Journey Abroad

Farewell to London

2008-04-20T14:30:00.016+01:00

2008, 4.20 London, England

Today I am leaving London and I am sad to go. As I think about the past six months living here, I realize how much I will miss this wonderful city. In all honesty, its pace can be overwhelming at times, especially in places like Oxford Street and traveling to and from work on the Underground; however, it is a city unlike any other I have ever lived or even visited.

There are so many things I like about London, but what I loved most about it: its size; rich historical past; present life and culture; being able to play in the many parks or squares on a Sunday afternoon; go to Art Galleries or see a show; meet people from all over the world; easily travel to other European countries on a whim and inexpensively; historical pubs and vibrant nightlife; transportation throughout the city; interesting markets; the delicious curries and other endless food options to choose from; and even the feeling of safety despite the size of the city.

These are just some of what I enjoyed about London and what make the city a truly amazing place to experience. I am happy to have been able to call it my home, even for just a short time.

Brick Lane

2008-04-19T23:25:00.007+01:00

2008, 4.19 Whitechapel, London

Known as a great place to find a delicious curry dish, Brick Lane is one street in London full of life and culture. In the afternoon I spent exploring this historical street, I found vintage clothing shops, antique and vintage furniture for sale, Bangladeshi music drifting into the street from the stores filled with the basic necessities for a local. I enjoyed the art and graffiti sprinkling the walls of buildings, music shops, and being among young adults sitting in an outdoor restaurant area drinking and socializing, people wandering about exploring the area, and a curry house every few steps along the way. It was one of my favorite London experiences.

1 brick lane

A side street off Brick Lane where I found a fun music store

Some of the street art

Day trip to Cambridge

2008-04-18T17:20:00.009+01:00

2008, 4.18 Cambridge, England

Mom and I took a train from London to Cambridge, England for day five of our English adventure. It was a relaxing ride and I think Mom really liked seeing the English countryside--very different than the busy, bustling city of London.

We arrived in Cambridge mid-morning and walked from the train station to the City Centre--about 20 minutes. We wandered the city a bit and were looking for a place to have lunch. Eventually, we found a place called Henry's that was right on the River Cam and a great atmosphere. The table at which we sat had a view of the river just outside our window. The food--fresh green salads and chicken curry with rice--was delicious, and our waitress was very prompt and pleasant. It was a lovely lunch.

After lunch, Mom and I wandered the city. We saw beautiful parks, lots of green, students headed to class, tourists wandering about, houseboats in the river, and lots of punts (flat-bottomed boats, punting is a pastime for which Cambridge is very well known by tourists).

Punts on the River Cam

Punts up close

Making our way farther into central Cambridge, we went to King's College Chapel, which is part of the King's College of the University of Cambridge. At one end of the chapel, there was the beautiful painting "Adoration of the Magi" (1634) by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, and on the other an enormous and intricately designed mahogany wooden screen and organ dividing the space into two large sections.

The inside ceiling of King's College Chapel

My mom in King's College Chapel

Stained glass windows inside of King's College Chapel. The windows show stories from the Old and New Testaments, those with similar morals placed on top of one another.

The courtyard outside of King's College Chapel

After our experience ini King's College Chapel, mom and I browsed for a bit at a few local shops. We also went to the market in the center of the city and bought a few things there. I purchased a couple of scarves, which I love, and some fresh cucumbers and tomatoes to make some Greek salad later.

Local market fruits and vegs

As the sun began to fall slowly in the evening sky, Mom and I made our way back to the Cambridge train station to catch our train back to London. Cambridge made for a very nice day trip, despite not having tried punting. Maybe next time...

A brilliant musical experience

2008-04-17T17:18:00.005+01:00

2008, 4.17 London: Billy Elliot at the Royal Victoria Palace

In the morning, Mom and I slept in a bit, had breakfast at the hostel, and then headed in to Central London by Victoria Station. I closed my bank account, which took a bit, and then we had lunch at Garfunkel's--some fish and chips. From there, we went a few doors down to the Royal Victoria Palace to see the musical production Billy Elliot.

The story according the Wikipedia article on Billy Elliot:

Billy is a boy living in County Durham. His father, Jackie, and older brother, Tony are striking miners during the UK miners' strike (1984–1985).

Billy's father is an admirer of real life world boxing champion Ken Buchanan, and hopes that Billy would become a champion boxer. Billy, however, is more interested in music, a passion he inherited from his late mother.

Billy is taken to the boxing gym by his father, but he finds out that he doesn't really like the sport, and has no real talent for it. Part of the boxing gym is used by a ballet class because their usual studio in the basement of the sports center is being used as a soup kitchen for the striking miners. He is drawn in by the dance instructor, and with her help, secretly starts taking ballet class.

As a consequence of Billy's brother being arrested, he misses an important audition for the Royal Ballet School. His dance instructor goes to their house to tell his father about the missed opportunity. Billy's father and brother, fearing that Billy will be seen as a "poof", become outraged at the idea of him becoming a professional ballet dancer.

Once having seen Billy dance however, his father understands that ballet is Billy's passion and he takes him to an audition in London himself. Billy is accepted and moves to London on his own at age 11 to attend the school.

The movie concludes with a scene that takes place 14 years later, where his father and brother see Billy dancing. The film ends as the older and more mature Billy (dancer/actor Adam Cooper) takes the stage to perform the lead in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake."

The acting, the story, the set, the costumes, the symbolism and imagery, the music and choreography were all wonderfully done. I had heard that it was really good show and was definitely not disappointed. It was everything art should be, really. Well-organized in a way, but not rigid. Music, color, dancing, different lighting all finely blended to create a connection with the audience and affect human emotions as realistically as possible without actually living through the story yourself. It was phenomenal.

Another Eventful Day in London

2008-04-16T22:38:00.012+01:00

2008, 4.16 London, England:

Today was quite the day. My mom is here in London with me. This morning, we had some toast, tea, and coffee at our hotel for breakfast, went luggage shopping (I have waaaayyy to much stuff!) and then checked out of Olivelli's Hotel before stopping by the BUNAC Hostel to get more of my things. We traveled via the Underground to Stamford Brooke to drop our luggage off at the Globetrotter Inn in Hammersmith and then went back into Central London to check out the infamous Tower of London.

The White Tower of the Tower of London

After completing our tour of the Tower, we walked the Queen's Walk along the Thames River, crossing Tower Bridge and seeing London Bridge as we went.

From there, we took the Tube to Green Park, enjoyed an ice cream cone, saw Buckingham Palace, walked through the Wellington Arch, and then headed to Hyde Park. Mom really liked all the flowers. It was fun to see her so excited about the beautiful things around us.

While meandering through Hyde Park and then on to Kensington Gardens, we came across a filming for Burberry's Fall 2008 collection. The models were the attractive and talented Sam Riley, the main actor from the movie Control (I saw this movie earlier in my London trip and really enjoyed it, so it was neat to see this actor. Also, we smiled at each other as he walked by me--about a foot away, so that was fun), and famous model Rosie Huntington, who according to an article I later read is supposedly the next Kate Moss. I was a bit starstruck. It was fun.

Filming of Sam Riley and Rosie Huntington for Burberry fashion

Taking a walk through Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens at Kensington Palace

After Mom and I finished exploring the gardens, we headed back to Store Street to see if I could pick up the rest of my luggage at the BUNAC Hostel; however, Bill (hostel manager with access to my luggage) was not around, so we decided to stop by Olivelli's Restaurant for a drink. To our pleasant surprise, there was a movie filming going on at the Fill Station (gas station) kitty-corner to the BUNAC Hostel and the restaurant at which we were sitting.

It turns out that the movie being filmed was "An Education" with Emma Thompson and Alfred Molina, written by Nick Hornby. It was quite a sight to see and exciting to have seen two filmings in one day with famous actors that I recognized. Unfortunately, I didn't get any autographs, but I was okay with that.

After watching the filming a bit and finishing our Irish coffees, I got the remainder of my things from Bill at the hostel, said farewell and then Mom and I headed back out to Hammersmith to our hostel for the night. It was another fun-filled, adventurous day in London.

Covent Garden, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Tate Modern

2008-04-15T17:11:00.014+01:00

2008, 4.15 London, England

The day started off with breakfast of tea, toast, and jam in the small dining area at Olivelli's Hotel that was really simple, but enjoyable. The family that owns it lives in the downstairs of the hotel and the dining room walls were nearly full of all kinds of family photos. They were a friendly family and it was sweet to be able to observe that small part of their personal lives.

After breakfast and stopping at an internet cafe to catch up with email and get our next accommodation plans set, Mom and I began a long walk through Central London. From the internet cafe on Charing Cross Road, we went to the Covent Garden area and briefly browsed the market.

Entrance to Covent Garden Market

English accessories for sale in Covent Garden

After a bit in the market, we continued walking towards the River Thames. It was a rather nice day outside, so we decided to see as much of London above ground as we could, rather than take the tube to get to where we were headed. We covered a remarkable amount of ground and it was fun to see so much of London this way. Along the way, we zig-zagged through different streets until we came to the Thames. We crossed the Waterloo Bridge, and then headed back towards St. Paul's Cathedral crossing Black Friar's Bridge.

City of London Crest just around the corner afer going over the Black Friar's Bridge

Our first real destination for the day was St. Paul's Cathedral. It was an impressive structure. The interior of the Cathedral is exquisite. It is massively hug and decorated in a simple, yet also elaborate way, meaning elegant, but not overdone. The ceiling is covered in deeply coloful mosaic and showing icons and holy people and scenes from the Bible. The windows were a beautiful stained glass.

Besides admiring the beauty and size of the Cathedral, Mom and I climbed all the way up to the top of the Cathdral--some 500 steps in total. It was cut up into levels, so we got some breaks along the way. One of the levels had some seats you could rest on, and if you were sitting on one side of the platform and you whispered facing into the wall (it was part of the arched dome on the interior), another person sitting several feet away could clearly hear what you said. People around us were having quite a lot of fun with this, and it was fun to observe.

Anyway, eventually, we made it to the top. The climb was worth it and felt like an accomplishment. The view from the top of St. Paul's was quite impressive. It allowed me to see a new perspective of London, helping me to better realize and understand just how massive the great city truly is.

View of London towards the River Thames, London Eye, and The Houses of Parliament from St. Paul's Cathedral

View of Millenium Bridge and Tate Modern Art Museum from the top of St. Paul's Cathedral

After enjoying the aerial view of London for a bit and making our way back down to the ground level of the Cathedral, Mom and I decided to also check out the Crypt in the basement of the Cathedral. We didn't spend a whole lot of time here, but were able to see where many famous people's remains are buried, including that of Christopher Wren (the architect of St. Paul's Cathedral) and Florence Nightingale.

From St. Paul's Cathedral, Mom and I crossed the street for some lunch at a little cafe to the south before heading across the Millenium Bridge to the Tate Modern Art Museum. Not being a huge fan of modern art, this was a mediocre experience. My favorite piece was a video of ants carrying bits of confetti during Holy Week. It may sound boring, but there was a room full of people watching the same thing, so I guess there must be something appealing about it that many could appreciate.

View of St. Paul's Cathedral from the Millenium Bridge

When Mom and I finished our exploration of the Tate Modern, we made our way to the Southwark Underground Station and went back to the hotel. That evening, we had dinner at Olivelli's Paradiso Ristorante--under the same ownership as Olivelli's Hotel.

Throughout the six months I lived in London, I walked by Olivelli's Ristorante about a thousand times, always wanting to dine there--it had white cloth covered tables with a bright red rose and a small candle on each table that I noticed every time I passed by--especially in the evening. A very classy and cozy ambience is what I envisioned, and when I finally made it, I was not disappointed.

I ordered a delicious garden salad with large wedges of tomato and sliced cucumber to start. My main dish was Rigatoni with courgettes (zucchini) and red sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and tasted delectable. Mom had ravioli stuffed with walnut and gorgonzola and butternut squash, which she also greatly enjoyed. It was a lovely meal and I was happy to have shared the experience of Olivelli's Paradiso Ristorante with my Mom.

Walked the lengths of Central London, browsed Covent Garden, meandered along the Thames, climbed the heights of St. Pauls Cathedral, crossed Millenium Bridge, explored the oddities of the Tate Modern, and ended with a great meal at a lovely restaurant all done in great company... this was another lovely day in London.

Shakespeare, Beatles, and The Magna Carta

2008-04-14T17:10:00.014+01:00

2008, 4.14 London, England: The British Library, The British Museum

On the morning of April 14, the second day of adventure for my mom and I started the day with a proper breakfast served by our hotel with eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, yogurt, oj, coffe, and tea. It was a nice beginning to what would be an interesting and busy day.

After breakfast, we walked from our hotel to the British Library--just north east of where I had lived during my time in London. I had heard that the British Library was an interesting place to visit, but I did not expect it to be one of my favorite places in London.

Entrance to The British Library

Painting inside The British Library

The Library's exterior and entrance drew me in right from the start. From there, Mom and I found our way to The Sir John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library (the rest of the building is an actual library where you can check out books and do research, etc.). It was literally a gallery full of treasures. Because there were so many amazing things to see, I will just list some of my favorites below:

-Shakespeare's First Folio-the first genuine collection of Shakespeare's works, published in 1623

-Lewis Carroll's Diary, author of "Alice in Wonderland," actually mentioning said book

-The original copy of "Beowulf"

-George Frederic Handel's Messiah, an autograph composition draft from 1741

-Sir Thomas More's last letter to Henry VIII, 1523

-The Gutenberg Bible, 1454-55

-Aesop's Fables, 1484

-Writings from Galileo Galilei

-Codex Arundel by Leonardo Da Vinci

-The Codex Sinaiticus, which is the earliest manuscript of the complete New Testament

-The Magna Carta--a charter of liberty and political rights obtained from King John of England by his rebellious barons at Runnymede in 1215, which came to be seen as the seminal document of English constitutional practice. A very important and influential historical legal document, later influenced the creation of many constitutional documents, including the U. S. Constitution

-And last but certainly not least, hand-written Beatles lyrics for the songs "The Fool on the Hill," "I want to hold your hand," "Help!", "Yesterday," "Ticket to Ride," "Hard Day's Night," "Michelle," and " In My Life" all of which you could listen to on the headphones they provided right there in front of you as you read the lyrics.

This Gallery's contents were truly impressive and, like I said, one of my favorite experiences in London. On top of the amazing gallery exploration, there was a temporary exhibit outside of the Sir John Ritblat Gallery called "All Power to the Imagination! 1968 and Its Legacies. This was an incredible collection of photographs, art, articles, video clips, music from the year 1968, which was a truly interesting and earth-riveting year in history. This exhibit was the cherry on top of an already awesome experience at the British Library.

Me at the British Library

The British Library

Sign at the British Library

After exploring the British Library, Mom and I made our way towards the British Museum. We stopped at Tesco (local grocery store) to buy some take away food for lunch and then sat in Russell Square while we enjoyed our lunch and tried to stay somewhat dry as it had begun to rain lightly as we sat there. Luckily I have a very easy-going mother and this did not disturb her much. From there, we made our way around the block to the British Museum.

British Museum in Central London, blocks from the BUNAC Hostel

While Mom and I didn't spend a great deal of time at the British Museum, we did stop by and enjoy seeing the Rosetta Stone--an ancient Egyptian artifact that helped scholars to decipher hieroglyphics and learn more about ancient Egyptian language and culture. It was pretty neat. In addition, I saw real mummies, which were disturbingly incredible and interesting.

While this was interesting and there were many treasues to be found in the British Museum, mom and I spent the majority of our time there in an exhibit called "The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock." It was somewhat funny to be viewing an American exhibit while traveling, but interesting to see it from somewhat of a foreigner's viewpoint. There were many interesting pieces of art there, however, and it was well worth the time.

Night on the El Train by Edward Hopper

One of my many feet photographs from my travels...this one taken by my mom on the way out of the British Museum

After getting our fill of historical treasures for the day, Mom and I headed back to our hotel for a bit. We stayed at Olivelli's Hotel just a few doors down from the BUNAC Hostel, which was nothing fancy, but was pretty reasonably priced for the area and suited us well for a comfortable place to sleep at night and a brief resting place in between excursions.

That evening, Mom and I had dinner at one of my favorite Thai restaurants in the area called Busaba Thai just down Store Street from Olivelli's Hotel and the BUNAC Hostel. We enjoyed Massaman Duck Curry with coconut rice and some hot tea. It was a lovely end to another lovely day in London.

Last of London, Day 1

2008-04-13T17:08:00.007+01:00

2008, 4.13 Sunday, Mom arrives in London

This morning, I picked my mom up from Heathrow Airport in the morning. After exchanging some American dollars for GB pounds and getting her set up with an Oyster card for transport, we rode the Picadilly line from Heathrow to Russell Square in Central London.

At the time, it was pouring rain, but we made our way from the Russell Square tube station to the nearby Brunswick Square to get brunch at one of my favorite breakfast restaurants in London, Giraffe. Thankfully, by the time we were done with catching up (though honestly, we kept in touch really well for the time I was gone, so it didn't seem like I hadn't seen her for as long as it was) and enjoying our food, the rain had mostly stopped.

From there, we made our way to the BUNAC Hostel so I could pick up my bags and then we went to check into our room at the Arran Hotel off of Gower Street and Store Street--just around the corner from the hostel. We got settled into our very small but comfortable room and relaxed for a bit of the afternoon--Mom needed some travel recovery time from her flight and journey. I appreciated the down time, too.

Later in the afternoon, Mom and I headed out of the hotel to explore London. We went for a very long and winding walk through different areas of Central London and eventually ended up walking along the Thames by Embankment and seeing the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and other famous London landmarks. Here are some photographs from the journey...

Telephone Booths

Street Sign for the Embankment area

Big Ben and Clock Tower of the Houses of Parliament

Charing Cross Road Underground (The 'Tube') Station Sign

After getting our fill of admiring London landmarks for the day, Mom and I stopped for dinner at a very charming and comfortable pub called Garrick's. It was a very English dining experience, which was the perfect way for mom to begin her English adventure. She ordered the Steak pie with mashed potatoes and green peas and I ordered a Greek salad with lettuce and sun- dried tomatoes, olives, tomatoes, and served with wholemeal pita bread. It was a good meal and overall pleasant dining experience.

From Garrick's Pub, Mom and I went towards Trafalgar Square and then headed back to the hotel to relax and get some rest for the next adventurous day in London.

Latest update and catch up.

2008-04-12T17:35:00.000+01:00

Dear friends,

First of all, thank you so much for the birthday wishes. I was in southern Spain with two of my friends, Wes and Nate, on my birthday who spoiled me with kindness and fun. With that and the messages from all of you, I had a really great birthday. Thank you!!

It really means a lot to me to hear from friends and family back home, especially being so far away and not always being able to be in contact with everyone I care about. Please know that I think of you, though I may not write or call as much as I would like.

I also wanted to give you an update of what I've been doing for the past few months. It's been quite a busy time, so there's a lot, but I'll try to keep it somewhat short.

Since last September, when I moved to London, I have been mostly working and traveling. I started out working as a child protection social worker. This was a great opportunity in many ways--for growth, work experience, earning money (of course), and for me to realize that this was not my kind of work. With that, I decided in December that I would do something else and I quit my job as a CP social worker. For me, it just did not fit.

After Christmas and New Years, I started looking for a job. I was referred to World Class Teachers, an agency who places teachers and teachers assistants (TAs) in schools. With the agency's help, I found temporary work as a TA in a couple of different schools-a day or two in each school. Then, in early February, I was fortunate enough to be placed in a school where I ended up staying for the rest of my working time in London. I was working with children who have special needs, mostly autism and learning disabilities. I did one on one work with the children, supporting them in the classroom and also working with them on their IEPs (Individual Education Plans designed to focus on that child's particular educational needs). My co-workers were great and the work felt like it was really making a difference in the children's lives. I really enjoyed the work and was sad to leave. However, in early March, my work visa expired and so I had to go.

With my work visa, I was required to leave the UK on the day the visa expired. So, on March 13th, I started traveling.

My first stop was a road trip in Ireland with three friends I met in London, Nate, Ami, and Steve. Think rental car, driving on the left side of the road, lots of green Irish countryside, sleeping in the car in a parking lot one night, lots of pictures and lots of rain. It was quite the experience, and a lot of fun. We covered a lot of ground starting in Shannon, going north to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, down to Dingle Bay, over to Blarney Castle near Cork, headed up to Kilkenny. We ended the trip in Dublin just in time for St. Patty's Day where we met up with some other friends for the weekend, which was an experience in itself and tons of fun. All in all, Ireland was beautiful, despite all the rain, and the trip was a lot of fun. I put up all kinds of pictures, if you care to take a peek.

From Ireland, Nate and I flew from Dublin to Marrakech, Morocco, North Africa. This was an amazing experience. Briefly, we stayed in Marrakech one night, went on a two day tour down to Zagora in the Draa Valley. This involved several hours riding in a van surrounded by people from all over Europe, many of whom did not speak English, including our tour guide, but best of all, riding camels and sleeping in tents in the desert under a full moon. It was truly one of the most incredible experiences I have had and so much fun. After our adventures in Draa Valley, we returned to Marrakech and then moved on to Fes.

After our adventures in Morocco, Nate and I headed to Spain. Nate's family has a timeshare condo in Nueva Andalucia, Marbella, Spain and he was kind enough to let me and our friend Wes come and hang out with him for a week and enjoy the condo, including the surrounding beautiful sunshine and beaches (This was where I was when I celebrated my 23rd birthday). After hanging out with these guys for the past six months, it was nice to have one last week together relaxing and having fun. It was sad to have it end and I miss them all ready. I also miss the sunshine and beaches. ; )

After saying goodbye to Wes at the condo and later to Nate in Malaga, I headed on my own from Malaga to Barcelona via night train. I spent one day in Barcelona, bumming around, but I had been there all ready with Kate in January, so just kind of hung out wandering a bit and spending a lot of the afternoon in the park. (Spain is wonderful, by the way, one of my favorite places.)

From Barcelona, I traveled to Switzerland (beautiful!!), then moved on to Germany, stopping in Munich and Berlin (both very cool and each in their own ways), then stopped in Stockholm, Sweden on my way towards Norway. I didn't have much time in Stockholm, but from what I gathered, it is a pretty neat place.

From Stockholm, I took a night train up to Narvik, Norway--the farthest north you can go on a train in that area--and then took a bus from Narvik to Tromso to visit my dear old friend Brian and his lovely wife Linn. I went to school with Brian in Winsted from 3rd grade through high school and hadn't seen him in about two years, so it was really nice to catch up with him and also to see the life that he and Linn have created for themselves in Tromso. Linn grew up in Tromso, so I got to meet her family and a few of their friends, who were all wonderful. Brian and Linn also let me stay at their beautiful and comfortable home free of charge (you can probably imagine how nice this was after having been on the go and sleeping in trains and hostels for the past week, so a million thanks to them!). While I was staying there, they spoiled me with treats and showed me around the beautiful Norwegian city of Tromso. It was definitely too short a visit, but I had such a good time and was really happy to spend time with Brian and Linn.

From Tromso, I flew to Oslo, Norway, took a train from the airport to a smaller international airport near Torp, Norway, and then flew from there to Glasgow, Scotland. Unfortunately, time and schedules did not allow for me to meet up with my friend Kellie who lives in Glasgow (sorry Kellie!) and I headed to Edinburgh. I spent the last two nights in Edinburgh meeting some really fun people and checking out the Castle, Mary King's Close, St. Giles Church, a neat and creepy graveyard, and a few other Scottish treats. Edinburgh is, as everyone had told me, an amazing city with tons of history and a great feel to it.

At the moment, I am headed on a train (my favorite way to travel!) from Edinburgh to London. I will meet up with some friends tonight and then my mom arrives in the morning, which I am very excited about. My mom and I are going to be exploring London and some of England for the next week and then we will be flying back together to the good ol' US of A next Sunday. I am really going to miss Europe and all the fun I have had here. At the same time, I am so excited to see my family and friends!!!

I'm not sure what the next step will be on my life's journey. I will be moving home to Winsted to live with my mom for an undetermined amount of time. My little sister graduates in May/June and my Uncle Tim with whom I am very close, is getting married in mid-June, so I will definitely be in Minnesota for that. And, after that, we shall see. One thing I have learned with my travels is that things work out the way that do and you may have to plan a little bit, but life will throw at you what it wants to. Embrace it and make the most of it.

Bonny Scotland

2008-04-12T17:06:00.015+01:00

2008, 4.10-12 Edinburgh, Scotland

The flight from Oslo Torp airport to Glasgow Prestwick, Scotland went smoothly. I tried calling my friend Kellie MacAlonan who lives in Glasgow to see if she wanted to meet up, but it didn't work out with our schedules. I took a train from the airport to downtown Glasgow and then on to Edinburgh, which was very easy. The Scottish countryside is very pretty, from what I saw, which, really, wasn't much. I can't imagine what the rest of the country is like, though I've heard wonderful things.

I made it to Edinburgh pretty late in the evening. It was dark, but there were still quite a few people out and about, so that was good, as I wasn't exactly sure where I was going in order to find my hostel and there were some areas that seemed kind of shady. I stayed at the Edinburgh Backpacker's Hostel. I shared my hostel room with five other people-4 American girls and a guy.

I went on a free tour led by an employee from the hostel to explore Edinburgh. On the tour, I learned about Greyfriar's Bobby.

Bobby's Bar dedicated to Greyfriar's Bobby

Burial site of the famous Greyfriar's Bobby, Bobby the dog who almost never left his owner's side, even when Greyfriar passed away

One of the most haunted places in the world

A window along The Royal Mile

Edinburgh Castle

The Princes Mall and the Train Station in Central Edinburgh

War Memorial

St. Giles Cathedral and the Royal Mile

Advocate's Close, one of the many historical passageways in Edinburgh

Stained glass window in St. Giles Cathedral

Edinburgh is a city in which it feels as though the history is still being made as you walk down the street. The history and the present culture are still very much alive in the every day life of the city. It is an incredible feeling. Despite the weather--spotty rain showers throughout the day intermingled with spots of sunshine--it is a very charming city with a lot to offer. I didn't have nearly enough time there--about two days, but I did get the chance within that time to see a lot of the city, make some new acquaintences, and even try the Haggis, which was surprisingly tasty.

It was a lovely place to end my post-London, month long travels. If only I'd have made it to Bonny Scotland earlier in my Journey Abroad, I'd have realized I should have made Scotland a top travel priority. Another day...

Visiting friends in Norway

2008-04-10T17:03:00.008+01:00

2008, 4.7-10 Tromsø, Norway

From Stockholm, Sweden, I took a night train to Narvik, Norway--the farthest point north you can reach in Norway by train. It was a long, scenic ride. Along the way, I slept, relaxed, made notes of my travels so far.

I found that the farther I traveled north, the more I blended in with the locals with my blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Several times I had to try to say in Swedish or Norwegian, "I only speak English." Thankfully, many of the people I talked to also spoke English, and all of the train staff spoke English.

I tried reindeer stew served beside mashed potatoes and iceberg lettuce. The reindeer meat tasted much like roast beef, but the texture was more unique than the taste--a bit more chewy.

The ride to Narvik was especially beautiful towards the end where there were beautiful lakes reflecting the deep blue sky and the tall peaks of surrounding snow-capped mountains. Some of the lakes were frozen over, while others were wide open.

Once I reached Narvik, I figured out how to take the bus from Narvik to Tromsø and waited at the small train station. The bus ride was even more beautiful than what I had seen from the train. It took about four hours, but went quickly as I captured photographic memories of the breathtaking surroundings. I also discussed international politics with a young Swedish guy who was relocating to Tromsø to find work and take advantage of the strength of the krone (Norwegian currency) against the Swedish krona.

One view along the way from Narvik to Tromsø

Another breathtaking view along the way to Tromsø

When I arrived at the bus station in Tromsø, Brian and Linn were waiting for me. I felt so happy to see my old friend and his lovely Linn. They are such a nice couple and though I hadn't seen Brian for a couple of years, it seemed like we hadn't missed a beat. We greeted each other, then we hopped into their car and took a short drive around Tromsø on our way to dinner. After dinner, we stopped at the local grocery store--not dramatically different than the ones I'm used to back in the US, though quite a lot more fish products and, of course, everything was labeled in Norwegian.

Before continuing to Brian and Linn's home, we stopped to explore an old shipwreck on the ocean shore as the sun set. We delighted in the scenery as the snow covered mountains across the bay transformed into a dark silhouette while the twinkling lights of houses grew brighter and the slivered moon rose in the rainbow sky fading to black.

In the morning, Brian and I went to explore more of Tromsø, stopping at the Sandnessund Bridge to take in more natural beauty of the area, and then later at the Tromsø Museum.

One of the exhibits at the Tromsø Museum was called a "wake hammer," which was a long-handled metal hammer used during church ceremonies to tap and wake people who would fall asleep during homilies. There were lots of other interesting historical artefacts and exhibits at the museum, including the Vikings (they didn't actually wear horns!) and the Sami people, the indigenous tribes of Norway and other Nordic countries.

More of beautiful Norway near Tromsø

Brian standing in a former Nazi bunker from WWII

One of the road tunnels that go underneath the ocean connecting different parts of the city and the islands that make up Tromsø--there were several of these tunnels and they were surprising long, but very handy.

Brian, Linn, and I took the Fjellheisen, or mountain lift to the top of a surrounding mountain. This is the view from the top of the mountain overlooking Tromsø.

The Fjellheisen

Another view of the city and surrounding ocean waters, including one of the ships that travel along the Norwegian coast transporting people and goods

View from the downtown area

The Arctic Cathedral

Store bought lefse and dried fish

The few days I had in Tromsø were lovely. Brian and Linn spoiled me with their wonderful hospitality. I met Linn's family, absolutely wonderful people. We played soccer, caught up on life, relaxed, celebrated Brian's 23rd birthday, and explored a bit of the beautiful city of Tromsø. Brian dropped me off at the airport in Tromso so that I could catch a plane to Oslo, from where I took a train to a smaller city to catch another plane back to the United Kingdom. The train ride to Oslo, Torp felt a lot like I could be traveling through part of Minnesota, which was interesting.

Another connection to Minnesota I noticed was that the MinneSOtan accents that we are famous for sound a lot like the way some of the Norwegian words are spelled or pronounced, such as their word for yes is pronounced "yah" (think 'oh, yah, you betchya'). I thought it was kind of cute and fun.

Norway was a wonderful experience. I hope to make it back some day...maybe next time to see the infamous fjords, the aurora borealis (Northern Lights), and the midnight sun.

Sweden

2008-04-06T17:02:00.004+01:00

2008, 4.6 Stockholm, Sweden

From Berlin, I took a night train to Malmo, Sweden, and then continued on to Stockholm. I only had a few hours in the city, during which I had to shower and eat. I did get a brief chance to explore the city on foot. Below are a few photos I snapped along the way.

Berlin, Deutschland

2008-04-05T11:34:00.016+01:00

2008, 4.5 Berlin, Germany

I spent my day in Berlin on a walking tour hosted by The Original Insiders Tour that was well worth the time and money. Berlin has a fascinating history, about which I learned all kinds of information and stories as I explored the city.

My Berlin experience began with a short ride on the S train (which was free with my rail pass--very convenient) to the Zoo Garden where I had breakfast and then met up with my tour. The name of the tour was the "Original Famous Walk" which is a general Berlin tour and covered a vast array of interesting historical sights and landmarks. Because there were so many sights along the way, I will touch on some highlights of the tour:

-Unter den Linden: the avenue of old Berlin
-Babelplatz: sight of the first major Nazi book-burning in May 1933
-Humboldt University: Einstein taught here, Marx developed many of his ideas there, and alma mater of 29 Nobel Prize winners

-Museumsinsel (Museum Island)
-Neue Synagogue

-Fernsehturm (TV Tower): an architectural structure with an interesting story—it was built by the communist East government to show their power and advanced technological abilities during the Cold War in 1969. At the time, it was the second tallest structure in Europe, the tallest was in Moscow-it was built second, but they did not want to out-do the building constructed by their Soviet superiors in Moscow

-Siegessäule: a golden angel built to commemorate 19th-century Prussian military victories

-Hitler's Bunker: a parking lot now sits at the location, a legend and map stand off to one side showing the layout of the bunker, this is the location where Hitler is said to have committed suicide by ingesting cyanide. The parking lot is an attempt at covering up the history there, possibly to prevent neo-Nazis from creating a memorial site.

-Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche or Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. This is a church that was bombed during WWII and remains standing as a reminder of the destruction of war and as a symbol of Berlin's determination to rebuild itself after the war had ended. Just next to this church stands a new hexagonal shaped tower that was erected in 1961.

-The Royal Cathedral on Museum Island

-Checkpoint Charlie--the United States Army post after WWII during the Cold War

The Berlin Wall
-The Berlin Wall and East Side Gallery: the wall was built by the Communist German government in response to the 'brain drain' that was happening, meaning the well-educated, skilled, and professionals were moving from East to West Germany as a result of the Cold War and its effects. A wall was never part of the original plans when borders were drawn. Troops put up a barbed wire fence surrounding the entirety of the area within several hours of one night—the first physical border put into place. Later, the permanent wall structure was erected.

-Black and white photo of the Berlin Wall in front of a building that served as Nazi Headquarters during WWII and was later used during the Cold War

-Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe or the Holocaust Memorial)

The Brandenburg Gate
-Brandenburg Gate Area: Brandenburg Tor (City gates). Nearby is also Hotel Adlon Kempinski, a very famous hotel where celebrities and powerful politicians, including the US President has stayed before (also the hotel where Michael Jackson held his baby up over the balcony in 2002).

Reichstag building, the home of German Parliament
-Richstaggedbäude (Parliament Building) and the Wall Victims Memorial: commemorates the 191 people who tried to cross from the East to the West side of the Berlin wall

Berlin was one of the most interesting places I visited. I find history and politics extremely intriguing and it was amazing to have the opportunity to explore the city of Berlin where so much important history has happened, learn more about it, and see firsthand where so many important historical events occurred. I would love to go back sometime and even do the same tour again, as well as learn more about other aspects of the city. Being I only had an afternoon there, I missed out on a lot of the other wonderful aspects of the modern culture. I hope to make it back to Berlin someday and spend more time there.

Article about Gordon Hogan, Tour Guide of Dachau Concentration Camp

2008-04-04T22:45:00.000+01:00

The following article found at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20080316/ai_n24936952/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1
Accessed on 12/01/2008 FindArticles > Sunday Mirror > Mar 16, 2008 > Article > Print friendly

Genocide, the stench of death and eating lunch in a gas chamber..

LISA O'CONNOR

YOU could forgive Gordon Hogan for feeling depressed about going to work. After all, the Monday morning blues affect the best of us sometimes.

But the rest of us don't have to spend four hours every day in a concentration camp, walking through a gas chamber.

For Gordon's work day takes him by train from Munich to the site where the holocaust began.

He travels along the same railway line which transported hundreds of thousands of prisoners during the Second World War, and gets off the train at the stop which marked the end of freedom for Jews, gypsies, priests and homosexuals.

He walks beneath the infamous entrance sign, still cruelly marked "Arbeit macht frei", which means "Work makes you free".

Then he gathers tourists from all over the world around him, and guides them through the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.

For Gordon, who is a self-confessed history junkie, has one of the least desirable jobs in the world.

He is one of the leading tour guides at the Nazi death camp of Dachau. But the irony is, he loves his work!

Showing people around a former torture enclosure in which more than 25,000 people perished might not be everyone's ideal career choice.

But for Tipperary man Gordon Hogan it simply doesn't get any better.

Gordon, 29, who lives in Munich, knows everything there is to know about the dark history of the horrific Dachau concentration camp.

So who better to show the camp to the huge number of visitors who come to see it annually than the Templemore artist?

The Nazi death camp held 200,000 prisoners between 1933 and its liberation by American soldiers in April 1945.

But while many people find visiting a site where such horrors took place to be depressing, Gordon says they are inspirational.

"Dachau was the first of 2,000 concentration camps. So working here is a heavy job. sometimes I have to take four or five days off, the work is so intense. I'm going to keep doing it until my passion for it runs out."

But even an eternally optimistic person like Gordon is forced to admit that his job can take its toll.

"It probably takes a certain type of personality to do this job," he admits.

"But I'm not an average Joe. My own personal journey is to face my fears.

But when you walk through a gas chamber every day, it can get very intense.

"I take people on three to four hour tours of Dachau. But there is so much I could say about the place, I could do a three day tour if necessary."

Gordon first moved to Germany nine years ago in order to study at the prestigious art school in Munich.

Having began his studies at Limerick School of Art and Design, he got the opportunity to spend three months abroad at a foreign university.

He always was fascinated by Germany, so he chose to study in Munich. Before his three months were up, he had fallen in love with the city, and persuaded a professor to let him finish his studies at the prestigious German art school.

"I always had an interest in Germany, so when I had the chance to take a three-month Erasmus course abroad, I picked Munich," he said.

"I spent six months working at odd jobs, and the Irish community here looked after me. I first started working in that community, serving beer in Irish bars to Germans."

But his interest in history and politics led him to the unlikely job of becoming a Dachau tour guide.

"I suppose the history of the Third Reich was always an interest or a hobby for me," he explains.

"I had to do a three month course at Dachau before they'd let me be a tour guide because it is such a sensitive subject," he says. "They don't want any old person coming here to take the mickey.

"After that, I became a fully qualified guide to the camp. So I set up my own little business with the permission of Dachau, and now I take people around the camp, talking about the politics and history of the place.

He added: "They have their own educational centre at Dachau and I do work for them too. It pays the rent and fills the belly, but it is really inspirational for me too, and inspires my art."

And the bilingual Irishman is so popular at his job that even Germans ask him to show them around this dark heart of their nation's history. "Most of the people I show around Dachau are tourists," he says.

"Germans tend to visit while they are still at school. But I've been living here for nine years and I do speak fluent German, so I do take Germans to Dachau too.

"Some people like the fact that they can ask me controversial questions that they mightn't feel comfortable asking a German guide. Germans still can feel guilty about what happened 70 years ago.

"But I explain the history so that we all share the guilt. What happened at Dachau goes on in different ways around the world today. It's a positive place now, where people leave feeling more informed about the world."

Gordon's tours are so moving that people who he has shown around the death camp often remain in touch with him afterwards, writing and emailing him.

"People often contact me after their holidays are over. They write to me to tell me things about their lives or world politics. The experience of visiting Dachau really moves them."

Gordon loves his gloomy day job but still harbours ambitions to become a successful artist. He graduated from art college two years ago and has since exhibited his video and photographic work, partly influenced by Dachau, in Germany.

But his ambition is to bring his art back home to Ireland, and he hopes that an Irish gallery will invite him to exhibit his photography and video installations in his native land.

"My last exhibition was before Christmas and my work focused on Dachau and was inspired by the place. I spent half of last year going to Dachau daily," he says. "I love history and politics, and they influence my work. But it's still very accessible for people.

"I do miss home sometimes," he admits. "I read Irish newspapers and listen to Irish radio on the internet. Today, I had an Irish couple on my tour of Dachau. Being Irish, they were surprised to have an Irish tour guide and I was very happy to have them on the tour.

"I'm living the artist's life, but I am so fulfilled. My aim is to be a successful artist, and I'd love to take my work home to show the people of Ireland either next year or the year after. In fact, I'm planning to bring my work home either next year or the year after. I'm just waiting for a gallery to invite me!"

Gordon's art work, which features images of Dachau's watch towers and pictures of little children with Hitlerstyle toothbrush moustaches could be considered controversial.

But he believes that his work is as optimistic and positive as the former death camp which partly inspired the images he creates.

"People are really moved by visiting Dachau," he insists. "These days, it is a life camp not a death camp. People respond to the information I give them, and it often changes their lives. They come out realising the importance of celebrating life."

Dachau Concentration Camp

2008-04-04T16:58:00.021+01:00

2008, 4.4 Dachau, Germany (Pronounced DOCK-ow)

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As may be expected, some of the content of this entry is very unpleasant. It is intended only as information from what I learned about the horrible atrocities that occurred at this Concentration Camp and others throughout Europe during the Holocaust and the time during which Hitler and the Nazi regime were in power. I have the utmost respect for those who suffered through the hate and violence of the Holocaust and I cannot imagine the horror that these victims endured. I sympathize with them and admire their strength. I believe it is amazing that the survivors are willing to share their story and that it is extremely important that they do. I hope to aid in this effort by sharing some of what I learned during my tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp in this blog entry.
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Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich, Germany

I visited Dachau Concentration Camp on 4 April, 2008. While the grounds are open for anyone to visit and explore on their own, I took a guided tour lead by Gordon Hogan, an Irish artist, who has studied and researched the history and politics surrounding WWII and the Holocaust for many years, several of which he has lived and worked in Germany, more specifically in the Munich/Dachau area. (Please see the following blog entry for more information on the tour guide.)

As would be expected, touring the Concentration camp was very sad. At the same time, it was extremely informative and forced me think deeply about different aspects about the world in which we live. Mr. Hogan did a wonderful job of explaining some of the surrounding facts and history, as well as providing some intriguing and large questions to ponder. What were the real reasons behind Hitler's actions? How could such an unimaginable tragedy have happened? In exploring the camp and the history, we also explored different thoughts on human nature and behaviour, politics, religion, history, and economics.

Front gate to the camp that says in German, "Work shall set you free."

Model layout of the camp as it stood before April 29 1945, when it was liberated by American troops. Out the window, a memorial from the survivors of the camp, as well as the open gravel courtyard on which prisoners would stand for roll call, sometimes for several hours at a time as a punishment .

A tree-lined walk that also had flowers and other visually appealing vegetation when the camp was in use--part of the image the Nazis wanted to create in order that outsiders would see it as a civilized prison and work camp. Some of these trees were also used by the SS to murder Catholic priests by hanging.

"To remember the dead, to warn the living" A memorial to honor the many who died at this and the many other concentration camps throughout Europe. The man standing at the top of it is a fictitious character--the designers wanted it to be a generic model in attempts to prevent against discrimination and exclusion

While the answers to the kind of questions surrounding the Holocaust are hard to answer and heartbreaking to think about, in a way it also felt important and challenging. It made me reflect on my life and how I fit into a world where such acts of violence and hatred have occurred, and in some places and somewhat similar ways are currently still happening. While I'm not sure I accomplished such a feat, I believe it was a meaningful experience from which I learned a great amount.

One of the most impressive things I learned about Dachau Concentration Camp is that after the Americans liberated the camp in 1945, the survivors of the camp joined together and created the Comité International de Dachau. Since 1965, they have been working to keep Dachau open as a memorial, to honor those who lived and died there, but also in efforts that it would educate future generations and prevent such an atrocity as the Holocaust from ever occurring again. I admire their courage and believe through this they show the human capacity for strength, resilience, and hope.

To see more in depth information regarding Dachau Concentration Camp, including a virtual tour and timeline, among other interesting and informative resources, please visit their website at http://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/english.html

Bavaria, Deutschland

2008-04-04T16:37:00.000+01:00

2008, 4.3-4 Munich, Germany

I arrived in Munich on a train from Zurich, Switzerland at about 5:30 pm, purchased a night train pass to Berlin for the following evening, and then found my way to Wombat's hostel, which was a very convenient three minute walk from the train station. The hostel was a nice place--a good atmosphere and I had a comfortable room.

After getting my things settled into my room, I headed out in search of cheap and somewhat light food for dinner. After searching for a bit, I caved and ended up getting a Subway sandwich. Not very exciting, but it was the most picturesque Subway sandwich I have ever purchased. The rest of the evening was spent planning for my trips to Norway and Scotland. I also got to know my roommates a bit who were all Americans teaching English in Spain who were on a weekend holiday. They were pretty nice. One of them had been to Minnesota for camping and hiking, which was fun to talk about with her.

The next morning, I got packed, checked my email, had breakfast at the hostel, put my things in a locker and then headed out. At 10:15 am, I met up with a tour group to go and explore the Dachau Concentration Camp led by Gordon Hogan. It was an incredible experience, about which you can learn more by reading my "Dachau Concentration Camp" blog entry.

During the tour, I made friends with a girl named CJ from South Africa who was also on holiday in Munich. When we returned from Dachau, she and I explored a bit of Munich together. We wandered from the train station down to the Marienplatz area, Munich's central square and a popular tourist area with lots of shops and restaurants, churches, street performers and people. It was a very busy place. Also in this area, not to be missed, was the infamous Glockenspiel, which every day at certain hours chimes and re-enacts two stories from the 16th century with figurines dancing and jausting. CJ and I were fortunate enough to be there for the spectacle and, among many other spectators, enjoyed the show.

Glockenspiel

After getting our fill of the Marienplatz, CJ and I wandered a bit more exploring Munich. There were some interesting pieces of architecture along the way; however, as it was starting to get dark and our tummies were beginning to grumble, we were in search of a beer hall--for which Munich and Bavaria, the area of Germany in which Munich is located, are famous (Sidenote: Munich is the city in which Oktoberfest is held every year). After grappling with a 'user-unfriendly' map, we finally found the Hofbräuhaus-a brewery and beer hall full of people, large portions of German food, a live polka band dressed to suit, and, of course, Mass-es of beer.

Hofbrauhaus--a famous beer hall in Munich

CJ and I eventually found a table--it is a very large building with lots of seating, but also lots of people, so it was hard to find vacant seats. Our waitress, dressed in traditional German costume brought us menus and served us well, though with how busy it was we had to be patient.

CJ and I each ordered a beer, which comes in a large glass mug called a Mass. For dinner, I ordered Bavarian meat loaf and potato salad, accompanied by some apple streusel for dessert. The meatloaf, which I mistakenly thought would be ground beef, looked more like a large slice of American SPAM, though the taste was a bit better. The potatoes were like chunky mashed potatoes with a slight vinegar-like tartness to them. The apple streusel was kind of bland and, honestly, a bit disappointing. So, though it was a well prepared meal, it did not quite fit my taste as a good one.

Though the meal was not the greatest, the atmosphere and the company with whom I spent the evening was lots of fun. Because the house was so full and the tables so big, CJ and I ended up sharing our table with a few Bavarian gentlemen who sat down next to us. They were probably about thirty-something and late forty-something. They were very kind and friendly and we spent the rest of our evening there chatting with these two. I talked mostly to Wolfgang, the older gentleman, who thought it was pretty cool that I was from Minnesota. I also told him that I had ancestors from Germany, but when I told him which part, he thought it was a boring area of Germany--so maybe that's why they left. Ha ha.

As the evening went on, I sat and enjoyed the beer, the live music pumping polka just an arms stretch away from where we were sitting, and good company, and soaked in the Bavarian culture around the hall. It was a very fun experience. Wolfgang gave me his contact information and told me that if I ever make it to Oktoberfest, that I should let him know so he can help arrange a spot for camping. It was a kind offer.

CJ and I said good bye to our new friends and headed back towards the hostel. I had a night train to catch, so I said goodbye to CJ, retrieved my things from the hostel, and went to the station to wait for my night train that would take me to Malmo and then Stockholm, Sweden before continuing on my way to Tromso, Norway.

Switzerland

2008-04-03T22:53:00.010+01:00

2008, 4.2-3 Switzerland: Lake Geneva at Lausanne, Bern, Interlaken, Lucerne, Zürich

Train passing through Lausanne on Lake Geneva to Bern to Interlaken
Highlights:
-Lake Geneva
-The Swiss Alps

Lake Geneva while passing via train through Lausanne very early in the morning

Small town and the Swiss countryside between Interlaken and Lucerne

Lucerne (Luzern)
Highlights:
-Surrounded by a lake and snow-capped mountains
-Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and Spreuebrücke (Spreuer Bridge)
Food: Swiss red wine, Veal sausage served with Swiss -style hash browns

Dusk in Lucerne

Zürich

I had one short afternoon to wander around the city of Zürich. It wasn't quite long enough, but it was enough time to enjoy a little bit of the architecture and the life there.

Highlights:
-Walking along Limmat River
-Grossmünster (Church)
-Fraumünster (Church with stained glass windows)
-Lake Zurich
-St Peterskirche (Church with Europe's largest clock faces on its tower)
-Wandering through the narrow streets
-Colorful architecture
-Swiss chocolates

Wandering in Zürich I came across some of these...

A fun poster for a theater show and an idea of their language

St Peterskirche (Church with Europe's largest clock faces on its tower) from across the river

Grossmünster

Lake Zurich

See the blue sign on the building to the left of the picture, that is a street.

This is where that street leads.

Limmat River

Swiss chocolates, very yummy

Switzerland was wonderful, despite the snow and rain. I will most certainly try to make it back again some day and take advantage of the many outdoor activities available, maybe even multiple trips so that I can experience both the summer and winter activities.

The next stop...Germany.

Barcelona, take two

2008-04-01T16:52:00.010+01:00

2008, 4.1 Barcelona, Spain

After spending the night on a train from Malaga, I arrived in Barcelona, my second time in this beautiful Spanish city, though this time, I was really only passing through on my way to Switzerland. After figuring out the night train schedule and purchasing my ticket to Switzerland, which would not leave until after eight o'clock that evening, I spent the majority of the morning on the hunt for an internet cafe. It took a while, but eventually I found one and did what I needed to do online, and with a heavy backpack and confusing maps of the city, it felt like a big success.

Once this feat was accomplished, I hunted down a restaurant recommended by my Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring Guide. Its name? La Fonda, at which I chuckled, as it reminded me of the movie "Napoleon Dyamite," yet turned out to be a solid choice for lunch cuisine. My meal began with a mixed green salad with large chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers--some of my favorite veggies. This was followed by a plate of chicken breast grilled to perfection, aubergine (egg plant), courgette (zucchini) and half of a tomato, along with chips (French fries). It was a simple, but delicious meal and the ambience of the restaurant was relaxing, classy, and clean. The service was excellent and the price was reasonable. To finish off my meal, I tried a slice of La Fonda's apple cake served on top of Catalan cream, a regional specialty (Barcelona is in the Catalunya region of Spain). This dessert was not something I would order again, as it did not quite match my taste in desserts (the cream was much like flan, which I don't particularly care for), but it was nice to try, anyway. My lunch at La Fonda was, overall, a very enjoyable experience.

After a nice leisurely lunch, I was back out wandering the city of Barcelona. It was kind of fun to return to this city, though I didn't have much time. Nevertheless, I recognized a lot of what I saw and got to experience it again in another light. One of my favorite moments from this short stop in Barcelona was the time I spent in the park a few blocks from the train station. Having seen much of the city, with limited time, and tired feet, I found sanctuary for a few hours in the park near the Estacion de Franca (the train station) of Barcelona.

At first, I sat on a park bench reading my Lonely Planet for a bit, mentally planning what I would do in Switzerland. When I looked up from my book, I absorbed my surroundings as the Spanish rays of sunshine beamed down on me. I saw the bright green grass of the park with paths going this way and that and I observed the beautiful culture around me. Besides their attractive physical features, the people seem to have such a passion for life, a deep appreciation of the importance of family and relationships, and a high level of ingenuity. You can see it in the way they dress, the way they interact with each other, and how they carry themselves. People from varying generations spend time together and really seem to enjoy it, whether family or strangers.

As I observed and strolled around the park, I saw couples strolling along, families enjoying their time together, athletes jogging or biking or rollerblading by, elderly people meandering, young people sitting around in varying sized groups, people playing the guitar or taking their dogs for a walk. As the sun continued to drop lower in the sky and the time for my train to leave grew closer, I tried to internalize as much as I could of these couple hours in the park before going to the train station. It was one of my favorite experiences.

Looking towards the entrance of the park

A woman feeding the pigeons and the parakeets in the park

The inside of the Estacion de Franca train station in Barcelona.

My conclusion from the day and the other time I spent here is that Barcelona is an attractive, vibrant city with attractive inhabitants, great weather, and full of life and culture.

Eventually, I had to say "hasta luego" to the wonderment of the park and go to the train station where I waited for a bit longer and then boarded the night train that would take me across France to Switzerland.

Malaga

2008-03-31T16:51:00.008+01:00

2008, 3.31 Malaga, Spain

In the morning, Wes, Nate and I all woke up and started getting our things together at the condo. Before long, it was time to say farewell to Wes who was catching a bus to Malaga where he would be later boarding a flight back to London. It was strange to say goodbye, as it didn't seem like it would be very long before I would see him again, but I suppose that is due to our many comings and goings at this point--with all of the trips throughout the six and a half months. Anyway, it was sad to see him go. Not too long after he left, Nate and I were ready to head towards Malaga, as well. We checked out of the condo and thanked the staff of the condo (very friendly owner who treated us very well). We were then on our way to catch the bus to Malaga.

The bus ride was not too terribly long. We finally passed by Marbella, which we had been meaning to visit all week long, but never did--the beach was just too wonderful to give up any time away from it. It looks like we didn't miss much, anyway, really. We took the city bus to the bus station in Marbella where we, luckily, were just in time to catch the next bus to Malaga. Pretty soon we were seated on the bus to Malaga. It was a pretty drive along the coast with ocean views along much of the way and mountains on the other side of us.

In Malaga, Nate and I found the train station so that I could buy a ticket for a night train from Malaga to Barcelona. We put our bags in a locker, and then went out to explore the city.

A flower stand on our way to finding some lunch

After wandering a bit, we found a charming little restaurant with outdoor seating to enjoy some lunch. There were street musicians trying to woo the patrons into paying them money. It was rather enjoyable music, but I was short on cash. For lunch, I ordered some cous cous--similar to what I had in Morocco.

Cathedral

Malaga had a Picasso museum; however, it is not open on Mondays, and therefore we missed out on experiencing it. Instead, we decided to check out the parks and the old fortress at the top of a mountain in the city. It was a lot of climbing, but felt good, and was worth it for the beautiful views along the way.

View overlooking Malaga's port from the nearby mountain that Nate and I climbed

View of the bull ring from above--Nate and I could see matadors practicing from where we were standing

Pretty view looking towards the east of Malaga

Park at the top of the mountain in Malaga

Walking back to the train station along the board walk

Before too long, it was time to head back to the train station so Nate could catch his train to the airport. I had a few more hours before my nightrain departed. We found our way, stopped at an ice cream shop to get some yummy coconut icecream, and then got our bags from the locker. We had a nice goodbye and then were on our separate ways.

Time went by quickly and pretty soon it was time for me to board my night train to Barcelona. I found my way to the platform, got my documents (ticket, passport, rail pass) ready and boarded the train. Once settled in, I chatted with my coachmates (four women who all spoke mostly Spanish), journaled catching up on the past several days, and then eventually retired to my bed (it was a sleeper car with a fold down bed complete with pillow and blankets--pretty comfortable, actually). In the morning, I would be in Barcelona for the second time. Malaga was a short but sweet experience.

A lazy week in beautiful Espana

2008-03-30T16:48:00.003+01:00

2008, 3.24-3.31 Nueva Andalucia, Marbella, Spain

Nate and I met up with our friend Wes in southern Spain where Nate's family had a timeshare condo. We were spoiled by a comfortable apartment, wonderful sunshine, and beautiful beaches. We cooked homemade meals, wandered along the beaches and basked in the Spanish sunshine, and took in a bit of the local nightlife.

The outside of the condo where we stayed

Our view hanging out on the beach

Beach side bar

It was a very relaxing week and was the last I would spend with my good friends and travel buddies, Nate and Wes. I had the privilege of spending my 23rd birthday with them during this time, as well. We had a nice relaxing week and had a sad, but nice farewell.

Fes

2008-03-23T16:47:00.018Z

2008, 3.22-23 Fes, Morocco

After our trip on the Road to Zagora and returning to Marrakech, Nate and I decided to take a night train to Fes. We walked to the train station from the medina in Marrakech, at least a half hour by foot. We bought our train tickets and boarded the train within the next hour.

The train's interior reminded me of vintage furniture with baby blue patent leather seats. It was not the most comfortable of rides, but eventually we arrived in Fes at about 1:00 am. It was a very long night train ride from Marrakech to Fes. Thankfully, there was a fairly inexpensive hotel with vacancy right next to the train station, in which we were extremely fortunate to find an affordable room for the night.

The next morning, after a very restful night's sleep, the two of us got ready, checked out of the hotel and headed out into Fes in search of another place to sleep for the night. Before too long, we found a cheap place to stay, dumped off our backpacks, took a brief break, and then headed out to explore the city.

As we wandered, we found some lunch at La Bordeaux restaurant where I tried a Moroccan salad accompanied by, of course, mint tea. Our waiter was a very gentlemanly older man who served us very well, and we sat at a table looking out towards the street, making it great for people watching.

Moroccan Salad-a tasty lunch

After a lovely lunch, we continued to wander the city, going through the new part of the city first. One of the interesting experiences in Fes was stopping for an ice cream treat at McDonald's (something I would never normally do when traveling--I try to avoid American restaurants and chains). Nate and I were the only non-locals in the building and were receiving some very strange looks from the other customers in the restaurant. It was a very odd encounter, but an interesting one, nonetheless. I did notice some of different food items on the menu than back home, such as the McArabia sandwich. Besides the customer population and select few menu items, McDonald's was otherwise about the same as a McDonald's in the US, even the taste of the food.

From McDonald's, we wandered towards the old part of the city, the Medina. This part of the city is arguably the most interesting part of Fes. It is a labyrinth of old buildings, paths, fresh food markets, smells and aromas, beautiful hand crafts, and people. As we moved deeper into the Medina, it felt almost like stepping back in time, yet we did come across a sign advertising an internet cafe at one point.

Gate to the Medina in Fes

Hand-crafted wood carvings. To the right of these was a fairly small room with about 8-10 men standing at tables rigorously hand-carving these beautiful drums.

A few of the many infamous Moroccan hand woven rugs in the Medina, a painting of a Moroccan woman, and a sign in Arabic

Part of a tannery in the Medina of Fes, one of their very popular local trades

The Medina was a fascinating place; however, because I didn't spend a great amount of time here, I feel that my description would not do it justice. Some say that Fes is a city that takes some time to get to know in order to fully appreciate its unique character. After spending only a short time there, I feel I did get a small taste of what the culturally and historically rich city has to offer, but I agree.

After briefly exploring the Medina, Nate and I were lead out on the other side to find a taxi, which turned out to be quite a challenge. We ended up walking for about twenty minutes before getting into a cab that we shared with an elderly person who sat in the front. Before we knew it, the Medina was a thing of the past and we were in the new part of Fes, it was almost like traveling into the future as we moved through the city.

The boulevard in the new part of Fes

After the lucky cab ride (it would have been a long and confusing walk) back to the new part of Fes, we strolled along the modern streets and boulevards and people watched before grabbing some dinner. One thing I noticed as we went along was that, though there were many families on the boulevard wandering about, almost all of the patrons sitting at the roadside restaurants were men. Another notable thing about Fes was that there were few, if any, bars to go to, which, I believe, is largely due to their religious practice of abstaining from alcohol.

All in all, Fes was an interesting place full of many interesting experiences. If ever I get the chance to return to this unique city, I will certainly plan for more time here, especially so I can further explore the labyrinthian Medina.

The Road to Zagora

2008-03-21T22:44:00.017Z

2008, 3.20-21 Draa Valley, Morocco

After spending a couple of days in Marrakech, Nate and I ventured off on a two-day tour through the Draa Valley of Morocco. We got up early in the morning and met up with our tour group--a van of about 15 or so people from various places around the world. People spoke French, Spanish, English, and Arabic, so it was interesting to hear bits and pieces of people's conversations and learn a little bit about who they were and where they came from. Our driver was a very quiet, gentle man with obvious skill in driving as he took on the steep, sometimes bumpy, and ever-winding mountain roads with the large van in which we traveled. He spoke Arabic and French, so I relied on the basic knowledge of French via my experience with Spanish and the help of other people in the group to understand where we were and what was going on.

From Marrakech, we traveled towards a city named Zagora and the Sahara Desert. I couldn't believe how curvy and steep some of the roads we traveled were. We stopped for a few breaks along the way...

took in the beautiful scenery...

An oasis outside of Zagora--there are youth playing soccer near the edge of the sea of palm trees

passed an oasis or two...

Palm trees, sunshine, and beautiful flowers

...and took in the impressive scenery all around us. Once we arrived in Zagora, we mounted our camels and prepared for the ride to our campsite just on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The camel was a good mode of transportation, a little awkward with the camel's long strides and humped back, but a very fun experience.

On my camel, ready to go

Silhouette and a camel head

Sand blowing at dusk

As we traveled along in our caravan of foreigners and camels, it was quiet for much of the trip. I tried to capture every moment in my memory. I was stunned by the beauty of the desert with wind blowing sand across the dunes and desert ground like slithering snakes, the sun setting behind us slowly as we loped along deeper into the desert, and watched the bright white full moon rise ahead of us over the mountains in the distance. It was a powerful experience.

As the sun continued to set on the horizon, we made our way to the desert camp. When we arrived, we dismounted our camels and were lead to a tent. Here, the group sat down on mats and mingled while our tour guides got organized and prepared dinner. We had some time to sit and relax, rest, or wander around the campsite (not much there, really, besides camels, tents, sand dunes, and a donkey wandering around). Nate and I chatted with one of the guides and got to know a little bit more about the people with whom we were traveling.

It was soon dinner time and they served us a large clay pot full of couscous, vegetables, and chicken. We sat on the floor of the tent at a short table and shared our meal with two young women friends from Australia who were living in the UK and working. They were very nice and made for good company. The food was delicious and very filling.

A few of our guides playing drums in the tent where we ate dinner and socialized, and in the background the Australian young women with whom Nate and I shared dinner.

One of the younger guides danced and clapped his hands to the strong beat of the hymn-like music in unfamiliar Arabic words that the older guides played. It was very enjoyable and engaging.

After the wonderful dinner and entertainment, the group was tired and most people decided to head to their own tents and have some down time before going to bed. Nate and I wandered outside of the tent around the camp site and check out some of the dunes by the light of the full moon. It felt very surreal, almost like magic.

In the middle of the night, I awoke to the winds blowing one corner of the tent door open. As I wrestled with the flapping tent door and tried to secure it, I could hear sand thrash the outside of the tent as the wind continued on. I was able to improve the door situation slightly and returned to my bed. Looking up at the tent ceiling from my mattress pad, I could see the full moon above through the thinning canvas material. I noticed the feeling of sand in my mouth and teeth as I dozed off into the depths of sleep.

In the morning, the guides woke us as the sun began to rise. The group gathered again in the tent where we had dinner the night before and enjoyed some breakfast. I wandered a bit around the sand dunes, taking pictures and enjoying the last few minutes of my time in the desert.

Desert camping

Saharan Sunrise

With the rising sun at our backs, we were soon on our camels, traveling in our caravan, loping back towards the van and Zagora. We reached the van, dismounted the camels, and were then on our way back towards Marrakech--an approximately four hour drive headed northward.

My ride and his friends

Along the way back to Marrakech, we stopped to have lunch, to take pictures of the scenery...

Architecture in Ouzarzarte on our way back to Marrakech

...and to do maintenance on our broken down van. As we were maneuvering around the winding mountain roads, we were headed down slightly around a curve and heard a loud noise from beneath the vehicle. Our calm driver slowly pulled over as best he could with limited space available and the mountain edge to one side of us. Without a word, he got out and checked the vehicle.

With some confusion, patchy translation, and a few minutes of theorizing within the group of what was happening, it was determined that something had supposedly happened to the axel. I saw the driver cross the street to pick up a few medium sized rocks and return to the rear of the vehicle. After several minutes, he returned to his driver seat, started the engine, and put the van into gear. We rolled about ten feet foward and then heard the same noise that we had heard the first time. About half way along our return journey to Marrakech, it would appear we were out of luck and about two hours away from anywhere we wanted to be. As we sat there, people began to alight from the vehicle, gather their things, and wave down other travelers journeying along the road to hitch a ride back to Marrakech. As the group rapidly decreased in size, including the number of people who spoke both French and English--in other words those able to communicate with the driver, we had to make a decision.

Before too long, nearly everyone from the group was gone. Thankfully, our driver hailed another small tour group traveling in a mini-van back to Marrakech who had two seats available. Nate and I jumped at the opportunity and were soon heading towards Marrakech with a new travel group dominated by four Germans who spoke very good English and their also English-speaking tour guide. We were very happy that they were kind enough to give us a ride. I had lovely conversations with several of the group members and enjoyed the last couple hours of the winding roads, desert sands, mountain views, and palm tree oasises.

Eventually, we made it back to Marrakech and without any more challenges. It was quite a relief. Back in Marrakech, I saw the two men get dropped off who had shared our tent with us in the desert the night before and was glad they made the return. I am assuming everyone else made it back safe and sound. Nate and I thanked the tour group for the ride and the company and were dropped off near the tour bus stop next to the Djeema el Fna. We had made it.

Looking back, it is fun to remember the impressive scenery, riding camels, sleeping in tents, the world travelers I met, the feel and taste of Saharan desert sand in my mouth, and the magic of the whole Moroccan desert experience. The trip to and from Zagora was one incredible journey. But we weren't done with Morocco, yet.

Marrakech, Morocco

2008-03-19T16:40:00.012Z

2008, 3.18-19 Marrakech, Morocco, North Africa

After a fun trip in Ireland, my friend Nate and I said farewell to our other friends and traveled to Morocco, North Africa. We flew from Dublin to London Heathrow Airport where we had a short layover before flying to Casablanca, Morocco and had another short layover, where, thankfully, we didn't have to get off of the plane. We finally arrived in the small, quiet airport in Marrakech late that evening. We found our way through passport control, stopped at the ATM to get some Dirhams, Moroccan currency, and then took a taxi into the city.

We had the taxi drop us off close to the Djemaa el Fna, the square and market place in the medina quarter, or old city, of Marrakech. It was dark out, yet busy with people, bicyclists, and vehicles. We learned quickly to be aggressive and very careful when crossing the streets. We had a map, but it was a challenge to find our way to our Riad (a fancy name for our hotel-like accommodation- so, we accepted an offer from a local boy to guide us on our way for a few Dirhams. The boy was very nice and showed us right to our Riad without any problems.

When we arrived, the manager of our Riad told us that there were no more rooms available at that location, but he had arranged another room for us around the corner. I was a little unhappy that our reservation had not been met; however, it turned out okay. He showed us to our room, gave us a map and some brochures with information on Marrakech, and made sure that we were comfortable. It was a pretty nice place.

The lobby area of our Riad

The next morning, the owners of our Riad showed us to an outdoor terrace where they served us breakfast--pastries served with mint tea, a very popular drink throughout our Moroccan experience. After breakfast, Nate and I wandered a little bit in the city to see what we could find. We spent most of the day exploring the city using the Marrakech bus tour as our mode of transportation to go beyond the medina.

The busy Djeema el Fna

Looking towards the Koutoubia Mosque and one of the busy roads

Theatre Royal in Marrakech

Interesting architecture and some of the locals

Snake charmers in the Djeema el Fna

Koutoubia Mosque and the Djeema el Fna

After a full day of exploring the sights of the city, Nate and I spent the evening wandering through the Djeema el Fna. We walked through the markets where we found plants and flowers, colorful glass lamps, stalls with baskets filled by mounds of dried fruit and nuts, and an impressive open-air restaurant. We tried some fresh squeezed orange juice, very sweet and tasty, and bought some delicious dried apricots and dates.

Eventually, we made our way back to the Riad and got our things packed before catching some zzz's. Early the next morning, we would be venturing on a two-day tour through the Draa Valley towards the Sahara Desert.

Dublin and St. Patty's Day

2008-03-17T23:39:00.008Z

2008, 3.16-17 Dublin, Ireland

When we arrived in Dublin, we found our hotel, dropped off our bags, and then returned the car to the car rental at the Dublin airport. Our road trip had officially ended, but luckily the fun was not over. In fact, the weather had improved, we had a hotel to stay in for the next two nights, and it was St. Patrick's Day weekend, so we were all excited to explore the city and have some more fun. After walking from the airport back to our hotel (about 20 minutes) and getting somewhat settled, we caught a bus into central Dublin. It was a beautiful afternoon in Dublin! We checked out some of the local famous landmarks on our way to the Guinness Storehouse where we met up with a few of our other friends.

Statue of Daniel O'Connell looking towards the River Liffey on O'Connell Street

The Irish flag and some Irish adverts

O'Connell Bridge and the River Liffey

At the Guinness Storehouse, we learned about the history of Guinness to present times and all that goes into producing one of the most popular beers in the world. We then sipped a free pint of the dark, thick beer while taking in an aerial view of Dublin from the top floor of the brewery and enjoying some live Irish music.

The Guinness Storehouse

After our Guinness experience, we all headed back towards central Dublin and stopped for dinner at "Ireland's oldest pub," The Brazen Head. Here, we feasted on their famous Traditional Irish Stew as we enjoyed the atmosphere of their upstairs restaurant. It was lovely.

The Brazen Head Pub

To end the evening, we headed to the Temple Bar area and checked out some more live Irish music in the famous Temple Bar pub. It was a fun and lively Irish experience.

The Temple Bar
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 17th, St. Patricks' Day in Dublin

The next morning, Nate, Steve, and I went to get some good spots to watch the parade. We met up with Lauren and her friend Anna, as well, and watched the parade.

Getting ready for the parade

Float in the parade

After the parade, we wandered through the masses of people and found some peace near the Dublin Castle in the Dubh Linn Gardens. We stayed here for a short while, enjoying the quiet, bright colors surrounding us, and taking in the sunshine.

Dubh Linn Gardens next to Dublin Castle

We then moved on to find lunch at a pub down the street where it was packed with people looking for beer and food. We stood sipping drinks and enjoying live Irish music until we got a table and finally some food. With food out of the way, we headed out to find another pub and ended up at a place across from Christ Church called "The Lord Edward." We had planned on staying only for one drink, but befriended a seventy-some-year-old gentleman who introduced us to his friends and family who were very kind and friendly people, and so we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon and much of the evening there. We had an unforgettable St. Patrick's Day singing Irish tunes, sharing stories, and getting to know our new Irish friends.

After The Lord Edward, we headed down towards the Temple Bar area where we spent a little more time before cabbing back to the hotel. We found our way through crowds of people and enjoyed more conversations with the locals and other tourists also enjoying the holiday festivities. It was a great St. Patrick's Day.

Temple Bar celebrating St. Patrick's Day

On the Roads of Ireland

2008-03-15T15:43:00.015Z

2008, 3.13-15 Shannon, Sixmilebridge, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Tralee, Dingle, Slea Drive, Killarney, Macroom, Blarney Castle, Cork, Kilkenny, and on to Dublin

On the 13th of March, my BUNAC work visa expired, which meant that I had to leave the UK. My six months of work eligibility ended and they were kicking me out of their country as a resident, so I gathered a few friends--Nate, Ami, and Steve--and we flew to Ireland for a road trip. The four of us flew from London Stansted airport to the Shannon, Ireland airport near Limerick (only 13 GBP=$26 USD for a one way flight!).

Welcome to Ireland!

We took a cab from the airport to our hostel, the Jamaica Inn, in the small town of Sixmilebridge just outside of Shannon and spent one night there.

Sixmilebridge, the small town near Shannon where we stayed for the first night before picking up the car for our roadtrip. The next morning, we took a cab from our hostel back to the Shannon airport to pick up our rental car. As soon as we took care of all of the paperwork and got the keys, we found our car and were on our way!

Nate, Ami, Steve, Heidi

Starting off on our road trip!

St. Patrick's day cake in a bakery window in Galway

Home of the Claddagh Ring in Galway

Driving along the Irish coast on our way from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher

Turner's Lounge Bar in Tralee where we ate dinner on our way to Dingle Bay

When we arrived in Dingle that evening after Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and lots of driving. We had discussed sleeping in the car that evening to save on money for accomodation, but also for the experience, so we drove around Dingle a bit checking it out and settled on staying in the car for the night in a parking lot in front of the water of Dingle Bay. It was not a very restful night; nonetheless, it was a fun experience. I really didn't sleep much and when daylight arrived just before 7 am, I suggested we start on the road again. We took a scenic drive from there before heading out of Dingle and onto Killarney.

Scenery on an early morning venture on Slea Head Drive near Dingle

The sign for Dingle coming from Slea Head Drive, view of Dingle Bay

Beautiful scenery and view of Dingle Bay on our drive from Dingle to Killarney

Main Street in Killarney where we ate breakfast at Humble Pie Restaurant

Killarney was a lovely small town with a national park nearby; however, with the rain, we decided to pass on exploring it more and move on towards Cork and Blarney Castle.

Traffic jam due to a fundraising walk we came up to as we inched through the small town of Macroom

Before too long, we arrived at Blarney Castle, a lovely Irish experience.

Beautiful daffodils on the Castle grounds

I kissed the Blarney Stone!

One of the many humorous signs at the Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle

From Blarney Castle, we drove through Cork and decided not to stop, as it was raining and we were determined to have some time in Kilkenny, so on we went.

As we had heard, Kilkenny was a neat little city. It had a lot of charm, pubs, shops, and lots of young people. We stayed at Daly's B & B on the main street, which had free parking and decent prices for the four of us to stay in one room. It was comfortable and conveniently located. Most everything was within walking distance, too. That evening, we went to a pub for dinner, had a drink and relaxed. It was wonderful to have a comfortable bed to sleep in after our long night sleeping in the car in Dingle.

Castle in Kilkenny just down the street from our B & B

The final stretch: On the road from Kilkenny to Dublin

We spent a lot of time on the road and saw a whole lot of Ireland. It was raining for a lot of the time, as is expected in Ireland in March, but it was beautiful and fun to see so much of a country from which my ancestors migrated. It was also fun to drive on the left side of the road.

And then it was onward to Dublin to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Oxford Town

2008-03-02T19:32:00.004Z

2008, 3.2 Oxford, England

Nate and I spent a Sunday afternoon in Oxford just a short bus ride from London. In Oxford, Nate and I found all kinds of history and beautiful architecture. This small city is home to Oxford University, the oldest English speaking university in the world. We had lunch at very nice pub hidden away down a brightly lit alleyway just off of the main street mostly full of young English locals and who I assume to be University students.

Inside of this building was filmed the dining hall in the Harry Potter movies

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland Shop across the street from Oxford University

Wandering in Oxford

Modeled after a similar archway in Italy

We completed our afternoon trip by having tea at a quaint tea shop on the main street of the city and then caught the bus back to London as the sun was setting in the west.

Farwell Oxfordtown

Barcelona

2008-02-26T15:31:00.006Z

2008, 2.23-26 Barcelona, Spain

Christopher Columbus pointing towards the sea

Street on which the Pablo Picasso Museum is located

Outside of the Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia
Stained glass windows inside of the Sagrada Familia

Venezia

2008-02-22T19:09:00.009Z

2008, 2.22 Venice, Italy

After Florence, Kate and I traveled east and spent one lovely day and night in the Italian city built on water, Venice. We arrived and checked into our hotel, Hotel Adua, and then went out to find a nice meal. After enjoying a meal at a restaurant not too far down the street, Kate and I then went on to explore the beautiful and wondrous city.

Gondolas and the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore across the Grand Canal

We went on a gondola ride--expensive, but a very interesting way to see and experience the city. Our gondolier was very friendly and informative, showing us around the unique city of Venice. We went through the Grand Canal, and to the famous Ponte di Rialto, or Rialto Bridge, before gliding through some of the back canals of the city.

A peek of the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal from our gondola

It was interesting to see this city, literally built on water, and the way people live their daily lives. They use boats or walk for transportation methods, as there are no roads inside the city. The buildings are situated in a way that you pass through areas that seem like they are going to lead to nowhere and then you stumble upon a beautiful square with a church, trees, friends chatting, and children playing as their parents and other family members look on while engaging in conversation and laughter.

One of the many squares we stumbled upon

Some of the masks and collectibles in the shops on the Rialto Bridge

Pigeons playing with girl in front of the Basilica San Marco in the Piazza San Marco

A view of Venice's transportation, infrastructure, and architecture

Venice was absolutely beautiful, full of impressive architecture and rich colors everywhere. The food was good. The markets and shops were fun to look through. The pace of they city was slow and relaxed. As you try and take it all in, you find yourself feeling its rich history and culture deeply embedded in the people and your surroundings--life happening all around you while you look on, entranced with wonder.

Central Venice and the Grand Canal at dusk from the Rialto Bridge

Firenze

2008-02-21T23:09:00.002Z

2008, 2.19-21 Florence, Italy

Tuscany is a place I have wanted to visit ever since I knew anything about Italy. I made it, to Florence, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a beautiful city with amazing scenery and architecture, friendly people, good food, and wonderful art. I was only disappointed that I didn't have more time to explore the city and other surrounding areas.

One of the best sights we saw in Florence was the Duomo, or Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the world's largest Cathedrals.
Front of the Duomo

Looking up at the Duomo's cupola

We climbed the heights of the Duomo--think lots of stone steps, many levels, steep and narrow stairways as you ascend--to see the beautiful view, of which the picture simply does not do justice.

View from the top of the Duomo

Copy of Michelangelo's David and the Loggia della Signoria in the Piazza della Signoria

Windows of the Ponte Vecchio (Vecchio Bridge)

View from the top of the Piazzale Michelangelo, a beautiful park area with a great view of the city.

View from the Galleria degli Uffizi--home to the world's greatest collection of Renaissance art. Here, we saw The Birth of Venus by Botticelli (one of my favorites), Annunciation by Leonardo Da Vinci, and Holy Family by Michelangelo, to name a few of the more famous paintings there.

One of the markets in Florence. As you may expect, lots of leather...purses, jackets, and shoes... but also, other things like jewelry, scarves, and t-shirts.

To end our trip in Florence, Kate and I went to the Galleria dell'Accademia. Though I don't have a photo that I took myself, as photography was not allowed, one of the neatest pieces of art that I saw in Florence was Michaelangelo's sculpture David. They have the statue set up in a way that really makes it an experience to see. It is standing at the end of a corridor under a large arch with perfect lighting to see it's every inch and detail. The sculpture is much larger than I had expected. The size and detail of the piece was truly exquisite. To see Michaelangelo's masterpiece was a very pleasant and memorable experience.

Αθήνα

2008-02-19T22:40:00.004Z

2008, 2.16-19 Athens, Greece

The third week of February, my friend Kate and I went on a ten day trip to Greece, Italy, and Spain. It was spring break at school for me and Kate had finished her last day of work, so it was her last traveling hurrah before heading back to the US. Our adventure began with a visit to one of the oldest cities in the world, Athens, Greece.

Our Athens experience was interesting, and a bit unusual. Expecting to not need even a jacket, Kate and I thought our trip to Greece would be one of warm weather and sunshine. However, the first night we were there, it snowed, and didn't stop until the next morning, leaving a few inches blanketing the city. Though not what we had expected, it was actually quite pretty to see everything covered in snow. The less than perfect weather also gave Kate and I a little time without guilt to catch up on our sleep in our cozy room at the hostel. Not a bad way to start a ten day exhausting trip, really.

When we did get out and see Athens, we saw some pretty neat things, like ancient ruins and beautiful parks. We also had some delicious food, including traditional foods like Greek yogurt, Greek salad, and lamb gyros.

Snow on our first night in Athens just down the street from our hostel in Plaka

Acropolis

Roman Agora in front, Acropolis to the right

A new member of staff at a restaurant in the square near our hostel, the welcome crew

View of Mount Lycabettus from the Acropolis

Zappeion building in the National Gardens of Athens

A few Greek treats: beer, snacks, and yogurt with honey and walnuts

Portobello Road Market

2008-02-09T21:53:00.004Z

One sunny Saturday afternoon, I went over to the Notting Hill area to meet up with Kate and explore the Portobello Road Market. It was really neat. There were all kinds of antiques and food and clothing and jewelery and other fun things. Ambling through this market proved to be a great way to enjoy a Saturday afternoon in London.

Houses in Notting Hill, including one where George Orwell used to live

Beautiful Brighton

2008-02-02T20:27:00.000Z

One of my favorite places in England was the city south east of London called Brighton (Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom). The city is right on the sea and has a pebble beach. One Saturday afternoon, Kate and I took a train from London to Brighton to spend a few hours wandering around.

We had lunch at a small family run pub along the beach. I had fish and chips--a traditional English meal--and a blackberry 'squash' (a fruit flavored concentrate that is mixed with water, often carbonated). After lunch, we wandered along visiting small art and photography galleries, including the Two Kats and a Cow Gallery, which I really enjoyed, and then we headed to the water and towards the pier.

Facing the English Channel from Brighton Beach

Kate happy to be by the sea in Brighton

Captivated by the sea

Brighton Pier

After spending some time by the water, Kate and I made our way to see The Royal Pavilion. This was a unique architectural structure in England. The exterior has an Indian appearance to it and the interior is largely Chinese in style and design.

Sideview of the entrance

The Palace was built for Prince Regent (later King George IV) who spent much of his time and money drinking, womanizing, and entertaining. This behavior resulted in debt for both he and the country therefore, though exquisite, the Pavilion and Prince Regent's other 'projects' angered the general population and caused some controversy. It was rather interesting. Unfortunately, photos weren't allowed inside, but there are more photos on the website (see link above).

From the Pavilion, Kate and I went to grab a drink at a nearby pub that used to be a hangout for Magicians and had all kinds of photographs hanging up (unfortunately, I can't remember the name). We then went back to the Brighton Pier and played some of the fun carnival games, such as Cat and Mouse (picture below) and basketball.

We had all kinds of tickets from our successes, but unfortunately, the ticket window was closed when we went to exchange them for a cool souvenir. Oh, well. It was fun.

After that, we jumped on the train back to London, and in less than an hour, we were home. It was quite a lovely day.

Greenwich

2008-01-27T19:33:00.003Z

One Sunday afternoon, my friend Nate and I went to Greenwich, the home of The Prime Meridian of the World. The area was very green and quaint with people--families and children, people with their dogs, couples, friends--playing and strolling along through the parks and wandering through the museums. There was even a drummer playing a drum with his hands, providing a little rhythm for the afternoon. It was very lovely. Here are a few pictures.

The Royal Observatory at the site of the Prime Meridian

Sign showing the location of The Prime Meridian of the World

View from the hill on which the Prime Meridian is marked. Overlooking Greenwich Park, the National Maritime Museum, and Queen's House Museum--the buildings closest to the green, as well as the Canary Wharf area, the southeast corner of London, and the Millenium Dome.

Standing over the Prime Meridian

Walking along the streets of Greenwich at dusk

The Netherlands

2008-01-20T17:52:00.001Z

2008, 1.18-20

Amsterdam was one of my favorite trips. I visited some great museums and really enjoyed what I learned about and saw while I was there. I also, of course, enjoyed the company of my two travel buddies, Wes and Nate. Here are a few pictures of what I saw and did while I was there.

Bikes were everywhere. It is probably their most largely used mode of transportation, which is handy because they have so many canals that it makes automobile travel a bit more challenging than most places.

This is the outside of the Anne Frank House (writer of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl). It is a now a museum, but was the house in which Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis during WWII--an amazing story from a tragic time in history. The museum was very well done, thorough, interesting, and informative.

This is a picture of one of the very many canals in the streets of Amsterdam.

The Heineken Brewery is in Amsterdam; however, unfortunately, it was closed when we were there. We decided to try some at the local pub, instead.

The Van Gogh Museum was another of my favorite parts of visiting Amsterdam. Vincent Van Gogh's story, from when he started working with his brother as an art dealer to picking up the brush and creating his own works of art to trial and error of different techniques and then mastery, is fascinating and inspiring. I love the colours and the content of his paintings.
Some Dutch Architecture from the outside. Sidenote...The staircases in the hotel where we stayed were extremely steep, almost like climbing a ladder. Their houses and buildings also go up several floors, as you can see, these are at least 4-5 stories tall. Many houses and buildings have hooks on the front near the roof, so that they can use pulleys to hoist up furniture and things to the upper floors.

Paris

2008-01-13T22:47:00.000Z

Here are some pictures from the weekend trip Kate and I went on to Paris on the weekend of January 12th. We climbed the steps of Notre Dame, enjoyed some wonderful French cuisine, wandered along the River Seine, overlooked Paris from the Eiffel Tower, and visited Mona Lisa and ancient artifacts while getting lost in the Louvre. It was a short trip, but a sweet one.

Gargoyle and the Eiffel Tower from Notre Dame

A Metro Stop in Central Paris

Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame Cathedral

Windsor Castle

2008-01-08T00:45:00.000Z

Kate, Nate, and I spent our Sunday afternoon enjoying a trip to experience Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world and one of the oldest. Seeing this and being in the small city of Windsor felt like the real England and was a really neat experience. We took a train from Waterloo station and barely made it to the castle for the last admission time at 3:00 pm. The train ride was about fifty minutes and cost eight pound fifty, so not bad.

At the castle, we saw the Queen's dollhouse, drawings by Da Vinci, pictures of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh at their wedding and other times throughout their marriage. We walked through the State Apartments, where we saw more swords and guns than you can imagine, a table that fits about sixty people, paintings of famous royal figures throughout history, and all kinds of other royal things.

Everything was posh and elaborately decorated. The rooms were enormous, and very much fit the image of what the movies show for royal balls and masquerades. The royal way of life is one that is truly unimaginable and intriguing to me. It would be quite the life to live as a Queen; however, unfortunately, I have yet to meet Prince William or Prince Harry, so my chances are currently not looking very promising.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T19:30:00.000Z

2007 was an eventful year for me. It is hard to believe it is over. Last year, I spent much of New Year's Eve with my dear old friend, Jessica Scherer. There was a snowstorm that night, but Jessie and I were lucky our plans for the night involved going to the other half of the duplex I was living in at the time to go to my neighbors' party. We didn't even have to walk outside. We ended the night by going sledding at the park across the street, so we did get our fair share of cold. Anyway, it was a very fun night. Like I said, it is hard to believe that was a year ago, all ready.

The early part of 2007 also brought for me lots of responsibilities with my school work, internship, and working my job on campus. It was busy and it went by fast. Finally, in May, I graduated from UST earning my Bachelor's degree. It was a neat experience and I was blessed to have many of my closest friends and family there with me to enjoy the accomplishment, most of whom had been there supporting me throughout the past four years.

Summer this year was spent mostly wandering around the campus at UST working with wonderful co-workers on the Summer Rollout Team. It was a job I was very fortunate to have, as I enjoyed it so much and the people I was working with. I also learned a lot about technology and being part of an effective team. When I wasn't working, I was with friends and family. I went with my good friend Kate and later met up with Lucy on a road trip to visit our friend Allison in Chicago, which was great fun. I was fortunate enough that my dear Uncle Tim allowed me to live with him at his house in Saint Paul for the entire summer. I was comfortable and in good company, and it also allowed me to save enough money so that I could pursue my dream of moving to Europe. I am very grateful for this and for the lovely summer that I had.

The summer was a good one and went by quickly. Before I knew it, it was September. I moved home to Winsted to spend my last couple of weeks at home with my family before heading to England. All year I had been preparing to go to England. I went through hours of filling out paperwork and completing the application for the GSCC. It was rather agonizing at times due to the length of and detail required for the application. Thank you to those who listened to me whine about it and continually encouraged me to continue on with it.

On September 12, I moved to London, England. I moved into the BUNAC hostel in Central London and met all kinds of fun and interesting new people. Mostly Americans and Canadians, but fun, nonetheless. I met up with my good friend Kate, who also recently moved to London. I have been able to travel to a few different places so far, such as Wales, Belgium, Spain, Prague in the Czech Republic, and a few smaller cities in England. It has been very rewarding and enriching to travel to new places and learn about the history that has happened here in Europe.

Besides living and traveling in Europe, shortly after I arrived in London, I started working for Ealing Social Services in Acton Town as a social work assistant. Later, when I received my qualification from the GSCC (finally!), I became a social worker in the Children in Need Team. For the past several months, I have been working with Child Protection cases; however, all along, it did not feel like this kind of social work was a good fit for me. Because of this, as well as the time commitment, the level of unhappiness in the type of work, and several other reasons, I decided in early December that I would not be returning to the Team after the holidays. I gave my notice a couple of weeks ahead of time and completed my last day of work on the 24th December. It was a very hard decision to make in many ways; however, I feel it was the right one for me. I will be looking for new job opportunities in the next couple of weeks. I have about two months left on my work visa, so will likely be looking for temporary work that is less intense and less time consuming than my previous one.

All in all, 2007 was quite an eventful year for me. I am a little sad to see it go, as it has certainly been a good one. At the same time, I have high hopes for 2008 and expect it to be as good, if not better.

This New Year's celebration involved hanging out for a bit at the hostel and then heading towards the River Thames to see the fireworks. I have never been in such a large and crazy sea of people in my entire life. Central London was packed with people. We didn't actually see any fireworks because the police were blocking off the road we were on leading to the river, and the buildings and fog were obscuring our view. Despite not seeing the fireworks, it was neat to be in London on New Years and I had a fun time.

I hope that 2007 was everything you hoped it would be and that it finished with a very Merry Christmas. I also hope that 2008 has gotten off to a good start and that it brings everything you wish for. Happy New Year!

Christmas break in London, part II

2007-12-29T21:37:00.000Z

The next day, a bunch of us took advantage of the sunny weather and went to Regent's park. It was a very nice day. The sun was shining, the weather was chilly in the shade, but not bad, the grass was green, and I even saw some flowers in bloom. It was good exercise, fun exploring, and time spent in good company.

Regent's Park

Pretty sky

Sunbeams

A walk in the park. Bryan, Ami, Rom, Steve, Kyle

The following day, Nate, Ami, Rom, and I went to have breakfast at a restaurant named Giraffe in Brunswick Square not too far from the hostel. If ever you have the opportunity to eat at this restaurant, I would recommend trying it.

Later in the day, Nate, Rom, Bryan, Steve, and I went for a walk to Hyde Park. We stopped by Speaker's Corner near Marble Arch to listen to some of the opinionated conversations and speeches going on. We didn't stay long, but it was an interesting experience to see something like this.

Christmas break in London

2007-12-27T21:16:00.000Z

The Christmas break was nice. It provided some free time to go and explore more of London.

The day after Christmas, 26 December, is a national holiday in England known as Boxing Day. Historically, this was the day where people, more typically the wealthy, would put together boxes full of gifts and give them to their servants, employees, and the less fortunate. In modern times, it is a day off of work for many people and a huge shopping day for the masses. I spent my boxing day being lazy and relaxing.

This week, the hostel became a whole new place, as there was a huge turnover of people and many new people moved in. I spent some time getting to know a few of them over the past few days. One day, Ami, Steve (a more recent addition to the hostel), and I went to check out Saint Paul's Cathedral and the crack at the Tate Modern.

the Millenium Bridge,

and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

We wandered a bit more along the River Thames exploring and becoming more familiar with the area. We also crossed London Bridge,

Tower Bridge,

and walked around the outside of the Tower of London.

Christmas Day

2007-12-25T21:57:00.000Z

I slept late, we prepared a very yummy Christmas brunch...

Nate, Travis, Steve, Kat, Andy, Heidi (me), Ali

...watched "Finding Nemo" and "Ratatouille", did Christmas crackers...

Rom, Ami, Julian, Doris (elderly woman who has lived at the hostel for over twenty years...), and Andy

...and then ended the evening with a dance party at the hostel. It was a very nice Christmas.

Merry Christmas!!!

2007-12-25T03:40:00.000Z

Dear friends and family,

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!!! I am staying here in London for Christmas and will be spending my time with new friends here at the hostel, but missing family and friends back home.

Christmas Eve day I had to work to finish up a few things in the morning. I did a little bit of last minute shopping, and then headed back to the hostel. This evening, I met Kate and James, her boyfriend, for dinner at a nice little Italian restaurant in Covent Garden. We had a lovely time and I enjoyed the good company. It is great having Kate here with me in London and I am happy that she gets to spend the holidays with James.

After dinner, I made it back to the hostel, and a little later, I went with King, Travis, and Ali on a walking tour of Central London. Luckily, it is warm out and we could comfortable walk without getting cold. It is King's last night here in London after about three years, so we went and experienced several of his favorite areas for the last time. We walked through Soho, Soho Square, checked out Saint James Park in the dark and went to see the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square (not all that impressive, unfortunately). The four of us were looking for ghosts, but unfortunately, didn't find any. It was a fun little adventure and I will miss King dearly, so was glad to be able to spend time with him.

Tomorrow I will likely sleep late, as it is all ready pretty late here. Santa hasn't stopped by, yet, but I expect he will soon. Here at the hostel, we are going to have a Christmas brunch with a full breakfast menu. We also have a Christmas tree and some traditional English treats like mince pie, but unfortunately, no figgy pudding. I also made some sugar cookies on Sunday and bought some nuts in the shells and a nut cracker, so will have a little bit of home with me here in London. We will probably play some board games, eat some yummy treats, and maybe go out for dinner. All of the transportation shuts down, so we won't be going too far. All in all, I am looking forward to a nice relaxing Christmas day spent in good company.

I miss you and have you close at heart. Warm wishes for a very Merry Christmas!!!

Love,

Heidi

Prague

2007-12-11T12:23:00.000Z

Prague was wonderful. Kate, Nate, and I had an easy trip to Prague without any troubles to start the journey. We left very early on Saturday morning taking a taxi to Liverpool Street Underground Station and then catching the Stansted Express to the Stansted Airport. We flew from London directly to the Ruzyne Airport in Prague, which took just under two hours. We took a bus from the airport to the metro into the center of the city and then walked to our hotel.

We stayed at the Aparthotel about ten minutes from the Old Town Square. Our'apartment' had two bedrooms and a nice big bathroom. It was very comfortable, the staff was pleasant, and they had an enjoyable breakfast, and it was very affordably priced.

Saturday we spent a little bit of the afternoon recuperating in the hotel having tea and taking naps, which were very much needed after the travel. After that, we ventured out to explore the city. We walked through the Old Town Square where we checked out the different markets.

In local shops, the souvenirs typical to Prague were Bohemian glass, mugs, jewelery with garnet and amber, and things related to Franz Kafka (a writer), and music. Many famous classical composers spent time in Prague writing and performing their music.

We took a walking tour on which we saw Charles bridge, the Castle, Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, the hotel at which Mission Impossible was filmed, New Town Square, the Jewish quarter (this was where the Jewish ghetto was during WWII times), the Astronomical clock, and several other neat sites.

The Astronomical Clock

Statue on Charles Bridge, Prague Castle

A view from part of our walking tour

We also went to the National Gallery and visited the Museum of Communism.

Winter Wonderland

2007-12-02T10:53:00.000Z

The weekend was pretty low key. Today, some friends and I went to check out Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. They had a ice skating rink, ferris wheel with enclosed seating, food, drink, a small German market that was really neat, and some fun things for kids. It's a festival that will be going on until the end of December after the holidays. It was pretty fun. We didn't go ice skating as we had hoped, but plan to at some point in the next few weeks.

Speaking of the holidays, there are decorations and holiday music all around London. Also, unfortunately, I will not be making it home for the holidays. I am going to miss my family and everyone very much. I will be here in London with friends, so I will not be spending it alone. It will certainly be different, since I have never spent Christmas away from home before.

I'm going to Prague next weekend with Nate and Kate, which I am really looking forward to. Otherwise, work is really hard and I'm not sure how long this job is going to work out. I am thinking about finding something else to do.

So many farewells.

2007-11-29T23:54:00.000Z

So many people are leaving the hostel recently that almost the entire population here has changed within the past month. It may sound weird, as it is a hostel; however, this place is more like a dorm than a hostel, so some of the people who are leaving have been here for about six months-long before I arrived.

My friend Julie, with whom I went to Spain, will be leaving on Monday. So, last night, she, Nate and I went to have appetizers and Margaritas at the Texas Embassy restaurant (Julie is from Texas, so it was in mini-celebration of her going home) near Trafalgar Square. The restaurant's atmosphere actually made me feel like I was back in the US, with country music and all. We had a good time. And, ofcourse, I took some pictures on my way home...

The National Gallery.

A moon-lit Trafalgar Square.

Weekend fun in London

2007-11-27T23:45:00.000Z

Friday night I went with my good friend Kate and her family who were visiting over the past week to see the musical Spamalot.

Afterwards, I met up with friends Nate and Wes to hang out for a few hours.

Saturday I played tennis at a nice park in Ealing with Ben, Amber, and Ben's brother Gabriel. Amber, her friend Betsy, and I had dinner at a quaint little Spaghetti House near my hostel. We then went to Whitechapel to see Ben and his band, The Other Dances, play a show at the White Hart pub. They did really well and it was fun to see them perform.

Sunday Nate and I went to the National Portrait Gallery. It was very neat. We went on a guided tour to see some of the collection highlights. This gallery has famous paintings of royalty and important people throughout history. Two of my favorites were those of Catherine Parr and Shakespeare.

It is wonderful being in a city with such rich history and so many great places to be able to learn about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T23:55:00.000Z

Things are going well for me here in London. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal with my colleagues at work today. Last night, I helped my friend/coworker Amber prepare for it. We made the turkey, sweet potatoes, salad, and rolls, which was nice and felt like a little piece of home.

So, today we had a great big spread of food and almost everyone at the office joined us for the meal. This was the first Thanksgiving celebration that many of my co-workers had experienced. They don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in England. People were interested in the story of what the holiday is and how it began. They also liked trying pumpkin pie, jellied cranberry, and sweet potatoes. Turkey is not a popular meat, here, either, so it was a small challenge finding all of the fixings and tools to prepare it. But everything turned out really well. It was very lovely and the food was great! Of course, it didn't compare to home, but it was surely a nice time.

Three things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving...

My always supportive and loving friends and family
Having the opportunity to live and London and travel Europe
The internet and mobile phones so I can keep in touch with loved ones

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Good news...

2007-11-19T23:26:00.000Z

I found out on Sunday that I am now a fully qualified social worker in the United Kingdom!

Madrid, Spain

2007-11-18T22:50:00.000Z

This past weekend my friend Julie and I flew to Madrid for the weekend. We left Friday, caught a plane (AirComet) from Gatwick Airport to Bajaras Airport in Madrid. We took the Metro from the airport to central Madrid, on which a woman warned us to watch our bags because there were two men near us who were pick-pocketing. Nothing happened, thankfully, but it certainly made me more aware of my surroundings. London always seems so safe, that my guard had really gone down.

We stayed at the beautiful ME Madrid Reina Victoria hotel in Central Madrid in the Plaza de Santa Ana.

A night shot of our hotel.

Friday we were rather tired from traveling for most of the day, and spent some time in the afternoon napping in our lovely down quilt covered beds.

Our lovely bathroom.

Friday evening, we went to dinner at a small place on a side street called La Cantina. I had codfish cooked in butter with a jacket potato (baked and, by the way they pronounce it pot-ah-toe and tomato tom-ah-toe...interesting, huh?), but unfortunately, the fish was not great. Julie had beef skewers with a side of garlic mashed potatoes, that were really good. The meal was accompanied by a fine red wine and followed by a delicious chocolate mousse and a shot of sweet liqueur, on the house (it tasted like black licorice). It was a very pleasant dinner.

Most of Saturday, Julie and I spent exploring Central Madrid. We saw most of the city, including the following:

Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor

Catedral de la Almudena

Museo Palacio Real, Palacio Real

Jardines Lepanto, Plaza de Oriente, and Jardines del Palacio Real

Plaza Isabel II

We headed back to Plaza Mayor in the late afternoon to find some lunch. We wanted to have traditional Spanish entrées, so ate at a small restaurant in the Plaza were they served Paellas—a salty rice dish with different herbs and spices. Julie got one with chicken and rabbit. Mine was the Paella de Mariscos, so it was seafood, including shrimp (complete shell intact with legs and everything—interesting), mussels, and squid. To be honest, I didn't like it. I wanted one with artichokes and vegetables and was disappointed to learn that they were out of the fixings for it. We also had to wait, in the cold of the shade, for our food, sipping on weak Sangria. Sorry, but it wasn't a great dining experience.

However, it was fun sitting and watching the people stroll by. There was also all kinds of commotion in the plaza, as there were crowds of athletic supporters (not sure which sport, actually) shouting and blowing their noise-makers and horns with excitement.

and then we walked along Calle Alcalá, where we saw the Palacio de Comunicaciones, a beautiful piece of architecture.

When it became dark, Julie and I started back towards our hotel. We walked a little bit more around the Plaza de Santa Ana, right near our hotel, and then browsed through some of the things at the market in the Plaza Jacinto Benavente. There were some pretty neat things in the market, but they were pretty expensive, so had to pass on buying anything. We then headed back to the Hotel and got ready to check out The Penthouse, the hotel's rooftop bar and patio. It was very beautiful and drinks were expensive! It cost 28 Euros for two drinks!! Needless to say, we only had one. It was part of the experience, though, so it was worth it. After a full day of exploring the city, we were exhausted and headed to bed.

Sunday morning, we woke up bright and early and headed out to see some more of Madrid. We walked down to the Paseo del Prado, a main street of Madrid. We saw the Fuente de Neptuno, stood in line for the Museo del Prado, an internationally famous museum, but didn't end up actually going in. We walked through some of the beautiful gardens, saw the Palacio de Cristal, Palacio de Velázquez

, and the Monumento a Alfonso XII, and finally through the Parque del Retiro.

It was all very peaceful and pretty. The weather in Spain was sunny all weekend; however, in the shade it was cold and required a jacket throughout the trip. Nonetheless, it was beautiful. I think it would be even more so in the summer months or a bit earlier in the autumn with even more vibrant colors and warm weather.

It was a lovely weekend away from the hustle and bustle of busy London life.

Remembrance Day

2007-11-11T20:42:00.000Z

Today, Kate and I met for breakfast at the Giraffe Restaurant and then did a little bit of shopping. It was a very nice morning/early afternoon.

After that, we met up with Nate and Wes to go check out the Imperial War Museum. This was so interesting. We saw airplanes, bombs, submarines, and tanks that were used in WWI and WWII. They had a really neat gift shop with copies of old postcards and advertisements from the time of the Wars.

We walked through the Secret War Exhibit, and then spent the rest of the afternoon experiencing The Holocaust Exhibition. This was incredible, sad, interesting. It explained The Holocaust from beginning to end, starting with life before the war for Jews, WWI explaining how the politics and other world events during this time lead to the rise of Hitler and Nazism, and proceeding through to the end of WWII. The exhibit went into great detail about each section, touching on the personal lives of the people who were involved, including the victims, the leaders in the German military, the Allies fighting against the regime, and even some of the commanders in charge at Auschwitz (the largest concentration camp there was). They had a miniature replica of Auschwitz that was so well done, you could really get a feel for the massive size of it and how many people were effected by it. The entire exhibit was heartbreaking and unbelievable. It is hard to imagine any part of it being a reality. I could have spent the entire day in this exhibit, it was so interesting and there was so much to see.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time and the museum closed, so I may have to return at some point to check out the rest of it. It was certainly an interesting place and a good way to spend Remembrance Day.

Update.

2007-11-10T18:57:00.000Z

Things here in London are going pretty well. I have been working a lot and the has been rough at times, but I work with a great team who I really enjoy and who make the the work easier. It's really great to have Kate, here, too, as she is a big support for me both at work and as a friend.

I am still living at the hostel, but a lot of people who I have become close with are leaving on Monday, including one of my roommates. I think it will be a lot different and I am nervous about getting a new roommate. I have become so used to my routine and things have been working okay. I have been thinking more about moving out and am thinking about trying to find a new place by December. I am still undecided. I would almost like to wait until I hear back from the GSCC on their final decision regarding my registration. I don't know what/if anything with my job will change once that decision is made, so once I hear back, I think I will have a better idea of what the next few months will be like with work. I should hearing back from them soon.

The past couple of weekends, I have been spending time with friends from the hostel. Last weekend, we had a little party sort of thing on Friday evening, which was fun. Saturday night I went to dinner at the new flat of a girl who used to live at the hostel that was very nice. It was Guy Fawkes day last Monday, so there were all kinds of celebrations going on in the city like bonfires and fireworks. Unfortunately, I did not make it to any. Sunday evening, a bunch of us went to Russell Square and kicked the soccer ball around for a bit. It was a really nice afternoon in the park.

This weekend I am trying to spend what time I have left with the people who will be leaving. We went to a karaoke bar last night and are going to go dancing tonight, which should be fun.

This next week, I expect will be busy. I have my first Case Review Conference on Thursday, for which I need to prepare a report and present it to the Chair and other members involved in the case. I often feel very grown up doing my job and hope that it is really good experience to start off my career, wherever it takes me. Anyway, it will also be a short week, as I am going to Madrid, Spain with my friend Julie, which should be a lot of fun.

Still breathing.

2007-11-05T21:30:00.000Z

I know I have been out of touch lately and I apologize. I am still alive and things are going okay. I miss everyone from home and hope all is well. I will write more soon.

Love,

Heidi

The Belgian Experience

2007-10-28T23:16:00.000Z

Waffles, Beer, and Chocolate.

The weekend of October 27, I went on the Anderson Tours weekend trip to Belgium with my friends Kate, Nate, and Wes. We took a bus from London and rode to Dover, so I got to see the white cliffs of Dover.

From there, the bus drove onto a Seafrance ferry, which was really more like a cruise ship, we got off of the bus and moved up to the cabin where we ate breakfast and relaxed a bit. The ferry took us across the English Channel to Calais, France where we boarded the bus again and then drove through part of France to Belgium. We arrived in Ostend (pronounced Oostend), where our hotel was located. When we got there, we explored the city a bit,

had lunch at a small restaurant where we all ate bolognese spaghetti (it was one of those experiences where you walk into the one-room restaurant, and everyone all locals, look up at you, stare for a moment knowing that you're from out of town, and then go about their business...somewhat uncomfortable, but more humorous than anything... either way, the food was good). We also checked out the Cathedral...

and got some waffles (so good!). We went for a walk along the beach overlooking the North Sea. This was one of my most favorite parts of the trip, as it was so peaceful and quiet on the beach. There were people walking along the shoreline, seagulls flying about, and a man playing a music box with a stuffed monkey sitting on top. It was such a pleasant change from the hectic city buzz of London.

That evening, we went to a smaller town called Diksmuide where we went to the "Diksmuide Beer Festival," which was really a big room with a polka band, all men wearing Lederhosen, where they served about ten different kinds of Belgian beer. It reminded me a lot of one of the neighboring towns to Winsted (my hometown in Minnesota). They have about 500 types of beer in Belgium, including flavored, such as cherry.

There were people all dressed up, dancing, and drinking beer. It was a fun night.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel, checked out, and then jumped back on the coach to head to Brugge. This was a truly beautiful city. Brugge felt like walking back through time, a bit, with the old architecture, horse drawn carriages, and the quiet of the city.

It was lovely floating along the canals on the river tour through the center of the city. The guide gave the tour in French, Spanish, and English.

The entire city is surrounded by canals and tree-lined paths that follow along the water. One side of the city also had windmills along the river.

Brugge was also a great place to buy chocolates, as there were all kinds of small shops and things. We finished up the trip by buying a few souvenirs and a stroll along the canals. We boarded the bus one last time and headed back towards London. The ferry ride from Calais back to Dover was pretty rough. It was raining and violently windy, causing the entire ship to sway back and forth--it was actually difficult to walk in a straight line. Bravely, we went out to the deck for a short bit, which didn't last long, as it was scary and dark with the rain and wind.

Eventually, we made it back to London, safe and sound. It was a lovely weekend spent in good company and seeing interesting places.

Premier

2007-10-22T21:53:00.000+01:00

Last week I called the GSCC. There is a letter on its way via mail post to my US postal address. I am anxious to find out what it has to say about my qualification. Work has been going pretty well for me. Unfortunately, many people have been out sick, which is pretty hard on the rest of the team. It is certainly a stressful job in itself, but the budget, or lack thereof, means that the caseload per individual is greater because the Borough can't afford to hire more social workers. Typical, I guess.

This weekend I stayed in London. Friday night I stayed after work and had dinner with Kate and our co-worker Ben. Saturday afternoon I went to the National Gallery where I saw all kinds of beautiful paintings and then wandered a bit around Trafalgar Square. That night I went with a bunch of friends from the hostel to see a band at a club in Leicester Square, which was a lot of fun. Sunday I relaxed and spent time hanging out with friends at the hostel and watching movies.

Tonight I went to Leicester Square for the Lions for Lambs movie premier with Tom Cruise. I didn't get the greatest view of the red carpet, so didn't really get a good look at Mr Cruise. I did get to see a glimpse of Robert Redford and the writer, Matthew Carnahan. Even though I didn't see a ton, it was a fun atmosphere to be around. Lots of people and energy. Afterward, Nate and I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant in China Town--a really neat area. It was a very pleasant evening and I'm really enjoying being in London.

Stonehenge and Bath

2007-10-15T23:49:00.001+01:00

Saturday, I went with Kate, Wes, and Nate on a day trip organized by BUNAC to Stonehenge and Bath. It was neat to go to Stonehenge for the experience.

Stonehenge

I really liked Bath. It was a beautiful city with a lot of Roman architecture and was a little touristy, but not too bad. I think I may try and make it back there again for a longer trip sometime. While there, we saw The Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, The Circus, The Royal Crescent, and some of Royal Victoria Park.

Street performer in Bath.

Roman Baths

Sunday, I went to breakfast with some friends, cleaned my room, and went to a nearby park to read for a bit. It was nice and relaxing after a long week.

Today I had work, as usual, which went pretty well. I also finally(!!!) received my PIN to access my UK bank account and then went to the Acton Library to get a library card. These were certainly highlights, as I have been attempting to do both of these things for the past few weeks.

This evening, I looked for some places online tonight to move out of the hostel. There is some problem here with the plumbing that started this evening. Maybe a sign that I should start looking harder for new housing...Anyway, things are going pretty well for me. I miss everyone from home and think of you often.

Another week

2007-10-07T22:03:00.000+01:00

has passed. I've been here in London for over three weeks now. I am still living in the BUNAC Hostel, which I am okay with. I like living in Central London, the people here, and having everything I need (laundry, full kitchen, comfy bed, close to the public transportation, etc.). The biggest thing is that it is far from work and the space I have is limited. However, for now, it's okay. I did look at another place one evening last week and liked it, but it didn't work out. So, I'm going to keep my eyes open for new opportunities and casually look for new housing until I get
really sick of it here at the hostel enough to motivate me to move.

This week at work went pretty well. I have my cases now and have scheduled home visits with clients. I will be learning the 'art' of managing a case load over the next couple of weeks. I still have not heard from the GSCC, besides that they emailed me asking for my updated contact and employment information. I hope to hear good news...soon.

This weekend went by fast, as usual, but was fun. Saturday I went with my friend Nate on a day trip to Canterbury (this is the same Canterbury from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales). It was a pretty neat little city. We saw the Canterbury Cathedral, which was beautiful.

We also stopped by the Eastbridge Hospital, which has never actually been a hospital, but was a place of 'hospitality' for poor pilgrims visiting the tomb of St. Thomas Becket at the Cathedral. After that, we went on one of the Canterbury Historic River Tours--a 35 minute row down the river with a tour guide who provided little bits and pieces of history about the area. It was short, but peaceful and the guide was pretty entertaining. We walked around a little bit more seeing the different shops and things and then had dinner at a neat little place called The Weaver's Restaurant. The food there was really good. I had salmon served on chopped cherry tomatoes, onions, herbs and spices, along with mashed potatoes and fresh steamed broccoli, pea pods, and carrots. It was delicious and a nice way to end the day. When we finished dinner, we made our way back to the bus stop. The bus ride was a little less than two hours long, so not too bad.

Today I went to breakfast with some friends at a fun little place called Giraffe nearby the hostel. I had English breakfast tea and a waffle with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and yogurt on top. It was the sweetest and most crunchy waffle I have ever had, in a good way. Yum! After breakfast, I did some grocery shopping, and then Julie and I went to Covent Garden. I was mistaken to think that it was a garden. It was a shopping area with an open air market and other shops. There were entertainers, as well. One of them, my favorite, was a woman dressed as an angel who moved like a robot and would make kiss noises when people gave her money. It was really neat. We were only in that area for a short while before we went to find the movie theater. But it would be fun to go back again sometime soon.

After wandering a bit, Julie and I met up with my friend and co-worker Amber to see the movie "Control." I really liked the movie. It was in black and white and had really great camera shots all throughout. It is about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the band Joy Division (I hadn't actually heard of this band until learning of this movie, but will be sure to explore their music a bit after hearing the soundtrack). He suffered from Epilepsy, struggled with love and was overwhelmed by the demands of stardom, eventually leading to his suicide at the age of 23. Even more interesting is that the movie is based on the true story "Touching From a Distance" written by Curtis's widow Deborah. It was a sad story, but the movie was very well done and all three of us enjoyed it.

This evening I went to Russell Park near the hostel and kicked the soccer ball around a little bit. The city is busy all of the time, so the being in the parks are a nice way to escape it a little bit. It was a good weekend.

Wales

2007-09-30T23:03:00.001+01:00

This weekend I went to Wales with some friends--Nate, Lindsey, and King. We took a train from London to Swansea, a medium sized coastal town and the home town of Dylan Thomas, a famous poet (the one, supposedly, after whom Bob Dylan took the 'Dylan' part of his name). They had a couple museums, one of which we went to. It was okay. The more interesting parts of the city were the bay area by the beach and the Dylan Thomas exhibition. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant called The Pumphouse right next to the Marina. There we experienced a special dish in Wales called Beef & Brains (the 'Brains' referring to a brand of beer used for flavouring). Anyway, it was nice.

After wandering around Swansea for a while, we jumped back on the train and headed to Cardiff where we met up with my dear friend Kate. In Cardiff, we stopped by the Hard Rock Cafe and then made our way to the Cardiff Castle. The castle was really neat and it was nice to have a guided tour to give us some background on the history and such. It would also have been nice to be able to just wander, as we only got to see a small portion of the entire thing. The rooms were so elaborate. Every detail was a symbol for something or captured some sort of historical or cultural factoid. For example, the children's play room had drawings of all the classic children's stories etched on the walls and on the light fixtures. It was pretty impressive.

After exploring the Castle and swording around in the gift shop, we reunited with Lindsey (she didn't want to see the castle), and then headed to find food and drinks. We walked for quite a while and eventually found a place that had really cheap drinks, but no luck on the food. King and Lindsey had to head back to London, so we said farewell, and then Kate, Nate and I enjoyed some of the local nightlife before making our way back to the Cardiff Backpacker's hostel where we were staying for the night.

Sunday morning began with breakfast in the hostel lounge for Kate, Nate, and I. After checkout, we took a Stagecoach bus from Cardiff to Caerphilly (about 15-20 minutes or so) to visit Caerphilly Castle (pronounded Ca-filly). It was also very interesting to check out. It felt so peaceful and quiet to be there, too, especially after being in the busy city of London for the past few weeks. It was a nice break from the city and it was enjoyably educational, as well. After spending the majority of the day at the castle and trying to figure out the bus schedule, we finally took a cab back to Cardiff. We had dinner at the Prince of Wales restaurant and then caught the train back to London. It was a very nice weekend away.

Tower of Caerphilly Castle

Me at Caerphilly Castle

It's nice when

2007-09-26T22:21:00.000+01:00

the internet works like you want it to. The past few days the internet hasn't been cooperating. It is for the time being. So, I was finally able to upload some more pictures.

Yesterday I had training all day for the database that we work with for cases (it reminds me a lot of working at the Tech Desk with Helpline, but it works better than Helpline, thankfully). Training got me thinking more about combining social work and technology. The system was implemented in March, so it's fairly new. I think there are a lot of agencies in this same position--either newly migrating to using a database and computers to keep track of case notes and case files or about to implement the system. Interesting...Anyway, the training went well. I'll need some time to get used to the system and use it properly.

I spent most of the evening looking through my travel books and trying to figure out what kinds of trips might be on the near horizon. Hoping to make some of them happen soon.

Today I got some of my cases at work, so I will be starting to do home visits and such. I am curious to hear back from the GSCC about the status of my qualification. Patience, patience.

It took me a long time to get home from work today. The bus ride from the town hall to the tube station took reeeeaaally long. I really need to find new housing soon. I do like the people here at the hostel and am starting to hang out with them more, so that is nice in a way because I like it here, but it makes more sense for me to move closer to work, so it stinks. Blah.

This evening I went out with some hostelmates to a pub for a going away get together for one of them. It was decent. I've got housing hunting to do. Peace.

Catch up

2007-09-24T22:19:00.000+01:00

My first (half) week of work went pretty well. I went with a colleague to court on Friday morning. I observed only, but it was really good to see. It was her first time going to court for a client, as well, so I think she was comforted by having someone with her for support. We had lunch at the Belvedere again. I really need to start bringing my lunch. The food there is really good, but it's too expensive to eat out every day. So, I survived my first few days of work.

Saturday I met up with Kate in the afternoon. We walked around London and checked out some different areas we hadn't been before. We had lunch at a pub and then walked to Green Park. On the way to the park, we walked through a pretty posh area where we went by Tiffany & Co., Gucci, and other designer stores. We hung out in the Green Park for a while, stopped by Buckingham Palace, and then wandered through St. James Park where there were a variety of birds and ponds.

We went by the Horse's Guards Parade (a building with some horse statues outside of it and a couple of the guards that won't move or interact with you, even if you try), where I took a bunch of pictures. We then walked down to see Westminster Abbey and the area north of the Thames River, again. We took more pictures of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and the Eye, but went around the entire building, getting a new angle and some really cool shots. Big Ben looks spectacular at night and the moon was out, so it felt pretty magical to be there.

On Sunday, I had to go to the Apple Store (they have many of the same stores here as they do in the States—and especially restaurants...for example, Subway, McDonald's, Burger King, Chili's, TGI Friday's) for a new adapter to plug in my laptop and other electronics. Electronics have been a bit frustrating here. My flat iron no longer works and I am pretty sure the adapter/converter that I got right before coming here is broken. Grrr. Anyway, hopefully I won't have any more trouble for the rest of my time here.

Sunday afternoon I met Kate at Hyde Park. Before Kate arrived, I checked out the Wellington Arch across from the Tube Station. When she got there, we started down the flower walk through a garden, sat for a bit at the Italian Gardens, and then made our way towards Kensington Palace. [As Kate and I were going through Hyde Park, we noticed that parks feel different here than what we have experienced back home. People go and spend hours just relaxing in the park. Some people play sports or are doing an activity, but many seem content to simply be there, without needing a reason or activity. It is very pleasant.]

After meandering around the park, Kate and I met a few people from my hostel at the Sports Café. This is a popular place with the foreigners, as it is one of the few (if only) places around that shows American football games (remember that here in Europe they call soccer football). We hung out there for a while, had some dinner, and then parted ways.

Today, Monday, I had to get my photo taken for my work I.D. Card, so I got to sleep in a bit and then went to Ealing to get my picture taken. By the time I made it to the office, it was about time for lunch. I ate at The Belvedere (I have not yet had a lunch anywhere else since I have been employed there), again, with a bunch of my co-workers. The telephone systems and network were down for much of the day, so it was hard for anyone to be very productive (I am still working on finding a way to combine social work and technology—have all ready had some conversations with people that continue to peak my interest in how the two merge in people's daily work lives). The day went by pretty fast. Tomorrow, I have training for the computer database systems that they use, but will likely be allocated my cases later this week (wish me luck!).

After work, I met up with Michelle (former college roommate) who arrived here in London this morning and will be staying for the next six months to live, play, work, and travel. We met at St. Paul's Cathedral and then walked to Pizza Express—a yummy little Italian Restaurant with a comfortable atmosphere. I had some really good pizza and we split a dessert (Banaoffee Pie—unbelievably tasty!). Michelle did the London Business semester last year, so is very familiar with the London area. We had a nice dinner and caught up a bit on life. It will be fun to have another friend here from home to hang out with. Being she and Kate are both Wisconsinites and huge Packer fans, we may just have to see if we can catch a game or two at the Sports Cafe, among other adventures.

Oh, and I got an email today regarding the place I looked at last week. I didn't get it. Surprisingly, I wasn't as disappointed as I thought I would be. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

The hunt for housing

2007-09-20T23:27:00.001+01:00

Today was my second day of work. It went pretty well. I read policies most of the day. I had lunch with a bunch of my co-workers at the same place Kate, Amber and I ate at yesterday, The Belvedere. It has pretty good food and is decorated really nicely. Many of my co-workers are leaving and none of them really like the job. On the other hand, they get along with each other really well, so I think that makes it easier. We had about three rounds of tea throughout the day, too, which was kind of fun. Very English. They prepare their tea so it is very strong and then add milk and sugar. They thought it was funny that I had mine black. Anyway, work was okay.

After work, Kate and I went to Ealing to bum around a bit and then she came with me to see a house in Ealing with a room for rent. The house was really nice and the room is decently priced. The room itself was pretty small, but would be adequate for my needs. The rest of the house was really nice. It would be close to work, too. The girl that showed me around was very pleasant. She said that they had more people looking at it throughout the weekend and that she would have to wait to let me know what she and her roommates decide. I really hope I get it, but will have to just wait and see. I did email a few other people about places and there is space available in the BUNAC flats, yet.

Today I have been in London for a week. Crazy!

First day of work

2007-09-19T21:48:00.000+01:00

Today was my first day of work. The commute was about an hour, kind of long, so I'm really on the hunt to find new housing that is closer to work. The day went well and it went by fast. I am working with Kate and another girl that was hired through UK Pro named Amber. She is from Niagra Falls, New York and is really nice. The three of us had lunch together. After lunch, I went with one of my colleagues to a meeting and a home visit, and then all of a sudden it was time to go home. It was a busy, but pretty good day.

Orientation, Accounts, and Employment

2007-09-18T18:17:00.000+01:00

Lessons from today:

1. Sometimes walking is faster than taking a taxi or other public transportation.
2. Wear neutral colors, especially black, if you want to blend in.
3. There are markets around London where you can find inexpensive clothes.
4. Restaurants may not be as straightforward as one would think.
5. Beware of young couples who think it is funny to pull down each other's trousers.
6. It is okay to come back to the BUNAC Hostel after having moved out; however, this is only true if you come back again to stay, not just to visit while you are living somewhere else and simply want to use the internet. This is not a policy, but part of the hostel culture.

Today I had orientation at the BUNAC Office. It took about a half hour to ride there in a taxi-- what it usually takes to walk--and only ten minutes or so when driving. The orientation took about an hour and a half and then after the session, I checked out some their housing resources.

I had an appointment at 2:00 pm at the bank to set up my account. It took me a little while to find my way there, but it was fine. As I was walking, I noticed that everyone around me was dressed ten times nicer than I was (jeans, a tee, and a hoodie) and that they were all wearing neutral colors, with the occasional color mixed in. I took a little detour through a market on Leather Street that seemed really cool. It was mostly clothes and accessories, unlike most of the markets I have ever been to. I want to go back there sometime soon--maybe I can 'Londonize' my wardrobe.

I made my bank appointment on time and got my account set up without any problems. Before the appointment, I received a call from UK Pro saying that the job in Acton Town could still work out, though since I do not have my qualification from the GSCC, that I would have to be 'unqualified.' Not sure if this means that the work would be any different, but it does mean that I get paid less. However, once I am qualified by the GSCC (assuming I will be), the pay would increase to the normal wage. At this point in the day, UK Pro was going to verify this information with the manager at the job and let me know later.

After my bank appointment, I stopped at a nearby cafe and had a late lunch. It was a neat little cafe on the corner of Kingsway and Aldwych, right across from the BBC building. They have it set up so that you can either have your food 'take away', so it stays in the original packaging, or 'eat in' if you want to stay there. I learned this as the experience unfolded...I was momentarily confused when the girl took my sandwich and it disappeared behind the counter as I searched for my pounds (GBP) out to pay her. As she placed the unpackaged sandwich accompanied by a few crisps on a plate in front of me, I realized what had just happened. They also had pasta there in packages, which I had thought about getting before I went into the restaurant, but assumed it was to buy and prepare at home, so passed on that idea. I got a sandwich (they have tomatoes and cucumbers on many/most of their sandwiches--I love it!) and some crisps (potato chips) with a fruity drink, which were all delicious. However, I was a bit disappointed by my cold sandwich, as a few minutes into my lunch the waitress brought out a steaming hot plate of pasta to the lady sitting nearby. Like I said, it was a learning experience...and one of those moments where you silently chuckle at yourself because of your ignorance. Anyway, it was a nice lunch and it was fun to sit and watch all the hustle and bustle of Londoners go by.

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly, as they have been, and I just went about my usual business of getting settled in and figuring out all the financial, logistical, scheduling, and such done. I also received a call from UK Pro saying that I did get the job in Acton Town and that I start tomorrow!

And, now that I have a job, I have begun to search for housing. I am considering moving to the flats owned by BUNAC, as they are much closer to Acton Town. I would probably only live there temporarily, but it would save me some time and money if I did with the (much) shorter commute. Erin (my current roommate) and I just got a new roommate today, too. She is from Texas and seems pretty nice. However, it's pretty crowded in our room with three people and all of our stuff. So, I spent quite a bit of time looking for housing online this evening, and hopefully things work out well.

Sunday, Monday

2007-09-17T22:44:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I slept in a bit and then unpacked some of my things and tried to become more organized. I went shopping at Tesco, a grocery store, nearby and picked up just a few things. It is kind of hard to get settled in here at the hostel when I am not sure how long I will be staying. And, I don't want to have to pack any more stuff than I already have for when I move. This will depend on when and where I get a job, so I will just have to be patient.

This morning, Monday, I had my interview in Acton Town. This is in the same office that Kate is working, so if I get the job, we will be working together. I got up pretty early to get there and arrived over an hour early, but there was quite a few shops and things around, so I stopped at a coffee shop, had some breakfast, and tried to prepare for the interview.

The interview went okay. There were certainly some questions I could have answered better, but I felt pretty comfortable with my interviewer and it seemed like I would fit in there rather nicely. The job would be working with the Children In Need team, doing home visits, and case management sort of work. It would certainly be challenging, but good experience to have.

I heard back from UK Pro in the afternoon saying that the manager would like to hire me (all communication is done through UK Pro); however, she first wanted to know if I was "qualified." [This means that she wanted to know if I have been licensed through the UK Social Work licensing body, which is the General Social Care Council (GSCC), and the people for whom I had to fill out the intensely long and detailed application. The only information I have heard from them (this was in July) is that they received my application and fee, and they gave me a reference/registration number; however, I have not heard anything back from them and am unsure of when I will. I tried contacting them before I left the US, but had no luck in finding out anything (they do not like to be contacted for checking on application status).] UK Pro was going to tell the manager that I have a registration number, see what she said, and then let me know. So, basically I will just have to wait and see what happens.

This afternoon, I went over to West Kensington to check out the flats (apartments) owned by BUNAC. They are similar to the hostel here in the center of the city, but are two people to a room, each floor with a bathroom, and each room with a mini kitchen. The price is the same as here, too, which isn't too bad, but the rooms available right now are pretty small and the cost doesn't change with the size. Also, with the flats the rent is due each month instead of each week like at the hostel. The lease is only a month, though, so it is pretty flexible. If I get the job in Acton Town, I will see about living there because it would be closer to work, at least for a month or so. Otherwise, I will probably stay here at the hostel in Central London until I find a job.

After checking out the flat, I headed to Ealing Broadway to meet up with Kate. We walked around her neighborhood a bit and did some window shopping. We had a nice long dinner at a local pub and then I caught the Tube back home.

Tomorrow morning I am going to get my BUNAC orientation out of the way and later try to get my bank account set up. Hopefully I will hear more from UK Pro about the job in Acton Town and/or other interview opportunities, if need be.

Out on the Town

2007-09-16T18:56:00.000+01:00

Saturday, Kate and I spent the afternoon exploring London. We walked a little bit around Central London near the British Museum (since it was such a nice day out, we decided to spend the day walking around outside, so we didn't stop at the museum). We took the Tube from Tottingham Court Road to London Bridge and then walked along the Thames towards the Tower Bridge. We got some lunch and then walked through a market near Vinopolis and Southwark.

We walked around that area a little bit and then headed to the Waterloo Station via Underground (Kate's shoes tore up her feet, so we were trying to avoid any more walking than was necessary to see what we wanted to see). There we walked along the Thames some more and navigated our way around through the crowds of people watching the street performers. We saw the London Eye, the Aquarium, and Big Ben. We sat in front of the Aquarium to rest for a bit and ended up spending the next several hours just hanging out and watching the people walk by. It was very entertaining.

The interview that didn't happen

2007-09-16T18:32:00.000+01:00

Friday I spent much of the day traveling to the interview that didn't happen. I left the hostel at about 10:00 am and went to figure out how to use the transportation here. I didn't have an Oyster card (a debit card for travel, so you put money on it, use that until you run out, and then 'top up' to put more money on it) or any coins to buy a bus ticket, so I went to go find one.

I stopped at the Warren Street Underground Station and got some assistance from the staff there. I bought an Oyster card and was on my way. I took the Underground to Victoria, near the southern part of London, and then found my way to the National Line Train. I barely made the train, and then relaxed a bit while I rode to my destination. On the way there, they announced over the loud speaker that there was a fatality at another train stop, so the trains were going to be delayed for an unknown amount of time. I was going to be late for my interview.

I called Wanja at UK Pro so she could get a hold of the interviewer. I finally reached the right stop and had just gotten into a taxi to the office when I got a call back from Wanja. Apparently, the person who was supposed to interview me quit earlier that week and had not told anyone about my interview. It was cancelled. So, I had the taxi driver bring me back to the Train Station.

Honestly, it was not such a bad thing. I decided that I do not want to work outside of London--it would be much too difficult to rent a car and drive to homestays and such. It would have been nice to have the practice with the interview, and it was a bit expensive to get all the way to Redhill for nothing. At the same time, I learned the transportation system pretty well and I got to see some of England that I may not have seen otherwise. I took a different way back to London--towards the London Bridge--so I got to see more of the city, such as the Eye, Big Ben, and a few other landmarks. I liked it.

Eventually, I made it back to the hostel. I was pretty tired and took a nap for the rest of the afternoon. It was very restful.

Friday night met up with Kate in Ealing Broadway (where she is living) towards the west end of London. I think I will forever remember the mental picture of Kate standing outside of the pub, I was so happy to see her! We greeted each other with huge hugs. We spent the rest of the evening talking and hanging out with her friend David from Ireland. We stayed out much too late, but had a fun time. To end the night, we bought chicken kebobs and chips (fries) and walked back to Kate's flat.

Finally Here, Day One

2007-09-13T19:01:00.000+01:00

Travel went very well. I left Minnesota yesterday (Wednesday, September 12) at 4:05 pm, connected in Chicago (O'Hare Intl.). The layover, only 35 minutes, was not a problem, contrary to what I had feared. I was lucky!

From there, I boarded another plane (a big 777 with 9 seats in a row--biggest I've ever flown in!) and headed to Heathrow Airport in London, England. The flight was about 7 hours, though with the time change, I arrived in London at 7:20 am (six hour time change from Minnesota to London). After arrival, I waited in line with many, many other people from all over the world to pass through Immigration (about an hour and a half to two hours, yuck!). But, eventually, I got my passport stamped (with the correct one, yay!) and I was on my way.

From the airport, I found a taxi to take to my hostel (if anyone travels to Central London from Heathrow Airport, find a different way than a taxi--it was a pleasant ride and convenient with heavy luggage, but VERY expensive). Though an expensive ride, it was cool to get to see some of London, and I made it safe and sound without any issues. I was welcomed into the hostel and checked in without any trouble. I also checked out some of the neighborhood, bought a phone, went to Boots (like a Walgreens) and got a few things, went to the BUNAC Office (where I will have orientation), and then headed back to the hostel.

The BUNAC Hostel is dorm-style living and there is a pretty tight-knit community that lives here. Some of the people have been living here for several months, some a few weeks, others just a few days or arrived today. The group dynamics are interesting to observe (the social worker in me, of course). The people here seem easy-going and the hostel is fairly comfortable so far. TV is actually very similar to home--Scrubs was just on and now we're watching The Simpsons. Most of the people here are from the U.S. and Canada, so maybe that's why.Tonight I've got studying to do with the UK Acts and Laws regarding social work practice. I have an interview tomorrow at 1:30 pm with the Surrey County Council for a qualified social worker position. Surrey is outside of London, so will have to navigate the public transportation system tomorrow (thankfully, Kate gave me directions and some tips on how to use it!). So, after studying, I'm going to go to bed EARLY! I'm pretty tired with having only had a couple hours of uncomfortable sleep on the plane this morning.

All in all, I am doing very well and am happy to be here (though I already miss people from home a bit--wish you were here!). The weather is pretty comfortable and I love hearing everyone's British accents!

So, my adventure begins...but really, I have been planning this trip for over a year and have wanted to travel/live in Europe for several years. In this time, so many people have helped me to prepare for this--friends, family, co-workers, supervisors, and professors. Without all of the listening, discussions, feedback and other support from all of you, I would not be here in London right now, beginning to fulfill my dream. I hope you know that I am so thankful to have you in my life and I appreciate your support more than I can express. I will do my best to make the most of my experience and share it with all of you.

Much Love,

Heidi

A Fine Farewell

2007-09-10T05:27:00.000+01:00

On Sunday around 3:30 pm, I drove to Edina to have dinner at Maggie and Katie's apartment. When I walked in the door, Maggie and Katie both greeted me with a hug and invited me in to the living room. To my surprise, as I peeked around the corner, I saw Dina, Ryan, Mary, Sara, Jon, and Brian. It was a surprise going away party! I was so thrilled to see everyone and greeted them with hugs.

In addition to the fabulous friends present, Maggie had prepared a smörgåsbord of food--red and white wines, strawberries and grapes, shrimp wrapped in bacon, chips and layered taco dip, homemade brownies--that was all delicious. It was an enjoyable afternoon spent in good company and a very pleasant surprise. I got to say farewell to everyone, which I wasn't sure would be possible, given the short time I have left here in the States. So, I am very thankful.

Brian, Katie, Jon, Dina

Sara, Maggie, Ryan, Mary

Me and Maggie

A week from today

2007-09-06T05:19:00.000+01:00

I will be moving to London, England.

I feel mixed feelings about this. Excitement. Apprehension.

This morning, as I was organizing my things and trying to prepare for the journey, it hit me. I am moving to England. In a week. Can I do this? Can I move away from everything familiar and comfortable--my family, friends, and the comforts of home?

I guess there's only one way to find out.