I am sitting here and trying to study, but really I am just procrastinating...so I thought why not write my very long blog post about my two week European adventure! At least this is somewhat productive, and the sooner I get this on paper, the less likely I am to forget all the wonderful little details!
So here goes...I left for the airport around 3 AM on Sunday, April 24th to fly to Valencia, Spain. Valencia was a nice small town on the eastern coast of Spain. Unfortunately, when we book this whole trip it never occurred to me that since we were traveling on Easter, everything was going to be closed! Oh well...main points of Valencia: very cool towers and some neat churches, delicious sangria and tapas, and the beach was beautiful. The first day we (being Aron, Helen, and myself) explored the area, grabbed some lunch...I ordered a random sandwich and it turned out to be very yummy. It wasn't too difficult getting around or speaking with people because I know minimum Spanish. We also went out for dinner and ate paella and drank wonderful sangria!!! Although we later found out we got totally ripped off for the jug of sangria, but oh well life goes on. The next day we took an amazing walking tour and learn a lot about Spanish history. Later we went on a tapas tour and got to sample some of the local dishes....it was sooooo yummy. It turned out the tour guide's parents were on the tour, so we got special treatment and received extra tapas and a dessert platter. Valencia is known for a special drink called agua de valencia and think of a mimosa, but on steroids. It tasted like fresh orange juice and could get very dangerous when drinking multiple glasses! The oranges are also amazing because they are locally grown. The next day we took a bike ride from the hostel through the City of Arts and Sciences (google it if you don't know what it is...very cool looking buildings) and finally made our way to the beach. The sea was beautiful and we walked along the promenade and along the water. We planned to spend the next day laying out and relaxing at the beach, but here is where Valencia went to hell!
Aron and I went out for a pub crawl organized by the hostel and it was tons of fun. We met lots of people and had a really good time. Around 3 or 4 AM I decided it was time for me to go to bed...the people in Spain don't start going out till 1 AM and then party all night long till the sun comes up...it's crazy!!! Anyway, Aron stayed with the majority of the people from the hostel and continued party on. On the way back to the hostel, Aron lost the group and ended up getting mugs and attack...this was the scariest part of the trip. Once Aron made it home and attempted to explain what happened, we called the police and the EMTs. This was a "fun" morning and unfortunately we didn't make it to the beach. In the end everything worked out and hopefully the attacker will be caught and punished. Good lesson was learned from this experience, to always be aware of your surrounding and be careful when enjoying the night life in a foreign country. Oh well, bad things happen, but this was not going to ruin any more of our vacation! So we put it behind us and moved on to Italy.
Oh Italy...oh the food...it was so good. I had been excited for Italy for so long and it was worth the wait. The first night we got a bit lost in Pisa, but after a while managed to find our B&B we were staying at for the night. There really isn't too much to see in Pisa beyond the Leaning Tower, but our B&B was my favorite place we stayed it was so cute and the owner was so friendly! We went to dinner and I ate gnocchi with a mozzarella and tomato sauce...it was delicious! The next morning we made our way to the see the famous tower. WOW, it really is leaning, pictures don't quite capture the angle. I thought it was an impressive sight. Due to time conflicts, we didn't climb the tower and we packed up for our journey to Florence. Florence is filled with small roads and has a neat feeling to it. We checked out the area and made our way to see a huge and beautiful Synagogue, unfortunately it was closed for Shabbat, so we only got to see the outside. We also walked through the markets and there was so much beautiful leather..it smelled lovely...at least I thought so, I like the smell of leather! The next day, Aron took off and rented a moped to see the area. Helen and I took a walking tour, saw the famous David sculptor (very big and impressive), and walked to the Plaza de Michelangelo, which was a beautiful outlook of the city. We also saw the huge Duomo at some point...it was pretty, but I was seen a lot of churches in Europe and I think I like the cathedrals in the UK better. That evening Aron and I went out for dinner with two Canadians we met in our hostel. Our waiter was awesome and made the evening really fun! At one point he told me I couldn't order spaghetti and meat sauce because it was to normal and I had to chose something else. I also tried Italian wine...it's good and a little spicy! It still shocks me that wine is cheaper to drink than water!! From Florence, Aron left us to fly back to Israel and Helen and I met a friend in Milan. We (from now on just Helen and I) saw the famous Duomo in Milan and then headed to Lecco. Lecco is a small town in northern Italy surrounded by the foothill of the Alps. It was very pretty scenery and a nice detour from major cities.
The next day we traveled to Paris. By the time we got into the city it was about 12:30 AM and he needed to get to the only seedy part of Paris. Our original plan was to take the metro, but it was closed! We later found our that the metro closes from 12-1 AM, not sure why! Anyway, we ended up taking a taxi to our hostel. This was an experience, our driver flow through the streets and went we arrived at our destination, we lectured us on being careful and watching out for pickpockets! I wasn't sure if we was being nice or if he was just running up the meter because he didn't stop it. We walked into the hostel and the reception area was a bar! Then we found our room and it was very small and had bunks stacked three high. I am very happy that we were only staying here one night...not sure I could have handled any longer! The next morning we dropped our bags at the train station and headed to Notre Dame. (Side note: At the station I happened to run into my flat mate from Bath...small world!) This was neat, my favorite church in mainland Europe! Then we took the tour tour and climbed several staircases or spiral stairs to reach to the top and see the famous bell tower. The view from the towers was beautiful, I recommend doing this if you are ever in Paris...plus it's fairly cheap. Then we walked to the Bastille to the monument and then on to the Louvre to check out the area. The museum is closed on Tuesdays so we just walked around and through the gardens. Our next stop was at the Arch de Triumph. It was a magnificent image, but there was some sort of ceremony taking place, so I was unable to climb to the top. From there we walked to the Eiffel Tower!!! We decided we were tired and we would climb to the top of the Tower the next morning, plus we were already running a bit late to meet the people we were staying with for the next two nights. We arrived back at the central train station to collect our bags and head to my friend's friend's place. When we got to the train station nothing look familiar and we got very lost! We finally found some security guards who directed us to the baggage claim area. There we discovered we were at the wrong station!!! For a second it was a bit concerning because this is where we thought we left our bags and weren't sure exactly what other station we might have went to that morning. Try put two and two together and assumed we most likely went to the next closest station. We set off to the other station and things started to look familiar. Looking back it was very funny...I can't believe we did that! At this point we were running about three hours late and had forgotten to call the people that were expecting us...oops! We finally arrived and the people we amazing hosts... partially the reason why I loved Paris so much. The next day we conquered the Eiffel Tower, the best view of Paris....300 meters tall! Then we walked to the Louvre...about a two mile hike...the museum is huge and very impressive. We managed to get free entrance because I confused the lady selling the tickets by explain we were EU students...so we should get in free even though we were US citizens and not EU citizens. We saw the Mona Lisa and some of the other highlights, but to see everything I think it would take days! At this point we were exhausted and my feet really hurt!!
That evening our very generous and amazing hosts made us a traditional french dinner. The starter was homemade foie gras (duck liver) and was amazing! The next course was a salty tuna pie and salad. Then there was cheese and finally dessert. The whole meal was amazing! I even learned a little about France wines...I am a huge fan! The next day we journeyed to Ireland, our final destination! We arrived in Dublin and the weather was awful!!! Actually the weather the entire trip wasn't as nice as I expected, but oh well...I just ended up wearing the same clothes a lot! We explored a little and found a nice pub to eat in and have a pint. It was nice going to a pub and relaxing...almost feel like Bath! I ordered the traditional lamb stew and it was soooo good! Helen had a steak and Guinness pie which was yummy as well...I tried a little! The next day we took a walking tour of the city and then went to the Guinness Storehouse and had some samples. This is about the time I started to get sick :( Thankfully, the next day we took it easy and went to the National History Museum and then looked around some souvenir shops. On our last full day in Ireland, we took a day trip out to the western side of the country to see the Cliffs of Moher (another gogle worthy item if you are unaware about them). The cliffs were beautiful and the I loved the area. Dublin was alright, but I prefer to be in the country! The area was so green and beautiful, exactly how I imaged Ireland...I can see myself going back at some point in my life!
Well, I think that sums up the trip...I probably have forgotten a few tidbits her and there, but I think I covered the big things! The adventure was amazing and I don't regret anything that happened! I also have to apologize in advance because I am not going to go back and proofread this post...I know there are probably spelling and grammar mistakes, but I should really get back to studying!!! So, I am returning to the States in less than a month...unbelievable...this semester went by way to fast!! Also, on the countdown my birthday is in ten days and I am soooooo EXCITED!!!!! (I wish I was celebrating at home, but it will still be a fun time) I am going to Scotland in two weeks for my last trip and I am excited to see the highlands!
So for now I am off to study and will be hibernating in my room until the 20th when my first two exams are over and the time comes to celebrate my birthday. Meaning....there probably won't be another blog post till I return from Scotland...unless I need a distraction from all the studying...a likely possibility, but no promises anything excited will have happened! Oh, I might make a trip to the Royal Windsor Horse Show this weekend because I think it would be a neat event to see. Well, that's it for now....let the studying commence!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Quick Update of the Week!
This one will be quick, I'm thinking bullet notation quick...just a quick outline of the past week's happenings to keep everyone informed!
(1) Classes finished Tuesday! I cannot believe I'm done already...I guess it is time to study...this can probably wait till I get back from exploring Europe!
(2) Aron went on a tour of Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock & Castle Combe and loved it! Well that might be an over exaggeration, but he did really enjoy it and highly recommended it.
(3) Enjoyed an Italian night dinner with some friends. I made a chicken alfredo pasta...it was very yummy!! I cannot wait to eat real Italian food from Italy in less than a week :)
(4) Went to London and toured around. Saw the Tower of London....the Crown Jewels are very impressive and worth the admission fee. Saw Wicked...really liked the musical...it was very fun seeing a production in London. Ate a traditional British meal with Aron at a local pub in town and finally toured around Westminster...wish I had actually went into the abbey...maybe next time. There are already camera crews in place for the Royal Wedding!
(5) Finally went on the walking tour around Bath! It was phenomenal and I learn't so much about the history of Bath...a must do if you every come to Bath...plus it's free...so it's always worth it!
(6) Explored Cheddar Caves and Gorge. We took a three mile hike around the gorge...I thought it was going to kill me...I am so out of shape! In the end, I made it out alive and although my legs are a little sore, I am very happy I completed the hike....which began with 274 steps up a giant hill! The hike was beautiful and since it was a clear day, I am pretty sure I could see into Wales. The caves were alright, but nothing too amazing...probably could have been skipped.
(7) Leaving in approximately 18 hours for the trip of my lifetime...at least thus far!!! I will be in Spain till April 28th, Italy till May 2nd, Paris till May 5th, and finally Ireland till May 9th. The trip should be amazing and I am so excited :)
This is all for now...I'll report back in mid May!
(1) Classes finished Tuesday! I cannot believe I'm done already...I guess it is time to study...this can probably wait till I get back from exploring Europe!
(2) Aron went on a tour of Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock & Castle Combe and loved it! Well that might be an over exaggeration, but he did really enjoy it and highly recommended it.
(3) Enjoyed an Italian night dinner with some friends. I made a chicken alfredo pasta...it was very yummy!! I cannot wait to eat real Italian food from Italy in less than a week :)
(4) Went to London and toured around. Saw the Tower of London....the Crown Jewels are very impressive and worth the admission fee. Saw Wicked...really liked the musical...it was very fun seeing a production in London. Ate a traditional British meal with Aron at a local pub in town and finally toured around Westminster...wish I had actually went into the abbey...maybe next time. There are already camera crews in place for the Royal Wedding!
(5) Finally went on the walking tour around Bath! It was phenomenal and I learn't so much about the history of Bath...a must do if you every come to Bath...plus it's free...so it's always worth it!
(6) Explored Cheddar Caves and Gorge. We took a three mile hike around the gorge...I thought it was going to kill me...I am so out of shape! In the end, I made it out alive and although my legs are a little sore, I am very happy I completed the hike....which began with 274 steps up a giant hill! The hike was beautiful and since it was a clear day, I am pretty sure I could see into Wales. The caves were alright, but nothing too amazing...probably could have been skipped.
(7) Leaving in approximately 18 hours for the trip of my lifetime...at least thus far!!! I will be in Spain till April 28th, Italy till May 2nd, Paris till May 5th, and finally Ireland till May 9th. The trip should be amazing and I am so excited :)
This is all for now...I'll report back in mid May!
Monday, April 18, 2011
A weekend in the fast lane!
This blog is going to be short and for all my non-horse friends out there, you probably won't understand it and it is just too difficult to explain (view my pictures and you might be able to get the idea). I just can't think what went on last week, so I am going to assume it was nothing of too much importance and skip right along to my weekend in Shrewsbury.
On Friday, I missed most of my classes so I could catch a ride up north to meet up with my brother to watch him ride (horses) and go camping! Mishap number one: I gave the woman who was lovely enough to pick me up and drive me up to the competition the wrong mobile number!! I was very embarrassed and felt so stupid. I also felt awful because the people picking me up had to wait for me and I really do try not to be late for everything!!! I think my lateness is inevitable....I blame the English weather...why not?? Then, I helped get the pony loaded and assisted however I could. Then, we drove about three hours north to Shrewsbury...I really like the name Shrewsbury...not sure why, but it sounds interesting.
After a little while, Aron arrived and we set up camp...well, we tried to set up a tent. In the end, we made a rather simple tent very hard to set up! The tent was very neat, it had two separate rooms and a common area. Then we sat around and enjoyed a relaxing Friday evening. The magnitude of the competition was intense! There were so many competitors...so much bigger than I ever imagined! There were over 30 Open teams. Not sure I mentioned this above...it was a Mounted Games competition. For those of you unfamiliar with the discipline, it is doing rely races on horseback...that's the most basic explanation I can think of. On Saturday the games began...the Open division had five heats of six or more lanes! The fairgrounds were filled with lorries and corals set up as stables. Saturday evening included a disco and some more relaxing. Sunday consisted of more games then packing up and heading home so I could have a nice long hot shower! Once I got home, I got to see how sunburn I was! My face and chest currently are as red as a tomato!! Well, at least now I have a little color :)
Today, Aron and I recovered from the long weekend and did some planning for our upcoming travels. I had my first final today! I can't believe this semester is coming to an end already...only three more finals and I am headed home, but I have three weeks of break/revision and then another three weeks of exams before I actually make the journey back across the atlantic. I leave this Sunday for my European Adventure and will be back May 9th...so no blog till then! (Well...maybe I'll write a short update this weekend depending if anything interesting happens this week!)
One last thing....I want to wish my roommate Kelsey Elizabeth Underwood a very happy 21st birthday and I am sooo sad I won't be home to help you celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!! Although, I will be laying on a beach in Spain, so maybe I won't be too sad ;)
On Friday, I missed most of my classes so I could catch a ride up north to meet up with my brother to watch him ride (horses) and go camping! Mishap number one: I gave the woman who was lovely enough to pick me up and drive me up to the competition the wrong mobile number!! I was very embarrassed and felt so stupid. I also felt awful because the people picking me up had to wait for me and I really do try not to be late for everything!!! I think my lateness is inevitable....I blame the English weather...why not?? Then, I helped get the pony loaded and assisted however I could. Then, we drove about three hours north to Shrewsbury...I really like the name Shrewsbury...not sure why, but it sounds interesting.
After a little while, Aron arrived and we set up camp...well, we tried to set up a tent. In the end, we made a rather simple tent very hard to set up! The tent was very neat, it had two separate rooms and a common area. Then we sat around and enjoyed a relaxing Friday evening. The magnitude of the competition was intense! There were so many competitors...so much bigger than I ever imagined! There were over 30 Open teams. Not sure I mentioned this above...it was a Mounted Games competition. For those of you unfamiliar with the discipline, it is doing rely races on horseback...that's the most basic explanation I can think of. On Saturday the games began...the Open division had five heats of six or more lanes! The fairgrounds were filled with lorries and corals set up as stables. Saturday evening included a disco and some more relaxing. Sunday consisted of more games then packing up and heading home so I could have a nice long hot shower! Once I got home, I got to see how sunburn I was! My face and chest currently are as red as a tomato!! Well, at least now I have a little color :)
Today, Aron and I recovered from the long weekend and did some planning for our upcoming travels. I had my first final today! I can't believe this semester is coming to an end already...only three more finals and I am headed home, but I have three weeks of break/revision and then another three weeks of exams before I actually make the journey back across the atlantic. I leave this Sunday for my European Adventure and will be back May 9th...so no blog till then! (Well...maybe I'll write a short update this weekend depending if anything interesting happens this week!)
One last thing....I want to wish my roommate Kelsey Elizabeth Underwood a very happy 21st birthday and I am sooo sad I won't be home to help you celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!! Although, I will be laying on a beach in Spain, so maybe I won't be too sad ;)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What is traditional Dutch food? Answer: Pancakes, Pancakes, and Pancakes!!!
The title of this week's blog post is in reference to my latest adventure in Holland and Belgium. While in Amsterdam this past weekend, I really wanted to try traditional Dutch cuisine, so I asked my tour guide for some recommendations. His response was "pancakes!" I then asked again about more dinner style options...again his response was "pancakes!" To my dismay, I did not get to eat a traditional Dutch dinner (I did eat pancakes for breakfast and they were delicious)...because I couldn't find a restaurant that served one! Therefore, I am just going to assume Holland does not have a traditional dinner dish, meaning I didn't miss out on anything!
This past week was full of fun stories! Starting off with a night out at the pub on Tuesday night. A friend of mine's mum was in town so we set out for a traditional English pub dinner. We got to a local pub and waited to order food till everyone joining us arrived. As soon as we decided what to order, we were told the kitchen was closed!!!! I think it is crazy to stop serving food at 7:30pm! I would think there is a lot more money to be made after this time in the evening, but oh well....on to the next pub. We quickly ordered because their kitchen was on the verge of closing for the night as well! I finally got to try my first steak and ale pie....it was scrumptious! I don't really know how I made it nearly two and a half months in England without trying a famous pie from a pub. Now that I have tried one, I am a big fan! On Thursday, the food craze continued and I went out for my first cream tea. The scones were delicious, but to my surprise I wasn't the biggest fan of the clotted cream...I think I would have preferred butter. Even my mom highly recommend clotted cream and she does not have the same sweet tooth I have!! Oh well, afternoon tea was a delightful experience (that statement sounds very British...one a side note I was speaking with one of my roommates from back home today and I couldn't remember what a coach was called in America aka a charter bus...I think I have been here too long!).
On Friday, my spur of the moment trip to Amsterdam commenced! I took the train into London Paddington and then the tube to Victoria. Another train to Brighton and finally boarded a coach to Amsterdam. We drove through the night which wasn't too bad, but I was stuck sitting next to the rudest person ever!! He sprawled out and took up more than his allotted portion of the row! We took the Eruostar across to France, which was neat to see the coach fit onto the train. Next think I knew, we arrived in Amsterdam! Since it was around 7:30am on a Saturday, meaning the activities of Friday night had recently ended the city was very dirty and I wasn't a huge fan. As the sun came up and more people on bikes emerged...I saw more of the city's unique character. All the canals were gorgeous. The city isn't too big and I think I was able to cover a large portion of it during the day. I also took a boat tour around the canals to see more of the sights...I think the best way to get good pictures! My only regret is I did not go inside the Anne Frank House...the line was long and at the time I didn't want to wait...oh well maybe on my next trip. That evening I went on a quick tour of the Red Light District to see the oldest profession in the world! It was....um....interesting...actually it wasn't as bad as I imagined. There really were girls in front of glass doors or on beds or chairs...but thankfully there were well covered, at least the important areas were clothed...for the most part.
The next morning I went to a local Dutch village named Zaanse Schans. It was a very touristy area, but worth seeing. I got to see how wooden clogs are make and taste the most amazing cheese! There was this one cheese that was pesto flavor and it looked like green playdough, but it tasted so good! I also got to see working windmills...I love windmills...I know it's a weird obsession, but they are so cool looking! I also learned that the Dutch are famous for their diamond cutting skills, therefore there were many diamond shops and I wish I had the spare money to make a purchase...oh well...maybe next time! Next on the trip, after a three hour drive, was the beautiful city of Bruges, Belgium. I loved it and I tried really hard to follow my aunt's recommendations of trying: waffles, chocolate, and beer while in Belgium. Unfortunately, I only had time for two out of the three things...I had to skip the beer. Although, I didn't realize Belgium is known for over a thousand different brews of beer! One day, I hope to try them all...I know I am ambitious :) The town was lovely and has persevered the Medieval architecture well. Bruges was by far my most favorite place I visited on this trip and ranks in the top five places I have been since I have been in Europe. Back to the food...the waffles...oh the waffles, they were so good!!! Just melted in my mouth...even better than my dad's homemade waffles and that is saying something. Then the chocolate...I would like to think of my self as a die-heart chocolate lover and I died and went to heaven when I tried fresh truffles from Belgium. Belgium chocolate really does live up to its reputation and surprisingly it wasn't too expensive! I would have liked to try the famous mussels or flemish stew while I was there, but there just wasn't enough time. The trip was worth it, but it went too fast! I could see myself visiting Bruges again and maybe even Amsterdam, I am glad I got to see both cities at least once. The ride back to England wasn't too bad and I now have three British visas! The only mishap was taking the wrong train from Gatwick to Victoria and having to pay for a new ticket...thankfully it wasn't too expensive.
I cannot believe I only have two more weeks of classes! I begin my trip to Spain-Italy-France-Ireland a week from Sunday and it seems unreal that it mid-April already. Aron comes in this week and I am so excited to see him. This weekend I am going to a riding competition and camping!! Then, I have my first final next Monday. WOW...I can not believe how fast this experience is going. Well, until next time....I should probably start preparing for my first final!
This past week was full of fun stories! Starting off with a night out at the pub on Tuesday night. A friend of mine's mum was in town so we set out for a traditional English pub dinner. We got to a local pub and waited to order food till everyone joining us arrived. As soon as we decided what to order, we were told the kitchen was closed!!!! I think it is crazy to stop serving food at 7:30pm! I would think there is a lot more money to be made after this time in the evening, but oh well....on to the next pub. We quickly ordered because their kitchen was on the verge of closing for the night as well! I finally got to try my first steak and ale pie....it was scrumptious! I don't really know how I made it nearly two and a half months in England without trying a famous pie from a pub. Now that I have tried one, I am a big fan! On Thursday, the food craze continued and I went out for my first cream tea. The scones were delicious, but to my surprise I wasn't the biggest fan of the clotted cream...I think I would have preferred butter. Even my mom highly recommend clotted cream and she does not have the same sweet tooth I have!! Oh well, afternoon tea was a delightful experience (that statement sounds very British...one a side note I was speaking with one of my roommates from back home today and I couldn't remember what a coach was called in America aka a charter bus...I think I have been here too long!).
On Friday, my spur of the moment trip to Amsterdam commenced! I took the train into London Paddington and then the tube to Victoria. Another train to Brighton and finally boarded a coach to Amsterdam. We drove through the night which wasn't too bad, but I was stuck sitting next to the rudest person ever!! He sprawled out and took up more than his allotted portion of the row! We took the Eruostar across to France, which was neat to see the coach fit onto the train. Next think I knew, we arrived in Amsterdam! Since it was around 7:30am on a Saturday, meaning the activities of Friday night had recently ended the city was very dirty and I wasn't a huge fan. As the sun came up and more people on bikes emerged...I saw more of the city's unique character. All the canals were gorgeous. The city isn't too big and I think I was able to cover a large portion of it during the day. I also took a boat tour around the canals to see more of the sights...I think the best way to get good pictures! My only regret is I did not go inside the Anne Frank House...the line was long and at the time I didn't want to wait...oh well maybe on my next trip. That evening I went on a quick tour of the Red Light District to see the oldest profession in the world! It was....um....interesting...actually it wasn't as bad as I imagined. There really were girls in front of glass doors or on beds or chairs...but thankfully there were well covered, at least the important areas were clothed...for the most part.
The next morning I went to a local Dutch village named Zaanse Schans. It was a very touristy area, but worth seeing. I got to see how wooden clogs are make and taste the most amazing cheese! There was this one cheese that was pesto flavor and it looked like green playdough, but it tasted so good! I also got to see working windmills...I love windmills...I know it's a weird obsession, but they are so cool looking! I also learned that the Dutch are famous for their diamond cutting skills, therefore there were many diamond shops and I wish I had the spare money to make a purchase...oh well...maybe next time! Next on the trip, after a three hour drive, was the beautiful city of Bruges, Belgium. I loved it and I tried really hard to follow my aunt's recommendations of trying: waffles, chocolate, and beer while in Belgium. Unfortunately, I only had time for two out of the three things...I had to skip the beer. Although, I didn't realize Belgium is known for over a thousand different brews of beer! One day, I hope to try them all...I know I am ambitious :) The town was lovely and has persevered the Medieval architecture well. Bruges was by far my most favorite place I visited on this trip and ranks in the top five places I have been since I have been in Europe. Back to the food...the waffles...oh the waffles, they were so good!!! Just melted in my mouth...even better than my dad's homemade waffles and that is saying something. Then the chocolate...I would like to think of my self as a die-heart chocolate lover and I died and went to heaven when I tried fresh truffles from Belgium. Belgium chocolate really does live up to its reputation and surprisingly it wasn't too expensive! I would have liked to try the famous mussels or flemish stew while I was there, but there just wasn't enough time. The trip was worth it, but it went too fast! I could see myself visiting Bruges again and maybe even Amsterdam, I am glad I got to see both cities at least once. The ride back to England wasn't too bad and I now have three British visas! The only mishap was taking the wrong train from Gatwick to Victoria and having to pay for a new ticket...thankfully it wasn't too expensive.
I cannot believe I only have two more weeks of classes! I begin my trip to Spain-Italy-France-Ireland a week from Sunday and it seems unreal that it mid-April already. Aron comes in this week and I am so excited to see him. This weekend I am going to a riding competition and camping!! Then, I have my first final next Monday. WOW...I can not believe how fast this experience is going. Well, until next time....I should probably start preparing for my first final!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A weekend well spent in Barcelona!
First off, I must apologize that this week's blog is LATE! I blame the English weather...it is always a good thing to blame. I am just going to skip to the best part of the week because I honestly don't recall anything too exciting in the beginning of the week.
Around 1 AM on Saturday morning I was finally able to fall asleep. Then around 3:30 AM my alarm went off, my phone rang, and I got a text message. All of these disturbances happened to ensure I woke up in enough time to catch a 4:30 cab to the airport! Thankfully, I woke up got all my things together and head to the meeting spot to catch the cab. I was a bit ambitious and arrived about 10 minutes early (yes..I know, I was early!), it is kind of scary walking the streets of Bath at four in the morning...very quiet. Soon, the others arrived and the cab came. After a short forty minute ride we arrived at Bristol Airport and my first experience with Ryan Air began. I had to present my printed off boarding pass (if you don't print it off before hand it cost 40 pounds/euros to print it at the airport!) and have my passport checked. That didn't take too long, then we headed to security...much more relaxed compared to the States. Pretty much arriving an hour before your flight gives you enough time. Then we weaved around the airport to finally find our gate where we proceeded to wait in a "first come, first serve" line to board the airplane. When the gate was opened we walked outside to board the plane and it was beginning to rain! We managed to take over the back of the plane and I immediately feel asleep for the majority of the two hour flight. I personally did not test out the claim that the airline charged for using the bathroom, but I did hear that it is not true.
Next thing I knew we landed down in Girona, a small city about an hour north of Barcelona. The group of us took a coach into Barcelona and then attempted to find our hostel. The first sight we saw was the Arc de Triomf and it was magnificent! The arc was located night next to the closest metro stop, so we detoured for a few minutes and wondered around the arc. Then, we took the metro to our hostel. Once we arrived we walked on the left side of the street for maybe a good mile and a half and then realized that all the numbers were odd and we needed an even number, so we crossed the street. Once on the other side, we noticed that we walked about 100 building numbers too far. The walk was beautiful, but it was warm and carrying all our stuff wasn't too much fun! When we finally arrived at the right street address, we couldn't figure out how to get into the building to get to the correct floor. We ended up taking the back staircase, a rather scary experience, about half way up the stairway became dark! Plus, the Spanish have an odd labeling system for floor numbers it begins with ground, principal, first, second, and so on and we needed to walk to the fifth floor! We finally arrived, checked in, paid, and dropped our bags.
We then headed to La Rambla street and grabbed a quick lunch. We walked down the crowed, very touristy street and finally made it to the harbor. We sat for a little and enjoyed the warm sunshine and then continued walking to the beach. I put my feet in the water, which was so cold, and laid down on the beach for a while. Then, we headed to Parc de la Ciutadella.
The park was beautiful and had an incredible fountain in the middle of it. Everything was so beautiful! There were so many people laying down and kids kicking around balls...it seemed like a really nice way to spend a Saturday evening. We played around in the park for a while and then decided to go back to the hostel to rest for an hour or so before dinner. We wanted to have a late dinner and do it how the Spaniards do it, but by the time we finally agreed on a game plan and found an ideal restaurant that met everyone's requirements it was around 11:30 PM. We decided on a Tapas restaurant on some random street in some random direction, nevertheless we agreed on the place and I was starving and very tired! I shared four tapas dishes with a friend and they were all delicious!!! Spanish food blows British food out of the water, although I am sure that doesn't surprise anyone. Then the majority of the group decided to head back to the hostel because the whole two hours of sleep and walking around all day wasn't too ideal for a night out. The idea of going out and dancing on my very sore feet was not going over well! Finally, day one was over and I feel asleep the moment we arrived back in our room.
Day two began with a visit to Sagrada Familia. The church was absolutely unbelievably gorgeous. Gaudi's side was so amazing, it almost appeared that the building was dripped together with sand instead of built with usual materials. The church was huge and it still blow my mind that after a hundred years it still isn't finished! I would like to go back in 2026 (the latest date of predicted completion) to see the final product. Then we journeyed to Park Guell a park dedicated to Gaudi and eventually made it to the Casa-Museu Gaudi. The park was amazing, really everything was amazing and 'amazing' doesn't even give it justice! In the middle of the park was a sand plaza with street vendors selling various goods, music playing, and all around happy people. I think seeing this park was my favorite thing I did in Barcelona and I highly recommend it. After the park, we headed towards Placa d'Espanya. I actually separated from the group and met up with a friend for a quick lunch. It is always neat seeing people from home in other countries. I was very happy to see her and catch up! Then I reconvened with the group and we explored the Montjuic area. This is an elevated part of the city and provided beautiful views. From there we saw the Olympic stadium from 1992 and walked around another amazing park. We found a local coffee shop and had delicious pastries! (Note: the hot chocolate in Spain is amazing, but is more like hot chocolate pudding...not a drink) Then we went to see a fountain show, but it never happened :( so, we made our way back to La Rambla street and found a restaurant serving paella. It was so yummy and I cannot wait to go back to Spain and eat more. I accidently ate calamari and I liked it! The thought of eating squid still really grosses me out...but I really liked the texture. After dinner, we walked around La Rambla at night...a very different scene than the daytime and got some gelato (it was amazing, really amazing!!!). Then, we made our way back to our hostel and got a few hours of sleep before our early flight back to the UK the next day.
To sum it up, Spain is amazing!!! My only regret is that I didn't have sangria with fruit in it, I will try this when I am in Valencia in a few weeks. Weekend trips to other countries are very long and tiring, but worth it! Flying on Ryan Air isn't so bad...not amazing, but not awful...on the way back I managed to stay awake for a little bit and the airline tries to sell everything to their customers, there are non-stop advertisements! This next weekend I am going on an impromptu trip to Amsterdam and Bruges! I am really excited to go to Belgium so I can eat chocolate, waffles, and drink beer! The trip should be fun and it was a great deal. After visiting these two countries, my spring break trip, and a scotland trip in the middle of my exams, I think I will have seen almost everything I wanted to see while in Europe! The following weekend, Aron is coming to England and I am going up north to watch him ride in a Games competition and go camping :) This experience has been amazing and I highly recommend studying abroad to everyone if you have the chance!!!
Around 1 AM on Saturday morning I was finally able to fall asleep. Then around 3:30 AM my alarm went off, my phone rang, and I got a text message. All of these disturbances happened to ensure I woke up in enough time to catch a 4:30 cab to the airport! Thankfully, I woke up got all my things together and head to the meeting spot to catch the cab. I was a bit ambitious and arrived about 10 minutes early (yes..I know, I was early!), it is kind of scary walking the streets of Bath at four in the morning...very quiet. Soon, the others arrived and the cab came. After a short forty minute ride we arrived at Bristol Airport and my first experience with Ryan Air began. I had to present my printed off boarding pass (if you don't print it off before hand it cost 40 pounds/euros to print it at the airport!) and have my passport checked. That didn't take too long, then we headed to security...much more relaxed compared to the States. Pretty much arriving an hour before your flight gives you enough time. Then we weaved around the airport to finally find our gate where we proceeded to wait in a "first come, first serve" line to board the airplane. When the gate was opened we walked outside to board the plane and it was beginning to rain! We managed to take over the back of the plane and I immediately feel asleep for the majority of the two hour flight. I personally did not test out the claim that the airline charged for using the bathroom, but I did hear that it is not true.
Next thing I knew we landed down in Girona, a small city about an hour north of Barcelona. The group of us took a coach into Barcelona and then attempted to find our hostel. The first sight we saw was the Arc de Triomf and it was magnificent! The arc was located night next to the closest metro stop, so we detoured for a few minutes and wondered around the arc. Then, we took the metro to our hostel. Once we arrived we walked on the left side of the street for maybe a good mile and a half and then realized that all the numbers were odd and we needed an even number, so we crossed the street. Once on the other side, we noticed that we walked about 100 building numbers too far. The walk was beautiful, but it was warm and carrying all our stuff wasn't too much fun! When we finally arrived at the right street address, we couldn't figure out how to get into the building to get to the correct floor. We ended up taking the back staircase, a rather scary experience, about half way up the stairway became dark! Plus, the Spanish have an odd labeling system for floor numbers it begins with ground, principal, first, second, and so on and we needed to walk to the fifth floor! We finally arrived, checked in, paid, and dropped our bags.
We then headed to La Rambla street and grabbed a quick lunch. We walked down the crowed, very touristy street and finally made it to the harbor. We sat for a little and enjoyed the warm sunshine and then continued walking to the beach. I put my feet in the water, which was so cold, and laid down on the beach for a while. Then, we headed to Parc de la Ciutadella.
The park was beautiful and had an incredible fountain in the middle of it. Everything was so beautiful! There were so many people laying down and kids kicking around balls...it seemed like a really nice way to spend a Saturday evening. We played around in the park for a while and then decided to go back to the hostel to rest for an hour or so before dinner. We wanted to have a late dinner and do it how the Spaniards do it, but by the time we finally agreed on a game plan and found an ideal restaurant that met everyone's requirements it was around 11:30 PM. We decided on a Tapas restaurant on some random street in some random direction, nevertheless we agreed on the place and I was starving and very tired! I shared four tapas dishes with a friend and they were all delicious!!! Spanish food blows British food out of the water, although I am sure that doesn't surprise anyone. Then the majority of the group decided to head back to the hostel because the whole two hours of sleep and walking around all day wasn't too ideal for a night out. The idea of going out and dancing on my very sore feet was not going over well! Finally, day one was over and I feel asleep the moment we arrived back in our room.
Day two began with a visit to Sagrada Familia. The church was absolutely unbelievably gorgeous. Gaudi's side was so amazing, it almost appeared that the building was dripped together with sand instead of built with usual materials. The church was huge and it still blow my mind that after a hundred years it still isn't finished! I would like to go back in 2026 (the latest date of predicted completion) to see the final product. Then we journeyed to Park Guell a park dedicated to Gaudi and eventually made it to the Casa-Museu Gaudi. The park was amazing, really everything was amazing and 'amazing' doesn't even give it justice! In the middle of the park was a sand plaza with street vendors selling various goods, music playing, and all around happy people. I think seeing this park was my favorite thing I did in Barcelona and I highly recommend it. After the park, we headed towards Placa d'Espanya. I actually separated from the group and met up with a friend for a quick lunch. It is always neat seeing people from home in other countries. I was very happy to see her and catch up! Then I reconvened with the group and we explored the Montjuic area. This is an elevated part of the city and provided beautiful views. From there we saw the Olympic stadium from 1992 and walked around another amazing park. We found a local coffee shop and had delicious pastries! (Note: the hot chocolate in Spain is amazing, but is more like hot chocolate pudding...not a drink) Then we went to see a fountain show, but it never happened :( so, we made our way back to La Rambla street and found a restaurant serving paella. It was so yummy and I cannot wait to go back to Spain and eat more. I accidently ate calamari and I liked it! The thought of eating squid still really grosses me out...but I really liked the texture. After dinner, we walked around La Rambla at night...a very different scene than the daytime and got some gelato (it was amazing, really amazing!!!). Then, we made our way back to our hostel and got a few hours of sleep before our early flight back to the UK the next day.
To sum it up, Spain is amazing!!! My only regret is that I didn't have sangria with fruit in it, I will try this when I am in Valencia in a few weeks. Weekend trips to other countries are very long and tiring, but worth it! Flying on Ryan Air isn't so bad...not amazing, but not awful...on the way back I managed to stay awake for a little bit and the airline tries to sell everything to their customers, there are non-stop advertisements! This next weekend I am going on an impromptu trip to Amsterdam and Bruges! I am really excited to go to Belgium so I can eat chocolate, waffles, and drink beer! The trip should be fun and it was a great deal. After visiting these two countries, my spring break trip, and a scotland trip in the middle of my exams, I think I will have seen almost everything I wanted to see while in Europe! The following weekend, Aron is coming to England and I am going up north to watch him ride in a Games competition and go camping :) This experience has been amazing and I highly recommend studying abroad to everyone if you have the chance!!!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Stonehenge ROCKS!!!
First off, I know the title of this blog is very cliche, but...I think it is funny so...oh well. I am going to tell this week's adventures in reverse because I though it would be fun to mix it up a little! I finally got to see Stonehenge this weekend! It was amazing and beautiful, everything I expected it to be. It still amazes me how the rocks, some weighing up to 75 tons (that's around 11 elephants!) were carried over a 100 miles! It is crazy, absolutely crazy. Then, some of the stones were lifted up and laid flat across the stones that were set upright, it makes sense that some of the stones have fallen after all this time! I think it is even more amazing that some of the rocks are still standing upright in original position. Seeing the huge pile of fulfilled one of my dreams about coming to England and seeing the monument. To some it may just be a pile of rocks and not worth paying the entry fee to see it up close...the tour only takes about 45 minutes, but I am so happy I did the tour and I personally think it was money well spent. The sun was shining and the roped off section around the henge allows people to take pictures without getting other tourists in them...a very big plus. The best part of the trip was being able to hold up Stonehenge with one hand...yes I am that strong (view facebook pictures for a clearer explanation), it was the closest I got to actually touching the stones! I also tried lemon curd at the Stonehenge gift shop and it was so delicious I went to the store the next day and brought myself a jar...a very good decision.
On my weekend trip, I also got to see Salisbury Cathedral, which surprisingly surpasses my expectations. I originally decided to wait to see Stonehenge to go on the school sponsored trip because it seemed like I would get the most for my money, I never really thought about seeing the cathedral one way or another. To say the least, the building was magnificent! The gothic architecture is amazing, the sculptors are so detailed, and my favorite part was the pristine courtyard in the middle of the compound. It was so lush and green, with a large tree in it...looked like the perfect place for a picnic. Inside was beautiful as well and the various aches gave the church a very unique appearance. There was a still fountain or pool of water, not sure how to accurately describe it, which reflected off the ceiling and provided an excellent photo! The cathedral has the largest spire in all of Britain...it is huge and during the tour I learned that the originally structure was not build to support an extra tower and spire, especially not as large as the current ones. The additional of the spire warped the main pillars it rests on and the spire leans...it sits about 1.5 feet from the original placement. All this information made me feel really safe when I was standing under the spire...fyi there is sarcasm in this statement! The town of Salisbury is very quaint and I enjoyed walking around town aimlessly looking at all of the open markets. Many of the markets were selling huge bowls of vegetables for only a pound, but then I realized the bowl didn't come with the offered and it just didn't seem as good as a deal anymore. Plus lugging around fresh veggies didn't seem like an ideal plan. The trip was great and the moment I boarded the bus to come home, it started raining...perfect timing.
This past Wednesday I attended a lab tour of the Johnson Matthey Sonning Technology Centre, it is a chemical company specializing in platinum catalysts among other things. The tour was interesting and provided me with a yummy and free lunch with delicious cake...that was the deal breaker! The labs were very homely and small, not what I expected a chemical plant to be, this view may have been swayed because the labs had beautiful gardens surrounding the compound. I think the tour was worth while and at one point one of the researchers was discussing coupling reactions and the recent Nobel Prize recipient...yup that was all Purdue...it made me happy!
I also got my first graded essay back this week...I didn't do as well as I expected mainly because I can't type or spell! Since the grading system is very different and a 70% equals a first...similar to the American 'A' I was shocked at the score because at first glance I viewed the percentage with the American grading perspective! I spoke with the teacher and she confirmed that the grade wasn't bad at all, but I am planning on completing the optional second essay to see if my score improves. I think if I just proofread it more and write the essay in one sitting, it should turn out better...I hope! I really dislike writing essays, hence why I am a chemistry major... technical writing is much more enjoyable and makes more sense, at least to me.
I think that is about it of this week's adventures...oh I tried a Mars bar finally...similar to the US version of the Milky Way bar (not to be confused with the non-US Milky Way bar which is more like a US 3 Musketeers bar...yes I know its all confusing!), except I could taste the caramel in the Mars bar much more than in a MIlky Way...I might just have to bring some back home with me! I am going to be in Barcelona this coming weekend...time is going by so fast, I can't believe it has been nearly two months since leaving the US. It feels like forever ago I bought my ticket for Spain. I am so excited for the warm weather, the paella, and of course the sangria!!!!
On my weekend trip, I also got to see Salisbury Cathedral, which surprisingly surpasses my expectations. I originally decided to wait to see Stonehenge to go on the school sponsored trip because it seemed like I would get the most for my money, I never really thought about seeing the cathedral one way or another. To say the least, the building was magnificent! The gothic architecture is amazing, the sculptors are so detailed, and my favorite part was the pristine courtyard in the middle of the compound. It was so lush and green, with a large tree in it...looked like the perfect place for a picnic. Inside was beautiful as well and the various aches gave the church a very unique appearance. There was a still fountain or pool of water, not sure how to accurately describe it, which reflected off the ceiling and provided an excellent photo! The cathedral has the largest spire in all of Britain...it is huge and during the tour I learned that the originally structure was not build to support an extra tower and spire, especially not as large as the current ones. The additional of the spire warped the main pillars it rests on and the spire leans...it sits about 1.5 feet from the original placement. All this information made me feel really safe when I was standing under the spire...fyi there is sarcasm in this statement! The town of Salisbury is very quaint and I enjoyed walking around town aimlessly looking at all of the open markets. Many of the markets were selling huge bowls of vegetables for only a pound, but then I realized the bowl didn't come with the offered and it just didn't seem as good as a deal anymore. Plus lugging around fresh veggies didn't seem like an ideal plan. The trip was great and the moment I boarded the bus to come home, it started raining...perfect timing.
This past Wednesday I attended a lab tour of the Johnson Matthey Sonning Technology Centre, it is a chemical company specializing in platinum catalysts among other things. The tour was interesting and provided me with a yummy and free lunch with delicious cake...that was the deal breaker! The labs were very homely and small, not what I expected a chemical plant to be, this view may have been swayed because the labs had beautiful gardens surrounding the compound. I think the tour was worth while and at one point one of the researchers was discussing coupling reactions and the recent Nobel Prize recipient...yup that was all Purdue...it made me happy!
I also got my first graded essay back this week...I didn't do as well as I expected mainly because I can't type or spell! Since the grading system is very different and a 70% equals a first...similar to the American 'A' I was shocked at the score because at first glance I viewed the percentage with the American grading perspective! I spoke with the teacher and she confirmed that the grade wasn't bad at all, but I am planning on completing the optional second essay to see if my score improves. I think if I just proofread it more and write the essay in one sitting, it should turn out better...I hope! I really dislike writing essays, hence why I am a chemistry major... technical writing is much more enjoyable and makes more sense, at least to me.
I think that is about it of this week's adventures...oh I tried a Mars bar finally...similar to the US version of the Milky Way bar (not to be confused with the non-US Milky Way bar which is more like a US 3 Musketeers bar...yes I know its all confusing!), except I could taste the caramel in the Mars bar much more than in a MIlky Way...I might just have to bring some back home with me! I am going to be in Barcelona this coming weekend...time is going by so fast, I can't believe it has been nearly two months since leaving the US. It feels like forever ago I bought my ticket for Spain. I am so excited for the warm weather, the paella, and of course the sangria!!!!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
An English St. Patrick's Day
This week began by learning all about the National Health Service in one of my classes. The service is interesting and I would like to speak with more people to find out if people in the UK like it or not. On one hand, the fact that all prescriptions are cheap and the same price is nice. Although, the various requirements make it rather hard for people to see the doctor at their own leisure, at least this is what I got out of the lecture. Sadly, I am not able to use the NHS because I am not living in England for longer than six months.
The week continued with a lovely visit from some friends from home. We had a fantastic lunch at Sally Lunn's Restaurant. Sally Lunn's is the oldest house in Bath and I had been meaning to eat there and try a famous Bath bun, a must do on a trip to Bath. Lunch was light and very british, the bun itself was also very light and fluffy. I expected a more dense bun, but it was still very yummy. I really want to go back and try cream tea (scones with clotted cream...yummy) in the near future! After lunch, we toured around the area for a bit and wondered around the shops. It was really great seeing them and discussing all the difference between England and the US.
I had my second week of lab and it went much smoother than the first week. Twelve hours in the lab still creates very long days, but I feel on top of it and I am enjoying my lab partner and all his random questions. I can't believe I only have one more week of lab...very weird feeling. It is also weird that I am half-way done with my semester, it feels likes it just began. I think the semester in Bath is 10-12 weeks or something like that compared to an 18 week semester at Purdue. I am finding that once I got settled into a routine, all my classes are switching time slots! I currently have no clue when my classes meet this coming week, but I'm sure it will all work out...it is very confusing when the professors change, thus affecting the time the class meets. I desperately miss M-W-F or T-R classes...they make my calender look much prettier!
I was able to sneak in a small St. Patrick's celebration on Thursday, but since I had an 8:15 class the next morning...the celebration consisted of consuming a Guinness and finding a Chinese take-away place on the opposite side of town and eating yummy chow mien! I think Chinese take-away is the cheapest meal option in Bath and it's so delicious! At first it surprised me that the English don't really celebrate St. Paddy's Day, at least not like it is celebrated in the US. Someone I was discussing this with made a good point: since Ireland is their neighbor, why would they celebrate Ireland's national holiday? It's not like they would ever celebrate France's national holiday! I think it is more acceptable to celebrate in the US because there is more diversity of cultures.
This weekend I stayed in the Bath area...no big trip. On Friday night I attended a program for exchange students. The event was at a local pub/bar and it was advertised as having free food, so of course why wouldn't I go! They served fried mushrooms and they were so good! There was so much extra food, but the servers wouldn't let us take it home :( I finally got to sleep in on a Saturday. When I naturally woke up, I worked out, took a shower, had breakfast and then spent the day in Bristol (which really doesn't count as going anywhere) shopping!!! It was a very relaxing Saturday. I was slightly disappointed in the shopping experience, but my wallet is probably happy. I managed to only buy some accessories and some necessary basics.
Saturday night became an adventure by riding the bus all around Bath for about two hours. I was trying to make it to a friend's house who lived on the outskirts of town and ended up on a bus that never got there or if it did, I didn't know the area well enough to explore in the dark and I really didn't want to get stranded on the other side of the city on a Saturday night. Finally, after two very long bus rides, I arrived at my friend's place. We made dinner...yummy fajitas...I miss mexican food so much, the first thing I want to eat when I get back in the states is mexican food! Overall, it turned out to be a really fun evening! At least I got to see a whole other section of Bath that I probably would had never seen if I didn't take the first bus.
This coming week, I am going on a lab tour of Johnson Matthey Sonning Technology Center. It should be an interesting tour and give me further insight of the chemical industry, plus I get a free lunch! This coming weekend I am going to finally see Stonehenge!!! I will also get to spend some time in Salisbury and maybe even see the chalk horse on the hill....it is over in that area, but I missed it on the way to Portsmouth. The count down to Barcelona is two weeks and I'm so excited! Well this was a shorted post, but I guess that is because it was a low key weekend...that also means there aren't any new pictures (sorry mom!). On a side note, it is sad I can't watch any of the NCAA Tournament...it's the only part of the basketball season I follow...anyway I am still cheering for Purdue, BOILER UP!!!
The week continued with a lovely visit from some friends from home. We had a fantastic lunch at Sally Lunn's Restaurant. Sally Lunn's is the oldest house in Bath and I had been meaning to eat there and try a famous Bath bun, a must do on a trip to Bath. Lunch was light and very british, the bun itself was also very light and fluffy. I expected a more dense bun, but it was still very yummy. I really want to go back and try cream tea (scones with clotted cream...yummy) in the near future! After lunch, we toured around the area for a bit and wondered around the shops. It was really great seeing them and discussing all the difference between England and the US.
I had my second week of lab and it went much smoother than the first week. Twelve hours in the lab still creates very long days, but I feel on top of it and I am enjoying my lab partner and all his random questions. I can't believe I only have one more week of lab...very weird feeling. It is also weird that I am half-way done with my semester, it feels likes it just began. I think the semester in Bath is 10-12 weeks or something like that compared to an 18 week semester at Purdue. I am finding that once I got settled into a routine, all my classes are switching time slots! I currently have no clue when my classes meet this coming week, but I'm sure it will all work out...it is very confusing when the professors change, thus affecting the time the class meets. I desperately miss M-W-F or T-R classes...they make my calender look much prettier!
I was able to sneak in a small St. Patrick's celebration on Thursday, but since I had an 8:15 class the next morning...the celebration consisted of consuming a Guinness and finding a Chinese take-away place on the opposite side of town and eating yummy chow mien! I think Chinese take-away is the cheapest meal option in Bath and it's so delicious! At first it surprised me that the English don't really celebrate St. Paddy's Day, at least not like it is celebrated in the US. Someone I was discussing this with made a good point: since Ireland is their neighbor, why would they celebrate Ireland's national holiday? It's not like they would ever celebrate France's national holiday! I think it is more acceptable to celebrate in the US because there is more diversity of cultures.
This weekend I stayed in the Bath area...no big trip. On Friday night I attended a program for exchange students. The event was at a local pub/bar and it was advertised as having free food, so of course why wouldn't I go! They served fried mushrooms and they were so good! There was so much extra food, but the servers wouldn't let us take it home :( I finally got to sleep in on a Saturday. When I naturally woke up, I worked out, took a shower, had breakfast and then spent the day in Bristol (which really doesn't count as going anywhere) shopping!!! It was a very relaxing Saturday. I was slightly disappointed in the shopping experience, but my wallet is probably happy. I managed to only buy some accessories and some necessary basics.
Saturday night became an adventure by riding the bus all around Bath for about two hours. I was trying to make it to a friend's house who lived on the outskirts of town and ended up on a bus that never got there or if it did, I didn't know the area well enough to explore in the dark and I really didn't want to get stranded on the other side of the city on a Saturday night. Finally, after two very long bus rides, I arrived at my friend's place. We made dinner...yummy fajitas...I miss mexican food so much, the first thing I want to eat when I get back in the states is mexican food! Overall, it turned out to be a really fun evening! At least I got to see a whole other section of Bath that I probably would had never seen if I didn't take the first bus.
This coming week, I am going on a lab tour of Johnson Matthey Sonning Technology Center. It should be an interesting tour and give me further insight of the chemical industry, plus I get a free lunch! This coming weekend I am going to finally see Stonehenge!!! I will also get to spend some time in Salisbury and maybe even see the chalk horse on the hill....it is over in that area, but I missed it on the way to Portsmouth. The count down to Barcelona is two weeks and I'm so excited! Well this was a shorted post, but I guess that is because it was a low key weekend...that also means there aren't any new pictures (sorry mom!). On a side note, it is sad I can't watch any of the NCAA Tournament...it's the only part of the basketball season I follow...anyway I am still cheering for Purdue, BOILER UP!!!
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