tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29222267985782605322024-03-13T11:44:27.035+01:00New German GirlThe Diary of an American Au PairHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-65786144599015639442011-07-10T08:12:00.001+02:002012-09-02T21:27:06.454+02:00Now That You’re Back in California…It’s been about a month now since I returned to California. Okay, not really. More like three weeks. But it <b><i>feels </i></b>like it’s been a month and it’s gone by so fast. I haven’t really slowed down at all since I got home either, which helps to make time go by. Once or twice I sat down to write about all of the details but I just don’t have the <i>heart</i> to write in this blog right now because my <i>heart</i> it isn’t in it anymore. I’m not an au pair anymore and I’m not in Germany. This blog was <b><i>incredible</i></b> and probably one of the best decisions I could have made in terms of documenting my experience but it’s just not practical or interesting to me anymore. I hope that it will continue to exist as a resource for future Deutschland bound au pairs or other travel enthusiasts or fans but for now, after this entry, I won’t be writing here anymore. I just wanted to write and say that coming home hasn’t been<i> </i>difficult but it hasn’t been <i>easy</i> either. I haven’t had any reverse culture shock – none whatsoever – and I haven’t had any breakdowns yet in which I am debilitated by my longing for my past European life. (Tiago was here for nine days which might have had something to do with that! I didn’t feel sad or lonely until he left me to go back to Munich. Boo!) I am bored, yes, and I am lonely, oh yeah, but it’s balanced with the expectations that I have for myself. I’m living a new life – a version of my life that seems kind of familiar but is completely brand new – and I am trying really hard to adjust to that.<br />
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Thank you <b><i>SO MUCH</i></b> for following me for the last year and going on this journey with me. It was the best of my life and I am so grateful for the fact that you were willing and eager to read about my life as I lived it. Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-59025453608076649592011-06-22T19:50:00.001+02:002011-06-22T19:50:18.195+02:00Reflections from California<p>Well… for the first time in over a year, this blog update comes to you from the great state of California. I am home, I have arrived, and I am alive. Despite having to travel on a bum foot, I made it across three countries (Germany, Canada, and the US), the Atlantic ocean, and am only six hours away from reuniting with my mom in San Luis Obispo. I am writing this to you from the cabin of an Amtrak train where just ten minutes ago, my dearest friend Lauren, put me on a train at the infamous Union Station in Los Angeles. She picked me up the night before at LAX and together, with her lovely German boyfriend, Basti (Queue inside joke: “Put ze baby on my butt!”), we went to In-N-Out where I had a worthy “welcome home” meal – a Double Double with mustard, no sauce, In-N-Out’s <em>delicious</em> crispy french fries, and a not-so-good American Coke (I miss Germany’s version!). </p> <p>And yeah… I’m home. Wow. I haven’t really had a moment to myself to sit back and think about what that means to me. It’s weird though and I’m sure it will feel this way for days. During the eleven hour plane ride all I could focus on was whether or not my foot was going to explode due to cabin pressure. I couldn’t really focus on my inevitable to descent to American soil. At the airport, all I could think about was how stupid Lauren and I had been for not exchanging better contact details – I hoped she would find me. And find me she did! And once we were together, all I could think about was In-N-Out and how happy I was to see her again. And to hear Basti’s unmistakable Bavarian accent – I might as well have still been there. And then, it <em>kind of </em>started to hit me as I iced my foot and watched <em>Kate Plus 8 </em>and <em>Cake Boss</em> and ate delicious ice cream sandwiches from the comfort of Lauren’s blessedly massive couch. </p> <p>“This is the first American TV on actual TV that I’ve watched in over a year!” I exclaimed, as the realization of my return started to set in. And, in my opinion, TLC was a worthy channel to initiate my return to American media. (I love that channel! If it had been <em>19 Kids and Counting</em>, I would have been in heaven!) And then – all of a sudden – I was tired. It hit me that back in Munich, it was pushing 4 am and I’d slept a total of 2 hours during my travels. I needed to go to bed. So, I took a shower (I missed you stationary shower heads!) and then crashed. Sleep was easy – I passed out right away. But staying asleep was the tricky part. I woke up about three or four times over the course of my eight hour night and kept checking the clock. 12:42, 2:34, 3:45. In Munich, it would have been late morning to mid afternoon. In fact, I went to bed in California at about the same time that I would have woken up in Munich to start a regular work day. </p> <p>When I did wake up, at 5:45, it was to the sound of the Harry Potter theme song on my Verizon cell phone – a phone that I hadn’t been able to use for a over a year. My ankle was throbbing – I hadn’t felt that much pain in the thing since the morning before I went to have the injury diagnosed. I quickly swallowed an IBU 600 (I love prescription strength drugs!) and readied myself for the rest of the day – my <em>final </em>travels through California. (Kind of.) Lauren fed me toast and orange juice and Basti loaded my suitcases into the car and then we were on our way – and not with a moment to spare. We arrived at Union Station within 20 minutes of my train’s departure. I checked in, checked my bags (which would arrive in San Luis Obispo on a later train), and then we got a go cart to drive me to the platform. As a result, our goodbye was kind of muddled but I know I’ll see her again soon. That’s the beauty of having friends that live in California. You’ll always reunite. </p> <p>And now… here I am. Riding in a four-seater with my foot elevated and an electrical outlet to my right – rightfully blogging, something I feel I haven’t done properly in weeks. But, strangely enough, it’s still all so <em>surreal</em>. I don’t think it’s <em>really</em> hit me quite yet. Even as the train passes through the ghetto of Los Angeles and winds it way through Glendale, Burbank, Northridge, and Camarillo – all places that I’ve been through and seen a thousand times – it stills feel so foreign to me. Maybe it’s because my heart<em> </em>really <strong><em>is</em></strong> lost in Bavaria. Eventually it will find it’s way back to California but for now, it’s still in Germany and although I am very happy and excited to get back to my life here, I really miss the year of my life that I just left behind.</p> <p>I don’t even know if I could put into words how much that year of my life meant to me. Being in Germany changed me – at first, it was a rough and emotional change but then it turned around and I learned a lot about my past situations and turned my regrets into opportunities of renewal. I learned from everything that happened to me while I was in Germany and I know that my entire experience changed me into a person who is so completely different from when I first left to start my adventure. </p> <p>I met so many incredible people on my journey – friends that I will have and cherish for the rest of my life. Soulmates, sisters, brothers, lovers. I met each and every one for a specific reason and they all came into my life because they were <em>supposed</em> to be there. Who would I have been if I had not met them? What kind of an experience would I have had if they had not been there? Through the long nights of binge drinking, club dancing, gossiping, debauchery, fighting, and whatever else we got into we sealed our own fates. We will never forget those moments that we shared. We built our lives around each other and those people and the memories that we made together will forever shape me. To each and every one of you, from June of last year until just last week, you are <strong><em>forever</em></strong> in my heart and I love you <em>so much</em>. Thank you for being there with me and sharing the year with me. </p> <p>Of course, I went to Germany to work but it ended up being nothing more than background noise to my entire adventure. I love the girls and I will miss them – of course, in the same way that I miss and love any other children that have come and gone from my life. They were great girls – so smart and sharp, full of sunshine and so sweet. They had their moments, like any normal child would, but for the most part, they were well-adjusted and strong little girls. They will have some rough years ahead of them, no doubt, but it is my hope that they will overcome and grow into beautiful, strong, and respectful young women. Hopefully I can visit them again throughout the years and keep up with them. I’d hate to lose touch with them. Their mother, however crazy she was and however difficult she made my life at times, will never be forgotten. Infamously – of course, but I am grateful for the chance that she gave me to come into her family and take part in her culture and be a part of the city. I never felt like she was a <em>mother</em> figure to me but to be fair, she didn’t really try very hard sometimes. Haha. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the opportunity that she gave me. I wish her the best with her future au pairs and hope that she realizes soon that she doesn’t really need one and could save herself a lot of money every year on that realization. Haha.</p> <p>Being a part of Germany was an incredible experience for me. I’d never been to Europe before I started this adventure. I’d never really traveled anywhere or done anything very remarkable with my life. Well, except for my summer camp counselor adventure but these two experiences wouldn’t exist without the other so… I take that back. My summer camp adventure was the <em>first </em>remarkable thing that I’d ever done and, even though I didn’t know it then, it changed my life. Germany changed my life. I keep saying that and I’m not really backing it up with any evidence, am I?</p> <p>Being in Germany taught me a lot about myself and helped me discover parts of my heart and soul that I didn’t even know I had. I went through a lot of emotions while I was in Germany. I was hurt and battered by a lot of men and I made a lot of stupid decisions, usually while I was drunk, but I learned a lesson every time. Sometimes I repeated the same stupid mistakes and hated myself for it but in the end, I came to realize that I wouldn’t get anything of life if I didn’t have those mistakes to learn from. I didn’t go looking for them, of course, but when they happened – I tried not to beat myself up about it. Life will, most definitely, change now that I am home but the life that I had in Germany was worth living. I will forever be a different person because of the things that I experienced while I was there. For the rest of my life I will always have those “one year in Germany” stories to tell every new person that I meet and I’ll always have that interesting edge over the less traveled and more stationary people that I meet. Gives me something to look forward to as I go out into the world and introduce myself to new people and new opportunities. </p> <p>I can’t really identify with how it feels to be home. I think those words will come over the next few weeks and months as I get settled into my life again. Right now, I am happy to be home but I am missing Germany. In a few weeks, I will probably be bored of home and crying for Germany. And then something will come up – I’ll start my new job or I’ll meet a sweet, handsome new boy – and I’ll love California again and Germany will be just a fleeting thought. It will come and go and fluctuate as my life changes. All that I can do now is remain grateful and appreciative for the year that I spent in Germany and know that nothing I do, from here on out, will ever compare to the adventure that I just experienced. </p> <p>And do I dare quote and improvise Rihanna lyrics? Somehow, given the year of my life and the amount of Rihanna that I listened to, danced to at clubs, and sang karaoke too, it seems appropriate (and not to mention the amount of times that it rained while I was in Munich). She’s kind of become synonymous with my time in Germany, anyway.</p> <p align="center"><em>Germany, you had my heart<br>And we’ll never be worlds apart</em></p> <p align="center"><em>Blahblahblah.<br>You can stand under my umbrella.</em></p> <p align="left">No? It doesn’t work? Haha. Oh well. Germany, I will miss you. Thank you for everything. You have my heart. <strong><em>Forever</em>. </strong></p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-66687782441691117752011-06-16T11:28:00.001+02:002011-06-16T11:28:27.218+02:00Happy Anniversary!– One Year Passed and the Unconventional Gift I Gave Myself<p>As of yesterday, I have been in Germany for exactly one year. On June 15th, 2010 I boarded a plane in Los Angeles and arrived in Germany 12 or so hours later. It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year already. And it’s been an <em>awesome</em> year – as you know if you’ve been reading this blog the whole time. I haven’t been writing much, it’s true, because I’ve had other things to do but once I get back to California, I’ll be able to collect my thoughts and have some serious <strike>and emotional</strike> reflections. For now, I’m just here to say, <strong>HAPPY ANNIVERSARY GERMANY!</strong> We started our year long love affair one year ago! Ich liebe dich. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I had all kinds of celebrations planned. One of which went horribly wrong. Haha. </p> <p>On Tuesday night, I went to one of our favorite bars, Shamrock’s Irish Pub for one last Tuesday night of karaoke, beer, and good friends. It turned into a shitstorm of craziness. It was totally worth it though. Because even though I ended up in the hospital because of it, I was with my friends and I had a <strong>GREAT </strong>night. Absolutely <em>no</em> regrets. </p> <p>But… yeah. I ended up in the hospital simply because I am a klutz and when I’m drunk, I’m a super klutz. Although I don’t remember much of the details, apparently I fell down the stairs to the bathroom (there are two of them, ha) as the bar was closing and ended up on the floor. I remember my ankle hurting but it wasn’t unbearable because I walked 1/5 of the way home from the bar. Pretty much the length of my entire street, which is about 8 to 10 blocks. Somewhere along the walk, I lost one of my shoes and my wallet. Woops. (My shoe was found my the twins down the street. Ha. Thanks, girls!) I’m pretty sure I remember hobbling the whole way home but it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t walk on it. But when I woke up in the morning… hot damn. It hurt. </p> <p>It took some convincing but I managed to get my host-mom to take me to the hospital. I was miserable. I was laying in my room, crying for my mom. It was sad. So, she gave me taxi money, my angel-amazing-of-a-friend Ana agreed to meet us at the hospital and help me out and then we were on our way. It was slow goes it because I couldn’t put <em>any</em> weight on my right foot. But we managed it okay. In the end, we didn’t stay at the hospital because the wait was like 4 hours so Ana used her SmartPhone and found an orthopedic doctor and we taxied to Odeonsplatz for a second shot. From there, I was given crutches and properly examined.</p> <p>Turns out that I tore the ligaments in my ankle and I won’t need surgery but just have to rest and wear an ankle brace for the next four weeks. I’m still on crutches now because everything is still tender and sore but I’m trying to recover! It’s put a bit of a damper on my packing and cleaning plans. Also, I’m mostly sad about the fact that I can’t continue running for a while. I was doing SO good and was so into it and now I have to take a break. Hopefully it won’t be hard to take up again and my ankle won’t give me any problems later. Lord knows I have enough issues with my feet!</p> <p>Right now, I’m trying to focus on rest and getting the swelling to go down but it’s hard when I have packing and other crap that I have to do. Also, I’m only here for <strong>FOUR MORE DAYS</strong>. So I have a lot of goodbyes to get through and hopefully no more stupid, idiotic injuries. </p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-47709784672579044052011-06-10T21:16:00.001+02:002011-06-10T21:16:04.248+02:00Berlin<p>I don’t know how to write about my trip to Berlin. It was fucking awesome. Pardon my French but seriously. It was. I’ve sat down and tried to write a detailed report on the weekend and I just couldn’t do it. Let me see if I can sum it up. I went on a road trip with three of my really close friends here in Munich and we drove five hours to Berlin where we met up with some other friends – people that we knew from Munich or our past and separate lives – Laura and Alison – and we spent the weekend clubbing, wandering the wild and vibrant streets of Berlin from 11 pm until 5:30 or 7 in the morning, drinking Berliner Pils (and Augustiner Helles, too!), and touring incredible German history sites. We took a four hour walking tour in the merciless east German heat and I stood beside the Berlin wall. The bunker where Hitler killed himself is now covered by a parking lot. I saw the hotel where Michael Jackson hung his tiny baby out of a window. Checkpoint Charlie is really overrated. The Berlin Cathedral looks ancient but it really isn’t that old. Communism was crazy. The sun was out the entire weekend and it was glorious. Karaoke is much more fun to watch when you’re in an outdoor stadium with three hundred other people. Flea markets sell super cheap friendship bracelets and a shitload of vinyl records. I went to the most <em>fabulous</em> party found myself surrounded by gay boys and never felt happier or more wonderful. Berlin helped me embrace my inner <strong>fag hag</strong> and brought me a whole gaggle of new gay boyfriends. I find that I can never have enough. I ate bratwurst from men that walked around and wore sausage grills over their shoulders. Have grill, will travel. I didn’t go to bed before 3:30 am on any night of the entire weekend. I ate the best cheeseburger I’ve ever tasted… twice. I didn’t have proper Berlin currywurst. <em>Damn</em>. I bonded with my <a href="http://nunolaranja.blogspot.com" target="_blank">skinny love</a>. I loved Berlin. I absolutely loved it.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2Pg9J6nMPjQ/TfJsfNYUrHI/AAAAAAAAB60/veTXAIVRqOU/s1600-h/DSC01657%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01657" border="0" alt="DSC01657" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QbJ16KJUT1g/TfJshSDB0HI/AAAAAAAAB64/jlg7cnk1IvM/DSC01657_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Yours truly at Brandenburg Tor<br>(<em>I prefer the one in Munich, to be honest</em>.)</p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ud9lA3Ou1FI/TfJsjoFmT-I/AAAAAAAAB68/EG4TFyPefwQ/s1600-h/DSC01681%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01681" border="0" alt="DSC01681" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OUcVzYeCQWQ/TfJslaAUgoI/AAAAAAAAB7A/qPhiHv3mT9s/DSC01681_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Jewish War Memorial</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xFUk5qsCKY4/TfJsnzgVeJI/AAAAAAAAB7E/yIgNmqPz1Ng/s1600-h/DSC01705%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01705" border="0" alt="DSC01705" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-52AuEsO3WMQ/TfJsp-c0EgI/AAAAAAAAB7I/hs2-9CEC3rc/DSC01705_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The Berlin Wall</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Bx_O9uML4gU/TfJssHTvNEI/AAAAAAAAB7M/GxE0NwxGLLA/s1600-h/DSC01728%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01728" border="0" alt="DSC01728" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jijLj5I-RL8/TfJsuHVO_KI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/5R7ZDmr9BN8/DSC01728_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Berlin Cathedral</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3KVLIcdmr1w/TfJsv4sF7PI/AAAAAAAAB7U/yKl7eX1kRqw/s1600-h/DSC01732%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01732" border="0" alt="DSC01732" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-63cqW3-t8u4/TfJsyJhhwRI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/gis0tC9uF7I/DSC01732_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Kl4PQrBgLa4/TfJs1VvrZUI/AAAAAAAAB7c/Bds689ztGWI/s1600-h/DSC01746%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01746" border="0" alt="DSC01746" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CCJbKaUl4p8/TfJs3uLtzoI/AAAAAAAAB7g/jI1Fyb62RFs/DSC01746_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Inside the cathedral</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pNYvsdK3N-k/TfJs5tFaUOI/AAAAAAAAB7k/R005sBERgKs/s1600-h/DSC01812%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01812" border="0" alt="DSC01812" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lUMUc9SYU4Y/TfJs7ZNXI9I/AAAAAAAAB7o/l0_EwMgcz2k/DSC01812_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Berlin wall’s East Side Gallery</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-53orC_tH6-8/TfJs9bRDGCI/AAAAAAAAB7s/c48ltcpw5jg/s1600-h/DSC01843%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01843" border="0" alt="DSC01843" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kOw7seIL2mM/TfJs_ytd68I/AAAAAAAAB7w/zhSfO0LF6Kk/DSC01843_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Outdoor karaoke</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t2UVPKic-x0/TfJtCcX2uaI/AAAAAAAAB70/wHRZY7hRCNs/s1600-h/DSC01830%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01830" border="0" alt="DSC01830" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3SbfFTfi_9k/TfJtEVDyIAI/AAAAAAAAB74/ZWNXOWKoA-8/DSC01830_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Flea market vinyls</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D9sFzIm4jLc/TfJtGJxNG4I/AAAAAAAAB78/Lf5cuyN0lRg/s1600-h/DSC01418%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01418" border="0" alt="DSC01418" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c4XgfgqlWq4/TfJtIHCm4tI/AAAAAAAAB8A/abN2z1G13DY/DSC01418_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Alison, Fio, and me – Berliners!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DQMoua42Ycg/TfJtLCBXxcI/AAAAAAAAB8E/-frt79ICHxI/s1600-h/DSC01552%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01552" border="0" alt="DSC01552" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-h5xIqgJcRpY/TfJtNWtAlRI/AAAAAAAAB8I/7qTgbq9qNf0/DSC01552_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>My skinny love with some of Berlin’s fine city artwork</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I75aDr3WLuA/TfJtPl6oPuI/AAAAAAAAB8M/WrjTYAdgUBM/s1600-h/DSC01643%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01643" border="0" alt="DSC01643" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xu39iwBeyX4/TfJtRUwpi6I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/c4mXYtKEu00/DSC01643_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>5:30 in the morning, around the corner from the club – the cityscape</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J-tyAH32N6A/TfJtTsE6BCI/AAAAAAAAB8U/EvuURMGjKVk/s1600-h/DSC01757%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01757" border="0" alt="DSC01757" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i0BbGKimQw8/TfJtVbUYY4I/AAAAAAAAB8Y/AmTK43e6X6A/DSC01757_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Anne and I truly love our pretty boys</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Oc_Yc1QZ0lk/TfJtXYiewwI/AAAAAAAAB8c/6AV5cWcm5pk/s1600-h/DSC01759%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01759" border="0" alt="DSC01759" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FD3WZfzqZE8/TfJtZOnzwXI/AAAAAAAAB8g/_4AOUEwQynw/DSC01759_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>My knight in indie armor. I love.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VcBQUH7sj4g/TfJtard1JYI/AAAAAAAAB8k/HBCpfoeJ9Z4/s1600-h/DSC01764%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01764" border="0" alt="DSC01764" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KIxIGjf5YRQ/TfJtclr-ZgI/AAAAAAAAB8o/iqj3eXETlaU/DSC01764_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Berlin looks good on me.</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-75556929622620031822011-06-02T12:58:00.001+02:002011-06-02T13:00:35.564+02:00Ich Bin Ein Berliner! (No, Seriously… I Am! Okay… Maybe Not)<p>Well, ladies and gents, I am off to Berlin today! I am so excited because I would have been <em>devastated</em> if I had missed a tripped to Berlin while I was here. It’s one of the places that I really, <em>really</em> wanted to see while I was here in Germany. Fortunately, I have really good friends and so this trip to Berlin has been really easy to plan. My good friend Anne, who is one of my few German friends <em>in </em>Germany, comes from the Berlin area and so she’s providing the car for an epic road trip. Fio and <a href="http://nunolaranja.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Nuno</a> will join us on our 5 or so hour adventure up north and we will meet our respective parties once we get into the city. My close friend Alison, who I met while working at Camp Cayuga in 2007, is living in Berlin right now and so Nuno, Anne, and I will be staying with her there. Our friend Laura, who once lived here in Munich with us, is going to school in Berlin now so Fio will be staying with her there and we will see her, too. It’s going to be a weekend of sight seeing, beer drinking, and club dancing and I am <strong>so</strong> excited. I haven’t been on a proper vacation since Rome and I’m looking forward to getting away for a few days! Especially since my time in Munich is dwindling down to mere <em>days. </em>Only 19 of them left!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--WSr-J5yPf8/TedssQox03I/AAAAAAAAB6g/0SqALTHKvNU/s1600-h/iStock_000004344852XSmall%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Brandenburg gate" border="0" alt="Brandenburg gate" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ctiBMSlOxus/TedstkFFsJI/AAAAAAAAB6k/NT33d7W3gZI/iStock_000004344852XSmall_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="445" height="302"></a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 448px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4fd20407-54aa-40a3-944f-68cf5c7c6c5e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="ca94d5e8-7bc7-4d3f-b541-aab17dd3c42e" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pjn5E6yOKo" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8ajoxEq8sLA/TedsuR99UOI/AAAAAAAAB6w/qwu6p5R2Lds/videod92558c4c585%25255B18%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ca94d5e8-7bc7-4d3f-b541-aab17dd3c42e'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/_Pjn5E6yOKo?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/_Pjn5E6yOKo?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">JFK in Berlin</div></div> <p align="center">He just said, therefore, I am a donut! <br>Since a “Berliner” is a German donut. Ha.<br>Silly Americans.</p> <p align="center"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" border="0" src="http://www.backaldrin.com/Content.Node/de/aktuelles/presse/fotos/Berliner-klassisch-mit-Marille_backaldrin.JPG" width="200" height="183"></p> <p align="left">(And as you can already tell, I have given up on the <strong>30 Days of Germany<em> </em></strong>challenge, in which I post a German something or other every day until I leave. I should have known that I couldn’t commit to that. I <em>never </em>finished memes like that and I’m fairly certain that I have commitment issues, anyway. So… on to the next half-assed challenged, eh? Haha.)</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-59839132648481909752011-05-28T20:20:00.001+02:002011-05-28T20:20:36.740+02:0030 Days of Germany: Day 7 & 8 (May 27-28): Sealife and Olympiapark<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mE8K4ZDNbks/TeE8rcP7a8I/AAAAAAAAB5o/fxCtH5qCW8E/s1600-h/munchen%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="munchen" border="0" alt="munchen" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8GqvCs7wsJU/TeE8rwTFdNI/AAAAAAAAB5s/PN7Bgf7K6rE/munchen_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="151" height="88"></a></p> <p>After eleven months of being in Munich, I finally went to <a href="http://www.visitsealife.com/Munchen/en/" target="_blank">Sealife</a>, the local aquarium at Olympiapark. Honestly, it has never been very high up on my list of ‘must-see’ attractions here in Munich but I'm glad that I got to go anyway. I’ve been pretty spoiled in my life when it comes to aquariums because I lived in Monterey, California for five years which is home to one of the world’s largest aquariums – the <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/" target="_blank">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a>. (How many times can <strong><em>you</em></strong> use the word aquarium in one sentence?!) </p> <p>I took one of my six-year-old charges to Sealife after a day of indecision. When you have two twins that can’t make up their mind or agree on what they want to do and throw ridiculous tantrums whenever they don’t get what they want, you have to compromise, right? Discipline, no way! Just split them up and send the au pair off with the one that wants to go the aquarium. At least we got to do the <em>fun</em> part. Eenie and I went to see the fish and Vee went with her mom to play at a friend’s house. We came back from the aquarium and ate mini-pizzas and watched <em>Nanny McPhee</em>. Then my friend Anne came over and practiced for her new face painting gig. We were willing volunteers. We had fun, it was a good Friday. But let’s just say – Sealife <strong><em>does not</em></strong> compare to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This one was wimpy. But it did have sharks and a sea turtle! Win!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pNhqpQwIGhY/TeE8tZxgEtI/AAAAAAAAB5w/VY9Pq-b_ka8/s1600-h/DSC01041%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC01041" border="0" alt="DSC01041" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Jey7-DuSaoc/TeE8ul0O2HI/AAAAAAAAB50/46McerrV9f0/DSC01041_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <a name='more'></a> <p><strong>May 28</strong></p> <p>For the second part of this – it’s hard to do this everyday, you’d be surprised, even for me (ha!) – I’m just going to keep it simple and related to SeaLife. <strong>Olympiapark</strong>, bitches. It’s awesome. It’s one of my favorite places here in Munich. Basically, it translate into exactly what it is in German. The park for the Olympics. Haha. It was constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympics which were held in Munich that year. There’s a lot going on at here – not just Olympiapark (which also has a beautiful lake and Olympiaberg!) but the Olympic Stadium, an ice rink, tennis facilities, swimming pools, the Olympic Tower (aka Olympiaturm). There’s a party going on over here! I’ve been to Olympiapark a lot and still go back quite often. I’ve been up to the top of the Olympia Tower twice – there are stunning views of the city from way up there. I’ve been into the stadium once, for a World Cup soccer game that we watched with thousands of other people on a massive big screen TV. I’ve heard U2 play a concert there from my bedroom, the window open and their sound drifting effortlessly across the city to my neighborhood. I’ve enjoyed Tollwood at Olympiapark – an incredible summer music festival. I’ve hiked up Olympiaberg a few times to get pictures and watch the sunset and even to watch my friends learn how to play American football on a blessedly warm and sunny day in November. My favorite thing that I ever did at Olympiapark was Sommerfest last August. Jess and I went there one day by ourselves and just wandered through the midway and had “country fair” food by the lake. Then we returned with our friends a few nights later to enjoy an open air concert and a hot summer night at the aptly named, summer festival. Overall, Olympiapark is beautiful and it’s definitely going to be one of those things about Munich that I’ll miss. But that list could fill a thousand pages at this point. Sigh!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-niqNWbZqaN8/TeE8wZgm64I/AAAAAAAAB54/vtYf-u4lcu8/s1600-h/olympiapark%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="olympiapark" border="0" alt="olympiapark" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lTGRYQdW35g/TeE8x9k18VI/AAAAAAAAB58/iugpZwTTaQg/olympiapark_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Olympiapark</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cxytpp0Z8jA/TeE8zJcQLHI/AAAAAAAAB6A/SQKqQeLzOM8/s1600-h/sunset1%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="sunset1" border="0" alt="sunset1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0aqqxVoz0BU/TeE80BHDdVI/AAAAAAAAB6E/08d7louAVys/sunset1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Sunset off of Olympiaberg</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rMEC4Z-w6Eg/TeE8186n3MI/AAAAAAAAB6I/6csJk9B3wXc/s1600-h/footballolympia%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="footballolympia" border="0" alt="footballolympia" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-b6XhS72sRqI/TeE83dpQd3I/AAAAAAAAB6M/iK_oBntvs6Q/footballolympia_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Football lessons at Olympiapark</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lg4OWW43-TE/TeE84z_iZSI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/rbWpQLYYPzs/s1600-h/45392_524639641630_83900390_31055519_6680561_n%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="45392_524639641630_83900390_31055519_6680561_n" border="0" alt="45392_524639641630_83900390_31055519_6680561_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vVvklPKyamI/TeE86hyP6mI/AAAAAAAAB6U/1DZsDDL53aI/45392_524639641630_83900390_31055519_6680561_n_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Sommerfest by night</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1Rcl4PqFcZ0/TeE87pUvYiI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/m0YuN4XVHTs/s1600-h/tollwood%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="tollwood" border="0" alt="tollwood" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kXmanK8ZHlI/TeE885WkaNI/AAAAAAAAB6c/nIHRDAedTLA/tollwood_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Tollwood Summer Festival</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-61422273126116817162011-05-26T23:07:00.001+02:002011-05-28T16:27:31.202+02:0030 Days of Germany: Day 5 and 6 (May 25-26)–Sweet Treats and Naked People<p>Two days in one… yes. </p> <p>Yesterday my friend Anne and I had some <em>delicious</em> cupcakes that were absolutely delightful. In Germany, they don’t really <em>do</em> cupcakes on a widespread basis. In fact, I don’t even think they make frosting or use sugar in this country. Ha. Every cake that I’ve ever had is just… cake. So, needless to say, I was a happy girl with cupcake in hand. I had two – cookies and cream, with an <em>amazing</em> cream cheese frosting – and a vanilla cupcake with a freaking brown baked inside of the batter. Oh my God, it was like an orgasm in my mouth. Not literally. But you know… cupcake-sugar-deliciousness orgasm. *ahem*</p> <p>Also, while we enjoyed our cupcakes, naked Europeans joined the sun all around us. Yes, I see leathery saggy boobs and old man penises pretty much everyday. Welcome to Europe!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_E6FJT0wpJw/Td7Ayx5pjSI/AAAAAAAAB5A/wGtCgLXE26o/s1600-h/DSC00801%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00801" border="0" alt="DSC00801" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XsCygNvjSBw/Td7A07AAKdI/AAAAAAAAB5E/Iu_MZ0MJ4D0/DSC00801_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tmB7HogFr2w/Td7A2UgKqJI/AAAAAAAAB5I/8tPVoHpgQLM/s1600-h/DSC00810%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00810" border="0" alt="DSC00810" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z8MbEkF0zYk/Td7A4SiTnVI/AAAAAAAAB5M/-cWBe_TuMfM/DSC00810_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>This is me trying to make a cupcake-orgasm face. I don’t think this is what <br>my face really looks like during an org… eh, uh…. nevermind. <br>My dad reads this blog. *facepalm*</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1WNtwtj6GcA/Td7A6D8ahWI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/VNGcPHAsKzU/s1600-h/DSC00806%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="" border="0" alt="" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wSYmrT7pLfA/Td7A8hdG9jI/AAAAAAAAB5U/72UuUESWsus/DSC00806_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V_Q5W4EVoOU/Td7A-IMHpyI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/wet5OACPUts/s1600-h/DSC00806%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="" border="0" alt="" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HkFWYJ1dQfU/Td7A_lSXybI/AAAAAAAAB5c/2iuarXHA9Ww/DSC00806_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="597" height="371"></a>Cupcake and a naked lady. Win!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-w1CjpY2zIxY/Td7BAxtabGI/AAAAAAAAB5g/dfYDQiJc8TI/s1600-h/DSC00814%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00814" border="0" alt="DSC00814" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kO-Hk8CYF88/Td7BB-gT8bI/AAAAAAAAB5k/J0iZSPEZINs/DSC00814_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="520" height="189"></a>Nakeds!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-92090538036483521972011-05-24T21:20:00.001+02:002011-05-24T21:20:06.387+02:0030 Days of Germany: Day 4 (May 24th)–Four Seasons<p>This week I’ve been spending a lot of time outside in the yard with the girls because the weather has been gorgeous. Warm, even <em>hot</em> spring days, blue skies, long hazy nights. Of course, there is springtime in California but it’s not so dramatic since the seasons don’t really <em>change</em> where I live. They just kind of… blend together. And spring is beautiful <em>anywhere</em>, really, but I am definitely going to miss these spring days that I spent in Munich. And just a few months ago… it was winter. Cold, unapologetic winter. And before that – fall. (Oh God, now I sound like Rebecca Black! *facepalm*) Fall here in Munich was breathtaking – I don’t think I’ve ever been more in love with a city as I was with Munich during the fall. And, as usual, before fall was summer – crisp, balanced temperatures in August, hot, muggy days in July, endless amounts of rain in June. It transitioned into fall like clockwork and so on and so forth. You walked outside and just <em>knew</em> that the next season was upon you. It’s not like that in California. We have foggy season, rainy season, and sunshine season. Not necessarily in that order. I will miss the four seasons of Germany, <em>especially</em> at the end of summer and winter, when I’m longing for the colors of fall and the renewal of spring. I love that I was able to spend the <em>whole</em> year here, experiencing each season for myself and documenting it as I went.</p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEYS5m_OI/AAAAAAAAB4A/lZ1VjuJpW9M/s1600-h/35538_522432659440_83900390_30976011_2152574_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="35538_522432659440_83900390_30976011_2152574_n" border="0" alt="35538_522432659440_83900390_30976011_2152574_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEaliUlbI/AAAAAAAAB4E/ppol8xmjKYw/35538_522432659440_83900390_30976011_2152574_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>June 2010 – Rain!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEcZgT0mI/AAAAAAAAB4I/zzBRnoXsxjY/s1600-h/40625_524395880130_83900390_31047082_2711440_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="40625_524395880130_83900390_31047082_2711440_n" border="0" alt="40625_524395880130_83900390_31047082_2711440_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEd-xfmbI/AAAAAAAAB4M/GhALM2xuJLQ/40625_524395880130_83900390_31047082_2711440_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Mid-summer 2010: Sunshine!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEglvR8CI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/ioceyDAlGtc/s1600-h/36077_526591974140_83900390_31109556_7704201_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="36077_526591974140_83900390_31109556_7704201_n" border="0" alt="36077_526591974140_83900390_31109556_7704201_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEilBCP_I/AAAAAAAAB4U/z6JnEMgZwz0/36077_526591974140_83900390_31109556_7704201_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Fall 2010 </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwElsQOokI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/zoXWV-l8XHA/s1600-h/66022_527174631490_83900390_31120814_632586_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="66022_527174631490_83900390_31120814_632586_n" border="0" alt="66022_527174631490_83900390_31120814_632586_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEn8WbbCI/AAAAAAAAB4c/SV1h4AZmvUo/66022_527174631490_83900390_31120814_632586_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Fall 2010</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEqPIRvRI/AAAAAAAAB4g/qE_5Ue-jj58/s1600-h/149172_529018606150_83900390_31157648_3495942_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="149172_529018606150_83900390_31157648_3495942_n" border="0" alt="149172_529018606150_83900390_31157648_3495942_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwErynxA-I/AAAAAAAAB4k/YMMiBY2KStc/149172_529018606150_83900390_31157648_3495942_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Winter 2010 – I swear I did not use black and white settings for this shot. Haha.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEuaxeAnI/AAAAAAAAB4o/jI6wCTRnSp8/s1600-h/72065_530238805860_83900390_31181704_3245172_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="72065_530238805860_83900390_31181704_3245172_n" border="0" alt="72065_530238805860_83900390_31181704_3245172_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEwuddD3I/AAAAAAAAB4s/lKzgnPx6cf0/72065_530238805860_83900390_31181704_3245172_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Winter 2010</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwEyv0-GYI/AAAAAAAAB4w/rFsNo-zAxE4/s1600-h/217664_539595135700_83900390_31278773_5832285_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="217664_539595135700_83900390_31278773_5832285_n" border="0" alt="217664_539595135700_83900390_31278773_5832285_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwE0NLc9II/AAAAAAAAB40/aLblOtdAw2I/217664_539595135700_83900390_31278773_5832285_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Spring 2011</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwE3CVJRwI/AAAAAAAAB44/DnPeSkVknYc/s1600-h/DSC00312%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00312" border="0" alt="DSC00312" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdwE5bwJC0I/AAAAAAAAB48/hC9LgaoBSMM/DSC00312_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Spring 2011</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-18726172257366494562011-05-23T22:10:00.001+02:002011-05-23T22:11:04.569+02:0030 Days of Germany: Day 3 (May 23… kind of) Bavarian Food<p>Since I didn’t go anywhere important today, I thought I’d feature something different from the day before – Bavarian food! Ever since I had my first traditional Bavarian meal, I’ve been in love. It’s delicious – and they love meat and potatoes and salt and all of the things that go straight to your ass. I’m partial to the pork and <em>kartoffel</em> so when we sat down for dinner yesterday, I read my way through the menu until I found something worthy. <strong>Scwhweinbraten. </strong>It is a Bavarian pork roast, basically, and it is <strong><em>delicious</em></strong>. When the waitress set my plate down in front of me, I couldn’t stop salivating. It tasted even better than it looked. The dish came with <em>Kartoffelklöße</em>, potato dumplins, and also, <em>wirsing</em>, which was some kind of vegetable, cabbage puree. It, too, was delicious, despite the fact that it looked like spit up baby food. Ha. Around the table there was <em>spargel </em>(white asparagus), saurkraut, saurbraten (another type of pork roast), and <em>spargelsuppe </em>(asparagus soup). We feasted like true Bavarians and enjoyed every single bite. It was delicious. One of the first things that I will do when I get back to California is locate some German/Bavarian restaurants close to home. It is a must at this point! Either that or <a href="http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/expat-life/schweinebraten-an-authentic-bavarian-pork-roast/" target="_blank">I’m going to have get some recipes and make it all myself!</a></p> <p>Also, I stole some of <a href="http://wirrnis.wordpress.com">Eric</a>’s food porn pictures for this post! Danke, darling!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq-6vMsxeI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/tV1DWjIlilo/s1600-h/DSC00728%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00728" border="0" alt="DSC00728" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq-8wZqA7I/AAAAAAAAB3c/ONa4Kf-X3Ng/DSC00728_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq--ak4yGI/AAAAAAAAB3g/LYomYj2A-B0/s1600-h/250243_10150182722730981_733545980_7337947_8066936_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="250243_10150182722730981_733545980_7337947_8066936_n" border="0" alt="250243_10150182722730981_733545980_7337947_8066936_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq-_hXtB9I/AAAAAAAAB3k/LuvkM5s4v-k/250243_10150182722730981_733545980_7337947_8066936_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="367"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_BAE-l0I/AAAAAAAAB3o/ew3Z0Kw9pb8/s1600-h/249679_10150182722750981_733545980_7337948_4038477_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="249679_10150182722750981_733545980_7337948_4038477_n" border="0" alt="249679_10150182722750981_733545980_7337948_4038477_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_CNRblHI/AAAAAAAAB3s/2OYTCh6-D9c/249679_10150182722750981_733545980_7337948_4038477_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="367"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_D0toJpI/AAAAAAAAB3w/mBemqEddmj0/s1600-h/249067_10150182722985981_733545980_7337954_7921357_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="249067_10150182722985981_733545980_7337954_7921357_n" border="0" alt="249067_10150182722985981_733545980_7337954_7921357_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_FeU2sbI/AAAAAAAAB30/vMxc4IYIqls/249067_10150182722985981_733545980_7337954_7921357_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="367"></a>I took this one! </p> <p align="left">And how could I forget – because a meal in Bavaria isn’t complete without a pint of beer – the <em>rauschbier</em>? This beer is a particular blend for the city of Bamberg and it’s very interesting. It has a smoky, meaty flavor to it and is very rich. We got a round across the table and while most of us finished them off, some of us just couldn’t get through it. Simon had three glasses while Sara passed hers up entirely and I gave the rest of mine to Dieter. It’s definitely an interesting taste but I’m glad that I tried it anyway!</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_Gr7vqfI/AAAAAAAAB34/sGmP0VfaS7Q/s1600-h/DSC00727%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00727" border="0" alt="DSC00727" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq_ITpoppI/AAAAAAAAB38/_IZ03nDaKNI/DSC00727_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="503"></a></p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-63420102329417774362011-05-23T21:47:00.001+02:002011-05-23T21:51:51.296+02:0030 Days of Germany: Day 2 (May 22nd)–Bamberg, Germany<p>This past weekend my friends and I took a Sunday day trip to Bamberg, Germany. There wasn’t any significant reason as to why we chose that particular city – we just wanted to go somewhere in Bavaria that we hadn’t been before. So, for my second day, I’m going to feature some pictures and travel adventures from our trip to Bamberg. </p> <p>We met at Hauptbahnhof at 9 am on Sunday morning and the twelve of us split up three <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/wiki/Bayern_ticket" target="_blank">Bayern tickets</a>. The traveling menagerie – me, <a href="http://wirrnis.wordpress.com">Eric</a>, <a href="http://nunolaranja.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Nuno</a>, Ana, Dieter, Sara, Anne, Simon, Kiira, Elisa, Florian, and Kaja. Our train left Munich around 10 am so we bought some snacks and beer and we settled in for the three hour train ride to Bamberg. I <strong><em>love</em></strong> train rides – especially when I’m with my friends – so the fact that we had to sit on the train for such a long time was not a big deal to me <em>at all</em>. We listened to each other’s iPods (Backstreet Boys serenades!), played games (between two different iPads, Ana’s phone, and my iPod), drank beer, laughed, talked, gossiped. When we reached Nuremberg, we had to switch to an SBahn and take another hour long train ride into Bamberg. By the time we got on the SBahn, it was already 12:30 and it was <strong>HOT</strong>. We spent the next 45 minutes on the suburban train sweating and drinking even more beer to beat the heat. But, it was worth it when we got to Bamberg and stumbled off the train – half of us drunk and smiling, having just thoroughly enjoyed our long journey. We ambushed the McDonald’s bathroom and Florian let me sneak into the men’s rest room on his receipt code. Win! Then we journeyed out into the city with no real direction or travel intentions – just a desire to wander around and find stuff that was interesting.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5V8EpHzI/AAAAAAAAB2A/E1SpkHRzfbY/s1600-h/DSC00509%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00509" border="0" alt="DSC00509" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5XmOdhCI/AAAAAAAAB2E/hMcCF7BltNg/DSC00509_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Anne and I with our Helles on the train! It’s not a Bavarian train ride without ‘em!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5ZrHSswI/AAAAAAAAB2I/_yPixff1JOc/s1600-h/DSC00545%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00545" border="0" alt="DSC00545" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5a--HWVI/AAAAAAAAB2M/72_lhy2PWMM/DSC00545_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Our trash can on the SBahn. Party machen!</p> <p align="left">The city of Bamberg was quaint and absolutely beautiful. It rained for the first hour or so that we were there but that didn’t stop us from enjoying it. I think the gray skies gave the city a bit of a menacing charm – and I got to dance in the rain. No big deal! It’s just water! We wandered from church to church – one of which was located on top of this massive hill with <em>breathtaking</em> views of the city. We took pictures on the numerous bridges that we crossed – Bamberg has the reputation of being called Germany’s Venice, for the rivers and bridges and buildings located on the riverbanks. After the rain and after we emerged from two hours worth of dinner, beer, and good company in a traditional Bamberg restaurant, the city was ridiculously beautiful and we got some great pictures.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5ciz_d4I/AAAAAAAAB2Q/z27XW6gp4Pg/s1600-h/DSC00572%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00572" border="0" alt="DSC00572" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5d_1LjeI/AAAAAAAAB2U/9AQmuLTU6EE/DSC00572_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5fe2kUcI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/ywHOVYgrQMo/s1600-h/DSC00577%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00577" border="0" alt="DSC00577" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5hSz5nsI/AAAAAAAAB2c/7Kizo4iXzYY/DSC00577_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5inf3tWI/AAAAAAAAB2g/2mDeVWkkr8s/s1600-h/DSC00597%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00597" border="0" alt="DSC00597" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5kcBI41I/AAAAAAAAB2k/k6CIWcNoyOc/DSC00597_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Lighting candles in the church – thinking of my ma!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5l3TIXuI/AAAAAAAAB2o/SPyZWcZ3eF8/s1600-h/DSC00625%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00625" border="0" alt="DSC00625" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5nQ-6vxI/AAAAAAAAB2s/Vg6otOYLs-E/DSC00625_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5qnCPfOI/AAAAAAAAB2w/VOpswP8RIiA/s1600-h/DSC00711%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00711" border="0" alt="DSC00711" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5s1fbjtI/AAAAAAAAB20/5PhfwNjzeho/DSC00711_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5uMWha5I/AAAAAAAAB24/hj0PAldr86U/s1600-h/DSC00715%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00715" border="0" alt="DSC00715" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5v_We4RI/AAAAAAAAB28/ZJIytT-7YRk/DSC00715_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq5yff4XNI/AAAAAAAAB3A/jeriJIHJYJ8/s1600-h/DSC00722%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00722" border="0" alt="DSC00722" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq50PGwgoI/AAAAAAAAB3E/G1QBgocdONI/DSC00722_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="462"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq52ItbcCI/AAAAAAAAB3I/NKhcgYPZRcI/s1600-h/DSC00726%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00726" border="0" alt="DSC00726" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq537A2PaI/AAAAAAAAB3M/Ka7xOAAO650/DSC00726_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The whole traveling group (from left to right) – Florian, Elisa, Kaja, Sara, me, Anne, Simon (we made him crouch down! ha), Ana, Nuno, Eric, Dieter, and Kiira</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq551A-RcI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/M9cTLBOAiEE/s1600-h/DSC00732%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00732" border="0" alt="DSC00732" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tdq57nJDz2I/AAAAAAAAB3U/WYo72NGjg4w/DSC00732_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>We made our way back to the train station just in time to catch a 7:15 train back to Nuremberg. We loaded up on snacks and beer (seriously, we were drinking ALL DAY) and jumped on the train that would take us to our connection train in the next city. We were all so tired but we drank right through it and as the train traveled on – we got sillier, louder, and more ridiculous. I’m sure that anyone who was on the train with us didn’t want to be and by the time we got to Nuremberg, we had more stores and more beer to buy. So for the last three hour train ride that would take us to Munich, most of us managed two to three beers each, and we even got away with playing a deliciously entertaining drinking game that involves whispering predictions of who’s most likely to do what and a lot of irony, laughter, and extreme entertainment. We made it back to Munich at 11:30 and while everyone else decided to go home, Anne and I thought it would be fun to keep the night going and we ended up at our favorite cluster of hostel bars. It turned out to be an epic fail as Anne had her money stolen and I had to borrow 10 EUR from a hotel desk clerk near my house because I didn’t have enough change to pay my taxi driver. Epic fail, lesson learned. But, in the end, it was a travel day success. This trip was one of the best that I’ve taken since living in Germany and is almost up there at the top with our 22-hour adventure to Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein castle in August. With only 27 days left in Munich, it is the days like this that I will hold on to and hope for as my time in Munich continues to dwindle down. I will never forget these days and I consider myself extremely blessed to be able to share them with the people that have made my experience in Munich so much better. Next time, road trip to Berlin! Woo!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-39905730424870667282011-05-21T21:13:00.001+02:002011-05-21T21:13:36.909+02:0030 Days of Germany – Day 1: The English Garden in the Spring<p>I’ve said it before on here and I’m fairly certain that I proclaim every time that we gather there but I <strong><em>love</em></strong> Munich’s <a href="http://diaryofanamericanaupair.blogspot.com/2011/01/englischer-gartens-blog-spotlight-and.html" target="_blank">English Garden</a>. It is my favorite place in the city. I’m heart broken to leave it behind (I do live on the beach though so it’s a fair trade) and I will miss it greatly. In every season, the EG has been faithful to me and it always provides. I’m <em>always </em>taking pictures, of everything, and there’s always something to do – whether it’s ride my bike along the trails, go for a walk, or just lay out in the sun. Right now, in the middle of spring, the EG is giving me every reason to be sad that I am leaving Germany in a month. With all of this wonderful, sunny weather that we’ve been having, my friends and I have been able to meet up at the EG at least once a week and just lay out in the sun and do a whole lot of nothing. It’s incredibly relaxing and I’m working a pretty sweet tan. I hope to come back to the EG again someday in the future. Hopefully sooner than later.</p> <p align="center"><strong> Day 1: May 21<br></strong><em>Englischer Garten</em></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdgOyKn9-bI/AAAAAAAAB1w/rgXk1TDjI30/s1600-h/DSC00474%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00474" border="0" alt="DSC00474" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdgOzzWcO5I/AAAAAAAAB10/WZ40JWDOLf4/DSC00474_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdgO2TyK9nI/AAAAAAAAB14/v0UQxjAjEoU/s1600-h/DSC00475%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00475" border="0" alt="DSC00475" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdgO3_m36bI/AAAAAAAAB18/-7YPPkEMbyA/DSC00475_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><em>Since I am leaving Germany in one month, I thought I’d start a little meme of my own - 30 days of Germany. Each day I will take a picture of something here in Germany that I love or experience and blog about it here. This is my way of saying a proper good-bye to my far-away home. </em></p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-54877180536373104702011-05-20T14:20:00.001+02:002011-05-20T14:21:42.960+02:0030 Days<p>Today is May 20th. I leave Germany in exactly one month. That’s <strong>30</strong> days, <strong>20</strong> hours, <strong>19</strong> minutes, and <strong>32</strong> seconds until my flight takes off from Frank Joseph Strauss on Monday, 20 June 2011 at 10:30ish in the morning. I have been in Munich for 11 months – <em><strong>339 days</strong></em> – and since then my entire life has been changed. I don’t know how to put it into words what this experience has done to change me but I just <strong><em>feel</em></strong> it. I’ve learned so much about myself since I first arrived here. I’m going home next month, an entirely different person than when I first left. At the core of me, I am essentially the same but all at once, I am entirely different. How can I go back to my old life and live again after experiencing something like this? It feels as if there is nothing else other than Munich yet I know that is not true. This is just what my life is right now and I love it. I love my life <em>right now </em>more than I’ve ever loved it before. I hope that love and appreciation stays with me as I travel home. I can’t wait to share this experience with everyone back home but, at the same time, I’m going to ache for it with every story that I tell. </p> <p>Oh geez. I can do this. 30 days to enjoy the last of this experience. 30 <strike>wonderful</strike> wunderbar days!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-46907245904193800002011-05-17T09:34:00.001+02:002011-05-17T09:41:02.778+02:0052 Things Challenge: #17 and #18 (and Honorable Mentions: #11, #19, #28, #30, #36, and #39)<p>I’ve failed at finishing this “52 Things in Munich” bucket list recently and so I need to catch up! I even completed a few of them <em>months </em>ago and never posted the evidence. So… this is my attempt at keeping up with myself!</p> <p align="center"><strong># 17: Wash your wallet in the Fish Fountain at Marienplatz.</strong></p> <p align="left">This is, technically, a tradition for Ash Wednesday following Fasching – you are supposed to wash your wallet in the fountain for good fortune. However, Fio and I did it in February (not March) when it was freezing cold and still snowing outside. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkel636jI/AAAAAAAAB0o/OWaR5cuxfpw/s1600-h/DSCN4448%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCN4448" border="0" alt="DSCN4448" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkgMFswDI/AAAAAAAAB0s/I1Yz-7q9t3Y/DSCN4448_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><strong>#18: Have espresso at Café Tambosi.</strong></p> <p align="left">Café Tambosi is one of my favorite little café’s in Munich – not because I eat there (I never have!) – but because of it’s location. It’s located in Odeonsplatz and is nestled between the main square and the Hofgarten which neighbors Munich’s historical Residenz. On the street side, Tambosi has great out door seating, which faces Odeonsplatz and the Theatinerkirche across the plaza. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkheI-yrI/AAAAAAAAB0w/Ee-uKVAFoFU/s1600-h/Caf%C3%A9-Tambosi---Munich-Blau-Architektur-510x510%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Café-Tambosi---Munich-Blau-Architektur-510x510" border="0" alt="Café-Tambosi---Munich-Blau-Architektur-510x510" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkiR3v8cI/AAAAAAAAB00/Lhu4mn1MbyM/Caf%C3%A9-Tambosi---Munich-Blau-Architektur-510x510_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="370" height="253"></a>[<a href="http://view.stern.de/de/picture/1197614/Caf%E9-Tambosi---Munich-Blau-Architektur-510x510.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>]</p> <p align="left">The back side of Café Tambosi, however, is my favorite part of this quaint little café. In the spring and summer, the outdoor seating of Tambosi is located under a canopy of trees and shade and is neighbored by gorgeous fountains and the beautiful Hofgarten to the right. Apparently, Café Tambosi is famous for it’s delicious espresso and since it was on the list, Fio and I decided to try it. I don’t really like espresso (or coffee for that matter) so I wasn’t <em>that</em> impressed but it was nice to finally sit inside and see what the hype was about. Hopefully I can try the food and other drinks before I leave!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkjnaz6II/AAAAAAAAB04/3IeXbmMdths/s1600-h/DSCN4450%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCN4450" border="0" alt="DSCN4450" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkkuwYlNI/AAAAAAAAB08/UOwBcYKjzwA/DSCN4450_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="312" height="410"></a>Fio and her espresso<br><br><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkmtO_O5I/AAAAAAAAB1A/m1UyWuUkEcY/s1600-h/DSCN4451%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCN4451" border="0" alt="DSCN4451" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkoQnqjvI/AAAAAAAAB1E/BXHWe6Ul720/DSCN4451_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Nevermind my stupid hair or my unimpressed expression. lol</p> <p align="left">Now for some <strong>Honorable Mentions….</strong></p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="left"><strong>#11: Wash your own Maßkrug</strong>. Which is German for “a really big stein.” You know… the liters of beer that I’m so used to drinking now. Well, sometimes, you have to wash them yourself. I did this when I went to the Hirschgarten biergarten with my American friends Lauren and Mikell for a 4th of July picnic. You don’t have to do it <em>everywhere</em> but it was kind of cool to be responsible for yourself. I liked it! Also, Helen stole for me a Maßkrug once before and I wash it in the dish washer all the time. So, technically, I was my own Maßkrug quite often!</p> <p align="left"><strong>#19: Stroll through the Viktualienmarkt early in the morning</strong>. I’ve done this twice, I think. Last summer, on two different occaisions, I stayed over at my friends apartment because he lived close to the city center and I often missed my train late at night. He was always generous enough to offer me a place to sleep until the trains started running again. Often, in these cases, I would get up and leave early in the morning to catch the morning train and in order to get to the train station, I had to stroll through Viktualienmarkt and at least once, I did this at 5 o’clock in the morning. It was <em>beautiful</em> and so serene. All of the vendors were just opening up their <em>standls</em> and the city was still quiet and absent of crowds.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkqKXnIkI/AAAAAAAAB1I/RgSyX8eEyyk/s1600-h/viktualienmarkt%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="viktualienmarkt" border="0" alt="viktualienmarkt" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkrJ-DSMI/AAAAAAAAB1M/m93uwXNOjcw/viktualienmarkt_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="370" height="254"></a>[<a href="http://blog.otel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/viktualienmarkt.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>]</p> <p align="left"><strong>#28: Tell someone off for standing on the wrong side on the escalator. </strong>I haven’t <em>really </em>done this – at least not to a stranger. But whenever someone comes to visit me who is new to Munich, you better believe that I give them a hard time about it. Haha. The left side is for passing only.</p> <p align="left"><strong>#30: Get a headache and blame the “<em>Föhn.</em>” </strong>I’m doing this right now actually. I’ve had a head ache for the last two days and since I can’t think of any other explanation (allergies? sinuses? <strike>stress?</strike> lack of sleep?), I’m just going to blame it on the <em>Föhn. </em></p> <blockquote> <p align="left"><em><a href="http://www.destination-munich.com/52-ways-page-2.html" target="_blank">When a Munich local gets a headache, it’s more often than not the Föhn that takes the blame. This is a hot wind blows up over the Alps from Italy and known for producing clear skies and cranky moods.</a></em></p></blockquote> <p align="left"><em> </em><strong>#36: Dance at the Kockerlball. </strong>I didn’t do this… but <a href="http://sweetsprinkledsunshine.blogspot.com/">Jessica</a> did! And since she is the one who first gave me this list and suggested I knock it out, I figured it was only right that I mention her here. She went with our friend Elli, <em>really</em> early in the morning (it’s tradition for it to start as early as 5 am!) and enjoyed good beer and good German culture at the <a href="http://www.toytowngermany.com/wiki/Kocherlball#" target="_blank">Kockerlball</a> at the Chinese Tower this past summer.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIktk0zEBI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/biJLkow71b4/s1600-h/38230_1423689065336_1026000062_31053708_5563700_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="38230_1423689065336_1026000062_31053708_5563700_n" border="0" alt="38230_1423689065336_1026000062_31053708_5563700_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkvtWvTBI/AAAAAAAAB1U/t3NdQmzz_-Q/38230_1423689065336_1026000062_31053708_5563700_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Elli and Jess with a traditional Bavarian man at Kockerlball</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIkyECVmVI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/i8HfXpJZsHw/s1600-h/38230_1423689105337_1026000062_31053709_5863193_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="38230_1423689105337_1026000062_31053709_5863193_n" border="0" alt="38230_1423689105337_1026000062_31053709_5863193_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIk0KdgKBI/AAAAAAAAB1c/F0N6xPvsy5Y/38230_1423689105337_1026000062_31053709_5863193_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Thanks, Jess for letting me steal your pictures (unknowingly, too! Ha!)</p> <p align="left"><strong>#39: Count the steps of the “Alte Peter.” </strong>I haven’t <em>officially</em> counted the amount of steps that take you to the top of Alte Peter in Marienplatz but I’ve climbed them three times now. There are over 300 steps. So, techinically, I’ve “counted/climbed” more than 900 steps throughout all of my journeys to the top of the <em>kirche</em>. <strong>AND</strong> I’ve climbed to the top of the Dom in Cologne which is 500 something steps. Winning!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIk1W6E5OI/AAAAAAAAB1g/mq5K-5aRUP4/s1600-h/167089_530805619960_83900390_31196465_6320769_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="167089_530805619960_83900390_31196465_6320769_n" border="0" alt="167089_530805619960_83900390_31196465_6320769_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIk2sFod8I/AAAAAAAAB1k/JJv0mE5ZEJI/167089_530805619960_83900390_31196465_6320769_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>My favorite view from the top of Alte Peter</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIk4k4krYI/AAAAAAAAB1o/Rue12Vl8TkM/s1600-h/34531_523082941270_83900390_31001141_5652178_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="34531_523082941270_83900390_31001141_5652178_n" border="0" alt="34531_523082941270_83900390_31001141_5652178_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdIk6SBfTSI/AAAAAAAAB1s/ITY79bVtbPQ/34531_523082941270_83900390_31001141_5652178_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>It’s always nice to be up there on a beautiful, clear day!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-45941135114661391492011-05-16T12:02:00.001+02:002011-05-16T12:02:58.046+02:00A Final Weekend at Fruhlingsfest, Late Nights, Impending Endings, Employment Prospects, and the Joy of Being an Au Pair<p>This past weekend I went for a second round at Fruhlingsfest and I had so much fun. Beer festivals are one of the things that I will miss the most about Munich. And there are a lot of things that I will miss but beer festivals are definitely up there at the top of the list. I like it much better than Oktoberfest because there are less people and more available tables, faster service, etc etc. We had a table right up front, center stage to the band that played all night long. We danced and sang along and had a merry time, right up until they closed and kicked us all out. And I practiced great self control. It was my pay day and I only bought two beers. Instead of five like I did the previous weekend. After the festival, a few of us braved the rain and decided to go clubbing. We ended up at Cord, a club that plays some great indie music and even though I paid 6 EUR for the cover, I only stayed about an hour or so before I left to catch the last train home. I was ridiculously tired from all of the dancing that I had been doing that day. I made it home by 2:30, soaking wet and cold, took a long, late night bath, and then went to bed close to 4 am. The night before that, I'd stayed up until about the same time, drunk off of Friday the 13th festivities and two or so bottles of wine. Last night, on Sunday, I stayed out with friends at a shisha bar until 2 a.m. I definitely need to make this week one of early nights and catch up a bit. I'm starting to feel ill from only sleeping 4 to 5 hours every night. Personal challenge accepted! Unless I have plans (aka Shamrock's karaoke) I will be in bed at 10:30 and lights out by 11 most nights this week. Haha. We'll see how well this goes!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD18SixbCI/AAAAAAAABzo/qgHFl1IR6qc/s1600-h/DSC00170%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00170" border="0" alt="DSC00170" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD1-NgPNJI/AAAAAAAABzs/99FWSAA6lJc/DSC00170_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p>Happy German girl at the festival!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2ACYNBYI/AAAAAAAABzw/6dt4xd_pz0w/s1600-h/DSC00161%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00161" border="0" alt="DSC00161" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2B5PTEiI/AAAAAAAABz0/RvKMieydXYU/DSC00161_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>They had these lit up while they played “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2DSuxW_I/AAAAAAAABz4/X3KD1Vo_uis/s1600-h/DSC00182%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00182" border="0" alt="DSC00182" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2EgnRDnI/AAAAAAAABz8/xFGS-SM8Syw/DSC00182_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Full Monty show on the Augustiner stage!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2F06kV-I/AAAAAAAAB0A/dA9MXjAFTHU/s1600-h/DSC00234%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00234" border="0" alt="DSC00234" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2HZ2bl5I/AAAAAAAAB0E/Ji6btWuz8fg/DSC00234_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Q62, Shisha bar!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2IwbKH8I/AAAAAAAAB0I/GvCMAcER2nc/s1600-h/225165_10150252629534416_600209415_8869970_561622_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="225165_10150252629534416_600209415_8869970_561622_n" border="0" alt="225165_10150252629534416_600209415_8869970_561622_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2KRxJMlI/AAAAAAAAB0M/ilZt3Dvwb04/225165_10150252629534416_600209415_8869970_561622_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Paul taught me this trick and Cris tagged me in this photo. Thanks Cris!</p> <p>Yesterday (the 15th) was the one-month mark to the end of my au pair contract. On June 15th, I am officially done being an au pair and I will be set free for five final says in Munich, unemployed and with approximately 225 EUR in hand. My friends and I have planned an epic going away slash birthday party for a collective few of us and that happens two days before I board my plane back to California. It will be a great party and I'll probably have a few drunken cries through most of it. I don't have a lot of pocket money (thanks Rome!) for the remainder of my time here so I'm limited in what I can do for the rest of my time here but I'm hoping to go to Berlin in June to visit my friend Alison and then she'll come to Munich and visit me here. It'll be good to see her before I leave, too, since she's become my best friend from the days working as a camp counselor. I have a lot of things to organize, too, as far as packing is concerned. I want to get rid of a lot of it - so many of my clothes got ruined by the damn washer and dryer and the shitty hard water in Germany so I'm going to throw most of them away. It still feels like I'll never get it all home again. Ah! I can't believe I have to leave this place... it feels impossible. It reminds me of the quote from Eat, Pray, Love:</p> <p align="center"><strong><em>“The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; <br>the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.” </em></strong></p> <p align="left">I want to go home – God, do I want that. I miss my mom and I want to meet the dog that she bought to fill the void in her heart after I left. I don’t want to live with this family anymore – or any family, for that matter. I want to spent five hours in Target. I want to take peoples of people in Wal-Mart. I want to buy crossaints and muffins and pizza at Costco. I want to go to all my favorite college bars with my friends from home. I want to lay on the beach for eight hour straight. I want to see my nephews and my sister, Christy. I want to visit my family in Montana. I want to sit down and tell my grandma all about my year abroad. I want to drive around in my car for hours and hours and turn the music up really loud and roll all the windows down. I want to get my hair cut and colored and get a manicure and pedicure and have my eyebrows waxed. I want to have a wallet full of American bills and I want to pay tax again and use my debit card everywhere I go. I want to be a California girl again.</p> <p align="left">But I want to be a German girl, too. I want to stay in Munich. I want everyone that I love in Munich to stay here too. I want to sit at a shisha bar for six hours and laugh and gossip and take pictures. I want to go to beer festivals every season and dance to music that I can’t understand but love anyway. I want to spend every sunny Saturday in the English Gardens drinking beer and catching a Frisbee and singing along to Florian’s ukulele. I want to sing karaoke at Shamrock’s every Tuesday night. I want to eat Bavarian food and have sausages and leberkase available to me on every corner. I want to buy Bayern tickets and take trains to random German towns all over Bavaria. I want to drink Augustiner every day. I want to be German forever.</p> <p align="left">I’m completely torn between the two places. In the end, I am going home, that is just the way that it is and I am okay with that. but I am going to miss Munich <strong><em>so much</em></strong>. Not only will I miss all of the wonderful friends that I’ve made here but I’m going to miss the city and the culture, the food, the memories that I had while I was living here. Hell, I might even miss the kids. Haha. It’s all coming to end so much faster than I would like. I am going to be so sad to leave here. It really does feel impossible. </p> <p align="left">But, the good news is that I have a job lined up at home that I am 98% decided upon. Between the eight families that have contacted me about working for them, only two of them have really done any follow through. I’ve been discussing offers and options, back and forth, between both of them and I think that I am decided on the one that I want. They’ve offered me the better package and the most information concerning schedules, salaries, benefits, expectations, etc, etc. Plus, the one that I want is more reasonable as far as finances are concerned and it gives me more room to rebuild my life and get back on my feet. Also, it would mean that I would be living with my mom in Morro Bay and that I wouldn’t be going back to Monterey. I’ve been thinking about living there and in the end it’s more practical for me to live with my mom for the next phase of my life and then I can work towards moving back to Monterey with better financial results. Anyway, the job is great and if I decide to take it, I’ll give more details about it but for now, we’ll just leave it in a state of indecision. I should know by the end of the week what choice I will make once they give me official offers or employment that I can either turn down or accept. I will let you know, dear readers!</p> <p align="left">Speaking of being a nanny (or something of the sort), I had a lot of fun with the girls this past Friday while I was babysitting. We went to a playground after they came home from school and we played in the sunshine and put flowers in our hair. I’ve been teaching myself how to braid so I invented this whole new hairstyle on the spot and the girls each ended up with a super cool head of hair. Au pair Hezzah for the win!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2Ls2L8NI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/tmkJALJzCBM/s1600-h/DSC00052%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00052" border="0" alt="DSC00052" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2NLqoAII/AAAAAAAAB0U/CDcIV1MM1P8/DSC00052_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>My little cuties</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2O5wryqI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/uT7zExzgcyw/s1600-h/DSC00114%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00114" border="0" alt="DSC00114" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2RLyZ80I/AAAAAAAAB0c/tJT9Jmg4hCY/DSC00114_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2SdkJiNI/AAAAAAAAB0g/cU1kNDK1T0c/s1600-h/DSC00132%20%282%29%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00132 (2)" border="0" alt="DSC00132 (2)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TdD2UCYLm4I/AAAAAAAAB0k/SI5VbBzEH-c/DSC00132%20%282%29_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-4359517374786340642011-05-13T21:18:00.001+02:002011-05-13T21:18:51.715+02:00Super Nanny At Your Service<p>(Since Blogger has been acting like a freak for the last day or so and deleted this post, I am putting it up again. Danke.)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcw84yNlINI/AAAAAAAABzg/J4RQUbYhzN0/s1600-h/HEATHERnanny%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Image converted using ifftoany" border="0" alt="Image converted using ifftoany" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcw852-EDcI/AAAAAAAABzk/MP-sOQvuUYM/HEATHERnanny_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="524" height="288"></a></p> <p>I have been a nanny/babysitter/au-pair/what-have-you for ten years now. Since I was 14, people have been paying me to take care of their children. And, if you ask any of them, I do a damn good job. I have ten year olds that want to be my friend on Facebook because they list me in their Top 5 best friends. I have nine year olds who beg their parents to take me on their family vacations just because they will miss me too much when they’re gone. It’s a rough life, really. But somebody has to do it. And it might as well be me.</p> <p>Some people think I’m crazy for wanting to go into yet another nanny position after the year that I’ve spent with the Frau and her two delightful children (okay, they really <em>are</em> cute some of the time!). And with a college degree and with my credentials, shouldn’t I want to have a <em>career</em>? Yeah, probably. And someday, I’ll do that. First, I want to go back to school and get even <em>more</em> credentials and make myself even more desirable and educated. But, while I’m making that plan, I’m going to keep nannying. And you know why? Because I like to do it, I love working with kids, and it’s really good money with great personal reward. So, with that being said, as I began job hunting for employment in California over the last few weeks, you better believe that I put out some nanny ads between my hometown, Morro Bay, and my dream-town, Monterey. </p> <p>And <em>damn</em>, I’ve never had so many hits! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, <strong><em>eight</em></strong> families have emailed me over the last week and a half, admitting their interest. I have sent my resume to all seven of them and have done extensive follow through with three. Two years ago when I was playing this same game, back when I was still in college and had never worked abroad, and was working solely off of local care experience, I got about two hits – one of which I ended up taking (out of reluctance at first, because of salary, but it ended up being the most heart-rewarding nanny job I’ve had thus far). A degree in education and a year abroad have definitely improved my standing as a potential nanny and I feel that I have the right credentials and experiences to be a big game player in the competitive nanny race that seems to grip central coast California. That makes me feel good because I have earned that standing. </p> <p>I am very excited to have a job already set up when I return home. I didn’t want to have to deal with jet lag, visiting friends and family, reverse culture shock, possible depression (I will miss Munich <strong>so </strong>much!), and lack of money all while I was <em>also </em>searching for a job. It takes a huge load off of my shoulders to know that I am on that path and that my transition back into my California life will not be as stressful as I’d first thought it might be. You may not agree with me when I say that I <strong><em>am</em></strong> using my degree and my education when I work as a nanny but, trust me, I am. When you’ve studied child development as thoroughly as I have, parents like that and they want you for that reason. And I get <em>real world</em> practice and observation of the things that I studied. Therefore, I don’t feel like my working as a nanny for a few more years is a waste of my time or my degree. </p> <p>It’s fulfilling and it’s what I want to do, it’s where my heart is when I think of work. It’s the most rewarding thing that I could do for myself and for a family in need. So, here’s to the final weeks of my job search, I hope it ends as well as it has begun!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-25081332390855789652011-05-11T16:36:00.001+02:002011-05-11T16:36:56.539+02:00An Ode to the Englischer Garten, German Churches, Good Friends, and the Eventual End of an Epic Adventure<p>It’s hard to believe that winter ever existed here in Munich. I’ve almost forgotten what it was like to brave the cold, snowy weather for nearly four months time. The weather, since early April, has been absolutely beautiful. It’s been warm, sometimes even <em>hot</em>, and the skies have been an endless blue. There have been a few rainy days but not many and even then, they are accompanied by thunderstorms and how can I complain about that? I <em>love</em> thunderstorms. One thing about spring that I don’t like – <strong>hay fever</strong>. Boo to sneezing and itchy, red eyes!</p> <p>With this glorious weather, I’ve been able to spend a lot of time in the English Gardens, too, which, <a href="http://diaryofanamericanaupair.blogspot.com/2011/01/englischer-gartens-blog-spotlight-and.html" target="_blank">if you will remember</a>, is my favorite place in Munich. I’ll find any and every excuse to ride my bike through there and lucky for me, I’ve had a lot of them lately because I couldn’t afford to buy a train ticket for May. So I’ve been riding my bike everywhere and I usually will use the EG as a peaceful passage between home and the city center. This, of course, is wonderful because of all of the beautiful trees and pathways and things to look at. I am still in awe of this park – I love it so much. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcqe5Ro2UhI/AAAAAAAABzI/UqEPbTd6rMo/s1600-h/DSC09867%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09867" border="0" alt="DSC09867" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcqe7voYy4I/AAAAAAAABzM/_q-AHhjVLhw/DSC09867_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>I wish I could live here forever.</p> <p align="left">I’ve also been spending a lot of time with my friends at the EG, too. We’ll meet up on sunny Saturdays or even during the week if we’re available and we just lay out in the sun with books, guitars, beer, what have you. Sometimes I just take a book and go lay out by myself in the north end of the Gardens near my house. It’s ridiculously quiet and unpopulated and it kind of makes you feel small and insignificant in a really fantastic kind of way. I love it. Another thing that recently made me feel small and insignificant but with a grand gesture – the church at Ludwig Maximillian University. It was <em>stunning</em>. I hadn’t been into a church in Munich since the winter so it was extremely humbling to be reminded on their beauty and majesty.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcqe9L7XiAI/AAAAAAAABzQ/VfDoCRWRjpc/s1600-h/DSC09865%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09865" border="0" alt="DSC09865" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcqe-WYazEI/AAAAAAAABzU/wy5XvW86aEM/DSC09865_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="left">I’ve been walking by this church for eleven months now and I don’t know WHY it never occurred to me to walk in. But last week, as I was waiting to meet <a href="http://toohardtofindaurl.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jennie</a>, I thought, “What the hell?” and just wandered inside. A strange kind of fear came over me as I walked in, almost as if I were terrified of the massiveness of the church it self. A calm settled over me and I just stared in awe, completely transfixed. The church was so beautiful. Also, I’ve gotten into the habit of lighting candles for my mom whenever I walk into one. Thinking of you, ma!</p> <p align="left">I’ve been mentioning her a lot lately and yes, Jennie, is back in Munich! I first met her during our epic 22-hour trip to Neuschwanstein that she managed to narrowly escape. She went back to Canada in early September to finish law school and now she is back in Munich after eight months. It’s been nice having her back – I can’t wait until we start cooking and having fancy dinner parties at her sweet apartment. And all of the conversations! The two of us could talk all day long. And it’s good to have the girl back purely for her love for karaoke! She’s a karaoke fiend and that is<strong> </strong><em>always</em> appreciated around these parts with how often we go to the karaoke bar. Also back to Munich after nearly three months of being away, is my darling <a href="http://wirrnis.wordpress.com">Eric</a> who I missed ever so much. Of course, all the regular cast members are still around and I’m loving every minute of my life here because of it. I have such wonderful friends – new and old – and I have been so blessed this year to have them! And you want to know something really cool? Tiago is coming to visit me in California, less than a week after I get home! He’s one of my best friends here and it’s obvious that he can’t live without me. Haha. So I’m looking forward to showing him the sunny side of America and introducing him to my friends back home – which will be a weird transition. How do I blend one totally different part of my life with another? Of course, it’s effortless but I just can’t wrap my mind around it. Weird!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TcqfAHhvduI/AAAAAAAABzY/v042EJZwwsk/s1600-h/DSC09906%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09906" border="0" alt="DSC09906" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TcqfB6NMGWI/AAAAAAAABzc/DdV_OfZuYqw/DSC09906_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Me and Tiago at a Studentstadt party, last Wednesday</p> <p align="left">I’ve been working <strong><em>a lot</em></strong> this spring – which I may have already mentioned – and although it can be frustrating for my social schedule, it’s still nice to be home every once in a while. I’ve been reading <strong>a lot </strong>and have made it through three or four books in the last month or two. I’ve challenged myself to read 25 books this year, before my 25th birthday and so far I’m at 20% progress. I’ve also been able to catch up on my blogs (thank God!) and do a little bit of job searching back home… which has been a <strong><em>huge</em></strong> success thus far but more on that later. ;) Also, I sleep a lot, spend a lot of time outside, Facebook more than I should, and spend more time with the girls that I care for (which isn’t <em>always</em> nice but we all have our bad days, right?). Hopefully I get to make the most of these last five weeks and that my host-mom and I don’t butt heads too much. It would definitely make for an interesting last few weeks if I had to stay in 4 to 5 nights every week. There’s not very much time left!</p> <p align="left">The reality is that I leave Munich for California on June 20th. I finish my au pair contract exactly five weeks from today. Five weeks ago from today, I was planning my trip to Rome with Brenna and was just getting over the excitement of Starkbierfest. That feels as if it were just days behind me – not five weeks. It’s hard to imagine that in two months I will be in California again. I can’t imagine going back to my old life. Of course, it will be different but I feel like I’ve changed so much, like I won’t fit inside of California anymore, like every part of me will just want to bust free and come back here. Ah, it’s going to be a hard transition, I won’t expect it to be easy. But, for now, I will enjoy every minute that it presented to me here and I will not think too much about what lies ahead on the other side of the world. It’s not a <em>bad</em> thing to go home but it’s not easy to walk away from this year abroad either. I am looking forward to being with my friends and family again but I know that I will ache for Munich and it will take a long time to stop missing the life that I lived here. </p> <p align="left">But, alas… the show <em>must </em>go on. </p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-20945065824382166912011-05-11T09:10:00.001+02:002011-05-11T09:10:18.421+02:00The 50 Most Important Landmarks of the World<p>I was Stumbling around this morning and came across this link – 50 of the world’s most important and well known landmarks. I was kind of disappointed in how many of them I haven’t actually heard of but was also surprised to find that I’ve been to a few of them! Not many… but I hadn’t seen any of them this time last year! Check out the link and comment, <strong>how many of these have you been to? </strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.pxleyes.com/blog/2011/05/the-50-most-important-landmarks-of-the-world/" target="_blank">The 50 Most Important Landmarks of the World</a></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong>I’ve been to…</strong></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco19xvmbMI/AAAAAAAAByA/XNrZ3CVPJtk/s1600-h/bigben%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="bigben" border="0" alt="bigben" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco1-zerq0I/AAAAAAAAByE/e-K6oXPjFls/bigben_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Big Ben, London<br>January 2011</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2ACI9UdI/AAAAAAAAByI/TPQRrb0s3qA/s1600-h/ludwigcastle%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ludwigcastle" border="0" alt="ludwigcastle" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2BpcqtvI/AAAAAAAAByM/6oSmk7eRkIs/ludwigcastle_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="368"></a>Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria<br>August 2010</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2DCfTHSI/AAAAAAAAByQ/AVg30drQKV4/s1600-h/stpeters%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="stpeters" border="0" alt="stpeters" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2E8GjwmI/AAAAAAAAByU/2xWv0fDym70/stpeters_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="620"></a>St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome<br>April 2011</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2G2Hk6oI/AAAAAAAAByY/B3kaHO3d93Q/s1600-h/trevi%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="trevi" border="0" alt="trevi" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2IY-usQI/AAAAAAAAByc/UVvGS5XEG-E/trevi_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="549" height="369"></a>Trevi Fountain, Rome<br>April 2011</p> <p align="left">I’d love to travel to <strong>all</strong> of these landmarks someday, of course, but if I could pick five places to visit to see five of these landmarks, I’d choose:</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2J0ctxcI/AAAAAAAAByg/jdQr035iM2c/s1600-h/tajmahal%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="tajmahal" border="0" alt="tajmahal" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2PeZSmXI/AAAAAAAAByk/uEgPinSv6L0/tajmahal_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="187"></a>The Taj Mahal, India</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2QTBLXAI/AAAAAAAAByo/y-2bsiHX4RY/s1600-h/lochness%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="lochness" border="0" alt="lochness" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2Q-gnw-I/AAAAAAAABys/kpsiMzUAao0/lochness_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="184"></a>Lochness, Scotland</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2R1FsNqI/AAAAAAAAByw/PYHm0fTqmDk/s1600-h/brandenberggate%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="brandenberggate" border="0" alt="brandenberggate" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2Srw7PrI/AAAAAAAABy0/HRTa-QEJIOM/brandenberggate_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="183"></a>Brandenburg Gate, Berlin</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2Tv19lmI/AAAAAAAABy4/qjZY-3nONiI/s1600-h/mountmichaels%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="mountmichaels" border="0" alt="mountmichaels" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2UW3gmaI/AAAAAAAABy8/louDezctjdk/mountmichaels_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="386"></a>Mont St Michel, France</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2VjvlOMI/AAAAAAAABzA/LvACxTtWmtA/s1600-h/sagradafamilia%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="sagradafamilia" border="0" alt="sagradafamilia" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tco2WVeHdTI/AAAAAAAABzE/43VsrWCuW-0/sagradafamilia_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="369"></a>Sagrada Familia, Barcelona</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-13053349639121645482011-05-10T11:04:00.001+02:002011-05-10T11:04:45.443+02:00Frühlingsfest: Bavaria’s Spring Alternative to Oktoberfest<p>I don’t think I would love Bavaria as much as I do if it wasn’t home to so many wonderful beer festivals. I’ve been to a few since I’ve arrived here – Oktoberfest, obviously and Starkbierfest – both interesting and unique in their own special ways. Oktoberfest is world famous and is absolutely worth visiting at least once in your life if you are a beer enthusiast and can throw back a few liters of beer on any given day. Starkbierfest (which means <em>strong beer </em>in English) was unique in its merchandise – beer that is loaded with carbs and a lot of potential to get you really wasted. I was lucky enough to attend both of these beer festivals (sadly I never went to the Dachau Volksfest and will miss it this summer) and, even better, I was able to attend in my tracht wear (aka <em>dirndl</em>) – <a href="http://diaryofanamericanaupair.blogspot.com/2010/09/blessed-shout-out-more-oktoberfest.html" target="_blank">a traditional Bavarian dress!</a> </p> <p>This past weekend, I rocked my dirndl once again and headed out to join my friends for a day of beer and sunshine at this year’s Frühlingsfest celebration. I was expecting something along the lines of Oktoberfest size but I was met with a much smaller reality. Frühlingsfest boasts only <em>two </em>beer tents – Augustiner and Hippodrom – and takes up about 2/8 of the space that Oktoberfest occupied. (I only fully realized this when I was ascending the crest of the Wasserbahn (log ride) and could see the grounds of Theresienwiese laid out below us.) The festival includes a midway and carnival rides and tons and tons of <em>delicious</em> food and drink.</p> <p>Upon arrival, my friends and I first decided to have a good old fashioned race down the massive slide. I was overconfident that I would win and definitely did not. My fellow American friend, Dieter, managed to beat both <a href="http://toohardtofindaurl.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jennie</a> and I in a race back to ground level. This carnival slide was very sophisticated – with nine slide lanes, furry bottomed slide blankets, and an escalator that took you to the top. German’s are so efficient! </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj--DwW6HI/AAAAAAAABwg/DQAlYpfRpqM/s1600-h/228285_873067877812_109450_42593253_7343098_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="228285_873067877812_109450_42593253_7343098_n" border="0" alt="228285_873067877812_109450_42593253_7343098_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj-_hLSswI/AAAAAAAABwk/h3l0Rud5s0w/228285_873067877812_109450_42593253_7343098_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Dieter in the lead, me taking second place, and Jennie taking up the rear.</p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_A_L-_zI/AAAAAAAABwo/6PL_Q35f7Y8/s1600-h/227313_873067832902_109450_42593247_2524838_n%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="227313_873067832902_109450_42593247_2524838_n" border="0" alt="227313_873067832902_109450_42593247_2524838_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_Cay5IhI/AAAAAAAABws/kQhLPOXtrSM/227313_873067832902_109450_42593247_2524838_n_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="565"></a>Me and Jennie, reunited!</p> <p align="left">After our epic slide race, we decided to try the beer tents and were met with great surprise. They were practically empty. After attending Oktoberfest, I expected it to be much of the same frenzied madness but there was no such chaos. In fact, we left the first beer tent, Augustiner, to see if the second one, the Hippodrom, was more lively or less family friendly. It was pretty much at the same level of excitement and so we settled there anyway, intent on visiting the second beer tent later. The Hippodrom is famous during Oktoberfest for being the posh, celebrity-favorited beer tent and, to be honest, it was quite fancy. The decorations were really ornate and the beer, of Spaten variety, was crisp and delicious (unlike Augustiner which we later tasted and found to be extremely flat). We enjoyed each other’s company and our beers for the first hour or so as more of our friends trickled in and joined us. After a while, Jennie left to wander the grounds and then Dieter and I shortly followed – and got 1/2 meter long bratwurst on the way.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_DYRASwI/AAAAAAAABww/cIX2No8-3ys/s1600-h/DSC09966%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09966" border="0" alt="DSC09966" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_FZYsGmI/AAAAAAAABw0/_tPg8ohxSCc/DSC09966_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_IQ30hYI/AAAAAAAABw4/Ze-er4752yo/s1600-h/DSC09979%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09979" border="0" alt="DSC09979" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_K0Y7ewI/AAAAAAAABw8/Vji7tHDMafk/DSC09979_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Inside the beer tent</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_NCqswoI/AAAAAAAABxA/2EheMhycoLs/s1600-h/DSC09974%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09974" border="0" alt="DSC09974" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_O3skgQI/AAAAAAAABxE/jamO9dekNvU/DSC09974_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Me and my German friend, Florian, who I first met when he was <br>dressed as a convincing Michael Jackson for Fasching back in March</p> <p align="left">After regrouping with Jennie, we headed back to the Hippodrom to meet with everyone else but found them all leaving the tent as we arrived. We all decided to go on some of our favorite rides and then would reconvene and go to Augustiner. Ana, Dieter, Candice, Jennie, and I went on the Super Skooter bumper cars and banged our knees up pretty bad. We took a few decent hits on that one. After the ride, we met up with everyone else and managed to get back to the Augustiner beer tent. And so began the night’s epic revelry. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_RWrRuUI/AAAAAAAABxI/YQnE7iS4jgM/s1600-h/DSC00011%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00011" border="0" alt="DSC00011" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_TbmODuI/AAAAAAAABxM/zqIl3XvXCmc/DSC00011_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Me and Nuno, my darling Portuguese man-friend</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_VmUGkLI/AAAAAAAABxQ/tqmzRle87fQ/s1600-h/DSC00021%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00021" border="0" alt="DSC00021" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_XfogG-I/AAAAAAAABxU/lLwM7dTpn5c/DSC00021_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Drinking games at the table</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_Zmeix1I/AAAAAAAABxY/o6teclZ_K_s/s1600-h/DSC00023%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00023" border="0" alt="DSC00023" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_bhknZ1I/AAAAAAAABxc/X1WeusQ9U8k/DSC00023_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Bavarian child dancers</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_ehLmUZI/AAAAAAAABxg/XAiXsykvlPY/s1600-h/DSC00051%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00051" border="0" alt="DSC00051" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_g0kuNII/AAAAAAAABxk/ut1O6oBl1Fk/DSC00051_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Augustiner beer tent</p> <p align="left">After one of our friends got kicked out of the beer tent for jumping between tables (??) we decided to break things up and go on some more rides. We had managed to accumulate some cheap beer, food, and ride tickets from the Bavarian dancer children and so we had a lot of sweet deals. We took the ride passes and ventured back to the Midway where we drunkenly rode on some pretty crazy spinning machines and then ate more food.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_i_mjB8I/AAAAAAAABxo/Scpm_xAgiBg/s1600-h/227764_10150172483599147_676989146_6905228_2645535_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="227764_10150172483599147_676989146_6905228_2645535_n" border="0" alt="227764_10150172483599147_676989146_6905228_2645535_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_kghgFyI/AAAAAAAABxs/imG1vHGrUSU/227764_10150172483599147_676989146_6905228_2645535_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Janick, me, and Dieter on the Top Spin</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_mj-UyEI/AAAAAAAABxw/j5YxcAdhF4A/s1600-h/226854_10150172484019147_676989146_6905236_1622762_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="226854_10150172484019147_676989146_6905236_1622762_n" border="0" alt="226854_10150172484019147_676989146_6905236_1622762_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_oOwhYOI/AAAAAAAABx0/V6BcOo5G-z8/226854_10150172484019147_676989146_6905236_1622762_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>We’re pretty much wiped out at this point. haha.</p> <p align="left">We finished the night with our beer and 1/2 <em>hendl </em>(chicken!) coupons at Hippodrom (where Amy and I bonded over girl time in the bathroom) and then we went back to Augustiner where the music was better and our friends were more plentiful. We danced all night long, until they kicked us out at closing, and then we met a Bavarian Captain America in the midway. We all went to our respective homes after that and said good night to a perfect beer festival celebration. I hope I can afford to go again! </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_pjVhFxI/AAAAAAAABx4/MC-4NqleKI0/s1600-h/223209_10150172484649147_676989146_6905247_212581_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="223209_10150172484649147_676989146_6905247_212581_n" border="0" alt="223209_10150172484649147_676989146_6905247_212581_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tcj_rIUCSiI/AAAAAAAABx8/Qe3vQN_ASrg/223209_10150172484649147_676989146_6905247_212581_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="left">It amazes me, still, to find that I am constantly falling in love with Germany and the life that I live here. I’m always making new friends (and good ones, at that!) and I’m waking up every morning excited to live my life. There were times, as I grew up and moved on through my life, that I wondered when I would feel that absolute peace with my life and myself and for the first time in… maybe forever… I’ve found that feeling and I love it. It’s going to be <strong><em>so hard</em></strong> to leave Munich next month. I know that I am going to cry and be an emotional mess. How do I walk away from this year of my life? I have no idea at this point! I don’t want to!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-68307570770440389292011-05-09T23:49:00.001+02:002011-05-09T23:49:07.493+02:00Garmisch, Again and the Blessed Comfort of Family in a Far Away Place<p>This blog can’t keep up with real life! I am not giving it any justice. I have <strong><em>so many</em></strong> things I want to write about and then I find that I have all the time in the world to write it down but I just… don’t. I get distracted. I get going on StumbleUpon. I start chatting on FB. I pick up my book. I clean my bathroom. Seriously. I scrub the toilet instead. It’s pathetic. Anyway, I’m going to start with my recent trip down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen where I visited my Quasi-Mom, Christina, and my German Oma, Kathe for the weekend.</p> <p>In case you missed the memo the first few times that I talked about it – everyone in Christina’s family is pretty much mine, too. Neither one of us would have ever guessed that back in the fall of 2007, when she hired me to work at her candle store, that 3 1/2 years later, I would be hanging out with every member of her family in their motherland. I worked for Christina as both a candle store employee and as the babysitter for her adorable grand-daughter, Andrea, up until the summer of last year and became extremely close to her in the process. Christina and her husband, Barrie, have been like surrogate parents to me while I was living away from home and going to school and they have gone out of their way most of the time to take care of me. (Thank you for all of the tire changes, broken car door repairs, and home-cooked meals!) They’re wonderful! Christina’s older sister, Susie, I met through the family (she visited me in Munich during Oktoberfest!) as well and their mother, Kathe, who I met whenever she was staying in California and then, formally, after I’d found out that I would be going to Germany. More recently, I’ve become friends with Christina’s son, Dustin, as well, because he visited Munich back in February. I feel like he’s my big brother now, I love it! And, of course, there’s Drea in there, too. I’m her “Hairy” and I find myself missing her, too! Needless to say, I have been incredibly blessed with the comforts and consolation of family while I’ve been here in Europe and I couldn’t imagine how my experience here would have been different had that touch of familiarity been absent. </p> <p>With that being said, Kathe lives here in Bavaria, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, so I have been visiting her a lot since I’ve arrived here in Germany. I now have pictures of Garmisch through the seasons. It’s been really cool, this little town is so beautiful and it has so much stuff to do and look at. This time around, however, I went there to see Christina who I hadn’t seen since I’d left California last June. Kathe and Christina picked me up at my house, met my host-mom and the girls, and then we drove from Munich to G-Pa, which was about an hour’s drive. It was nice to catch up with her gossip a little bit, which we’re <em>soooo</em> good at. When we got to Garmisch, we stopped first at the commissary, since Kathe works for the Army. I stocked up on American goodies – macaroni and cheese, blueberry bagels, Ranch dressing, French’s mustard, an industrial size bottle of Treseme conditioner, Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion potato chips. Oh man, I <strong><em>love</em></strong> cheating on German culture sometimes! After our shopping excursion, Christina and I went into the heart of the city and had a delicious Bavarian dinner – schnitzel for everyone (I ate mine and half of hers! D’oh!) – and we had beers and walked home. It was a beautiful twilight!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchgxpirktI/AAAAAAAABvg/iXGuHWSNU_w/s1600-h/DSC09792%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09792" border="0" alt="DSC09792" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchgzHCrQVI/AAAAAAAABvk/Bo3cq2uYgxA/DSC09792_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Garmisch-Partenkirchen after dark</p> <p align="left">Back at Kathe’s house we had a Skype video call with Barrie, Dustin, and Andrea and we all got an earful from that little chatterbox. She is getting so big and is talking <strong><em>so much</em></strong> since the last time that I saw her and I couldn’t stop laughing at the cute things that just came out of her mouth. It’ll be nice to play with her again – I hope she’s missing me! It was nice to see Barrie and Dustin, too, of course. We all went to bed after that and woke up slowly in the morning. After breakfast Christina and I decided to go to Ludwig’s Schloss Linderhof. I’ve been to nearly all of King Ludwig’s castles now! I feel accomplished. Linderhof was <em>beautiful</em> – and it’s the only castle that he ever fully completed (and it’s one of the smallest!). He didn’t even finish the Disney castle. Linderhof comes with Ludwig’s grotto and so that was really interesting to see. It’s the largest man-made cave in Europe, by the way. It was raining and it was a bit cold but I enjoyed the scenery and the castle itself and Christina and I had fun just hanging out, the two of us. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg1JYjwUI/AAAAAAAABvo/awPjbv6OqVI/s1600-h/DSC09804%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09804" border="0" alt="DSC09804" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg2hxbQOI/AAAAAAAABvs/w3ylDdKjFfc/DSC09804_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Mountain scenery from the path to Linderhof <br>I absolutely <strong><em>love</em></strong> this country! How can I ever leave?!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg320Te3I/AAAAAAAABvw/2ZlOaB65gXg/s1600-h/DSC09806%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09806" border="0" alt="DSC09806" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg5mw9eUI/AAAAAAAABv0/t7EMXsXu_I0/DSC09806_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Schloss Linderhof</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg9fYPwVI/AAAAAAAABv4/s8qCEkFokzg/s1600-h/DSC09813%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09813" border="0" alt="DSC09813" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tchg_GhxG1I/AAAAAAAABv8/Z1y2BZazHAY/DSC09813_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The view from the front side of Linderhof</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhB9MnaLI/AAAAAAAABwA/5iFOuccG2CI/s1600-h/DSC09810%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09810" border="0" alt="DSC09810" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhDzIaA4I/AAAAAAAABwE/wo6zp_lpYqE/DSC09810_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Me with Neptune’s fountain</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhG6NouCI/AAAAAAAABwI/ou7yx-GvUik/s1600-h/DSC09831%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09831" border="0" alt="DSC09831" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhJWo5uFI/AAAAAAAABwM/vuAMT1IphGA/DSC09831_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Painting in the grotto where Ludwig present Wagner’s opera</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhNI_H8CI/AAAAAAAABwQ/gG8xLNCLQdA/s1600-h/DSC09835%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09835" border="0" alt="DSC09835" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhQr_B_SI/AAAAAAAABwU/BrJ03rVl_mk/DSC09835_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>The castle, down below</p> <p align="left">We finished touring Linderhof and were back in G-Pa by 3 o’clock so we decided to walk into the city and check out the street market that was going on. The walk to the city is picturesque and there is a little field with about six sheep in it and they wear cow bells on their necks so you always know if they’re coming. We would stop and talk to them, pet them, and feed them dandelions. They were adorable! The market itself was so cute – very small town German and just adorable. And <em>so </em>many good aromas coming from all that delicious food. Christina and I ended up eating the 1/2 meter bratwursts and taste testing all kinds of yummy foods. It was a good way to pass through the afternoon and once we return home – we made a plan to send me back to Munich and Christina took me to the train station. We said our good-byes and then I settled in for the 90 minute train ride back into the city. I read my book the entire time (I’m in love with Lisa Gardner’s thrillers!) and snacked on all of my guilty pleasure American food the whole time!</p> <p align="left">Ultimately, it was a great weekend in Garmisch and I had so much fun with Christina – I really had missed her a lot and I can’t wait to spend more time with her once I’m back in California <strong><em>NEXT MONTH</em></strong>. Geez. It’s gone by <em>so </em>fast. Holy cow.</p> <p align="left">Next up on my blog-frenzy-agenda… </p> <ul> <li> <div align="left">The joys of spring and all that it brings – beer festivals, warm weather, sunburns, hay fever, bugs, an over abundance of work, and all kinds of other stuff.</div></li> <li> <div align="left">My job hunt back in California and how awesome I am as the future Mary Poppins.</div></li> <li> <div align="left">Books, books, books… and my GoodReads.com literary goal!</div></li> <li> <div align="left">Resuming my “52 Things in Munich” bucket list – I’m so behind!</div></li> <li> <div align="left">My thoughts and reflections on the last six weeks of the <strong><em>best</em></strong> year of my life. Can I even put it into words?!</div></li></ul> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhSd4VG3I/AAAAAAAABwY/wtUnJQjOefE/s1600-h/DSC00122%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC00122" border="0" alt="DSC00122" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchhUpWB02I/AAAAAAAABwc/rewkLKxRMkk/DSC00122_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>This (not so) new German girl is finding out that <br>home really is where the heart is. </p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-27500602055938088382011-05-09T22:27:00.001+02:002011-05-09T22:27:06.877+02:00When In Rome: Easter Vacation (April 21st) Part 4<p>(I forgot to post this last piece! Sorry! It’s out of order now. Haha. Oh well. <strong>ENJOY</strong>!)</p> <p>This past Easter I was able to visit Rome on vacation and I had an absolutely wonderful experience. I spent four days and five nights in Italy and was able to see so many unbelievable and breathtaking sights – things I never thought that I would <em>ever</em> be fortunate enough to see with my own eyes. I was also fortunate enough to meet a handful of really awesome travelers – people who I may never see again but will never forget! For blogging purposes, I’m going to break the adventure down into numerous installments so that I can include everything. This is the last piece of the adventure – documenting mine and Brenna’s last day in Rome, our travels, back to Munich, and my final thoughts and reflections on the whole trip.</p> <a name='more'></a> <p>After our long day in Naples, Brenna and I had one full day left to go out an explore Rome and we had a few things left on our list to cross out before we left. We took our time and did a lot of walking and getting lost and map reading. Neither one of us had any cash left so we were broke, irritable, and frustrated with our lack of coordination in the map department but in the end, we managed to have a pretty good day and we saw some really cool stuff. We walked straight from the Flaminio train station to Piazza Popolo and then on through Villa Borguese. After that, we managed to find the Spanish Steps and then from there we got to the most ancient basilica in the world, Saint Giovanni of Laterano (or something like that, ha). From there we walked the streets of Rome to the Terme di Caracalla, the ancient ruins of an old public bath building. Afterwards we went to a stupid crypt that was super boring and by that point is was nearly 5 pm and we were cranky and exhausted. LOL So, instead of staying in the city all night to meet some friends from Munich who were flying in, we decided to go back to our hostel for dinner and a night in since we had to catch an airport shuttle at 4 am. We ended up staying at the hostel for dinner and drinks and just never went to bed at all. Haha. We met new friends and hung out with old friends and generally made it a worthy finale to our much needed Easter vacation.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLCiVFGdI/AAAAAAAABtw/4QIjbAeQj2w/s1600-h/DSC09634%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09634" border="0" alt="DSC09634" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLEf2h0GI/AAAAAAAABt0/EyRVal7El4A/DSC09634_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The gate to Piazza Popolo</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLGm6OkeI/AAAAAAAABt4/sXfmkMTDPYI/s1600-h/DSC09639%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09639" border="0" alt="DSC09639" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLIWl1oOI/AAAAAAAABt8/mEwvYwaRe08/DSC09639_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Piazza Popolo</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLJvyRL_I/AAAAAAAABuA/Kmjh90FMJQ8/s1600-h/DSC09640%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09640" border="0" alt="DSC09640" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLKzVTp7I/AAAAAAAABuE/jOM-WxxIbTI/DSC09640_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Piazza Popolo</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLNqh31nI/AAAAAAAABuI/YhjDk3cbOX4/s1600-h/DSC09652%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09652" border="0" alt="DSC09652" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLPxFWNaI/AAAAAAAABuM/IoGkkF4gnQY/DSC09652_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Villa Borguese</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLRVOdYXI/AAAAAAAABuQ/5noz6MJExTQ/s1600-h/DSC09656%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09656" border="0" alt="DSC09656" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLTVKq5uI/AAAAAAAABuU/GzVPMR0Ms0M/DSC09656_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Spanish Steps</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLUpdfDJI/AAAAAAAABuY/CDqE0ZkcRLw/s1600-h/DSC09662%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09662" border="0" alt="DSC09662" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLWKNGMSI/AAAAAAAABuc/afebkpP6h7g/DSC09662_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLYSLLIaI/AAAAAAAABug/TB7esckGEVI/s1600-h/DSC09666%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09666" border="0" alt="DSC09666" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLZ6OsyJI/AAAAAAAABuk/vlYknvkJWk0/DSC09666_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano <br><strong>The oldest church in the world!</strong></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLbzRzP_I/AAAAAAAABuo/EQ5GK3VN30g/s1600-h/DSC09674%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09674" border="0" alt="DSC09674" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLdgKi1cI/AAAAAAAABus/qM-kciZO364/DSC09674_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Terme di Caracalla</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLe5iGBVI/AAAAAAAABuw/s-K3VjHtFe8/s1600-h/DSC09677%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09677" border="0" alt="DSC09677" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLgWVZhlI/AAAAAAAABu0/iV_vgtbWjh0/DSC09677_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Terme di Caracalla</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLh6x32SI/AAAAAAAABu4/fEr4ExdFoR4/s1600-h/DSC09683%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09683" border="0" alt="DSC09683" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLj3G3NgI/AAAAAAAABu8/fYsVSm8OqBc/DSC09683_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>One last artsy picture of the Colloseum</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLk-CmJzI/AAAAAAAABvA/sTB3hNHrwR0/s1600-h/DSC09689%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09689" border="0" alt="DSC09689" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLmX-OZQI/AAAAAAAABvE/8bEz8Trg5Vg/DSC09689_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Brenna’s naked eating… tomatoes on bread? I forget what it’s called.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchLoJJNiqI/AAAAAAAABvI/9vBoqBOCXcE/s1600-h/DSC09692%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09692" border="0" alt="DSC09692" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchMX0munBI/AAAAAAAABvM/1iKiNOy_jqw/DSC09692_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Real <em>Italian </em>penne pasta!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchNE2TUg0I/AAAAAAAABvQ/D4ZOX8w0yA0/s1600-h/DSC09726%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09726" border="0" alt="DSC09726" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchNGl2HpLI/AAAAAAAABvU/6LySs80CGYM/DSC09726_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Me and my “hostel” buddies, Michelle and Brittany</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchOEmfu7QI/AAAAAAAABvY/3EknSPXW9W8/s1600-h/DSC097375.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09737" border="0" alt="DSC09737" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TchOGZmvVwI/AAAAAAAABvc/AnD5c3QD22s/DSC09737_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Happy to be home but sad to leave Rome :(</p> <p align="left">Pardon my crappy blog content for this update but I’m so far removed from this vacation now that I’m back in Munich but hey… Brenna and I had <strong><em>fun</em></strong>. It was the kind of vacation that we needed, we were desperate for a week like that. We both depleted all of our money and then some and we didn’t get to eat nearly as much Italian food as we would have liked to but it was worth every minute, regardless. No regrets! And I can officially say I’ve been to Italy, a country I’ve been lusting after since I was a teenager. Vacation accomplished!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-20704218185892909602011-05-02T09:31:00.001+02:002011-05-02T09:31:42.857+02:00I Have Not Forgotten About You–Resuming Life in Munich and the Daze of Spring<p>With all this talk of my Italian vacation, my life in Munich has kind of been overshadowed and I haven’t really been giving it much justice, have I? I am down to seven weeks here and the thought of that <em>blows my mind</em>. I have been having a horrible time balancing it out, too. I want to be home but I want to be here. I can’t keep myself from being in both places and, for a while there, the homesickness was eating me alive and turning me into an emotional mess. I think I’ve pushed past it though, I’m feeling better and more balanced. I’m not missing the days of vacation and I have <strong><em>so much</em></strong> to look forward to over the next few months and so things are good. All is well with this German girl. :)</p> <p>The last week went easy on me, where both work and my social life were concerned. The girls were not in school so they had the week off and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t have to work until 3 pm everyday of the week. We watched a lot of movies (Nana is absolutely terrified of <em>Tangled, </em>next time I will let her watch it in German to take the edge off), played a lot of <em>Angry Birds</em> (the six year olds have surpassed me on the levels), and ate a lot of pasta (what else is new?). The weather was <em>beautiful</em> so my friends and I spent a lot of time out in the sun either at the English Gardens or BBQing at the Isar. Munich in the spring is absolutely stunning – the trees have all turned green and are flourishing with the rain and sunshine. Lilacs are blooming (my <strong><em>favorite</em></strong>!!), birds are singing, the sun is shining. Everyone here is happy!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5dlkIIj7I/AAAAAAAABtQ/OFbofFyB2qE/s1600-h/202029_10150230301604468_507089467_8569950_6554252_o%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="202029_10150230301604468_507089467_8569950_6554252_o" border="0" alt="202029_10150230301604468_507089467_8569950_6554252_o" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5dsatm01I/AAAAAAAABtU/UiMBeRYjmUo/202029_10150230301604468_507089467_8569950_6554252_o_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Down at the Isar with friends</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5duJ--pUI/AAAAAAAABtY/R7JpSJL82SA/s1600-h/DSC09771%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09771" border="0" alt="DSC09771" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5dvrEhXBI/AAAAAAAABtc/wefe1u6b9aY/DSC09771_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Sunset on the Isar</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5dxEWEeZI/AAAAAAAABtg/ln6wjAp36VM/s1600-h/DSC09781%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09781" border="0" alt="DSC09781" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5dy2l9KbI/AAAAAAAABtk/DChXBKdDBIs/DSC09781_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Bruno Mars in Munich?!?!?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5d1YPMqFI/AAAAAAAABto/IhXACOwb2PQ/s1600-h/DSC09846%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09846" border="0" alt="DSC09846" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tb5d3Zbx1oI/AAAAAAAABts/nTKehbsyVeE/DSC09846_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Lilacs in a Bavarian approved vase</p> <p>A little bit of home has found its way to Germany, too – my good friend, Christina, who I used to work for in Monterey, has come to Germany to visit her mom, Kathe, who I have mentioned before in this blog. I went to Garmisch this past weekend to visit her and had such a relaxing weekend full of family, food, and much needed relaxation. I will make a separate post about the weekend, of course, but for now, let’s just say it was incredibly wonderful to see her and even though I had to say hello and goodbye to a piece of home, I was grateful to have her here! Hopefully I get to see her again before she leaves.</p> <p>On that note, darling <a href="http://toohardtofindaurl.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jennie</a> is returning to Munich today! If you haven’t read her blog, <strong>Too Hard to Find a URL</strong>, go do it. She’s witty and intelligent and Canadian so obviously she’s worth knowing. I met her last summer, here in Munich, and she’s returning now for an internship at a law firm here in Munich so I’m excited to have her back here while I enjoy my last few weeks in Munich. I am going to meet her at her new apartment in a few hours, too! Fresh off the airplane!</p> <p>Now that Easter vacation is over, it’s back to regular scheduled programming. The girls are back in school, the Frau is filling up her spring social calendar, I am back to being overworked, and life goes on. For seven more weeks (to the day), I will live my German life to the fullest possible extent. Frühlingsfest commenced on Friday so I hope to take advantage of that soon (but more on that later!) and it is now officially May! <a href="http://diaryofanamericanaupair.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html" target="_blank">This time last year</a> I was polishing off my Capstone project and presentation, preparing for graduation, leaving most of my jobs, and getting ready to move out of my apartment. It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since then or that I’m even this close to the <em>end</em> of my experience here in Germany. Sometimes, especially now with the spring weather and the nostalgic scents of the season, it feels like I just got here. Hopefully, I can make the best of my remaining time and leave Munich with a heavy but happy heart. </p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-48207001998654194452011-04-30T14:20:00.001+02:002011-04-30T14:20:47.481+02:00When In Rome: Easter Vacation (April 20th) Part 3<p>This past Easter I was able to visit Rome on vacation and I had an absolutely wonderful experience. I spent four days and five nights in Italy and was able to see so many unbelievable and breathtaking sights – things I never thought that I would <em>ever</em> be fortunate enough to see with my own eyes. I was also fortunate enough to meet a handful of really awesome travelers – people who I may never see again but will never forget! For blogging purposes, I’m going to break the adventure down into numerous installments so that I can include everything. This is the third part of my vacation, which includes a day trip to Naples and Pompeii and plenty of complaints about Rome's horrible public transport.</p> <a name='more'></a> <p>Before we even got to Rome (and, honestly, before I had even signed on as Brenna’s travel companion) a trip to Naples and Pompeii was on the agenda. How could we not visit, with such a cool city and historical site so close to the city? We decided to go on Monday – mid week – so that we could spend the first few days in the city getting used to the trains and transport of Rome since we’d have to catch a 3 hour train to Naples. The night before, at the hostel bar, we had befriended some fellow travelers and so when we ran into them on the commuter train into Rome the following morning, they expressed interest in tagging along to Naples. Kait and Larissa were going to enjoy the trip with us. They were studying abroad in Ireland and had come to Rome for vacation, much like Brenna and I. We got a long really well with both of them. Four American girls in Italy! <em>Que bella! </em> </p> <p>Admittedly, we woke up late that day – my alarm didn’t go off – and so we didn’t get into Rome until nearly ten o’clock and had a 10:50 train to catch that would take us to Naples. We managed to sort through the madness at Termini station and purchased our tickets (10,50 EUR) and then rushed off to our train. Unfortunately, it was completely packed and we had nowhere to sit so for the first 30-45 minutes of the journey we had to stand up in the aisles until seats became available to us. The Italian countryside that passed by us outside was absolutely beautiful. As we left Rome there were still ancient ruins to be seen and once we got further south – the ocean! It was beautiful and it reminded me <strong>so </strong>much of home to see the shore out the window of the train. I felt as if I were just driving along the coast in Pismo Beach or Santa Barbara and I felt a slight ache for California. It didn’t last long because, <strong><em>HELLO</em></strong>, I was in frickin’ Italy! </p> <p>Our train arrived in Naples at about 12:30 and from there – we had to figure out a plan. We knew that we wanted to try for the “world’s greatest pizza.” Or so they say. There was a rumor going around, mostly from <em>Eat, Pray, Love</em> fame and from a friend’s suggestion that we could find the best pizza of our life in this little pizzeria called Da Michele. We had Google map directions on how to get there but that ends up being a great laugh when compared with the crazy, directionless streets of Italy that never seem to have street signs anywhere. We asked a woman at the train station, to no avail. We asked a woman at <em>another</em> train station (one which we’d actually have to go to later in the day) after we got lost with the first set of directions given to us. After that, we got lost again. So we asked a man on the street who spoke no English. But I knew Spanish well enough to translate between the two languages to understand that he kept saying, “second left, second left.” We made it to the street that we wanted to be on but were then still confused so we asked a man in a shop who told us we were very close. And we finally found it – tucked inside of a small Italian street and filled to the brim with eager customers. They were spilling out the door and standing on the street, waiting for tables inside the tiny restaurant. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9frVVrtI/AAAAAAAABrA/1xQr2dRH5vQ/s1600-h/DSC09531%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09531" border="0" alt="DSC09531" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9hjJ2ELI/AAAAAAAABrE/_xzzrFc8LvI/DSC09531_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>The street where we found the pizzeria (which is to the left)</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9jfC4MMI/AAAAAAAABrI/ckbx3JYldgI/s1600-h/DSC09532%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09532" border="0" alt="DSC09532" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9lSUME2I/AAAAAAAABrM/rpAoPZlp4jQ/DSC09532_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Nothing all together spectacular, eh?</p> <p>Brenna, Kait, Larissa, and I had to figure out what the hell we were supposed to do – which was pay for our pizzas, <em>to-go</em>, and then wait for them to be made. The cool part was that we got to stand there and watch it happen. The kitchen was absolutely <strong>TINY</strong> but they were all so efficient. They had to be with the crowd that waited outside and the packed house that they had to cater to. One man made the pizzas and then another loaded them into the oven – which you could see straight through into it’s belly. There were about ten pizzas in there at a time, cooking over the flames. There were pictures put up from Julia Robert’s scenes in <em>Eat Pray Love</em> because she actually filmed the pizza scene in their restaurant since it is the same restaurant that the author visited and wrote about in her book. We waited at least ten to fifteen minutes for our pizzas – which were only 4 EUR each. Once we had them, we left because there was no way we were waiting any longer and we still had to catch a train to Pompeii. </p> <p>Pizzas in hand, we walked back to the smaller train station that we’d found on accident earlier in the day and found out when we could jump a train to Pompeii. A train would be leaving at 3:10<em>,</em> in twenty or so minutes. We bought our return tickets – 6 EUR – and then were accosted by Italian homeless people who wanted our pizza. We ditched them to sit in the stations tiny restaurant and eat our pizzas. We bought drinks there so we could actually get away with it and then we proceeded to shovel pizza into our mouths. It was cold, since we’d spent fifteen or so minutes trying to get back to the train station, but it was still good. It wasn’t the <strong><em>best</em></strong> pizza I’ve ever had, not by a long shot but it was pretty tasty. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9niHQYHI/AAAAAAAABrQ/pYVlp3jvTI4/s1600-h/DSC09540%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09540" border="0" alt="DSC09540" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9pW55R6I/AAAAAAAABrU/Oq8dh3rgCfc/DSC09540_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9rkU1K-I/AAAAAAAABrY/wSpUxEGuVLA/s1600-h/DSC09541%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09541" border="0" alt="DSC09541" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9tel5-2I/AAAAAAAABrc/_m8kwJfqu9I/DSC09541_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9vZoaGII/AAAAAAAABrg/P7SjRQThZGE/s1600-h/217523_1897295469415_1152450433_32057780_1213489_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="217523_1897295469415_1152450433_32057780_1213489_n" border="0" alt="217523_1897295469415_1152450433_32057780_1213489_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9xBm5ZBI/AAAAAAAABrk/1eDTwo3skyA/217523_1897295469415_1152450433_32057780_1213489_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>The train ride to Pompeii was little more than 30 minutes but we had a strict time line to keep since we had to worry about a 3 hour train ride into Rome and the craptastic time limits of Rome’s public transport. We got to Pompeii and paid 11 EUR for admission into the ancient ruins and then spent 45 minutes wandering about the massive archeological site. Pompeii, as most already know, is famous for having been completely buried in volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius. We didn’t manage to see even <em>half</em> of the site because of time limits but what we did see was breathtaking. I wish we had stumbled upon more of the preserved bodies and stuff but we missed out on a lot of that. We explored the side streets and alleyways and saw what we could in the time that we had. It was worth every second, regardless!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9yaTtWuI/AAAAAAAABro/Nx41owJKwes/s1600-h/223054_1897309909776_1152450433_32057834_7873713_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="223054_1897309909776_1152450433_32057834_7873713_n" border="0" alt="223054_1897309909776_1152450433_32057834_7873713_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv90GwTnFI/AAAAAAAABrs/vwCDQsJlSVI/223054_1897309909776_1152450433_32057834_7873713_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Me, Kait, Larissa, and Brenna at Pompeii</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv92Jb1M8I/AAAAAAAABrw/8S6oQF38g04/s1600-h/DSC09546%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09546" border="0" alt="DSC09546" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv93oKaGgI/AAAAAAAABr0/ASrL5ZvVttg/DSC09546_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Mount Vesuvius in the distance</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv95FLJsLI/AAAAAAAABr4/mqvMP-2wRVY/s1600-h/DSC09560%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09560" border="0" alt="DSC09560" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv97Pw2D4I/AAAAAAAABr8/b0A-LZXJP8Y/DSC09560_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv99V9_X9I/AAAAAAAABsA/4fhlHo-cZWs/s1600-h/DSC09570%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09570" border="0" alt="DSC09570" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv9_A7uNqI/AAAAAAAABsE/gvT_Rfoytds/DSC09570_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-Bj1nigI/AAAAAAAABsI/lxOYJ9VwqtM/s1600-h/DSC09574%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09574" border="0" alt="DSC09574" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-DHmq1dI/AAAAAAAABsM/WkPbJ2_EVLQ/DSC09574_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-HG8T-7I/AAAAAAAABsQ/7cJOQeanPvo/s1600-h/DSC09575%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09575" border="0" alt="DSC09575" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-I9yrI-I/AAAAAAAABsU/6gKd5mkZoMg/DSC09575_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-J4k4IaI/AAAAAAAABsY/KPSUk0Fydsw/s1600-h/DSC09579%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09579" border="0" alt="DSC09579" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-LGxuhhI/AAAAAAAABsc/E1FihcPlXq0/DSC09579_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Stray dogs in Pompeii – you can adopt them, too!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-NocrEtI/AAAAAAAABsg/p_sPPTVIPvQ/s1600-h/DSC09592%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09592" border="0" alt="DSC09592" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-PSR7g2I/AAAAAAAABsk/YPY2HCsvR20/DSC09592_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-TRiXe7I/AAAAAAAABso/n6j3Gi4CbGw/s1600-h/DSC09608%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09608" border="0" alt="DSC09608" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-WutSxzI/AAAAAAAABss/FjurDmpgo-0/DSC09608_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-YVJT0DI/AAAAAAAABsw/qyrIUPwo7JE/s1600-h/DSC09615%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09615" border="0" alt="DSC09615" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-aIUmiRI/AAAAAAAABs0/joUChI7qvEk/DSC09615_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>After Pompeii we had to rush back to the train station to catch the commuter train back to Rome. We stopped for <strong><em>DELICIOUS</em></strong> lemonade on the way and marveled at the lemons that were as big our heads. Beautiful colors in all of the market stands, too. Pretty fruits! Once we got on the train, we made it back to Naples just in time to jump on a train that would take us back to Rome for 9:30 pm. Or so we hoped!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-cv_yEsI/AAAAAAAABs4/mVvzT66oU5Y/s1600-h/DSC09621%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09621" border="0" alt="DSC09621" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-fPIVi3I/AAAAAAAABs8/Yw241_YBaLc/DSC09621_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-g2Us8LI/AAAAAAAABtA/n4kuCg1Tjd8/s1600-h/DSC09622%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09622" border="0" alt="DSC09622" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-jUzdk7I/AAAAAAAABtE/_L3P0Y68Gic/DSC09622_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-lU5fE7I/AAAAAAAABtI/-NiBiHIiPWE/s1600-h/DSC09624%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09624" border="0" alt="DSC09624" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/Tbv-nSSpRqI/AAAAAAAABtM/XP84O3fMVT0/DSC09624_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Kait at the train station in Pompeii</p> <p align="left">The train ride back seemed endless – three hours is a long trip! Eventually we made it back to Rome, hoping that we would make all of the necessary connections for our commute back to Prima Porta and our hostel. We did not. Haha. We stopped for Chinese take-out – which took forever. And then we tried to find cigarettes and Coke for some of the other girls. And then we realized that once we down on the platform for the metro, that it was under construction and we needed to take a bus to the Flaminio station instead. We managed to get on the wrong bus and went about eight stops in the wrong direction before we figured it out. So we got out, ran to the right bus, and then followed it all the way down to Flaminio, or something like it. We were so confused. When we got to the train station, somewhere around 10:45, we were met with a “SERVICE TERMINATED” message and so we had to find an alternate way home. Fortunately, there are cabs everywhere so between the four of us, we split a 30 EUR cab fare and got right to our hostel, somewhere close to 11 pm. We sat on the floor in mine and Brenna’s room and ate luke warm Chinese food, drank wine, and Coke (not together, of course) and then met up again in the bar some 30 minutes later. ‘Twas another good night of merrymaking and new friends and an excellent venue to releasing the stress of a pain in the ass travel adventure. After all, Brenna and I do love those hostel bars and the Italian beer!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-21698731939948877972011-04-26T10:36:00.001+02:002011-04-30T09:32:48.673+02:00When in Rome: Easter Vacation (April 19th) Part 2<p>This past Easter I was able to visit Rome on vacation and I had an absolutely wonderful experience. I spent four days and five nights in Italy and was able to see so many unbelievable and breathtaking sights – things I never thought that I would <em>ever</em> be fortunate enough to see with my own eyes. I was also fortunate enough to meet a handful of really awesome travelers – people who I may never see again but will never forget! For blogging purposes, I’m going to break the adventure down into numerous installments so that I can include everything. This is the second part of my vacation, which includes the second day in Rome – a tour of Vatican city and Piazza Novona!</p> <a name='more'></a> <p>After a long night at the hostel bar on Monday night, Brenna and I were, surprisingly so, ready and energetic for another tourist worthy day on Tuesday. We weren’t 100% sure what we wanted to do but we knew that we were saving Naples and Pompei for Wednesday so we decided to go into the city and brave Vatican City. We were meeting our traveling friends, <a href="http://diaryofanamericanaupair.blogspot.com/2011/02/52-things-12-16-and-28-and-some-other.html" target="_blank">Tyler and Aimee</a>, in the city at 6 pm so we had to fill our day up until then. (Remember, I mentioned meeting them in Munich on the train to Dachau back in February? Yeah, they were in the city just for the weekend but were studying abroad in Rome. So, it worked out that Brenna and I got to visit them in their city this time around. I love traveling!) Brenna and I wandered towards Vatican City without a plan and were harrassed by at least five men soliciting guided tours. Lucky for him (and for us), a really handsome blonde guy named Luca managed to rope us in and sold us a tour for 40 EUR. So we signed up, handed over our money, and waited almost two hours for the tour to start. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ4W2aQ1lI/AAAAAAAABmg/qlMsgZJ4108/s1600-h/DSC09308%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09308" border="0" alt="DSC09308" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ4fZDrkgI/AAAAAAAABmk/r6pqkGPXP20/DSC09308_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>View from where we waited in the courtyard</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ4s8d4uHI/AAAAAAAABmo/S3ALwPy0As4/s1600-h/DSC09310%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09310" border="0" alt="DSC09310" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ4zQz4DMI/AAAAAAAABms/Zq4cqOAUY10/DSC09310_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Naked gypsy, sleeping on the steps. Classy.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ42i3_5FI/AAAAAAAABmw/z8wilbimc2A/s1600-h/DSC09311%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09311" border="0" alt="DSC09311" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ47HFjZVI/AAAAAAAABm0/p33GJu6_6Uk/DSC09311_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Still waiting!</p> <p>If you’re in Rome and thinking about going to Vatican City, I highly recommend taking a guided tour. I know that it’s a lot of money but it was <strong><em>so</em></strong> worth it. We had this great tour guide named Eva who was a native Roman and explained everything – all the artwork in the museums, the statues, the significance of certain pieces and where they were before they reached the Vatican. She answered any and all questions that we had. I learned so much about the museums that I never would have known if Brenna and I had just breezed through it on our own. We learned about the Michaelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and how it depicts certain Bible stories, as well as the explanation behind Michaelangelo’s <em>The Last Judgement</em>. In every museum she explained the different pieces and why the different galleries were so significant. I can’t remember <strong><em>all</em></strong> the details but they were appreciated and worthy at the time so I’m really glad that we choose to go through with the tour. It was worth all the money and time that we spent on it. The tour of the Vatican and Vatican City itself were probably my favorite part about Rome. Maybe because I loved <em>Angels & Demons </em>so much but mostly because of the historical and religious significance of the Vatican. It’s so powerful – in the past and even today. I’m not Catholic or even very religious anymore but it’s really cool to be present in a place like that. I loved it!</p> <p align="center"><strong>Now, for a lot of pictures of artwork, statues, and other boring but totally cool Vatican stuff!</strong></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5EAOmGAI/AAAAAAAABm4/CD_EGuRHKF4/s1600-h/DSC09313%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09313" border="0" alt="DSC09313" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5OirwUgI/AAAAAAAABm8/AkDIK9JGlig/DSC09313_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The walls of Vatican City – it is the smallest country in the world!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5Xj2jn9I/AAAAAAAABnA/Qo4ON4I-Amg/s1600-h/DSC09320%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09320" border="0" alt="DSC09320" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5cFWm8fI/AAAAAAAABnE/LWiR7aFbcgI/DSC09320_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5lBYw5VI/AAAAAAAABnI/ptwUrMWCvsA/s1600-h/DSC09327%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09327" border="0" alt="DSC09327" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5rpM2XzI/AAAAAAAABnM/nSVeb1wrUVs/DSC09327_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ5xe2bs0I/AAAAAAAABnQ/ww1AE282quQ/s1600-h/DSC09333%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09333" border="0" alt="DSC09333" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ57eit8oI/AAAAAAAABnU/N2iXpd1If4o/DSC09333_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6NcDxXBI/AAAAAAAABnY/T8t67mREEKk/s1600-h/DSC09340%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09340" border="0" alt="DSC09340" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6Ul3jI4I/AAAAAAAABnc/wWAK0s82kwE/DSC09340_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6Z3Bk3MI/AAAAAAAABng/nEwXcLkRKHs/s1600-h/DSC09344%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09344" border="0" alt="DSC09344" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6g8nhm6I/AAAAAAAABnk/zFaIAGFBmeo/DSC09344_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6nNEy4YI/AAAAAAAABno/S9Q5Hhmm_yw/s1600-h/DSC09374%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09374" border="0" alt="DSC09374" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ6wBXThkI/AAAAAAAABns/kMKBf9VXtqU/DSC09374_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ614pI0AI/AAAAAAAABnw/rsHQF6pl05g/s1600-h/DSC09381%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09381" border="0" alt="DSC09381" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ65aLDOWI/AAAAAAAABn0/RxERFNABq7Q/DSC09381_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>This ceiling is painted to look 3D. Fooled me!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ7Nmh6JrI/AAAAAAAABn4/giwCU4eEjXI/s1600-h/DSC09384%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09384" border="0" alt="DSC09384" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ7XI_THUI/AAAAAAAABn8/Zy9m59KW5PU/DSC09384_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>The longest museum in the Vatican with, arguably, the coolest ceiling. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ7ls4kFJI/AAAAAAAABoA/A9tKjEzsrJY/s1600-h/DSC09393%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09393" border="0" alt="DSC09393" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ7uwXbi4I/AAAAAAAABoE/XyLZsspwtNo/DSC09393_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ70PqkvzI/AAAAAAAABoI/Zh9_4hPT0-M/s1600-h/224667_1897291909326_1152450433_32057754_108661_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224667_1897291909326_1152450433_32057754_108661_n" border="0" alt="224667_1897291909326_1152450433_32057754_108661_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ77bksQ0I/AAAAAAAABoM/aLlMS5Qc26g/224667_1897291909326_1152450433_32057754_108661_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8HQ7W5JI/AAAAAAAABoQ/V3nBFYSbdkU/s1600-h/DSC09413%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09413" border="0" alt="DSC09413" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8PRkPYaI/AAAAAAAABoU/EwRUKyLDfZM/DSC09413_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8awAE8pI/AAAAAAAABoY/HBVlAjilohY/s1600-h/DSC09410%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09410" border="0" alt="DSC09410" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8ifmHtUI/AAAAAAAABoc/jLqqGbz5D5k/DSC09410_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8rhgWpDI/AAAAAAAABog/gpg1Pwvc1Eo/s1600-h/DSC09415%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09415" border="0" alt="DSC09415" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8xn61yCI/AAAAAAAABok/ZlXy25vzZGU/DSC09415_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ8_zBVv6I/AAAAAAAABoo/NvNn1cfqxvU/s1600-h/DSC09419%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09419" border="0" alt="DSC09419" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ9LlrI1yI/AAAAAAAABos/jpQaiZ4Zshs/DSC09419_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>You can’t take pictures inside of the Sistine Chapel so I don’t have any of those but it was absolutely breathtaking. Aside from the millions of tourists jam packed inside their and the anal retentive guards shushing you to be quiet, it was really cool. I want to get a poster of <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Judgment_%28Michelangelo%29" target="_blank">The Last Judgement</a></em> for my future apartment. Now that I’ve actually seen it and understand it’s meaning (the second coming of Christ), I feel justified in actually having a print of it. Plus, it’s really cool. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ9XQpAQAI/AAAAAAAABow/6nS-fzWmXZ0/s1600-h/michelangelo_-_fresco_of_the_last_judgement%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="michelangelo_-_fresco_of_the_last_judgement" border="0" alt="michelangelo_-_fresco_of_the_last_judgement" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ9f5ywdMI/AAAAAAAABo0/H-jAZPGGmk8/michelangelo_-_fresco_of_the_last_judgement_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="497"></a>Not my picture but this is <em>The Last Judgement</em>.</p> <p align="left">After the Sistine Chapel we were released from the tour and Brenna and I wandered into St. Peter’s Basilica which is, without a doubt, the most stunning church I have ever seen. It beats any and every church in Munich. They also had St. Peter’s square and inside the basilica set up for the Pope’s appearance the following day so there were chairs everywhere but it didn’t take away from the ambiance or atmosphere. The church was breathtaking! We left the basilica and then wandered into St. Peter’s square where we tried to send a post card from the smallest country in the world but their “post office” was closed. So, instead we took pictures and tried to find memorable landmarks from the <em>Angels and Demons</em> plot. </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ9m19CAmI/AAAAAAAABo4/3ndRu89Q8NM/s1600-h/DSC09427%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09427" border="0" alt="DSC09427" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ9vZ2RYbI/AAAAAAAABo8/WW18f2Gr9Rk/DSC09427_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ90qbXFNI/AAAAAAAABpA/hem8G6-hs6M/s1600-h/218168_1897307709721_1152450433_32057814_6191152_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="218168_1897307709721_1152450433_32057814_6191152_n" border="0" alt="218168_1897307709721_1152450433_32057814_6191152_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ93yJl30I/AAAAAAAABpE/tlMXqFwkJxU/218168_1897307709721_1152450433_32057814_6191152_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-H_cCEZI/AAAAAAAABpI/G9C6MPN3TfE/s1600-h/221888_1897292749347_1152450433_32057759_6742735_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="221888_1897292749347_1152450433_32057759_6742735_n" border="0" alt="221888_1897292749347_1152450433_32057759_6742735_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-UUsCL7I/AAAAAAAABpM/b4Mgog7D0CM/221888_1897292749347_1152450433_32057759_6742735_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-ZkfYeYI/AAAAAAAABpQ/Sd3zsAaXalU/s1600-h/DSC09452%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09452" border="0" alt="DSC09452" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-jvBmkAI/AAAAAAAABpU/Nw3wlRQQ_-o/DSC09452_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-sFVUJVI/AAAAAAAABpY/9ySvFwP0gb4/s1600-h/DSC09457%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09457" border="0" alt="DSC09457" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ-3nhDWMI/AAAAAAAABpc/mhtujR5-L0g/DSC09457_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Holy water, anyone?</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_BwzW7bI/AAAAAAAABpg/LKczP5JMzxU/s1600-h/217533_1897293429364_1152450433_32057764_1441668_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="217533_1897293429364_1152450433_32057764_1441668_n" border="0" alt="217533_1897293429364_1152450433_32057764_1441668_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_InKZmKI/AAAAAAAABpk/s7DULPIUdSk/217533_1897293429364_1152450433_32057764_1441668_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_PR6xcDI/AAAAAAAABpo/GCyPYRX4YBQ/s1600-h/223563_1897293709371_1152450433_32057766_7001922_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="223563_1897293709371_1152450433_32057766_7001922_n" border="0" alt="223563_1897293709371_1152450433_32057766_7001922_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_Wi8HD1I/AAAAAAAABps/6uotaLyqkMM/223563_1897293709371_1152450433_32057766_7001922_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_eYFGtkI/AAAAAAAABpw/tnILlkJGvsc/s1600-h/224724_1897293589368_1152450433_32057765_6580384_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224724_1897293589368_1152450433_32057765_6580384_n" border="0" alt="224724_1897293589368_1152450433_32057765_6580384_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_mB8hMuI/AAAAAAAABp0/O71gkHbrEv8/224724_1897293589368_1152450433_32057765_6580384_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>It’s not the right one (it was covered by chairs) but the West Ponente was the one from <em>Angels & Demons</em>. <br>This is North East. FAIL.</p> <p align="left">After leaving Vatican City, we walked to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Angelo" target="_blank">Castel Sant’Angelo</a> (another landmark in <em>Angels & Demons</em> – I know, I’m so dorky!) and marveled at the beautiful bridges, river, buildings, and statues. Then we headed to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome" target="_blank">Pantheon</a> to meet Tyler and Amiee and only got lost and frustrated with each other and our map like twelve times. Haha. On the way there, I had my first taste of Italian pizza and it was <strong><em>delicious</em></strong>. So simple yet so refined. It was ricotta cheese with cherry tomatoes. YUM.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_vb94hSI/AAAAAAAABp4/6ouUOLu_aw0/s1600-h/DSC09474%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09474" border="0" alt="DSC09474" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_wxrAJ6I/AAAAAAAABp8/7nwE2ZnKk50/DSC09474_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a><strong>Castel Sant’Angelo</strong> is famous for it’s secret papal passageway which runs from the Castel back to the Vatican City palaces. It’s also an important part of the plot for <em>Angels & Demons </em>by Dan Brown. </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_x_gsNaI/AAAAAAAABqA/SEj8GO2Z6vk/s1600-h/215580_1897294029379_1152450433_32057768_6938755_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="215580_1897294029379_1152450433_32057768_6938755_n" border="0" alt="215580_1897294029379_1152450433_32057768_6938755_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_zF5yv5I/AAAAAAAABqE/HH8iNU5YG9U/215580_1897294029379_1152450433_32057768_6938755_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>We made it to the Pantheon and met Tyler and Aimee and their friend at 6 pm. The five of us then went for more gelato at Della Palma. I had four flavors that time but I can’t remember. I believe it was Kit Kat, sweet cream, mandarin orange, and raspberry. After that delicious detour, we wandered through the city and managed to find a delicious cannoli bakery. I’d been wanting a real Italian cannoli ever since we booked our flights so I was extremely happy to have found one. It was, without a doubt, the best cannoli I’ve ever tasted. It was absolutely perfect. From there we went to Piazza Novona where we found the <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontana_dei_quattro_fiumi" target="_blank">Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi</a></em> (or the Fountain of the Four Rivers) which is also important in the plot line of <em>Angels & Demons</em>. The rivers represented are the Niles, Danube, Ganges, and Plata. It was absolutely beautiful – the statues were incredible. The courtyard was full of artwork of all kinds – beautiful paintings and incredible artists. It was picturesque, to say the least. The day was fading away too, at that point, so it had the charm of twilight on its side. Piazza Novona was definitely a highlight of Rome. Afterwards, Tyler and Aimee took us to this little place they like to call the “cat sanctuary.” It’s just a site of ancient ruins where the stray cats of Rome like to hang out. And you know me, the cat lady of all cat ladies. I loved it! The cats are so cute and surprisingly clean for being strays. I wanted to take them all home. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_1AeLNCI/AAAAAAAABqI/kOMFe9a1D2I/s1600-h/DSC09482%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09482" border="0" alt="DSC09482" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_22agmsI/AAAAAAAABqM/l3RlFA-lGPI/DSC09482_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Pantheon</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_4frFLBI/AAAAAAAABqQ/dmdKhZcW-Fo/s1600-h/DSC09505%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09505" border="0" alt="DSC09505" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_6WqC7eI/AAAAAAAABqU/yt78SbwAGmQ/DSC09505_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_79bZBfI/AAAAAAAABqY/--bHkaT1_34/s1600-h/222846_1897294549392_1152450433_32057772_3262200_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="222846_1897294549392_1152450433_32057772_3262200_n" border="0" alt="222846_1897294549392_1152450433_32057772_3262200_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ_9W-rk-I/AAAAAAAABqc/90Q723j_VFw/222846_1897294549392_1152450433_32057772_3262200_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Me, Tyler, Brenna, and Aimee at Piazza Novona</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbZ__y76MtI/AAAAAAAABqg/bsuIktWwtyE/s1600-h/DSC09512%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09512" border="0" alt="DSC09512" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaABn__aeI/AAAAAAAABqk/N66wugcQINc/DSC09512_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaD6Z7EePI/AAAAAAAABqo/RZpV-C3MUBM/s1600-h/DSC09513%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09513" border="0" alt="DSC09513" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaD77SXqwI/AAAAAAAABqs/bbC00tbry3U/DSC09513_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaD9hXivwI/AAAAAAAABqw/60dqjp2dTt4/s1600-h/224174_1897308309736_1152450433_32057819_6434171_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224174_1897308309736_1152450433_32057819_6434171_n" border="0" alt="224174_1897308309736_1152450433_32057819_6434171_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaD_Llac4I/AAAAAAAABq0/OACvwfi5sSI/224174_1897308309736_1152450433_32057819_6434171_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>My favorite cat. He liked me, I think.</p> <p align="left">After we said good bye to Aimee and Tyler, we headed back to our hostel in Prima Porta. We bought a box of wine at Despar before and took it back with us. I believe Brenna drank more of it than I did that night but we definitely made good on Italian wine during our trip. We had bought bottles the night before as well and <em>almost</em> finished them both before we left on Friday morning. I wasn’t feeling very well by the time we got home so I tried to make it through a night at the bar but I couldn’t handle it and ended up going to bed early. Brenna stayed behind at the bar and made friends, two of them being Kait and Larissa who you will meet in the third installment of this vacation update. :)</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaEAvgDE1I/AAAAAAAABq4/vvqnsqfYAQ0/s1600-h/215669_1897295029404_1152450433_32057777_7362986_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="215669_1897295029404_1152450433_32057777_7362986_n" border="0" alt="215669_1897295029404_1152450433_32057777_7362986_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbaECN2Q5TI/AAAAAAAABq8/0mQolA4XTHM/215669_1897295029404_1152450433_32057777_7362986_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>A happy German girl with her Italian beer. Delicious.</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-7588788264841018262011-04-25T11:39:00.001+02:002011-04-25T11:39:58.928+02:00When in Rome: Easter Vacation (April 17th–18th) Part 1<p>This past Easter I was able to visit Rome on vacation and I had an absolutely wonderful experience. I spent four days and five nights in Italy and was able to see so many unbelievable and breathtaking sights – things I never thought that I would <em>ever</em> be fortunate enough to see with my own eyes. I was also fortunate enough to meet a handful of really awesome travelers – people who I may never see again but will never forget! For blogging purposes, I’m going to break the adventure down into numerous installments so that I can include everything. This is the first part of my vacation, which includes the first day of travel and the mishaps that came along with it, and the first days in the city! After that, I’ll write about my day trip to Naples and Pompei and the last of the adventure. Enjoy!</p> <a name='more'></a> <p>Brenna and I left Munich for Italy on Sunday, April 17th – barely a week after we’d first book our flights. Our plane took off from Franz Joseph Strauss around 5 pm and, after an hour or so in Zurich, Switzerland, we touched down in Rome. Traveling wasn’t bad at all – we didn’t encounter any delays or problems at any of the airports. We had to deal with expensive airport prices but that was about it. Once we got to Rome though, it got a little hectic. Our hostel was far outside of the city and since we had arrived in Rome at around 10:30 at night – all of the trains had stopped running by the time that we wanted to leave the airport. Between the train platforms and the airport itself, we wandered around aimlessly trying to figure out what the hell we needed to do to get to our hostel. We were harassed by every taxi or shuttle driver in Italy, at seemed, before one company gave us a good deal on a shuttle price - 30 EUR each for a shuttle directly to our hostel. Because we had a few other riders in the vehicle – Brenna and I were able to see a lot of Rome’s sights as we drove through the city. Our driver pointed out to us the Spanish Steps, old Roman walls, churches, various monuments. By the time we arrived at our hostel, it was pushing 1 am and we were <em>tired</em>. Unfortunately, we found out that Brenna had accidentally booked the wrong days and we didn’t actually have a booking – or a room – for that night. Fortunately, they were extremely hospitable and they gave us an upgrade and let Brenna and I stay in a private “suite” for our first night. And by private suite, I actually mean a two person trailer with a private bathroom. It was kind of ghetto. Haha. After we settled in, we both passed out – ready to enjoy our first day in Rome. <br><br></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU99cxs75I/AAAAAAAABjA/bfI-BBA-w0k/s1600-h/DSC090885.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09088" border="0" alt="DSC09088" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU9_PIc79I/AAAAAAAABjE/upB8HXiDFjA/DSC09088_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Waiting at the airport in Munich. Excited!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-AkdMwBI/AAAAAAAABjI/6dzwC8Qwm9s/s1600-h/216273_1897268868750_1152450433_3205%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="216273_1897268868750_1152450433_32057582_2625579_n" border="0" alt="216273_1897268868750_1152450433_32057582_2625579_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-CCza7BI/AAAAAAAABjM/N8UPCiRqXc4/216273_1897268868750_1152450433_3205%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Munich to Zurich! And then onward to Roma!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-DdDMo4I/AAAAAAAABjQ/gAofNMlUl4Y/s1600-h/224128_1897269548767_1152450433_3205%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224128_1897269548767_1152450433_32057587_2698937_n" border="0" alt="224128_1897269548767_1152450433_32057587_2698937_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-EmAIKbI/AAAAAAAABjU/__Wq1Mb0Fyg/224128_1897269548767_1152450433_3205%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Found it!</p> <p align="left">On Monday morning, Brenna and I woke up and got ready for the day and then checked out of our “suite” and moved over to the hostel dorms. They had originally booked us for the 20-person female shared dorm but because it was slow season, they moved us into a three-person female shared room and kept it at the same price. So Brenna and I had a room to ourselves for the four nights that we stayed at this hostel, which is, by the way, called <a href="http://www.campingtiber.com/" target="_blank">Camping Tiber</a>. There was an extra bed in our room the entire time but they never checked anyone into it. So that was nice for us! After settling into our new room and having some breakfast, Brenna and I jumped on the shuttle bus (provided for free from the hostel) that took us to the train station in Prima Porta (super ghetto!) where we jumped on a train into the main city center of Rome. This process meant that we took a 20 minute train ride from Prima Porta to the Flaminio station just outside of Piazza del Popolo and then we jumped on an underground to get to Termini (or other various places). (Side note: the Roman transportation system made us <em>really</em> miss Munich’s efficiency. The trains were dirty and disgusting and unreliable and closed early and were just generally bad.) We weren’t familiar with locations at that point so even though we could have just avoided the underground altogether and walked through Piazza del Popolo, we didn’t. Haha. Instead, we went with the directions that we had written down (Flaminio underground to Termini station) and headed in that direction. We decided to be spontaneous and got off of the subway at Barberini to see the Trevi Fountain instead. We felt it was a worthy start to our vacation.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-HLaErMI/AAAAAAAABjY/CHTTNGTmeT0/s1600-h/223290_1897270308786_1152450433_32057593_8313290_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="223290_1897270308786_1152450433_32057593_8313290_n" border="0" alt="223290_1897270308786_1152450433_32057593_8313290_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-JIdFSgI/AAAAAAAABjc/Wk9qowJGD5E/223290_1897270308786_1152450433_32057593_8313290_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>The Trevi Fountain or the <em>Fontana di Trevi</em>, as it is properly named, is absolutely breathtaking. It’s <em>gorgeous</em>. It’s construction and location symbolizes the junction of the three roads of the ancient aqueducts that once supplied water to ancient Rome. It is said that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain then you are guaranteed a return to Rome. There is another legend that says that it is lucky to throw three coins with your right hand over your left shoulder into the fountain. You better believe Brenna and I did that! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-Ky3IRjI/AAAAAAAABjg/z8ch0fGh5VQ/s1600-h/225071_1897270508791_1152450433_32057596_2757391_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="225071_1897270508791_1152450433_32057596_2757391_n" border="0" alt="225071_1897270508791_1152450433_32057596_2757391_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-Mqw437I/AAAAAAAABjk/Q9kA2IdO4qo/225071_1897270508791_1152450433_32057596_2757391_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-OP0NKHI/AAAAAAAABjo/TgMFy6S_ymo/s1600-h/224358_1897271668820_1152450433_32057604_8049340_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224358_1897271668820_1152450433_32057604_8049340_n" border="0" alt="224358_1897271668820_1152450433_32057604_8049340_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-QK8bnII/AAAAAAAABjs/sjTGbmZKCEg/224358_1897271668820_1152450433_32057604_8049340_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p>After the Trevi Fountain, we wandered through the streets of Rome intent on finding the Colloseum. We happened upon all kinds of random landmarks, fountains, piazzas, and parks that we didn’t know the names or significance of until the day was over and we looked them up. One of which was the Palazzo della Consulta at Piazza del Quirinale, which is the place where the Constitutional Court of the Italian Republic is located and where the president of the Italian Republic lives. Fun fact, it <strong><em>used</em></strong> to be the summer residence for the Pope! We also happened upon a quaint little park (Gardino del Quirinale) and wandered through some beautiful Italian streets, shaded with orange trees and quiet side streets.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-RdYuB9I/AAAAAAAABjw/V1PrRlX9q0k/s1600-h/217727_1897272988853_1152450433_32057616_4582597_n%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="217727_1897272988853_1152450433_32057616_4582597_n" border="0" alt="217727_1897272988853_1152450433_32057616_4582597_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-Su_KfPI/AAAAAAAABj0/88PEQkZ2pD4/217727_1897272988853_1152450433_32057616_4582597_n_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a>Piazza del Quirinale</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-VDg7ltI/AAAAAAAABj4/S2x_X3_wEfs/s1600-h/223075_1897273228859_1152450433_32057618_3780267_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="223075_1897273228859_1152450433_32057618_3780267_n" border="0" alt="223075_1897273228859_1152450433_32057618_3780267_n" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-W2xOU_I/AAAAAAAABj8/tt6l-PTpcAc/223075_1897273228859_1152450433_32057618_3780267_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Gardino del Quirinale</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-Y98q9nI/AAAAAAAABkA/Zq4lyzX4idw/s1600-h/215464_1897273508866_1152450433_32057620_4632364_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="215464_1897273508866_1152450433_32057620_4632364_n" border="0" alt="215464_1897273508866_1152450433_32057620_4632364_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-a9-4OUI/AAAAAAAABkE/uFpoh4TloFE/215464_1897273508866_1152450433_32057620_4632364_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>Once we made it onto a busier street, we ended up finding a map at a tourist information booth and that made it a bit easier to navigate the streets of Rome. Eventually, we found our way to Piazza Venezia, the Colloseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Which is where we spent most of the day, just wandering through the ancient ruins and taking in the history of this incredible city. The palace at Piazza Venezia is absolutely incredible. It’s <em>massive</em> and is so powerful on the landscape of the city. Palatine Hill was absolutely gorgeous and the view of the Roman ruins was surreal – a once in a lifetime moment. The Colloseum, of course, was stunning. It was such a strange feeling to be present at such a historical and world renowned landmark. We had lunch, delicious paninis and Italian Coke, on a stairway just opposite of the Colloseum so we had a <em>great</em> view as we ate our lunch.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-cqXNXcI/AAAAAAAABkI/K806YZSdxnk/s1600-h/216023_1897306509691_1152450433_32057803_4975191_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="216023_1897306509691_1152450433_32057803_4975191_n" border="0" alt="216023_1897306509691_1152450433_32057803_4975191_n" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-eVh50WI/AAAAAAAABkM/hPBZyAbw1JE/216023_1897306509691_1152450433_32057803_4975191_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Navigating</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-gvDqGSI/AAAAAAAABkQ/vEX2s_ZX8bU/s1600-h/DSC09155%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09155" border="0" alt="DSC09155" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-jKmOYGI/AAAAAAAABkU/lsm4eKPR-Ss/DSC09155_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Palazzo Venezia</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-mBezQ5I/AAAAAAAABkY/XXi1txivnZE/s1600-h/DSC09168%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09168" border="0" alt="DSC09168" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-oPI8JDI/AAAAAAAABkc/M02P8wcBoT4/DSC09168_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-rOvCrhI/AAAAAAAABkg/EypmBWDL668/s1600-h/DSC09176%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09176" border="0" alt="DSC09176" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-tDUc9iI/AAAAAAAABkk/Yx2_m16YDrw/DSC09176_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-vDzln7I/AAAAAAAABko/25QmcatlbFM/s1600-h/224311_1897280109031_1152450433_32057671_5296504_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="224311_1897280109031_1152450433_32057671_5296504_n" border="0" alt="224311_1897280109031_1152450433_32057671_5296504_n" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-w8v4zLI/AAAAAAAABks/ykmI-tdeHOc/224311_1897280109031_1152450433_32057671_5296504_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-ygwphZI/AAAAAAAABkw/sdc8VwXVSiI/s1600-h/DSC09194%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09194" border="0" alt="DSC09194" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-0DTAUpI/AAAAAAAABk0/cC0zCNrRBeI/DSC09194_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-1VBCtXI/AAAAAAAABk4/5wXdQkdLBuI/s1600-h/DSC09201%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09201" border="0" alt="DSC09201" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-3FNMD-I/AAAAAAAABk8/9WY6g7YKYmM/DSC09201_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-5ypNWrI/AAAAAAAABlA/2g54VVWcbB0/s1600-h/DSC09221%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09221" border="0" alt="DSC09221" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU-8DN6voI/AAAAAAAABlE/N_P-qgGVGKQ/DSC09221_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU--ubuksI/AAAAAAAABlI/DTiAFa8hlC0/s1600-h/DSC09225%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09225" border="0" alt="DSC09225" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU_Am8jhwI/AAAAAAAABlM/BRPDae4HszY/DSC09225_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU_Cru140I/AAAAAAAABlQ/s4apHdl1rgo/s1600-h/222443_1897277988978_1152450433_32057655_4577988_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="222443_1897277988978_1152450433_32057655_4577988_n" border="0" alt="222443_1897277988978_1152450433_32057655_4577988_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU_EdIDBnI/AAAAAAAABlU/wqkvL_qVzfA/222443_1897277988978_1152450433_32057655_4577988_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbU_G0v6srI/AAAAAAAABlY/c7f4zNcq6_E/s1600-h/DSC09239%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09239" border="0" alt="DSC09239" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVA4Ct3j9I/AAAAAAAABlc/wN3xhhr-IHY/DSC09239_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVA57zKnAI/AAAAAAAABlg/J9rrNWQVEGk/s1600-h/DSC09248%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09248" border="0" alt="DSC09248" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVA8EA1nnI/AAAAAAAABlk/TXS0hRE4ldE/DSC09248_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="554"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVA-ztDFMI/AAAAAAAABlo/3OywpEXEpZ4/s1600-h/DSC09259%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09259" border="0" alt="DSC09259" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBAxUtBDI/AAAAAAAABls/eVPTA8fahFs/DSC09259_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBDwIMKBI/AAAAAAAABlw/LfCAItvYtyU/s1600-h/DSC09262%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09262" border="0" alt="DSC09262" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBGOSTz8I/AAAAAAAABl0/11PUk5T4TD8/DSC09262_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBHgpZ2rI/AAAAAAAABl4/5bTzW6zQEJQ/s1600-h/222995_1897287869225_1152450433_32057726_7861145_n%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="222995_1897287869225_1152450433_32057726_7861145_n" border="0" alt="222995_1897287869225_1152450433_32057726_7861145_n" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBJeSbC-I/AAAAAAAABl8/Yx___AAGAGU/222995_1897287869225_1152450433_32057726_7861145_n_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBLkKJ3WI/AAAAAAAABmA/LmzI4lPMn1s/s1600-h/DSC09268%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09268" border="0" alt="DSC09268" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBNV5iJjI/AAAAAAAABmE/1WHAZiP5jSI/DSC09268_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p>After lunch, we used our map to find our way to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, which our cab driver had pointed out to us the night before. On our way there we stumbled upon a <em>gelateria</em> and had our first taste of Italian gelato and it was <em>delicious</em>. I had a combination of melon, caramel (crema), and chocolate and Brenna had piña colado, coconut, and chocolate. The melon was my favorite – it tasted <em>just like</em> you were biting into a big, juicy cantelope. <strong><em>SO GOOD</em></strong>. After our gelato, we found the Basilica – which was gorgeous, as always – and then walked to Termini station where we got the train and made our way back to the hostel for dinner and drinks at the bar. We had to leave the city fairly early every night because of the horrible train schedules and the effort it takes to get back to our hostel. But it was a worthy first day in the city!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBPbr5MhI/AAAAAAAABmI/tk7ff8w4E9I/s1600-h/DSC09282%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09282" border="0" alt="DSC09282" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBRrrF8XI/AAAAAAAABmM/5z2NvadhUJA/DSC09282_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBT-OS1uI/AAAAAAAABmQ/zJPGxlP8Y94/s1600-h/DSC09283%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09283" border="0" alt="DSC09283" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBV4KPlWI/AAAAAAAABmU/O88-UuBr6tQ/DSC09283_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="540" height="410"></a>Basilica del Santa Maria Maggiore</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBYYCpDiI/AAAAAAAABmY/M8lDybgokI0/s1600-h/DSC09303%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC09303" border="0" alt="DSC09303" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QllTWmIWhdk/TbVBaeURjoI/AAAAAAAABmc/LwsVJL6sTkw/DSC09303_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="551" height="402"></a>The sign says: <strong>Happy Hour, Good Beer, Good Friends</strong>. True!</p> <p align="center">Day one in Rome, <strong><em>SUCCESS!</em></strong></p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2922226798578260532.post-7365048170862006742011-04-17T12:10:00.001+02:002011-04-17T12:10:39.208+02:00Off to Rome! Ciao Bella!<p>Well, boys and girls, I owe the world some serious blog updates. I have been lazy. But, for now, I choose to travel instead and will be in Rome until Friday, the 22nd. Enjoy this lovely week of April and I will be back Easter weekend. Ciao!</p> Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194467943216242516noreply@blogger.com1