Mozart's Balls

Let me start off by saying that Austria is breathtakingly beautiful! I love it here!!

My journy across the Czech border and into Austria was interesting! It was a van and crammed with other travelers. The driver was a bit crazy and drove with reckless abandon! Once we hit the mountains, I was clutching my seatbelt, white knuckled, and convinced I would die in a tragic fiery crash. When we approached the border, we had to stop and hand all of our passports to the Czech guard. He did his thing, and then we had to go through it all again with the Austrian guard. About 15 minutes later, we were on our way to Linz. After a gorgeous ride through dramatic scenery, we were dumped off at the Linz railway station. Since all the hostels were booked in Vienna, I decided to go ahead and make my way to Salzburg. I hopped on a train and after an amazing train ride through the Alps, I was in Salzburg!! Land of Mozart and The Sound of Music! I popped into the Tourist Info office and headed to the hostel!

So, I dumped my bags and hit the streets! Salzburg is fabulous! The narrow cobbled streets are accentuated with the tiny shops with black wrought iron signs - a requirement set forth by the Salzburg government! I stopped at this Austrian restaurant and had a true Austrian meal of Grillwurstl mit Pommes! I tried it with the spicy mustard and I actually liked it!! I made my way to the Old Town, across the Salzach river. It was incredible! I wove through narrow streets, getting lost in the centuries! I stumbled across the entrance to the Funicular that takes you up to the Castle! Why not? So for 7 Euros, you get a round trip ride on the car and access to the castle!! It was fabulous!!! It's like a city up there! They have medeival shops and restaurants, museums (including a Marionette museum that was awsome!!), and breathtaking views!! After exploring every nook and cranny, I made my way back down to the streets below. I found an Austrian Christmas shop and an Easter shop. My mother would pitch a fit!

Exhausted and grubby, I headed back to the hostel and hung out for the rest of the evening! I did decide on where I would be going after Munich. I realy really really want to go to Switzerland, but I just don't think my budget will allow for it. DAMN IT! Swiss trains are expensive! ARGGGGGG! Disaapointed, I will be heading to Grunau and Bad Gastein in the Austrian Alps for a few days of rest and relaxation and crisp mountain air before heading into Italy! Not quite Interlaken, but I suppose it will suffice.

So, today was devoted to The Sound of Music! I started the day off by watching the movie while doing my laundry! I ran to the the store to by Raffaello's for a certain someone, and I ended up buying some Mozart balls, as well. They are really tasty... a bit ... stale, though. Anyway, I then headed off for the tour! It was a huge, tacky bus, but kitchy and fun! They played the soundtrack while the guide wasn't talking and encouraged everyone to sing along - which a surprising number of people did!!! It was great! Once we got out of Salzburg and headed into the countryside, I could NOT believe my eyes! It is unbelievably beautiful! We headed straight for the Lake and Mountain district. Our first stop was Fuschl, a gorgeous lake and town!! The real treat, however, was the Rodelbahn. This is a long metal slide kind of thing! It snakes its way down the mountain! You take a "kart" which is a seat with a stick in the middle, and you get attached to this cable and drug up the mountain... backwards!! So, all the way up, you get to see how far it is down!! It's great!! Once you get to the top, you take your kart over to the slide, sit down, and push off! You then go flying down the mountain!! You have to be really careful around curves.... if you lean into it, which is what you want to do, you will tip over and go tumbling down the mountain! When you make it to the bottom in one piece, all the people who were too chicken to go themselves stand there and cheer! It'S awesome!! OK... so here's what happened to me. There is always some tragic event surrounding me! But at least I have stories! So, I am at the top of the mountain and I go to sit on my kart when I hear, and feel, a loud rip. Yes, my trousers ripped. In Paris, I was squeezing around a metal stool and caught my trousers on the corner, which caused a small tear in the seat. I sewed it up and all was well.... until today. So, laughing, I said Fuck It and pushed off, thoroughly enjoying my run down the mountain! As I stood up, the rip went almost to my waistband. I felt the crisp alpine air touch my bum. Great... at least I was wearing underwear. Not necessarily a given with me. And they were a fun leopard print, so oh well! For the next few hours, anyone walking behind me was given a show! :)

So, after having a laugh with some older British ladies about my torn trousers, we got back on the bus and headed to St. Gilgen. Oh my god! Gorgeous!! I can only imagine vacationing here??!!?? Which is what Europeans do!! Wow! There really are no words! The last stop was Mondsee, which is where Captain von Trapp was married to Maria... in the movie. Apparently, Hollywood took many liberties. More on that later! So, Mondsee was a very nice little Alpine village! I had an ice cream cone with this American woman who took the tour alone. Her husband was in a conference during the day. I think she was bit lost and I didn't mind the company. We headed back to the bus and took the auto bahn back to Salzburg.

So, the real story behind the movie is actually quite interesting! Did you know that the Trapp family settled in Stowe, VT after escaping Austria??? They have a lodge that is still owned and operated by the Trapp family??!! Weird!! And they did not hike out of Austria. They pretended like they were going hiking, but got on a train to Italy instead. They then took a boat to England before going to America. I now want to read more about the family!

After a wonderful day, I am exhausted! I'm just hanging out in the bar and going to bed early. I think I'm going to Mauthausen tomorrow. Either that or the Ice Caves. I'll let you know in my next blog. Then I'm off to Vienna on Wednesday!! Wow!

La Vie Boheme

I'm in Southern Bohemia and it's gorgous! Cesky Krumlov is beautiful! Touristy, but wonderful! The castle is amazing! It looks like it is right out of a fairy tale!! So, I spent the entire day wandering the cobblestone streets and I hiked up to the castle! The views from up top are stunning! I wandered my way back down and started looking for something to eat. All I saw were sit down restaurants. OK.... I kept walking and still had not found anything! So I walked back to the TI and asked if there were any super markets and cheap places to eat. No.... there are not. Oh well. I grabbed a pizza and a diet coke for about $5 USD. Not bad at all! And after I finish this blog, I fully intend to enjoy a Czech Ice Cream Sundae on the banks of the Vltava river watching the sun set! It will a great end to a great day!

So, Cesky Krumlov is definitely cheaper than Prague. If they had a supermarket, you could easily get by on $20 - $25 / day. But since they do not, $40 / day is about right. Still not too bad! The thing about smaller towns, especially touristy ones, is that they lack street food and variety. Street food is what makes eating cheap when there is not a suprmarket around! But oh well, it was a great place to visit! And did I mention how fabulous the castle is??

I'm heading out to Austria tomorrow! I'm very excited! The shuttle bus will take me directly to Linz fior about $20 USD and it only takes an hour. Better than the train, and WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY better than the damn bus I had to take from Prague! Oh my god!! It was horrendous! First of all, it was PACKED! All the seats were taken, plus the aisle was crammed full of people. That's right! Apparently the Czecks are not too worried with roadway safety! I had people hovering over me for 3 hours, grunting and groaning because of the heat! Oh yes... it was HOTTER THAN HELL! And of course the bus did not have A/C. So, it was packed and it reeked of BO. Plus, this guy who was pushed up against me (my shoulder was intimate with his penis, which was lovely) kept caughing right on my head! It was blowing my hair forward! I really wanted to turn around and scream "Cover your fucking mouth" at him. But he wouldn't have understood me, so I kept my mouth shut and tried not to breathe. I couldn't wait to get off the bus. But now, it's kind of funny! Unless I get sick again.....

Anyway, I loved the Czech republic! But I'm looking forward to austria and my first taste of the Alps! My next post will be from Vienna! I can't believe I've been traveling for almost 5 weeks??!! Wow.... so much has happened! I'm exhausted, but am having a great time!! The whole hostel thing is getting old. I hate bunk beds. And, of course, I have had to sleep on the top bunk on numerous occassions. Each time, I can't help but think of the movie Tommy Boy, where Chris Farley demands to sleep up top and comes crashing down in the middle of the night. ~~~Fat girl in a little bu - unk~~~ Do the little dance when you sing that, and you will get the full effect!

Any-hoo, I'm off! That ice cream sundae is calling my name! Pippa .... Pippa...

Czech Macabre

Today has been an interesting day! I got up late this morning, so I wasn't in the best mood when I headed out to the bus station. I left in plenty of time, but I couldn't find the damn bus station!!??! I wandered up and down the street thinking what the fuck?!? I finally found someone who spoke a little english, an accomplishment in this area of Praha. She pointed across the street and said "pink building." I turned and saw this ghastly pink building with peeling black paint that simply stated "Praha Florenc." It was the bus station. Oh..... fuck. I'm going to die on some rickety ass bus at the hands of a mad Czech. Oh well. Feeling like a complete idiot, I crossed the street and bought my ticket, but the next bus wasn't until 12:50. Great. I had 1 1/2 hours to kill. So, I grabbed lunch in the Praha ghetto. While I was wandering, I came across a market. Unable to resist this dingy open air affair, nestled quite comfortably between the bus depot and an overpass, I entered and was greeted with shoes, bags, brass knuckles, lighters, clothes - well, you name it, it was there. It was great fun and I I had a blast haggling with this asian woman under a bridge in Prague! I ended up buying the sandals - they were too cheap to resist! And since I have officially retired my regular shoes, the extra pair will be good. It is HOT! And it still hasn't rained??!! Global warming...

Anyway, the market successfully devoured a good chunk of time, so I headed over to the bus platform. I boarded a VERY crowded bus headed east. 1:30 minutes later, I stepped off the bus into the middle of nowhere. Oh, shit! Where am I??? Usually, there is a tourist information center nearby. But none were in sight. I've just been dropped off in the middle of nowhere. So.... I found some info on buses and figured out which one to take to get to the Ossuary. Not an easy task, mind oyu. I finally made it to the church. It seemed normal.... from the outside. But as I was walking around, people who had just left were talking about it. They were speechless.... this is going to be awesome!! So, I stepped across the threshold and into a different world. Skulls and bones of all kinds were there to greet you. I paid my 70 Kc and descended into the darkened church. Oh my god! What kind of a sick twist created this??!!! It was AWESOME! There was a massive, ornate chandelier made of bones, huge pyramids made of skulls and topped with crowns, there were bones EVERYWHERE!!! All in all, there are the remains of about 40,000 people decorating the church! Creepy in a cool sort of a way! So, in a very strange mood, I headed to the town center. It was quite a hike, approx. 3 miles. But it was an interesting look at Czech life. I finally made it to the Centrum and found the Tourist Info office. I got a map and wandered the town for awhile, had a nice dinner, then headed back to the bus station. The town is lovely and I highly recommend it to anyone! I was exhausted, and I have not felt 100% for the past couple of days. So, I was kind of slouched on the bus, just watching the scenery fly by. About 20 minutes into the journey, Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill started to play on the bus drivers radio. I love that song, and as the music washed over me, I suddenly felt better. The sun was setting and casting a hue of deep reds, blues, purples, and oranges over the rolling Czech landscape. It was wonderful, and I certainly enjoyed the rest of the ride. Lost in thought and the beauty of the countryside, time seemed to fly. Next time, I will bring my iPod.... soundtrack to my life.

So, I made it back to the hostel and I'm getting ready to go to bed. I have to catch an early bus to Cesky Krumlov in the morning! I'm really looking forward to Southern Bohemia! Just not the 3 hour bus ride! It should be interesting!

I Stepped in Vomit....

So, I'm in Prague! I stepped off the train Wednesday afternoon, dragging my ass. The hostel is ok and the location is great! Right in the center of Old Prague. Despite my fatigue, I decided to head out and check out the town! I wandered the narrow cobblestone street and made my way to the Astronomical Clock. Every hour, this clock that is hundreds of years old, comes a live! Little men dance about and a skeleton plays music! It lasts about 30 seconds and the crowd cheered. Wow.... it was very anti climactic. But cool! You know I love kitch! Anyway, I meandered through the streets as the sun slowly set. I was searching for sustinence, but the prices were frightening! Oh god! I thought Prague was cheap??!!?? This is NOT cheap - this is actually expensive!! After an hour or so of searching, I was exhausted and starving! I hadn't eaten in like 10 hours! So, I stopped at this cafe and paid about $15 USD (300 Kc) for a shitty dinner! It came with like 5 chips - literally! OUCH! I nearly cried. So, I had to get cash because the hostel did not accept credit cards. I walked to the ATM and pulled out 3000 Kc (about $150 USD). There was a man lurking by the corner. I noticed him as I walked to the ATM, and felt I needed to keep an eye on him. Boy, was I right. As I rounded the corner, he stepped behind me. Being the savvy NYer that I am, I stopped to give him the opportunity to pass. He seemed to be taken aback by this. He turned and started to go back around the corner. I continued on my way. Knowing better than to let my guard down, I knew immediately that he had started to come my way again. This time, I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around to look him in the eye. He stopped and I took my glasses off. He turned and quite quickly walked in the opposite direction. I put my glasses back on and continued on my way, confindent that he would not bother me.

So, after much searching, I have come to the realization that Prague is a very expensive city. My dreams of eating well and seeing fabulous shows and concerts have been destroyed. So, I found a grocery store. Uh oh... I don't speak Czech, let alone read it! FUCK! So, I got some orange juice (I think) and some pasteries. Hey, at least I'll get my sugar fix! By the time I left, I was completely exhausted! So, I was in a bit of a daze walking back towards my hostel. Now, I had to cross this rather large square to get to the alley leading to my hostel. I took a diagonal path - the most direct route - and ended up walking right into a huge pile of what looked like vomit. I felt it squish and splash up on my foot. Aloud, I said, "That did not just happen??!!??" FUUUUCCCCKKKK! So, I hobbled back to the hostel, eyes watering. Not to worry... all was well with a good long shower and a lot of cocnut creme douche.

This morning, I was woken up early by a girl who had to catch an early flight. God! So, I decided to go ahead and get up. I spent the morning in the Jewish Quarter. I went to the Cemetary which was very cool, but expensive!!! It cost about $15 USD to get in!! And it was REALLY crowded. You know how i feel about crowds! Prague is more expensive than Amsterdam! What the fuck??!!? Anyway, the cemetary was intense. So many people.... wow. And to think that the Jewish population in the Czech republic has been reduced to nothing. Wow....

In a pensive mood, I fought my through the crowds and out into the street. I got a cheap pizza slice ($2.50 USD) and headed for Charles Bridge. It was beautiful and I did manage to rub St. John - with my left hand, of course! Prague Castle loomed ahead, and I huffed and puffed my way up the steep hills and a million stairs! The castle grounds were lovely. I walked all around the free area, but I did not go into the actual castle. It cost like $25 USD!! Oy vey! Oh well, I had fun anyway! Except that my feet were KILLING me!! So, I hobbled my way back to the Old Town, where I wandered a bit and ran some errands before heading back to the hostel! The evening has been cool! I hung out and watched Czech music videos with the Lithuania philosopher who is in my room! He is fabulous!

Any-hoo... I am going to Kutna Hora tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to the Bone Church!! I'll write all about it tomorrow night! I decided to cut my stay in Prague short, so I will be heading out to Cesky Krumlov on Saturday. Since the rest of the Czech Republic really is very cheap, I may stay a few days and explore South Bohemia. I'll figure it out when I get there! I do think I'm going to treat myself to a truly private room, either in a hotel or a pension. I can get a nice room with my OWN shower for about $25 USD. I need a good night's sleep!!! And since I'm a few days ahead, I think I'm going to go to Switzerland!!!! Either that, or I will do some more in Bavaria or in Italy. I'll let you know when I decide!! Despite the expense, the blisters, and stepping in vomit, I'm having a blast!! :) I love europe!!!

The Green Fairy

Ok.... so I tried Absinthe! Not the silly knock off variety either. I tried the real deal! 70 Proof Alcohol and a high Thujone content! Oh... it was intense! It truly burned going down and the fire lingered for a moment. It was great! Honestly, I did not feel anything out of the ordinary, but it was great fun! I've been ruled by the Green Fairy, just as many artists and genius before me! I love europe! There is so much here....

Curry Wurst & Communism

After a crazy weekend in amsterdam, I drug my tired ass to the train station and boarded a train heading East. About 5 hours later, I found myself in Berlin! The hostel I had planned to stay at was completely full, so I headed over to the Mitte Backpackers deeper into East Berlin. After getting checked in and all that jazz, I headed out to check out Berlin!

As I walked the streets that were once owned and occupied by Soviet Communism, my thoughts drifted to what I remember of the Berlin Wall and it's ultimate fall. As a 12 year old in america, it was huge. But I thought of the people living and working in Berlin who were my age. What must it have been like to have such a massive change take place.... esp. for a child living in the East. I bought a piece of the wall for Chloe and Rhys, knowing that they will have no idea what it is. It won't have the same weight that it did for me when I was a kid. But, it is important to keep these stories alive. To make certain that it does not happen again. Without knowledge and understanding, responsible action cannot be taken.

Anyway, Berlin is pretty cool. I literally spent the ENTIRE day walking! About 8-9 hours straight. I took a 4+ hour walking tour, then went back to sites that I really wanted to explore. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews was intense and beautiful. Checkpoint Charlie was interesting. I walked all along the last remaining portion of the Berlin wall and the Topography of Terror exhibit which dealt with the rise and fall of the Nazis, including the Nuremburg Trials. It's really interesting to walk around the city. You see all these new buildings with really old and dingy statues perched on top. Apparently, Hitler's obbsessive love of art actually had a positive outcome. Before the start of WW 11, he removed all of the statues from the buildings and buried them away. After the war, they were dug up and put back. I do want to say that Germans want to forget Hitler. I saw the site of his bunker where he supposedly killed himself. They have blown it up and made a car park. The only thing that remains is a temporary placard that they will be removing in the next few months. Interesting....

So, I saw everything that i wanted to see in Berlin in the first 2 days. I even tried Curry Wurst! It was by accident, of course. I had ordered a wurst mit pommes, but I guess the woman misunderstoodme. So, I got curry wurst with fries instead. So, I had a dilemma. I was running short on time and hungry! But, it was a diced sausage drowned in ketchup and curry powder. How bad could it be?? I decided to go for it, and guess what?! It was actually pretty good! It had this sweet and spicy thing going on! So that was fun!

Wednesday I will make my way to Prague! I'm VERY excited! Fairy tale Castles and Marionettes and black light theatre! Rock on! Plus, I'll really be in Eastern europe! How cool is that!

Retard Capsules

I'm in Amsterdam!! And I love it! The train ride from Bruges was ok... a bit boring. There was not much to admire. But oh well! I was on my way to Amsterdam! I stepped out of the train station into a zoo. Friday afternoon in amsterdam is a busy time indeed, and it was a bit of an assault on the senses. But I found my tram without much ado and got off at Leidseplein. I found my hostel, walked in, and .... oh shit... I'm high. The smoke was thick and pervasive! So, I dumped my bags and headed for the bar. I met Jasper, a cute little Dutch boy, and he gave me lots of good info, including where to go to find my sandals! So, off I went! I found the store in a narrow, pedestrian only alley. And I finally bought my sandals!!! Yeaaaaa! So, glowing from my victory, I wandered the streets and canals for a bit. I found a pharmacy, and because I had this damn cold, I decided to see what medicine they had. I was hoping for Robitussin, but found Retard apsules instead! I laughed so hard! I almost boought it just for the package, but decided that would be silly! Retard Capsules.... very appropriate for amsterdam!!It was getting late in the day, so I headed over to the coffee shop that he had recommended. A bit hard to find, but worth it in the end! I bought some... coffee.... and felt very strange about it. That American fear of the police kicked in. Thankfully, it passed rather quickly. So, I did not want to enjoy my ... coffee.... alone - how sad would that be- so I headed back to the hostel. I sat at the bar and asked for a bowl. He gave it to me, but then he said, "You know, that's not how we smoke it here." I'm all about "Going Local" so I really enjoyedthe lessons in Dutch Rolling. Wow... it's like an art form here!!!! It took a weekend of practice, but I eventually was able to put together a functional Dutch Roll. I spent the entire evening hanging out and having a blast!

The next day, I got up early and headed over to the Anne Frank House. When i got there, the line was wrapped all the way around the block. Oy vey. So, I stood out front and reflected on the enormity of what was before me. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I had gone in, with all of those people pushing and shoving. So, I headed to the red Light District. The walk was nice! I found a really fun carnival that is a permanent fixture in Dam Square! How fun!! then, I found myself in the Red Light District. Hmmmmm.... kind of blah. The hooker sin the window were really just lounging there in their knickers, smoking cigarrettes and chatting on the cell phone. And there were all these gross old men coming out of the brothels. Ewwwww. So, I kept walking, and in the space of about 15 minutes, I got offered about 10 "jobs." Apparently, fat white american girlies are a hot commodity! I was also propositioned about every 50 ft by some nasty old fuck. I just kept walking, but this one black guy actually grabbed me and pulled me back to him. I yanked my arm free rather forcefully and was about to kick his ass. I suppose I had pure murder in my eyes because he turned and pretty much ran away. So, that was the end of the Red Light district for me. Lesson Learned: Never go into a Red Light District as a woman alone unless you are willing and prepared to handle any situation.

Well, in a snit from being man handled - ohhhh, I hate that - I stormed up to Waterloo Market which was very touristy. So, I meandered my way down to Albert Cuyp Market. Much more local! You could buy anything from fresh meat to shampoo! It was fun and lasted for probably 15 blocks?? I eventually made my way back to the hostel. There were these American girls in my room who had been in Spain studying abroad. Anyway, they decided that they were going to try 'shrooms for the first time ever. Now, in Amsterdam they are fresh and prepackaged, just like any other produce. I told them what to expect and said that they should take it very slow and only take a couple at a time. Well, they decided that since the package said 1 serving, they would just take them all. They refused to listen to me that one serving doesn't mean all at once!! So, they each ate an ENTIRE package of FRESH mushrooms ALL AT ONCE! And it was their first time and they did not have a trip sitter. Recipe for distater, and when I came back into the room about 4 hours later, they were huddled on the bunk bed. Apparently, they had kicked in while they were walking to the park and the bikes, people, trams, and smart cars.... well, it was sensory overload. They bugged out and ran back to the hotel. Hey, they were warned! Knowing that they were miserable, I coaxed them out and took them to the coffee shop. Nice and dark and comfortable. But the ... coffee.... was a bit too strong, esp. since they refused to mix it with tobacco. Oy vey. It was ridiculous, but I saw it many times that weekend from lots of people. Americans in particular. Get trashed as quickly as possible, instead of respecting and enjoying it. So, it was an interesting night!

The next morning, I ended up hanging out with this gay guy from California. We stopped by this cafe for lunch. Now, I REALLY wanted a cheeseburger and fries. But when I ordered, the waiter said, "No! You should try something ducth!" OK.... I could see the logic in that. So, I asked for a suggestion and he offered Beef Croquettes. Done, I'll try those. Oh god! They were NASTY! They were fried logs filled with this greyish ooze. Ugh!! But I was hungry, so I ate them anyway and got a good laugh! We then headed over to the Van Gogh museum. When we got there, we were shocked to discover that is cost 13 Euros to get in! So, I stood out front, threw my hands in the air, and said," Van Gogh, I love you. But, as a starving artist I simply cannot afford it. I had croquettes for lunch! I know you understand!" Yes, I'd had some ... coffee! So, after making the crowd laugh, we headed over to Vondel Park. OH WOW! Very cool! There were people EVERYWHERE, dogs off their leash, kids playing, juggling, performing, art, and so much more! It is how I imagine Haight - Asbury to have been like in the 60's! I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging and enjoying the park! My last night in amsterdam was pretty laid back.

So, I really enjoyed Amsterdam! Even without the drugs and sex, Amsterdam is a very cool place! Very artsy and creative, liberal, intellectual. It's fabulous and I will definitely go back someday! I met so many cool people! I could never live there, though. I'd be a 300 lb pothead lounging day in and day out in Vondel Park! But I would really enjoy being able to go a few times a year! Yea... Amsterdam is definitely in the running for my fav place thus far.....

Waffles & Frietes

After only an hour, I found myself standing in the Brussells Midi train station! Glad to be out of Paris... but oh shit! I speak ZERO dutch! Good thing EVERYONE in Belgium speaks English! Brilliant! So, I found the right platform, and within 30 minuten, I was on my way to Bruges.... speeding past the rather dull Belgium countryside! An hour later, I was in Bruges! The very first thing I saw when exiting the building was the hundreds, if not thousands, of bicycles!! They had an entire LOT filled with them!! And all the bikes look like they should be driven by Miss Gulch aka the Wicked Witch of the West! It was GREAT! As I rode the bus into the town center, I loved the Medieval city! It's beautiful! The hostel was pretty cool, no real complaints. Especially after the shitholer in Paris! So, I stashed my bags and went for a walk! I walked all around the Markt and the Bourg and headed down "Feet Street" it's a shopping corrider. Lots of Belgium chocolates and shoes! Oh, and I finally found a "health & beauty" store!! Soap!! I forgot to mention that I could not find ANY soap in Paris??!!?? To this day, I have no idea where they buy their soap??! Maybe that's why they stink so bad.... Anyway, I found a lovely coconut soap, although I did have to ask 3 different people to verify that it was indeed shower body wash. It's called Creme Douche in Belgium.... makes a girl pause! Don't want to use that to wash... well, not my body anyway. I aslo tried a real Belgium waffle in BELGIUM!! It was fresh off the iron and topped with chocolate ice cream and whipped cream! Yum!!! The entire day was spent enjoying the very cool vibe that eminates from Bruges!! The people here are wonderful!! They are the nicest people as a whole that I have encountered thus far!! They always smile and nod when they pass you! And if you are eating a meal outside, they say "spose lick" which means "enjoy your meal! How nice is that??!!?? Random, but too cool! And that is a phonetic spelling. I'm not even going to attempt to really spell it!!

This morning, I was feeling a bit better, but I decided to take it easy. I will be leaving for Amsterdam tomorrow morning, and I DO NOT want to be sick for Amsterdam!!! So, I attempted to do laundry, but all the launderttes in town are closed for "Modernization." So, I wear my stinky clothes for a bit longer! Oh well... I have soap now! At least my body will be clean. Your standards of cleanliness certainly go south when backpacking! Anyway, I hung out and rested a bit before taking a nice walk through the town. I stopped and got some real Belgium Frietes (fries). They were ok.... I prefer British chips! And the rest of the afternoon was devoted to enjoying a couple of ridiculously cheap Belgium beers. I simply sat there at the cafe table set up outside and really enjoyed people watching and having nearly everyone say hello or nod in my direction! I am generally not a beer person, but I enjoyed these. A Lot...

So that brings us to right now! I know.... I really slacked the past 1 1/2 weeks! But I have been busy AND internet has been REALLY expensive, so I only hopped on for a few minutes for this and that. There is free internet in Amsterdam, but it might be the ridiculous kiosk kind and I won't use those for anything other than checking email. Of course, I might be having too much fun and enjoying too much... coffee.... to be bothered with silly little things such as email and blogs! I will definitley be able to in Berlin next week! Wow! My adventure is certainly in full swing!

So, here is the epiphany I had in Paris: I have had the most fun and been the happiest doing nothing significant! In Paris, my FAVORITE things were not the L;ouvre, Eiffel Tower, or any other monument. It was sitting in the park with new friends, drinking wine, and seeing the Eiffel Tower twinkle. It was randomly running into Emma and having a travel buddy for a few hours and a fabulous picnic in the park. It was sitting outside drinking belgium beer in Bruges and window shopping in Salisbury & chester! So.... I realized that I was going about things in the wrong way. I was getting stressed about seeing & doing things! But, I was missing the best part! I was missing just being... Sooo... I have decided to not push myself anymore. No more passes! I feel compelled to "get my money's worth" which really means me racing all over the city, fighting my way through crowds, and missing what is really happening! Don't get me wrong.... I will go to the important stuff! In fact I look forward to it, although I will probably be disappointed again in the future. But for as annoying as the Louvre was, in the end, it was worth it just to be able to stand in front of Da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks, the Mona Lisa, and Michelangelo's Death of a Slave. And I suspect that will be the case with any disappointment to come. And other than that, I'm going to go with the flow! Experience the city! Enjoy be right there, right now! I have always worried too damn much but a lot of things.... for once, I'm going to relax....

Any-hoo.... I'm off to Amsterdam in the morning! I'm SO excited!It should be CRAZY fun! I'll update this blog again as soon as I'm able! Oh, and make sure you read below! I'm completely caught up! From Chester up until now! I'm going to enjoy last Belgium beer and hit the hay.... Amsterdam awaits!

Gypsies, Gypsies.... Everywhere!

Sunday, I got up at 5:30am to get ready to take a very early Eurostar train to Paris! There were no major mishaps and the train was okay. It's a pretty easy ride! I talked to a couple of American girls who were backpacking as well. So, I arrived in Paris in good form. Smoking is not allowed on any trains in France, so I went outside to smoke a cig and take in the Parisian atmosphere. I walked out the door, my heart and head filled with great expectations of Paris, but I was met by the stinking reality. Gypsies were en force, milling around with blackened bare feet, begging for change. I had at least 15 come up to me in a matter of 10 minutes. It reeked of urine and BO. And it was horrifically dirty. Well, I figured I was at the train station - often not the best area of town. So, I made my way to the TI, got a map of Paris, my museum pass, and directions to the hostel. I found the metro and hopped on the appropriate train. The Metro was awful... way worse than NYC. When I got off the train, I tried to find the street the hostel was on, but it was no where on the map. This older gentleman came up to me and asked if I was looking for some hotel. I said no and we started chatting. Hisname was Serge and he was very nice. He helped me find the right map and even walked me to the main street and explained how to get there. The TI had sent me to the wrong metro stop. I had a bit of a hike ahead of me. Oh well, a chance to see Paris! I thanked Serge and we said our goodbyes. Heading in the direction of the hostel, I couldn't help but notice how filthy the city really is. And the smog is awful - it's worse than LA. Even though I was in a very affluent area, it did not feel all that safe. So, my dreams of Paris in the Spring were slowly crumbling. I finally found the hostel. The bar looked nice, so I went ahead and paid for 3 nights, but once I got to the rooms, it was a real shithole!! It was like stepping into a 3rd world country! One girl said it reminded her of thailand. The toilets AND the showers were outside in the damn courtyard!! And this was supposed to be a nice one!?! It certainly was expensive enough. And it was NOT at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.... more like a 15 - 20 minute walk away. The only redeeming factor was that I met a lot of cool people staying there.

Anyway, they had a lockout (yuck!!) until 4 pm. I asked the guy at the bar/reception where the post office was and such. He was rude and of no help! He said, "walk down Rue de Commerce for awhile, you'll find something." My feathers ruffled, I sulked around the corner. Everything was closed. It took me about 10 minutes before I remembered it was Sunday. Asshole... he could have said something. Whatever. So, I decide to try and find a grocery store since I had not eaten since about 6 am. But after an hour or so of walking around in the blazing heat, there was nothing! When I saw McDonald's (yes, I know) I made a beeline. The prices were horrendous! About $8.50 USD for a meal!! And to add insult to injury, they had no "Dollar Menu"! In the UK, they had the "Pound Saver" menu which sits quite nicely with ravenous backpackers. But I was hungry and everywhere else was closed. So, I gave in. After eating, it was just after 4pm, so I headed back to the hostel. After getting my bags situated, I changed into my flip flops. It was so hot!! I'm going to have to get a pair of sandals ASAP!! Anyway, I chatted with this guy for a bit, then i decided I could walk down to Champs elysees .... in my flip flops. This was a huge mistake, but I'll get to that ina minute. So, I head out and as i'm approaching Champs de Mars and the Eiffel Tower, this guy on a bike passes me and smiles. So, I return the smile without much thought. He loops back around and follows me. He says something to me in French and although I do speak a little French, I did not get what he said. I asked if spoke English, but of course he did not. So, he started talking again and asking me questions. The only thing I got was "Promenade." I thought he was asking if I was going on a walk. So, I said yes, I walking to Champs Elysees. At that point he hopped off his bike and started walking with me. So, I guess he had asked if I wanted to promenade with him. He was a rotund french man who seemed harmless enough. Why not? So, I didn't argue. He pointed stuff out, I took pictures, so on. All was fine until about the Hotel des Invalides. At that point he started to try and hold my hand!!??!! Boy, French men move quick! I tried to explain to him that I was not interested. He kept walking with me until I was right at the beginning of the Champs Elysees. I decided to lie and say I had a boyfriend. A petit ami.... well, for some reason he thought I had a baby??? So, a bit more effort and he finally got what I was saying. So, thankfully, he went away. And went down the Champs Elysses. It was big and long, crowded and dirty. A lot of very expensive shops and restaurants. So, I didn't really stop. Just took it all in. I came to the Arc de Triumphe, took my pics with the other tourists and headed back towards the eiffell Tower. The plan was to find a shop and buy some wine, cheese, and bread and have a picnic on the Champ de Mars beneath the Eiffel Tower. Well, I popped into a shop and walked right back out! The prices were unbelievable! So, I gave up and wondered how I could ration the chips I had left. At this point my feet were killing me and they were literally black from the digusting filth of Paris. French people don't seem to like pavement, so there is a lot of dirt and gravel paths. Gimping down the Rue, I found a shop that was open and I popped in to by some cigs. I asked the gentleman behind the counter if he spkoke english very politely and en francais! He glared at me and saod "NO!" He then turned his head in disgust and loathing. I stammered for a few moments trying to piece together my french.... see, in American schools, they don't teach you the proper way to by cigs in a french class. Why?? I hear a voice from behind me ask if I needed help. I turned and it was a young middle eatern guy who spoke with an American accent. We laughed and I said "Yes, please!" So, he helped me buy cigs and then he asked if I wanted to join him and some other people for a picnic! I agreed, but where to buy wine and such?? He took me to a shop that was open. No good cheese, but who needs food when you have cheap french wine? So we headed back over to the Champ de Mars. There was a guy from South America (all over), a Bulgarian, a french girl, and 2 American guys. Apparently, they had been in the park for awhile! It was nice! We shared all the wine, laughed, and watched the Eiffell tower light up - every hour from like 8pm to 1 am it actually twinkles! Very cool! At around 10pm, I decided to head over to the tower to see about riding up. The line was horrendous, so I headed back to the hoistel. By the time I got back, I was actively limping and my feet were on fire. Damn flip flops. Damn dirt and gravel. I had gotten the first major blisters of this adventure.... right on the balls of my damn feet. Ouch.... that night I had to take a shower. It was awful. It was filthy and dirtyy and outside ! I'm not French! I don't walk around naked! And it was just a push button one temperature kind that only came on for about 10 seconds per push! So, I started to cry.... I don't like Paris.

The next morning, I dealt with the blisters as best as I could. After mailing my first package back to the States, I went to the Louvre. I was excited! But, when I got there, it was a bit much. It was PACKED! I mean shoulder to shoulder, people pushing and shoving kind of crowded. And the ENTIRE museum was filled with a dull constant roar. Now, you are NOT supposed to see art in that kind of an environment! You can't reflect and absorb what you are seeing when people are screaming and pushing all around you. So, I saw what I wanted to see - primarily Da Vinci's work (they don't have as much as I thought), the Mona Lisa, and Death of a Slave. - and I got the hell out of there. I spent about an hour in there. I was not happy when I left. I had hoped to really spend time just enjoying the art. I asked if there was a good time to go, and apparently it is always that way. So, I went to the Pantheon, since I know had an afternoon free. It was OK, but I lingered for about 1/2 hour since they had the A/C on. I then hopped on the metro and made my way back to the eiffel Tower. I braved the lines and made my way to the very top. Honestly, it was nothing special. I would have been happier just going to the 2 nd level. The smog was horrible and greatly reduced visibility in a cloak of brown nastiness. So, I took the stairs back down since the line for the elevators was ridiculous. I found the damn post office finally and got the post cards stamped and on their way! The kids should have them soon! After the draining day, I was very tired and decided to head back to the hostel. I saw a Supermarche on the way and popped in. I got a Quiche and a cheap bottle of wine thinking it would be great to simply enjoy the evening sipping wine in the courtyard. Ha ha... no such luck. The hostel doesn't allow drinking of any alcohol but theirs. If they catch you, they take it away. God! It's PAris! Europe! You are allowed to walk down the damn street drinking! So, my hopes were dashed. To make matters worse, the hostel did not have an oven. So... no quiche, no wine. Instead, I spent the evening chatting with fellow residents and my Brazilian roommates shared their pasta with me! So, that was a lot of fun! But I was getting stopped up and not feeling too well....

The next day, my feet were really killing me and I had a full fledged cold, so I decided that I need to take the day easy. I figured I would go to Notre Dame and Versailles and then just hang out. I took my time getting out because my head and throat were killing me and I could not breathe through my nose. I arrived at Notre Dame and toured the Cathedral, which is actually free (!!). It's very beautiful! Then I walked around the corner to get in line to climb the Belfry. OK... let me just say that I pissed off some French people, because I had someone take my picture in front of the Cathedral acting like Quasimoto. Actually, I did it more than once. Tee hee. It's fun to act like a child sometimes. Anyway, as I was walking to the back of the line, I hear someone call my name. Well... that's odd! I turn around and Emma, a canadian girl I met at the hostel was already in line! She asked if I wanted to climb the tower with her, and I said yes! So, we climbed the tower stairs which were terribly narrow and steep, spiraling up into oblivion. After much huffing and puffing, we reached the first level! It was great! The Gargoyles were fantastic! We even saw one gargoyle that was eating some animal alive!It looked like a dog. We laughed about it, but decided not to take a picture.... impossible to capture the true horror of that discovery! To we proceeded into the place where the Great Bell is hanging! It was great! It looked like something right out of Jekyl & Hyde! And they had these tiny doors that you had to climb through! We then headed up to the very top, enjoyed the view and made plans to have a picnic lunch in the park. after all, I had carried that cheap bottle of wine all the way up the tower, might as well share it! So after we decended and regained our vision, we went in search of food. We headed straight into the Latin Quarter, which is a very cool place indeed! Lots of cheap places and colorful people! We found ourselves a bit lost and decided to head into this pedestrain alleyway! It was fabulous! The narrow alley was lined on either side with shops and restaurants, each one with a person standing out front trying to get patronage! We continued on until we found the Gyro windows and decided that they would be ok with wine. They had pix of them being served with wine.... so, what the hell! They were MASSIVE!! We laughed so hard at how ridiculous they were! It's a giant flatbread stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, whatever you want, fresh doner meat (i chose Poulet... chicken), and a fabulous white sauce! Then, they dump a bunch of fries on it and wrap it up into a cone! So we walked with our yummy picnic lunch to a park near the Sorbonne and chatted over wine for a couple of hours! Much fun! And not to worry, I have pix of all of this! So, we parted way around 3:30 and I went to the RER station to catch the train to Versailles. I went to the desk to ask how I got my free ticket and the guy screamed at me! Using the damn microphone! So the entire metro station could hear him screaming at me in French. I hate PAris. I tried to find the right train, but I did not know if I had to have a regular ticket or what??!! So, I found another ticket desk but this woman told me that I would have to use a whole travel day on my pass to go. So... that's free?? I was pissed and she was smug. So, I stormed out and went back to the hostel. Paris had already chewed into my budget a bit, so I did not go. Instead, I hung out with everyone at the hostel, which was a lot of fun! Cool people from all over the world! Talking about everything under the sun! Since I was leaving Paris in the morning - thank god - I went to bed around 1am.

The next morning, I was up and out really early! Goodbye PAris.... hello Bruges!

Stonehenge & Avebury

Let me start off by saying that the day was absolutely amazing - despite the difficulties I encountered. I woke up early so that I could catch the first bus to Avebury. It's about 1:40 bus ride through the southern English countryside, which is gorgeous! Nearly all of the houses have thatched roofs! I even saw a crew putting a new thatched roof on an old cottage! Strange, but very cool! As the bus rounded a bend in the narrow roadway, I caught my first glimpse of the stones! It was incredible! Out of the blue, theses massive stones greet you and welcome you to the tiny village. I got off the bus in front of the local inn and made my way to the TI, which was located in a 12th century chapel. I got a map of the village and the stone cirlce and began to walk. I wove my way through and around the stones and the village for several hours. It was indescribable, really. Many of the stones towered over me. And to think that they are older than Stonehenge is mind boggling! 6000 years of history.... you can almost feel it resounding off of the stones. I imagined all of the people over the past 6 millennia who have walked among the stones. It was incredible.

I headed back towards the inn and the bus stop around noon. I needed to be back in Amesbury no later than 3pm to catch the last bus to Stonehenge. So, I sat on the side of the road and started to enjoy my picnic lunch. Shortly there after, A bus came from the other direction, and 2 older men stumbled off. The stench of urine and cheap beer was impressive. Drunk and stammering, the banter was hilarious! The older gentlemen's trousers kept falling down... and since he had neglected - or chosen- not to wear undies.... well, I had a wonderful view of his lilly white arse. A few minutes into this scene, and disrupting my thoughts of Monty Python, they stumbled over to me. The younger one asked if I knew where the toilet was. I pointed him in the right direction, and after several attempts, he finally got it. Then he asked where I was from. Curious as to where the conversation might lead, I told him. Apparently, his sister lives in Arlington, VA and he was there just last year! Hmmmm... what are the odds!?! It was hilarious! So, yes they were drunk and reeked of their own piss and sick, but they were amusing and quite a few people were grinning! It definitely a great story, and I must incorporate it into my character studies and my writing!

So, the bus came about 15 minutes later, and I headed out to Stonehhenge. I got to Amesbury about 2:30pm. I walked around a bit, but there was not much to the town, so I headed back to the bus station. The last bus for Stonehenge was due to arrive at 3:18pm. When it pulled up, I waved to the driver to let him know I was coming and started to walk to the bus. Well, the driver did not even stop! He just pulled right out and left me! Oh... I was NOT a happy camper!! So, after talking to the other driver in the office, I hit the pavement. Yes, I walked to Stonehenge. I was not about to let a pissy driver keep me from enjoying it! So, I walked...and walked....and walked. Until I reached the very busy motorway. Of course, I had to cross it. I felt like I was in frogger. But I survived, and I could see Stonehenge up the hill in the distance. I finally arrived at about 4:45 or so. Since my ticket included regular admission as well, I went ahead and walked around like the other tourists. There were hundreds of people there and as expected, it was very sterile. Although, the stones are still impressive if you let them be. I sat on the picnic tables and chatted with a woman for a bit while waiting for it to close. I was getting incredibly excited!! A small group of us gathered and right at 6:30pm, they took us across and the roped off area was opened. I stepped through slowly, and made my way to the stones. As I crossed into the circle, I nearly started to cry. I don't know why, exactly, so don't ask. I'll let you know once I figure it out. I ran my hands along the stones and carefully made my way around the circle. The 2 different stones actually feel different! The blue stones have a warmth to them.... it's indescribable. After about 20 minutes, most of the people had taken their pictures and left. How ridiculous.... but I stayed until security said time was up (they actually gave me & the other girl about 15 extra minutes). I walked into the circle and simply experienced being there completely alone. The other girl was a photographer, so she was way out in the field trying to get good shots. So, there I stood with the sun setting and darkness approaching.... there are no words.

After all that had happened, both good and bad, I decided to take a cab back to Amesbury to catch the bus to Salisbury. I really did not fancy the idea of walking back in the dark, esp tireed and pensive. After a pricy cab ride and a rattling bus, I made it back to the hostel around 10 pm and passed out.

The Market, the Stones, & Me

So, I made it to Salisbury.... FINALLY! The train ride was an ordeal! The hostel was nice, but it was way out of the way, up a hill, and in the woods! And it was VERY expensive!! But I made up for that by eating a REALLY big breakfast and bagging up enough to make sandwichs for lunch and dinner. So, it was ok.

My first full day was pretty busy! I got an early start and headed to the Tourism office. I got a good city map and my Explorer bus ticket for Stonehenge and Avebury. I then headed over to the Cathedral and explored the Close. It was gorgeous and the Spire is definitely tall! The rest of the afternoon was spent window shopping and wandering the narrow streets and marketplaces! I was on another quest to find a camera neck strap. Since it was actually bordering on hot, I was no longer wearing my jacket. So, I had no where to put my camera. I did find on eventually, and boy do I look like a tourist with it around my damn neck. But oh well. If I didn't do that, I'd bang it into something and/or leave it somewhere! The rest of the evening was spent hanging out with this cool german girl I met and planning my big day!@! I have no idea how I slept that night!!! I was so excited!

the next morning I woke up bright and early and ready to go! I've decided to devote and entire entry to Stonehenge and Avebury, so I'm just going to continue on. After the amazing day I had, I crashed out! The next morning, I was supposed to leave Salisbury and head to Paris. But there was some issue with the trains and I ended up having to take the bus. It was half to cost, so ok! But the next bus did not leave until 3 pm. So, for about 5 hours ona hot day, I wandered around Salisbury with my heavy ass backpack. I went to the market - the one that has been going on for nearly 1000 years - and found a watch for 5 pounds. Then I sat in the park like a hobo for a while, until i spyed a photo shop! I used the remaining time to have my photos put on a disk so I cleared out 2 SD cards. Yes, I had 2 gigs of photos in about 2 1/2 weeks! Hmmm.. Anyway... I got on the bus at 3pm, and the damn A/C was BROKEN!!! So, foe 3 1/2 hours, we ROASTED and sweated like pigs. We were all miserable!! No one could do anything but stare blankly ou the window, desperately wishing they opened. The interior thermometer said it was 28 C inside but it felt even hotter. Well, when we got to London, we all rushed out of the bus! I had booked a room at the Astor Museum Inn, so I was happy to know exactly where I was going! I stopped by Waterloo to pick up my eurostar tix, then went straight to bed... I had a VERY early train to catch! Paris here I come!!!!

Medieval Disney

Chester is pretty cool! It may not be very big, but they certainly pack a lot into such a small space! I got into town around 3 pm, and after checking into the hostel and dumping my bags, I hit the town - pretty much my MO! I headed straight for the city centre, which was about an 8 minute walk from the hostel. Chester did not seem like anything special until I caught a glimpse of the clock tower! It's the beginning of the medieval city centre! Very cool! It's a brilliant fusion of old and new! There was a Disney Store in this old black and white timbered building! Medieval Disney!! So, I wandered around and window shopped. I was on a quest to find a decent pair of walking sandals. It was really warm and I realized that I will need a pair sooner rather than later. I should of brought a pair with me. I thought about it, but decided that it would be cold and rainy in March and april. I was wrong. Oh well. Shopping is turning into an adventure! I headed back to the hostel around 8pm without shoes I'm afraid. My quest continues!

The next day, I was up and out well before 9 am. My first stop was the Post Office. I really needed to ship a package back to the States, but it was going to be like $60 USD, so I decided it could wait until I got to Paris. Perhaps with the Euro, it will be a bit more reasonable! So, I continued my quest for sandals, but the only ones that were acceptable were WAY too expensive! So, once again, I decided to wait until i got to Paris. So, abandoning my mission for the time being, I headed to the Cathedral. It was lovely! I then walked over to the Roman Amphitheatre and the ruins of St. John's. Then I walked to the edge of the River Dee and got on the Roman Wall! I walked the entire perimeter and it was VERY cool! Tired and stinky, I headed back to the hostel.

My last night in chester was uneventful! I hung out and chatted with a bunch of different people! I made friends with quite a few, including a German couple who I'm going to hang out with once I get to Berlin! I checked out the next morning and headed to Salisbury! Stonehenge is only a couple of days away!!

So, Here's What I've Learned about People... & Myself

I can't believe that I've been in Europe for 2 weeks already! I've seen and experienced so much, but it feels like it has flown by! I hope my whole trip doesn't fly by! Although, I do wish this day would go quicker!

Today is Easter, and it's been a terribly dull day! I'm going out of my mind with boredom. Especially since, for the most part, the past 2 weeks have been crammed full of sightseeing and general merriment! Over the past 4 days, I ran about seeing everything here in Edinburgh, thinking that the city would be shut down for Easter. It really isn't. Everything is simply keeping Sunday hours. So, I did my laundry and went through my pack and have kind of roamed around aimlessly. I would journal, but this hostel is so damn crowded that I can't find a quiet place, let alone any privacy. This hostel SUCKS!!! It is the worst place i have stayed! It is loud, filthy, and full of drunkards and thieves! I booked a 38 bed dorm room which was the dumbest idea I have ever had! Last night was the worst! People were stumbling in drunk at all hours. The whole bathroom reeked of vomit this morning and apparently, someone had chunked in the hallway. there were people passed out all over the place... even on top of the pool tables. There is hard house music blaring through the hostel day and night. There is no escaping it. It is definitely a "party" hostel. And some miscreant stole my food! Oh, I was pissed! And the hostel could have cared less! All of the other hostels I've stayed take that very seriously! It was only about £4 worth of stuff, but still! That's like $8 USD that comes out of my budget! I had to go back to the store! When I told reception, they said that it happens all the time because there are so many people at the hostel. Plus, it's right next to the bar, so drunk people go and help themselves. Fuck.... I'm getting old.

Any-hoo.... I've learned a lot since being in Europe. I've learned that all tourists are obnoxious in their own special way. Americans are definitely the worst - if for no other reason than arrogance and disrespect. Asians are close on their heels. And Spanish people are horrifically loud, which came as a surprise to me. Not really sure why.

I've learned that I'm getting rigid in my old age. And I prefer a modicum of comfort. I much prefer a few friends, some fine wine, and brilliant conversation to a bar. I hate crowds, but love cities - esp. London and NYC. I've outgrown partying, although I think that happened quite a few years ago at this point. I need to be in an Urban, intellectual environment that offers a bit of everything, or I will get very bored! One of the reasons I hate Richmond so damn much, I suspect. And, perhaps most importantly, for my creativity to really be on point, I need stability and somewhere where I can be alone and in my head. I'm not one of those free spirited, nothing phases them, the world is my oyster, I-can-be-creative-when-living-in-a-box kind of artists. Oh no, no, no. I'm of the brooding, overly sensitive, borderline mad, reclusive variety. Lovely. Oh well... no sense in pretending to be otherwise. Fodder for my art. I simply need to bear this in mind when charting my next course of action. It certainly helps explain why I have not written anything of consequence in many moons. (I'm in a weird mood. Can you tell I'm bored?) Prior to Steve, despite all the turmoil, I was doing well as an artist. Wow... Almost 6 years. That's a long time to be drowning in creative purgatory.

Moving on.... the first day I got to this shitty new hostel, this Italian guy named Andre happened upon me. He has not left me alone since. My god, I want to smack him! He's like a lost puppy. Yesterday, I was on the computers for awhile uploading pictures, and he sat there chomping his crisps - with his mouth open, no less- and annoying the hell out of me for at least an hour. Then, I told him that i was heading out to get some chips. For a normal person, this should have been taken as a very polite way of saying Fuck Off. no such luck. He decided that he would come along and get something for his supper. Being a decent human being, I didn't argue. And this is how it went the entire evening! I finally had to be a bit firm with him, just to get away! I wasn't mean - he didn't deserve that. He's lonely. But Oy Vey! So, I've tried to hide as much as possible today! Not that has worked all that well... he's in one of the 38 beds in my room. Oh wonderful.

Anyway... despite this hateful hostel, I'm having a great time! Edinburgh is a great little city. Although Scotland is a bit rougher than England and they have a higher crime rate. Sirens are common. The Old Town is brilliant! I love all the Closes and Wynds. And the countryside is breathtaking! I'm looking forward to Chester and North Wales! And of course, my Stonehenge adventure!!!!!!!!

So, I will be heading out tomorrow and will arrive in Chester at about 3 pm or so. My plan is to spend Monday evening and Tuesday exploring Chester and then spend the whole day in North Wales on Wednesday. I need to be in Salisbury by Friday for my Stonehenge Circle Access! But I'm sure I'll blog again before that! Tada for now (tada is what they say in West cornforth!)

Alas.... PICTURES!!!!!

I have found aplace to upload pictures! So, at the end of this post, you will find a link to my online album! None of the pics have been edited in any way,so I apologize for that! Once I get to a place where I can, I will edit them!

Anyway, today has been interesting! With the aid of Xanax, I actually slept OK last night in the ridiculous 38 bed dorm room that I chose. It was the bathrooms this morning that was about the kill me! Too many people! The entire hostel, as is every hostel in the city, is booked solid through the weekend! I thought it would be good to save some money! There are definitely some interesting folk staying here. Think of every type of person imaginable, and they are in my room! Oh well.... it's only for a few nights.

So, this morning i got an early start and made my way to the Scottish Museum of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery. It was great! They had some REALLY interesting work by contemporary artists! I then caught the free museum shuttle and stopped at the Scottish National Gallery. They had some great Impressionist works! After getting my fill of Degas, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Raphael, so on etc, I headed over to the Royal Scottish Academy of Art. WOW! Some of the work that was being offered was incredible! I wish that I was able to buy some of it! There were 3 or 4 pieces that I LOVED!!

Any-hoo... after wandering the various museums and galleries, I was famished. So, I did the unthinkable! I went to McDonald's for lunch. I swore that I wouldn't.... but I caved. It was quick and cheap (£3.69 for a value meal) and there. It tasted exactly the same. But the Monopoly Pieces were fun!

After, I popped into Marks & Spencer (my favorite store in the UK so far) and picked up a few things that should get me through tomorrow night. I also splurged and got a couple of Chaux Buns for dessert! They are basically giant cream puffs with chocolate fondant on top....oh yea! I also picked up some more of my probiotic toffee yogurt!

So.... now I'm back at the hostel, uploading pics and hanging out. I'm actually a bit bored! And tomorrow will be worse! I'm just going to hang out, do laundry, and... um....hmmmm. Not really sure what else! It's Easter, so everything will be closed! Oy Vey!! It will be good to have a day to get my shit together before heading down to Chester and North Wales! I wish that i hadn't brought so much damn stuff! I think that I will be mailing some stuff back to the US when I mail the first round of Prezzies and souvenirs!! I want to get to the point where I only have the one pack to schlep around! I want to be able to put my day pack in the main pack and be done with it!

Any-hoo... without further ado.... drum roll, please..... the link to my online photo album:
http://pippaseuroadventure07.shutterfly.com ! Yes... there are A LOT of pictures (about 250), but it's worth it! And believe it or not, this is NOT all of them - I had to chose from about 500!!!! LOL! I will upload some more tomorrow probably! Hope you like them!

Roslyn Chapel and Da Vinci Manure....

I headed over to the new hostel this morning and got checked in without too much of a hassle. It's not as nice as the other one, but for £8 a night, what do you expect?!? Anyway, after dropping off my bags, I set of to discover the New Town. I don't know why it's called that, because it's incredibly old and rich with history as well! It is more of a residential area, which means things are a little cheaper.

While i was exploring, I found a store called £ Mania. It is essentially a dollar store and I found some cool little trinkets! I have already checked out £ Stretcher, which is like Big Lots! I have a knack for finding these kinds of places! So, after a bit of bargain hunting, I decided to take on a more historical challenge. I hopped on a bus headed for Roslyn.

Once outside of Edinburgh, the Scottish countryside unfolds. It is gorgeous! And the bus ride did not take that long! I was dropped off on a quaint little village street in Roslyn. I followed the sign to Roslyn Chapel. Walking down this pathway, the scenery took my breath away. On the way, I passed by a small farm that was offering "Da Vinci Manure" for 50p a bag!! Ewwwwwww!! Gross!! LOL!

I finally arrived at the Chapel and was disappointed to find scaffolding. But it's part of the restoration and conservation efforts. Once I stepped inside, nothing else mattered. It is UNBELIEVABLE and there are no words! There is SO MUCH to see and process that you do not know where to look first! Plus, it is a working Episcopal church, so they were having Good Friday services the entire day. It was an interesting experience! And the history is incredible! I mean it is almost 1000 years old!! It has seen so much! And you can look at pictures of the Chapel all day, but it pales in comparison to actually stepping in and being there! After a pensive bus ride, I found myself back in the New Town.

I am having the best time! I can't believe that I've been here almost 2 weeks! And I really can't believe that I will be in Stonehenge, in the Circle, in ONE WEEK!!! Next Friday is the day! Then, I head on to Paris!! It is weird to think that i will be in France in just over a week!! Yeaaaa!! Also, I found out some information regarding work permits and such. It looks like London may be within my reach, which is VERY exciting! Even if it's only for a year, it would be INCREDIBLE to work and study in the birth place of Theatre!!! That would make me very happy.... something I haven't been in awhile.

I'm a Bonnie Lass!

I arrived in Edinburgh tired. The train had been delayed several times for unknown reasons. But the scenery was gorgeous! I walked up and ungodly steep stair case (bear in mind that i have all my stuff), and made my way to the Tourist Information Office. There, I got info on what to see and do, maps, and booked my hostel since I was a couple of days early! I chose a place in the old town right on the Royal Mile! So, I headed over there and got checked in. After dropping off my bags, I hit the streets of Edinburgh! It's a fabulous city! VERY hilly with LOTS of steep stairs!! But that's ok! There are all these narrow alleys and streets called Closes and Wynds that are amazing! You look down into them, and it is like you are looking into the entrance to another place and/or time! So, I walked all around Old Town Edinburgh for awhile and did some shopping. I started to look for somewhere to eat, but it was futile. I found nothing for less than £12. So, I broke down and went to Subway. It was just as disgusting as in the US. But, it was relatively cheap. and that was pretty much my first night in the capital of Scotland!

The next was BUSY! I headed out early, walking up the Royal Mile to the Castle. I got there just as they were opening. WOW! The Castle is amazing! I saw the Crown Jewels, the Prisons of War, museums, and STUNNING views of all around Edinburgh! After the castle, I stopped in a Mary Kin's Close! How fun! It's more of a history tour, but they did have a cheesy ghost story towards the end. The real ghost in the Close is that of little Annie. You are supposed to bring a doll to leave for her. I left 50p in the basket for the Children's Fund instead. It was incredible to wind through this underground city!

Speaking of ghosts, Edinburgh is like the World Capitol of ghosts! And you know that I LOVE that! So, I had decided to make the evening entirely about ghosts! I started at the City of the Dead tour, which starts at St. Giles Cathedral and ends in the Greyfriar's Cemetery. It was AWESOME! Jerry, the tour guide, certainly helped - cute little Scottish boy! Once in the cemetery, I immediately felt funny. As I walked a bit further in, I felt like I was being watched and when I past by this open crypt, I felt like something grabbed my wrists from behind and it left this tingling sensation that lasted for quite awhile. It was like the sensation you get when holding dry ice. I did NOT want to go near this one crypt and after we all were in the Black Mausoleum, I found out why! It was where the main ghost of the graveyard was last seen as a full figured entity! It completely freaked me out! But it was great! I then headed back to the Royal Mile to catch the 10:30 pm Terror Tour. This one was just OK. It walked around to St. Gile's Cathedral - this was the site of all the torture and witch burning - and up and down VERY steep Wynds and Closes before going into the Torture room. It was really just a cheap display of old torture implements. then we went down into the underground and saw the working wiccan temple and the area of the south Bank poltergeist. The tour ended at Nichols Pub. Now they say that it's the most haunted pub in Scotland, but whatever. I wish that i had just done the underground tour.... would have saved a couple of quid. But all in all, it was a great day! And i am really enjoying Edinburgh! Tomorrow, I move over to the New Town, which is where I will stay through Sunday night!

Where you Headed, Love?

So my last day in Glastonbury was fairly uneventful!I did end up going to the pub that night with some folks I had met earlier that day. It was Karaoke Night and the pub was packed. The first song i heard upon nearing the front door was an Irish bloke bellowing Country Roads. How bizarre!! But great fun!

The next morning, I had to get up early to catch the bus back to Bristol so I could catch a 10:59 train to Durham. My family was picking me up at 5 pm, so I needed to be on time! I was in the kitchen when I heard the bus outside. I figured there would be another bus in 30 minutes or.... I was wrong. I looked at the bus schedule and the next bus wasn't for nearly 2 hours!! So, I was offered a ride by a guy I had met in the pub the night before. Yea.... I know. But I arrived in one piece! So no worries! He fancied me.... if you want all the details of the VERY interesting and adventurous day, email me!

So, I made it into Bristol and managed to get on a train that would put me in Durham at 4:30 pm. I had to transfer at Birmingham, and this boy of about 10-12 came up to me on the platform and said, "Where you headed, Love?" It was the funniest thing and I think it embarrassed his mother! It made me laugh! Anyway, My family picked me up and we headed over to west Cornforth. It was FABULOUS seeing them again! I also got to meet all of the family that i hadn't met yet! That evening, we had Fish & Chips and Mushy Peas! Loved it! Esp. the chips w/ salt & vinegar and the mushy peas! Then we headed over to the pub! I tried John Smith ale and it was ok! Now, I lost track of how much i drank because there was always a fresh pint waiting for me even before I was finished the one I was drinking! But it was brilliant fun!

The next day was cold and dreary, so, after a hearty breakfast of Bacon butties, we decided to go shopping in Darlington! I found a fabulous scarf for £2! We then popped into Crombie's for dinner (lunch) and I had Minced Beef w/ Yorkshire Pudding and Roast Tatties. After, I tried Spotted dick! It was all wonderful! After a very filling dinner, we headed over to the old market that had everything you could ever need! The Butcher, the Baker, & the Candlestick Maker! We headed back to West Cornforth to regroup.

After a bit of relaxation, Anita brought Kyle over! He just turned 2 and is too much! He was all smiles when he walked in the door.... until he saw me. His entire face dropped and he said YUCK! We all laughed! After a few minutes he warmed up to me. Every time something didn't go his way, he would say DAMN ! Very funny! So, after they headed out, we had afternoon tea, which is more like a small meal. I had Pork Pies, Savory Eggs, lettuce w/ Salad Cream, and of course ham. It was good! Later that evening, we went over to Joanne's and hung out drinking wine and ale and having a great time! It was a lovely way to end my stay!

So early the next morning they took me to the train station. And after buying my tickets (they knew someone at the train station, so I got incredible bargains fares), they walked me over to the platform. we said our goodbyes and i promised to come back soon! After hugs and kisses, I boarded the train to Edinburgh!