Arriving at JFK, it felt like I had never left. It seemed as though it was all just a dream. How did it go by so fast? Did I really live in Europe for three months and travel everywhere? Definitely doesn't seem like it! My dad came and got me from the airport. In the drive home I realized that spring definitely comes to Europe earlier because all the trees are still bare here.
New Canaan seemed like a ghost town. There was barely any traffic in town and the drive to Costco was unusually bearable. The older I get, the more distant I feel from New Canaan. It's so sad to me! Especially with our house packed up, life has become more about the transitions rather than anything else. Especially at this age in my life, with decisions about jobs etc, I can't imagine where I will end up. So much has changed already for me in just one year, I am excited to see where I will find myself in another year's time.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
LONDRES!
I was thrilled to finally get the chance to visit my family in England. The last time I had seen most of them had been at least three years ago. My aunt and I had been in considerably good touch since I had expressed to her at the beginning of my study abroad that I would be interested in visiting London after my program. With her help I was able to work out all of the details with flights. She was truly a superstar. I arrived in England Tuesday and was picked up by Aunt Paula in the late hours of the night. I felt right at home as soon as I settled into bed that night. We woke up early the next morning and enjoyed a big bowl of fresh fruit and honey and headed over so I could say hello to Nan and Grandad. It was wonderful to see them as it had been so long! We chatted for a bit and then Paula and I headed to London for the afternoon. I had shown interest in getting tickets to see Wicked while in England and my aunt didn’t hesitate to get them (I was absolutely spoiled rotten on this trip -a wonderfully successful ploy to have me visiting again shortly). Right before the show we walked over to Buck House. The Queen was in residence because of the British flag raised high. All of London is anticipating the wedding within the next few weeks because of all the souvenirs designed with the faces of William and Katherine on them – it was actually a bit amusing: there were flags, mugs, bags, shirts all imprinted with their faces. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the show – many of my friends said it was their favorite but because I was older now, I thought it might be a little different. I have never really been a play-finatic. Well, it turns out the show almost had me in tears at the end. The story line was so interesting and it was fun knowing the songs beforehand and watching them play into the plot. Unfortunately my aunt wasn’t as moved but my over-enjoyment made up for it. We walked to a close by pub for my first British fishnchips in a long time. It never disappoints really. Our way back we stopped by my cousin Angela’s house to say hello. I have always loved seeing Angela because she is always happy and talking about new things going on. We started looking at Olympic tickets together for next summer. Her son, Reece, is Chloe’s age but we have stayed in decent contact thanks to the networking of Facebook. I brought my things over to Nan and Grandad’s to stay there for the rest of my visit.
Thursday Paula, Reece and I went into London for a London Walk that took us around different places by the Monument. Carly was able to meet up with us which was amazing to see her. There were tons of places and buildings we all learned interesting and random things about. But the main facts were: almost everything burnt down in 1666 because of the London fire and was rebuilt by a man named Christopher Wrenn. We learned that on this one building the builders sculpted two rats eating a piece of cheese because they were the culprits of their missing lunches. On the top of St. Lawrence’s cathedral, the wind dial is shaped like a grill so that you would remember he was grilled to death. We walked through the Royal Exchange and saw the modern buildings of London in the financial sector of the city. After the tour ended, we walked over to St. Paul’s cathedral and over the millennium bridge to walk along the embankment towards the London eye. Luckily for me, we got tickets to go on the London eye which was so much more memorable the second time around. It even came with a “4D experience” (there’s 3D glasses as well as wind, rain, bubbles and all of the above). By that time we were already getting quite tired but we trekked onward to see Big Ben, the Parliament houses and Westminister Abbey. We spent some time walking through some of the courtyard and gardens by Westminister Abbey which was beautiful and almost like a safehaven from the rest of busy London – you almost couldn’t hear a thing while inside them. You wouldn’t be able to guess where you were if it weren’t for the British accents of Big Ben hovering above you. We quickly hopped onto the subway to get to Tower Hill (London Bridge and Tower of London). We were famished and exhausted at this point thanks to my amazing aunt and cousin who made wonderful tour guides. We sat down at St. Katherine’s Docks for a delicious Italian meal which was comparable to what I ate when I was there only a few days prior. I said a sad goodbye to Carly as it would be the last time I saw her abroad and would be seeing her back in Provo.
Friday was definitely more low-key and my aunt took me around to help me find a pair of original and authentic pair of British Hunter Wellys. At the second store we went to, I found a wonderful pair of purple Barbour which were even more authentic and British than Hunters which have become too “American” nowadays. Aunt Paula nicknamed them the “grape-crushers” because of the deep color which was very fitting. We met Nan and Grandad at a pub located along Leeds River with picturesque scenery of the type of landscape in England. Lucky for me, we had beautiful, warm weather the entire time I was there. Aunt Paula and I went on a nice long walk by her house that went through the woods, around a lake and along Leeds River. There was nothing more peaceful and relaxing. The area was untouched and completely nature – there was even a pasture with wild horses which is something you could hardly encounter back in the States. I soaked up every minute as my aunt and I chatted about various things ranging from my social life to my plans to work abroad eventually (hopefully in London). Later that night, I got to see Lynn and my cousins Becky and Charlotte. I hadn’t seen them all in a long while and only stayed connected through various status updates on Facebook. It was through Facebook that I saw Lynn’s experience with a fish pedicure – something I had never heard of. So that’s what our plan was – to get fish pedicures and go out for my favorite… Indian. The fish pedicure was nothing I expected. I had a decent forewarning because Lynn refused to do it again. Anyway, you essentially stick your feet in this tub of warm water filled with these little fish that literally nibble at your feet for 20 minutes (or however long you pay for). At first, I was shrieking because it was such a bizarre feeling! But once I closed my eyes it felt like bubbles. As soon as I let myself think back to the fish eating at my feet, it would just make me laugh. If you got your mind off of it, it actually felt really nice. And in the end, your feet were so much softer. Quite the experience. And of course Indian was delicious as always.
Saturday I ate delicious fishnchips once again with Nan and Grandad. Later on, my cousin Becky and her boyfriend Kieran came and picked me up from Nan and Grandad’s in the afternoon to take me to a mall called Lakeside. We were there for several hours and she was incredibly patient with me showing me around all the European stores. I definitely tired us all out. In the evening, Aunt Paula and I drove up to Harlow to see Limitless which surprised both of us with the original plot.
Sunday was my last full day with everyone. Grandad, Nan and I spent the morning sitting in the sun for a bit before we headed to Toby’s Carvery for their usual early dinner. I really enjoyed being around them and spending quality time. My favorite though was when I started asking them about how they had first met and their dating life before they had gotten married. It really made me happy to hear their stories of when they were my age. Their eyes would light up as they went back and forth sharing the details as they gradually remembered bits and pieces. Apparently my granddad had to do quite a bit of work to get my nan’s attention – which still goes on today. He would truly do anything for her, to make her happy and to keep her content. He treats all the ladies in the family like royalty. What we did to deserve such a privilege I do not know but definitely made him the amazing grandfather I know him to be. They saw my interest in their past lives and drove me around Chingford to show me where their old houses used to be, where the dance was where they first met and where Nan used to walk Paula until she was about three. It was a fabulous afternoon spent with my grandparents where I was able to get to know better who they used to be. When we got back to the house, we set up camp in their yard with chairs, a table, umbrella and wind barrier and all sat out soaking up the sun and gradually dozed off for about an hour. As we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, Nan brought out a box collected full of photos my dad had sent her of Chloe and I while we were little as well as pictures of my dad when he was tiny and things like his report cards (quote from his French teacher: “The subject is beyond him.”) The day couldn’t have gotten better. Paula came over later on as well as Angela and Reece and everyone. We all chatted for a while and said our sad goodbyes. I was so sad to leave because it had gone by so fast. I really felt at home with all of my relatives. They know me so well even though I hadn’t seen them in ages. It amazed me of the family connection that is so strong.
My sweet Grandad woke up in the early morning hours (4am) to take me to the airport this morning. I was so appreciative. My grandparents went out of their way countless times to make my visit as comfortable as possible. I felt like royalty. I miss them already!
Thursday Paula, Reece and I went into London for a London Walk that took us around different places by the Monument. Carly was able to meet up with us which was amazing to see her. There were tons of places and buildings we all learned interesting and random things about. But the main facts were: almost everything burnt down in 1666 because of the London fire and was rebuilt by a man named Christopher Wrenn. We learned that on this one building the builders sculpted two rats eating a piece of cheese because they were the culprits of their missing lunches. On the top of St. Lawrence’s cathedral, the wind dial is shaped like a grill so that you would remember he was grilled to death. We walked through the Royal Exchange and saw the modern buildings of London in the financial sector of the city. After the tour ended, we walked over to St. Paul’s cathedral and over the millennium bridge to walk along the embankment towards the London eye. Luckily for me, we got tickets to go on the London eye which was so much more memorable the second time around. It even came with a “4D experience” (there’s 3D glasses as well as wind, rain, bubbles and all of the above). By that time we were already getting quite tired but we trekked onward to see Big Ben, the Parliament houses and Westminister Abbey. We spent some time walking through some of the courtyard and gardens by Westminister Abbey which was beautiful and almost like a safehaven from the rest of busy London – you almost couldn’t hear a thing while inside them. You wouldn’t be able to guess where you were if it weren’t for the British accents of Big Ben hovering above you. We quickly hopped onto the subway to get to Tower Hill (London Bridge and Tower of London). We were famished and exhausted at this point thanks to my amazing aunt and cousin who made wonderful tour guides. We sat down at St. Katherine’s Docks for a delicious Italian meal which was comparable to what I ate when I was there only a few days prior. I said a sad goodbye to Carly as it would be the last time I saw her abroad and would be seeing her back in Provo.
Friday was definitely more low-key and my aunt took me around to help me find a pair of original and authentic pair of British Hunter Wellys. At the second store we went to, I found a wonderful pair of purple Barbour which were even more authentic and British than Hunters which have become too “American” nowadays. Aunt Paula nicknamed them the “grape-crushers” because of the deep color which was very fitting. We met Nan and Grandad at a pub located along Leeds River with picturesque scenery of the type of landscape in England. Lucky for me, we had beautiful, warm weather the entire time I was there. Aunt Paula and I went on a nice long walk by her house that went through the woods, around a lake and along Leeds River. There was nothing more peaceful and relaxing. The area was untouched and completely nature – there was even a pasture with wild horses which is something you could hardly encounter back in the States. I soaked up every minute as my aunt and I chatted about various things ranging from my social life to my plans to work abroad eventually (hopefully in London). Later that night, I got to see Lynn and my cousins Becky and Charlotte. I hadn’t seen them all in a long while and only stayed connected through various status updates on Facebook. It was through Facebook that I saw Lynn’s experience with a fish pedicure – something I had never heard of. So that’s what our plan was – to get fish pedicures and go out for my favorite… Indian. The fish pedicure was nothing I expected. I had a decent forewarning because Lynn refused to do it again. Anyway, you essentially stick your feet in this tub of warm water filled with these little fish that literally nibble at your feet for 20 minutes (or however long you pay for). At first, I was shrieking because it was such a bizarre feeling! But once I closed my eyes it felt like bubbles. As soon as I let myself think back to the fish eating at my feet, it would just make me laugh. If you got your mind off of it, it actually felt really nice. And in the end, your feet were so much softer. Quite the experience. And of course Indian was delicious as always.
Saturday I ate delicious fishnchips once again with Nan and Grandad. Later on, my cousin Becky and her boyfriend Kieran came and picked me up from Nan and Grandad’s in the afternoon to take me to a mall called Lakeside. We were there for several hours and she was incredibly patient with me showing me around all the European stores. I definitely tired us all out. In the evening, Aunt Paula and I drove up to Harlow to see Limitless which surprised both of us with the original plot.
Sunday was my last full day with everyone. Grandad, Nan and I spent the morning sitting in the sun for a bit before we headed to Toby’s Carvery for their usual early dinner. I really enjoyed being around them and spending quality time. My favorite though was when I started asking them about how they had first met and their dating life before they had gotten married. It really made me happy to hear their stories of when they were my age. Their eyes would light up as they went back and forth sharing the details as they gradually remembered bits and pieces. Apparently my granddad had to do quite a bit of work to get my nan’s attention – which still goes on today. He would truly do anything for her, to make her happy and to keep her content. He treats all the ladies in the family like royalty. What we did to deserve such a privilege I do not know but definitely made him the amazing grandfather I know him to be. They saw my interest in their past lives and drove me around Chingford to show me where their old houses used to be, where the dance was where they first met and where Nan used to walk Paula until she was about three. It was a fabulous afternoon spent with my grandparents where I was able to get to know better who they used to be. When we got back to the house, we set up camp in their yard with chairs, a table, umbrella and wind barrier and all sat out soaking up the sun and gradually dozed off for about an hour. As we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, Nan brought out a box collected full of photos my dad had sent her of Chloe and I while we were little as well as pictures of my dad when he was tiny and things like his report cards (quote from his French teacher: “The subject is beyond him.”) The day couldn’t have gotten better. Paula came over later on as well as Angela and Reece and everyone. We all chatted for a while and said our sad goodbyes. I was so sad to leave because it had gone by so fast. I really felt at home with all of my relatives. They know me so well even though I hadn’t seen them in ages. It amazed me of the family connection that is so strong.
My sweet Grandad woke up in the early morning hours (4am) to take me to the airport this morning. I was so appreciative. My grandparents went out of their way countless times to make my visit as comfortable as possible. I felt like royalty. I miss them already!
VENEZIA!
The following morning we were up early again packing up the apartment. We caught two separate cabs to Termini with all our luggage (made for a bit of a confusing situation at first). After waiting quite a bit and trying to figure out the logistics, we finally boarded our train to Venice. We were all so excited for this second portion of our travels. Although we weren’t sitting together at first, it was a fun way to travel to Venice and definitely less hassle than flying. Our tickets were only booked to the stop right before Venice so we had to take a local bus to Piazza Roma where everyone catches the waterbus to ake you throughout Venice on the Gran Canal.Once we got ourselves on the waterbus we were jittery with excitement. The weather was perfect again and it was around 6. I remember not being able to say anything because I couldn’t actually believe that I was in Venice. Our htoel was an adorable bed and breakfast right along a small canal. It wasn’t luxurious but perfect for our stay. We went and got dinner in a random square close by and had a low-key evening. I was excited because Venice wouldn’t be a fast-ace sitght-seeing type of trip. It was all about wandering, getting lost, finding small hidden treasures and then finding your way again. Unfortunately, there are tons and tons of shops in Venice – especially jewelry which is incredibly unique. They certainly know how to attract tourists’ attention. The main thing that we had to do while in Venice was get to St. Mark’s square and go on a gondola ride. Both of which were accomplished. St. Mark’s cathedral was really enjoyable for me because it hadn’t been restored. SO it was in the same condition it had been however may years ago. It was dark and dusty probably from all the candles and smoke and ash collected over the years. The entire ceiling was gold mosaic making for an indescribable design. On our walk back we got our gondola ride with a cute and charming Italian. He let a couple of the girls stand with him on the top and help row. I felt like I was in a dream the entire time in Venice. It was a very romantic city. That night we all got dressed up to go out to dinner. We sat outside by the Grand Canal under an umbrella and it began to storm viciously. At first we were a bit bummed but then realized how cool it was to watch the thunderstorm. We sat and enjoyed our last dinner as a group waiting for the storm to pass. The following day we walked around for a bit, through the streets and went to the market furtheer up the Gran Canal. We sadly said our goodbye as the other four had an earlier flight and were headed to Paris for the third leg of their trip. I had several hours to myself to enjoy Venice before I said goodbye to the most beautiful city I have ever been to. I walked to the main port area we found the day before and sat on a set of steps by the water reading my book for two straight hours. Nothing could have been better, the weather was perfect and I had time to myself to do anything I wanted. I left with a solid amount of time to get myself to the airport because the last thing I wanted was to be stressed getting to the airport in a foreign country on my own. As I sat on the waterbus and then the bus to the airport, I was so sad that the end of my travels were nearing. I have truly had the time of my life and absolutely nothing has compared to traveling throughout Europe independently. I know I will always look back appreciating the memories I’ve made.
ROMA!
When my last day in Spain actually arrived, I was actually quite sad. It was beautiful weather outside which made it even more difficult to say goodbye. I had all my bags packed and the room felt entirely too empty with Carly and my things all put away. Nieves didn’t know that I was leaving that morning (language barrier wins until the very end), so she was caught off guard when I was saying goodbye with all my suitcases in hand. The goodbye with Nieves wasn’t as sad as I imagined because most of the time I felt as though I was a bit of a burden to her. I never knew if she actually wanted Carly and I there or if she was doing it for the money to be honest. Either way she was an incredible host mom who was very patient with me. She let us into her home with open arms and helped us whenever she could. I wasn’t too sad to leave the cooking either. I liked it for the amount of time I was there but definitely was excited to be heading to Italy. The last day I had a final in my art history class that was nerve-racking for me with the stress of having to get to the airport on my own with my heavy bag (little did I know how heavy it actually was.) There was a small “graduation” ceremony which they gave us certificates with our Spanish grades on them. I left a bit early because I was getting too nervous about traveling to the airport. I quickly hopped on my last bus ride in Alcala and got the train then the subway. As I got to the check-in counter I saw the other four girls I would be traveling in Italy with: Jenny Lexi, Jordan and Kylie. I gave Jenny and Lxi big hugs having not seen them in a day or two and they introduced me to their friends from back home who had come out to travel the last few days Jenny and Lexi were in Europe. I weighed my bag and was instantly laughed at and stared at because it weighed 35 kilos (limit is 20 kilos and the conversion would make it roughly 70 pounds). I had to unpack my bag (along with the other girls) and distribute it into a shoulder bag I had handy. I threw out a couple of old work-out shirts, my running sneakers, my old bag that was about to break anyway to lessen the burden a bit more. Here I was thinking I was a good traveler.
We arrived at a small airport in Rome and caught a taxi for the five of us to take us to the apartment we had rented out for the three nights we were there. With the excuse of our excessive luggage, the cab driver ripped us off a bit. Then we had some difficulty getting a hold of the owner of the apartment. Without cell phones or access to internet it presented a bit of a problem. Jenny and I finally stopped a random girl about our age of the street and asked to use her cell phone and she kindly let us make the phone call. The wait and struggle was worth it because the apartment was perfect. There was a small living area with a pull-out couch where I slept, with a kitchen. The queen bedroom was cornered off of the main area with little dividers making it very open. Then there was a bathroom and a separate room with bunk beds. We really enjoyed our stay there and it turned out to be cheaper than staying in a hotel anyway.
Our first day we rose bright and early and headed to Termini station to get our Roma passes that we paid 25 euros for and would give us free transportation, entrance to two sites and then discount prices for any other sites in Rome we would see. After our two days there, we didn’t quite get our full value out of it. If we had been there for longer it would have saved us tons but we didn’t have enough time to get to all the museums and things where we could have saved. Anyway, we soon discovered that the buses and metro systems were all on strike. It wasn’t much of a problem the first day because all the major sites are walking distance. We followed a small family to the Colosseum. It was incredible finally seeing all these things in person. The structures themselves are absolutely massive and the designs of the architecture are always fascinating. The inside of the Collesseum was much different than I imagined. I had to keep in mind that they were ruins and of course you would be left to imagine what it must have looked like back when it was created. We headed over to Palentine Hill afterwards which gave you a view of where the Circus Maximus would have been. It was fun seeing all these places that I had previously studied in middle school. To be honest, I wish I had gone to Rome soon after I had studied it all so I could remember all the details I learned, but I was still able to recall things here and there. After Palentine Hill we walked throughout the forum. This was probably my favorite because I could just picture memorizing the different parts of the forum for Magistra Berry’s class. Funny enough, we ran into Abby (a girl from our program) who was walking through the forum with her mom. Such a strange coincidence! Anyway, you definitely had to let your imagination go to picture what it had looked like. It was quite a different type of site-seeing that we had to adjust to. We had been used to seeing cathedrals and palaces and landscapes in full. We walked over to the Trevi fountain which was a hidden treasure for us. Ii didn’t really know much about it or knew what it looked like to be honest. We all threw in American pennies as we made our wishes. By that point we all needed to sit down and get food. We ate at a small casual restaurant and got paninis as well as paid for Cokes that turned out to be 3.5 euros. Next on the agenda was to get a gelato and sit on the Spanish steps. I was the first to order mine and I asked for rhis cone that was on display that had the top dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. She scooped my Panna Cotta gelato (favorite flavor) and turned around and started putting all these things on top of it like whip cream, small cones, chocolate etc. When she handed it to me it was massive and we were all wide-eyed in awe. Little did I know when I was ready to pay for it that the gelato was a small fortune. I had to pay 9.50 for it! I could have argued but decided it wasn’t worth it. Everyone else learned from my mistake though. We basked in the sun on the Spanish steps for a while and we each fell asleep for a little bit. We were lucky enough to have incredible weather while visiting Rome for the weekend. The other thing we noticed were the countless vendors selling the strangest things. Some will walk around with roses and will innocently present them to you seeming like a random gesture of kindness but then will ask for money for them once they’ve placed them in your hands. We watched this happen to a girl when finally he took them back. It makes me wonder if anyone actually buys them and why the persist on bothering tourists. We then trekked our way to the Pantheon. Once again we had another strange run-in with another girl from our program, Camille with her mom. It was the most bizarre occurrence. They had closed the Pantheon for an hour because of a service so we sat on the steps outside for a bit. We sat down next to these two older ladies who we began talking to. Soon we found out that they were both BYU alumni! One of them had been on the very same program we had just finished. They were telling us how they’ve been back to Europe countless times because they have just fallen in love with everything it has to offer. Inside the Pantheon was intriguing. We walked around for a bit and then headed to Plaza Navona which has fountains designed and constructed by Bernini. As we walked around there, the different restaurant has spokes-people lingering outside stopping every passerby to persuade them to stay and enjoy their fresh pasta. They used things like free champagne, no service fee, no cover charge, free bread to get you to stay. The girls decided to go to this one place, Dulce Vita (perfectly named), because the owner was attractive – good enough reasoning. As we enjoyed our delicious pasta, I realized that I had left my Cochni sweater somewhere. Jenny was nice enough to come with me to retrace my steps a bit but to no avail. That night we were all exhausted and passed out cold as soon as we sat down in the apartment.
Our second day in Rome we planned to go to the Vatican and spend most of the day there visiting St. Peter’s basilica, Sistine chapel etc. Luckily for us the strike was over so we were able to hop on a bus at Termini. We got there a little before 9 and there was already a line. Once we set foot inside the square we all stood in place taking in the incredible structure. It was a beautiful day along with the amazing buildings mad for an astounding scene. The inside of St. Peter’s was absolutely massive (obviously the biggest we have seen) and had the most brilliant details in the ceiling designs. Everything was outlined in gold. There was a small service going on while we were there. We decided to climb to the top which was my most favorite part. Not only was the hike up really fun and entertaining, but it was also the most fantastic view. When you walk up, the walls become slanted because of the shape of the dome – you literally begin walking leaning to one side. While we were in Rome, the joke of the trip was being able to find qualified people to take pictures. We were surprised with how many times we had to ask different people to re-take our pictures because no one would include the background of where we were. We would literally be standing in front of St. peter’s basilica or the Pantheon and people would take the picture of just us so you couldn’t even see where we were. It was interesting how many times it happened to us. Anyway, after we got down from the top of St. Peter’s, we went down to the tombs of the popes which wasn’t all that interesting. We grabbed some lunch and ran into a few problems at the ATM with Jordan’s card. But shortly after we decided to join a tour that would take us through the Vatican museum and the Sistine chapel. At first we weren’t sure if the money would be worth it but in the end I thought it was worth every penny. I loved learning the interesting stories and facts about the various works of art. The worth of some of the pieces is actually priceless. There was a room filled with painted maps of Italy made hundreds of years ago by one man. It took him eight years to travel and record all the different parts of Italy but it was incredibly accurate for that time period and even today. When we got to the Sistine chapel, there were hundreds of people crammed into this room all tilting their heads back gazing at the incredible murals. The guards were constantly yelling at people to stop talking and to not take pictures. To be quite honest, it was much darker than I expected. It looked much different than what pictures had made it seem. It was really fun to see all of Michaelangelo’s work in person though. It really makes you appreciate his talent because of how much time and effort he must have dedicated to this project. After the Sistine chapel, we grabbed gelato and found a bench that we all laid out on for a while. We decided we needed to use the second portion o our Roma pass (Vatican was not included because it is it’s own country… smallest country in the world that we had forgotten about). We hopped on the metro to the Circus Maximus area to walk around the ancient Roman baths. It was this area filled with ruins of what used to be this massive structure the Romans would visit to go swimming and socialize. I remember briefly studying it and how the technology of the Romans was very impressive for their time. They had figured out how to heat their baths by using steam underground. At this point we were just wandering around, absorbing our last sight-seeing stop exhausted from the past two non-stop days. For dinner we enjoyed the fabulous Italian, thin-crusted pizzas.
We arrived at a small airport in Rome and caught a taxi for the five of us to take us to the apartment we had rented out for the three nights we were there. With the excuse of our excessive luggage, the cab driver ripped us off a bit. Then we had some difficulty getting a hold of the owner of the apartment. Without cell phones or access to internet it presented a bit of a problem. Jenny and I finally stopped a random girl about our age of the street and asked to use her cell phone and she kindly let us make the phone call. The wait and struggle was worth it because the apartment was perfect. There was a small living area with a pull-out couch where I slept, with a kitchen. The queen bedroom was cornered off of the main area with little dividers making it very open. Then there was a bathroom and a separate room with bunk beds. We really enjoyed our stay there and it turned out to be cheaper than staying in a hotel anyway.
Our first day we rose bright and early and headed to Termini station to get our Roma passes that we paid 25 euros for and would give us free transportation, entrance to two sites and then discount prices for any other sites in Rome we would see. After our two days there, we didn’t quite get our full value out of it. If we had been there for longer it would have saved us tons but we didn’t have enough time to get to all the museums and things where we could have saved. Anyway, we soon discovered that the buses and metro systems were all on strike. It wasn’t much of a problem the first day because all the major sites are walking distance. We followed a small family to the Colosseum. It was incredible finally seeing all these things in person. The structures themselves are absolutely massive and the designs of the architecture are always fascinating. The inside of the Collesseum was much different than I imagined. I had to keep in mind that they were ruins and of course you would be left to imagine what it must have looked like back when it was created. We headed over to Palentine Hill afterwards which gave you a view of where the Circus Maximus would have been. It was fun seeing all these places that I had previously studied in middle school. To be honest, I wish I had gone to Rome soon after I had studied it all so I could remember all the details I learned, but I was still able to recall things here and there. After Palentine Hill we walked throughout the forum. This was probably my favorite because I could just picture memorizing the different parts of the forum for Magistra Berry’s class. Funny enough, we ran into Abby (a girl from our program) who was walking through the forum with her mom. Such a strange coincidence! Anyway, you definitely had to let your imagination go to picture what it had looked like. It was quite a different type of site-seeing that we had to adjust to. We had been used to seeing cathedrals and palaces and landscapes in full. We walked over to the Trevi fountain which was a hidden treasure for us. Ii didn’t really know much about it or knew what it looked like to be honest. We all threw in American pennies as we made our wishes. By that point we all needed to sit down and get food. We ate at a small casual restaurant and got paninis as well as paid for Cokes that turned out to be 3.5 euros. Next on the agenda was to get a gelato and sit on the Spanish steps. I was the first to order mine and I asked for rhis cone that was on display that had the top dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. She scooped my Panna Cotta gelato (favorite flavor) and turned around and started putting all these things on top of it like whip cream, small cones, chocolate etc. When she handed it to me it was massive and we were all wide-eyed in awe. Little did I know when I was ready to pay for it that the gelato was a small fortune. I had to pay 9.50 for it! I could have argued but decided it wasn’t worth it. Everyone else learned from my mistake though. We basked in the sun on the Spanish steps for a while and we each fell asleep for a little bit. We were lucky enough to have incredible weather while visiting Rome for the weekend. The other thing we noticed were the countless vendors selling the strangest things. Some will walk around with roses and will innocently present them to you seeming like a random gesture of kindness but then will ask for money for them once they’ve placed them in your hands. We watched this happen to a girl when finally he took them back. It makes me wonder if anyone actually buys them and why the persist on bothering tourists. We then trekked our way to the Pantheon. Once again we had another strange run-in with another girl from our program, Camille with her mom. It was the most bizarre occurrence. They had closed the Pantheon for an hour because of a service so we sat on the steps outside for a bit. We sat down next to these two older ladies who we began talking to. Soon we found out that they were both BYU alumni! One of them had been on the very same program we had just finished. They were telling us how they’ve been back to Europe countless times because they have just fallen in love with everything it has to offer. Inside the Pantheon was intriguing. We walked around for a bit and then headed to Plaza Navona which has fountains designed and constructed by Bernini. As we walked around there, the different restaurant has spokes-people lingering outside stopping every passerby to persuade them to stay and enjoy their fresh pasta. They used things like free champagne, no service fee, no cover charge, free bread to get you to stay. The girls decided to go to this one place, Dulce Vita (perfectly named), because the owner was attractive – good enough reasoning. As we enjoyed our delicious pasta, I realized that I had left my Cochni sweater somewhere. Jenny was nice enough to come with me to retrace my steps a bit but to no avail. That night we were all exhausted and passed out cold as soon as we sat down in the apartment.
Our second day in Rome we planned to go to the Vatican and spend most of the day there visiting St. Peter’s basilica, Sistine chapel etc. Luckily for us the strike was over so we were able to hop on a bus at Termini. We got there a little before 9 and there was already a line. Once we set foot inside the square we all stood in place taking in the incredible structure. It was a beautiful day along with the amazing buildings mad for an astounding scene. The inside of St. Peter’s was absolutely massive (obviously the biggest we have seen) and had the most brilliant details in the ceiling designs. Everything was outlined in gold. There was a small service going on while we were there. We decided to climb to the top which was my most favorite part. Not only was the hike up really fun and entertaining, but it was also the most fantastic view. When you walk up, the walls become slanted because of the shape of the dome – you literally begin walking leaning to one side. While we were in Rome, the joke of the trip was being able to find qualified people to take pictures. We were surprised with how many times we had to ask different people to re-take our pictures because no one would include the background of where we were. We would literally be standing in front of St. peter’s basilica or the Pantheon and people would take the picture of just us so you couldn’t even see where we were. It was interesting how many times it happened to us. Anyway, after we got down from the top of St. Peter’s, we went down to the tombs of the popes which wasn’t all that interesting. We grabbed some lunch and ran into a few problems at the ATM with Jordan’s card. But shortly after we decided to join a tour that would take us through the Vatican museum and the Sistine chapel. At first we weren’t sure if the money would be worth it but in the end I thought it was worth every penny. I loved learning the interesting stories and facts about the various works of art. The worth of some of the pieces is actually priceless. There was a room filled with painted maps of Italy made hundreds of years ago by one man. It took him eight years to travel and record all the different parts of Italy but it was incredibly accurate for that time period and even today. When we got to the Sistine chapel, there were hundreds of people crammed into this room all tilting their heads back gazing at the incredible murals. The guards were constantly yelling at people to stop talking and to not take pictures. To be quite honest, it was much darker than I expected. It looked much different than what pictures had made it seem. It was really fun to see all of Michaelangelo’s work in person though. It really makes you appreciate his talent because of how much time and effort he must have dedicated to this project. After the Sistine chapel, we grabbed gelato and found a bench that we all laid out on for a while. We decided we needed to use the second portion o our Roma pass (Vatican was not included because it is it’s own country… smallest country in the world that we had forgotten about). We hopped on the metro to the Circus Maximus area to walk around the ancient Roman baths. It was this area filled with ruins of what used to be this massive structure the Romans would visit to go swimming and socialize. I remember briefly studying it and how the technology of the Romans was very impressive for their time. They had figured out how to heat their baths by using steam underground. At this point we were just wandering around, absorbing our last sight-seeing stop exhausted from the past two non-stop days. For dinner we enjoyed the fabulous Italian, thin-crusted pizzas.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
No lo puedo creer!
As I sit here in my room waiting for FedEx to come pick up one of my bags, I can NOT believe that my last few days in Spain have arrived! It is crazy to me how fast time flies. I feel like I haven't fully gotten acquainted with everything here in Alcala and have wanted to go back to so many places but never have the time. I am definitely going to miss the school, my Spanish teachers and being with my host family and friends. I have met so many wonderful people that have changed me and opened my eyes. I love all the girls (and Kip). Everyone was themself and I am grateful for each of them. They're the best to explore, wander and just chill with (at Cynthia's with some measure of food). I am proud of myself because coming into the program, I knew I had a problem with getting to know girls. I have never had a strong group of girlfriends and now, I am leaving the program having made life-long friendships!
I am especially going to miss being treated like a princess by my host family who wouldn't let me ever help make food or do chores! They would always set a table cloth, serve me my food and take my dishes. They never got mad at Carly or I.
Most of all, I am going to miss the adventures and constantly exploring and learning new things about foreign places. It is truly the most desired lifestyle to be independently traveling everywhere!
I am especially going to miss being treated like a princess by my host family who wouldn't let me ever help make food or do chores! They would always set a table cloth, serve me my food and take my dishes. They never got mad at Carly or I.
Most of all, I am going to miss the adventures and constantly exploring and learning new things about foreign places. It is truly the most desired lifestyle to be independently traveling everywhere!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A little slice of Germany
This weekend was our last free travel weekend while on the study abroad! I couldn’t believe the trip I had booked months ago to Mallorca had finally arrived. Ashley and I were so excited for our adventure together. We were both nervous because the weather forecast wasn’t looking as promising as we had hoped. We went to the airport and arrived in Mallorca that night. I was incredibly anxious because it was dark out and I couldn’t see anything when driving to the hotel. I had booked the hotel and so it was kind of riding on me to how the trip was going to play out. It turned out to be quite the steal for 80 euros for the whole trip. The hotel was really nice and after walking up and down the boardwalk the next couple of days, it was definitely one of the best on the playa de palma. Ashley and I walked around and found a place to eat. The next day we went out and ran in the morning on the boardwalk right outside our hotel. The beach was stunning and the color of the water was so clear and various colors of blue. Our sole goal for the trip was to lay out, read, and relax. On our walks we walked into several of the stores and realized how desperate they were for business because of their bartering mentality. There were so many street vendors trying to sell sunglasses and watches – more than I have seen anywhere. The most curious thing of all was that the people on Mallorca, a Spanish island, mostly speak German – most of the food was German, the signs etc. The funny part was that people would speak German to us because Ashley and I are two blondes walking on the streets. That same night, our friends from Alcala who go to U of A arrived at the hotel. It was mostly a very relaxing weekend hanging in the sea club lounge with our computers, chicken crepes and pina cooladas or watching the nightly entertainment our hotel provided. We went in the Mediterranean which was freezing but funny and worth it to say that I’ve been swimming there. I learned to always wear sunscreen (it’s worth splitting the 5 euros) and don’t drink the tap water. Ashley and I were incredibly sad to leave our adventure because it was so beautiful and a dream come true. I slipped up one night while we were getting ice cream and Ashley was saying how she shouldn’t be getting ice cream; I said: “It’s okay, you’re on vacation.” Oh wait… no we’re on a study abroad! ☺
Real, Los Miz, Las Fallas!
This past week was packed with amazing things!! On Wednesday (3/16) we went to a Real Madrid game against Lyon. It was a champions league game because Lyon is a club team from France. I was so thrilled to finally get to see the stadium. When we walked up from the metro there were tons of people hanging around the outside of the stadium. They “botellon” everywhere here in Spain – one of their habits they are well known for. Botellon is the equivalent to pregame. They literally hang in the streets and parks and drink together. We, as a group of girls, were incredibly outnumbered. I would say out of the whole audience for the game, there was one female for every 200 hundred males. Jenny, Lexi and I bought our tickets in a different section so we went and walked around on our own for a bit before the game. There were tons of vendors selling scarves and jerseys in front of the entrances. We headed over to TGIF (yes, we might be giving into having American food while in Spain because we miss it a ton!). There was this massive crowd hanging around this one traffic light that we could see out of the windows of the restaurant. We didn’t understand what they were doing until someone told us that they were all waiting for the bus of players to arrive and drive into the stadium. It is so funny to me how obsessive the Spaniards are over their soccer! Antonio will sit in front of the television all day watching his soccer channel that will literally stalk the team. They would film pieces of their practices, interviews with coaches, everyone’s opinions from people off the streets. We walked into the stadium a bit early but we were able to see it without very many people being in their seats. The stadium was massive. Our seats were up pretty high but it was incredible - any former soccer player’s dream. As more people filed in, the stadium became completely full. And it sounded it too! As the game got started, everyone sang the songs in unison and it roared throughout the stadium. It was the most unified body I have ever been in because everyone was avidly watching the game. The group of men in front of us were particularly rowdy and would shout on top of their lungs at calls the refs made as if they could hear from on the field. Real ended up winning 3-0. The subbed Ronaldo out 15 minutes or so before the game ended which was a bit sad, but I dealt with it.
On Friday (3/18), we had the entire day to ourselves a group of us decided to go into Madrid to get several assignments done as well as go in to see the show Los Miserables. We went and tried to see the Nun Monastery but it was closed – somewhere that had been attempted to be seen numerous times and every time it had been closed for random reasons or because of its weird hours. So we decided to head to the Bull Fighting museum. We went to the Plaza de Torros which had the stadium to discover that the museum would be closed for another month or so until the season actually began. We walked around the plaza itself for a bit because the outside of the stadium was really pretty. It got me really excited for the bullfight I would be going to the following weekend. We hopped onto the metro to the Plaza de Espana to go see the Egyptians ruins. It was a beautiful day so we were all fine with wandering and walking around. The Plaza de Espana was beautiful with a fountain in the center. There was also a small market going on where I finally bought my leather backpack! At the Egyptian ruins, we looked around and got a fabulous view of the city. Of course we sat by the fountains and began “tomaring el sol.” We walked to the San Miguel Mercado for some frozen yogurt (so Spanish of us) – our favorite place to go for food in Madrid. Our final destination was Los Miserables on Gran Via. I have never seen or read the play before so I was at a bit of a disadvantage. We all bought the least expensive tickets and were in the very last row (while Lexi and Jenny sat in the front row). It was awesome to watch a play in Spanish and watching the actors trying to comprehend the plot of the play. It was really well done and the music was great – definitely a play I would like to see in English too!
Saturday was one of my most favorite days we have had. The group met early to head to Valencia for Las Fallas. I think we all underestimated how intense this day was going to be. First of all, at one of our pit stops there were several other buses filled with people all going to Valencia. When we arrived we walked into the heart of the city and struggled, really struggled, to stay together as a group. There were so many people – the most amount of people I have ever been around. I would say the equivalent to NYC New Year’s Eve. On the Saturday of Las Fallas, the city has several monuments /floats that were made specifically to be displayed and voted on that day. People go around looking at the various displays throughout the streets of the city. The main square had the biggest display and was where most everyone congregated for the first part of the day where they had their initial setting off of fireworks. A group of us crammed our way somewhat to the front and sat down on the street while we waited for it to begin. It turned out to be a really nice, but hot day. We sat and ate our lunches and shed our clothes down to tank tops because we were all sweating so much. When the fireworks went off, I finally understood the weather forecast I had viewed that had confused me – foggy. Obviously, you can’t really see fireworks during the day but there were tons; loud ones too. It went on for quite some time and our visibility kept decreasing. We were all in shock with how loud and powerful the fireworks were. The sound would almost go through your body and the video my camera took was shaky simply because of the noise! After the first event we all kept ourselves occupied until we were to meet with the group at the declared meeting spot to walk over to the parade together. We walked throughout the streets trying to maneuver our way through people. We headed to the markets where we found some super cheap souvenirs. We went to see some of the other floats and then sat in the streets with all the other Spaniards and their botellon. We were somehow able to persuade our way into front row seats for the parade. There were ladies dressed in beautiful, historical-type outfits and then there were people in horse and turtle costumes spitting out sparklers. It made for some pretty cool pictures. After the parade we walked around and found churros. We got in prime spots for the next show – lighting the big float on fire. We sat and kept ourselves occupied for a couple of hours playing games like Crocodilly Oh My (which I was the only one who knew that version… being from the east coast makes you a minority at BYU). The wait was dreadful at the time, but totally and completely worth it in the end. There are no words to describe how incredible the monument being set on fire was. First of all, I couldn’t believe it was legal and secondly I am seriously surprised we don’t hear of deaths or injuries. This thing is literally ablaze among thousands of people surrounded by buildings that are fairly close. The fireworks that preceded the lighting of the monument was nothing like I have ever seen before. Overall, insane experience. Spain does not hold back for Las Fallas.
On Friday (3/18), we had the entire day to ourselves a group of us decided to go into Madrid to get several assignments done as well as go in to see the show Los Miserables. We went and tried to see the Nun Monastery but it was closed – somewhere that had been attempted to be seen numerous times and every time it had been closed for random reasons or because of its weird hours. So we decided to head to the Bull Fighting museum. We went to the Plaza de Torros which had the stadium to discover that the museum would be closed for another month or so until the season actually began. We walked around the plaza itself for a bit because the outside of the stadium was really pretty. It got me really excited for the bullfight I would be going to the following weekend. We hopped onto the metro to the Plaza de Espana to go see the Egyptians ruins. It was a beautiful day so we were all fine with wandering and walking around. The Plaza de Espana was beautiful with a fountain in the center. There was also a small market going on where I finally bought my leather backpack! At the Egyptian ruins, we looked around and got a fabulous view of the city. Of course we sat by the fountains and began “tomaring el sol.” We walked to the San Miguel Mercado for some frozen yogurt (so Spanish of us) – our favorite place to go for food in Madrid. Our final destination was Los Miserables on Gran Via. I have never seen or read the play before so I was at a bit of a disadvantage. We all bought the least expensive tickets and were in the very last row (while Lexi and Jenny sat in the front row). It was awesome to watch a play in Spanish and watching the actors trying to comprehend the plot of the play. It was really well done and the music was great – definitely a play I would like to see in English too!
Saturday was one of my most favorite days we have had. The group met early to head to Valencia for Las Fallas. I think we all underestimated how intense this day was going to be. First of all, at one of our pit stops there were several other buses filled with people all going to Valencia. When we arrived we walked into the heart of the city and struggled, really struggled, to stay together as a group. There were so many people – the most amount of people I have ever been around. I would say the equivalent to NYC New Year’s Eve. On the Saturday of Las Fallas, the city has several monuments /floats that were made specifically to be displayed and voted on that day. People go around looking at the various displays throughout the streets of the city. The main square had the biggest display and was where most everyone congregated for the first part of the day where they had their initial setting off of fireworks. A group of us crammed our way somewhat to the front and sat down on the street while we waited for it to begin. It turned out to be a really nice, but hot day. We sat and ate our lunches and shed our clothes down to tank tops because we were all sweating so much. When the fireworks went off, I finally understood the weather forecast I had viewed that had confused me – foggy. Obviously, you can’t really see fireworks during the day but there were tons; loud ones too. It went on for quite some time and our visibility kept decreasing. We were all in shock with how loud and powerful the fireworks were. The sound would almost go through your body and the video my camera took was shaky simply because of the noise! After the first event we all kept ourselves occupied until we were to meet with the group at the declared meeting spot to walk over to the parade together. We walked throughout the streets trying to maneuver our way through people. We headed to the markets where we found some super cheap souvenirs. We went to see some of the other floats and then sat in the streets with all the other Spaniards and their botellon. We were somehow able to persuade our way into front row seats for the parade. There were ladies dressed in beautiful, historical-type outfits and then there were people in horse and turtle costumes spitting out sparklers. It made for some pretty cool pictures. After the parade we walked around and found churros. We got in prime spots for the next show – lighting the big float on fire. We sat and kept ourselves occupied for a couple of hours playing games like Crocodilly Oh My (which I was the only one who knew that version… being from the east coast makes you a minority at BYU). The wait was dreadful at the time, but totally and completely worth it in the end. There are no words to describe how incredible the monument being set on fire was. First of all, I couldn’t believe it was legal and secondly I am seriously surprised we don’t hear of deaths or injuries. This thing is literally ablaze among thousands of people surrounded by buildings that are fairly close. The fireworks that preceded the lighting of the monument was nothing like I have ever seen before. Overall, insane experience. Spain does not hold back for Las Fallas.
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