And here we have Idaho

"We'll go singing, singing of you, ah, proudly too, all our lives through, alma mater, our Idaho..."

A whole bunch of people always ask me, "So, why'd you go to school all the way out in Idaho?" And I always have a whole bunch of answers to give - I wanted a change - I have family that live in Idaho - My aunt went there - I got a great scholarship package. And those things are all true statements. But the truth is, like most of the really good decisions that I've made in my life, I have absolutely no idea why I chose to go there.

I also tell people that I never intended to stay in Idaho. And that's true too. It wasn't supposed to be a destination, but life takes you to unexpected places.

This weekend I went back to Moscow for a football game. No, not a football game, the football game. We got crushed by Boise State. And I absolutely loved every single minute of it. Not the game, mind you, that was devastating. But being back with all my friends in that town was absolutely fabulous.

Every bar has a story, every restaurant, every place on campus. It was my home for four long years. I'm glad I've moved on, but to go back...it feels so good.

The memories I have of college are nothing but fond ones. I found out who I was in that town, and the people I met there are the people I care about the most. I talk about Idaho a lot, even now, because it changed who I was. It helped me become the person I am still becoming, and am capable of becoming.

I'm told undergraduate universities breed loyalty like no other form of higher education has mastered. With no experience but my own to go on, I think that's probably a true statement. Although the final score came up 52-14, I'm still proud to be a Vandal! And I'm always going to be, no matter where my life takes me.

Going to Idaho was no accident. I'm a firm believer in the old adage that things happen for a reason. And I'm so glad that it did.

So here we go bluebird

"The doors we open and close each day decide the life we live."

I'm making my new home in Seattle, more so every day. It's not exactly what I envisioned or even what I anticipated when I planned my move, but it's a happy life. I've started to craft my new routine.

It may not be so glamorous. Sure, I've been on business trips, which contrary to popular belief, are not really all that fun. You're working, you're just in a different setting. And there's the whole tiring aspect of travel. And there's my girl date nights each week, and my house's Mad Men watching parties every Sunday night, and the grocery store, and the laundry. It's certainly different to get up and go to a 9 to 5 job every day, or in my case, 7 to 3:30. But it's quickly become a routine.

But a lot of that routine is about the unexpected - I'll think work will be slow and then someone shows up at my desk and I'm running around the whole day, or a random friend will be passing through town and think, Mary's here, we should get together. And I love that. I love not knowing exactly what's coming - having some cosmic universe decide that for some reason my world should collide with someone else's for a minute at Starbucks, for a day here and there...or for a lifetime. Sure, people come into your life and they go. Jobs change, heck, careers change, and if you ever think for one second your life has fallen into some dull routine, think again. Every day there is a whole bunch of things left to chance. Sure there's always the possibility you'll be miserable - but there's also a chance that you could be incredibly happy...if you just look at what's around you.

PS - If you haven't checked out the new Sarah Barieles CD, this is my shameless plug for it. It's really great!

Photo credit: http://abeautifulinheritance.tumblr.com

Fall Into the Gap

Don't you remember those old Gap commericals? With all the cutest girls, with the hippest new clothes, and the shiny new backpacks? The days of school shopping and sharp new pencils?

This year is the first year since I can remember that I'm not going back to school. Many of my friends are back to college, some of the "little" kids I used to know are going through their first days of high school and college, and everything is happening just as it does every year.

Which leads me down that fickle little road called memory lane. Back to my first day of kindergarten, when I stained my brand new shirt with strawberry juice, and seventh grade, when I was devestated I didn't make the intramural volleyball team, and senior year, when I could finally drive to school...

School is great at compartmentalizing life. Until you are eighteen, mostly everyone is on the same path. You pass the landmarks of first grade, second grade, third grade, all together. And for the most part, college is like that too. Most people these days go to college - maybe you're on the five year plan, or you study abroad, or go to a two year school, but everyone is still passing through the familiar landmarks of growing up. Expiermenting with alcohol, getting into more serious relationships, discovering who you might want to be for the rest of your life.

But after college, those neat little compartments - they go away. There's no one to tell you when to hit the next landmark, and even scarier, there's no one telling you what that landmark is. Marriage? Career advancement? Kids? It can happen at 22 or 34, or quite possibly never at all. And that can be a little daunting.

But there is a silver lining! It means that you can write the rules. Don't like the conventional landmarks? Then change them. Ready for bigger and better things? Then get on your way.

I'm right there with you...but not before back to school shopping. Who says you can't look fabulous for the first day of school, even if you're not going to a classroom?

The Big Question

So I just read this great post about The Cocktail Question, and decided I needed to do a little defining, or should I say un-defining of my life right now.

I'm not going to lie, Boeing has already become a big part of my life. It's starting to be routine now, which I'm happy for. I've got the business cards, the decorated cubicle, and the answer to the cocktail question. It's my job, but it's not what I do.

But what do I do?

Well, I sing in the car for starters. Off key, loud, and often. And sometimes I throw in a few dance moves for posterity.

I drink coffee. Every day. In extremely large quantities. Sometimes on coffee dates, which I also love.

I learn. I am curious about pretty much everything and I'm over the whole "stupid" questions things, because I've honestly probably asked them all already. So I'm learning, every day, in big ways and small, about myself, my friends, the world and my family.

I like to go out on the town with my girls and drink white wine, and be classy. I feel more at home and in a dress and heels than in jeans. I have a large shoe collection.

I do absolutely crazy things with my family. I think it's genetic. Or it started when I was so young, it was just engrained in my personality. We road rally, we ride buses to Canada, heck, we invented the Polish press (ask if you want to know), and we had nativity scenes on our front lawn.

I laugh. Mostly at the ridiculous things I've done. I'm not funny, but a lot of funny things happen to me, and I'm a good story teller, so you do the math.

I run every day and it's the one time of the day that I need to have completely to myself. I love watching hockey. In fact, I have a signed picture of Jason Pominville in my cube at work. If you don't know who that is, shame on you.

I'm a believer, in the fairy tale, in love, in big dreams, and in the potential of everyone to turn a life around. I like to talk, and I've realized that I can be pretty opinionated sometimes. I find beauty in the small things.

But more than all of that, I'd like to think that I've made an impact on people. Changed them, in small ways or big ways. And that their world has been a little better because of me.

Better because of me...so much more than my cocktail answer will ever be.

When in Rome...

"What is the fatal charm of Italy? What do we find there that can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission to be human, which other places, other countries, lost long ago." --Erica Jong

Wow. So let me start off this post by saying Rome was everything I imagined it to be. There is SO much to do there. Secondly, let me tell you that the overnight trains in Italy are more uncomfortable than buses. Seriously, if you're thinking about taking one, it's probably a bad plan, unless, of course, you like highly uncomfortable small seats, unbearably hot small spaces, and sketchy tatoo-covered men. Thank god Rome was cool enough to make up for all of that.

We saw all the major sites, even though many of them were unfortunately under a lot of construction. First, the Pantheon, which, to be perfectly honest, was not as impressive as I had imagined it would be. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it didn't move me. Now the Colesium is something I could get into. It was gigantic and gorgeous, and I even was charmed by the ridiculously annoying gladiator men that stood in front to take touristy pictures with people for money.

On a little side note: what is with all the Egyptian stuff in Italy? Is any Egyptian stuff left in Egypt? There are 13 obelisks in Rome, all of which I think were stolen from Egypt, and the Egyptian museum in Torino has about a thousand tombs and mummies and stuff, so really. And also, why do silly Italians dress up as a King Tut mummy for money? Are they confused as to what country they are in? Or to they just like to cover themselves in gold shiny spandex in the 80 degree weather and not move for hours for their own amusement? If anyone could get back to me on these pressing questions, that'd be great.

Anyway, back to Rome Rome and not Egypt Rome, we went to the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, and it was gorgeous. The weather was perfect, it was so big that it didn't seem like there were hundreds of tourists there, and we were free to just wander around and think about all the history we were walking on. That thousands and thousands of years ago, people were celebrating the first New Year under these columns right here, and here, oh here, Julius Cesear was here. I mean, how cool is that?

In addition to all this fabulousness, I got to see Barbie, my BFFFF (or at least that many F's), and we spent the day together at the Vatican. That's another addition to the lifetime "must-see" list, if you haven't already. The Basilica is incredibly gorgeous and not at all what I expected to look like. We also were galavanting around St. Peter's square and saw the papal tombs, including John Paul II's. Then, we went to the Vatican Musuem, which is where they keep the Sistine Chapel, the Rapahel Rooms, tapestries, maps, and statues. It's a lot to take in, and you could spend way more than a day there. FYI: the Basilica/tombs & the Vatican museum are in completely different places and not connected all. If you're confused, don't worry, because I was too.

Anyway, the Sistine Chapel was incredible. Like, awe-inspiring, soaking in the gorgeous, dumbfounding incredible. The first time we went in, it was super crowded with tourists, but nearer to closing time, we got lost in the labryinth of the museum and ended up back there, with next to no one there. I was perfectly content to just sit and drink it all in. I was so giddy that I said silly things like, "I wish this was my bedroom...because then I could open my eyes to this." and "Do you ever think that this, like, isn't wallpaper?" But seriously, it's a little bit hard for me to fathom that someone actually created all that in his mind, and then painted it in a gigantic room so we could all look at it hundreds of years later. And the Rapahel Rooms. Well, those were great too. Everything was just, larger than life. For me, it was so weird to see all those pictures you always see in history books in real life. Newsflash: they actually do exist!

I know this post is getting to be a long Rome gush, but honestly, there were just too many "favorite" things there. & don't even get me started about the food...basically you can eat anything that ends in a vowel and is delicious there. But one last place I loved, is the Trevi Fountain. It's this great big fountain that's all white and super duper cool. Rumor has it if you throw a coin in the fountain you'll come back to Rome one day, so obviously, I had to throw one in.

Because, one day, I'm coming back.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

“At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. It's like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it's not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away.”

This a blog full of annoucements!


So, for those of you who don't already know, I'm officially a working girl as of July 8th! I'll be moving to Seattle to start working for Boeing! I'm going to be working in the F-22 production facility doing procurement. I'm not sure what exactly I had always imagined for my first job, but I couldn't be happier with my choice. I love Seattle & I'm excited to go back to a great company. I've been really nervous about my decision, and I was talking to someone the other day, and about how I hoped my first real job would be a good experience. And do you know what they said?

They said it doesn't matter!

At first, I was surprised, but then they explained that if it's great, then that's great, but if it's bad, then it's a good experience and I'll know what I don't like doing. There will always be bad jobs - if they happen early in your life, all the better. And that really hit me. If there's one thing I've learned in Orchard Park, and Moscow, and Coeur d'Alene, and Seattle, and now Chambery, it's that I can be happy anywhere I put my mind to it. So this job is just the next step in life. And if it's great, that's great, and if it's not, that's great too, because it will be a learning experience and I'll still be happy.


Also, for those of you who don't know, I have a boyfriend. He's French & he makes me happy & I'm a lucky girl to have him with me on some of my adventures throughout Europe. This past weekend, we went to a concert to see Coeur de Pirate, a great French group in Dijon. They remind me a lot of Vanessa Carlton, so it should've been a pretty calm concert. But then, I fainted. Yep, that's right, I fainted. It was the heat, and all the people in the close space. But, I recovered quickly, thanks to some really nice people who helped me out & got to see the rest of the concert, in a place where there was more air!

We also got to see this 24 hour bike race in his hometown. It's like a carnival for bikes! There are teams of 8 that must fill 2 places on bikes for 24 hours. Except that it's more of a giant party, complete with the whole town, decorations, concerts, and lots of food and drink. It was so cool to see a community come together and joke and laugh and do, well, very much the same thing Americans do when we get together. I'm blessed to have spent time experiencing the "real" French way of life & I hope that in my last days here I can soak up as much of it as I can.

Life is a Beach

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."

So after my failed plans to go to Cote d'Azur in April, I decided I had to fling into one weekend or another. And so, for Pentecost, we headed down South for a long weekend.

It was the first "relaxing" vacation I took here. Although my whole trip here has been a break from the stressors of college, this trip was the first trip where we went with the intent to beach and relax, rather than sightsee. Thankfully, the weather agreed with us and it was complete bliss. Every single beach we went on was absolutely gorgeous - all quiet and serene with clear cool water to swim in and sand to tan on, and read. The Atlantic ain't got nothing on the Mediterranean. I'm sure there is a some difference between oceans and seas, I think oceans are bigger, but regardless, it was fantastic.


We rented a tandem bike one day and beach hopped, which was fabulous, although I have to say, a lot trickier than I imagined. I was in the second seat and I definitely didn't like the feeling of not being able to see what was in front of me, especially when there were lots of tourists around. Still, we managed just fine. Caution - if you want to ride a bicycle built for two, you better trust the other person. One old French man laughingly told us that people that honeymoon and ride a tandem get divorced. He was joking, but seriously, don't say I didn't warn you.

Also, we stayed in a camp site. It was my first time NOT couchsurfing in awhile, and I remember that, that too, has its benefits. You are on your own schedule: can wake up when you want, sleep when you want, go out when you want. And it's your own space: you can be messy or leave your things in the shower. It was great.

The only thing not so great: the sunburn! But you can't win them all, right? Oh, and the silly French trains. We got delayed for two hours on the way home. I can't decide if that's result of my horrible travel luck or not...it's been awhile, so something was bound to happen, right? Or maybe it's the trains. Another word to the wise: the train system in France is delayed, late, or on strike at least a quarter of the time. So always have alternate plans.

For now, onward! Time is slipping away!

Prague

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world."

Prague was a trip I was glad I saved for the end of my trip. I was so happy to see Maren & Beth & Sally, and have someone to talk about silly old times in Moscow. & to experience a new city with. We've all changed from studying abroad - but that's our future, and we can all relate to it.

Traveling to visit friends has a different pace than a purely historical trip. We got a chance to relax, and drink amazing, cheap, Czech beer! We talked, a lot, and I got meet all their friends from the semester. I felt comfortable sleeping in if I wanted, or eating peanut butter. Sally & Maren were great tour guides. Prague is a historical city, one where everyone, thankfully, speaks English. There are remanants from WWII, Communism, changes from every time period.

Due to their Czceh history class, Maren & Sally could tell me all about everything we saw! There was the key statue, that spells Revolution, which is the largest collection of keys anywhere in the world, and Kafka's grave, where Jewish people leave stones as a memento, and gorgeous old cemeteries. We went to the John Lennon wall, where Communist revolters used to post places to meet, and now has peace graffiti on it. Sally even took me to the Louvre, a cafe that Einstein used to frequent. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any smarter after being there, but we did get some delicious hot chocolate with ice cream. There's definitely lots to see in Prague, and I wasn't disappointed, but it was all the better because of who I was with.

The Prague study abroad program was wrapping up as I was visiting. Seeing Maren, Beth, & Sally near the end of their journey made me realize how soon I'm going to be saying goodbye to my own European adventure. Some of my close friends from Chambery have already packed up and left. It will be sad to leave, but I'm happy to go. It's been a great experience, and I'm sad that we'll never be in the same place at the same time again, but at the same time I'm ready to come home and see all my friends and family again.

For now, more adventures as my time winds down in Europe!

Vienna

"There is no magic like traveling alone, without friends or colleagues to condition one’s opinions. It is the very loneliness that makes travel worthwhile: to be in isolation with historical forces, with only landscapes and books as guides."

Vienna was my first solo trip, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I'd heard mixed reviews of Vienna - but alone, I was able to make my own impression of the city and it was a positive one.

Vienna is a beautiful city. Everywhere you look there is old architecture, beautiful buildings, picturesque streets. It's a city to get lost in, and for me, that was appealing. I went to gorgeously sculpted French style gardens at Bellvedere palace and Schonnbrun, and saw breathtaking views of the city. I walked along Ring Street and saw old musuems and statues, and St. Stephen's cathedral. The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the Danube river. It's okay to walk along, but nothing compared to the beauty of the Bosphorous, in Istanbul, for example. The only thing I didn't do but wish I had, was go the Central Cemetary, which is actually not so central as it is located an hour from the city, but maybe that can be for my next trip!

I couchsurfed with a great host named Heidi who made me feel instantly comfortable. We shared some great meals together, and went to the opera together. This was by far my best experience in Vienna. The opera in Vienna is a huge part of the culture. We went to see Carmen, which is a classic opera, and there was not a place in the house (standing or sitting), that wasn't occupied. Standing at the opera for three hours, listening to singing in a foreing language may sound uncomfortable, but the music speaks volumes, and it is worth every second! In the performance we saw, Anna Netrebko, who is a legend in Vienna. People were crying when she sang, and they gave her a standing ovation. She was incredible, and it was cool to see such a huge part of their culture.

We also went salsa dancing and took a bike ride through the city at night! I have to say, I accomplished a lot in three days! It was definitely worth the trip & it was a good city to navigate alone, despite the fact that I didn't speak German. I'm glad I went!

Dear Me, How I Love a Library

That’s the thing about a human life-there’s no control group, no way to ever know how any of us would have turned out if any variables had been changed." - Elizabeth Gilbert

I just finished (and by just, I mean several weeks ago) Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love. I was a big fan, partially because her trip to discover herself has some paralells to my own trip to Europe. How long has it been since you've done something for yourself? I'd been so caught up with everything in college, that I hadn't taken a break to let myself go. Here, I can see the world, and figure out what I really want to do with the rest of my life, define myself, and figure what the heck the rules are, who defines them, and if I want to follow them or not.

In the book, Gilbert has a theory that each city has a particular word that everyone in the city is driven by (Rome's is apparently sex), and if your own word doesn't match, you'll never quite fit in. I've been thinking a lot, about all the places I've been and about my own word, and I have to say, I think she has a point.

I think Buffalo's word is pride. Everyone is all about home-town pride, the good-old-boys, "the Bills will win the Superbowl next year." The city has it's own long history, which is now in decay, but evident all over the place, and everybody is intwined in a network of family relations where the latest gossip is about the newest thing your children did, the newest addition to the family, or the latest marriage.

Moscow's word is easily learn. Everyone in the town is there to learn - about school, about life, about each other. Even the teachers and the town are participating, because it's so centered on the University. And Chambery? Well, I'm not quite sure about that one yet.

But I have found my word. It's grow. It's a verb, because I like the physical action of things. And I always want to grow - through acquiring knowledge, by meeting other people, by reaching personal goals, by having new experiences. It's what I want to keep pushing for...throughout my life. And the great thing about growing, is it doesn't have to end, after today, after school, after this trip to Europe. I can grow as long as I'm open and willing. After all, if you're not growing, what are you doing?

Beaune/Dijon

“In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” --Julia Child

A weekend spent in wine country, and I can honestly say that basically all I did was eat and drink. Julia Child definitely had it right - the French love their food and their drink. Namely, their cheese & wine.

Four days in a French-speaking home and my mind was on overdrive! When I got on the train, I thought I could do it, but when we got off the train, I had a minor freak-out. Who did I think I was, trying to speak French to this family? It defintely went better than I expected. However, I have never felt so incompetent at expressing my ideas. On the flip side, I've never improved my French-speaking skills so quickly. There's so much to learn. I think even if I spent another six months here, I wouldn't be fluent. I am lucky that everyone I talk to is patient with me!


I went to my first vineyard & winetasting - which was really fun. We saw a great private Picasso collection there, which was cool too! It made me feel very grown up, and very French! Other than that, we ate a lot, talked a lot, and did make a fast stop at the Musee des Beaux Arts in Dijon (not as good as Lyon, has a dark feel, not my favorite museum)

A word on eating in France - it's more about leisure than anything else. When I was in Beaune, we would sometimes sit at the table for several hours just casually eating lunch. It's so different from the US "grab and go" concept, but I like it. It gives you time to spend as a family, to catch up with each other. Not to mention, it was all delicious.

It was a fabulous & relaxing weekend, with great company! Oh France, you spoil me!

Yeesh! (Or What I Learned in Turkey)

10. There needs to be a standardized word for subway/metro/underground, because in Turkey, they all have different meanings.

9. Lonely Planet doesn't know everything.

8. Istanbul is a safe city. Yes, men might stare at you, and yes, you might have to cover your head with a scarf to go in mosques, but it's safe for women.

7. Turkish a beautiful and difficult language! Evet, it is.

6. Sometimes being stranded really messes with your travel plans. But if you keep your attitude positive, you can still have fun!

5. Spending time alone in a foreign country is a different kind of tourism than in a group. It's more reflective.

4. American comforts are the best for bad days. When we got stranded, we went to see the Rebound, a romantic comedy with Catherine Zeta-Jone (which you should all go see), and it instantly calmed me down.

3. Religion is all about kindness - whether you are Muslim, Catholic, Christian, or anything else.

2. Borders shouldn't matter. Why does the color and label on your passport dictate where you can go? Everyone has happiness and tragedies, everyone loves, everyone wakes up and goes to sleep. Turkish people have a hard time getting visas to other places. If I have the opportunity to travel, why shouldn't they?

1. Hospitality - it takes on a whole new meaning after you go to Turkey.

Iznik/Bursa

"Every last one, route one, rural heart's got a story to tell/Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend/Maybe knows you just a little too well/Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail/Hey words gonna get around/Everybody dies famous in a small town."

During our Istanbul trip, I met up with a friend who is studying nearby for a little weekend trip to Iznik & Bursa.

Before I left, everyone told me I would not enjoy Bursa. "There's not much to see and it's not a pretty town," they said. I thought I would enjoy it anyway, but it turns out, they were right. For a city, Bursa was somewhat lacking for me. It was very complicated to get around --- I felt like we were always lost! & there wasn't a ton of stuff to see. The picture pretty much sums up how we felt about Bursa. The only great part of Bursa were the scarves - we all bought gorgeous ones that were pretty cheap!

After being frustrated by the day, we headed to Iznik in a bus. Is there anywhere besides Turkey where you can take a bus for $4.50 where you are served tea & snacks for 2 hours? If there is, please take me there. You barely even get that on airplanes anymore! I was impressed.

Iznik made our weekend trip worthwhile. It was a small town, made famous by it's tile-making, and little else. It was small-town Turkey, and I'm glad I got a chance to experience it. Our hostel even had what I lovingly call a "hovercraft with self- flush," which was definitely an experience.

While there, everyone wanted to speak English with us - there was a local judge and another business man who talked with us during our dinner, and after, this boy who ran into us on the street. He asked us to tea, and being spontaneous, we said yes! It was fun to talk, even though he couldn't understand that much. I love random experiences with locals! In my opinion, they make a trip. We also got two invitations to the Robin Hood Club, the newest bar in Iznik. As exciting as that prospect sounded, we declined.

Although Lonely Planet says 2 hours in Iznik will suffice, there is lots to explore. The city walls are gorgeous and a good place to start. There is also the lake, which is beautiful, and lots of ruins and tombs to explore. We had to cut our adventure short to catch the last ferry back to Istanbul, but it was a beautiful town and a great place to pass at least one day.

In short, it was a great side trip with great company! I'm so glad I got to visit with my friend & see another side of Turkey!

Istanbul (not Constantinople)

“Throughout history, by going to far places and seeing strange sights, men have prodded their imagination. They have found amazement and delight and have reflected that life back home need not be what it has been. They have learned that…there is more than one way to skin a cat, that there are more things in heaven and earth than was dreamt of in their philosophy, that the possibilities of life are not exhausted on Main Street…Travel has been the universal catalyst. It has made men think faster, imagine larger, want more passionately.”

Right when we got to Istanbul, at two o' clock in the morning mind you, with all our luggage, our Couchsurfing host Kemal took us to a club, and you'll never guess what song was playing. Summer Nights, from Grease! And, so we obviously, threw our luggage on the ground and started singing and dancing like crazy, with all our new-found Turkish friends. That was the moment I knew it was going to be one incredible trip. And Istanbul did not disappoint me!

Anything you want in Istanbul, chances are you can find it. There is a Starbucks on every corner (for me, CIVILIZATION!), McDonalds delivers, and you can take water taxis to get to another continent. Not to mention, you can buy incredible jewelry and scarves and ceramics, and food is delicious and super cheap. Basically, it's heaven on earth.


Not to mention, Istanbul was the center of civilization back in the day. Every single place we went to was at least 1000 years old and incredibly gorgeous. There is lots to do in Istanbul: the New Mosque & the Blue Mosque, Topaki Palace, Dolmabace Palace, the Grand, Egyptian, & Spice Bazars, the ancient cistern, the Archeological Museum, the AyaSofia, Prince's Island, and the Maiden Tower, all of which I could expound upon for hours if given the chance. If you're really interested, I'd be more than happy to regale you with stories from each of them, or if you're mildly interested, there's always Google. =)

There's a tie for my favorite place in Istanbul. The first is the Bosphorous Gardens - one of the few green spaces in Istanbul (which is actually a huge city of over 15 million people, and felt like it had more traffic than NYC!). But in this park, you can completely forget all of that and find yourself lost in beauty.
My pictures hardly do it justice. There were tulips everywhere, for the International Tulip Festival, and fountains, and sun, and I felt completely at peace there. It was one of the places you just have to experience for yourself. In reality, a lot Istanbul is like that: it's so beautiful that it doesn't photograph well. Therefore, I absolutely advocate that everyone get there as soon as possible. My other favorite place, is on the Asian side of the city, where you can sit by the water and see all the landmarks on the European side. It has no name that I know, but we went there at night and saw the city all lit up at night. Again, just incredibly beautiful.

It's hard to sum up two wonderful weeks of exploring so succinctly, but Istanbul is a wonderful place, full of incredibly generous people, that is hard to leave.

A few things I'll never forget: the hordes of pigeons, our new Turkish friends (Kaan, Kemal, & Kasim), the Turkish rock concert we went to, Turkish raki, kebap, and baklava, and most importantly, TEA!

Amsterdam

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.”

On our way to Istanbul, we were lucky enough to have a LONG layover in Amsterdam. Therefore, we thought, why not explore another city?

So, from my, allbeit, short, trip to Amsterdam, my judgement is positive! It's a very dualistic city.


On the one hand, there are lots of cultural things to do there. We went to the Anne Frank house, which is historical and moving, and definitely worth seeing. There's also the Van Gogh museum, which we unfortunately didn't have the time to see. The canals are gorgeous, and of course, the tulips. There's definitely a lot of touristic things for the culturally minded. And bikes, there was a three floor parking garage for bikes...I have never seen so many bikes in my life.


And on the other hand, there are those things that you can only find in Amsterdam. For example, metal canisters to pee in on the street. And of course, the red light district. You're forbidden from taking pictures there, but really? And here's what my Amsterdam tourist pamphlet says about coffee shops: "Any place that classifies itself a coffee shop is saying three things: 1. I have pot and hash for you to buy. 2. For the price of a coffee, you may sit here and smoke your own as well. 3. You may smoke on my outdoor terrace, even in front of the police." This obviously, make Amsterdam and interesting place, and attractive to some different types of tourists.

What surprises me most about all of this, is how peacefully these two parts of Amsterdam interact and coexist. It's just all a part of life there, the cops and the prostitutes, the gays and the straights, the history and all the rest. The city has its own unique vibe.

If all these things can coexist in one city, why can't we all coexist just as peacefully?

Volcanoes can't stop me...or can they?

"A journey is like a marriage. The only certain way to be wrong is to think you can control it."

Surprise!* I am still in Istanbul!

*Unless you live under a rock, you have probably heard about the volcanic eruption in Iceland that is the largest travel disruption in history in Europe. (On a tangent...I still can not get over the fact that Iceland is really green & Greenlandis really icy. Who was doing naming that day?) Of course, our flight was cancelled along with thousands of others, leaving people stranded around the globe.

While I have experienced many travel delays in my life (most of you probably know about my horrific travel luck by now), most have been for one or two days max. Unfortunately, this time the earliest available flight leaves April 26th, a whole week after we thought we would be back! I was planning a trip to the South of France this week and I am incredible bummed I will not be able to travel with my crazy Danish friend Victoria, but I am incredible lucky.

Everyone here has shown us the greatest hospitality. When we had to stay, our host was absolutely willing to have us for a longer time. Everyone is always cooking for us or taking us to cool local places or trying to speak English with us and I love it! It has been a wonderful trip, which I will recount in subsequent posts.

However, Istanbul is a far cry from Europe. I miss having people understand me & being in a place where I can at least semi-understand the language. & I am sad about missing my trip! Still...I am looking at this as just another adventure & another crazy story about my study abroad!

After all, I am safe & in a beautiful city & ready to enjoy the extra week of exploring!

Grazie Mille (or What I Learned in Torino)

10. Italian pizza wins. Hands down.

9. There are metal-coffee pot looking contraptions that magically move water from the bottom to the top to create coffee!

8. English-English & American-English are not always the same thing (hence the difference between pits and stones, and seeds and pips)

7. Always name the people/places you encounter. (prime examples - Obama man was the guy we met in the train station who enthusiastically greeted me, as an American, with an OBAMA! YAH! exclamation, or the Roman Statue Attacus that we so christened after we saw an English mother chastizing her young boy who was (you guessed it!) unfourtuantely, named Attacus.)

6. Walking everywhere has it's perks - but also its disadvantages. Sometimes it's good to take a bus.

5. Rain may not stop you in your tracks, but it can definitely dampen your spirits. (although coincidentally, Torino has the most covered walkways out of any city in Europe)

4. Italians don't speak English. Or French. (Consequently, when I got back on the train to France, I was so comforted to hear French...a language I can at least somewhat understand)

3. Don't judge a book by its cover. (I know it's an age old adage, but when we got to Megan's apartment, I totally thought her S.Korean roomate would not be a party girl...and then she went out & partied until 6 am on Saturday! That's what I get for judging too quickly....)

2. There are ways to communicate without words...if both people are willing to try.

1. No matter what goes wrong, there will always be laughter, smiles, and people to help you.

Parle Italiano?

"Occasionally she dreams of Italy. She dreams of cheese shops, persnickety Fiats, and very fine leather goods."

So, my first experience with Italy was Torino. Not the top of anyone's top cities to see in Italy, but definitely a beautiful city. Hayley & I went for Easter weekend & we had a blast, not to mention a few adventures.

Namely, CALUSO! In Torino, we were staying with my friend Megan and she had facebooked me her address...Via Valperga, Caluso. Well, according to Google maps, there is a Via Valperga in a town called Caluso, about a 40 minute train ride outside of Torino. So I thought, hey, maybe she lives in the suburbs. I mean, stranger things have happened. So, when we arrived in Torino, we took a local train to Caluso, and got off in what I would call real Italy. And I mean, in the middle of nowhere, not tourist-y at all, small-town Italy. So we walked up to a bar to get directions to Via Valperga, and although they don't really speak English, and we don't really speak Italian, we somehow managed to communicate & they told us they would drive us there. So into the car we go, and onto Via Valperga. Unfortunately, number 28 is the police station!!

This is a definite problem, as Megan is not a police officer. But we ring the doorbell anyway, and after a flurry of French-Italian-English/gestures realize that in fact, there is no one named Megan around...especially not an American girl named Megan. So halfheartedly, we look around the road for apartment buildings and our friend from the bar slowly gets out "why...is...no...here...MEGAN?" Good question. If only we had a phone number... or the internet. So our friend takes us back to the bar to use their computer. And there we discover that there is a Via Valperga Caluso, in Turino. So, we head back there stat on the next little train. Try explaining that to someone who doesn't speak English. I think they mostly understood though...and thought it was hilarious. We will be the talk of the town in Caluso for awhile, I think.

Our (re)arrival in Torino & finding Via Valperga Caluso went smoothly, but after arriving, we realize there are only Italian names on the bell ringers. Nothing is ever so simple, right? So we start ringing random bells, but no one answers. Luckily, a man comes out of the building & lets us in, & against all hopes, speaks English! He tells us there are some students living on the second floor, so we decide to check it out. & wouldn't you know it there is a sign on one of the doors that says "welcome." Who else would have an English sign on their door? So we knock, and guess what? It was the right apartment! Whoo! And so we all laughed it off & I marked it down in my list of "lengendary travel activities" and then we started our actual trip. But Caluso will always have a special place in my heart. And now we have friends there! Hayley & I just wrote a letter to the only bar in Caluso in Italian (with help from our Italian roomate Simone, of course!)

We saw so much over the next few days - lots of Piazzas and Plazas. We went to the Mole and the National Cinema Museum, which took a whole afternoon, and could've taken the whole day if we had time. It was one museum I actually wanted to read and watch everything because it was so hands on & so cool! We also went to the Egyptian Museum, which is apparently the best outside of Egypt and the Parco Valentino, which is complete with Mideval Village.

And the food - Italian food is AMAZING! We had real pizza, real gelato, and hot chocolate, which is literally like melted chocolate in a cup. So delicious. & we learned about apertivo. You buy a drink & then can eat all you want. So I drank probably the best white wine I've ever had, and got to eat real Italian pasta, which duh! is also delicious.

All in all, it was a fabulous trip & I learned so much (which will have to wait for another post after these stories!) & am so ready for my next adventure in Istanbul! 3 more days!

"got a picture of her momma in heels & pearls, she's trying to make it in her daddy's world

"cause i'm a woman. phenomenally. phenomenal woman, that's me."

I feel like I'm finally figuring out how to be a woman. I've always been a rule follower and during high school I started to follow "the rules." These rules included "jean friday" & led me to fall in love with high heels, which let's face it, are REALLY a girl's best friend.

But lately I've realized I'm just as happy in sweatpants as I am in dress pants, and I don't always need to dress up on tuesdays. If I wake up late & throw on jeans & a sweatshirt, that doesn't make me any less feminine. & makeup? well, it's great, but my friends here wear a little mascara and look more gorgeous than someone back at school who cakes on layers of makeup. So who makes a rules? & where does feminity fit in?

When I was little, being a woman meant dancing and wearing frilly tutus. & then I progressed to the shoe phase. When I was 11, I bought a pair of lime green dressy sandals even though I had nothing that matched simply because I loved them. This began my shoe obsession. & then at 13, I found the first perfect little black dress...which i consequently was forced to return because my dad thought it was too sexy. alas, this began my preoccupation with fashion.


in high school, I started dating. & then I started doing this and that and the other thing and life got too busy for time with boys. and popularity? well it wasn't exactly there, but i had friends and that was good enough for me. I had school and sports and music and womanhood meant being well-rounded.

College...well it's progressive, but mainly, I'd say being a woman meant being Greek. Leadership, service, loyalty, and involvement. I'll say it once & then a hunded times, my sorority was my world in college. & that's as feminine as you can get, right? & I was popular & busy & happy. But lately I've realized that I defined myself by my titles. I was the President of Alpha Gamma Delta, the President of HSAB, again, this, that, & the other thing. But who did I think I was without all of that?

Well, now I've got the time to figure that out. I like to live by the rules, but I like to break them every once in awhile too. I like to be busy, but I like to have time to myself. Heels will always be my favorite, but I know now that I have to wear sneakers when I go camping. I'm practical and frivolous, and crazy and calm, and phenomenal. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

Oh, you've got to have friends...

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world."

I've always realized how lucky I am to be blessed with the best friends a girl could ask for, but being abroad has made me appreciate them so much more. Even with an ocean between us, they can brighten up my day.

Last week, two of the girls in my sorority sent me letters, filled with all those little things that I just love to hear & put a whole bunch of random Moscow things inside. It made me feel so loved & reminded me that while I may no longer live in Moscow, I still have 90 girls there who love me & think about me. It's so hard to explain a sorority in France, because there is nothing similar. And since Alpha Gamma Delta meant the world to me during college, it's even more difficult. I miss you girls everyday & am so blessed to have you in my life.

I know it's not easy to keep in touch - the time difference here is ridiculous, and makes it necessary to plan things like phone dates & skype dates at awkward times. & yet, people have taken the time to make it work. My sismom & siskid have been very consistent with their video chats & I love seeing their faces & hearing about their lives. Every single time I get off the phone with someone I can't stop smiling!

I've gotten a constant stream of letters, a few care packages (thank you times ten million seven Tayler & Esme), and lots of facebook messages to remind me that some friendships aren't meant to end.

& some friendships are meant to start. I have met some great people here, & regardless of what language we communicate in, or how different our cultures are, we are there for each other. Next year, I am going to go to Brazil for Larissa & Marianna's graduation, because after spending all this time traveling together, how could we not be friends?

Regional Exploration (part II)

"What gives value to travel is fear. It is the fact that, at a certain moment, when we are so far from our own country we are seized by a vague fear, and an instinctive desire to go back to the protection of old habits. This is the most obvious benefit of travel. At that moment we are feverish but also porous, so that the slightest touch makes us quiver to the depths of our being. We come across a cascade of light, and there is eternity. This is why we should not say that we travel for pleasure."

Right afer Sam left, my friend Esme flew over from Idaho to spend a week here. & so my second round of regional adventures began!

We spent a few days exploring here - my roomate Hayley even took a day off to hang out with us in Grenoble. That was really fun because I'd never really explored there & with our conflicting schedules, we don't see much of each other. Plus, we saw Nine, which I've wanted to see since Christmas Break. I wasn't disappointed, although I really don't think I could be disappointed with a muscial movie. Give me singing & dancing any day & I'll be happy. We also went skiing (though it's the end of the season, & it wasn't as great as it has been), went to Annecy, & explored Chambery.

However, we did do something very exciting on the trip that has led to my new obsession: Couchsurfing! Whoever invented the concept is pretty much a genius. It's a social networking site similar to Facebook where you can create a profile and search for people who are opening up their homes for you to stay for FREE on your travels. Not only is it much cheaper than staying somewhere like a hostel, but it is better because you have people who know the region to show you around and help you get where you want to go. Plus, you get to meet great new people from all over the world.

Granted, there is definitely a fear aspect here. I was so scared there would be someone who would take advantage of a 20-something girl, which is why I decided the perfect time to try it would be when Esme was here - that way there would be two of us! So, we went to Geneva to try Couchsurfing for the first time. It was great! Our host, Dan, was really easy to talk to! He cooked us dinner & breakfast & then spent the day with us showing us around Geneva. Some brief highlights: the flower clock, the UN, the Red Cross Museum, Cathedrale de St. Pierre, & Lake Geneva. There's lots more pics on Facebook if you're interested.

Later on in the week, we couchsurfed again, this time in Lyon, for 2 nights. We were hosted by the cutest American-Czech couple. I loved them! They made us two delicious French meals & on Saturday morning they took us to their favorite local cafe & then to Saturday market. I hope that we stay in touch, because I loved spending time with them & learning from them. They both know so much about Lyon, France, & life. I have to give them credit - leaving the country they were born in to start a new life in a completely foreign country. It's true that I'm studying abroad, but that has a set end date. It's really just a long visit before the rest of my life in the United States. I'm sure I'll come back here one day, but it was never my intention to spend the rest of my life here. I think it takes much more courage to go to a foreign country with no end date in sight. I know that after awhile, it would become your home, but wouldn't you still miss the country you were born in? I think I would miss the US - little things, like peanut butter and Starbucks on every corner, and big things - like my family and friends, and the language. Do you think you could do it?

Regional Exploration (part I)

"but the warm summer breezes/and french wine and cheeses/put all [her] ambitions at bay/...some of it's magic, some of it's tragic/but i had a good life all the way."

Yes, life in france is good. & my only ambitions these days involve traveling.


This month I spent some time getting to travel in my region, because I was lucky enough of to have some visitors to explore with! Last weekend, my friend sam, who I hadn't seen since high school came to spend the weekend. she is on exchange in nice & thought it would be fun to see another part of france, so down she came. We went to Annecy - known as the Venice of the Alps & home to the best buscuit shop in the world - & Lyon - the second largest city in France. Both were so much fun! Annecy is much smaller and definitely only worth a day trip, but beautiful all the same, especially if it's warm because of all the little rivers running through the town and the beautiful lake.

In Lyon, we had some more serious adventures, mainly because of its size. When we got there, we were trying to find the Old Town, and an older "somewhatsketchylooking" (yes, all one word, said very fast) guy came up & asked if what we looking for. We told him & he told us he would take us there, so off we went, 3 girls down a deserted metro tunnel with this guy. We were all exchanging glances & wondering if it was smart idea, but we went & he showed us the map to explain we were headed in the right direction. Then he starts to play tour guide in French, but all three of us are too nervous about the whole situation to take much in. Finally, after about a 10 minute walk we are at the edges of the tourist area we were looking for & then he asks if we want him to show us around for the day & we say no thank you quite firmly. We were scared he would ask for money or try to stay with us or something but no, he just smiled & left. I guess that just goes to show you how cynical people are these days. & I always think I'm the one that sees the good in people. We were lucky, I guess. We saw, surprise, more churches & the gorgeous old section of the city, which does have a cool astrological clock. We also went to this road of restaurants, and had an amazing dinner - the first dinner I've eaten out in France & I wasn't disappointed. I had a regional specialty called Tartiflette, that was quite delicious & of course, some amazing bread! What's not to love?

I'm really glad Sam came! I was really nervous things wouldn't be the same after so many years of not seeing each other, but I guess some things never change. Within minutes, we were talking about good old Orchard Park & all our mutual friends. It was so nice to have a little bit of home reach me all the way out here. It came at a really great time too, I was ready for some native English babble, & someone who could sympathize with missing creature comforts like Starbucks (which we did have in Lyon!!!!) & peanut butter. I hope she had as much fun as I did & that I get a chance to go & visit Nice sometime soon!

The Daily Grind

"The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine."

Lately, I've written a lot about my travel adventures, because they are big, vibrant parts of my life at the moment. & big things in your life can make your life sparkle in all kinds of ways.

But I think what really makes or breaks you are the little things. The routine of your daily life. For example, I couldn't make it through the day without those little crappy cups of hot chocolate we all buy at our school on break. Or without my roomates saying hello when they come home & chatting about the day. Or laughing with someone. Or getting mail. It's those little things that I continue to crave to make it through.

And those are the things I love to hear about from other people. Yes, I want to hear if something goes great, or not so great, in your life. But the day to day converations are more important. I want to know that you just bought a great new green sweater & can't wait to wear it. Or your kids just started their baseball season. Or you went ice skating last weekend & it was so much fun.

Those things are what you need and they give you insight into what kind of person you are, what you value, and what really matters.

I've been thinking about my routine in Chambery - I finally have one now after living here a little over a month. It's completely different than my routine in Moscow, or even my routine in New York, but all three reveal the same values.

I value friendship - every day I want to talk to my friends, old & new, support them, and interact with them as much as possible. I love having people over, going out even if I'm tired, & just being there for people.

I value my time - it frustrates me when I'm wasting time. I know how short life can be & I want to do as much as I can while I'm here. If I think something is a waste of time, I'll let you know, or I just won't do it

I value spontaneity - this is a new value I think. I've discovered that with more free time, I have so many possible things to do. I can go to Switzerland & couchsurf with a guy I've never met before, or go skiing in the Alps, or hop on the next train to just get away. & for the first time, that's totally fine, because I'm not responsible for anyone else.

I value discovery - I love to explore & to learn, about life, about history, about places, about people, and most importantly myself. This is why I love to read - I appreciate my silly financial journals now, because I can read those in English, novels, my classes - when they have new information, talking to other people who don't have the same view.

I value love - I realize just how lucky I am to have people that care about me, whether I am in Europe or America or anywhere else. That wonder how I am & are hoping for my happiness, even if I haven't quite figured out what that is yet.

Most of all, I value happiness - in the big, amazing moments & in the every day things. I want to define myself by what makes me happy, and run with it, even if it's not what people expect or what they think is right for me.

After all, this is my time. In Europe...& in life, & I want to make the most of it <3

The grass is always greener

"You can't have your cake & eat it too."

This phrase has always bothered me, even though it is very common in the States. Why would I buy cake if I wasn't going to eat it? Isn't that what you are supposed to do with cake? Obviously you can have your cake & eat it too...right?

Lately, I don't think that's the case. I've finally realized what people mean when they use that phrase & several recent examples in my life have made it relevant.

A few days ago, I was sitting at the dinner table with a bunch of people from other countries talking about anything & everything, when the subject of University education came up. In the US, we always complain about the cost of college. It's incredibly expensive to go & I know so many people who are going to be paying off loans forever. So I've always been envious of countries where university is paid for by the government. However, my friends from those countries expressed the opposite view. "Why should everyone's tax money go to a person's education, when it is only advantageous to that person to continue their education?" they argued. & it makes people expect free college, so they are less motivated to get through. I'd never really thought about those problems, but they are valid nonetheless. You have to choose which system to use though - you can't have the benefits of both systems. No eating that cake!

Even more close to my heart, is my home. Lately, lots of things have been going on in the US that make me really want to be home, & surrounded by my family & friends. Don't get me wrong - I love France & this adventure that I'm on. But while you're away, you miss things. Big things, small things, people things. It doesn't matter - people grow up while you're gone, they change. Even worse than that, for me, they might really need you & find you're not there. I've always prided myself on being there for the people that are closest to me. Even being across the country, I managed to remain a part of my friend's lives in Buffalo. But there are some oceans that are too wide to cross (quite literally) & it's a lot harder to bridge the gap in a different country. When you're off exploring, things back home are changing, whether you like it or not. & when you return, neither will be the same.

4 girls. 5 cities. 10 days. (Or What I Learned In Spain)

10. A trip to any major city is incomplete with a trip to Zara....literally we went there in every single city to scope out the 2.99 Euro bins & all got some great deals!

9. Lots of portugese (pra me ta bon, tchau, eh, NOSA...)

8. Book your transportation in advance...i don't want to take anymore unplanned train-hotels!

7. It's great to travel when someone else has already planned everything...i was so glad that Larissa & Marianna already had a great idea of what they wanted to do while we were there. No research, just following another leader, for once.

6. Living out of its suitcases has it's limits...after awhile you start to miss wearing different clothes, shaving & using all the things you take for granted at home

5. Rain doesn't stop anything! We went everywhere rain or shine... and I don't think one of us complained once. If it's important to go out & see a city, you'll do it no matter what the weather.

4. There can be a sensory overload after too many beautiful things...when i look back all i remember is lots of beautiful things, towards the end i'm not even sure i could tell you everything we saw.

3. Every day pleasures in the US are major treats here! I had my first & only Starbucks in Feburary at the airport, & it was pure bliss. If you know anything about my life in the US, I am a Starbuck's junkie, so giving up this global mecca is a big deal for me, among other things.

2. It's good to plan, but also good to be spontaneous - our dancing excursion in Barcleona was one of the highlights of my trip & was never on our schedule.

1. Small acts of kindness can change a person's life.

Basically, it was a wonderful trip I'll always remember. If your curious about more of what we did, you can look at the 200 facebook photos I put up of the trip...which isn't even all the ones that I have!

For now, I'm back to Chambery, recieving a bunch of visitors, in the past & near future & planning my next adventures! Life is good. <3

Vallencia

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”

Vallencia was the end of our Spanish adventure. In many ways, it was time. We had liveed out of a suitcase, seen much, & ate out a lot. But we wouldn't have wanted to miss Vallencia...it was great!

When we got there, we took a free walking tour to get our bearings & then went to the beach. I bet it's great to lay out in the sun when it is the season. It was windy, but warm when we went & I wanted to walk around forever. Ever since I was little I've loved the beach. We used to go to North Carolina when I was little & I was a little mermaid...always on the beach & in the water. It's strange for me to think about going on a beach holiday in Spain, when it is so much closer & cheaper to beach in the US, but for the Spanish, it would obviously make sense to go to Spanish beaches. I took some seashells & thought about my loved ones on other coasts...the east & the west. <3

The next day we went to a cermanic museum in a gorgeous old house. The house was more interesting than the cermanics there & i loved the bright colors & gilded ceilings. We also went to a gorgeous park, that was transformed by the city when the city walls were taken down as it expanded. After wandering all the way to the ultra-modern museum of arts & sciences, seeing several fountains and plazas, and seeing the entire city electrified by the night lights we called it a day. Vallencia seemed to have a very aged population - there were old people everywhere we went, and consequently, I don't think there was much of a night life there. Still, I'm not sure we would've wanted to go out. We cooked pasta at our hostel - which was cheap & delicious & met other people studying in France & watched the Olympics together.

On that note, it's strange to be in a foreign country cheering on team USA. It's not like everyone here is doing the same thing, which is so different than what I'm used to. When the hockey finals were on, I was talking on facebook with another American in Chambery, and we were both freaking out when the game went into overtime, & in the meantime, most likely no one else here was even watching the game. Unfortunately, it didn't work out as I would've hoped, but maybe next time. To close, in the spirit of USA hockey, you should all go watch the Miracle on Ice speech.
The original is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpTj_Z9v-c&feature=related

& the better version is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CdJTfGiRCI

I love that little kid & can't wait for my kids to be hockey obsessed...just like me!

Granada

“Throughout history by going to far places and seeing strange sights men have prodded their imagination. They have found amazement and delight and have reflected that life back home need not be what it has been. They have learned that…there is more than one way to skin a cat, that there are more things in heaven and earth than was dreamt of in their philosophy, that the possibilities of life are not exhausted on Main Street…Travel has been the universal catalyst. It has made men think faster, imagine larger, want more passionately.”


I think Granada was my favorite city that we visited. First of all, there is the Alhambra. I don't mean to get all guidebook, tourist-y on you, but it IS the most visited tourist site in Spain...and this is for a reason. It is beautiful. When we got our ticket, it indicated the four hour time slot we had to go there, and I remember thinking, what are we going to do there for four hours? There is plenty to do. The views of the city are incredible, the architecture and intracicies of the castle design are impeccable, and the grounds are impressive too. The watchtower and surrounding areas look like something out of a Lord of the Rings movie. I remember thinking, wow, people actually lived here.

Second, there are tons of beautiful streets to wander around in get lost in. Everything in the city is very close together, so you can walk EVERYWHERE, which is great. The streets had a very Arabic feel to them, lots of Moorish architecture, many tea shops, and Arab stores. I think we took a photo on every street corner because everything was so pretty. It helped that it was sunny and in the high 50s in Granada...it was the first time I hadn't worn my winter coat since I was in Idaho!

& then of course, there are other tourist sites to visit. The Mirador St. Nicolas gives a beautiful view of the Alhambra at sunset & I could've stared off into the mountains for hours if there weren't so many people around. There was also a breathtaking monestary which was covered from floor to ceiling in paintings. For me, it was the most awe-inspiring place of worship we went to in Spain. We also went to the Granada cathedral, which is gorgeous in its own rite, and equal to any of the other cathedrals we visited.

The food in Granada was amazing too! The director of our hostel really new a lot about the city & reccomended the best restaurant to us: Paprika! We liked it so much we went twice! It's not dirt cheap, but it is so delicious & really reasonable if you split something. It's such a great ambiance too! I sat on a stone bench in an alcove in the wall & the plates & chairs were all different bright colors. The wine, the food, the physical ambiance...everything was perfect!

The only problem we ran into in Granada was the bus we were going to take to Vallencia was full, so we had to take the train. But it ended up being an adventure & my first experience in a train-hotel! FYI - sleeping on a train is just about as comfortable as you'd imagine.

& with that, we said goodbye to a truly amazing city...