then you get a 360 degree view of Barcelona and the surrounding area. It's a steep hike but it didn't take us long. But after that we were wiped and we had to stand the entire train ride back because it was so full. My poor legs.

Basically I love Barcelona, but it's only the beginning of Spain for us.

Waffles & Chocolate

Basically that's all I had in mind for Brussels besides the fact that it is pretty and near Brugge. Clearly I had not done my research. 

When we finally made it here (a train may have been missed) we made friends with three Canadian guys in our hostel. I am pretty sure their names were Ethan, Josh, and Jackie, but I am not very good with names so who knows. We ended up going out and exploring the city with them that night. It was beautiful. At night all the buildings in the square are lit up, but down lie down to get a better view because the cops are not a fan of that.

We stayed out pretty late so we decided to just rest the next day, but the unbelievable happened. I was chatting with my friendsRachel and Elizabeth on Facebook and it turned out that Rachel had just checked into the hostel I was at. We were both in Brussels!  Of course I freaked out and ran to her room. We ended up to being able to hang out that much, but I thought I wasn't going to get to see her until August so this was an amazing surprise. Talk about timing.

The next day we actually ventured out and just wandered around Brussels. We even got a Belgian waffle with Belgian chocolate on it. My brother warned me against it and he was so right. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I ended up with it all over me and it was just too sweet. But when you pass by those waffle stands it is hard to refuse. We also managed to see the statue of the peeing boy (there are replicas of it EVERYWHERE!), and we saw a bunch of gorgeous parks and government buildings. We even made into another cathedral. That night we were going to go to Delirium because multiple people had recommended it to us, but we had some issues printing off our boarding pass for Barcelona so we didn't make it out. Upside: Spain is basically planned. We have all of our dates and a place to stay booked in Barcelona and San Sebastián.

That morning I woke up at what felt like the butt crack of dawn but was really only 8:00 and said goodbye to Rachel 'cause she was off to Paris. Then we headed to Brugge. It was so adorable and beautiful. Really all that you need to do is wander the streets. You pass by beautiful homes and churches and even windmills. Somehow we made it to the main square and I must say that the area looks a bit different than it did in In Brugge but that could be due to my poor memory or the fact that we weren't there at night. We found this small little park between two windmills and next to a river so we decided to hang out there for a bit. I ended up watching these people play some kind of lawn game that looked like a lot of fun and shouldn't be too difficult for me to recreate. It must be a thing 'cause I saw two other groups playing the same game. Also I bought some fabric to add to my ever expanding collection. Oh, and I got chips with curry ketchup...that should definitely be a thing in the states. 

And now we are off to Barcelona. Two more weeks and then home, and although I love to travel, home is sounding really good right now.

Oh, Technology

So the last couple of blog posts have been without pictures, but that is because I have to use my mom's IPad now that I am traveling and I can't figure out how to edit the pictures and put them where I want to on the blog. Hopefully I will figure it out but if not then the pictures will just have to be added later. 

I amsterdam

Once again we had to get on four trains to get to our destination. We even had some tight connections (like 2 minutes), but we made it to Amsterdam! 

Our hostel was right next to Museumplein (I Amsterdam sign) so after we checked into the hostel we chilled for a bit there. It was surprisingly hot so we dipped our feet into the fountain and just people watched for a while. They tell you not to touch the statues, but clearly no one bothered to read the signs. And then we walked. We were just wandering so I am not sure where all we went but it was nice. We even discovered this amazing store and had to make a few purchases. So many people were on bikes and I am surprised we made it out without getting hit by one. 

We knew it was supposed to rain later in the week so we decided to make the next day our outdoors day, and it started off with a bang. After a "free" breakfast we decided to rent bike for 3 hours. Clearly one of our best ideas. I've never ridden a bikes a city, let alone one with a ton of other tourists and bikers. It was a bit nerve racking so we decided to warm up in Vondlepark. And then we tried our luck on the streets. Just so you know, I'm not a huge fan of crossing the street on a bike. It probably didn't help that it was super windy and I was wearing a relatively short dress. At least 1/2 of Amsterdam saw my underwear, maybe more.

After about an hour and a half of biking, Ally and I got separated. Don't worry, neither of us had a freak out. We both just kept biking and I biked back to the hostel to change. I even had a person ask me for directions. We did finally meet back up and then we went on a Sandeman's Free Walking Tour. It took us through the Red Light District, into the Jewish Quarter, to Rembrandt's house, to Anne Frank's house, and to Chinatown. Our tour guide, Julian, was excellent and the tour saved us from trying to find all those places on our own. 

It was an incredibly full day so we decided to stop by a coffee shop that we saw on the tour and have a local treat. An hour or so later and we were both done for the night.

The next day we started to check off the museums. We had already gotten our tickets to Van Gogh so we skipped the queue and waltzed right in. The museum was a lot larger than I had expected and worth every penny. I am a bit biased 'cause I love Van Gogh, but I definitely recommend it. The museum was perfectly set up so that you could see how is work progressed through his life, and it even had some works by different artists who inspired him. When I walked in I kind of expected to see Bill Nighy there, but no such luck. Also "Sunflowers" was still on loan for the British Gallery so I got to see it again. It was right next to his copy of the original so it allowed for a nice comparison. Good thing it was there too 'cause its Ally's favorite. Then we parted ways: Ally to the Heineken Brewery and me to wander about. I had already been to Guinness and  since I cant drink beer I didn't really have much desire to check it out. Unfortunately it rained to I just found a place to get a bite to eat. It did clear up after a while and I went back to the I Amsterdam sign to meet Ally. She ended up not making it to the meeting point, but I got to people watch and eat a free potato crisp twirly thing on a stick. Yep that's what I'm calling it.

The next day was cold and rainy. We waited in a relatively long queue to get in the Anne Frank House, but thankfully the museum gave us an umbrella to use while we waited. Still we were a bit soaked and cold. However the museum was really moving and made me want to reread her diary. I don't think I've read it since middle school so it's been a while. What really got me was the interview with one of Anne's friends whom she was reunited with in the concentration camp and the interview with her father. There was also a heartbreaking image of him returning to the annex after he survived the camp. It just broke my heart 'cause they lived I hiding in that annex and then they were discovered. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. And then it said that he would go to the station everyday for a couple of weeks to see if his daughters would show up before he learned of their fates. A horribly beautiful museum.

After that...we went to the pipe museum but we ended up not paying to go I because the store was interesting enough. There were so many different types of pipes and some were truly ornate. It made me want to find one of my grandfather's pipes. 

When we got out it was still cold and rainy so we decided to call it a day and chill in the hostel. I managed to finish Peter Pan and start on The Importance of Being Ernest. Not a bad day.

I think we covered Amsterdam pretty well, but I definitely want to go back. 

Cologne/Koln

Originally we planned to take a ferry from Mainz to Freiburg, but things didn't pan out so we caught a train instead. I'll have to it next time, especially since it is free if you have a Eurail pass. 

Our first hostel was delightfully tiny, and although a bit difficult to find at first I would definitely stay there again. But we were only there one night before we moved to a hostel in the city center. 

We didn't really have anything planned for Cologne 'cause we figured that one day would basically be taken up by the ferry. So we strolled along the Rhine and just did whatever caught our fancy. We ran into this huge cathedral, which is free to go into. It is massive and the craftsmanship is just incredible. Right next to that is the Archaeological Museum & the Ludwig Museum, but we weren't really drawn to either of those. Instead we crossed the bridge over the Rhine and looked at the insane amount of locks of love. Kind of a ridiculous concept in my mind and way too mushy, but there were some cool locks. I am now in the market for a turtle lock and Ally wants one shaped like a fish. 

On the other side of the bridge there is an amazing view of the cathedral and the old town, but that's about it so we headed back across.

We walked along the river, passing by all the ferries and tour boats, and found ourselves at the chocolate museum. Of course, we couldn't pass that up. We learned all about how chocolate is made and how certain companies are working ethically with the farmers. There was an entire section on fair trade. But more importantly we got chocolate. Due to our super sneaky skills we managed to get more than was originally allocated to us. And it was good chocolate. Now that is all I want. 

But instead of eating only chocolate, I got a bratwurst and chips. Still good, but not chocolate. And that night I had a kebab burger so I know better than to listen to myself.

Oh, we also got to watch this adorable kid named Oliver chase pigeons around. He would lure them in by offering bread and then he would run at them. The kid was having a blast.

The next day we just wandered around the city again. We ended up walking back through the main shopping area and into old town. We chilled at this park type thing for a while but it started to rain so we got up and started walking again. We sure do love to walk. 

And to finalize our time in Germany, Ally and I enjoyed a romantic picnic next to the Rhine with currywurst and German beer (well, only she had the beer).

Bye for now Germany, but I will be back and maybe with some German language skills...maybe.

Camping in The Black Forest

Yay, camping! Freiburg is a gorgeous town. I could definitely live there for a while. It's completely surrounded by the Black Forest and has a good sized student population. Also so many people bike there and I love that. We explored the area for a bit when we got there and did some grocery shopping. We were camping in a tent, but unfortunately we had no sleeping bags. At first it didn't seem as if it would be an issue, but we were so wrong. It was incredibly cold. 

Thankfully the next day was actually hot and we went hiking. You could definitely do a lot of hiking there if the weather was nice. We found this abandoned tower that you could climb  up and get a view of the entire city. But it was not easy. In fact it was a bit terrifying. Definitely an adrenaline rush. Sometimes Ally and I have awesomely bad ideas.

And then it rained. Well it didn't really rain until that night, but still. Ally and I were a bit more prepared for the night and we were both wearing basically all of our clothes. I think I had on about 5 shirts but I was still incredibly cold. Do not think you can camp without a sleeping bag in Germany. It is a bad idea. And we didn't have the warmth of the sun to heat us. Up in the morning 'cause the rain really cooled things off. Since everything was wet and we were still so cold, we decided to just hang out in the campsite and do a bit of reading. I even managed to catch up on the blog. 

Seven managed to make it through the next night and then we were off to Cologne.

Adventures in Transportation

Our parents left us quite early in the morning and then we were on our own. Still a bit unsure about how to use our Eurail passes, we headed to the Bologna Centrale to catch a train to Milan. Turns out that we needed reservations for that one so we had to buy them on board, but the ticket man was really nice about it all. We could have tried to get on another train but we still had to catch strain from Milan to Basel and from Basel to Freiburg. 

We were a bit more prepared for the next train as we had already made a reservation. This train ride was ridiculously beautiful. I will have to spend sometime in Switzerland because it looks amazing. Like I wish I could describe it to you, but I can't even come close to doing it justice. Anywho, we also had a conversation with a legitimate expat. He came to Europe to study abroad and just decided it to leave. Technically he lived in Europe illegally for 18 years but now he is married to a German girl and completely legal. He has basically been abroad my entire life. He was pretty cool though. He was going to Basel for some art festival.

Then we ran into a bit of difficulty. Nothing bad, but a little stressful. Because of the flooding in Germany the train that we needed to catch was canceled and we had to hop on another one and then change trains at the next station. Of course this threw us off a bit. Thankfully the gentleman next to us was in the same situation and he was the one who informed us that we would have less than 5 minutes to get on our final train. A train which could be on any track. Just a little stress,....but we made it. It just took a bit of a mad dash. 

And then we were in Germany.

B-O-L-O-G-N-A

Our first full day in Bologna I was craving some alone time 'cause I just was a bit worn out since I have been traveling basically nonstop since May and haven't gone home since the beginning of January. I didn't exactly get my alone time but it rained so we stayed in the apartment and chilled...until that night.

That night was more than a bit stressful because Ally and I had to actually start planning our trip. We had no more time to put it off and it was confusing and dysfunction but we eventually pulled through. The break for some Greek food didn't hurt. Neither one of us have used a Eurail pass before so we weren't completely confident in our knowledge of it, and we started off without a clear idea of the places we were going to go to. But we've cleared that up. 

Our trip in a nutshell: Bologna > Freidburg (camping & hiking in the Black Forest) > Mainz > ferry along the Rhine to Cologne > Amsterdam > Brussels > fly to Barcelona. Our Spain section isn't fully worked out yet but we are going to Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastián, and Pamplona. 

The next day Ally showed her mom around the university and basically where she lived for 3 months, and my mom and I went to Verona (1-1 & 1/2 hr train). It was probably good to have a day apart and I ended up loving Verona. We went to Juliet's house and I touched her boob for good luck in my love life...I could use the help. We also checked out the market and the city walls and some tombs. Then we went into an arena, think miniature of the Coliseum,  that is still being used. They put on plays and operas there, but unfortunately there were no performances while we were there. Oh, and I got seafood pasta again. In my defense they have all been delicious and different. 

The next day everyone went out but I decided to stay in and get organized because we were leaving the next day. I still needed to pack and just unwind. But don't think the day was wasted 'cause that afternoon/evening we went to this cooking class that Ally had gone to last year and it was a blast. Making pasta is hard work. We learned how to make tagliatelle, gnocchi, and strozzapreti.

Tagliatelle is the most difficult but it looks the most impressive when you are making it. All it is is flour and eggs. 1 egg per 100g of flour and we used 3. You just mix it together ( I know how to do it without using a bowl) and then knead it a bit and wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for a bit. Then begins the daunting task or rolling it out. It took us forever because it basically had to be thin enough to see through. You fold it up and cut it and then unroll the pieces and let them dry. If you cut them too thinly they will break so good luck. Then, if you want, you can shape them into little nests, kind of like how you hang rope. 

The other two are much easier. Gnocchi is just potato pasta. You need 100g of boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes, 300g flour, 3 pinches of salt, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You mix that up with your hand  and then. Roll out little snakes of it on a floured board and chop it into bite sized pieces. Then when you cook it it rises to the top when it's ready and you just give it an extra 60 seconds and scoop them out.

For strozzapreti you combine  300g of flour, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and as much water as needed for the dough. Then you role little pieces between your fingers until they look like turds. And they cook just like the gnocchi. 

We also learned how to make bolognese sauce but I wasn't paying as much attention to it 'cause I was working on my pasta. I think it's equal portions of minced carrots, onions, and celery. You put that in a pot with olive oil and let it kind of stir-fry/caramelize. Then you dice/mince some steak (take out the hard parts) and throw it into the pot and let it brown. Then add 1/2 glass of white wine and let it set for a bit. The add some tomato paste and some water and salt. But that's all I remember.

So we prepared all the food and then Stefano, the owner of the restaurant, and two other guys from the states who are taking a four day cooking class cooked the pasta and made a couple of other sauces. And then we got to eat our food and it was beyond delicious! We all just sat at a big table and ate and talked. I am definitely going to have to make some of those in my apartment next year. And you know what, it was the perfect way to end our time in Italy.

An Italian Hike

At the third town, Corniglia, the thing to get is this lemon slushy thing made from local lemons. WARNING: It is extremely tart and delicious. Also you might want to bring some toilet paper with you 'cause sometimes the public toilets don't have any. 

General Tip: Have lots of water, bring snacks so you have energy on your trip, and take your time so that you can enjoy it. Also sunscreen!

After a steep hike down we made it to the fourth town, Vernazza, and wandered through tall and colorful Italian buildings before making it onto the main street. We even managed to misplace my mother for a bit, but we found her. This was the first place we went to on the trail that had a bunch of tourists. On the plus side you get to walk through a cave to get to the beach, and who wouldn't enjoy that?! Unlike Ireland these beaches are pebble, but it still has incredibly dramatic scenery. We tried to get into the sea but it was just too darn cold and this is in June. 

The next section of hiking was a bit killer 'cause my mom hit that proverbial wall on the way up and just had no energy, but she pushed through. The final town on the Cinque Terre, Monterosso, is divided into old and new and has much more beach area than the other towns. Alice, Ally, and I actually got in the water this time 'cause we were just so stinkin' sweaty. Don't get me wrong it was freezing but if you just power through and dive in your body becomes numb to it. The water was also amazingly calm and it is just so easy to float in that water because of all the salt. Normally I struggle a bit at floating but this just took no effort. Also the water was crystal clear and you could see straight down to. The bottom. Definitely worth the coldness. And to warm yourself up you can just lay on the pebble beach and pile warm stone on your body ... or at least that is what I did. And then for dinner I had...you guessed it...seafood pasta. I mean how could you not order that? You get fresh seafood 'cause you are next to the sea and fresh pasta 'cause you are in Italy. Done deal!

That night Ally even managed to chat with some older lady about knitting and weaving so it was a good day.

Our final day we took the train to Riamaggorie and man were there a bunch of people there. It had some pretty views and I got this amazing thing of fried calamari and chips for just €5. It was delicious! But it was probably my least favorite town on the trail.

We thought about hanging out there for another day or around that area, but we caught word of a train strike on Sunday so we decided to go ahead and make it to our final stop: Bologna.

Florence

Train time! Have I mentioned that I love trains 'cause I do. They are fantastic. You get to see the scenery and walk around and you don't have to worry about fitting everything into one tiny bag. I am definitely gonna miss trains.

Once we made it to Florence and settled into the hostel we headed to the Duomo. You just always seem to run into it and it is a mighty impressive cathedral...at least for the outside. The thing to do there, besides enjoy the plaza, is to climb a butt-load of stairs unto the top. I'm talking about winding staircases and steep steps and one point where it seems more like a ladder than a staircase, but it's worth it 'cause when you get to the top you have a spectacular 360 degree view of Florence and the surrounding countryside. Even Ally's mom, Alice, made it to the top and she is very much afraid of heights. 

Oh, helpful tip for Italy: Happy Hour. There are tons of places that if you go there and buy a drink you can help yourself to happy hour buffet food. It's cheap and it's good. They have pastas and pizzas and vegetables and breads and all sorts of stuff. 

The next day we had a reservation to go to the Galleria dell' Accademia. The reservation is a great idea especially during peak tourist season. Its like the fast passes at Disney world. You just reserve a time and if you use it you pay a couple extra euros but if you don't it doesn't cost you anything. It's definitely worth it so you can beat the queues. 

Once you get inside the first room is a bunch of religious paintings that I just am not a fan of, but off to the left there is a musical instrument room where you can see spinets, harpsichords, pianofortes, pianos, hurdy-gurdies, and piano-guitars. You get to see how some of them work and there are computers around that allow you to listen to the instruments. Rachel Collins would have appreciated this part. 

Then, as a group, we headed to THE DAVID. It is ridiculously impressive. It is gigantic and incredibly detailed. I mean that was carved from a slab of marble. People aren't just being pretentious when they say that the pictures just don't do it justice. I just stood there in awe of it. I mean, I will never do anything as impressive or jaw-dropping. I mean you could take an anatomy lesson from that statue.

After seeing THE DAVID, the rest of the statues in the museum were kind of hard to appreciate, despite the fact that they too were beautiful.

We were kind of museum-ed out after that so we walked across the Ponte Vecchio ( tons of jewelry shops) and through Michelangelo's Gardens. When you walk up that hill and into the walls of the church/graveyard you get another spectacular view of Florence and a better sight of the homes and gardens on the surrounding hills. Alice, Ally, and my mom went to explore a bit, butI just sat down on the walls and wrote. It was definitely a good place for some quiet alone time 'cause hardly any tourists made it up there. It is a bit of a climb, but nothing too bad.

Another Italy tip: Get the Straciatelle. It's a type of gelato that is like cookies -n-cream but so much better. 

The next day we went to a food market and got some dried fruits. Usually I am not a fan, but I now love dried strawberries and kiwis. Those are definitely the two to get. Since we couldn't really buy any of the other food we headed out to all the other markets surrounding it and boy did our mothers hit the leather jackpot. Supposedly when you think of Florence you think of leather. I didn't before but now I do. My mom got almost all of her Christmas shopping done, and I know Alice picked up a couple of things too. My mom even bought me a leather jacket that I am ecstatic about wearing once Arkansas cools down. We even got a really good deal on it all. 

But after their shopping spree it was pretty much time to get on the train to the Cinque Terre.

Venice

Straight from Rome we caught a plane to Venice and then took a waterbus to the actual city. My mom had used all of her credit card points to get us this rather swanky hotel next to the Rialto Bridge. We even had a room overlooking the canal and there were robes! Ally and I got very excited over the robes. 

We did manage to tear ourselves away from the robes in order to see San Marco plaza at night. It was just a lovely open area with beautifully decorated buildings, and on the hour two giant statutes hammer a ginormous bell. It was much more entertaining than the hourly show given by the Astronomical Clock in Prague, but that clock is more interesting in general. 

Another plus about our super swanky hotel that we didn't belong in was that breakfast was included. There was coffee and hot chocolate and mimosas and blood orange juice and breads and fruit and yogurt and Nutella and cereal and meats and cheeses and tea. We were so overwhelmed that we only managed to "steal" a couple packets of Nutella and some teas.

My mom was really excited for today and so was I 'cause she had gotten us gondola lessons. When her and my Dad were in Venice ages ago they didn't have the money to take a gondola ride so she was super pumped to do this. And the we couldn't find the place. You can't even blame Venice's winding streets, because we found the street that it was supposed to be located on and it just wasn't there. No one we asked knew where it was either. Hopefully she didn't let it disappoint her too much 'cause things happen and we tried our hardest to get there. 

So instead we spent the day wandering around the city. I have come to the conclusion that I love Venice. I love the wandering streets and how easily lost you can get but at the same time you are never too far from anything. I love the canals and the narrow walkways and all the bridges. I just love it...unfortunately it is way too expensive for me to ever live there. 

We ended up walking into some churches, perusing a flea market, buying Ally some 10 euro boots, eating a pizza gondola, having some strawberry gelato, buying a compass to add to my collection, and getting my ear pierced. Yep, now I have another piercing despite the fact that the last time I got my ears pierced I was under general anesthesia and the time before that I almost fainted. It didn't even hurt that badly but my ear will be sore for about a week, which means I'll have to stop wearing my Dad's hat for a while. Bet my Dad didn't expect that to happen after we parted ways.

To top the day off we headed back to San Marco to enjoy the area during the day and then I had a fantastic seafood pasta dish. All and all not a bad day.

Our final day in Venice we really took advantage of breakfast. We made sandwiches, and took fruits, and these toastie things they had. Ally and I even managed to sneak a spoon so now we have Venetian spoons. Just a little mother daughter thieving to start the day.

And then we were off to Florence.

...Just kidding! I couldn't let my mom leave Venice again without riding in a gondola. That would just not be okay. So we hopped on one at San Marco and actually had an interesting history lesson to go with it. Fun Fact: The only person to escape from their jail was Casablanca. Also there is a Russian chapter of the Hell's Angels. I for one had no idea that they were international and they are quite intimidating in person. One of them made eye contact with me when I was trying to covertly take a picture of them and I got a bit flustered. 

So go to Venice, get lost (which won't be a problem), and just accept the fact that a map will not help you. Oh and I am officially looking for people to go there with me for Carnival.

A Roman Holiday

After a super early flight and a brief goodbye to my Dad, I made it to Rome...in the pouring rain. It was like nothing I have had the entire time I have been in Europe/UK. It was just gushing down and we had to wait forever for our bus to arrive. Then we waited another 30 minutes inside the bus before it left the airport. Thankfully that gave the rain enough time to move on somewhere

 Despite the slow start, our day was remarkably active. We visited the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Vatican. It seemed a bit unreal to be at the Colosseum. From our hostel you walk a bit and then you go through a lovely park where the Colosseum just emerges before your eyes.There is just so much history everywhere you turn. But you can clearly tell what is a ruin and what is not...unlike what I've heard about Athens. 

And then I got my religious element at the Vatican. Not something you can miss when you travel toRome and two of your travel partners are Catholic. And you know what? That place is HUGE! it's like it was built for a giant. Why would anyone need ceilings that high? It's just not necessary. But it is really ornate and impressive inside. Now don't go biting my head off but I went to the Vatican and did not go into the museum to see the Sistine Chapel. In my defense we only had 24 hours in Rome, merely a layover, and I didn't want to spend my time in a queue. It's just something I will have to do next time. We did, however, consider going back the next day to see the Pope at mass, but thankfully we reconsidered. We wouldn't really have been able to see him, and I for one do not want to stand through a mass. 

I tried to make my last day in Rome as Audrey Hepburn-ish as possible, but the universe was not with me on that one. What should have been a straightforward walk to La Bocca de Veritas (The Mouth of Truth) became a scavenger hunt for the church. Turns out it was Italy's Republic Day (their 4th of July) and they had a bunch of road blocked for a parade. 

Eventually we had to abandon our search and we made our way to the Trevi Fountain. There was a decent sized crowd there, but we mad our way to the front for our wishes. Supposedly it's really beautiful and fairly empty at night so I'll keep that in mind for next time. 

Even the Spanish Steps were not as impressive as the movie suggested. According to my mom they were not even as white as they were last time she was in Rome (over 2 decades ago). There were so many people there but that just made it a prime stop for people watching. It was also a good place to stop for a snack or to eat some pink grapefruit gelato. Fun Fact: John Keats died in the pink building to the left of the stairs. 

And before we left we hit the Pantheon which has a very impressive hole in the top of it. It actually is really cool to see all of that light stream through into the building. Oh, and I managed to give some tourists directions! 

Honestly our stop in Rome was too short, but we did manage to see quite a bit. Hopefully I will make it back and get to experience the area a bit more. Like I still need to ride a Vespa, go to a party on a barge, check to see if I'm a liar, and have all of my hair chopped off. Until then my Roman Holiday will remain incomplete.

A Giant's Causeway

It makes no sense! How did the rocks form those hexagonal shapes? It must be aliens. See for yourself.

Off to Belfast We Go

The next day we headed up to Belfast via the coastal route and mad a pit stop in Malahide and Howth. Howth was definitely worth the stop and is only like 45 minutes outside of Dublin so it would be an easy day trip. We walked to the harbor and had AMAZING seafood at Octupussy's. I ate so much. We had calamari and crab claws and prawns. I even had an oyster and it was delicious. It was so fresh you could taste the brine of the ocean. After lunch we walked along the coast and I situated myself on a couple of rocks to do some writing. I must have blended in with the rock 'cause everyone thought they lost me and went searching for about 1/2 an hour. Clearly I am so good at hide-n-seek that I can't even control it.

So I had never been to Belfast before, but it is worth the trip. Especially if you take a black taxi tour. Our guide/taxi driver, Norman, drove us around the city and gave us the history of the area. I knew some of it but its just amazing that it is so recent. While race is the issue in America, religion id the issue in Belfast. There are literally Protestant and Catholic sections of town and a giant wall separates the two. Its more intense than the wall on the Mexican-American border. There is even a gate that is locked at night to stop adolescent mischief. Its kind of crazy. Norman said people are more tolerant than they used to be and anyone can wander into either area but you tend to live in your own area. And there aren't many inter-marriages between the two. It is all very clan-like. There is also graffiti on the walls, but the Catholic side is way more impressive.

We also checked out the Titanic museum and it was definitely well done museum. Especially since all I know about Titanic I learned from James Cameron's movie. Turns out Belfast used to be a hug linen town and that there was actually a passenger named J. Dawson (but Jams Cameron wasn't aware of that). Turns out a ship like that has a shit ton of rivets and I would despise being a ship builder. Tons of fun facts and tons of depressing memories.

In Dublin's Fair City

Back in Dublin! We stayed in an apartment across the river from Temple Bar so we were in a prime location. Unfortunately my mum got a bit turned around in the city 'cause the bus driver from the airport told her to get off near Trinity College. She ended up wandering around the city for a couple of hours with her pack on before she made it to where we were staying. She was so exhausted and pathetic looking that we just had a chill day and went out for dinner down the street.

We still had 2 full days to see all the sights. We went to Pheonix Park, the Dublina, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. We thought about going to Jameson Distillery but there was a heck of a long wait so we decided to walk through the Temple Bar area instead.
I tried to take them to the Dead Zoo but most of the museums are closed on Mondays which was unexpected. It just meant a change of plans was in order so we went to Merrion Park and saw the Oscar Wilde statue and we went to St. Stephen's Green. We even walked through Trinity College and were going to see the Book of Kells ('cause my dad was going to pay) but the queue was crazy long.
And then Ally came!! And it was her 21st!!! Unfortunately she felt a bit ill so we just grabbed a bite to eat at Fagan's and then listened to Irish music in a pub 'till 12. Not a half bad day.

An English Market and An Abbey/Castle

The last leg of the trip, before meeting up with my mum and the Sloans, was in Cashel. I had been there before, but only as a brief stop on a day trip from Dublin to Blarney Castle.

But before we even got there we made a stop in Cork to eat at the English Market. It wasn't the best food market I had been too, but it was nice. We had a rather yummy leek and pork sausage and some crab claws, but not all the food was good. My dad made me try these "fish eyes" which were olives with pimentos wrapped in anchovies. It was tone of the most disgusting things I have ever eaten and the taste lingered with you because of the oil. I could only eat one and I am not even sure how I managed to swallow it.

Then we made it to Cashel and had the second best dinner of the trip. It was in a converted abbey/cathedral and we had the best lamb I have ever eaten there. I'm not really sure how but my dad ate enough food for at least 2 people, probably more. 

The next day we visited the castle/abbey that I had visited in October. It was much more crowded now, but it was also warmer. I guess its a bit of a trade off. 

National Parks & Driving Rings

Killarney! Doesn't that just sound Irish?! Anyway, that was our next destination.

After a surprisingly good lunch of calamari and crab claws (not fried) we ventured into Killarney National Park and took a boat ride to an abbey on a tiny island in the middle of the lake. The ruins were very well preserved and the site has been home to an abbey since 700 A.D. Even more exciting was the herd of deer that we happened upon. I managed to get fairly close to them, but not close enough to pet them.
I could live on that island...at least for the summer. It was just the perfect place to view the mountains and the rest of the lake.

The island is wonderful but the rest of the National Park is also beautiful. I am so jealous of the people who get to use that area as their running trail, but then again I would just get distracted and end up not running. On another trip perhaps I will get to hike the area a bit more.

To top the day of we happened upon a restaurant called The Med and I had the most amazing mussels. They  were fantastic. I just wish I knew how to cook something like that.

The next day was a day of driving and while that might sound boring it was the opposite. We drove along the Ring of Kerry and the Skelling Ring. We took a ferry over to Valencia island and just enjoyed the lack of people and the plethora of breathtaking views. Thankfully the receptionist at the place we were staying gave us some excellent advice: Don't listen to the tour books. Go the same way as all of the tour buses. If you don't then you have to drive pass them on roads that claim to be two-way but are only wide enough for one car at a time.

Stop 2: ENNIS

Ennis was our Irish music stop. There was an Irish music festival going on while we were there so we got to listen to banjos and fiddles and guitars and concertinas and acordians and reeds. Also everyone was ridiculously welcoming. At this one music thing we went to they let anyone who wanted to join in. People played instruments, sang songs, recited poems, and danced. Even my dad and I joined in with the dancing. Turns out I've never actually seen my dad dance, and there is definitely a reason for that. He wasn't too bad though.

The mission for the next day was the Cliffs of Moher. They were extremely dramatic and intense. I would not want to fall of there 'cause if the fall didn't kill you the freezing water would make you wish that it did. We even managed to hike along the cliffs and away from the tourists. Although they were dramatic I prefer the cliffs we found on the way to Moher. They were on a golf course and overlooked a precious bay. The wind was a bit pushy but it just added to the experience. If it wasn't for the car we would never have seen them. Its nice just being able to stop wherever you want to. 

That night, back in Ennis, we enjoyed some more fine music. We actually kind of got caught by this one group. They were just so welcoming and offered us tea and biscuits. We actually felt the need to sneak out when we were ready to leave because they were just so nice. And then we went to a pub to see Socks in the Frying Pan. I went because of the name, but they were really good. YAY, Irish music!