Monthly Archives: April 2012

Click for Munich guide

So after a ridiculously fun week with Gracey (I MISS YOU!! But really.  I got used to you being my roommate.  Sorry Steph) we left for Munich!  We took a bus Thursday night to some other city in Germany that was not Munich so we could go to the Neuschwanstein (gazuntite) Castle, which was the inspiration for the castle in Sleeping Beauty, which is one of the least well-known Disney movies.  We were so dazed when we got there (p.s. no bathrooms on the bus! what?!) and went immediately to bed. Grace, Amy, and I shared a room and they put this other girl in the room with us so Grace took one for the team and shared the bed with her.  It was weird that we did that, and Grace said that at times it felt a bit like Eunice from She’s the Man.

this is the only picture I can find of me near the castle, and you can barely see the castle, which is a little sad. but here it is!

We took the bus immediately to the castle in the morning where we proceeded to have a 20 minute hike that they did not warn us about to get there.  Once we made it, we had to wait 20 minutes (in the rain) for a tour.  Somehow someone started singing “Catch a Falling Star and Put it in your Pocket” and the next thing you know, Marissa, Grace, and I are legitimately singing in a 3-part harmony.  It actually sounded good, but people were terrified.  The castle was awesome.  It kind of felt like Neverland Ranch though and there were a lot of swan motifs and operas scenes on the walls.  Apparently it was built for his lover, Wagner, who the tourguide just described as his “friend”, which Amy would airquote whenever she said it.

After the castle we had our first meal: bratwurst (yum!) and snow balls.  Snow balls are like zeppolis on steroids: fried dough with a slight pumpkin/cinnamon taste to them.  They were absolutely incredible.  I got powdered sugar all over me. We then got back on the bus and headed to Munich.  We checked in and went straight to Springfest.

I love Springfest.  I really do.  It’s like a huge carnival and then they set up 3 tents (think huge beer halls with a stage and picnic tables) where they serve beer in HUGE jugs and food.  I was there for 2 minutes before I saw everyone I’ve ever met, and it was perfect.  I think it was a really nice end of the abroad experience trip.  I got to see basically everyone from home, school, friends I made abroad, and friends of friends I’ve made abroad.  It was so much fun.  I want to call it Slope Day on steroids, but that too doesn’t do it justice.  We ordered beer and danced on tables for hours.  We got there at 5 and by 10:00 I realized I hadn’t eaten anything or even left the general area I was in.  It was so much fun!  The tents closed at 11 and then I got a candy apple, saw the rides, and we went home.

We woke up at 9, had a “hearty German breakfast” and then went on a 4 hour bike tour.  THAT was a lot of fun.  We really got a lot of history about Munich, which is really such a gorgeous city.  Everyone kind of has this weird connection with Germany because of World War II, but it’s really a nice place and everyone I encountered was open about the history and frowned upon it, just as we do when we think of slavery in America.  The tour was great, but I had my first injury of the trip.  At one point we had to walk our bikes over this bridge that had cement walls on the side, and I listened.  Everyone else kind of straddled/pedaled their bike but I physically got off of it and walked next to it until I realized I was the only one doing it.  I went to get back on and kind of rode directly into the cement wall.  It scratched and bruised my arm pretty badly.  Obviously. On the tour we saw the Royal Palace, the street where Hitler attempted to march on in 1923, the palace gardens, and the English garden.  It was all gorgeous

slide time live

After the bike tour we went back to Springfest, where I ate more than any human should.  Here’s a brief list for prosperity: cotton candy, chocolate apples, candy apples, marzipan, ginger cookies, a 1.5 foot hot dog, chocolate covered strawberries.  The list goes on.  We also went on rides and walked around.  It had the world’s longest portable slide!  Did that!  Then we went back to the tents.  Around lunch time we went back to the hotel to “regame” and when we returned there was a bit of a line to get back into the tent.  Bauer and I went to wait on it, and soon there was such a crowd behind us we really had no choice but to continue to wait because there was no way to get out.  At this point my mind started to wander as I thought about all the movies I’ve been watching in my WWII class about the Germans…I was kind of worried they would shoot at the crowd (I know, that’s terrible and ignorant to think).  Then I heard a loud crash.

Someone from inside the tent punched out the window that was directly on top of my head.  The glass landed on me (a pane slapped me on the cheek) and the girl next to me, who actually got pretty badly hurt and her arm was entirely cut up.  The bouncer whisked her inside and a security guard came to the door to prevent anyone else from getting in.  That’s when I noticed my hand was gushing blood.  The cut was small (embarrassingly tiny) but there was actually A LOT of blood for such a tiny cut.  It was kind of deceiving.  They had the entrance blocked so I did what any dramatic human would do: I brought on the tears.  I can fake cry pretty well.  I put on an oscar-worthy performance and just started crying.  The guard laughed at me a little bit even though I was gushing and then let me in, but not Bauer.  She was very upset and I kept trying to get her in but they just were pushing back at the crowds.  It was terrifying.  This girl helped me clean my hand with purell and check for glass and then they finally let Bauer in.  It was traumatizing.

The rest of the night went smoothly.  We continued our strict regimen of dancing on picnic tables and hugging everyone we’ve ever met in our lives until the tent closed and then we went on rides.  Our first ride was bumper cars.  Bad idea.  We couldn’t find the seat belt and Amy couldn’t figure out how to get it out of reverse.  People just kept banging into us and at one point I was literally projectiled out and I got whiplash.  I now have two bruises the size of my hand on my thigh/butt.  We then went back to go to sleep.  Grace left at 5 in the morning and at 9:30 we went to go to Dachau.

It feels weird putting Dachau in this post with Springfest and Zim’s 21st birthday and me feeling like I was in a 72-hour spin cycle from all of my injuries.  We took a train and then a bus, which was stuffed to CAPACITY, standing-room only.  I found that really weird that they wouldn’t have more buses.  Like they were really trying to create an authentic experience for us (I promise I don’t have that many jokes about this.)

The concentration camp was haunting and terrible and scary and miserable.  I couldn’t fathom how with every single step I took, SO MANY PEOPLE probably died in my footprints.  This was one of the concentration camps I’ve spent my whole life learning about.  It’s hard to grasp the reality of the situation, of how the terrible things they did actually happened to actual people, and how many people were crammed into such a dark, dreary place.  I couldn’t go into the Bunker to learn about all of the rooms of torture they had, so I waited outside- I just couldn’t handle being in a tiny space with that much terrible energy.  There was a creepy crow who landed right next to me as I waited outside.  Is there a law that only really creepy animals could inhabit this area, because it seems fitting.

Dachau was also one of the locations of the many human “research” that took place, and that was miserable to hear about.  It also had a gas chamber, which I also couldn’t get myself to walk through- I exited the building and went in again through the exit to re-meet everyone.  It was just a god-awful place to be and I just had this terrible fog surrounding me and it was really hard to take in.

So how would I describe this weekend?  It was amazing, it was physically taxing, it was emotionally taxing, and it was so much fun.  I had a hard time integrating all the different parts into one trip- but as someone said: I guess that’s just life.  I’m so glad i did it.

Happy 21st Baby Zimz!!!

Click for French Riviera Guide

On Wednesday night Zimmy came to Florence again!  I skipped my WWII class and instead we watched episode upon episode of Dance Moms and Dance Moms: Miami.  I missed her!  We went to get pumpkin ravioli, but apparently it’s out of season so we didn’t get any.  The next day I went to class and then we left for the French Riviera to meet Grace!

There weren’t a lot of people on the trip so we each had our own seat which was very nice.  We got into Nice very late and we were put in a room with 12 other people.  It was an interesting group.  Someone asked if we had hairspray in the morning while she curled her hair…  Needless to say, we made no friends but at least we were all together.

like why?

It was pretty dreary so we didn’t go to the beaches, but it was still gorgeous in Nice.  We took a walking tour where Grace chatted up the tour guide.  The highlight, I think, was the “Buddha Plaza” with multiple light-up Buddha’s in either fetal or kneeling position.  It was strange.  Zim had an interview in the hotel after the walking tour, so Grace and I set out looking for cheese.  I was SO in the mood for cheese.  We bought brie and rice cakes and ate it sneakily in a McDonalds, terrified that they would find us and kick us out.  Then Zims met up with us and we walked around some more, hiked up to this really pretty view, and I played in a park with small children.   We also got THE BEST ICE CREAM (after Lisbon).  I got rose, avocado, and speculoos flavor but they really had every flavor imaginable.  And it was all quite good.  We then got dinner…..and went back to the hostel.  We were really tired.  Skipped out on the “dancing on tables” our program promised us, although we peaked in and no one was dancing on tables.

The next day we got up to take a bus to Eze where we went to a perfume factory (I think I zoned out through the whole experience) and then waiting on the bus in the pouring rain while everyone else walked around.  Thanks, but no thanks.  Zim and Grace literally had a rap off on the bus and were being terrible.  They were singing songs I don’t know and rapping and comparing house music: I watched an episode of Dance Moms and had none of it.  I miss them so much.  That’s what life was constantly like in our apartment.  Although I do have to say I know A LOT of Lil Wayne (I prefer to over-annunciate  and refer to him as LiTTle Wayne and then spend the next 20 minutes in a Jenna Maroney accent).

may the odds be ever in your favor

We then went to Monaco!  Fun fact: for those of you who aren’t aware, Monaco is one of the richest countries in the world with the highest per capita income ($186,175).  If you know how per capita is calculated, that’s a lot.  Well one of my favorite quotes from the trip was this one girl who said “I mean I guess I’m just not phased by that because in D.C. everyone makes six figs.”  We couldn’t help but laugh at that because this girl clearly just had no idea what she was talking about or how per capita works (it’s $28,659 in DC).

Monaco was gorgeous.  We saw the palace (hey Grace Kelly!), I ate a pot of mussels, and then we went to Monte Carlo.  It made me a little uncomfortable because it felt like people were like “hey let’s go to the museum and watch rich people live!” as if that was some sort of tourist attraction.  But the casino was gorgeous and we gambled a bit and Zim won some petty change and it was a lot of fun. We then went back to Nice where we got sushi for dinner, had more delicious ice cream and went to bed.

Additionally, brace yourself, humans, for I invented the best candy ever on this vacation: soft marzipan imbedded with crispy M&Ms.  You’re welcome, world.

The next morning we woke up, checked out, and headed for Antibes.  The yacht show was there so that was pretty cool, but we didn’t go in because we had reached our yacht quota.  We went to this outdoor market where we got delicious dried fruit and walked around some more.  It was gorgeous out.  We sat in a park drinking coffee and enjoying everything and then we headed back to the bus where Zim left to go back to Copenhagen and Gracey and I went back to Florence for the week!!!!!

It was such an amazing weekend and not even sad to leave because Gracey was coming back to Florence with me and I was seeing Ali in springfest the next weekend so we left on such an excited note.  But it was great being with them. As Michelle’s hostmom would say, and then Molly and Ali would repeat in a high-pitched voice: “we laughed and laughed”

Click for: Budapest Vienna

Unless you count the staycation we enjoyed at the Plaza Hotel in winter 2000, this trip was our first vacation just the 4 of us.

Thursday night I flew from Rome to Budapest were I met my parents at the hotel.  I got in pretty late so they just gave me Tate’s Gluten Free Chocolate chip cookies and we went to sleep.

honestly, we probably wouldn’t have been able to take pictures inside so no one would have known the difference.

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast at a local cafe, and went to see the Synagogue.  I had actually just learned about the synagogue in my Jewish-Italian class because it is similar in style to the synagogue in Florence.  It was gorgeous from the outside, however it was Passover so it was closed.  Karina was very upset because she said the hotel had called the day before to make sure it was open, but you win some you lose some.  In her discussion with the people at the synagogue, she learned that Chabad was having a seder that night for the first night of Passover, so we signed up to go.

My parents and I walked along the water, got some Jewish pastries, and waited for Carly to arrive.  My parents also decided to get revenge on me for all of the times I’ve sent them pictures of what I’ve been eating and the sights I’ve seen by relentlessly describing their flight and their layover in the “Admirals Club” since they all flew first class and I flew Wizz Air.  So while my dad was eating cookie dough ice cream with chocolate shavings and enjoying his warm towelette, I was fighting to get a window seat.  It was cruel of them. When Carly arrived we got our stuff and went to the bathhouse.

guess who wore his flip-flops into the pool?

The baths were cool, but also disgusting.  The facilities were nice and clean, however I did not enjoy being in a warm pool, which felt like a bath, with other gross strangers.  It just wasn’t my cup of tea. We at one point went into this inner pool that was surrounded by a ring with a current.  When Carly and I went to leave the inner pool, we couldn’t escape because of the current and had to circle all the way around it to escape.  My parents laughed at us and called us weak.  So then when they went to leave, my dad tried to act so powerful and took my mom’s hand to lead her out.  They fought it for a while, but then all of a sudden we just saw the current sweep my dad off of his feet.  He fell underwater and got carried in the current so they too had to go all the way around before they could escape.  It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.  Way to go, Drew.

Outside the seder. Luckily I didn’t have to do the 4 Questions although Carly tried to convince me to get up on the stage with the other small children

We left the baths, showered, and then Carly, my mom, and I left for the seder.  My dad was fortunate enough to be able to stay back in the hotel and nap.  The seder was actually an awesome experience.  It was 100% in Hebrew so I didn’t understand any of the explanations, but all of the songs were the same and it was just cool to have this shared experience with 1,000 strangers who came from all different backgrounds and yet all knew the same songs, the same story.  We found the only other Americans- the parents of a girl studying abroad in Prague who actually went to camp with some of my friends- and we sat together and played the world’s best game of charades.  We just used everyone else’s gestures to figure out what page we were on and what was going on.

The seder was long (this crew didn’t mess around.  We sang EVERY SINGLE dayenu verse) but we ditched after 2 hours when the festival meal was over.  Carly was tired.

The next day we woke up, checked out of the hotel and went to the Castle area.  The church in Buda was really pretty and we walked along this pathway.  The stone detailing on the roof was awesome.  It was a really pretty area but kind of rainy so we decided to go find this museum called “Hospital in the Rocks” that was recommended for “WWII history buffs and people who like medicine.”  Sold.  It was SO CREEPY.  It was in a cave and so tiny and antiquated and honestly if I was sick or needed a hospital I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d want to be less.  It also weirdly reminded me of a gas chamber.  It was Easter weekend though, so the tour guide hid chocolates and gift bags around the museum.  Guess who located all 3 of them.  That’s right, this 5-year-old.  If it wasn’t for the free chocolates and chewy lollipops I would have been entirely creeped out.  It also served as a nuclear bomb shelter during the cold war, and the kits they had were terrifying.

no, the matching wasn’t planned. we wish we were coordinated enough to do that.

We had a really good lunch- I had goose leg with cabbage and apple and my dad and sister had goulash- and then got on the train.  My parents were going to Vienna and Carly and I were continuing on the train to Salzburg because we had the SOUND OF MUSIC tour the next morning!

Our hotel in Salzburg was kind of weird- the wallpaper in the room was some kind of panoramic view of Salzburg in sepia with only green accents on the leaves.  The breakfast buffet was great in the morning, though- and it was Easter Sunday so we had chocolates on our pillow and colored hard boiled eggs at breakfast!  I knew I was going to be seeing Miranda on the tour- but what we didn’t know was that WE WERE THE ONLY ONES ON THE TOUR.  How weird is that?  It was just the 7 of us in a van, listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack on repeat and taking in the sights.  It was snowing outside, but that didn’t detract much from the fun.

My favorite part (besides getting to see everybody!!) was the gazebo.  It’s in plexiglass and locked because some idiot decided to reenact 16 going on 17 and fell through the glass and broke their ankle.  I think that’s hysterical.

After the tour Carly and I got back on the train and headed for Vienna.  We met our parents at the hotel and walked around until dinner.  Vienna is my favorite city.  It was exactly as I always imagined Paris to be like but actually isn’t- elegant, gorgeous, clean, perfect.  I NEED to go back.  We walked along the Habsburgs Palace (reminded me of the Habsburg Prince from 30 rock) and then went to dinner where my dad and I had weiner schnitzel.  It was to die for.  We then went to Hotel Sacher for sachertorte.  And now I need to delve into things a bit:

Vienna was kind of difficult to handle.  My Zayda was born Fritz Rones in Vienna in the 1920s into a Jewish family.  His father died of a heart condition when he was 14.  In 1939 when things started to get very bad for the Jews in Austria, his aunt sponsored him to come to America. Since his mother, aunt, and grandma were born in Romania and not Austria and there was a quota, he was the only one who was able to come to America and thus had to say goodbye to everything and everyone he knew at the age of 16.

My Zayda and I always had a very special bond, and I really expected to have some sort of connection with Austria, just as I do with Italy.  This was where he grew up and where his traditions stemmed from.  But it’s hard to.  I guess it’s because the Vienna I’m experiencing was not even remotely close to the Vienna he experienced.

One of the only things we did that I was really able to do that was even a little bit connected to him was eating sachertorte.  My Zayda spoke about how he used to love this cake and his parents would buy it for him on special occasions.  In 1991 when we went to Italy, he returned with my Bubby to Vienna and brought back a Sachertorte for us.  We have it on video and it’s so touching to see him eating this cake for the first time since he was a teenager and still living with his parents.  It’s one of the only good memories he retained from Vienna, and so it was really important to me- not just as a chocoholic- but also as some remembrance of my Zayda and his family.  Without his terrible past and the Holocaust and Austria I wouldn’t be here, which is a really weird thought.  As the tourguide at the Florence synagogue eloquently said, “whether you laugh at it or cry about it- it won’t change history” -there’s nothing you can do about the past but laugh at it and remember, so you have to focus on the good.  Especially when that good is a slice of chocolate cake.

And it was AMAZING.  Perfectly chocolatey but not too rich or overpowering, and the frosting was perfect.  I brought back a box with mini-cubes of sachertorte to Florence.  My Zayda had good taste.

The next day we did more Fred-appreciation and went to visit his old apartment.  We had a cab driver bring us there and wait for us while we took pictures.  As we were doing that, I noticed a plaque on the wall with the years 1939 and 1945 on it, so I knew it must be about the holocaust or WWII.  I asked the cab driver to translate it for me.  He spoke TERRIBLE English, so he kept repeating everyone word slowly and using hand gestures.  “building.  buillllldddingg.  you know, a building *mimes a big square and points to building* building!”  yes, I know what a building is.  Next word.  So he was doing this with every word until he got to Hitler.  And he started saying “Hitler.  Hittlerrrr” and miming the hand salute to him.  I was the only one witnessing this and it was so hard not to laugh at.  Thank you sir, I know who Hitler is.  That name, unfortunately, is the same in every language.  But it was funny to watch him try to mime Hitler to me.

We then took a tram to the cemetery to find my Zayda’s father’s grave.  He had trouble finding it on his first trip, so he had to seek help from a Jewish organization who contacted him when we were in Vallecorsa in 1991.  My Uncle Cliff and him returned to see it and take pictures.  He also ordered a new headstone as well as a footstone in honor of his mother who died in a work camp and thus never was given a proper burial.  We had the grave section, row, and number- but some of the information must have been wrong since we couldn’t find it, and it was Easter Monday so the offices weren’t open to help us.  We spent 2 hours walking through the completely uncared for jungles of the old Jewish graves- which was juxtaposed with the intricately cared for, more modern Christian graves.  What’s sad about this is the fact that it’s because all of the relative of those buried in the Jewish section either died in the Holocaust or fled.  So now there’s no one to visit them.  That was a really depressing thought.  I was also upset that my Zayda spent money to give his father and mother a proper tombstone and no one in the family has seen it yet.  I just wanted to put stones on them because in some weird, spiritual-afterlife way I want my mom’s grandparents to know that they still have family members who care to come back for them and that they are still remembered.  We ended up putting stones on the tombs of 2 teenagers who, from what we could discern, were killed in the Holocaust or “German Terror” as it was written.  But I really must go back and find Karl and Karoline’s grave.

On a funnier note: remember that time my family left me in a bathroom in Rome?  Well even funnier than that is when they left me in a cemetery in Austria.  Yea.  That happened.  I went to look for it in a mass of graves, and my family just walked off and I couldn’t find them. It was terrifying.  Almost as terrifying as when the Austrian cemetary caretaker- who didn’t speak much English- invited my dad into his car and then drove off with him.  Yes, Andrew was kidnapped.  Luckily we all made it, although defeated.  Fun fact about my dad:  whenever they would speak to him and he wouldn’t understand, he would reply “si, si”.  Dad: they don’t speak Italian here and neither do you.  I don’t know why “si” was his immediate response.  It was hysterical.

We got back on the tram to Vienna, had lunch, and went to see the Habsburg Palace and Imperial Apartments.  I learned a lot about Queen Elisabeth and she’s a very interesting character.  Apparently there’s a German musical about her which I read up on and it looks really good- I hope someone in America decides to bring it to Broadway.  We walked around Vienna more and enjoying the nice weather and then went to a Mozart concert/ballet/opera combination.  It was really nice, I LOVE Mozart.  I can’t wait to buy some of his songs and add them to my “classical music- naptime” playlist.  He was a genius.  (and now here’s a plug for another child musical prodigy: GOOGLE EMILY BEAR.)

After the concert we ate dinner at the restaurant in the opera house, so we were able to watch the ballet from TV monitors as we ate.  I’m not quite sure what the ballet was- it said Anna Karenina and there was Tchaikovsky music.  I’m obsessed with Tchaikovsky- he’s already 4/5 of my naptime-classical playlist.  We were able to sneak into the opera at the end, which was great.  We couldn’t get tickets because it was sold out, but I NEED to see something (hopefully a Tchaikovsky ballet) in that opera house at some point in my life.  My favorite part of it was when they played the “Fantasy Overature” from Romeo and Juliet, because that’s the music they play in the Sims when the Sims fall in love.  Yup.

I left for the airport early the next morning, and it was much sadder to leave my family than I thought it would be.  We really had such an amazing weekend and it was so much fun.  Much better than our staycation, I’d say.  I missed them so much! LOVE YOU!

do you see the ring of current?

father-daughter photobomb

this is the only picture we have from the Duomo because I refused to go anywhere near the edge.

Click for London Guide

Just three days after returning to Florence from spring break, Rebecca came to visit in Florence!  She was only here for two days, so I’d consider her stay a crash course in Florentine culture.  I took her to see my BFF, the David, the Boboli Gardens, and we climbed the Duomo.  So I’ve climbed the Duomo once before but I guess I forgot how much I hate it.  I’m deathly afraid of heights, and so when we got to that part when you circle around the inside of the dome in that tiny corridor, I freaked out.  Like almost refused to continue walking, Rebecca had to hold my hand, freaked out.  I ended up walking around that part like a nut-job, looking straight ahead to Rebecca, holding her hand as she talked to me, and touching the inside wall with my other hand.  I also freaked out at and screamed at a tourist going the wrong way.  I’m mentally healthy. But we made it to the top, and it was gorgeous!  Definitely worth the terror.

On Friday we went to get salads from our favorite salad place to eat on the train to Pisa where we were catching a flight to London.  As we were waiting I was leaning my hand against a wall, and apparently it was actually a door frame because the owner slammed the door and my fingers got trapped in it.  My finger was bleeding and swollen and gross, but I survived.  TYPICAL.

The flight was our first RyanAir experience.  It was terrible.  It is insane what people will do when a window seat is at stake.  I’m pretty sure there was baby trampling in order to be first on line.  The flight itself was uneventful except RyanAir called itself the “On-Time Airline'” and claims that 9/10 of its flights land on time.  Well this one didn’t, and I kind of think we deserve an explanation.  We got to London pretty late so we went straight to sleep.

we like to experience the world around us.

The next day we had breakfast before hitting up Camden Market.  Rebecca took us to this store called “Planet Organic” and it was the greatest food store to exist, ever.  They had freshly baked gluten-free bakery items.  I had a carrot-apple muffin and a banana walnut and both were delicious and I was so happy. We also noticed a lot of Pret a Mangers around, which was comforting because, well, Steph and I are obsessed with Pret.  We took a double-decker bus to Camden Market after breakfast, and it made me wish I skipped the GF muffins.  They had every type of ethnic food imaginable AND they gave out free samples.  So what if I ate my weight in tiny morsels of food on toothpicks.  Camden also had a lot of good shopping- the most I’ve actually done since being in Europe- and I almost purchased a giant British flag with a picture of Will and Kate on it.  But the people in the store were creepy and didn’t want to give it to me.  Oh well.

After Camden we headed out to afternoon tea at the Chesterfield Hotel.  I love tea.  They brought out a little tiered platter of the most delicious sandwiches, scones, and pastries I’ve had and I stuffed myself to the max.  Clotted cream is essentially butter, but its so delicious and doesn’t taste like butter and I would like to shmear it on everything.  Especially with jam.  The sandwiches were all delicious too- the first sandwiches I’ve had in a really long time and they were SO good and all on different types of bread.

After tea we ventured out to the Buckingham Palace, or as I like to call it: Home.  The flag was up, which meant the Queen was IN.  Obviously, it would have been rude of her to leave when she heard I was arriving in the area for an important meeting.  The Palace was gorgeous and the whole time I just kept trying to imagine what they did with all of that space.  Like how many rooms are there in that place?  Additionally, they didn’t have a backyard.  That’s upsetting for them.

We walked around a bit, hit up TopShop (weirdest store EVER.  Not a fan) and rested a little bit and then prepared for my second most anticipated meal of the trip: Indian Food.  We went to Brick Lane and Steph and I split Chicken Tikka Masala and Bengan Bharta (Steph loves eggplant.)  This was Steph’s second experience with Indian food and she LOVED it.  NEW CONVERT FOR SANGAM THURSDAYS! UP TOP! In fact, she licked the bowl clean which was both admirable and disgusting.

Rebecca left to go to the Canary Islands that night, leaving Steph and me alone to take London by storm.  We went to see Big Ben, Westminister Abby, the Parliament, and the London Eye first thing in the morning.  Of course, it was a Sunday so Westminister was closed.  That was pretty unfortunate.  We waited online for the London Eye and had a very interesting interaction.  This woman was on line in front of us with her son who looked to be about 9 or 10.  She had to go to the bathroom, but he didn’t want her going and leaving him alone.  I, of course, chimed in and told her that we’d save her spot on line if she wanted to take him with her.  She looked at me and then completed ignored me.  Kk, I was just trying to be nice.  Then the woman in front of her who was there with her 3 grandchildren offered to watch the boy and the mom agreed!  WHAT.  I thought offering to watch someone’s child was overstepping boundaries way more than offering to save a spot.  They ignored us the entire time we were online and then we were in the same container as them on the eye and they continued to ignore us and the two families all hung out.  Steph and I felt very left out.

We then headed off to see MATILDA on West End!  Everyone who saw it LOVED it, and it recently just won 7/9 Olivier Awards however I’ve got to tell it like it is: I wasn’t in love with it.  The Matilda’s were incredible, Ms. Trunchbowl was great, the dancing and special effects were incredible, but I maybe just didn’t LOVE show itself.

We then walked around the Theatre District, which I LOVED.  I got gluten free red velvet cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery, Steph got the pear cidar she was looking for, we ate fish and chips for dinner, and walked around.  While perusing the streets we saw this sign posted on a door, which I thought was strange: This is not a brothel.  There are no prostitutes at this address”.  Okay, but I didn’t suspect there were any until you said that.  Now I’m not so convinced. We baffled over that for a bit, then went to see THE HUNGER GAMES.

Movie theatres are weird in London- we had assigned seats, there was a mezzanine, and it was huge.  The Hunger Games were incredible.  I cried.  I need to see it at least a couple of more times once I get home, it was just so well done and I thought true to the book.  I’m just so glad I got to see it.  I honestly thought that I should have been cast as Katniss (but really.  I actually looked into that sophomore year.) but Jennifer Lawrence was AMAZING and I think they did a fantastic job at casting her.  It could have gone poorly because the movie really lies in her portrayal of the character.  There was also an advertisement for a candy based on “The Marshmallow Test” which I’ve learned about in all of my HD classes, so that was pretty cool.

The next day we woke up, got gluten free muffins again, and went to meet Miranda at Camden Market again.  This time I held nothing back.  I had 4 deep fried oreos, a tapas platter, a smoothie, a lemonade, and helped Miranda eat these pancake-like balls with nutella. NOM NOM NOM NOM.  It was so great to see Miranda- I’ve really enjoyed seeing all of my school friends here, even if it is just for short visits.  I miss them.

Steph and I then went to Kings Cross to take a brief trip to Hogwarts to see our other school friends, and then we went back to Florence.  London was a really fun trip, I absolutely love the city and want to go back.

QUOTE FROM REBECCA:

Steph: “How do you pronounce the color that comes after red?”

Rebecca: “Blue?”

PICTURE TIME!

Click for: Seville Marbella

We couldn’t get into our hotel room until 10 and nothing was open when we arrived, so we hung out in the lobby as I hyperventilated until 6:00am when we were able to go to a local bar.  It was popping with regulars and Steph and I got our first churros and chocolate, which are nothing like the Mexican and Brazillian churros we are used to getting at fairs, but still just as delicious.  I also learned that the tiny bit of spanish I was able to spit out in high school has somehow been retained in my brain and I was actually able to communicate with people.  That was just a pleasant surprise.

After checking into our room and a MUCH needed nap, we went to the Cathedral to meet Dayna and Amy.  It was cool to see Colombus’s tomb: I’m pretty sure he’s one of the most famous Europeans in America.  Although the whole being carried by 4 men thing makes him seem a bit of a  meglomaniac.  I mean, let’s not forget that you introduced smallpox to America.  We climbed the tower which was not even close to as terrible as the one in Prague, although I have to say the view was mediocre.  Sorry.

The highlight came after the cathedral when we went to YOGURTLANDIA!  Omg why does this not exist in America?  Hands down the greatest froyo I have ever had the pleasure to taste.  It got it with raspberry sauce and nutella and apples and strawberries on top and it still makes me salivate thinking about it.  It is the perfect blend of all frozen yogurts: yogurt like PinkBerry but without that sour, tart taste.  It just tastes like delicious vanilla yogurt that has been frozen.  Then Steph, Amy, and I went to Maria Luisa which was a really gorgeous, serene park where we sunned and I took pictures of doves (which are really just white pigeons!  Fun fact: they bob their heads when they walk because this enables them to see in 3D.  NOW YOU KNOW.)

We then went to meet Erica, Michelle, and Rachel at a bar on the river.  Honestly, Seville is one of the most gorgeous places I’ve been too.  It’s so colorful and gorgeous and has so many parks and outdoor areas to enjoy.  On the way to the river I bumped into Lauren who I didn’t even know was studying in Seville!  We sat at the river for a while before heading back to the bus station to see if they could help locate my computer.  They were completely incompetent.  I really have never dealt with such stupidity in my ENTIRE life.  Whatever.  We met up with everyone after at Coloniales where I ate my first amazing meal in Seville.  Omg the almond chicken, the eggplant, that wine drink- it was all SO amazing.  I’m pretty sure Steph and I were crying over everything they brought out while everyone stared awkwardly at us and pretended they didn’t know us.

The next day we went to Alcazar with Dayna and Amy.  I really have to hand it to those Sevillians- they know how to build parks.  It was gorgeous and such a beautiful day and I just had so much fun.  We got yogurtlandia again, tiny sandwiches, and then I met up with Staci for ice cream!  Seville was just filled with food and Hewlett and therefore was amazing.

On Wednesday morning Steph, Amy, Dayna, Marissa, Bauer, and I woke up early to catch a bus to Malaga, and then another one to Marbella: our final destination on Spring Break.  Things went smoothly although some of us almost missed the bus from Malaga due to an emergency bathroom break.  We were meeting Nicole and Juliette there and the 8 of us were going to be sharing a 3 bedroom villa.  When we got to the Marriott, however, they informed us that I had accidentally booked THREE 3-room villas.  As in 9 rooms.  As in we each could have had our own room, plus one for guests.  My bad.  Luckily, they realized this was an error because their website was unclear, so they took care of it and asked us for our passports.  Guess who left her passport in the hotel in Seville?  Ding ding ding, we have a winner!  Luckily, the hotel was able to call and arrange for a “special carrier” to bring it to me.  Typical.

As soon as that was taken care of, we ran down to the pool area where we encountered our obsession of the trip: PODS.  The scientific term for them is “Relaxation Bed”, but we called them pods the entire time.  The pool area was GORG and the pods were convenientally located near the bar which had amazing food.  Steph and I shared chicken lettuce wraps with the most amazing sweet asian chili sauce which I ate with a spoon. The waitress actually came over to me and said “Are you eating that straight?  I’m sorry, but I’ve never seen anyone do that!  It’s interesting”.  Thanks, I’m interesting.  We walked on the beach where I did a cartwheel (or as good as it’s going to get) then we had happy hour which turned into dinner and Nicole and Juliette joined us!

IM A PODDED PLANT

The next day was equally as amazing. Amy and I were pod buddies and shared my iPod and although she’s going to deny it, she requested Glee and random Broadway songs.  I also did A LOT of reading on this vacation.  I read The Agony and the Ecstasy, which is a biographical novel about Michelangelo that my Aunt Carole had given to me earlier this year.  It definitely reaffirmed my love of Florence, but was also so interesting because it talked about subjects that I’m learning in every single one of my Italian classes: Italian language, different types of wines, Michelangelo and the Renaissance, even the Jews were covered!  It was so interesting and a must read for anyone visiting or studying abroad in Florence.  We spent the entire day by the pool and then for dinner we went to this area in Marbella where we got paella and then “walked” around briefly.  Oh also when we got paella the waiter asked if we wanted any wine and we said no and then he pointed to me and said “vodka?” Unclear why I was singled out for that.

monkey thinks you look fat in this picture

The next day we laid out until 12ish and then Steph, Bauer, and I went to Gibraltar!  It was GORGEOUS in Marbella, but Gibraltar was pretty dreary and gross and rainy and we were kind of cold.  But it was an awesome experience.  We took a cab there and then a tour around.  We saw awesome caves, Africa (kind of- it was really foggy), and then played with wild monkeys.  The tour driver asked if we minded if any of them jumped on us and I of course said no, but then out of nowhere a monkey jumped on my head and it took me by surprise and it actually hurt my neck.  The guide kept saying “DON’T TOUCH IT!” because apparently they can get nippy, but it was SO cool!  The monkeys were jumping around EVERYWHERE, on our car, trying to get in through the window- it was amazing.  That is until we had to get home.  We were also with Brittany and her friend and so there were 5 of us- and cabs only take 4.  We couldn’t find a bigger cab ANYWHERE so we decided to just take a train back to Marbella.  However when we got there it was sold out and there wasn’t another one for 3 HOURS!  We ended up getting on this other bus, not really knowing where it was going because no one was of ANY help- they were actually pretty rude- and then cabbing back.  Of course we had issues.

When we got back we got ready for dinner which was in a different area and we went out for Amy’s birthday.  Literally every single human within a 2 mile radius of Marbella was getting married.  We counted 17 different “Hen” Parties (bachelorette) at the different bars we went to.  Some bars had 8 going on at the same time.  It was ridiculous.  Some were classier than others but it was so entertaining to watch.  We got home and I went to bed and disaster struck yet again.

One member of our party got sick that night.  We felt very SO terribly but weren’t sure if it was food poisoning or the norovirus so while she spent the whole next  day in the room recovering and resting, we spent the whole day down by the pool discussing how terrible it would be if it was norovirus and we all got it.  It would literally be a scene out of Bridesmaids.  Suddenly everyone was contaminated.  Anarchy struck.  It was also a little colder and hazy that day so instead of tanning we had blankets and sweatshirts in the pods.

Steph and I were on a separate flight from everyone else when we left the next day, and we were seated in this weird exit row- just the two of us- and we had easily 6 feet of legroom and a jump-seat where this flight attendent sat during take-off and landing.  I’ve never seen anything like this, but it was really cool and obviously I still reclined my seat.  Our trip continued to be bizarre as on the train ride from Rome to Florence the train layout was just like the Hogwarts Express and at one point it stopped for a bit.  Steph was expecting the Dementors to come onto the train and I swear that there was ice on my window.  Actually, our car was “broken” as the conductor told us “in Italian” so everyone just kind of got up and left, leaving me alone in the cart.  Not one person tried to tell me to leave or explain, they just were like “kay bye!”.  I guess they didn’t like me.

Marbella was probably the most fun leg of the most fun trip we’ve been on all semester.  Lisbon and Seville were both amazing, but just hanging out with everyone in Marbella has really been a highlight and we were SO sad to leave and return to Florence.

PICTURE TIME!!!

Click for guide

So I realize I haven’t posted in a while.  You will read why in this post.  Spring break was certainly a week to remember.  It was probably the best spring break I will ever have, and hopefully the most destructive.

Let’s start with Thursday night (March 15), the day all of our midterms finally ended.  Florence was gorgeous and we were so excited to leave for Lisbon the next morning and life seemed like it couldn’t get better.  And then I chipped my tooth.  Last year I had chipped it in school (a story we’ll save for another time and place) and my dad fixed it and it was fine.  That is until I bit on a fork on Thursday and chipped off the bonding.  So now my tooth is back to it’s chipped glory.  Wonderful.

On Friday morning we woke up early, caught a train to Rome and then a flight to Lisbon!! It was uneventful except for this couple with this adorable little boy who was obsessed with us and Steph and I kind of loved them.

We got to Lisbon and followed the worst directions to our hostel, which can literally only be described as a Kindergarten for Flower Children.  It was so peppy, and the rooms were themed (no, there was no “Irrigation Room” but close enough) and everything was labeled and happy and it was overwhelming.  But we were rarely there, so it was perfect.

Lisbon is by far one of my new favorite cities.  I am obsessed with it.  It has this vibe that is a combination of Latin, Tropical, and European and everything about it is just so nature oriented and beautiful and I love it.  The walk from our hostel to the main area was down the main avenue which had two islands in the center with gorgeous paved streets, flower patches, waterfalls, trees, and tiny cafes where they played live music.  It was unreal.

The first day we were exhausted so we went down to the main square on the water, got THE MOST AMAZING ICE CREAM I’VE EVER TASTED, and then up to Barrio Alto, the neighborhood where all of the bars and some restaurants are.  It reminded me of when I went to a neighborhood that had a similar feel to it in Guayaquil, and so I got homesick for the Galapagos trip.  We hung out in this gorgeous plaza overlooking the city (surrounded by couples…and me and Steph) at sunset and then met Michelle and some of her abroad friends for dinner at this great restaurant.  The waiter actually ran out to find Michelle and her friends in the middle of Barrio Alto and bring them to us.  Now that, my friends, is what I like to call service.

The next morning we met Michelle again to go to Belem!  Steph and I were literally only going to Belem because we heard that they have these special pastries there, which is reason enough to take a 25 minute tram ride.  It was kind of overcast and one of Michelle’s friends was pickpocketed, but Belem was amazing.  We saw the monastery there, which was mostly cool because they had an exhibit with a timeline of the history of the world.  It was cool to see everything laid out in chronological order.  It helps to bring perspective to different events I’ve learned about.  We then went and got the Belem Pastries which were actually amazing.  They come with cinnamon and sugar and were warm and gooey and delicious.

Steph and I split off from the group after that and decided to explore the area, which I think is what we do best.  Steph found this park near the entrance to the Museum of Contemporary Art which was hosting some children’s fair.  That’s our favorite part of abroad so far.  The moments when we veer off the beaten path and can just enjoy an event with the people who live there.  We walked around where adorable Portuguese children were selling crafts and toys and bracelets and watched two tiny nuggets have a dance-off.

break it down.

It was so much fun.  We then walked to the water to the Monument of the Explorers (probs not the real name.  Whatever).  We sat by the water and watched seagulls pick up clams from the water and drop them on the tile to break them open.  It was so cool!! We also weirdly kept seeing these Girl Scouts who were like 14 or 15 and almost like our counterparts.  We saw them on our way to the monument, and one of them and Steph both went to look at these bracelets they were selling on the street.

they noticed the picture and got really freaked out. whatever.

And my reaction and the reaction of the other girls were the same exasperated sighs as we waited for them.  We then saw them again on our way back to Lisbon, and the one who was looking at the bracelets was hugging the smaller one who was trying to escape from her grip as they walked- just like what Steph does to me.

i mean. hi.

When we got back to Lisbon, Steph had to go to the bathroom so we stumbled upon this adorable restaurant right on the water.  The bathroom was only open to customers, so we decided to just get dessert and sangria.  It was literally the best afternoon we’ve had.  The desserts were AMAZING and there was a live band and adorable children dancing together and everything was just so colorful and happy, and I want every day to be just like that.  We then sat on the water in these adjacement colorful planter-pod things until it was time to go back to get ready for dinner.

For dinner, Steph, Michelle, and her friend Mical went to sushi at the most amazing sushi restaurant ever.  Really though, those Portuguese really know how to combine flavors.  It was like a foodie dream.  Everything was so creative and delicious and unique and I wish I could have stayed there forever.  We then decided to go back to the restaurant on the water for drinks because they were open until 2.  Best decision.  After a while everyone left but us so we had a private concert from the band and Mical got to sing and Steph played the drums.  Like actually played them.  Who knew Steph could do that?  She was amazing and we were just so shocked.  The original drum player was obsessed with us and offered to drive us to some Fado place he was about to be singing at, but we regretfully declined…

The next day Steph and I ventured to the castle which was gorgeous even though it was quite the shlep.  There were peacocks running around at the top, which I found particularly enjoyable.  And I totally understand why everyone thought I was a peacock this year for Halloween, when really I was Envy.  Steph and I decided to take the morning easy, so we got coffee with ice cream IN IT overlooking the water before our main event of the day: go-carting.

This experience was a combination of the most fun I’ve had and a nighmare.  They put us in these tiny, rinkydink go-carts with helmets and just set us loose on the streets of Lisbon.  Steph and I got lost right away, going the wrong way down a one-way tram street, and ended up passing everyone we were with while they sped off in the correct direction.  And so we were lost.  There was a “GPS” on the cart,but it only told you where to go if you were already on the right path.  Pretty pointless?  I thought I was going to die for almost the entire trip, where I rediscovered my OBSESSION with selfies.  Finally, 3/4 of the way through the experience we suddenly met up with everyone else, which was really an act of fate and I have no idea how it happened.

After the go-cart trip, we went up to relax in Barrio Alto and have dinner with Michelle and Mical at this Indian/Italian restaurant before we headed off to our overnight bus to Seville.  And this is where disaster struck.

The bus driver wouldn’t let me bring my lesportsac on the bus.  That was RIDICULOUS because obviously it could have fit under my seat and if I wanted to be uncomfortable, that’s my own problem.  But he was obnoxious and refused to let me bring it.  So I took out my valuable (computer, passport, wallet, etc.) and brought it on the bus with me because I didn’t trust it under the bus.  I put my computer in the pocket of the seat-back in front of me, and the rest of my stuff I was able to fit in my small bag.  The bus left at 9 and didn’t get into Seville until 5am.  I slept most of the trip, and was awoken suddenly by Steph when we got to Seville because we didn’t even realize we had to get off: they didn’t make an announcement.  Steph dropped her bag on the floor in our rush to get off the bus, and had me look under the seat to make sure she didn’t forget anything.  I gathered my cell phone (check!), camera (check), and found her chapstick on the floor.  She was SO thankful because it would have been TERRIBLE if she lost that.  I then realized I was missing something.  Of course!  My water bottle!  I got it from my seat and got off the bus.  I got my suitcase from under the bus, pulled up the handle and realized I LEFT MY COMPUTER IN THE SEAT BACK!!!!!  The bus at that point was pulling away so I groggily at 5am in the freezing cold starting RUNNING after it screaming “COME BACK!  MY COMPUTER!  MY COMPUTER IS ON THE BUS!” to no avail.  It was gone.  I started crying and screaming for Steph.  She had found a guy who she recognized from our hostel, and asked him to help us.  But I was on an adrenaline kick, so I was able to gather the strength of 4 men, lifted my suitcase above my head, and CHARGED up the broken escalator.  And then I had an asthma attack and thought I was going to faint.

The bus station was basically shut down and they were of absolutely no help and told me I couldn’t do anything until it opened in the morning.  We took a cab to the next bus stop hoping to catch it, but I missed it.  Defeated, we went to our hotel to wait for everything to open in the morning.

TO BE CONTINUED.