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| Laura's London Adventures! |
I'll post the European part as soon as I make the album.
-Laur
December 2, 2009
At long last...pictures!
Hey guys, sorry for the wait! I had the album prepared months ago, but I haven't gotten around to making one for the EU portion of my journey. Soon, soon.
Enjoy!
I'll post the European part as soon as I make the album.
-Laur
Enjoy!
I'll post the European part as soon as I make the album.
-Laur
August 24, 2009
Home again
Well, I'm home. Today it will be a week since I made my return to the normal world. I miss Europe, but my heart's not broken. Now that I'm back on my regular schedule I appreciate the madness of those 3 weeks a little more, especially since they're over ;)
I'll be editing, captioning, and uploading photos throughout the week. Hopefully I'll have a 2 Picasa web albums ready to go by the weekend; one for London, one for European Highlights.
I'll also be transcribing some of my better journal entries into this blog. I'll be keeping up my regular blog as well; if you haven't been following it, you can find it here: Laura in Real Life.
Cheers,
-Laur
I'll be editing, captioning, and uploading photos throughout the week. Hopefully I'll have a 2 Picasa web albums ready to go by the weekend; one for London, one for European Highlights.
I'll also be transcribing some of my better journal entries into this blog. I'll be keeping up my regular blog as well; if you haven't been following it, you can find it here: Laura in Real Life.
Cheers,
-Laur
August 16, 2009
Wrap-up
Just a quick post for now because I have to go say goodbye to some people who aren't staying at the hotel.
The tour is over and just in time, because I've run out of money haha. Tomorrow I'll be home and ready to get back to real life. I get in at around 3:15 in the afternoon.
Tonight we're doing farewell drinks in the pub later on, for those of us who are staying at the Royal National hotel until we leave London. I still have to repack my suitcases and take a shower; I'll do that later, I think. I haven't met my roommates, but for now I'm hungry and I think I'll go find some dinner.
Next to come: highlights and lowlights.
-Laur
The tour is over and just in time, because I've run out of money haha. Tomorrow I'll be home and ready to get back to real life. I get in at around 3:15 in the afternoon.
Tonight we're doing farewell drinks in the pub later on, for those of us who are staying at the Royal National hotel until we leave London. I still have to repack my suitcases and take a shower; I'll do that later, I think. I haven't met my roommates, but for now I'm hungry and I think I'll go find some dinner.
Next to come: highlights and lowlights.
-Laur
August 15, 2009
Amsterdam-aged
OMG This city is ridiculous! I'm almost ready to start my full day there and last night I got my first taste of the red light district. B, I so wish you were here <3
The bus is going to leave soon and I have to hit the bank. Here's a short recap:
Munich: not much fun, with the exception of the Bier Hall dinner. I drank half a 1-litre stein of beer! Sarah would be so proud.
The Rhine valley was GORGEOUS! I wish we had had more time there. I bought two pairs of Birkenstock Madrids for CHEAP and then after dinner went for a delicious and drunken wine tasting in the award-winning cellar near our hotel. Delicious!
Anyways, people want these computers so I'm going to have to sign off. Home on Monday for stories in person!!!
-Laur
The bus is going to leave soon and I have to hit the bank. Here's a short recap:
Munich: not much fun, with the exception of the Bier Hall dinner. I drank half a 1-litre stein of beer! Sarah would be so proud.
The Rhine valley was GORGEOUS! I wish we had had more time there. I bought two pairs of Birkenstock Madrids for CHEAP and then after dinner went for a delicious and drunken wine tasting in the award-winning cellar near our hotel. Delicious!
Anyways, people want these computers so I'm going to have to sign off. Home on Monday for stories in person!!!
-Laur
August 12, 2009
Ciao, Italia!
MY GOODNESS! What a crazy few days I have had! I've been to Firenze, Roma and Venezia, and now, sadly, I am in München (Munich), and I miss Italy already.
You got my post from Florence; the next few days were even crazier! The morning after the dinner and club we woke up to an earlz breakfast, put our stuff back on the coach and headed back into the city. We saw a leather-crafting demonstration and got to look at some very expensive purses and such, and then we had about an hour or so of free time to hang around before we went on a walking tour of the major sights. I wandered around and bought a few gifts and such, and took a few pictures in Piazza Signoria, where the replica of Michaelangelo's David stands, and then met up with the tour at ten to 11. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well-spoken; she took us past the Uffizi gallery, pointing out all the statues of important Italian artists, authors and leaders; she took us to Ponte Vecchio, which is home to 24 gold and silver shops; we saw some markets, some piazzas, and finally, the Duomo and the Gates of Paradise. Very cool. I had time for lunch and then we headed out for Rome!
In Rome we went for a sight-seeing walk with Sion, but we had to be sneaky because she could get fined up to 500€ for being a non-Italian guide. We saw the Trevi Fountain (!!!!!), the column of Marcus Aurelius, the Pantheon, and finally Piazza Navona, where we were all responsible for finding dinner. Me and the gang found a restaurant up an alleyway and everyone had something different and delicious.
The next morning Jon wasn't allowed to drive again, so we all took the Roma Metro into the city for our guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Colloseum. We arrived in the nick of time, and the tour was awesome if not very, very hot. I loved the history of the place; it's just so old! After we finished there, the gang and I headed for Vatican City. We got in pretty quickly but lost Melissa to heat exhaustion shortly thereafter; she headed back to the campsite for a shower and a nap. Khanyisa, Augusto and I kept going, through miles of galleries and corridors, until we finally reached the Sistine Chapel; it was darker and more crowded in there than I expected, but the awesomeness of that masterpiece of a ceiling made up for it. We went to lunch when we were finished, and then took the Metro one station over to go to St. Peter's Square. It was gorgeous too! So much space and such beautiful architecture, amazing! We went back to camp and had dinner there, and then went to bed late after some drinks.
The next morning we headed for Venice; it's the longest drive we've had so far, but so worth it! We arrived at the camp with enough spare time to get changed, and then took the camp shuttle ferry into town. After a glass-blowing demonstration and some shopping time we took a half-hour gondola ride and I got toasted on champagne. I struck out on my own after that and shopped and wandered and ate the most amazing lasagna I've ever had, got my last gelato, and headed for the ferry back to camp.
Now for a German dinner!
-Laur
You got my post from Florence; the next few days were even crazier! The morning after the dinner and club we woke up to an earlz breakfast, put our stuff back on the coach and headed back into the city. We saw a leather-crafting demonstration and got to look at some very expensive purses and such, and then we had about an hour or so of free time to hang around before we went on a walking tour of the major sights. I wandered around and bought a few gifts and such, and took a few pictures in Piazza Signoria, where the replica of Michaelangelo's David stands, and then met up with the tour at ten to 11. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well-spoken; she took us past the Uffizi gallery, pointing out all the statues of important Italian artists, authors and leaders; she took us to Ponte Vecchio, which is home to 24 gold and silver shops; we saw some markets, some piazzas, and finally, the Duomo and the Gates of Paradise. Very cool. I had time for lunch and then we headed out for Rome!
In Rome we went for a sight-seeing walk with Sion, but we had to be sneaky because she could get fined up to 500€ for being a non-Italian guide. We saw the Trevi Fountain (!!!!!), the column of Marcus Aurelius, the Pantheon, and finally Piazza Navona, where we were all responsible for finding dinner. Me and the gang found a restaurant up an alleyway and everyone had something different and delicious.
The next morning Jon wasn't allowed to drive again, so we all took the Roma Metro into the city for our guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Colloseum. We arrived in the nick of time, and the tour was awesome if not very, very hot. I loved the history of the place; it's just so old! After we finished there, the gang and I headed for Vatican City. We got in pretty quickly but lost Melissa to heat exhaustion shortly thereafter; she headed back to the campsite for a shower and a nap. Khanyisa, Augusto and I kept going, through miles of galleries and corridors, until we finally reached the Sistine Chapel; it was darker and more crowded in there than I expected, but the awesomeness of that masterpiece of a ceiling made up for it. We went to lunch when we were finished, and then took the Metro one station over to go to St. Peter's Square. It was gorgeous too! So much space and such beautiful architecture, amazing! We went back to camp and had dinner there, and then went to bed late after some drinks.
The next morning we headed for Venice; it's the longest drive we've had so far, but so worth it! We arrived at the camp with enough spare time to get changed, and then took the camp shuttle ferry into town. After a glass-blowing demonstration and some shopping time we took a half-hour gondola ride and I got toasted on champagne. I struck out on my own after that and shopped and wandered and ate the most amazing lasagna I've ever had, got my last gelato, and headed for the ferry back to camp.
Now for a German dinner!
-Laur
August 8, 2009
I saw Brad Pitt!
No I did't. That's a complete and utter lie. I did, however, tromp around Nice and Cannes yesterday, and he has been in both places, most recently Cannes for the film festival that takes place there every May. The Palais de Festival isn't actually an impressive place during the rest of the year, and was a bit disappointing, but the ocean views on the train to Nice from Cannes were second to none and swimming in the Mediterrenean (spell check is in Italian so I don't know if that's correct) sea was stupendous. The day was 36 degrees celsius in the shade with a few wispy clouds in the sky, and it was perfect.
In the evening we went to Monte Carlo to rub elbows with the rich and famous (not) and I enjoyed the classy atmosphere and excellent cars. Walking down avenues full of shops where a handbag costs 2,500€ changes your perspective on things a bit, that's for sure. Monaco is a gorgeous principality that seems to be very well cared for and definitely well-loved by its occupants (the number of million-€ yachts in the harbour attest to that); it's also very romantic, as Nathan and Amy, a couple on my tour, discovered. After pretending to be ill all day in order to avoid Amy, Nathan proposed to her that evening during a romantic evening walk. YAY! And Tim, another guy on the tour, won 250€ in the Grand Casino. Woohoo!
Today we woke up early (goodbye, double bed) and drove through rain and intense traffic to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower. On the way there we stopped at a crazy gas station rest stop for bathrooms and lunch; I had my first piece of authentic Italian pizza, just plain old cheese, and it was delicious! It also happened to be a quarter of a pizza, so I was well-satisfied until we got to Firenze (Florence), though I did have some gelato at Pisa. It was incredibly hot there! I had to have something to cool me down :P
Now we're here in Florence, staying at a very nice campsite just outside of town, and even though it poured on us half an hour before we were due to get back on the coach to go out for the evening (which included a group photo so we were all dressed up), I'm having a great time. We enjoyed a delicious Tuscan-style dinner, complete with limoncello shots at the end as a digestif (I had 4, woops!) and now everyone else is down the street living it up in a very hot and crowded karaoke bar. I had a bellini and sang along for a while and then decided I would come out to cool down and write this lovely recap for you guys. Be grateful! I also spoke to Mom for the first time since London. Love you, Mommy.
My friend Melissa and I have to go meet our tour guide, Sion (pronounced Sean), so she can walk us back to the coach so we can go back to the campsite. A jaunt around Florence tomorrow morning, and then Rome tomorrow afternoon!
Ciao, bellas!
- Laur
In the evening we went to Monte Carlo to rub elbows with the rich and famous (not) and I enjoyed the classy atmosphere and excellent cars. Walking down avenues full of shops where a handbag costs 2,500€ changes your perspective on things a bit, that's for sure. Monaco is a gorgeous principality that seems to be very well cared for and definitely well-loved by its occupants (the number of million-€ yachts in the harbour attest to that); it's also very romantic, as Nathan and Amy, a couple on my tour, discovered. After pretending to be ill all day in order to avoid Amy, Nathan proposed to her that evening during a romantic evening walk. YAY! And Tim, another guy on the tour, won 250€ in the Grand Casino. Woohoo!
Today we woke up early (goodbye, double bed) and drove through rain and intense traffic to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower. On the way there we stopped at a crazy gas station rest stop for bathrooms and lunch; I had my first piece of authentic Italian pizza, just plain old cheese, and it was delicious! It also happened to be a quarter of a pizza, so I was well-satisfied until we got to Firenze (Florence), though I did have some gelato at Pisa. It was incredibly hot there! I had to have something to cool me down :P
Now we're here in Florence, staying at a very nice campsite just outside of town, and even though it poured on us half an hour before we were due to get back on the coach to go out for the evening (which included a group photo so we were all dressed up), I'm having a great time. We enjoyed a delicious Tuscan-style dinner, complete with limoncello shots at the end as a digestif (I had 4, woops!) and now everyone else is down the street living it up in a very hot and crowded karaoke bar. I had a bellini and sang along for a while and then decided I would come out to cool down and write this lovely recap for you guys. Be grateful! I also spoke to Mom for the first time since London. Love you, Mommy.
My friend Melissa and I have to go meet our tour guide, Sion (pronounced Sean), so she can walk us back to the coach so we can go back to the campsite. A jaunt around Florence tomorrow morning, and then Rome tomorrow afternoon!
Ciao, bellas!
- Laur
August 6, 2009
Chateau de Cruix and other adventures
Bonsoir! It;s 10:30 at night in the beautiful city of Cannes and I am using a French keyboard so bear with me.
Yesterday we drove most of the day to Lyon from Paris, stopping in Fountainbleu to see the former royal residence and then making our final stop in Lyon at a gorgeous old estate called Chateau de Cruix. It was old but renovated and spacious and airy and the party in the basement club, called The Cave, was themed "Anything But Clothes" (ABC). The costumes, made from magazines, bubble wrap, tin foil, garbage bags, aprons, French flags, towels, sleeping bags, and even a broken backpack, were hysterical and once everyone was drunk, it got even funnier.
Today a severely hung over busload of kids stopped at Avignon for lunch and a genuine, centuries old French perfumerie to sample the wares; my new scent is called "Miranda" and contains essences of bergamont, amber, vanilla, and coconut. We have been upgraded a hotel because the campsite was full and now we're staying at the 3 star Albatros hotel in Cannes. Sweet deal!
Off to bed after a tired day, and last night!
Monaco tomorrow night, and Nice and Cannes during the day.
- Laur
Yesterday we drove most of the day to Lyon from Paris, stopping in Fountainbleu to see the former royal residence and then making our final stop in Lyon at a gorgeous old estate called Chateau de Cruix. It was old but renovated and spacious and airy and the party in the basement club, called The Cave, was themed "Anything But Clothes" (ABC). The costumes, made from magazines, bubble wrap, tin foil, garbage bags, aprons, French flags, towels, sleeping bags, and even a broken backpack, were hysterical and once everyone was drunk, it got even funnier.
Today a severely hung over busload of kids stopped at Avignon for lunch and a genuine, centuries old French perfumerie to sample the wares; my new scent is called "Miranda" and contains essences of bergamont, amber, vanilla, and coconut. We have been upgraded a hotel because the campsite was full and now we're staying at the 3 star Albatros hotel in Cannes. Sweet deal!
Off to bed after a tired day, and last night!
Monaco tomorrow night, and Nice and Cannes during the day.
- Laur
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