Channeling Hemingway and the Dead

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."-Ernest Hemingway


       Recently, I have gotten back the 'lets explore Paris' feeling and have done a few touristy things to compensate for my lack of earlier effort. My first stops were really hard. I had to sit in a cafe and eat cheese and drink coffee and wine while writing in my journal and enjoying friends' company. Still surprised I survived. I know you're wondering how and why is that exploring Paris, right? Well my friends, these two cafes that I went to are famous for hosting some of the world's most intellectual (which beats doing homework at my apartment).


Les Deux Magots hosted Oscar Wilde, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Verlaine, and of course, Ernest Hemingway.


Cafe de Flore, next door, hosted Jean Paul Sartre, Picasso, and Apollinaire


       The next stop on my tour de Paris were the catacombs in the 14th arrondisement. We walked down stairs for about 15 minutes until we reached the caves. The tour takes you through underground tunnels lined with skulls and bones 10 feet deep. The cherry on top was the water dripping from the ceiling on us ha. I guess thats what you get for disturbing the dead.
        The last, but not least, stop on my journey was the France v. Croatia football game at Stade de France. The game was great, especially because 1. the Croatian fans started a fire directly below us and 2. Martin Solveig filmed his music video for "Ready to go" during halftime. 

Dating in Paris 101

     So I have decided to fully acclimate to the Parisian culture and am playing my hand in the dating game again. I've compiled a few steps to fully ensure that anyone else coming here can do just as I have:
1. Get enough courage to go up to them because only the creepy ones come up to you
2. Try to overcome the language gap by using the little French that you know and many hand gestures
3. Get their e-mail address (yeah its what they do here)
4. Follow up three to four days later and make a date
Apparently that's all you need and they are all yours? No, this probably wont work everytime, but recently it worked for me and now I'm six dates deep with a legitmate Parisian. Many great experiences have come out this relationship in fact. For one, I got to go on a a motorcycle ride around and outside of Paris to see the suburbs. I've also had the opportunity to try a few restaurants and bars that I wouldn't have gone to with just friends. And finally, I was able to have an authentic French meal cooked for me.
      But, unfortunately, relationships aren't based off of what people can do for you. From what I've learned in my last 20 years is that they are based off of attraction, respect, and fluid and interesting communication. And it isn't that that isn't occuring here, it's just that a new element has been added--lack of a future. While many might be upset by that knowledge, I'm not. I didn't come to Europe to find love, there is plenty of that back in Madison. I came for an adventure and eye opening experience, and THAT is exactly what I'm getting, at least for now.

Lions and Tigers and Pickpockets Oh My!

       Yesterday I went to get minutes for my phone (because I'm classy and use a pay as you go) at the Orange store around the corner. On my way I stopped at an ATM outside to get some money for the transaction that was about to go down. I put the money in my pocket and proceeded on my mission. After asking for minutes and finally agreeing on a price with the woman I reached into my pocket and BAM! NOTHING WAS THERE. So I made the line wait while I searched every corner of my purse and coat pockets. Still nothing. Moral of the story: don't use outdoor ATMs in Europe where people can see you put the money away.

Prost or You Will Regret It...

*** Disclaimer: Karneval is a celebration in Germany centered on drinking. If you do not want to read the tales of a LEGAL drinker in Europe, then please stop now, or continue reading and don't judge because even kids as young as 15 were participating.

  Last weekend one of my roommates and I were lucky enough to attend Karneval in Koln, Germany. We stayed with the family of a boy who exchanged at her high school a few years ago so that we wouldn't have to pay for hostels (they sky rocketed to about 100 euros a night during the festival). Well anyways, right when we got to the train station in Koblenz we met her friend at the terminal and then took off on the next train to Koln. We shared some rum and coke on the train, which was apparently kosher because everyone else was doing it and no one was getting in trouble. Anyways, when we arrived in Koln it was an absolute mess. There were these little shot glasses, hot dog wrappers, and paper everywhere--apparently we were no longer in Kansas, or Koblenz for that matter. We walked around for a few hours taking part in random beer stands along the sidewalks and streets. We had more fun watching everyone else and making fun of the their costumes than anything else. We thought we had been out all day, but in fact got back on the train at only midnight.
     The next few days we participated in the celebration in Koblenz rather than Koln because we didn't want to pay for train tickets everyday. We had a great time exploring the countryside and local castles. I wasn't incredibly interested in visiting Germany, but I think that it may have been one of the coolest countries that we have been to yet. Maybe it's because it is so similiar to the most poppin region in the US--the Midwest of course!

Barca, Round 2

     Being that I have been to Barcelona before, I was excited to return to a city in Europe that I actually knew the landscape of. The details of this stop are not incredibly exciting, but here are some of the highlights:
1. The only disgusting hostel we have stayed at since arriving in Europe. Shared room with a dirty old man who didn't zip up his pants topped it off.
2. Opium bar on night two-- met (were dragged into) a group of 6 old Brazilian men who got us into the VIP section and me specifically into the DJ booth. Almost famous.
3. Throwing up in Starbucks from who knows what (still think it was the gelato I had been looking forward to all day)
4. Seeing the spot that my dad and I almost got pickpocketed at on the red bus line
5. Eating McDonalds for the first time in Europe and discovering that it's actually better here than in the US, specifically the Chicken Mango Curry wrap.
6. Returning to Gaudi's best pieces and the market on Las Ramblas

Valencia

      When we got off our plane from Sevilla we were greeted with more 70 degree weather. We found our hostel after a few blocks of walking and quickly deposited our belongings because we were STARVING (it had been like 2 hours since eating, obviously too long...). Because Valencia is where paella was invented, we began our quest for the best in the city. We couldn't find the place that everyone suggested because none of us know how to read a map apparently, and when we finally did it was closed for the siesta, so we settled on a small cafe in a nearby square. It was delicious and fun to introduce my comrades to this new dish.  After a 3 hour nap we went out again with this Canadian from our hostel for tapas and cocktails. We walked around the city until we were exhausted and headed back to the hostel for more sleep because all we do is sleep and eat?.
       The next morning we rented bicycles with the same kid from last night and rode all around the city. It ended up being the best way to see it all, especially because the weather was so nice. We tanned on the beach and played in the water and then continued our ride around the city, it was a nice departure from Paris's recent cold and rainy weather. We bought our bus tickets and left for Barcelona at around 5, with our new Canadian friend tagging along.

Sevilla-City of Oranges

     After checking into our little b&b in Sevilla, we rushed over to the restaurant that we were supposed to meet my two good friends from Madison-Alison and Lauren. We were almost late, but ended up running into them on the street luckily. We grabbed a doner kepab, our new favorite food, and caught up on two long months of being apart. Looking around, it was easy to see hundreds of orange trees. We almost wanted to pluck some and eat them for lunch, but apparently they are really sour right now and aren't great for eating plain, but better in marmalades? We listened to the advice, unlike Eve.
      After lunch we started our Tour de Sevilla with the two best tour guides in the whole city.  Most of our time was spent at the Seville Cathedral, the third largest basilica in the world, and where Christopher Columbus is buried at. Well, let me revise that, only his bottom half is buried there. Then just a block away we were able to tour the Alcazar of Seville. It's this great palace with beautiful gardens, rooms, and peacocks (?). After a few hours of walking we sat down for some Tinto, which is red wine mixed with some lemon flavored Fanta, and possibly the best summer drink for those of you who are of age. We departed from our tour guides and agreed to meet up later for some night time activities.
      A quick shower and some makeup application was all we needed and we were back to the grind. We met up with Alison and Lauren on the river and then proceeded to find this square that 20-somethings hang out at to chat and drink casually. When we were tired of standing not meeting any locals we left to find some tapas at around 21:30 (normal dinner time in Spain). At around 23:30 we walked to the club and had a great night showing off our moves (aka swaying back and forth while snapping). At around 3 we bid adieu and embraced knowing that we wouldn't be seeing each other in quite some time. We woke up at around 9 and managed to get out of bed and onto our plane to Valencia.