Spring Break
Decided to post this in both journals for those who don't read my other one and want to hear about my european adventure.
Hello all. So I am back from my European adventure, got back to Huddersfield around 5 last night. So much to tell all of you. We started off our trip by taking a train to London on the 31st, kind of missed the train we were supposed to be on but luckily our tickets were good for any train, we just didn't have reserved seats on any of the other trains. Got to the airport around 10 that night, ate some dinner, and just chilled in the airport. We met a couple of other Americans who were also studying in the UK and doing some traveling so we talked to them all night, and got no sleep. Then we went to Frankfurt. Our hostel was in Frankfurt Hahn, the middle of nowhere, and there were no restaurants open and the grocery store was closing at noon, so we bought bread and peanut butter and jelly and that's what we ate all day. We caught up on some sleep and tried to explore Frankfurt Hahn but there was nothing. So we went to bed early and the next day woke up early to go to Frankfurt Main. We saw some gardens, and statues and took pics. It was probably our least eventful place tho all trip. My camera broke, great right, second day of the trip. The zoom completely died so the rest of the trip I had a little trouble taking pics but when I do post pics, I'll have the ones I did take and also the ones that Caroline and Jane took.
On the third we traveled to Venice Italy. We got there late and just ate dinner and went to bed. We did talk to a couple of other backpackers for a little while tho and they gave us a few pointers. The next morning we woke up early and went to explore Venice. The city was gorgeous. San Marco was beautiful, everyone should go. We also had wonderful pizza and pasta in Venice. We took a water bus down the canal so we could see the city from the water. That night we slept in the airport because the next morning we had an early flight to Rome. There were five of us in the airport that night and I didn't see anyone who worked there after midnight til like 6 am. We met two girls from California who were studying in Rome so we talked to them a majority of the night. Rome was a little disappointing. After everyone told us how wonderful it was, we just had too high of expectations. We saw the colleseum which we got into for free cuz it was culture week, but it wasn't anything like we expected. They seemed to be trying to rebuild it which takes away from the affect it should have. The traffic was also crazy, but it was crazy in most of europe. The food was also crap, we had some nasty pizza and you'd think that for a big city there would be many food places, but there weren't and we had trouble finding somewhere to eat dinner. We returned to venice that night and the next day left for spain. unfortunately I was unable to make it to Florence and to see Lauren and Sara.
The first night in Spain we stayed in Barcelona at the in/out youth hostel. If you ever go to spain, do not stay at that hostel. We didn't get the room we had reserved cuz they had given it to someone else, and our room smelled like sewage. So the next morning we took all our stuff and we explored Barcelona. We went to an aquarium, looked around the main city of Barcelona, and then went to the olympic stadium of 1992. Then right near there was a garden that we went to, it was gorgeous. That night we had a night bus to Malaga, it was a 13 hour ride, most of which I slept during. We got to our hostel around 1, it was a really nice hostel with towels and the host was so nice. Then we relaxed for a bit before hitting the beach. I was the only one to go fully into the meditteranean sea, but I didn't stay in too long, it was a little chilly. We had excellent food in Spain. I tried Paella which was really good although we never did find homemade paella. I also had a spanish omelette which was wonderful. One night we treated ourselves to drinks because this may be the only time I get to order a real drink, at least for another seven months, because England only seems to sell beer and bar drinks, no real drinks. Anyways, I had a pina collata which I hear was not nearly as good as they usually are, but it was still alright.
The next day we took an early bus to Algeciras and from there took a ferry to Morrocco. After going to our hotel, we walked around a bit and then took a four hour tour around Morrocco. We saw the Hercules caves, and where the mediterranean meets the Atlantic. We went to the market place, where it was like the last day that many places were going to be open. They had a lot of really nice stuff for fairly cheap, unfortunately I still didn't buy anything, unlike Jane and Caroline who spent so much, just because I didn't have that much money to spare. I did buy this organic lotion tho that is made from roses for like 4 euro and at another store I bought a Fendi wallet for four euro. I had never heard of Fendi but I guess it's right up there with Gucci which they also had. We also went camel trekking, not for very long, just around in a huge circle but it was still tons of fun. The next day we went to the beach. My complexion is definitely not made for the mediterranean weather, and I got burned. I didn't go swimming because honestly I didn't really feel a hundred percent safe. This was the first place we went and really felt out of place because we were wearing a lot less clothes than women are allowed to wear there so we stuck out like sore thumbs. A bunch of kids kept harrassing us on the beach so we had to move spots. In morrocco we had some really good food too, our waiter in the hotel made us spanish omelettes and we had this chicken sandwich thing from a stand by our hotel which was really good. I got to try Morroccan tea and it was so good, I really want the recipe so I can make it here.
After morrocco we took the ferry back to Algeciras and the bus back to Malaga and stayed for another night, but we got back kinda late so we just found some food and an internet cafe for Caroline and then slept. The next morning we ate breakfast and headed to the airport to go to Barcelona again, and then took a second flight to Paris France. We were going to sleep in the airport that night cuz we couldn't check into our hostel until the next morning. At 2 am they closed and kicked us out so we went to the city and got there at like 4, because Ryanair airports are not near the main cities so we always have to take a bus. There was no where to go and the metro was closed until 6, we finally found a security guard who let us just stay in the lobby of some building until the metro opened. Then we found our hostel around 7, but i was still locked so we went and ate breakfast and around 8 checked into our hostel. We were in paris for four days, so the first day we just relaxed and slept and walked around the hostel. The next day we went to the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, moulin rouge, and the main sites. We tried real french fries which were good. While there we lived off of bread and cheese for dinner. The baguettes were so good, the cheese on the other hand was not. The first night we got cheese we did not like, so then we just started sticking with cheddar. The next two days in Paris we decided to split up and explore on our own. Caroline and I both wanted to go to this shop that we had coupons for so we went there and then split up, I stayed for only like half an hour cuz even with the coupon I couldn't afford anything. Then i started walking and walked to the Louvre and took pics of the outside, I never went in tho cuz it cost money and I didn't really have much to spare. I know Caroline and Jane both went in and saw like the Mona Lisa, the crown jewels, and napoleons apartment. Then there was a garden behind it, but that day I had forgotten my camera so I couldn't take pics so I had to go back the next day. Then I just did some shopping cuz I really wanted to look in souvenir shops, probably went to all the ones they had. Then I ran into Caroline again and we just walked together for the rest of the day. The next day, I started at the Arc de Triomphe which I didn't go inside but I took a picture of the outside. It didn't really seem like that much. Then I walked back to the Louvre and the garden to take pics and then I walked along the river to the Cemetary of Pere Lachaise. I don't know who he is but the name sounds really familiar. I saw a crematorium, it was interesting. The biggest cemetary in Paris. Then from there I walked back to the hostel, I did so much walking and my legs hurt so much by the time I got back. I got back really early tho so I read some and napped a little. I also bought a blue beret cuz you can't go to paris without getting a beret.
The next day we went to Milan. That was an awful day. The minute we got off the bus in Milan, Jane and Caroline decided that they didn't like Milan, plus it was raining, so we went to McDonalds and they ate, and I had a McFlurry. I suggested walking around and they said they didn't want to but told me I could go alone if I wanted. I didn't really wanna wander to far away by myself in the rain so I decided not to and then Caroline and I got into a fight, which was really her yelling and me just sitting there nodding and saying ok. It was stupid. So after that, we went outside for like ten minutes and then found a food court so I got pizza just to have real food in me, and then a chocolate crepe which I hear isn't nearly as good as the ones in Paris but I never tried one is Paris. Then I had a whopper and then we went back to the airport where we slept once again, they closed but they had somewhere for us to sleep luckily. Good thing Milan was only a detour so that we could get to belgium.
The next day we traveled to Brussels, Belgium, by far my favorite place during the trip. The first day we just walked around our hostel and went to a mall and ate and just relaxed cuz once again we were exhausted. The second day we started off by going to the chocolate stores but it was still early so most weren't open yet so we went to the Mannekan Pis which I have pics of so you'll see it when those get posted. Then Jane wanted to go to a Comic Strip museum so she went in there and Caroline and I just waited for her. Then we went back to the chocolate shops and they all had such wonderful deals. The chocolate was amazing also. So we bought a lot, but now I keep thinking I should have bought even more but that's alright, as it was I spent a lot of money and didnt' have much left for Amsterdam. I also had Belgian hot chocolate which was amazing, and since being back I had my hotchocolate and it just doesn't compare. This hotchocolate was hot milk and then I was given chocolate pieces, white, milk, and dark, and I put them in and stirred. It was amazing. I probably gained like 20 pounds in Belgium.
Our last place was Amsterdam. We took a bus from Belgium to Amsterdam and arrived there at like 2 in the afternoon. After finding our hostel we went to get some lunch. I had falafel for the first time which was also really good. Then we did a little souvenir shopping and wanted to find the huge penis statue so we kept looking around for it and asking people where it was, and then finally someone told us that it had been taken down. We walked around the red light district, I've never seen so many sex shops in one place. Then we went to the Anne Frank house. Definitely the best museum I've ever been to. There were videos of people who knew the Franks and different documents from their family and friends. It was amazing to see where she had lived when in hiding, although unfortunately we could not take pictures. The next day we woke up early, stored our luggage in the storage room and checked out. We walked to the Van Gough museum which was amazing cuz I love van gough although unforunately Starry Night is in the states, and not in this museum and I really wanted to see it. Then we walked back to the hostel, grabbed out stuff, went to eat and then just chilled until the 3:00 which was the final bus to the airport arrived. It took 3 hours to get there although it was only supposed to take 1 hr and 45 minutes, traffic was aweful. So we were going to sleep in the airport but they close at 10:30 and don't open til 7 again, so we had to take a taxi to the nearest hotel and it was 21 euros each which is the same as it would have cost to stay in our hostel for the night and this way we were near the hotel so we'd make our flight which we couldn't promise if we stayed in our hostel. The taxi ride was so expensive, but there was nothing we could do about it. We got there and ate dinner, which was expensive. I only had soup and french fries and that was seven euros. jane bought the desert buffet and we kinda ate off her plate, but she went up a second time so they charged her for two buffets, buffets must be different in europe. Then we watched a little tv, and went to bed and the next morning took a taxi back to the airport, this one was much cheaper.
We got to london at 9:20 and Jane and I got back to Huddersfield at like 4 but then did a little necessity grocery shopping and then got back to Storthes around 5. I took a shower, they replaced the shower heads so my whole bathroom got flooded cuz it points at the curtain. So today I went to speak to reception and the guy told me it should be able to move and he tried to move it for me but it doesn't so they're going to replace mine. After my shower, Mat called just as I stepped out so I spoke to him and then I ate some dinner and called home and just chilled and I had some icecream and by 9 I was so bored I decided to go to bed. This morning I woke up at like 6 tho which sucked. So that was my european adventure, it was a great experience and it got the need to travel out of my system, but I'm glad to be back at Huddersfield. Tomorrow I get to start studying for finals. I still have to figure out what I'm doing after finals cuz now Mat isn't sure if he can go to London cuz he has no money, so hopefully I'll talk him into it cuz I need to go to London, can't be in England for five months and not go to London. I'm going to Scotland in about a week and a half for a long weekend with Jane and two of the nights we are staying with Caroline in Dundee. Anyways I should go, this is the longest post ever but I thought everyone would like to hear about the trip. I will post pics when I get home. I get home June 3rd, so expect them either the 4th or 5th.
Hello all. So I am back from my European adventure, got back to Huddersfield around 5 last night. So much to tell all of you. We started off our trip by taking a train to London on the 31st, kind of missed the train we were supposed to be on but luckily our tickets were good for any train, we just didn't have reserved seats on any of the other trains. Got to the airport around 10 that night, ate some dinner, and just chilled in the airport. We met a couple of other Americans who were also studying in the UK and doing some traveling so we talked to them all night, and got no sleep. Then we went to Frankfurt. Our hostel was in Frankfurt Hahn, the middle of nowhere, and there were no restaurants open and the grocery store was closing at noon, so we bought bread and peanut butter and jelly and that's what we ate all day. We caught up on some sleep and tried to explore Frankfurt Hahn but there was nothing. So we went to bed early and the next day woke up early to go to Frankfurt Main. We saw some gardens, and statues and took pics. It was probably our least eventful place tho all trip. My camera broke, great right, second day of the trip. The zoom completely died so the rest of the trip I had a little trouble taking pics but when I do post pics, I'll have the ones I did take and also the ones that Caroline and Jane took.
On the third we traveled to Venice Italy. We got there late and just ate dinner and went to bed. We did talk to a couple of other backpackers for a little while tho and they gave us a few pointers. The next morning we woke up early and went to explore Venice. The city was gorgeous. San Marco was beautiful, everyone should go. We also had wonderful pizza and pasta in Venice. We took a water bus down the canal so we could see the city from the water. That night we slept in the airport because the next morning we had an early flight to Rome. There were five of us in the airport that night and I didn't see anyone who worked there after midnight til like 6 am. We met two girls from California who were studying in Rome so we talked to them a majority of the night. Rome was a little disappointing. After everyone told us how wonderful it was, we just had too high of expectations. We saw the colleseum which we got into for free cuz it was culture week, but it wasn't anything like we expected. They seemed to be trying to rebuild it which takes away from the affect it should have. The traffic was also crazy, but it was crazy in most of europe. The food was also crap, we had some nasty pizza and you'd think that for a big city there would be many food places, but there weren't and we had trouble finding somewhere to eat dinner. We returned to venice that night and the next day left for spain. unfortunately I was unable to make it to Florence and to see Lauren and Sara.
The first night in Spain we stayed in Barcelona at the in/out youth hostel. If you ever go to spain, do not stay at that hostel. We didn't get the room we had reserved cuz they had given it to someone else, and our room smelled like sewage. So the next morning we took all our stuff and we explored Barcelona. We went to an aquarium, looked around the main city of Barcelona, and then went to the olympic stadium of 1992. Then right near there was a garden that we went to, it was gorgeous. That night we had a night bus to Malaga, it was a 13 hour ride, most of which I slept during. We got to our hostel around 1, it was a really nice hostel with towels and the host was so nice. Then we relaxed for a bit before hitting the beach. I was the only one to go fully into the meditteranean sea, but I didn't stay in too long, it was a little chilly. We had excellent food in Spain. I tried Paella which was really good although we never did find homemade paella. I also had a spanish omelette which was wonderful. One night we treated ourselves to drinks because this may be the only time I get to order a real drink, at least for another seven months, because England only seems to sell beer and bar drinks, no real drinks. Anyways, I had a pina collata which I hear was not nearly as good as they usually are, but it was still alright.
The next day we took an early bus to Algeciras and from there took a ferry to Morrocco. After going to our hotel, we walked around a bit and then took a four hour tour around Morrocco. We saw the Hercules caves, and where the mediterranean meets the Atlantic. We went to the market place, where it was like the last day that many places were going to be open. They had a lot of really nice stuff for fairly cheap, unfortunately I still didn't buy anything, unlike Jane and Caroline who spent so much, just because I didn't have that much money to spare. I did buy this organic lotion tho that is made from roses for like 4 euro and at another store I bought a Fendi wallet for four euro. I had never heard of Fendi but I guess it's right up there with Gucci which they also had. We also went camel trekking, not for very long, just around in a huge circle but it was still tons of fun. The next day we went to the beach. My complexion is definitely not made for the mediterranean weather, and I got burned. I didn't go swimming because honestly I didn't really feel a hundred percent safe. This was the first place we went and really felt out of place because we were wearing a lot less clothes than women are allowed to wear there so we stuck out like sore thumbs. A bunch of kids kept harrassing us on the beach so we had to move spots. In morrocco we had some really good food too, our waiter in the hotel made us spanish omelettes and we had this chicken sandwich thing from a stand by our hotel which was really good. I got to try Morroccan tea and it was so good, I really want the recipe so I can make it here.
After morrocco we took the ferry back to Algeciras and the bus back to Malaga and stayed for another night, but we got back kinda late so we just found some food and an internet cafe for Caroline and then slept. The next morning we ate breakfast and headed to the airport to go to Barcelona again, and then took a second flight to Paris France. We were going to sleep in the airport that night cuz we couldn't check into our hostel until the next morning. At 2 am they closed and kicked us out so we went to the city and got there at like 4, because Ryanair airports are not near the main cities so we always have to take a bus. There was no where to go and the metro was closed until 6, we finally found a security guard who let us just stay in the lobby of some building until the metro opened. Then we found our hostel around 7, but i was still locked so we went and ate breakfast and around 8 checked into our hostel. We were in paris for four days, so the first day we just relaxed and slept and walked around the hostel. The next day we went to the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, moulin rouge, and the main sites. We tried real french fries which were good. While there we lived off of bread and cheese for dinner. The baguettes were so good, the cheese on the other hand was not. The first night we got cheese we did not like, so then we just started sticking with cheddar. The next two days in Paris we decided to split up and explore on our own. Caroline and I both wanted to go to this shop that we had coupons for so we went there and then split up, I stayed for only like half an hour cuz even with the coupon I couldn't afford anything. Then i started walking and walked to the Louvre and took pics of the outside, I never went in tho cuz it cost money and I didn't really have much to spare. I know Caroline and Jane both went in and saw like the Mona Lisa, the crown jewels, and napoleons apartment. Then there was a garden behind it, but that day I had forgotten my camera so I couldn't take pics so I had to go back the next day. Then I just did some shopping cuz I really wanted to look in souvenir shops, probably went to all the ones they had. Then I ran into Caroline again and we just walked together for the rest of the day. The next day, I started at the Arc de Triomphe which I didn't go inside but I took a picture of the outside. It didn't really seem like that much. Then I walked back to the Louvre and the garden to take pics and then I walked along the river to the Cemetary of Pere Lachaise. I don't know who he is but the name sounds really familiar. I saw a crematorium, it was interesting. The biggest cemetary in Paris. Then from there I walked back to the hostel, I did so much walking and my legs hurt so much by the time I got back. I got back really early tho so I read some and napped a little. I also bought a blue beret cuz you can't go to paris without getting a beret.
The next day we went to Milan. That was an awful day. The minute we got off the bus in Milan, Jane and Caroline decided that they didn't like Milan, plus it was raining, so we went to McDonalds and they ate, and I had a McFlurry. I suggested walking around and they said they didn't want to but told me I could go alone if I wanted. I didn't really wanna wander to far away by myself in the rain so I decided not to and then Caroline and I got into a fight, which was really her yelling and me just sitting there nodding and saying ok. It was stupid. So after that, we went outside for like ten minutes and then found a food court so I got pizza just to have real food in me, and then a chocolate crepe which I hear isn't nearly as good as the ones in Paris but I never tried one is Paris. Then I had a whopper and then we went back to the airport where we slept once again, they closed but they had somewhere for us to sleep luckily. Good thing Milan was only a detour so that we could get to belgium.
The next day we traveled to Brussels, Belgium, by far my favorite place during the trip. The first day we just walked around our hostel and went to a mall and ate and just relaxed cuz once again we were exhausted. The second day we started off by going to the chocolate stores but it was still early so most weren't open yet so we went to the Mannekan Pis which I have pics of so you'll see it when those get posted. Then Jane wanted to go to a Comic Strip museum so she went in there and Caroline and I just waited for her. Then we went back to the chocolate shops and they all had such wonderful deals. The chocolate was amazing also. So we bought a lot, but now I keep thinking I should have bought even more but that's alright, as it was I spent a lot of money and didnt' have much left for Amsterdam. I also had Belgian hot chocolate which was amazing, and since being back I had my hotchocolate and it just doesn't compare. This hotchocolate was hot milk and then I was given chocolate pieces, white, milk, and dark, and I put them in and stirred. It was amazing. I probably gained like 20 pounds in Belgium.
Our last place was Amsterdam. We took a bus from Belgium to Amsterdam and arrived there at like 2 in the afternoon. After finding our hostel we went to get some lunch. I had falafel for the first time which was also really good. Then we did a little souvenir shopping and wanted to find the huge penis statue so we kept looking around for it and asking people where it was, and then finally someone told us that it had been taken down. We walked around the red light district, I've never seen so many sex shops in one place. Then we went to the Anne Frank house. Definitely the best museum I've ever been to. There were videos of people who knew the Franks and different documents from their family and friends. It was amazing to see where she had lived when in hiding, although unfortunately we could not take pictures. The next day we woke up early, stored our luggage in the storage room and checked out. We walked to the Van Gough museum which was amazing cuz I love van gough although unforunately Starry Night is in the states, and not in this museum and I really wanted to see it. Then we walked back to the hostel, grabbed out stuff, went to eat and then just chilled until the 3:00 which was the final bus to the airport arrived. It took 3 hours to get there although it was only supposed to take 1 hr and 45 minutes, traffic was aweful. So we were going to sleep in the airport but they close at 10:30 and don't open til 7 again, so we had to take a taxi to the nearest hotel and it was 21 euros each which is the same as it would have cost to stay in our hostel for the night and this way we were near the hotel so we'd make our flight which we couldn't promise if we stayed in our hostel. The taxi ride was so expensive, but there was nothing we could do about it. We got there and ate dinner, which was expensive. I only had soup and french fries and that was seven euros. jane bought the desert buffet and we kinda ate off her plate, but she went up a second time so they charged her for two buffets, buffets must be different in europe. Then we watched a little tv, and went to bed and the next morning took a taxi back to the airport, this one was much cheaper.
We got to london at 9:20 and Jane and I got back to Huddersfield at like 4 but then did a little necessity grocery shopping and then got back to Storthes around 5. I took a shower, they replaced the shower heads so my whole bathroom got flooded cuz it points at the curtain. So today I went to speak to reception and the guy told me it should be able to move and he tried to move it for me but it doesn't so they're going to replace mine. After my shower, Mat called just as I stepped out so I spoke to him and then I ate some dinner and called home and just chilled and I had some icecream and by 9 I was so bored I decided to go to bed. This morning I woke up at like 6 tho which sucked. So that was my european adventure, it was a great experience and it got the need to travel out of my system, but I'm glad to be back at Huddersfield. Tomorrow I get to start studying for finals. I still have to figure out what I'm doing after finals cuz now Mat isn't sure if he can go to London cuz he has no money, so hopefully I'll talk him into it cuz I need to go to London, can't be in England for five months and not go to London. I'm going to Scotland in about a week and a half for a long weekend with Jane and two of the nights we are staying with Caroline in Dundee. Anyways I should go, this is the longest post ever but I thought everyone would like to hear about the trip. I will post pics when I get home. I get home June 3rd, so expect them either the 4th or 5th.