Apr 2007

So.....I know it has been awhile and alot has happened.....I am sorry I have not informed you on my happenings.

Originally I was only planning on being is Spain for a week total. Basically I would only go to Madrid and Barcelona. I have now spent about 14 days in Spain, not my choice. Dont get me wrong Spain is beautiful and I have had some fun here, but the stress has beaten the fun into the ground multiple times.

Ok...Madrid....I met up with Cody, from Waldorf. He showed me around the city and tried his best to explain the importance of the strawberry tree and bear statue. we hung out for a couple of hours and caught up.

That night as well as the next I hung out with Cody and his friends. it was great to speak english and have people understand me.

After Madrid I headed to Barcelona, which I was very excited for. I got there very late at night, and walked to my hostel, which was only 5 minutes by foot.

The next few days I spent with Jessie, a canadian girl from Prince Edwards Island. She said I was the first person to connect that with Anne of Green Gables. I love Anne of Green Gables. I used to want to marry Gilbert from the film and then I found out he is about 20 years my senior and that did not seem likely.

Our last day we headed to the train station to confirm our trains to France. When we got there we found out there was a strike in France, and we would not be able to travel through it for at least two days. so what to do? We decided to go to Africa. I know abit random, but we had talked about how cool it would be to go to Morocco, and this gave us a chance to go.

The rest of the day, we visited Gaudi buildings. My favorite was the Cathedral, it reminded me of the drip castels my siblings and I used to make on the beach. I have not been to an Evanston beach in a really long time. I think it must be 2 years, swimming at least. I have been away every summer since then. I hope I can go this summer.

Parc Guell was breathtaking. It was packed full of school groups and tourists, which made it hard to get any clear photo.

Which doesnt really matter because I have no photos from Barcelona anymore. Because my purse got stolen on the train from Barcelona to Madrid. We had stopped there to change trains to go to Malaga. Basically, not getting into specifics, it was a stressful couple of days. My purse had my ATM card, camera and cell phone in it. So I basically had no money for the next couple of days. But Jessie was with me and I did have a credit card and traveller checks, so things worked out.

But just f.y.i. spain does not change american travellers checks at change stations, only banks. and I was there on a sunday and bank holiday so no banks was open. very annoying.

Because of this Jessie and I never actually got to Morocco. Too bad, but I did say this was an Europe trip, so Africa was not in the cards, that is ok. I will go there someday, maybe with Edith...she loves Africa.

And to top off all of that I ended up getting about 10 spider bites, if you know me well you know that is not good, a bunch of bed bug bites and I apparently have a mild pollen allergy and spring in spain provokes alot of pollen into the air, needless to say I was an unhappy chappy.

It is quite sad actually that all this happened in such an amazing country, because I wish I could have enjoyed myself more in the beautiful surroundings. It is a shame....but maybe I will go back someday.

The tense in this blog is probably not consistant since I have written it over a week. so sorry about that. confusing I know.

Ok....so after the whole Spain curfuffle, I headed to Lyon France. Which my cousin, Andrew suggested to me saying "it is better than paris". I had no idea about it, but I went taking his word for it, and I loved it. It was what in my mind I imagined Paris to be, but paris ended up no being. It was old townhouses, small stone streets and small independent shops and cafes.

I stayed at the HI hostel in Vioux Lyon, which is only one of the two hostels in Lyon. It was really nice, other than the extremely long lock out period, 10-2. It was fine, with me, but I had to bring everythibng with me, just took alittle more planning that I had been doing previously. The hostel was about half way up the hill, that at the top is the Notre Dame. That has a bigger name but I do not know it. It is Lyons Notre Dame.

The veiw from the top of the hill seemed to be from old Europe. All the building close to the hill had history and character, where as farther out the buildings grew bigger and made out of steal and glass.

The veiw from the hostel was great, but the terrace was soaking wet from the rain, so sitting out there was not an option, unless I didnt mind my pants being wet while walking through town.

While in Lyon I bought a camera, similar to my last one, so I could start taking pictures again.

One my last full day in Lyon I saw a dog on a leash, but he was holding the handle in his mouth. He was walking himself, I thought it was pretty funny, to bad I didnt get a photo of it. His owner, a small old women, was walking behind him with a lot of bags and groceries conversing with the dog as if in conversation. I miss my hermes.

Ok so now I am in Geneva.....I know a long trek from Spain....but it had to be done. I am here for two nights and then who knows. I might go visit Adele Trueblood in France, or if not I think I will start heading north towards Copenhagen.

Much love and many adventures
Alice

After Leeds I headed north to Edinburgh, Scotland. Even though I was only there for a day, I fell in love with the city. The history and culture was so inviting. I stayed about a 5 minute walk from High street at the budget backpackers hostel. If any young people are planning on travelling to Edinburgh I would suggest staying there, the staff was very nice and it is all young backpackers.

While in Edinburgh I met Melissa, from TN. She is studying in Caen, France and was on break and decided to go to scotland for a couple days. We met the first night there and then basically spent the entire time together. We even took a day tour to loch ness, which was awesome. It was nice to meet someone from the states over here that was not in a group. Most americans dont travel alone, I am in a feild on my own. I have met some american guys who were travelling alone, but melissa was the first girl. Yes, she is studying abroad so it is different, but cool non-the-less.

Ok, when I arrived in Edinburgh I was shocked to experiance how hilly it is. I knew it was hilly and well....on a hill, but I was not prepared for the massive slopes, and when you are trying to find a hostel walking up and down hills for about and hour with a 40 lb backpack and heavy bags in your hands....uuuggg. Not fun. But I got there and then everything was fine and dandy.

ok, so my first full day was for the city, went on a morning tour then melissa and I went to the castle and basically just walked around the entire day.

One of the great things about edinburgh, at least as a backpacker, you can get great meals for basically half price. At The Last Drop anything 6 50 and under is 3 50pp and The Castle Arms has a menu only for young people who have a hostel key or room card. Nothing is more that 4 pounds and it is a good full meal.

The next day Melissa and I woke up early to walk to our Loch Ness tour meeting place. we were on a tour with 9 other people, 12 including us and the driver/tour guide. Speaking of the guide, she was awesome. She told us so many stories and scotish facts, I was loving it.

The tour included a bunch, but the highlights were Glencoe and Loch Ness. I could have stayed in Glencoe forever, in a feild of grass surrounded by snowtipped mountains. If I do not live near the ocean I will live near mountains, maybe I could do both.... well if I live in Maine that is highly possible.

Loch Ness was great, it is safe to say that i have been converted into a believer. I believe there are unknown creatures living in the Loch. I do
not however believe that they are monsters. Ricky, the resident marine biologist and "beleiver" convinced me that it either has undefined creatures or it is haunted, and along with some facts that I do not remember, haha, it has to be the undefined creature path. If you think I have been away from home too long already because of the preceding well, thats silly. If you went there you would beleive too.

The night we got back to Edinburgh we learned that the weather was horrible while we were out. I have not had any bad weather yet, knock on wood. It is very nice, but I have to say that it is hard having beautiful days because I feel really guilty when all I want to do it sit in my room and listen to broadway soundtracks. But I remind myself that I would go insane if I never had any down time.

The next morning I woke up around 5 30 to catch a 6 30 train to Canterbury Via London. It took the entire day, but i finally got to Canterbury.

Gillian and David Ratcliff were my hosts. I was guided to them by Kathleen Bird. They were in her choir in Frankfurt and are now living in Canterbury. It was a pretty low key couple of days but I was happy for that. Sunday we went to St.Martins and the Cathedral and had afternoon tea and then that night we had a wonderful homecooked meal made by Gillian. It was wonderful.

We went to evensong at the cathedral, a small all women group was singing because the cathedral choir was on their easter break. I made me abit sad, a similar feeling I got in oxford and st.pauls. I relly miss choir, it is something that...well....defined me for a long time. and now I dont even bring it up when peopl ask me to tell them about my high school years. I am not going to say that what happened with the choir shouldnt have, becasue even if I think that it does nothing for me or it, but I will say that I wish the people "in charge" of the "change" could have handled it toally differently. St.Lukes had something many churchs dont, and I do not mean a choir, I mean a young people community. There were at least 8 teenagers at church every sunday, not because their parents made them but because they wanted to be there. I miss sundays, how they used to be. Running through basemet to the girls vestment room trying not to be late to an already began warm-up, lock-ins, laying in the grass of the schmitt halls house having "youth group" was what defined my adolesense.

ok....I know...abit off the trail of my trip in europe

So then Paris, I went and stayed with Victor Dillard, a friend from PIC for all of you who do not know him. He works for Loreal, so during the day I was on my own. I was fine, not great, I think Paris needs done with people....who speak french. I was so confused all the time. But it was beautiful.

so I will update you on spain when I am out of it, so bye!
many love and adventures
Alice

So for the past couple of days, I have been spending it with Jane Lockwood and Anthony, sorry I do not know your last name, who live in Leeds. I went to Leeds to stay with Jane while in the Uk and ended up visiting York and Coastal towns. Which I thought was more than fine. I thought York was nice but I loved the coastal towns. I have to admit the birds did keep me on edge at times, but it was amazingly breath-taking beautiful. I think I liked Robin Hood Bay the most. Cool name right!

Anthony told me about the Coast to Coast walk and that a pub in Robin Hood Bay is the end point, I sort of want to try the walk. I know it is like 100+ miles long but I think with the right people it could be awesome.

There was a small bridge near the waters edge that a small stream was coming from. A young boy, maybe 5 or 6, was standing at the opening yelling for the Troll named Gary to come out. It didn't. Then the boys father called him from the pub and the boy ran away. If I acted like that child I would be thought as insane, I wish I could yell under bridges for trolls and in trees for fairies and such. Well I could I guess.

I am not used to hills. My legs are killing me. I am used to chicago/evanston which is virtually flat. It might just be that I am out of shape, but I would rather think I am just not used to it.

But back to the ocean, I will live by it someday. It will probably be in Maine or some other eastcoast US city.

I miss Maine, it is too bad I am not going back to camp this year, I really love it. There are very few constants in my life, but I think Pine Island will be one, at least I hope it will be. And to all you PICers you are one of a kind, have never met any group like you and never been anywhere with any hint of the same atmosphere.

Well, I am now in Edinburgh, Scotland and am trying to plan out my days ahead. I think I am going to take a day tour friday to Loch Ness and tomorrow explore the hilly city.

Oh and I will try and get photos up as soon as possible, sorry it is taking me awhile.

Much love and adventures
Alice

It is the morning of the.....well I dont know...Friday. And it is Marens last full day in London. We dont have much planned. She wants to go see St. Pauls, but I do not think it will be open for none worship visits because of Good Friday.

Wednesday Morning we got up really early and headed for a theater to get half price tickets day of. We got them. We went and saw Peter Shaffer's Equus. It was awesome. I knew what the play was about and had read it when the media was all over it. I thought Daniel Radcliff did a great job. I do wish his voice was more powerful, it is still abit weak. But other than that he did great.

What did we do yesterday? Oh yeah I waited for Maren in a feild of Birds! We split up for the first half of the day, she went shopping while I went to the national gallery and then we were to meet at 4 on the left side of the steps outside the National Gallery. 4 o'clock no sign of Maren, 4 30 no sign, 5 no sign, 5 15 nope and then at 530 she showed. It was so nerve racking, there were Birds everywhere, they were hardly scared of humans too, they would come so close to me. I was trying to look cool, but I was freaking out in my head.

We had planned to go out tonight, but we got back to the hostel and basically just died. So we went to bed instead.

The other people in our dorm are so loud! I dont understand what it is. It not just them getting their stuff together, they talk....loudly. like they were alone or something. Very inconsiderate.

well so long,

Alice

So I have not been in the US for a week now. I have spend most of my time in London, and will continue on here until the end of the week.

Today Maren and I started our touristy plans, visiting the givens: tower bridge, tower of london and so on. It was fun. I find what is most interesting is when we just walk around. We walked around Oxford and Piccadilly Circus for a couple hours before we returned to the hostel. I thought it was much more interesting than anything else we did before it. The people we saw, and heard (yes eavesdropping) gave us a peek into the actual London, not just the touristy part.

While on the bus I was blankly staring out the window past some work men, and one of them caught my eye, and started to dance. I think he must of thought I was sad or something and he wanted me to smile. He was quite amusing.

We returned to the hostel to get ready for our night out. We went and saw Les Mis, a musical I know by heart but had never seen until tonight. We went yesterday and got 50% off tickets, it was a good performance, not the best I have seen, but very good.

Maren wants to go to another one, musical that is, and it is possible if we cut some other stuff out, but we shall see.

Another crazy thing happened once we got to the show. I ran into another person, but somebody I already knew, Clairellyn Smith. She is visitng London with her mother and she was seeing Les Mis the same night as us! It is crazy how this stuff happens so many miles away with no plans.

Well I am off,

Alice