Pond Trip

Athens and Barcelona

2008-07-01T03:41:00.000-07:00

So we had some killer Indian food in Athens. It was so good we ate there twice!
Does anybody else remember the Mr. Men and Little Miss books from their childhood? They were great! Lisa and I loved them! I always liked Mr. Messy the best because, of course, I was Messy Jessie. Anyway, we've been seeing the shirts all over Europe and I've been wanting one! I thought I might have to order it offline when I got back to the States. Well, what do you know, I found a couple in Athens I liked! I bought Little Miss Curious (wish I could find this in dog form for Haji!) and Little Miss Giggles. I can be quite giggly.

Charlie ordered a Greek salad for just about every meal. I would love Greek salads if they didn't have feta cheese and olives in them, both of which I hate. We ate breakfast/lunch (usually around noon or after) at this wonderful crepes place 3 of the 4 days we were there. My favorite was the chocolate and banana crepe. Oooh man. Yum and a half.

My health problems came to a peak in Athens. Half of my eyelid was a bit swollen and hurt when I blinked. I have had a big rash, atleast 40 bumps (I counted) on my thigh, quite strange, for over a week. I had belly aches like crazy for unknown reasons. And my top lip burns when I eat fruit or try to kiss Charlie! It's so sad, I can't even give my own boyfriend a solid kiss. In these respects I will be glad to return to America and consult my docter of a dad.

Of course we hit up a chocolate place. My goal has been to get chocolate from every country we visit in Europe. I can't tell you how it's weighed down my bag-- and emptied my bank account. Seriously, if I hadn't bought any books, chocolate, or records, I'd be so much richer.

Ah yes, the records: Charlie and I went vinyl shopping our last 2 days in Athens. I picked up the following:
Miles Davis- Kind of Blue
Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pillow
The Beatles- The White Album
The Beatles- Rubber Soul
The Beatles- Revolver
Billy Joel- The Stranger (I had to; it was 1 euro)
A Rachmaninoff album
Dave Brubek Quartet
Allman Brothers- Eat A Peach
I can't remember the others, but Charlie got some Frank zappa which he was extremely excited about, and Talking Heads, and I can't remember the rest.

Right now we are in Barcelona. On the flight over here, guess what they served on the airplane for dinner? Cheese and olive paste sandwiches. The Anti-Jess.

Barcelona is so cool. When we got here we got a really shady cab driver who dropped us off somewhere near our hotel. We had to ask directions from some of the partyin' peeps in the streets, of which there were tons because of the Spanish victory in the Euro 2008 that night. Yesterday we did a lot of walking around and exploring. We ate at a delicious restaurant that one of the Whitleys recommended us (they each spent 6 months here and gave very enthusiastic recommendations) and I had some of the best duck ever. I love being able to eat at 10 pm. It's how I usually roll, but all the restaurants in Birmingham are closed by then. This is definitely fitting for my lifestyle. Yesterday we also went in the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen after St. Peter's in Rome. That's saying a lot, because there are many, many beautiful cathedrals in Europe and Italy specifically. But this one was really magnificent. There were swans and turtles in the church's courtyard! They seemed a little nicer than the mean swan at Indian Springs. The food is very delicious-- tapas, paellas, nachoes, all sorts of goodness. The atmosphere is funky fresh, fun, laid back; there are countless clothing stores that make me very sad that I don't have the kind of money to spend in there. Especially the dresses.

Today we went to the Picasso Museum and I hated it. I hate that I am so ignorant of abstract art, but it honestly gave me a terrible headache. I don't understand it at all. I like Salvador Dali-- the more I see the more I really like-- but Picasso I'm just not into. I like nature art and things I know where to start with. I don't know how to elaborate on that.

We come home in two days and, although we have had the best consecutive 28 days of our lives, we will be glad to be home. I miss Haji more than I can even say!! I miss my fambly and friends too. I do not miss the Alabama humidity. Now it is time for my siesta; Charlie's already napping. I love siestas!

Pictures from Belgium, Austria, and Italy

2008-06-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

Sorrento: lunch at a local place. Delicious. Back among my people I was happy.
Sorrento: absolutely beautiful. Next time I put up pictures you will see many more like this! Southern Italy is just gorgeous!
Verona: Our Italian dinner-stop on our train break from Vienna to Napoli
Vienna: the concert with opera and ballet
Vienna: The Indian was closed so we settled for sushi and such instead. Still pretty good.
Vienna: what a way to spice up a famous monument-- a 3 piece band playing "Jailhouse Rock" (singing it in German; very funny) with these crazy, trippy lights
Vienna: curbside discoteque in the park
Vienna: a view of Schonbrunn from the fountain-buildling
Vienna: the extensive gardens behind Schonbrunn Palace and, in the distance, a fountain-building where we stopped for a beer and a banana split, respectively.
Vienna: Schonbrunn from the backside
Vienna: Charlie in front of the amazing Schonbrunn Palace
Vienna: a squirrel with his nut in the park behind Schonbrunn!
Vienna: St. Stephan's Cathedral
Vienna: out to dinner our first night, where we heard a lovely violin and piano duet
Salzburg: Fernando and the shirt Park Lisa sent for him, among all the other shirts
Salzburg: Murphy's Law with our new English friends, Jamie and his dad
Salburg: at Murphy's Law Irish pub, the bartender Chris. He isn't a pedophile; he grew the moustache as some sort of bet.
Salzburg: The infamous gazebo from the Sound of Music
Salzburg: The yellow wall and path where Maria danced with her guitar singing "I have Confidence" (ahh so exciting!)
Salzburg: The "Lake District," or mountain side.
Salzburg: at the huge castle/fortress. Charlie straight thuggin'.
Salzburg: The S.S. Awesome
Salzburg: The cartoons I wrote about earlier, depicting my demise at Charlie's hands. He drew the stuff on the right and I made some sinister additions. Our favorite is Charlie jumping off a trampoline to push me off of a horse.
The steps on which the van Trapp children and Maria danced and sang Do Re Me!
Salzburg: Us in front of the lake and house on which the Sound of Music was based
Brugge: At our fancy dinner (Den Djver) about to eat liver paste
Brugge: Den Djver in my 40's theme dress
Brugge: our hotel. Picturesque, just like the rest of the city.
Salzburg: the kind of piano Mozart used to play
Salzburg: a ridiculous inflatable hot dog seasoning himself

Brugge: The Church of Our Lady at night
Brugge: Beautiful canals running through the city, and all the residences and buildings so quaint
Brugge: View from the top of the Belfry.
Brugge: A dog, hanging out the window overlooking the canal, just seeing what's up!
Brugge

Capri and Athens

2008-06-26T10:42:00.001-07:00

The last day in Capri, I bought more chocolate (mmm Baci!) and we went on a chair lift to the top of the island. I thought I was in the heavens; all I could see was sky and water and you couldn't even tell where one began and the other ended. How beautiful! We also went inside the Blue Grotto which was beautiful.

On the moped rides I listened to some Talking Heads (Stop Making Sense), Beatles (White Album), Disco Biscuits (Uncivilized Area and Live 12/15/07), and I asked Charlie to pick me out some music one night and he chose "Glide" by the New Deal. I have not listened to enough but have been more on this trip. Anyway it was the perfect song for the ride. Talk Show's pretty crazy and Technobeam is fun. That's where it left off on the ride. On the chair lift I put on The Bees, which we rocked out to last summer til I was about sick of it, but invoking it on the relaxing chair lift ride was so relaxing.

When we got to Athens our hotel reservation apparently did not exist and after a couple hours of hassle we got it worked out. We have a view of the Parthenon. We walked up to the Acropolis today and saw the Temple of Athena, the Parthenon, and the Theatre of Dionyses. Pretty crazy because that stuff has been around for 2,500 years. It was hot today!! We walked around the flea market but didn't buy anything. I think I am getting sick again but I'm hoping not. Soon we will eat dinner at an Indian place, cool! I will put up pictures now.

Pictures

2008-06-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Tower of London
In front of the monument which in turn is in front of Buckingham Palace
On the London Eye
The London Eye again
Brugge

Vienna, Verona, Sorrento, and Capri

2008-06-23T01:24:00.001-07:00

Our last day in Vienna was a good day. I shipped clothes home while Charlie sorted out our travel plans from Vienna to Sorrento. The travel agent messed a lot of stuff up, but we werent bothered. The concert included pieces by all three Strauss brothers, Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn with some opera and ballet. It was very enjoyable.

The next morning we were at the train station by 7 am. We missed our connecting train in Innsbruck because the train there had unexpected delays. So we ended up waiting a little while and taking another train, and it was a flurry of train-switching and riding for a total of 28 hours. We finally arrived in Sorrento the next day around 1. I finished a book or two more. I am collecting a library on this trip and it is weighing my bag down! During one of the switchovers, we spent a few hours in Verona. We went to the famous Arena and chilled in a park, looked in some stores, you know how it goes. It was fun; we had both been there before, so it was fun to go back and wander.

Sorrento was beautiful, really beautiful. The sheer cliffs, rising mountains, the Mediterranean laid out before us... we spent a day on the beach and used the evening to go shopping and have a yummy meal. I bought a couple souveniers for folks. When I was last in Sorrento, I bought a music box with the tune Torna a Sorrento, which means return to Sorrento. And I did! I wanted to buy another music box but couldnt find the perfect one.

The next day-- yesterday-- we took a 20 minute ferry over to the island of Capri. It is somehow even more beautiful than Sorrento. Charlie and I decided this is where our Italian villa will be when we grow up. This place is paradise. I knew we had to come back here. My memories from 15 years ago serve me well. I love this island. I love the Italians. My people! We are staying at a charming little bed and breakfast. We rented a scooter yesterday and have been mopedding everywhere! We had a delicious fancy dinner at a restaurant on a bluff. Everything is surrealistically beautiful. I cant say enough how amazing this place is. It is the high point of our trip... unless Athens or Barcelona somehow outshines it. No, there can be no way. I am having a great time practicing my Italian. They love it when I speak Italian to them!! We are seeing dogs everywhere on this trip and it makes me miss my Haj girl so much. As the guy at the Gravediggers bar in Ireland said, "Bow wows?? I LOVE bow wows!!" Very funny.

Today we are going to return the scooter and rent a boat for the day. We will see the blue grotto, circle the island, relax, and go swimming. Yesterday we spent a lovely evening on the beach by the water. It felt truly perfect. I listened to the City Hall show from Nashville and rocked out to some more Hurt Bird Bath. This one might be my favorite because of the Star Wars teases. Charlie says I am a dork and this is the type of thing that proves him correct. This, and the Sound of Music tour. I am going chocolate shopping today too. So many kinds of chocolate! My time is up on this computer and it is time to start our day so, arrividerci!

Ciao tutti!

p.s. I am going to send out postcards written in the Italian language and everyone except Bri will hate me for it because they wont know what it says. Bri will laugh at me because she will know what it is supposed to say.

Salzburg and Vienna

2008-06-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

I wish I could put more pictures on here but we don't get Wi-Fi in Vienna!

We spent our last day in Salzburg at the Mirabell Gardens (gorgeous) and doing a four hour Sound of Music bus tour. Poor Charlie. He said he didn't mind it though, as he got to see some beautiful scenery in the Lake District, as well as see me happy like a little schoolgirl. I love the SoM so much. I got it for 5 Christmases in a row when I was a kid because I watched it so much and I'd always lose it. I always lose the things I love best because I take them everywhere. They played the song over the bus as we went up the mountains and I sang along to each and every one! I knew all the words of course. It was so, so dorky, but oh wow I just loved it. We saw the gazebo that Leisel and Ralph danced around in and where Maria and the Captain had their first kiss... and tons of other SoM sights! We also had a pizza each and delicious pastries!! We stuffed ourselves and skipped dinner!

That night we went back to Murphy's Law. Our friends from the night before were there and a couple others. We had a great, great time and came home when the bar closed. What a cool place. Irish pubs are the best!

We took a train to Vienna and I slept most of the way, and read a little bit. Our hotel is spacious, with an old-timey lift, it's really cool! We ate an amazing dinner last night with mmm great dessert that we shared and had a lot of laughs. Today we went into St. Stephen's where I lit a candle for my friend's family and one for my family. I haven't gotten on my knees to pray in quite some time but was inspired today.

Outside in the square, a man came up to us and complimented me and charmed us until we bought tickets for a concert tomorrow night. He needn't have done all that; I love classical music and would have wanted to go anyway, but it didn't hurt and he gave us tickets for free champagne! I am so excited to go!! Half will be Mozart; the second half Haydn and a lot of Strauss.

We went shopping at H&M after lunch and I bought two dresses (very very cute!), new sandals with a bit of a heel so I can wear my new jeans, and Snoopy stuff!!! I LOVE Snoopy (little known fact) so finding a Snoopy shirt and Snoopy undies was the most exciting thing ever and I was as delighted as I was singing along to the Sound of Music (or atleast Charlie tells me my expressions were the same.) We dropped off my new things at the hotel and laid down explicitly to listen to some Hurt Bird Bath, as I've been craving it and we needed to get that stupid Discoteque song out of our heads.

Next we went to Shöenbrunn Palace which was absolutely amazing. I kept thinking I'd seen the place in a movie before, but then I realized I had just been there before, about 10 years ago in Vienna with my family. It was truly an incredible sight to see. Afterwards Charlie and I strolled around in the park for 45 minutes-- it's huge-- and filmed a very funny video. Really, we are having such a great time on this trip.

Now it is time to get some Indian food, yum!! We just can't get enough!

I saw you crying, I saw you crying at the discoteque

2008-06-16T04:20:00.001-07:00

Everyone go to www.seeqpod.com and type in Crying at the Discoteque. It's by Alcazar. We heard it eating Belgian waffles last week and can't get it out of our heads. Simultaneously the worst and best song ever.

Salzburg

2008-06-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

This morning we slept in. I needed it; I couldn't fall asleep until 5 am due to sickness so I uploaded pictures instead. First thing we went to the Apotheke (or whatever) the equivalent of a pharmacy, but it was closed because it's Sunday. Naturally no one gets sick on Sunday anymore.

Next we got a bite to eat. I took a chance and ordered the steak even though I couldn't read any of the menu. Turns out it was the most perfect Jess meal ever: delicious and tender filet with mushrooms and asparagus, and tomatoes, cucumbers, and mozzarella in two halves of oranges. Oooh I was so happy after that meal.

We went to the Mozart Museum, which was interesting. Their interpretations of his music made their decorations of the apartment he was born in very interesting. We got to see period furniture and they even had locks of Mozart's hair. Why they would keep that I don't know, but it was still cool seeing it all so real-life, so up-close.

Next we went to a castle on top of a hill. We had to take a tram type thing to get up there, and it is 500 years old! The castle itself was enormous, the biggest one I've ever been inside. Room after room had displays of ancient artifacts-- armor, weapons, furniture, portraits, kitchen utensils, chastity belts, chamber pots, you name it. Fascinating. The view was incredible. After a couple hours there I started to feel quite weak, as my sickness has progressed, and we headed down the mountain as the first drops of a drizzling rain fell.

Salzburg is so small. During Mozart's time (late 18th century) there were only 16,000 inhabitants. So it didn't take us long to get back to our hotel, but we made a pit stop down the block at a book store. I've read 7 books since we've been abroad; a few by a new favorite author, Sarah Dunant, a couple mysteries, and a some historical fiction. I bought two more books today: one about Katherine of Aragon and one of the Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith.

I called my dad to wish him a Buon Giorno di Padre. He's in New York with the office and was hanging out with my Aunt Jane, with whom my sister is living. We spoke for a bit and then I fell asleep for an evening nap. Charlie woke me up around 9 and we got some food. He ate weinerschnitzel. Disgusting. Our waitress forgot about us for an hour, just like on Friday night. I'm not sure if we give off that vibe or what. We still tipped her well. During the hour we drew cartoons on napkins and played lots of hangman. My cartoons were a little twisted but I thought they were hilarious. They mostly depicted Charlie pushing me out of an airplane, train, treehouse, tower, etc. He'd get really sad when he looked at them and try to counter it with something sweet, which I'd then put a few pen marks to and turn it rancid again. It was very much fun. We truced it at the end when I drew him and myself on a boat (the S.S. Awesome) underneath a starry night sky with Haji in her little box I drew for her watching us.

So I take Haji to the dog park every day, and some days Lisa comes by. Not Lisa my sister but Lisa the vet, whom I'd actually met at the J Clyde and seen around town at Rojo and stuff, then got to know her at the park. When she heard I was going to Salzburg she got very excited and gave me a UAB shirt and a letter to deliver to her friend Fernando, who works at an Irish pub here. Tonight we delivered the items and though Fernando was not working tonight, we sat and had a couple drinks and chatted it up. Funny, people say Europeans hate Americans, but all the ones we've met love talking to us. We had a good time and will probably be going back tomorrow night. They have two different flushers in many places in Europe for when you use the toilet. I asked why though I suspected I knew the answer. The bartender confirmed that one is for the poopie, the other for the pee. Oh the things you learn abroad.

Charlie and I have been watching an episode of Six Feet Under (Season 3) every other night but tonight we want to get some rest for our day tomorrow, and I need it for my unpleasant cough that has developed, so goodnight to you all and have a happy day of fathers.

Pictures (Dublin)

2008-06-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

At St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful park

Malahide Castle, and a Ben and Jerry's truck! how delightful

The rainbows that happened just before the show. Gorgeous.

Radiohead. Those lights you see dangling were absolutely wild.

We saw them!!
Christchurch
Charlie being silly

Me being cold!!

Oh my gosh. After the boxty and the chocolate delicious lava dessert, I was sooo full. This is my "I am miserably full" face.
The finery of the one of the rooms inside the Dublin Castle
The Paddywagon!! The best around to be SURE, to be SURE!!!

Our friends from the bar, Gravediggers: Patrick, Paul, and Breffney

The organist inside Christchurch playing Ralph Vaughan Williams

Our favorite late night eats with an ingenius name: abrakebabra

Dancing with some kiddie statues
The River Liffey, view from Ha'Penny Bridge (which used to cost a half penny to cross)
View from the top of the Guinness Storehouse

The infamous (around Dublin) Spire, erected in the name of peace.

I'll post more pictures when I have the time.

Brugge

2008-06-14T17:03:00.001-07:00

Charlie and I spent the past three days and nights in Brugge, Belgium. I can't emphasize enough how beautiful the town is. The architecture is so picturesque. The whole place looked like it came straight out of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or something. What a charming culture and way of life. Everywhere people were strolling the cobblestone streets or riding bikes. The few cars that were operated were polite to the pedestrians. There were horses and carriages taking folks for rides around the town. Clop, clop, clop, clop-- the sound of the horses' hooves on the stones was quaint and rustic.
We took a tour of the chocolate museum which was very cool. Chocolate was the treat of the rich for centuries! We plebians are very lucky that we can eat it these days, no matter what. The Belgians are very proud of thier chocolate and with good reason: it is the best in the world. Not like that grainy Hershey's we have in the states. Oh no. This is a refined and delicate sensory pleasure. I saw something really, really funny that is chocolate related but I don't want to ruin the surprise by writing about it here since I picked it up as a gift for Bri. I spent a fortune on chocolate (for myself and other) and Charlie spent a ton on beer glasses, which he shipped home. The Belgian's beer is also top-quality, high-standard, best in the world-- or so Charlie says. I'd started to catch what Charlie had and wasn't feeling well, so I didn't imbibe much or go with him to the beer museum.
The food, too, was absolutely spectacular. Famous for their seafood, Brugge really stepped up to the plate with the dishes Charlie ordered. I'm not big into seafood but even I enjoyed it. The last night we went to a fancy place and we dressed up, and they served us a paste based on chicken liver with our quail appetizers! To our surprise we enjoyed it. I think it just takes a bit of getting used to.
I wish it had been warmer. The weather was in the fifties all three days, not conducive at all to my skirt, dress, and sandal preferences. I shivered a lot and made Charlie speed walk with me so as not to get too cold! We climbed to the top of the Belfry, which is from the 13th century. I counted 362 steps. Afterwards we took a boat tour on the canal and our guide said there were 366 steps. Well, I guess he would know. I must have taken about fifty pictures on the boat tour; everything was just so beautiful. I loved Belgium. Even our hotel was pretty and perfect!
We spent all day today traveling by train: Brugge > Brussels > Koeln > Munich > Salzburg. When we arrived here at midnight, the station and the streets were alive with shouting, singing, all kinds of drunken antics. There was a huge football (soccer) game here tonight and tonight everything is a big party. We weary travelers, though, just wanted to check into our hotel. And I was delighted to finally have wi-fi again. I can finally put up some pictures!
My mom tells me she got my postcard from Dublin. Yay!! I sent out some more yesterday-- eight in fact-- so I guess those will get there in about a week. I hope everyone is doing well and happily and having a great Saturday!

P.S. I really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY miss Haji!!! But thanks to my mom she is being well cared for. Thanks, Mom :)

Last London Day

2008-06-10T13:37:00.001-07:00

I slept like a baby last night after reading a bit of the book Jon lent me called Freedom Evolves. I didn't wake up once, but Charlie tells me I kept repositioning Bunny over my face so the lamp wouldn't hit my face through those crappy curtains. Ha, that room... awesome.

We slept super late today and when we finally got up we went to The Globe. We thought about seeing a play (The Merry Wives of Windsdor) but decided not to. We ate pizza and it was good. It'll be better in Italy. I held off on gelato for the real thing.

We spent some time in the Imperial War Museum. We went through the Holocaust section first, as we did not want to make the mistake of saving the best for last, as we did with the British Museum, where we ran out of time and missed the Enlightenment exhibit. I have a perverse fascination with the Holocaust. How could such a thing happen? The exhibit explained it well.

Another beautiful day today, so after the museum we came back to the hotel and napped for an hour and then sat in the park for a bit. Hyde Park actually (good guess Bri!) For those of you who were wondering, the Indian last night was good, but the place in Dublin was better. Mmm good appetizers though, and yummy mango lassi!!

Tomorrow we leave for Belgium. I am very excited. In other news:
Mike just set his wedding date!! Oh yay! April 18, so exciting!
Waxy was 10 minutes late to the first day of her Young Adult Lit. class the other day and said fuck it, I'll just take it next year with Jess. I had a feeling she would change it :)
Michal Crowder will be in Firenze for a month, coming in on June 20! She says she has no plans as of yet so I'm hoping she'll train down to join us on the Capri beaches! Oh, I can't wait for Italia!

Hope all is well with everyone.

Londay Day 3

2008-06-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Charlie is coming down with something and I was sleepy so we turned in early, around 11:30 last night after eating some delicious Spanish tapas.

I woke up at 5 and couldn't go back to sleep, so I read a book. Yesterday at a bookstore I bought a book by Alexander McCall Smith because Lisa likes those books a lot, and I really enjoyed it this morning. I finally fell back asleep at 9 and we got up two hours later.

We went to the British Museum via the Tube and there was so much to see! Relics, antiquities, really old school things. A few times I found information that referenced something I'd read in the past week in my historical fiction novels! I really do love historical fiction and that's one example why. Example 1. :)

After a few hours there, we visited Buckingham Palace and took some pictures there and in the parks surrounding. They have so many parks in London, it's absolutely beautiful! I made friends with a duck and we walked around the lake together. I took a ton of pictures of Ducky. Ducky photo shoot! Speaking of pictures, I really want to upload some of the ones I've taken to this blog, but in order to do that we must get Wi-Fi on Charlie's computer and our low-rent place doesn't have that. And speaking of low-rent, yesterday I tried to take a shower and the water was cold, cold, cold. Those of you who have waited on me to shower are aware that they can last up to 30 minutes. Well, I'd be surprised if yesterday's lasted a full minute. Shampoo, rinse, OUT. I was crying by the time I got out, it was really pathetic.

This morning the water was hot and we were happy. I wore the dress I bought at Summercamp and boy am I glad-- it was hot today! Gorgeous weather here and I'm very thankful for it.

I think the coolest thing we did today was go on the London Eye. It's a huge ferris wheel-- the largest in the world, formally known as an "observation wheel"-- and it has pods that you stand in and as it rises, imperceptibly slowly, you can see all of London laid out before you. It was really amazing.

We have heard great things about the Indian food in England, and as Charlie and I are both avid fans of Indian, we are excited to get some tonight! This is where we are headed now, in fact. Another great thing about being over here is the city life. It's reminiscent of my days in New York, when I'd eat long after the sun went down, around 10 maybe. Only here, the sun doesn't go down until 10 at the earliest! It's truly incredible to witness the summer daylight. Oh, and the sun was up before I was this morning, too. Six hours of nighttime.

I suppose I've written more than enough and it is time to dine! Cheers!

London

2008-06-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

We were intrepid travelers today.
Not that our travels were a feat by any means-- a lot of waiting around-- but I like the Merry Pranksters reference from The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.
We took a bus to the Dublin airport, a plane (delayed 1 hour) to London, the tube to Westminster, and a cab to our hotel. Our hotel is very funny, very low-rent, and it makes us laugh. By the time it was all said and done I was exhausted and napped for hours. Then we ate steak, and now, full and happy, we're doing the 'net thing since our place doesn't get Wi-Fi. Soon its time for bed again and I can't wait!

These Europeans are so fashionable. I feel simple walking around here, amid all these well-dressed people. Anyway, times up and not much else to say today, so cheers!

3 day Dublin Recap

2008-06-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

So we are wrapping up our time in Dublin.

The Guinness Storehouse was really, really cool. Guinness was first brewed in 1759, so it's older than America (which I find fascinating.) We got a free pint of Guinness at the end too. Charlie says it's better than in America, because it's less watery (I couldn't tell much of a difference.)

The past two days were rainy and chilly, maybe in the 50's or low 60's, but today was beautiful and sunshiney. It made such a difference in the way the city seemed. We did a lot of walking all 3 days though. A couple nights ago we went to a bar called Gravediggers and drank with the locals. We love the Irish!! They are friendly, funny, and not afraid to be utterly ridiculous. Definitely right up our alley. They say cheers to everything and like to tell me I am beautiful. I have no problem with this until they kiss my hands, and then I feel a little awkward.

We went to Christchurch yesterday, which is 1,000 years old! The organist was playing something that was both happy and beautiful at the same time and I was glad when he took a break so I could ask him what he was playing. It was Ralph Vaughan Williams. I'll have to look it up. We also went to Dublin Castle, where the viceroys from England used to stay. It dates back many centuries in its rudimentary form, and actually it was because of a black pool of water next to it that the word Dublin was derived out of "dove linn," the Gaelic word for the pool. For dinner we had boxty, which is a potato pancake with things filling it up, like steak or lamb or some such deliciousness. They had black and white pudding for starters, and I asked about this. The black pudding is made with pig's blood. The white pudding is pig intestines. Now, I may be adventurous, but that was a little much for me. I stuck with chocolate pudding for dessert, which was actually closer to a lava cake and damn it was delicious!!! One of the top 3 chocolate desserts I have ever had, for sure.

I was seriously jetlagged the first couple days, sleeping whenever I could. I must've overdone it though, because a friend called me at 6 am Ireland time and the ringing woke me up. I couldn't go back to sleep so I read a book for today's morning hours until we toured more of Dublin, then took a two hour nap before we went to Malahide Castle.

Malahide Castle is where Radiohead played. There were extensive grounds next to the castle where a stage was set up, with portapoddies, beer stands, and food stands. There must've been about 20,000 people there. It was "brilliant," to use the term an Irish enthusiast employed. Really, it was though. The show was fantastic and the lights were insane, the sound pristine. While we were waiting for it to start, it drizzled and then there appeared an enormous rainbow, spanning the sky, with shining, distinct colors. It was the biggest rainbow I have ever seen. Then on top of that, another rainbow appeared above it! It was proof to me that God loves Radiohead. They played a new song, some songs off their newest album "In Rainbows", There There, Myxomatosis, Everything In Its Right Place, National Anthem, Optimistic, Idioteque, Lucky, Pyramid Song, Paranoid Android, Just, and My Iron Lung. I can't remember anything else. By the time they ended it was a little past 11 and there were still strands of daylight left in the sky: the sun sets incredibly late in the summer over here, which Charlie and I both love. All the folks at the concert were extremely nice, fun, easy going, etc. We met several Americans, Italians, Dubliners, really people from all over. Someone recognized my UM jacket and said he'd been listening to Higgins earlier today. It put a smile on my face, some UM so far from home.

Tomorrow we fly to London at noon. I am excited about going to England-- my first time-- but a little sad to be leaving Dublin behind. We've really had such a wonderful experience. I will put up pictures when I am able but for now it is bedtime!

Here in Dublin

2008-06-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

Well we arrived here in Dublin after an all night flight. I read a book and slept. I found an unpleasant surprise in my iPod, which I had synced before I left. Unfortunately something must have gone awry because there are only 8 songs on there. Oh, shucks.

Our cabbie from the airport to our hotel was full of tips, facts, and information about Dublin; a very cool guy. When we got to the hotel we did a little jet lag recovery in the form of rest (I finished my book first.) My stomach's been hurting a lot too so I sure appreciated that rest time. Perhaps I am lactose intolerant? We are about to take a cab to the Guinness Factory and get something to eat! I'll update more later.

The night before

2008-06-02T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well I have spent the last few days getting ready to leave for Europe. This mainly involved going shopping with my mom and sister and hanging out with most everybody I'll miss for the next month. Tomorrow I run a couple errands and do the packing, and Charlie's mom will drive us to the airport at 2. We fly to Atlanta, then leave for Dublin, an 8 hour plane ride. When we arrive it will be 9 a.m. there. I might have to take some of my Atavan to knock me out when we skip the pond.

One of the most exciting parts of the trip happens only a few days after we arrive: we will see Radiohead play at a castle in Dublin! The saddest part of the trip is being away from Haji for a whole month. I can't believe it's already upon us. We've been talking about it for over a year now... yippee!!