Wien, aka Vienna!

My day in Vienna continued to be enjoyable. I didn't realize how wonderful having fresh clothes would be. Surely, i didn't get the entertainment I usually do when i do my laundry at the beehler household, but it was so nice to put on my jeans and not see the jam stain from the crepe i ate during the tour de france. After I finished, i wanted to get some food because i realized I hadn't ate anything all day and it was nearly 3. I asked at the front desk for some suggestions and the girl said there was an austrian brewery right down the street that had good food and beer. I went for it and it was an excellent choice! I feel kind of like a sleazy tourist because i have no idea what anyone is saying to me and i don't even know how to say hi. I guess i have some homework to do tonight. but I did have a great red beer and quickly learned that a 1/2 liter of beer is a really big glass. Then again, so was the portion of the traditional Austrian (someone I can't remember the name of..) I had too. Despite being hungry, i couldnt even begin to finish all they gave me, but it did taste like a really awesome macaroni and cheese. After I couldn't stuff my face anymore, and...wait for it... It started to rain again(!), I figured I'd explore the town a little bit because luckily the rain shower didn't last long and it was only a little more than a drizzle. I was smart and grabbed my raincoat at the hostel before leaving and i actually didn't even need it. I found a little health and beauty shop so i could take care of my grizzly woman armpits and legs by buying a razor... And thank god they had some! I headed towards the city center and it was packed with retail shops. There was quite a lot of people out walking about. The thing i noticed, though, is that -- well there's two things, 1) people wait until they get the walk sign and don't cross even if theres not a car in sight and 2) the storefronts are kind of lame with neon signs but above these are absolutely beautiful buildings. The architecture is incredible and its too bad you have to look up to see it. But then again, maybe you are considered "special" if you actually notice the beautiful structure above the materialism. I happened to look down a street and saw a green park. I decided to check it out and I'm so glad I did. There was an outdoor climbing gym! I sat down there for a little bit and watched the climbers, definitely made me wish i was climbing out in the Oregon woods with Phil. I moved on and somehow lost my bearings and thought i was continuing down the street but actually was going back towards the hostel. I'm still not sure how that happened. Anyways, I noticed a lot of gelato places so I was getting those cravings again and fell for it. Definitely not the same as the italians. One of the flavors i had tasted like cough syrup, which was alright for my congestions, but definitely not too enjoyable. I learned my lesson. I ended up back at the hostel early and enjoyed a happy hour beer and started thinking about my day tomorrow. I stopped into Vienna Explorers which does bike tours and has a bike tour into the wine country... You get to taste chocolates, jams, apricots, wine, schnapps, and all kinds of fun stuff so i decided I'd try to join in. I mean really,  how much better can it get and it beats being alone all day. Plus, i seriously miss Celeste. i spent the rest of the night talking with my bunk mate daniel who is from sacramento and is thinking about nursing school. I definitely had plenty to say about that situation, and he was really into the conversation although definitely concerned about the whole commitment thing... Absolutely understandable. Anyways, i eventually went to bed and woke in the morning, after experiencing the mother of all Charlie horses, and headed to the Vienna Explorers tour shop to get on board with the tour. Well, just my luck it was booked. When I went the night before they has 2 spots open and i started to book it online, but then got distracted and apparently missed my opportunity. They let me go "standby" and if someone didn't show up, i had a spot. I got a ride to the city center, and needless to say, it apparently wasn't meant to be. Everyone showed up. Luckily, there was an amazing Saturday market across the street so that made it bearable to have a change of plans. Today focal sense was DEFINITELY smell. Half of the market was food and the other half antiques/random stuff no one want in their house. The most noticeable scent was all the spices. It was amazing. All you could smell was the strong whiff of cardamom, turmeric, and the other assorted spices for sale as you walked closely. There was plenty of people walking about and lots of samples... One in particular i enjoyed a lot and ended up buying way more than I wanted for far too much money I expected. Silly me forgot my grams and I ended up getting some rather expensive almond covered deliciousness. At least it was worth it. Even though it was only 10:30 a.m. by that time, the taste and smell of falafel was taking over my senses and thoughts so i got this AMAZING falafel sandwich. I can't even begin to describe how delicious it was... Just take my word for it. I walked around some more at the market, witnessed a grown man put on a metal military helmet and pretend he was shooting a gun, had some hot chocolate, and began to make my way towards some sights. I had mapped out a rather long walk of the city that hit most of the cool spots around town. I went by a number of beautiful churches and buildings that had just amazing old architecture. It's hard to describe their beauty in words.. Especially when you've walked about 7 miles, been traveling for 2 long weeks, and can't wait to go to bed... The words just don't flow as easily, you know. i happened across one of the many green parks called Stadtpark. There were ponds with lots of geese and a tons of benches lining the walkway. I was a little tired, so i decided to take a nap on one of these benches, and i must say it was quite lovely, and exactly what i needed! I continued on my walk and the sky looked like it could erupt with rain at any moment. Story of my trip...haha. Speaking of the weather, Today it felt like fall outside. It was rather windy and a bit chilly. I walked down to Prater Park expecting just another park with this big ferris wheel and was SHOCKED when i found out it was like a mini Disney world! There was a ton of amusement park rides and games. The majority of these gave me heart palpitations due to my last experience at Silverwood, especially the one that i thought was just another big, fancy monument. No it was a mix between the swing ride and the panic plunge, minus the panic... Well for normal people. Both of these types of rides were very bad experiences in my life and ones I'd rather not go through again. After i walked around for bit and laughed when i saw a lot of American-esque rides and murals, including one that just about killed me: in the same painting, Michael Jackson, one when his skin was black, the other when he went white. Fantastic. After being a little overstimulated, i continued on my walk and came across this massively beautiful, you guessed it, church called Stephansdom. I gazed at that for sometime and thought I'd check out Mozarts house which was incredibly anti-climatic and so terribly boring. There was absolutely nothing special about it in the slightest way and i actually had to really convince myself that it was it. So I promptly moved on. There were a ton of high end shops like versace and, my favorite (only the name really) Marc O'Polo. Which brings me to a point, there have been such a lack of puns during my European adventure, it's quite upsetting. Anyways, I walked all the way down to Sigmund Freud park which is in front of another amazing church and then i saw some mountainous terrain far ahead that got me really excited. I thought i see if i could get a better view, but after about a mile or so of walking, the view was gone and i figured i should probably continue on my jaunt. at some point, I decided i really wanted coffer and an apple streusel so i stopped into a cafe and indulged. It was such a great cultural experience because there were a bunch of old ladies chatting, and going "yah, yah, yah" a lot. I just sat there, taking it all in, knowing they could be potentially be talking about that English speaking girl who probably doesn't realize we're talking about here. The road i chose to walk down had a ton of parks amd more amazing buildings like parliament and a few different museums. As i walked along, i saw what seemed like a big party (fact: autocorrect just change my misspelled party to orgy in that sentence... Awesome) and when i got closer it was actually a film festival. The film wasn't playing until 9 and it was only 7 and it was actually started to rain so i didn't really feel like sitting outside to watch the film. Also during this time, my camera batteries became overly exhausted and officially died on me. After nearly 10 hours of walking, I found it time to go back to the hostel and take a load off. I stopped for another falafel sandwich (which wasn't nearly as good as the one I had earlier) and a beer. Needless to say, my day in Vienna was actually really great. I took in a lot of the city and had, honestly, the best day I've had in the past 2 weeks. The city was quiet from tourists for the most part, the weather held out for most of the day, and i got to enjoy a LOT of parks. There is such a cultural diversity in this city and you see it in their food choices especially. A range from italian, greek, middle eastern, and German. Another refreshing site was to see the acceptance and openness of sexuality throughout town. Girls holding girls hands and boys kissing boys without any fear that someone may view them as "ungodly" and be scolded for their lifestyle. It was great. Also, the sounds of old men playing accordians in the streets and parks made me really feel like i was in austria. As i near my last week of traveling, I find myself starting think about all the things i have seen and done and it's really overwhelming. I think I'm finally at the point where karma has caught up with me and i can look forward to the next small cities I'll be visiting next. I'm finally past the black hole of tourist ridden cities and for the first time am not itching to get to the next place. I feel content with where i am and can finally sit back and enjoy the scenery. It may also have to do with the fact i finally feel clean. It took 2 razors, but i no longer look like a manly woman. I also don't smell like someone who's has been living off the streets. Tomorrow i leave for prague and I'm REALLY looking forward to exploring this city. Until then, enjoy! 

Florence and getting to Vienna!

With more than enough time to make my train, and feeling grumpy while still in Rome, i decided to call dad for a pick-me-up, but also more of a realization that I was incredibly worn down. I really didn't think I could handle anymore traveling or going place to place, because its not as if I'm simply staying somewhere for 4 days and gradually seeing all the sights... Rather I'm there for a day, maybe 2, and trying to see EVERYTHING... ON FOOT! Needless to say, my desire to just be home was at its zenith and so i asked dad to see what it would cost to fly home early. Needless to stay, it would be near $2000 which, well, my AmeriCorps budget just doesn't accommodate for. So, i boarded my train to Florence with hopes of just laying on the sandy beaches of Dartmouth and kayaking down the slocum river sooner than august 10. But during my train ride, i realized i needed to reevaluate my itinerary and slow down. Europe is a big place to visit in just 3 weeks and I'm too much of a 'go getter' to only visit a few -- I want to see it ALL! But of course, that's just not realistic. my train ride was rather uneventful for the most part. When I got to florence, the rain was still falling (shocking...) and i made my way to the hostel. I was shocked! It was awesome, and just what i needed to lift my spirits. The staff was friendly, the place was clean, there was stuff going on, and they even had a sauna, pool, and gym -- you barely get a bed with sheets at some places! I made my way up to my room which i was sharing with 7 others. This proved to also be the exact room i needed to be in. It was near 7 p.m. and when i walked in they were all getting ready to go out for the pub crawl that the hostel was putting on. They invited me along, and knowing better than to be alone another night, I decided to join in. Excellent decision! The group was about 15 and our leader, Alex, was super nice. We got a meal, lots of wine, and specials at all the bars we went to. I met some really awesome people from Australia, ireland, canada, chile, and brazil. We went to a few bars then some club, which was definitely not my seen, but seriously entertaining to watch the Italian men on the prowl for some action. Good thing i made friends with the 2 sisters from Ireland (the younger one actually spent a summer working at an ice cream shop in hyannis! Small world) , well and really the rest of the group, and we stuck together to ward off the creepsters. After that it was near 3:30 in the morning and WAY past my bedtime! we walked back and headed for bed. Since i was leaving that evening for vienna, I said my goodbyes and, luckily, got to leave my bags at the hostel for the day since i wasn't leaving until 10 that night (or so I thought... Keep reading for more!). I headed into town and my first mission was to find a nice little Italian leather purse so i made my way to San lorenzo market.  There were a TON of vendors and my favorite was this artist named Abdul from morocco. I spent some time talking with him about his art. He does etchings and watercolors and they are just so beautiful! He was a really down to earth guy and a few other people came by and we all enjoyed chatting. He even made us on the spot business cards that came out phenomenal. So i guess you could say I got 2 pieces of art for the price of one. During that time, i got my first glimpse of the running of those without permits to sell. All of a sudden you'll see these men sprinting down the streets with whatever they are trying to sell because they just got caught. It was frightening at first, but then after i understood what was going on, it wasn't so nerve wracking. I moved on and checked out the indoor market which also had lots of wine, organs from animals I never wanted to see outside of anatomy and physiology lab, breads, olives, and other assorted things. It was really quite the place. Almost like a mini pike place market with an Italian twist and no fish throwing (that i saw...) or star bucks. After spending quite a bit of time there, i decided to grab some food and what to a pizza joint my friend Lindsey (aka beaver) recommended as the best pizza in Florence (she studied there, so she'd know, and i also never doubt beavers advice). I had an awesome pizza with zucchini and stuffed down as much as i could. I then stopped into the hostel to drop off some purchases before making my trek around Florence... I had a plan! I wanted to at least see the big churches, like the Duoma, but most importantly get up towards piazza michaelango to get the full panoramic view of Florence! Though I had a route planned out, i knew better than to think I'd actually follow it without getting lost. Granted Florence is not that big, but well, this has been quite and unpredictable adventure and I've had to be VERY flexible. Inevitably, i got lost but it all worked out in the end because I had the most amazing gelato at this place i stumbled upon... I had kiwi and watermelon... My mouth is starting to water just thinking about it. Eventually i got up to the view point and it was just amazing. I didn't realize how mountainous the surrounding area of florence was, but it was just amazing. I really did fall in love with the city and i really liked it a lot... I also wished I was staying more than just a night because of the great people i met, but also the good vibes i got from the city. It gave me the true italian feeling that i didnt get in rome, or maybe just missed because of the rushing around and rain. after I made my small hike back down from the piazza michaelango I took the round about way (unintentionally of course) to get some dinner at another recommendation from beaver. When i sat down to eat, the wind began to pick up and I just had a feeling things were going to turn for the worst because the weather and I just have not been friends this trip. I ordered the house white wine which was phenomenal! I later learned from my wine coinessieur friend michele that it's actually called prosecco and is a common house wine in italy. It was like a is mix between champagne and really yummy white wine, not as fruity as a reisling and definitely not dry like a Chardonnay... It was incredible. It began to rain as i started eating my brushetta and thundered a bit.. And then it started to POUR! Of course i was siting outside and near the edge of the awning so i started to get soaked (and again i had a white shirt on, I just shouldn't wear them!). I moved around to the other side of the table hoping to avoid getting splashed but that didn't help either. And then I got my entree of spaghetti and panicked. There's meat in the sauce! Ethical dilemma! What do i do? It took me a few minutes, but i decided that I was going to take this as a cultural experience and look at it as trying true Italian meat sauce. To be honest, i think the meat tasted the same as the fake meat crumbles i get. The pasta, otherwise, was delicious and definitely a good carb load for the train ride. I waited for the rain to stop then made my way back to the hostel to get ready to leave. Along the way, I started to really feel the pressure in my sinuses and the congestion setting in. I walked in a daze, and i actually walked into a small child which really confused me and I'm sure the boy too. I made it to the train station after stopping for one last gelato to make myself feel better about the meat eating and got to the train with plenty of time. I mean, plenty... Because my train was delayed 145 minutes. Thank you, train strikes in rome. I decided that rather waste a few hours in a nasty train station, id go enjoy a glass of wine. So I went to this place called Bondi that I passed several times and had been wanting to go to. They even had prosecco, so of course i had some. I stayed there for awhile, had some tiramisu, and was entertained by the wait staff. Finally it was time to head back to the train and wait a little longer then i finally boarded my train. When i made my reservation I just got a seat, which wasn't exactly the best decision, as there were 6 of us crammed in this one compartment and they had A LOT of luggage and big ones at that. They were all about my age which gave me some comfort because of all the horror stories i heard about people getting their wallets and passports stolen on overnight trains. We eventually left Florence and at some point during the night made a stop and was rudely awoken by a woman with her daughter yelling in Chinese. Apparently 2 of the people in my little room were in the wrong seats and this lady and her daughter joined us. It was horrible. She was yelling, hitting, and kicking her daughter and it made us all really uncomfortable. It was quite the cultural experience because i spoke English, she was speaking chinese, and the others only spoke italian. At one point, one of the boys tried to intervene to tell her to stop but, she wouldn't listen. Its not like it was 2 a.m. or anything. Eventually she stopped and by morning we were traveling through austria which was absolutely breathtaking. We went through the mountains and I got such the craving to hike. There were castles along the way and little rural areas. Again, i found comfort in the precisely defined patches of land that create a quilt of the land. Cows grazed in the fields and I just loved every minute of it. I could definitely have jumped off the train and got lost in the woods... I can't wait to hike when i get back to the states! After about a 15 hour trek between waiting and traveling we finally arrived in Vienna! I found the hostel and it is absolutely incredible. I thought the one in Florence was nice, but this is amazing. It has a very natural, green vibe to it and reminds me of the place I stayed in Portland called the friendly bike guesthouse. I got here a little after 1 and decided to take it easy and take care of some much needed business: laundry! After feeling like a hobo with dirty clothes for the past week, it was definitely time and this is certainly a good place to do it. My next mission after my clothes dry is to find a razor so i can finally shave (probably too much information, but i neglected to bring a razor and when i remembered to look in France and Italy I couldn't find ANY). I mean, I know I'm into the whole natural thing, but this is just a little too weird for me. So far I'm having good vibes about Vienna and am glad to be out this way on the last few legs of my journey. With 2 nights in Vienna, i plan on taking it easy and resting. My next spot will bring me to Prague which I'm really looking forward to. Will write more about my adventures in Vienna when they happen! Enjoy! 

Roma

So my train ride to Rome was a wonderful ride. I got a little confused when i boarded the train because it was so nice! Trenitalia all the way! With only the ticket originally to Milan, when i got to the station and asked how i could get to Rome, there was a train leaving in only 30 minutes... So i hoped on, enjoyed the countryside, saw a double rainbow, and landed in rome around 10 p.m. I had good vibes about Rome, and Italy in general, and i was in good spirits. The directions to the hostel were quite simple and I got there with no problem. The hostel was a little less nice than the ones i previously stayed and felt more like a frat house. When I came in, there was a really sweet girl named Stacey from australia who was in the bunk under me. We talked for a bit and it's a bummer i wasnt staying longer because I'm sure we could have hung out. Either way, I was exhausted and really needed to get some rest. I had plans to wake up early and check out the sights before moving on to Florence the next night. Well, my sleep was quickly interrupted by the sound of the showers that were the room next door and some really obnoxious boys that were staying in the same room. I mean, REALLY obnoxious. So i didn't exactly sleep as well as i would have liked and somehow i shut off the alarm on my phone so i woke up a little later than I wanted but it was okay. I packed my things up and, luckily, was able to keep my luggage at the hostel until my train... Well, that i needed to find out about. My first mission was to get to the station and figure out that situation. I don't think I've had a smoother booking experience and I got not only my train to Florence tonight, but also my overnight train to Vienna tomorrow! Phew! Now i could make my way to the colesseum and then make a big look to the pantheon and trevi fountain before i needed to leave. Well, i got lost, of course, but managed to find my way. Again it was one of those look up and go "OH! There it is!" it was really funny how th is ancient building is situated in the middle of a busy intersection. I guess you just have to work around it... I waited about 1 1/2 hours to actually get in and it was kind of chaotic. There didn't seem to be much of a system and it s a free for all when i got to the ticket counter. By that time i was tired and getting a little grumpy, so the whole experience was a little thrown off. It was certainly really fascinating to see, but i think I'm at the point where I'm really tied of being one in at least 3000 in one place and one time. I started to think about my little rural town and began to miss the lack of commotion... Which i never though I'd say. I left shortly after and began to make my way to the pantheon and again got lost. During this time it started pouring rain and of course I was ill-prepared. With no rain coat or sweater, and wearing a white tshirt of all things, I got drenched. I stopped in at a nearby cafe and decided to have some lunch which was delicious! I ordered some pasta with a spicy tomato sauce and a nice glass of Pinot grigio. It hit the spot. When i left, the rain slowed a little but quickly picked up after only a few blocks of walking. At this point I had it. My grumpiness was getting more and more so i stopped for some delicious gelato and decided forget the other tourist attractions, theres just simply no way that's going to happen today. So now I'm back at the hostel, waiting to leave for my train. I am ready for a quieter place. I guess living rural has given me only so much patience for the city. I'm hoping that Vienna will be a little less crowded compared to these big tourist destinations. If not, I might have to hibernate for the next few days because I'm pretty worn out. Between the stressors of Paris, walking around everywhere, and lack of sleep, I'm looking forward to moving on and getting to the home stretch. Of course its great to be in these amazing places, but it's also seriously overwhelming and exhausting. Will write more when i get to florence. Enjoy.

Paris: I love you, but I'm not IN love with you...

After my adventure getting to Paris, I decided I was allowed to sleep in. So I slept until a little past 11 and frankly i could have stayed in bed all day. I took my time packing my things, hoping I could organize it in a way that would be better on my shoulders and back. Keeping an eye on the time since i had to check out at 12, the room phone rang and it was reception asking if i knew that check out was 12 and it was that time. I'm pretty sure i had at least 3 more minutes, but apparently someone was in a rush to kick me out! Anyways, I finished packing and headed out for the day. Since I was staying by the Eiffel tower i decided to visit it. But first i stopped by the ATM to get euros so i wouldn't get stuck... Again. I followed the crowd and was starting to wonder when I was going to see this thing, i mean it couldn't be THAT far! Well, i turned a corner and looked up and VOILA! C'est le tour de Eiffel! I'm not sure why I thought it was going to be smaller, but it was actually huge! There were, however, masses of people EVERYWHERE! Granted it was Saturday at midday which was probably a bad idea on my part. The lines to go up the stores and the lift that brings you to the top were so long and i definitely wasn't waiting... Not with my all my luggage either. I noticed an area around a vendor truck blocked off by the police and there were military people walking around with their very scary guns. I later learned from the Scottish boy Max who i bunked with at the hostel that there were in fact 2 bomb scares there that day. So i walked around a bit and absorbed that iconic landmark. But there was something a little more obviously threatening approaching... The sky. The cloud were becoming far more dense and dark signaling to me to get moving towards the metro. Well, since i wandered off my previous path I started off in a different direction (away from the metro) and then the rains came. It began to pour. The thunder and lighting started and I thought, "well of course. Paris just doesn't want me to like it!" I found the nearest cafe with an empty seat and got a delightful cheese, tomato, bread thing and loved every bit.... Despite not entirely being blocked from the rain. The family next to me left and so i scooted over more and a few minute later a lady from the U.K. sat down next to me.  We got to talking and she was there to see her partner finish up a 300-mile bike ride from london to Paris for the children's hospital. She was a really nice lady and i enjoyed  her company. After the rain cleared, though, we parted ways to get to our destinations. I found my way to the train and after following somewhat confusing directions of the metro i retrieved a map or the lines (which was my prized possession for the next few days) I eventually got to the hostel. The hostel was in a really pretty location in Montemarte, near Sacre Coeur. When i checked in, i was definitely still emotional from all the events of the previous few days. I felt i was going through the motions and not actually enjoying myself because of my frustrations and anxiety of what was going to happen next. Knowing better, i knew i needed to get out so i took the train towards the Musee d'Orsay. It would be the beginning of many magnificent old buildings with such beautiful architecture and intricate details. Before i got there though, i had my first near altercation with a French man in a souvenir shop. I was minding my own business looking at the tour de France items and when i pulled out a shirt to look at it with a tdf water bottle i was contemplating buying, he interpreted that as i wanted to buy all those items and he winks saying he'll give me a bargain. Confused, I followed him to the register more so because I wanted to figure out if i wanted the bottle. I tried explaining that, and he took it as i was trying to bargain with him. For the 2 items he was going to give them to me for 25 euros -- final price. Well, it surely wasn't a deal and i really didn't want it. Annoyed i ended up just getting the bottle because i wasn't exactly sure id be able to get out of there with nothing. Paris needed to start getting better, i thought. I grabbed a really good veggie sandwich on an amazing baguette and ate it along the river after the rain cleared up (again). I noticed a lot of people taking pictures of this really big building across the way and i went over to check it out. There was a HUGE rainbow and when i pulled out the map i got before leaving the hostel, i realized, duh, it's the Louvre! I walked over the bridge to check out the grounds and then reality hit me. I'm not sure exactly why, but emotions really overtook me with this building and the pyramids and the grounds... I was so moved. It was one of those moments when I really felt like i was there and i think it was the first time that had happened since I came to Europe. Since it was already late, I couldn't tour the museum but decided to at least go inside to check it out. I wasn't expected a mall inside, that's for sure! The foyer was huge and people were everywhere (which was just the whole Paris experience.... People EVERYWHERE!). When i was leaving there were these kids who were laying on the side rail of the escalator, riding down. Um, bad idea kids. The guy behind me made a comment, "nice parenting, huh?" i chuckled, and then we began to talk about the whole situation. I noticed he had a tour de France hat on and asked if he was there to see the race. I soon found out not only that he was and he flew in from L.A. but also his entire life story. My new friend mark and I were both headed towards the Notre Dame so we walked over together and stumbled upon the Latin quarter. It was a really neat area with lots of shops, cares, and, you guessed, people. Eventually we got to the Notre Dame and checked it out. We then decided to grab a happy hour drink and during this time i disclosed i was a nurse and this time it was a bad idea. He went on to tell me about his experience when his mom died and he started crying and then there was the awkward people that come up trying to sell you roses... I should have been an account who worked on wall street, but then again i don't think i could pull that off. I did however enjoy an awesome Belgium beer which got me excited that portion of my journey but the french beer was not so great. Since it was way past my bedtime i said bye to mark and headed for the hostel. By this point i had the metro down to a T (pun for the boston folks!) and had a good night sleep except for the nightmare about the Eiffel tower being bombed thanks to the information i received from my scottish roommate, max. 

Sunday was the big day: the final stage of the tour de France. My dream come true! I got up and decided to check out the area I was staying in then go up to Sacre Coeur and then walk down to the Champs Des Élysées. I walked up towards the church which had a really cool surrounding area with lots of street artists and of course more cafes and shops. I found the Sacre Coeur to be way more impressive than the Notre Dame... It was beautiful! Since it was getting closer to noon and i needed to leave time for getting lost, i started walking to the champs Des élysées. Along the way I didn't have to really have the big red moulin rouge to tell me I made it to the red light district. There were enough sex shops to put the pieces together. As I got closer to the champs, my excitement grew but i also stumbled across the Madeleine and decided to stop in. At first i thought it was a court house or something political by the exterior, but the flowers lining the steps up and the sign which read, "You are entering a church. Please have the decency to be quiet." the interior was quite phenomenal. I also find these old elaborate churches fascinating with the stained glass and statues. I continued down just a little ways and i knew i was close. Roads were blocked off, a special entrance for the VIP guest (where was my pass?), and people crowding the streets. I followed everyone with their bright yellow shirts, hats, and bag towards the champs! My heart began to beat harder with each step and my stride lengthened as i couldn't wait to get there. When I finally arrived a huge smile emerged. "i can't believe I'm here! The tour! This is for real!" since it was early and I knew i had a few hours to wait before the riders came through, I got a crepe avec confectionners (bad spelling) framboise and enjoyed it. But of course not without getting some jam on my pants... I really need to find a laundry mat! Then i walked around a little in the area to find the perfect viewing spot. I found what i thought would be best but when more people came by to claim their spot, i learnt the 2 guys who had been sitting in front of my where at least 6'5"... Go figure! I did however manage to finagle a viewing spot only 3 people deep! I could see the road and that's what mattered to me. Next to me was a really adorable French couple who entertained me for much of the time leading up to the riders coming through. They kept playfully hitting each other and the man made jokes with me despite our language barrier. Then a guy from Atlanta, Ronnie, stood next to me and we started talking. He was nice to talk with except when i thought i was about to pass our from standing so long. After about an hour, they had the sponsor parade where all the tour sponsors swerve down the road with these crazy floats and sing and dance. There was one, i think it was for laundry detergent, and they had these guys in tighty whities dancing rather provocatively on some poles... Only in France, I guess! We had to wait another hour for the riders to come through and by this time the crowd grew to about 15-20 people deep. It was so worth the wait. Suddenly you started hearing "Allez! Allez!" and the cameras raise and people start looking over to the left. They were hear at last! The peloton ZOOMED by and it's no lie that they were going like 40 mph. It was amazing. It was so surreal for me to see all these jerseys and riders in real life and not just on tv. Luckily, I got to see this go on for 8 laps which meant I really saw them go by 16 times since I could see them on the other side. The excitement was contagious and i loved every minute of it. At the end of the race, one of the aussi fans came up to me and we started talking about how exciting it was for australia to get it's first tour win with Cadel Evans. We joked about how the Americans are just letting other countries win after Lances epics streak. He mentioned that he just happened to decide to come to the tour this year and what a tour to go to! Since we could see the tv, we watched the awards ceremony and at this point the lady next to me (the wife of the adorable couple) was crying and i was trying to hold back balling my eyes out from bliss -- something i hadn't done since i got to Europe. After the awards, we waited a little longer and all the teams rode through with their team cars. SO AMAZING! Not only did i get to see most all the riders, but the yellow jersey, green jersey, polka dot jersey, and white jersey! And at this point I moved on up to only 1 person in front of me so i got some amazing pictures! After the yellow jersey, a truck that said "course fin" meant the tour was officially over. Wanting to try and get another glimpse of the riders, i bolted down towards the arc de triumphe and actually got to see some riders up close. And then it was really over. I enjoyed he arc de triumphe and it was probably the first and only time i will ever see no cars on the champs des élysées. As i walked back towards the louvre area with intentions to find food and the metro, I stopped to answer a text from my parents. When i looked up i noticed a man walk by, it was only when i took a double take that I realized it was Bob Roll, the commentator for the tour on Versus! We made eye contact and he just gave a smirk clearly realizing i was starstruck with my bugged out eyes and mouth nearly touching my toes. I just stood there for a minute going, "that was bob roll. THAT was seriously him!" I composed myself enough and made it to a food truck and for some reason was craving American food. So I got some French fries and it was definitely a horrible idea. They were soggy, not salted, and just bad. I should have known better but I was desperate. Exhausted from the excitement of the day, I called it a night. 

The next morning, I planned to take the overnight train to Rome. I woke up, got a croissant at this really cute bakery and headed towards the train station... Of course going the wrong way, but luckily there was one in that direction. When I got there, i waited in line and the 2 girls in front of me, i learned because i liked the one girls Toms and commented on them, were from DC. When I mentioned i was traveling alone they were quite impressed and i think pretty shocked. I got to the ticket counter only to learn there were no trains with room for my Eurail pass at all. The only thing i could do would be to catch a train at 8a.m. The next day and it would only take me to Milano. Needless to say, i couldn't think straight and i didn't know what else to do so i sucked up another day in Paris and got the tickets. One thing i don't like about the pass is the extra reservation fees you have to pay on certain tickets. But what can you do? This meant calling my Dad at 5a.m. To find yet another hostel to stay for the night. Luckily between mom and dad they were able to, and it also meant a room to myself for the night. I got to the hostel, which was a few blocks away from the moulin rouge, and decided to take a really nice shower and figure out my plan for the day. By this time it was nearing 2 so i thought it would be a good idea to go to the louvre. I put on my museum best, meaning I put on a dress and felt clean for the first time in a week, then headed over to the museum. There were so many people on the metro i decided to get off halfway down the champs de élysées and walk the rest of the way towards the louvre that i hadnt the day before. It was a beautiful walk and day, and they were still taking down the viewing area from the tour. I decided to go back to the louvre and go inside simply because I was so moved when I went there the first time. It took me about 15 minutes to get in and get my ticket which i was really impressed by. I looked at the map and got a plan of attack. I wanted to definitely see the Egyptian artifacts as they have always been something of interest for me since 4th grade. We went on this really great field trip to the museum of fine arts in boston and my mom chaperoned (like most field trips). They had an egyptian exhibit and I just really thought everything from the mummies to tombs to hieroglyphics were so fascinating. So anyways, that was on the top of my list to see at the louvre. Despite the short wait to get in, there were mobs of people inside and it was so loud. This really took away from my experience and i felt i couldn't appreciate the art as much as i would've liked because people were bumping into me, snapping photos, and it was so loud. Of course, i forgot my iPod in my room. Not only were the people distracting to the art but the building itself was too. I mean, you're there to see some of the most amazing and historic pieces of art in the world, but you're also in this building that is so breathtaking in and of itself! Which do you look at? I managed though and saw some really neat things. I went by Venus de Milo and this really not so smart boy thought it was a good idea apparently to jump over the little gate to get a picture with the sculpture. The museum security promptly started clapping their hands loudly yelling, "sil-vous plais!" I then happened to go down a corridor that led to the Mona Lisa so i decided to check it out since i was there. There was just flashes and flashes, people pushing and shoving... Not a really great experience and it really is quite small compared to the gigantic French painting that faces it and takes up what could probably be a small storefront. After this, i was ready to leave. As i left though, I was stopped by a museum worker when i was about to step out the door who had to ask me if i wanted to go out with him because he was off work and had nothing to do and i was a pretty lady... I had to kindly decline. It was about dinner time so I figured I'd go back to the latin quarter and find some food since i thought i knew how to get there. I literally went in a circle around the block but eventually found my way. Decisions are not my strong point (as many of my family, friends and colleagues can tell you) so choosing a place to eat wasn't easy. Many of these restaurants offered a 3 course meal which sounded pretty good to me since i knew I'd be on the train traveling the next day and not eating too much. I looked at a few menus and then stopped at this one place where i was sold: the greeter wanted to buy me a drink. SOLD! Even if this wasn't the case, it was definitely the right choice. The workers were hilarious and the food was decent. I had mussels in white wine and fish and chocolate mousse (my favorite dessert!). Things got punchy when the greeter started convincing folks they had "sexy tables" and it created quite the laugh. The waiter was apparently impressed with my French and he ended up calling me the "manager." you see this couple from vancouver came in and sat next to me and we started talking a lot. They wanted to order their food so i just let him know because by this point we built quite the rapport and i didn't want them to starve. So that's how i got my nickname. I did end up getting another free glass of wine which was pretty great for me! The Vancouver folks were super nice and they were so canadiens, the wife even pulled out an "eh" which i chuckled to myself at. After laughing a lot I decided to head out and make my way to the hostel. Needless to say, my last unexpected day in Paris was actually quite good and I'm feeling so much better than when I arrived. I've made it one week and I'm hoping the next 2 will turn around. 

Today, I took a train from Paris to Lyon to geneva to Milan and managed to catch a train to Rome, which i was shocked i caught! The views have been amazing going through the french countryside, the Swiss alpes, and the italian countryside and mountains. I even saw a HUGE ikea and a double rainbow in Italy! So despite being stuck on a train all day, at least the scenery is beautiful! Although i wish i was hiking... But now I am officially caught up with writing and hopefully can do a better job of keeping you up to date! I feel like a new person and i think I'm going to enjoy italy. Will write more about my italian adventures soon! Namaste! 

France and I did not start off on a good foot...

So my adventure to Paris began a lot sooner than I anticipated, but these thing are supposed to happen right? Well, as i mentioned I took the train from Geneva to grenoble with plans to watch the individual time trial stage then move on to the finish in Paris. Firstly, the train ride through the Swiss and French countryside was absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately I was on the opposite side of the river and mountain view, but I could still appreciate it from the other row. When we arrived at chamberly we had to switch from train to autobus for the remainder of the journey. Something about water, boats, and construction. I'm not too sure how they all connect to my trip but that's okay. I got off the train with plans to just follow those in front of me who were on the train, but somewhere along the way i lost all the passengers and got out to the buses and was REALLY lost! I couldnt find the bus to grenoble and knew i only had a few minutes before I'd be stuck. I just happened to notice more buses and one that, thankfully, said grreenoble. I hopped on the crowded bus and in an hour or so, arrived in Grenoble. We passed the university which had some seriously incredible architecture and took up a few blocks to make a square around another block.... If that makes the remotest sense. Regardless, it was stunning! But i soon found out that would be all i would see of this city, which I definitely misjudged and thought would be more of a rural, countryside town. It was more of a little city with big buildings, lots of traffic, and lots of people. Anyways, Thinking i was smart and knowing that things would be hectic for the tour, i decided to check out that train situation for saturday. Good thing i did. Already exhausted from walking, and running, around Geneva and nearly missing my train, I just wanted to relax and take a nap. The lady behind the counter had other plans for me when she informed me that all the trains to Paris were booked for saturday. I should have known. My only option was to hop on a train in an hour and arrive in paris at 11:30 that night. I mean, great thing about the eurail pass is that I could easily do this, but it also meant I would have to find a place to stay in a city that was about to hold it's biggest sporting event of the year in 2 days... Right. So of course, i freak. With no euros (there wasn't even an ATM in the station!) or internet, i frantically call Dad and Michele for help. I figured my last resort would be to simply sleep in the train station but when i got to paris later on that night I learnt that would have been so not cool. It reeked of urine and was definitely creepy. Anyways, let's stay on track (like a train... Haha!). I board the train and cry most of the way there. Tired, frustrated, and simply worn out, i wanted out. I didn't think i could handle it and the fear of the unknown was starting to get to me. I anticipated some bumps in the road, but i just hoped this wouldn't be the beginning of several terrible obstacles. Thanks to the quick work of my fabulous travel agent sister in-law, my dad and brandi managed to book me a hotel for the night in the vicinity of the Eiffel tower. Yet even with this problem solved, i still felt at unease. Knowing that i needed a pick-me-up and a motivator, i called the one person i knew could do just that - Michele. In the past year, Michele has helped me not only adjust, but enjoy my time in pomeroy and without her, I'm certain I would have moved back home after one week in Pomeroy, but also never came to Europe. When i found out i would be going at this trip alone, Michele encouraged me to just go and helped me get there. So I knew she could help me out in this dilemma. Needless to say, she revived me and i went from overwhelmed and crying to laughing and ready to take on the world. I eventually go on my next train after my connection in Lyon and it didn't take very long after my arrival into Paris Gare Lyon for that revival to dissipate. As I mentioned the station smelt of urine and gave me an eery vibe... Mostly because besides the people getting off the train there was no one to be seen. This posed a rather imminent problem: how was i supposed to get to my hotel without any money or even a map of the city. Now i REALLY freaked out. I circled the station a few times looking for someone with some official identification and found none. All i could think of was the advice from friends who said the french will just not help you or steal your money -- neither of which i wanted to encounter. Now I was just plain pissed off. "Why did i do this to myself?" I thought, "I could be back home at the beach or enjoying visiting with friends in Boston! Why do i always take the hard way out!" i called my dad in a frenzy and he did his best to calm me down... Which unfortunately wasn't working. I discovered there were stairs that led to the metro but when i looked at the map my eyes bugged. It was Iike T times 20 and i definitely had no idea where to begin or even what station would bring me to the hotel. This left me with no option but to try to find a taxi that would accept my debit card knowing it was going to cost probably more than my hostel for the 2 nights i originally planned to stay in paris. Yet when i walked outside, there wasn't even a taxi in sight. What the hell! Now i was doomed. I was breaking down more and more by the second and i couldn't believe it. I began mentally preparing to have to sleep in the train station while dad tried to convince me "there's a way out of every situation like this!" i happened to notice a white van with a younger man in it and it had some sort of security sign on the drivers side. I decided to try my luck and find out if he knew of the hotel i had written down and the address i was given. In my best French, I asked and in his best english he helped me find my way. Karma was finally catching up to me. Using his radio, he got directions (in English!) for me to the hotel via the train and went so far as to show me exactly how to get there on the map. But not only that, when i explained i had no euros to pay for a ticket and my debit card wouldn't work, he used his key and let me through all the gates that led to the train i needed to catch to make it to my hotel. I couldn't say "merci beaucoup" enough for him to truly understand how grateful i was. I made it on the train and surprisingly to the right station. I even got my first glimpse of the eiffel tower when i happened to look out the window and it lit up and sparkled against the night sky. For some reason, this station had an information booth that had people working there and so i asked if they could help me find the hotel. Luckily, they actually helped and i made my way there. Though a little sketchy, i made it to the hotel unharmed and checked in. At last i was safe and sound. I couldn't believe the events of the day. I took a shower, put on a very bad French tv show, and fell fast asleep. I was so glad the day was over. 

Geneva!

Geneva is a really interesting city, and actually quite small. I came across these 2 small children who took every temper tantrum ive ever witnessed, times it by 100, and put it into these 2 kids. The dad (maybe) just stood there with his dog, clearly unsure how to handle the situation. Talk about birth control... Anyways, I made my way down to the path along the water called the Bains Des Paquis and found a really neat area where I could put my feet in le rhone river which was freezing, but refreshing. After a bit, i noticed some commotion on the other side of the river  and decided to check out what the familiar music was coming from. When i got the i realized it was some sort of summer music festival and they were definitely singing songs like "highway to hell" and "I kissed a girl." don't they have any french pop songs? Either way it was a good time, but i definitely needed something to eat. I decided to make my way back towards the hostel with ambitions of getting a good nights rest after a full belly. I stopped into a boulangerie and had a wonderful apple tart and a mediocre cappuccino. When i got back to my room, my other roommate who I had not met yet was there. His name was Saad and he is from Egypt. After talking for a bit we decided to explore a bit of the city and ended up back at the festival. I ended up getting some real food, but learnt that the Swiss aren't the best at making veggie burgers. Some young girls next to us who asked for "money to get eats" ended up with half of a veggie burger and some frites. Though the shops were closed, we walked down this new York style street that had all kinds of name brand, fancy fashion stores and plenty of Mercedes, piracies, and rolls royces. With my stomach ailing again, we made our way back to the hostel and called it a night. The next day I had to get up early to head to the train station and figure out when i could catch a train to Grenoble. Things went smoothly and I was to take a train at 3 p.m. That left me with a good amount of time to explore more of the city. I headed towards the old town area and had my first croissant which was amazing! I washed down the flaky, buttery goodness with an apple juice box then adventured around some streets with the intention of getting lost and finding some cool sites... Which i definitely succeeded at! My first was the Musee d'art et d'histoire. The building was so beautiful and since it was on a hill, gave a spectacular view of the city and the jet d'eau, a 425 foot high fountain on the rivers edge. I mapped out a sort of route, but like most journeys, took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and ended up at the Cathedrale St-Pierre. I arrived from the side and entered to find a gorgeous interior. I saw the biggest organ and can only imagine how beautiful it must sound when it is being played. I decided to spend the 4 euros and climb up the north and south towers to get a view of the city of Geneva. I am sure glad i did. At the top, despite my panic of a very narrow and steep staircase up, it was well worth the view. I could see the entire city, 360 degrees! Though still, cloudy, I learned that one of the mountains you could see was actually the french border, which i thought was really neat. After admiring it for awhile, i made my way down and continued my walk. I got my first glimpse of the outdoor cafe at the Place du Bourgeois-de-Four, saw some impressive murals which served a backdrop to Les Canons, and walked along the Promenade de la Treille. As i came down the hill of the promenade, i came to a busy rotary which circles around a statue of General Dufour and several very impressive sights. Though the buildings of the Conservatoire de Musique, Grand Theatre, and Musee Rath were elaborate, they could not beat the appeal of the gates to Les Bastions where the Bibliotheque de Geneve and Mur Des Reformateurs are located. As i walked in, I was in awe of the trees, flowers, green, and, best of all, ginormous chess and checkers sets! It was just like you see on the movies of old men strategizing their next move in the middle of the street. I only wished dad could have been with me to play a game as its his favorite and he is a collector of sets too... Sorry dad, i don't think they could have fit in under the plane. With my back crying to sit down because of my overstuffed hiking bag, i decided to get my first crepe avec nutella and find a nice tree to sit under. I did so and gosh was it delightful! As I was eating with my rather cool wooden fork, a dog started to make his way over to me and tried to eat my crepe! Ready to attack to protect my delicious crepe in the most selfish way I could think of, the owner promptly came over and apologized. I savored every last bite and then took a walk around the park before i figured i had enough time to make it to the united nations building before i had to catch my train. Along the way i picked up some gruyere for the train ride as well as some Swiss chocolates. And then the fun began...

As the time passed, my mind began to wonder why exactly i wasn't where i wanted to be. I got to a road that just gave me the eery feeling i made a wrong turn and was not remotely close to where I wanted to be... And i was so right! I was on the complete opposite end of town that i wanted to be at and now was cutting it clods to making my train. Yet despite all this, i couldnt help but admire the path i would soon be nearly running on to make it to gare cornavin (the train station). It was set all along the Rhone river and i only wish I could have enjoyed it some more. There was some really impressive graffiti along the walls... Which unfortunately taints much of the city, even beautiful monuments like Monument Brunswick. Somehow, i made my train just in time and i couldnt wait to take off my bag and relax for a little bit. I got on the train, had some gruyere (which was so amazing) with my British rye crackers and took in the scenery of the swiss and french countryside as i rode towards Grenoble. It would soon turn out the last feelings of contentment for the next several hours. 

Rest of London and beginning of Switzerland!

Well, today I woke up feeling much better. I managed to get to sleep sometime after midnight due to my excessive sleeping and what sounded like a rave coming from the bar downstairs. Either way, I got up around 8 so I could do some sightseeing around Greenwich and try to get over to abbey road. I decided to skip the free breakfast at the hostel due to my last experience and stopped in at this adorable little place called the Green Cafe. After reviewing the menu, I realized there's an 'in' and 'out' price difference -- and surprisingly, the in is like a pound more! Regardless, I got my chai latte for 'out' and grabbed a blueberry muffin for later on. The chai wasn't exactly my favorite but I enjoyed it either way. The weather was still overcast and mildly drizzling. I walked over to greenwich park and along the way you could see the construction they are completing in preparation for the olympics next year. They were getting the equestrian area ready and some other stuff that I just can't remember. Anyways, I walked up to the observatory where Jeff, the anthropologist I met on the flight to London, suggested i visit as it gives an extraordinary view of the city. He was definitely right on. Even though the clouds hovered over the city, the view couldn't be matched. It was simply incredible. Unfortunately the actual observatory wasn't open so I couldn't explore the planetarium or other attractions. Rather, I walked around to the flower garden which was so beautiful. So many flower arrangments and of course, my favorite, sunflowers. The sunflowers were quite funny, I'm not sure how but it seemed as though they made smiley faces in the center. After my walk, I packed my things up and left the hostel in hopes of making it over to abbey road before i flew out to Geneva. Unfortunately time, i thought, wasn't on my side so I decided to save my beatles dream of crossing abbey road, my favorite album by the way (side 2 on vinyl of course) and go to heathrow. 

Fact: the lady that announces the stops on the tube should be recruited for the T. She makes me want to ride the tube all day just to listen how politely she announces, "cannon street station, please mind the gap between the train and the platform." 

Also, a random london side note... I happened to pick up the metro newspaper and read some of it while riding to wherever i was goin at the time... Fantastic! Again, american newspapers should start writing as bluntly as the british. Entertaining for sure. 

Okay, focus: Needless to say i arrived at the airport with plenty of time and waited around for awhile. Apparently the europeans got it down right and i zoomed through security... And got to keep on my shoes! Which, side note, when i left logan, the british lady in front of me was complaining about how us americans are absrud with our security measures and how logan is by far the worst airport to fly out of... I dont necessary disagree with her... Back to the story, though! So the last time I was at heathrow, besides a few days ago, was when I was 14. I traveled with my soccer team to spain and Denmark and heathrow was our connecting points. I really don't recall it being much of anything compared to Logan. Well, either I forgot or they expanded because it's huge! It's like a mall inside with harrods, every type of classy name brand label store, and tons of duty free shops. I thought I was at the mall of America or something! It's a good thing I made my transition from rural America to Boston before heathrow because i surely would have had an anxiety attack due to the mobs of people! I'm just not used to the crowds anymore, what can i say... 

So my flight to Switzerland was actually really quite interesting. Now, some of you may know that I've only recently grown into somewhat enjoying flying, aka not having a panic attack every time i feel turbulence or hear the bells go off. Which, by the way, a pilot i sat next to on some flight back from Providence to Spokane, told me that 4 bells usually means an emergency. Well, that mustn't be universal because I definitely heard the 4 bells go off on my flight over and I was ready to grab my lifejacket but apparently it wasn't necessary. Distractions, apologies. There's a point to my rambling. you see when I got on the plane we were late to take off because the captain told us there was something wrong with the computers for the wings that help the plane land and they were doing a bunch of tests. That made me freak a bit, because I'm just good at that sort of thing but the thought of crash landing also wasn't one my to do list for this trip. luckily, the man next to me (who unfortunately I didn't get his name) started to inquire about my large bag and if i was backpacking through Europe. We talked about my journey and he gave me some great tips of things to see in geneva. Ironically, he's quite the sailor and spent 2 years in new zealand sailing with the switzerland team in the Americas cup. He also has sailed in newport, rhode island! Along with a laundry list of other places all over the world. He was just returning from a trip around the uk with his family and had the most unique carry on item: a lamp that you would see in some historical downtown area. Quite interesting. He had offered to give me a lift to the hostel but we lost each other after customs so I didn't ride with a stranger in a different country (don't worry, mom). 

So i walk about of baggage claim and then that emotional rush overtook me: I was really alone in a foreign country and my years of French were long gone. I've felt this way before... And that was when i moved to pomeroy. Feeling lost and wondering, "can i really do this?" I had to get over my stubborn ways and ask for help. Trying to adjust to the whole language barrier and not be an arrogant American because I just wanted everyone to speak english and things be simple to understand, I found my way to what I hoped was the right train that i hoped would take me to the right place. Fortunately, geneva is pretty small. With some tears running down my face and frustration building for going at this journey alone, I soon learned that I was in first, not second, class but luckily I was only told to go to second class the next time. I got off where I assumed i was supposed to be and uttered a few curse words to myself as i thought, "so now what." I got out the map I was given at the airport and oriented myself. I only went the wrong way a few times before i landed at the city hostel geneva! What an awesome recommendation from one of my friends who shares the same name, kate sitarz: this hostel was so clean, so friendly, so wonderful! And just what I needed... Especially after my last hour and last hostel experience. I met 2 of my roommates, victoria who lives in england but is from Austin, Texas and Ti from china who also lives in London. They were really nice girls and Victoria gave me some tips for traveling in Italy. This ended up being my only meeting with them as i went out to explore and we didn't cross paths again. 

Will post more on my geneva and Paris adventures at my next stop :)

London!

So despite my lack of blogging, I will, at a later date will fill you in on life out west. For now, here's some updates on my latest big adventure: a 3 week trek through Europe! Enjoy!

My first stop brought me from Boston to London and the flight here FLEW (pun intended) by! I took a red eye, which I'm learning may or may not have been a bad idea, so I arrived here at 7:30 am. I got the pseudo upgrade to first class and got to sit in the exit row -- cheers for more leg room and empty seat between me and the other passenger, jeff the archeologist from Texas! Jeff proved to be an entertaining individual giving me a rather interesting interpretation of the movie inception which played on the planes tv screens and we didn't have headphones in. He also gave me some great tips on places to visit in the city. Anyways, I got off the planes, waited in a rather long line to get through the U.K. Border and then made my way to the tube aka the underground aka the best transit I've traveled on! Luckily I've had some training (another intended pun) with the T in Boston which made understanding the map a lot less intimidating. Since it was early and i couldn't check into my hostel, I decided to walk around for a bit near London bridge. As I made my way around a street corner I felt something suddenly smack my head. I thought "what the hell is wrong with people here? They just smack you?" then I noticed the pigeon that clearly was the culprit who smacked me with it's wing. I chuckled to myself and continued walking and amazing walked over London bridge without even realizing it because it's frankly extremely unimpressive compared to the tower bridge that's within sight down the Thames river. Its just concrete and, well, concrete. The tower bridge on the other hand is gorgeous! It has amazing colors of blue and gold and just really attractive. I walked down and found a nice bench to get some shut eye. Then, as I was journaling, an Asian family came up to me and asked to have my picture taken with their two young boys. Awkward moment number 2... But soon to not be the first time I would be mistaken for an English gal. Which really isn't a bad thing. Afterwards, I decided it time to find the hostel which is in Greenwich. Before i did, though, I did my first teeth brushing in the train station bathroom and freshened up a bit. The hostel I'm staying at is pretty nice... As far as hostels go you could say. Good thing I'm still fresh from college and can handle the bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and close quarters. It's an older building that is being renovated it seems and has extremely squeaky floors! After taking a nap I ended up going down to Camden market wharf to find some food. It kind of reminded me of the piers down in San Francisco in a weird sort of way... Tourist shops and random things on the road. I went off a suggestions from a friend who just studied in london and ate an Indian restaurant in the market area. For 3 pounds, it wasn't so bad except it had been raining and I kept getting splashes in my curry... Totally unsanitary! I walked around for a bit more then made my way up to hampstead station and went down all 320 steps to get to the underground and went home. Too tired to even walked, i couldnt even grab a pint before my eyes were telling me its bed time. I slept a lot and in the morning woke with a headache and uneasy stomach. I made my way down to the free breakfast, made some toast, and when I took the overground to London bridge station, i just made it to the toilet. I knew I shouldn't have been so stubborn and just went back to the hostel but I was, and thought I could fight my stomach. I walked down to a bench near tower bridge and laid down for a bit. I got up and felt so weak i wasnt sure id make it back to the train to get back to the hostel... But i somehow managed. I got back and took a very long nap. I woke up still uneasy, but thought it best to get some fresh air and walked around Greenwich. It's a really neat part of town with the royal naval academy and trinity college. The town center was awesome and the marketplace too... Although by the time i got there the vendors were packing up. I found a Mexican restaurant called cafe sol which actually had great nachos... But they didn't exactly stay in my system too long before an alleyway got enjoy it's acidic aftermath. At this point, I found a grocery store, bought some crackers and powerade and went back to the hostel. During dinner I managed to take some excedrin and apparently it kicked in after i showered and washed my puke-ridden clothes in the sink. Feeling like a new woman, i organized myself and decided to go out. So now, i write from this really neat pub down the street from the hostel called scream. I got my first pint and fish and chips and so far so good! Theres a group celebrating a birthday behind me and they are rather entertaining to listen to... The birthday girl just called her mom, saying "thank you for giving birth to me." awesome! Anyways, the rain has been coming down since yesterday and I'm heading out tomorrow to fly to Geneva, Switzerland. I'm glad that I'll be back here at the end of my journey so i can explore some more of the sights. Despite feeling rather sick, my spirits are high and im happy to be here! Although it's still kind of weird that I'm in London and I constantly have to remind myself, I just feel really comfortable here... It's a neat city! But for now, cheers! Will write more at my next stop!