We arrived in dublin yesterday evening with just enough time to grab one last Guinness. It's a strange feeling to be back here again and to think about all the places we've been in just three weeks. It flew by!
Amsterdam was a beautiful little canal city. We walked circles around the place in the three days that we were there. We checked out the Van Gough museum, stood in a line for the Ann Frank house, but got impatient and left. We found a nice park to explore, but spent most of our time there just watching all the people. We are both growing increasingly tired of museums...
We were in Brussels for about 18 hours and during that time we slept, walked to the city center and rode a ferris wheel, walked to a train station and flew to Dublin. I would love to go back to belgum someday. The archetecture is beautiful, and they speak French and Dutch. It also seems they have good food... Especially the chocolate!
We are about to take our last long walk in a foreign city then will begin our day of traveling. We loss six hours in the air and have a layover in Chicago. Should make for a tiresome day!
Thank you all for staying tuned on our trip and for always wishing us well. We have had mostly all good fortune and have seen three rainbows, i think we might have angels traveling with us. We look forward to sharing what we've seen when we get back.
See you soon!
Love from Dublin,
The girls :)
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
We are alive! Sorry for the delay...
Looks like the last time I wrote was right before our Poland night train adventure... Moving has speedbup much since then and we are beginkng to slow down a little... We have lots to fill you in on!
First, Poland was worth the little sidetrack trek. We arrived in the small town that auschwitz is located in at about seven am with a friend we had picked up on the night train from Mexico. He was a young student travelinlg alone and was a good compainion/body gaurd through Poland. When we got there the town was just waking up and it felt like a ghost town. We walked about a mike or so to the camp and had a very heavy experience. We will have to tell you more about it in person, it's too difficult to describe in words. After the camp visits we rode a train to krakow, in which we were tormented by young polish kids for an hour solid. Another story better told in person...
A few hours later were back on a night train, for Berlin. The nigt trains were actually quite enjoyable. The first one we hardly slept so by the second night train we were beat and slept without a problem. Imagine a closet with three beds suspended from each side if the entry way of the closet, fill that with six adults and their belongings and that's what a nigt twain looks like. Talk about accomodation! It was funny.
We arrived in Berlin early Friday morning and were escorted through the subway system by an older man from Moscow. We were so out of it and he was moving so quickly when we arrived at our street we quickly split ways and looked at eachother like, what just happened... It was funny! Berlin is a huge city! We walked around the first day, went to the museum of modern art and an outside bar/music place that had six stages. The second day we rented bikes and went on a beautiful bike ride under Bradenburg Gate and through the largest most beautiful park I've ever seen! Wish you could have been there pops! We also biked to the Jewish musem and spent hours indulging in history and checked out Checkpoint Charlie. On our way back home we were starving and found the most adorable tiny Italian restaurant run by a man and his son. The food was great, the service was great and they gave us a free shot for desert. Or third day in Berlin we took a long walk to view what remains of the Berlin wall. It was interesting. Beautiful, yet disturbing in some ways. By the time we made it back to our belongings it was time to get on another train, to Dresden!
Dresden is probably one of our favorite places so far, if not the very best. We met a few very nice locals and a woman who had lived in Dresden her whole life gave us a ride to our hostle once we had arrived. She owned a shop and the next day we went and visited her. She told us she felt bad that her English was not better, but that when she learned English when she was younger they were a part of East Germany and the GDR did not allow people to cone and go, so she never got to use it. I felt bad imagining what that type of captivity must have felt like.
Dresedn is a beautiful place. In the midst of the ruins from the Allied bombing in 1945 that destroyed the entire city, there are new structures, culture and life all around. Many of the buildings are still being reconstructed. We rented bikes and took a ride on one side of the center in the morning, past the Slaughter House 5 ruins. Then walked around the old city taking in the atmosphere. We found an organic fair trade cafe and had the best tomatoe soup ever. Then took another bike ride in the opppsite direction. It too was beautiful and the weather wad perfect. After a little bike lock fiasco and a visit to our new friend we headed back to the train for Prague.
On the train to Prague we met some young travelers who had nowhere to stay. So when we arrived at about ten pm the four if us, very disoriented, becausecwe arrived at a non central station, spent about an hour finding our hostel. It was a pretty funny journey and crew. So far I. Prague we have walked through old town square, crossed the river, explored the castle a little and satboytside enjoying some great people watching. We are planning on staying up all night to see the sun rise over the Charles Bridge and to ne nice and tired for our sixteen hour train to Amsterdam. Should be exciting!
Sorry again for the delay, but happy to report that we are healthy, in good spirits and enjoying our last week of the journey. Will write again from Amsterdam.
Much love,
the girls :)
First, Poland was worth the little sidetrack trek. We arrived in the small town that auschwitz is located in at about seven am with a friend we had picked up on the night train from Mexico. He was a young student travelinlg alone and was a good compainion/body gaurd through Poland. When we got there the town was just waking up and it felt like a ghost town. We walked about a mike or so to the camp and had a very heavy experience. We will have to tell you more about it in person, it's too difficult to describe in words. After the camp visits we rode a train to krakow, in which we were tormented by young polish kids for an hour solid. Another story better told in person...
A few hours later were back on a night train, for Berlin. The nigt trains were actually quite enjoyable. The first one we hardly slept so by the second night train we were beat and slept without a problem. Imagine a closet with three beds suspended from each side if the entry way of the closet, fill that with six adults and their belongings and that's what a nigt twain looks like. Talk about accomodation! It was funny.
We arrived in Berlin early Friday morning and were escorted through the subway system by an older man from Moscow. We were so out of it and he was moving so quickly when we arrived at our street we quickly split ways and looked at eachother like, what just happened... It was funny! Berlin is a huge city! We walked around the first day, went to the museum of modern art and an outside bar/music place that had six stages. The second day we rented bikes and went on a beautiful bike ride under Bradenburg Gate and through the largest most beautiful park I've ever seen! Wish you could have been there pops! We also biked to the Jewish musem and spent hours indulging in history and checked out Checkpoint Charlie. On our way back home we were starving and found the most adorable tiny Italian restaurant run by a man and his son. The food was great, the service was great and they gave us a free shot for desert. Or third day in Berlin we took a long walk to view what remains of the Berlin wall. It was interesting. Beautiful, yet disturbing in some ways. By the time we made it back to our belongings it was time to get on another train, to Dresden!
Dresden is probably one of our favorite places so far, if not the very best. We met a few very nice locals and a woman who had lived in Dresden her whole life gave us a ride to our hostle once we had arrived. She owned a shop and the next day we went and visited her. She told us she felt bad that her English was not better, but that when she learned English when she was younger they were a part of East Germany and the GDR did not allow people to cone and go, so she never got to use it. I felt bad imagining what that type of captivity must have felt like.
Dresedn is a beautiful place. In the midst of the ruins from the Allied bombing in 1945 that destroyed the entire city, there are new structures, culture and life all around. Many of the buildings are still being reconstructed. We rented bikes and took a ride on one side of the center in the morning, past the Slaughter House 5 ruins. Then walked around the old city taking in the atmosphere. We found an organic fair trade cafe and had the best tomatoe soup ever. Then took another bike ride in the opppsite direction. It too was beautiful and the weather wad perfect. After a little bike lock fiasco and a visit to our new friend we headed back to the train for Prague.
On the train to Prague we met some young travelers who had nowhere to stay. So when we arrived at about ten pm the four if us, very disoriented, becausecwe arrived at a non central station, spent about an hour finding our hostel. It was a pretty funny journey and crew. So far I. Prague we have walked through old town square, crossed the river, explored the castle a little and satboytside enjoying some great people watching. We are planning on staying up all night to see the sun rise over the Charles Bridge and to ne nice and tired for our sixteen hour train to Amsterdam. Should be exciting!
Sorry again for the delay, but happy to report that we are healthy, in good spirits and enjoying our last week of the journey. Will write again from Amsterdam.
Much love,
the girls :)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Days 9&10- Austria
Greetings from Austria!
To summarize my thoughts and felings of Austria in one sentence, it's no Switzerland. So, now I'll tell you why and how we were able to enjoy it anyway...
When we first arrived in Salzburg it was midnight. We arrived to our hostile by taxi and from what we saw out the window it was a beautiful city. When we headed out the next morning to explore, we were met with a sudden stench that did not leave us untill we left the next day. It was also hot, crowded and there was construction everywhere. :(
But now for the good stuff. Yes, believe it or not nat and I cracked jokes about the city all day and had a great time. We sat down at a beer garden just at noon to help relaxbour senses and I had a delicious Austrian "wheat" beer. Then we went off to find motzarts houses. The place he lived was on one side if the river and we went in and did the audio tour. It was kinda neat, I learned a little, but nat informed me she didnt learn anything new. We shopped a little then went up to the top of the Hidleberg castle, which was never actually a functioning castle, but there so that Salzburg would have something to surrender if attacked. It has been open to the public and the site of open air concerts, restuarants and muesems for over a hundred years. We grabed a bite to eat and visited the Marionette museum, which was a real trip!
After the castle Nat drug me to my first actual live classical performance. It was in the Mozartium theater, an international college performance and it was amazing. The first pianist brought tears to my eyes, he was that good. There was also an excellent violinist who had the whole theater cheering after a polka duet. the best part of the evening might gave been thevold man that I sat next to who didn't speak a word of English, but we exchanged smiles all night. It was a great performance and one that I will remember forever.
After the concert we were determined to locate motzarts birthplace, because we had failed to locate it during the crowds and shops during the day. It is on the overly touristed side of the river, with alley after alley of shops and impossible to find. We circled around it for about an hour finally, there it was. We never made it inside...
The next day we woke up and did the most touristy thing that I hope we do this whole trip, The Sound of Music bus tour! Our guides name was Wolfgang and fully suited in his liderhausen he showed us a great time. We thought about you Oma on the whole excision, which made it all worthwhile. The countryside and mountains were lovely, the history lesson was enriching and the singing on the bus was a memory worth holding into. You should have seen nats face! We had the bus tour drop us off at the train station and we were quickly outbid Salzburg!
Vienna is much different then Salzburg. Cleaner, bigger and has a very rich culture. Our first night here we bar hoped around the city and ended "beachside" of the Danube river enjoying drinks in lounge chairs on sand alongside the locals. It was an exhausting evening and crashed in our 100 degree room as soon as we got back.
Today we walkedbtobthe eclectic side of town and spent a few hours soaking in the culture and admiring the works of Friedensrerch Hudertwasser at the Kunst Haus Museum. His works are very nature centered and we fully enjoyed viewing them. Since then we have been shooing and dining trying to doge as much heat and crowds as we can. We've enjoyed apple wine, sachertort (chocolate cake) and struddle while here in Austria. I'm too scared to try the meat... Oma, I wish we could bring you back some strudle, you would love it!
We are about to head for a night train to Krakow that will hopefully get us to Auschwitz. Tomorrow night we will jumping back onto a night train to Berlin. Keep us in your thoughts, this should be a worthwhile sidetrack. We will touch base again once we've arrived in Germany.
Till then,
the girls :)
Oh yeah, and the best thing about yesterdays tour was that we were both sporting our All Star game tees, true tourists for a day! Too bad it didn't break the AL winning streak!
To summarize my thoughts and felings of Austria in one sentence, it's no Switzerland. So, now I'll tell you why and how we were able to enjoy it anyway...
When we first arrived in Salzburg it was midnight. We arrived to our hostile by taxi and from what we saw out the window it was a beautiful city. When we headed out the next morning to explore, we were met with a sudden stench that did not leave us untill we left the next day. It was also hot, crowded and there was construction everywhere. :(
But now for the good stuff. Yes, believe it or not nat and I cracked jokes about the city all day and had a great time. We sat down at a beer garden just at noon to help relaxbour senses and I had a delicious Austrian "wheat" beer. Then we went off to find motzarts houses. The place he lived was on one side if the river and we went in and did the audio tour. It was kinda neat, I learned a little, but nat informed me she didnt learn anything new. We shopped a little then went up to the top of the Hidleberg castle, which was never actually a functioning castle, but there so that Salzburg would have something to surrender if attacked. It has been open to the public and the site of open air concerts, restuarants and muesems for over a hundred years. We grabed a bite to eat and visited the Marionette museum, which was a real trip!
After the castle Nat drug me to my first actual live classical performance. It was in the Mozartium theater, an international college performance and it was amazing. The first pianist brought tears to my eyes, he was that good. There was also an excellent violinist who had the whole theater cheering after a polka duet. the best part of the evening might gave been thevold man that I sat next to who didn't speak a word of English, but we exchanged smiles all night. It was a great performance and one that I will remember forever.
After the concert we were determined to locate motzarts birthplace, because we had failed to locate it during the crowds and shops during the day. It is on the overly touristed side of the river, with alley after alley of shops and impossible to find. We circled around it for about an hour finally, there it was. We never made it inside...
The next day we woke up and did the most touristy thing that I hope we do this whole trip, The Sound of Music bus tour! Our guides name was Wolfgang and fully suited in his liderhausen he showed us a great time. We thought about you Oma on the whole excision, which made it all worthwhile. The countryside and mountains were lovely, the history lesson was enriching and the singing on the bus was a memory worth holding into. You should have seen nats face! We had the bus tour drop us off at the train station and we were quickly outbid Salzburg!
Vienna is much different then Salzburg. Cleaner, bigger and has a very rich culture. Our first night here we bar hoped around the city and ended "beachside" of the Danube river enjoying drinks in lounge chairs on sand alongside the locals. It was an exhausting evening and crashed in our 100 degree room as soon as we got back.
Today we walkedbtobthe eclectic side of town and spent a few hours soaking in the culture and admiring the works of Friedensrerch Hudertwasser at the Kunst Haus Museum. His works are very nature centered and we fully enjoyed viewing them. Since then we have been shooing and dining trying to doge as much heat and crowds as we can. We've enjoyed apple wine, sachertort (chocolate cake) and struddle while here in Austria. I'm too scared to try the meat... Oma, I wish we could bring you back some strudle, you would love it!
We are about to head for a night train to Krakow that will hopefully get us to Auschwitz. Tomorrow night we will jumping back onto a night train to Berlin. Keep us in your thoughts, this should be a worthwhile sidetrack. We will touch base again once we've arrived in Germany.
Till then,
the girls :)
Oh yeah, and the best thing about yesterdays tour was that we were both sporting our All Star game tees, true tourists for a day! Too bad it didn't break the AL winning streak!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Days 7 and 8- more Switzerland!
Hello friends!
First, I have uploaded several videos to my YouTube account to free up some space on the camera. Enjoy!
Saturday we spent a relaxing day in Basel and took advantage of knowing a few locals. We wandered the streets for some sight seeing and since it was a Saturday there were people everywhere and several street mucisians to listen to. The difference with street performers in Europe and back home is that they are actually very talented individuals who can make a living off of what they do. And the music is also extra exciting because of its diversity. Within a one mile radius we heard a violinist, an African quintet and gamelin music, all of which were excellent. We also spent some time soaking our feet on the Rhine river and catching some sun rays. You can float down the river in the middle of basel and as it grew warmer and warmer we all wanted to. So, nat was wearing a few layers and realized she could strip a few and jump in for a swimm. So, she did! We were all insanely jealous, untill she got out of the water in her makeshift wet suit freezing cold with about twenty people starring at her. Everyone got a huge laugh out of it, especially a young Swiss couple sitting behind us. It was great!
We had dinner at katies cousins house and then went out for drinks and to a club much later. Everyone knows they neither nat and I are huge fans of clubs, but our new Basel friends convinced us to at least experience it... So we did andvit was not at all what I had expected. It was just like any American club with disco lights and loud techno music and a large dance floor. The only difference was that you could hear at least three languages at any given time, the drinks are smaller nobody knows how to dance. They just crowd together in the dance floor, bob their heads a little and sway to the beat. It was hilarious! I'm also not sure what time the place closes, but the sun was coming up on our walk home...
Needless to say we got a late start to the day today, but it still being quite lovely. We wanted to get to Salzburg by tonight, but we had to go through Zurich so we took a little detour through Lucern first and it was worth every second! We got to Lucern and had about fivev hours before we had to get back on the train. So we found the fastest way up the mountain and one bus ride, a short hike and a gondula ride later we were standing in the middle of the alps. I can't even begin to explain how beautiful this was so i'm not even going to try. Watch the video when it's posted. We took an alpine sled ride walked around a little and headed back to the base to jump back on the train.
The train ride from Switzerland to Austria was also unbelievable. We were literally travel through the mountains the while way. Passing by tiny rivers, cottages, towns and even castles. I hope everyone who is interested and hasn't seen the alps yet has an opportunity to see them sometime. Any words I would use could not describe their beauty justly.
Tomorrow begins our music tour in Salzburg! From what we've seen so far it is a beautiful small mountain city. Stay tuned!
Till then, adieu.
The girls.
First, I have uploaded several videos to my YouTube account to free up some space on the camera. Enjoy!
Saturday we spent a relaxing day in Basel and took advantage of knowing a few locals. We wandered the streets for some sight seeing and since it was a Saturday there were people everywhere and several street mucisians to listen to. The difference with street performers in Europe and back home is that they are actually very talented individuals who can make a living off of what they do. And the music is also extra exciting because of its diversity. Within a one mile radius we heard a violinist, an African quintet and gamelin music, all of which were excellent. We also spent some time soaking our feet on the Rhine river and catching some sun rays. You can float down the river in the middle of basel and as it grew warmer and warmer we all wanted to. So, nat was wearing a few layers and realized she could strip a few and jump in for a swimm. So, she did! We were all insanely jealous, untill she got out of the water in her makeshift wet suit freezing cold with about twenty people starring at her. Everyone got a huge laugh out of it, especially a young Swiss couple sitting behind us. It was great!
We had dinner at katies cousins house and then went out for drinks and to a club much later. Everyone knows they neither nat and I are huge fans of clubs, but our new Basel friends convinced us to at least experience it... So we did andvit was not at all what I had expected. It was just like any American club with disco lights and loud techno music and a large dance floor. The only difference was that you could hear at least three languages at any given time, the drinks are smaller nobody knows how to dance. They just crowd together in the dance floor, bob their heads a little and sway to the beat. It was hilarious! I'm also not sure what time the place closes, but the sun was coming up on our walk home...
Needless to say we got a late start to the day today, but it still being quite lovely. We wanted to get to Salzburg by tonight, but we had to go through Zurich so we took a little detour through Lucern first and it was worth every second! We got to Lucern and had about fivev hours before we had to get back on the train. So we found the fastest way up the mountain and one bus ride, a short hike and a gondula ride later we were standing in the middle of the alps. I can't even begin to explain how beautiful this was so i'm not even going to try. Watch the video when it's posted. We took an alpine sled ride walked around a little and headed back to the base to jump back on the train.
The train ride from Switzerland to Austria was also unbelievable. We were literally travel through the mountains the while way. Passing by tiny rivers, cottages, towns and even castles. I hope everyone who is interested and hasn't seen the alps yet has an opportunity to see them sometime. Any words I would use could not describe their beauty justly.
Tomorrow begins our music tour in Salzburg! From what we've seen so far it is a beautiful small mountain city. Stay tuned!
Till then, adieu.
The girls.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Day 6 - Switzerland Day 1
Greetings from the Alps! I am happy to report, once again that we are save and and smiling. Our traveling plans have already changed drastically and that is a very good thing... We had originally planned on staying in Basel for one night and will be staying for three instead. It is nice to not be moving for a while and we figured out that Basel is a big hub and it is easy to do day trips from here. Not to mention our hostel is beautiful and clean!
This morning we woke up and decided to take a day trip to Lausanne which is a city on the Swiss side of Lake Geneve. Lake Geneve is at the south of Switzerland and it is just one a few places where the French merge with the Swiss in a beautiful way. The culture in Lausanne was charming. We did another walking tour of the city and found some pretty parks and structures. In one park we found what might be the highlight of our trip so far, a giant Mancala board made of wood. We stopped to play and had a blast. It reminded us of good childhood memories. :) Click here to see it for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcCzv9eZHJ0
After the mancala game we continued walking and heard an accordion player in the distance. So we followed it and it was a beautiful sound well worth following. We sat on a bench and listened while soaking in some southern Swiss rays and it was a beautiful moment.
After the park we hiked up the city to a museum called L'Art de Brut. It was a four story museum full of exhibits of artwork from people were mentally ill or psychologically institutionalized. The stories of each artist were moving and the art was truly stunning. The randomness in several of the artists works made them memorizing to look at. Needless to say we were there for hours. Many of the artists would use pieces of rubbish to create things like toy guns or statues and it just reminded me that, "one person's trash is another person's treasure" and this is something too easily forgotten. Also many artists would mix words with art or music with art and this too was interesting. We had a great time at this museume and were there for hours... Look up Art d'Brut if you have the time...\
After the museume we hiked to the bottom of Lausanne where Lake Geneve sits and ate a small meal at a lake side cafe. This too was beautiful and we had the company of two birds whom Nat was very intrigued with. It was funny. Then we hiked back up the hill (which was exhausting, because we were also hurrying to find the train) and headed back for Basil.
We met back up with Katie, a friend of Nat's who is staying here for the summer nannying and she showed us around the city a little and then took us to a friend's cousins house where we spent the most hospitable next few hours. We met two people named Brian and Carrie who have lived and traveled all over Europe for ten years now. We told them all about our trip and they gave us some excellent insider advice. Our will most liekly shift because of this advice, which really helps us to slow it down and enjoy each city we are in for a little longer. Whcih, you will soon see...
All in all, Switzerland is beautiful, especially in the french feeling mountains south. You will LOVE the pictures!
Tomorrow we will be spending the day in Basel, touring, relaxing and at an outside music festival. Then off to Austria in the morning with a possible stop at Lucern on the way.
Ta ta for then!
The girls. :)
One last thing that Nat reminded me of, that will truly make you laugh if you can at all picture the two of us doing this, which I am sure you can... On our first train ride in Europe (of many to come) we actually got of at a stop to catch what we thought was our connecting train. Then we decided to go to Lausanne instead of Geneve at the last second. So we thought that we were waiting to get on the train to Lausaane and well you see, the Swiss are VERY precise. So about thirty seconds before our train should take off we realized that we actually needed to get on the same train we had been on. So, we climbed back on, laughing of course. But what makes it even funnier is that during that five minute break at the train stop we shared a banana and anyone that was watching us probably thought we got off the train to have a banana and then got back on! he he he
This morning we woke up and decided to take a day trip to Lausanne which is a city on the Swiss side of Lake Geneve. Lake Geneve is at the south of Switzerland and it is just one a few places where the French merge with the Swiss in a beautiful way. The culture in Lausanne was charming. We did another walking tour of the city and found some pretty parks and structures. In one park we found what might be the highlight of our trip so far, a giant Mancala board made of wood. We stopped to play and had a blast. It reminded us of good childhood memories. :) Click here to see it for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcCzv9eZHJ0
After the mancala game we continued walking and heard an accordion player in the distance. So we followed it and it was a beautiful sound well worth following. We sat on a bench and listened while soaking in some southern Swiss rays and it was a beautiful moment.
After the park we hiked up the city to a museum called L'Art de Brut. It was a four story museum full of exhibits of artwork from people were mentally ill or psychologically institutionalized. The stories of each artist were moving and the art was truly stunning. The randomness in several of the artists works made them memorizing to look at. Needless to say we were there for hours. Many of the artists would use pieces of rubbish to create things like toy guns or statues and it just reminded me that, "one person's trash is another person's treasure" and this is something too easily forgotten. Also many artists would mix words with art or music with art and this too was interesting. We had a great time at this museume and were there for hours... Look up Art d'Brut if you have the time...\
After the museume we hiked to the bottom of Lausanne where Lake Geneve sits and ate a small meal at a lake side cafe. This too was beautiful and we had the company of two birds whom Nat was very intrigued with. It was funny. Then we hiked back up the hill (which was exhausting, because we were also hurrying to find the train) and headed back for Basil.
We met back up with Katie, a friend of Nat's who is staying here for the summer nannying and she showed us around the city a little and then took us to a friend's cousins house where we spent the most hospitable next few hours. We met two people named Brian and Carrie who have lived and traveled all over Europe for ten years now. We told them all about our trip and they gave us some excellent insider advice. Our will most liekly shift because of this advice, which really helps us to slow it down and enjoy each city we are in for a little longer. Whcih, you will soon see...
All in all, Switzerland is beautiful, especially in the french feeling mountains south. You will LOVE the pictures!
Tomorrow we will be spending the day in Basel, touring, relaxing and at an outside music festival. Then off to Austria in the morning with a possible stop at Lucern on the way.
Ta ta for then!
The girls. :)
One last thing that Nat reminded me of, that will truly make you laugh if you can at all picture the two of us doing this, which I am sure you can... On our first train ride in Europe (of many to come) we actually got of at a stop to catch what we thought was our connecting train. Then we decided to go to Lausanne instead of Geneve at the last second. So we thought that we were waiting to get on the train to Lausaane and well you see, the Swiss are VERY precise. So about thirty seconds before our train should take off we realized that we actually needed to get on the same train we had been on. So, we climbed back on, laughing of course. But what makes it even funnier is that during that five minute break at the train stop we shared a banana and anyone that was watching us probably thought we got off the train to have a banana and then got back on! he he he
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Days 4 and 5
I am writing this in good spirits from one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. So yes, we successfully made it out of the UK. Everyone raise your glass and celebrate! It was one of the most exhausting 24 hours ever, but the important thing us Boone was hurt and we made it out ok, with a little help from sone friends... Love you mom and dad!
Our time in London was actually a rather pleasant day. We walked all over the city and saw many beautiful things, like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, buckingham palace ( we actually even accidentally arrived as the guards were changing) and went up the London Eye. That night we went to a "global" concert in Camden at a tiny and vibrant underground venue. The band had 12 members and it was pretty fun to watch. On the way home Nat decided that she was hungry so we got two falafal sandwhiches from a little stand and they were deliocous! I finished mine beforre we had to switch tube lines, but it took Nat thee whole rude home and this we thought was hilarious!
We got to our hostel and hopped on the internet to email and blog like we do every night, but last night we didn't quite make it thar far... You see, I always hig my purse to my body so that it doesn't take off running, but last nigt a decided to put it between my feet under my chair. Needless to say, it didn't stay there for long. I picked up my purse and noticed that it was much lighter then usual and found that my wallet wad missing. Another guest suggested reviewing the security tapes so we spent about 15 minutes doing this and sure enough watched a guy come up and snatch the walkent right from underneath me! Err, it wad frustrating.
To make a long story short, and because nothing about this one is funny, except for when Nat applauded as I walked out of the embassy gates four hours after I had walked in them, and 12 hours after the whole ordeal started... We made it out of London and couldn't be happier to be in the middle of the Swiss alps! Ask me about the embassy another day, it often felt like I was in the middle if a seinfeld episode!
We arrived in Switzerland semi delerius from another sleepless night and a rainbow greeted us on both sides of the airport road we drove out on. Literally. It was so beautiful I wanted to cry! When we arrived at the huge bus station we had no clue where we were headed but knew it was close by. We showed the bus driver, who spoke no English or French, the name of our street and he gave us about five different hand gestured directions. We looked at eachother and at the huge station we were lost in, secretly thinking well never find our way out, but just started walking. This strategy has actually brougt ya many great surprises all week and apparently we speak gesture well, because we exited the station at another side and were right on our street. We looked at eachother with an exhausted sigh of relief and excitement. Our hostel is beautiful, the people are nice and we can't wait to explore the mountains and rude country side trains tommorrow!
Untill then, thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts. More from the alps in hours...
Signing off safe and sound,
The girls :)
Our time in London was actually a rather pleasant day. We walked all over the city and saw many beautiful things, like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, buckingham palace ( we actually even accidentally arrived as the guards were changing) and went up the London Eye. That night we went to a "global" concert in Camden at a tiny and vibrant underground venue. The band had 12 members and it was pretty fun to watch. On the way home Nat decided that she was hungry so we got two falafal sandwhiches from a little stand and they were deliocous! I finished mine beforre we had to switch tube lines, but it took Nat thee whole rude home and this we thought was hilarious!
We got to our hostel and hopped on the internet to email and blog like we do every night, but last night we didn't quite make it thar far... You see, I always hig my purse to my body so that it doesn't take off running, but last nigt a decided to put it between my feet under my chair. Needless to say, it didn't stay there for long. I picked up my purse and noticed that it was much lighter then usual and found that my wallet wad missing. Another guest suggested reviewing the security tapes so we spent about 15 minutes doing this and sure enough watched a guy come up and snatch the walkent right from underneath me! Err, it wad frustrating.
To make a long story short, and because nothing about this one is funny, except for when Nat applauded as I walked out of the embassy gates four hours after I had walked in them, and 12 hours after the whole ordeal started... We made it out of London and couldn't be happier to be in the middle of the Swiss alps! Ask me about the embassy another day, it often felt like I was in the middle if a seinfeld episode!
We arrived in Switzerland semi delerius from another sleepless night and a rainbow greeted us on both sides of the airport road we drove out on. Literally. It was so beautiful I wanted to cry! When we arrived at the huge bus station we had no clue where we were headed but knew it was close by. We showed the bus driver, who spoke no English or French, the name of our street and he gave us about five different hand gestured directions. We looked at eachother and at the huge station we were lost in, secretly thinking well never find our way out, but just started walking. This strategy has actually brougt ya many great surprises all week and apparently we speak gesture well, because we exited the station at another side and were right on our street. We looked at eachother with an exhausted sigh of relief and excitement. Our hostel is beautiful, the people are nice and we can't wait to explore the mountains and rude country side trains tommorrow!
Untill then, thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts. More from the alps in hours...
Signing off safe and sound,
The girls :)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Dublin Videos...
I am in the process of uploading the videos that we have taken already and it is taking FOREVER. This is all thats loaded for now. Be looking forward to more at some point!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suok-5Q4sRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suok-5Q4sRw
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