Vacation on the Boot

     So, I have not completely abandoned my writing on this blog, but have had a few setbacks in posting on it because of lack of internet throughout the last few weeks. First time since I bought my laptop that I haven't had it at my beck and call (unfortunate how close of a bond we form with lifeless objects). Well anyways, made it to Italy and traveled from Rome to Perugia (where the American girl killed her roommate while she studied abroad) and now currently in Venice. Venice is by far one of the best cities we have seen thus far on our trip throughout Europe and even more amazing than we pictured it to be. The canals string through the city like wispy hairs and the thin alleyways make it almost impossible to ever know where you're going. While the humidity causes a consistent dampening of the skin, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience to just walk around and take in the beauty of the city.

          Tomorrow we are leaving on a cruise to Croatia and Greece. Hopefully Athens will have settled down by the time we get there...

Organic Farming in the South of France

     Because we are students, aka we are poor, we wanted to do something in Europe that would be enlightening and cheap. So naturally we decided to work on an organic farm where they feed and house you for free in return for 5 hours of hard labor through a program called WOOFing. We stayed with a man and a wife who own a small organic farm in the south of France between Toulon and Hyeres. We were given a small cabin away from the main house with beds that were probably definitely better suited for the dumpster.
      We picked weeds throughout their many fields of sweet potatoes, watermelon, basil, beef steak tomatoes, onions, etc until our backs and legs were too sore to move anymore. Then we picked fruit and assorted vegetables for a special order from an organic market in a town nearby. We also made confiture (jam) from the hand picked plums in their yard.
      Everyday after work we would go to the beach on the Mediterranean that was only a 15 minute walk away from the house. Sitting amongst topless locals and enjoying Magnum ice cream treats, we definitely knew that we made the right choice for our week of 'cheap' enjoyment.

Dear Paris,

Dear Paris,

     I don't know how to tell you this, but I think that it's time that we part ways. But don't think of this as a permanent goodbye, just a simple separation. We've had a really good run and I want you to know that I'll always remember the time we shared and all the wonderful memories we created together. You've been too good to me and I want you to know that it's not you, it's me. I'm young and don't think I can be exclusive with you right now. I mean I have the rest of Europe to see and I'm running out of time. I hope you can understand where I'm coming from. I know this is kind of bad timing, especially because you are supposed to meet my family in a few weeks. Can we keep it cordial for them though? I hope you know that I'll always love you, and hey, maybe we can get back together sometime.

Yours Truly,
Ali

"Art"

     Pretty much everyone that I knew from Paris is gone now, so I've had a lot of 'me' time these past few days. Most of this time is consumed by long walks on the beach strolls around the city, reading, and museums. I went to the Orsay and Pompidou museums and have had my understanding of art completely revamped. I loved the Orsay museum, but cannot say the same about the Pompidou. While many can appreciate the modern art of the Pompidou, I just feel dumb being there. Maybe it's just me, but I can't understand how someone can conclude meaning from a urinal with a signature on it. I walked the halls for nearly three hours and still couldn't find a piece that really moved me. In fact, the only piece I really liked was one that was a brand new shade of blue that glowed in normal light. Above are some pictures of the 'art' in the Pompidou Center (I would have put some from the Orsay, but you are not allowed to take pictures there).

Praha, Little Germany?

The most amazing Astronomical Clock....

The Lennon Wall

    Last weekend we were able to go to Prague for an amazing two, but much too short days. We took a three hour free tour of the city and found out that although the Nazis occupied Prague, they left the city mainly intact because it reminded Hitler of Germany. Because of this, there were a ton of old fascinating buildings throughout the city center, including the much over hyped Astronomical Clock in one of the main squares. 

    While most of our trip consisted of site seeing, we did come away with one "crazy" story from it. The first night at our hostel we met two guys from the states who we thought we decently cool/normal. The next night they went on a bar crawl and came back pretty intoxicated. Meghan, my roommate, woke up to one them inched up to the side of the top bunk and peeing off the side, right next to where my face was and everyones' phone and computer chargers. She started yelling at him and woke up everyone in the room, and then they all started freaking out too. I was lucky to not get peed on, but everyone else didn't fare as well. In the end, we didn't leave with those boys' information to contact them again.

Terrorism in Morocco

       During my winter break in February, I was lucky enough to take a trip to Morocco. The first stop was Marrakesh, a popular city, especially for tourists. While there, we spent most of our time in the main square, Jamma el-Fna, where we dined, shopped, and enjoyed the lively street performers. One of those very restaurants that we visited was blown up in late April by the al Qaeda. While this news is not particularly new to me, it's still chilling to know that a place that I had visited so recently was attacked, and many innocent people were unrightfully killed. While life should not be lived through scenarios of what-if's, I am often curious of my luck in Morocco.

http://www.france24.com/en/20110428-morocco-death-toll-gas-cannister-explode-marrakesh-djemaa-fna#

Listen to Rihanna and Bring Your Umbrella

     So Meghan and I decided to take a break from our horrible lives in Paris and took a cheap little deal from the devil (Ryan Air) to Scotland (approximately 12 euros one way). Edinbrough, a city we had planned almost nothing beforehand for, ended up being the best city on our tour of Scotland, N. Ireland, and Ireland. We went on a free walking tour around the city and heard tales of a darker time when serial killers and stalkers roamed the tangled streets and alleyways. We also saw where J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series and the graveyard that she walked around to gather names. The most interesting one was the headstone with "Thomas Riddle" scrawled across it (the main villain in the series).
    Our second city on this tour of the UK was Belfast in N. Ireland. The city was incredibly downtrodden and weary after years of painstaking efforts to assimilate the Catholics and Protestants. The first night we arrived we decided to grab some food and watch a rugby game, assured that we would be left alone after a light filament covered our skins after hours of traveling by ferry and bus. We were quite mistaken though. A group of men, all dressed in kilts, surrounded us and informed us that we would be joining them for one of their mate's bachelor party. While we weren't entirely sure that this was the night we had planned, we ended up going along and having a really fun night, even if it was in Belfast.
      We spent the next day exploring the city and the shipyard where the Titanic was built. We were soaked and in desperate need of shepherds pie by the end of the day. We later found out that through our hostel we could get a free tour of Giant's Causeway and then a free ride from them to Dublin. We were beyond thrilled to save a few extra bucks and get to the next city on our list without sufficient planning or effort.
      The bus set out at 9 the next morning and we were ready to site see our way through N. Ireland, rain and all. Our first stop included a rope bridge and breathtaking views of the coast where we could once again see Scotland. We got back on the bus and drove to Giant's Causeway where volcanic activity made rocks form into these hexagonal shapes that jut towards the sky. The last stop on our journey towards Dublin was Londonderry. We opted to show ourselves the rainy city via map rather than pay a guide. We walked through the streets with the war murals and the square that Bloody Sunday took place in. Finally we made it Dublin and passed out in our beds after grabbing a snack.
    The next day we walked around and did the Guinness tour. The Queen of England also made an appearance, which means we witnessed the first royal to visit Dublin in over 100 years. We waited outside of Trinity University for three hours until she finally appeared, soaked as usual from the on and off again rain. She drove by and waved from in side her car (it wasn't rolled down either, let down). We jet packed it back to our hostel where we left our luggage in order to make it to the airport in time for take off. Unfortunately for us though, she, and her 30 million euros worth of security, had other plans. We weren't able to cross the bridge that we needed to  and got stuck in a crowd that were on the edge of starting a riot by shouting "Guillotine the Queen." After another hour of waiting, we were finally let through and made it to our hostel. We made it, safely and on time, and were grateful to witness history in the making.

Do You Want to get Incepted?

    Today in Paris we found ourselves looking for something to do that was 1. cheap and 2. entertaining, so we took off and went to all the places in Paris that scenes from the movie Inception were filmed at. Our first stop was the bridge Bir Hakeim...

The next was at the cafe that Paige and Leo were sitting at while it blew up around them. They changed the outside of the cafe for the movie though.

Where they folded the buildings and streets.

Bubbly in Champagne

    This weekend we went to the Champagne region of France to tour some champagne caves and distributors for my 21st. Not your typical crazy, power hour, pass out kind of abuse of rights birthday eh? Nonetheless I managed to make it crazy, not in the drinking sense, but in the way that I screwed up our hotel and touring reservations, leaving us slightly homeless 90 km away from what we now call home. Regardless, we had a great weekend trying to overcome these obstacles and getting tours of Pommery, Veuve Clicquot, and Bergere.

NYC Takes the Cake Apparently...

    I came to Europe for an adventure, but also to open my eyes to new cultures and people. This was an escape from what I knew and the life I had become all too accustomed to. All of us from the US thought that the other kids at our school would be, at the very least, impressed with our courage to travel to another continent, leaving behind family and friends mind you, to attend a foreign school and experience their culture. We didn't expect to continuously hear how stupid and ignorant Americans are on at least a bi-weekly basis. While I by no means claim to be more enlightened or beyond their intelligence,  I do know that I am competent enough to realize I am not stupid or ignorant. Surprisingly enough I have actually heard more slurs against other races and cultures than I have in the US. Another realization that I've come across is how few people know where states are in America. Many Europeans give Americans a hard time for not knowing where certain countries are, but they are just as guilty as we are. While our states may fly under one united flag, we each hold distinct and different values from one another and I have not once seen a European recognize that.
     While I can often stand being called a typical American, I cannot stand the flack thrown my way for not visiting NYC yet. Yes, it may be a wonderful and vibrant city housing an impressive 20 million some people, it is by no means as glamourous to me as visiting European countries and cities. While I would love to visit it someday, I just haven't had the opportunity to fly across the country yet. After hearing how dumb I am for not visiting NYC in my 20 years, I ask them if they have visited every major city in Europe (a continent, as mentioned earlier, much smaller than the US alone) and the answer is often times 'no.' So to all of my new worldly friends reading this, please stop the annoying harassment it's getting old fast. 

The Opposite of Getting Arrested?

     Easter day was filled with magical surprises, but the best part of the day included a boat ride from Parisian cops on the Seine river. While your first thought may be "who she finally got arrested," the outcome is the complete opposite in fact. Let me explain to you how this all happened. So my friend meets a guy out one night on the town. He ends up being a river cop and offers to take her and a friend out on the boat to look at the monuments (Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, Bir Hakeim, etc etc) lit up at night. They stupidly did donuts in the bay and let us drive the boat too :) Can't believe how professional the police are in France...

Red Lights and Van Gogh Sites

     After hosting my two friends in Paris for the weekend, we hopped on the train to Amsterdam at 5 in morning. Directly after dropping off our bags at the hostel, we got in line at the Anne Frank Museum. The museum was centered around the rooms that the Frank and van Pels families went into hiding. I cried. end of story.
      After the museum we went and got our favorite Jewish treat--bagels and cream cheese to commemorate our tour. Then a pit stop at a coffee shop that hosted an Ocean's Twelve scene. We walked around the city for the rest of the day only stopping for dinner and a Heineken of course (the brewery is in Amsterdam and pretty much owns the city with its name plastered on every corner).
      The next day we did some more walking and found what was supposedly the best Doner Kebab stand in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, we were mislead. Then we we went to the Van Gogh museum for a few hours. I was surprised because often times I am not moved/touched/affected/what have you by art, but felt in tune with his work. Maybe because many scenes can be attributed to his stays in Paris and the south of France and are easily recognizable.
      My friends left early in the morning on the 20th so I walked around the city aimlessly until 2 in the afternoon when my train left. Surprisingly I made it back to Paris safely and on time.

Amsterdam takeaways:
1. If someone sexually harasses you that is staying in your hostel, it is nearly impossible to get them kicked out.
2. The red light district is entertaining to walk through, not so much for the women in the windows, but for the creepy men who are actually purchasing their services.
3. Amsterdam has friendlier people than Minnesota.
4. One may only smoke in their own house or a coffee shop

Hosting in Paris

      I recently had the pleasure of hosting my two good friends Alison and Lauren. They hail from Seville, Espana and were ready for some old fashioned fun in Paris (museums, site seeing, and the such). We spent the first day enjoying the Louvre by slowly making our way to the Mona Lisa through the sweaty crowds and then to Napoleon's apartments. After leaving the Louvre, we walked  through the Tuilleries, to the Champs-Elysses, and finally to the Arc de Triomphe. We ended our day with a baguette, cheese, and hard salami.
      Day two was a slow day, but included my first climb of the Eiffel Tower. The view was quite fascinating, but I still enjoy Paris from the Sacre Coeur more. Later on we went to Notre Dame and then to Isle Saint Louis for some Bertillion ice cream.
     Day three consisted of a short train ride to Chateau de Fontainebleau, which is well known for housing many kings and members of the royal families. The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) was signed here by Louis XIV as well as the Treaty of Fontainebleau (1807) by Napoleon and Charles IV. Finally, Napoleon was stripped of his powers here by the 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau, and also exiled him to Elba. The palace was almost as grandiose as Versailles, but much less crowded.
     On our ride back we ended up getting stuck at one stop for an hour and a half. Still not completely clear on why, but something along the lines of another train was stuck or in a crash at the stop ahead of us. With the alternative being a 100 Euro cab ride back to the center of Paris, we decided to stick it out in the musty train car.
     When we finally made it back we climbed to the top of the Sacre Coeur and enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris for awhile and then began our hike across town (35 min) to dinner at Plein Soleil. We ended our night with a light show at the Eiffel Tower.

Senior Year Here I Come

     Today marks the last day of my Junior year of college. I've signed up for classes (and can actually graduate on time) and gave my final presentation. Maybe this is too early to start reminiscing about college, but it is a bit unbelievable that three years have already gone by. Now I've an entire summer ahead of me with a continent almost entirely unexplored and I plan to make the most of it. I'm trying to find something to work on though so that I don't go crazy (first summer without a job in 5 years). That being said, any ideas to flex my entrepreneurial or marketing skills that I've been paying to acquire?

Finals Week

     It's finals week aka lets find ways to procrastinate. I thought we were bad in Madison, but Paris presents so many more opportunities to tear ourselves away from our work. Take for example our picnic under the Eiffel Tower on Saturday or maybe our new eagerness to find cheap flights on Ryan Air for our summer trips. Even our workout schedules are improving (roommate ab workouts on our excruciatingly hard tile floors).  That being said, I can't complain about studying because it's the first time any of us have had to read for more than 20 minutes at a time since arriving :)

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