Going around the world...

Hello FAMBAM!

One more trip down, and only three weekends left in Europe... WOW has time just flown by.  I cannot believe it is already Thanksgiving time.  It is so weird not being home for Thanksgiving... But I guess I can't complain too much!  Well this past weekend I went to Amsterdam with my friends Leonard, AK, and Leanne.  It was really fun!!  We stayed in a Marriot (Thanks JJ), and the hotel was amazing... the beds were heavenly.  It was a really fast weekend, since we got there Friday night and left on Sunday... BUT we were able to get everything done that we wanted to.

On Saturday morning we went out for Breakfast in a really cute square.  Our hotel was right in the middle of everything so it was so convenient to get anywhere.  This is my and AK.  We had coffees while we waited for Leonard and his friend Max to get ready.  Then we met them for real breakfast.

After breakfast we went to the Heineken factory and took a tour.  Amsterdam is the home place for Heineken.  The tour was very fun, and they gave us free bear! Wahoooo!

The top picture is of bikes.  In Amsterdam they use bikes for everything.  We didn't rent bikes, but seriously they are everywhere.  And the bikers are vicious... they will run you over, run into you, anything if you are in their way.  Hundreds and hundreds of bikes are on the streets at all times.  The bottom picture is of me with AK and Leanne.  In Amsterdam there are TONS of canals.  It is such a pretty place.

On Sunday morning we went to the Anne Frank Museum.  It was honestly one of the coolest things I have ever done.  Out of all the touristy things I have done in Europe, I think this was my favorite thing so far.  The top picture is a picture of the stars that the Jews had to wear at all times.  The middle picture is me with Leanne in front of the Anne Frank house area... we are facing it.  The bottom picture is the Anne Frank house.  Learning about this was so surreal.  I have read the book, so it really caught my interest.

Here is one of me just in front of a canal...  

Here is a group picture from the i amsterdam sign.  Leonard, Leanne, me, AK.  This is just a famous sign that tourist take pictures in front of... nothing to important.

This is one of my favorite pictures.  It is Ak on the left, me in the middle, and Leonard on the right.  These two have been my family here in Barcelona!  It is going to be SO WEIRD not having them in my life everyday... and not being able to just crawl into AK's bed when I am bored (she lives above me)... or be silly with Leonard.  Seriously, I do not know what I would do without them here, and I am so excited to have them be apart of my life forever and ever!  We call each other the three nuggets! 

Here are the three of us again in front of the Van Gogh Museum.  We didn't go through the whole thing because it was 15 euro, but we did some of it...

Here is a picture of me in front of Vondel Park.  It is a huge park in the middle of Amsterdam.  It is really big and really pretty inside.  Very cool.  

This would a picture from the wonderful redlight district of Amsterdam.  If you don't know already, Amsterdam has one of the most famous red light districts.  We went to wonder it on Friday night as well as on Sunday day.  It was very... interesting... it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be.  

We almost missed our flight home... it was scary.  We got to the airport in time and there was a three hour delay.  In Europe you can't go to the gate until it is your time to board, so we just made an area in the waiting part with a bunch of other kids we knew.  One guy went to the bathroom and saw that we had a gate so we wandered over there and the whole plane was loaded, and about to leave.  They weren't going to let us on the plane... we started crying, freeking out, you know the whole ordeal.  Me and Leonard were stuck talking to the people, for our group of 8.  FINALLY the captain said fine because he could see us all freeking and let us on even though the company told him not to.  Soooo we made it back... THANK GOOOODNESS!

Well that is all for Amsterdam.  I am off to Interlocken, Switzerland on Thursday for a Thanksgiving trip.  We don't get to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday but we are celebrating on Friday night with the whole group going... over 200 college students!  HOPEFULLY I WILL BE ABLE TO SKYDIVE... I am trying to convince my mom to let me (PLEASE MOMMMMMMMMY).  But this week is going to be a tough week because I have a TON of school work due next week.

XOXO. LOVE You all! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Relaxing in Lisbon!

Hi there!  Last weekend I went with two of my roommtes (Lindsay and Betsy) to Lisbon, Portugal.  We left on Thursday night, and came back to Barcelona early on Sunday.  It was a very nice and relaxing weekend which we all were in need of!

Betsy and Lindsay were on an earlier flight then me to Portugal (I had class).  When they arrived in Portugal, there was a bomb threat.  Somebody had left a suitcase in the middle of the road, and the whole swat team, fire, police, everything were called in.  I did not have to deal with any of this, but they said it was pretty chaotic.

On Thursday night we went to a very local kitchen.  It was Portugeese food with a kitchen fusion twist.  I had pork with peaches, apricots, and nuts, salad, and potatoes.  It was great!  There was over an hour wait for the restaraunt, and some men invited us to come sit with them.  We sat with 7 guys who were in their early 30's.  It was really fun, and after they took us out for drinks!  We tried the traditional drink of Portugal, which was an almond liquor... IT IS SWEEEET!  A little too sweet for me.  We were in bed early, and slept in late the next day!

On Friday we did some sight seeing and went to see the Castle of Lisbon. 

 These are pictures from the main square in Lisbon.  If you look up from the bottom picture the castle is nestled into that hill.  Lisbon is made up of 7 hills.

These are pictures from the top of the castle.  In Lisbon there is the sister bridge of the Golden Gate bridge.  It was designed by the same person.  It is obviously a LOT smaller then the Golden Gate bridge but it is still very beautiful.  It really made me feel at home! :)  Those are my two roommates, Betsy on the left and Lindsay on the right.

Here is a picture of the castle! It was a very cool thing to visit, especially since there were such great views from the top.

After the castle we went to the other side of town and went a famous bakery.  We got these little desserts, that were crust with custard in the middle... they are the popular dessert in Portugal....  I WENT NEXTDOOR THOUGH (GRANDPA) and HAD A STARBUCKS!

It was a very cold day and all I wanted was a warm coffee!  The Christmas cups are out and all the Starbucks are decorated for Christmas, which I LOVE!

After that we went to the famoue tower on the river.  Here is a picture of us infront of it!  We couldn't go in it because it was closed/costed too many euro's for my budget.

On Friday night we went to a REALLY local restraunt that our hostel recommended to us.  It is in the top 500 places to eat in the world by the National Geographic.  I did not love my meal, but its because we could not read the menu and we knew it was chicken!  They had fish, tuna and seabass... they said it was the best fish they have ever had!  A man sitting next to us bought us each red roses, and invited us for wine after dinner.  He was nice... but old (48).  My roommate Betsy loves to talk with old people... its weird. Not my jam.  So me and Lindsay just giggled in the corner.  

On Saturday we went out to Sintra.  Sintra is a fairytale type town about 40 km from Barcelona.  It was beautiful.  We were going to go into the castle, but it was 11 euro, and not in my budget.  So we just wandered the town.  I got a really cute new bow headband that is handmade by a local.  The town was pretty and very quaint.  We sat in a cafe for a while and just enjoyed the day.

Here are some pictures from my hostel!!  My hostel was soo cool.  It was in an apartment, and there was only one other person staying there until the last nigt a few american boys checked in.  The staff was awesome, and we had our own room which was very nice.  It was like a tree fort!  I really enjoyed this hostel because it felt homey, unlike my hsotel in Paris, it was very big/kinda like living in the dorms again.

Our room.

The kitchen area (my roommates).

Other hang out area, front door.

Well that is all for Portugal.  Tomorrow I am off to Amsterdam with AK, Leonard, and we are meeting Leanne (friend from high school).  We will be staying in a Marriot (THANKS JJ!) in the middle of the city center!  I am very excited!!  Especially since it is going to be with my three best friends!  This week was a rough week, I am so sad that we are all moved out of Savory Drive.  That wil always be my home, and it has made me very homesick this week!  Yesterday (the 17th) was my one month mark... I cannot believe that I am coming home in less then a month!  I really am starting to miss everyone, so it should be exciting to come back, but also very sad.

XOXO! LOVE from Barcelona.

Finally visiting BARCELONA!

Hello EVERYONE!

I am currently laying in bed catching up on some US News... Listening to President Bush's interview on the Today show, and celebrating that Dan Hawkins was fired from CU! (GO BUFFS!)  I just spoke with Grandma and Grandpa via Skype and I promised I would do a blog update soon!  Sooo... here it goes!  Let's just say, today is the first day I have really been homesick.  I have ran out of make-up, shampoo, conditioner, all that stuff and just want to be able to get in my car and drive to Target!  Plus, that stuff is a small fortune here in Spain!!  I miss my bed, watching TV, and just my home!  I wish Daisy and all the other 8000 pets we have would be snuggling with me right now, and Angel Bear too of course!!  But o well.. One more month.

The past two weekends I have been here in Barcelona.  Over Halloween weekend one of my good friends from high school visited me from London, Leanne.  We had a great time and did a lot of touristy things.  Last weekend my friends Leonard and AK had a friend from home visiting, Alex, so we did a lot of stuff that weekend too!  It has been a whirlwind....

 Let's start with last weekend!

Me and Leanne took a gondola up to the top of Montjuic, which is the jewish Mountain in Barcelona.  It is also where the Olympic games were held in 1992.  Here is a picture of me in the gondola.

At the top of the Mountain you can see over all of the city... there is also a famous castle at the top.  Here is a picture of the castle as well as me looking out from the castle.  (From my first blog entry there are pictures from this general area as well).

Here is me and Lele infront of a pretty fountain on the mountain.  :)

I am looking over the stadium for track and field.

Here is the outside of the Olympic Stadium.

Here is me with the outside of the stadium in the Olympic area.

Here me and Lele are in the middle of the Olympic area. The stadium would be in front of us, and the swimming area to our left.

 

Here are two pictures from Plaza Espanya.  This is where I have gone to watch the water show on Sundays.  There are huge fountains that light up with music and whatnot.

HAPPY HALLLOWEEN FROM BARCELONA BEACHES! :)

All in all Leanne and I had a great weekend in Barcelona.  Halloween was really fun and it was great to have a familiar face here in Barcelona.  I am excited to see her again next weekend in Amsterdam, she is meeting me, Leonard, and AK for the weekend.

This past weekend we visited the beach again, Las Ramblas, and then Parc Guell.  Parc Guell is a famous park designed by Gaudi.  His house was here, and this was one of his most intense projects.  It looks over the city of Barcelona, and is a very cool place to visit.  I want to back on a more clear day and have a picnic with some friends.

The top picture is Me, AK, and Ashley (Ak's friend visiting) at the entrance of the Parc.  The second picture is us at the top area looking down at the entrance, as well as the city.

Here are just some pictures of us looking over the city.  There is a really cool seat/bench thing that wraps around the whole top area of the park.  It is the longest bench in all of Europe.  The whole park has mosaics for everything... it truly is gorgeous.

Here is a closer picture of the bench...

Well thats all the pictures I have for now.  I am off to Portugal tomorrow with two of my roommates for the weekend!  It should be fun.  We are staying in a hostel in the town of Lisbon.  Lisbon is supposed to be semi similar to San Francisco and have a really cool bridge!  I am sure it will be a good time, as well as relaxing from this crazy Barcelona lifestyle we live.  I think I am going to go into hibernation during Christmas break and sleep for 3 weeks!! :)  

I cannot wait to see all of you!  It's so weird to think that when I was a senior in college one of the huge items of my college check list as well as life was studying abroad.  It was something I have talked about for years, and it is almost over... So many things are starting to get checked off that list and it is finally becoming reality that in just a year and a half I will be a real adult! (YIKES!)... 

I miss you and love you all!! Feel free to skype me if you have a chance, I might not answer because I leave my skype open all the time but I will call you back. XOXO