Barcelona Story Time

After a whirlwind trip to Alicante, we headed to Barcelona via a five-hour train ride.  The train ride was long and bright, and we arrived at our hostel with no sleep under our belts.  We met up with the rest of the group who had been in Barcelona for a few days already.  We swapped stories about our crazy nights and leisurely days before the three of us girls headed to Subway then bed.  (I realize a turkey sandwich is not a Spanish delicacy, but we had been craving it all day, and it just happened to be right near our hostel.)

After a most refreshing sleep, we woke up to do some sightseeing.  Most of us had three goals for the day: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and the beach.  We were able to hit them all, but not without a few incidents along the way.

To get to Sagrada Familia, we had to take the subway.  We figured out how to get there, bought our tickets and headed through the gates.  That’s when the trouble started.  Emily forgot her freshly opened Diet Coke on the other side of the gates.  The two of us worked out a plan to get it back without her having to pay again.  I was to stand on one side and trigger the automatic doors, and she was going to run back through.  Simple enough, no?  Well, we couldn’t get the timing down, and finally, a woman came to our rescue by holding the doors open as Emily hurried through.

As we boarded, I noticed that the train car had air conditioning (something London trains lack), then I noticed that my purse felt lighter than normal.  I looked inside and told everyone, “Guys, I think my wallet is missing!”  But they weren’t paying attention.  Great friends I have, right?  Well, turns out they were watching this scene play out behind me (one I was oblivious to):

Our heroine from the Diet Coke incident, a fat balding woman (FBW), was getting heated at a one-armed man (OAM) who was getting off the train.  They were pointing at each other and yelling.  The OAM motioned that he was going to hit the FBW.  The FBW motioned back insinuating that the OAM only had one arm.

Next thing I knew, my wallet was at my feet with a thud, everything still in its place. With the help of a blue-shirted woman (with whom I tried to converse in Spanish to no avail) we deduced that our former heroine FBW was the thief and our new hero was in fact OAM.

So, thank the OAM, that my wallet was taken and returned before anything bad happened.  It was a moment that could have ruined the trip, but instead it taught us a lesson and gave us a laugh as we tried to re-enact the scene to understand just what happened.

We finally arrived at Sagrada Familia, an unfinished cathedral designed by Gaudi.  It is quite an interesting sight to see. The inside is designed to look like treetops, and the outside has three facades each representing a different part of the life of Jesus.  There are all sorts of Gaudi touches to look at on each facade as well.  Click the link to read more about it. Sagrada Familia

Adrienne and me in a flowery oasis.

After the cathedral, we navigated our way to Park Guell, another of Gaudi’s creations.  The park is full of beautiful gardens and mosaics, and the view only got better as we ascended.  There were musicians to provide a melody for our journey as well as peddlers in case we were feeling consumerist.  I wish we could have stayed longer, but the beach was calling our name!  Read more about the park at Park Guell.

 

Finally it was beach time!  We went back to our hostel to get ready, grabbed some snacks and a bottle of wine at the store and trekked to the beach.  It was a beautiful walk along La Rambla and the marina.  The beach was crowded and the beach-goers topless.  We found a spot for the five us and settled in.  Immediately, we were met by an onslaught of salesmen and women selling everything from beer to coconuts to massages.  They all had a unique sales pitch as well.  We caved when the mojito crew came by.

We grabbed dinner at a beachside restaurant where a South American waiter pulled out all the American jokes he could think of.  He referenced the Backstreet Boys, serenaded us with the Star Spangled Banner and made for an entertaining meal.

This post is getting long, so here’s a rundown of the rest of the evening:

• Went back to get ready
• Used a chapstick tube to open a wine bottle
• Lost the chapstick tube to the wine bottle
• Found out Billy Mays died
• Talked about all the celebrity deaths
• Tried to find this so-called stock market bar
• Entered the bar to find it was empty
• Went to get kebobs after one drink
• Ran into two KU students I met on the plane from Kansas City to Chicago at the kebob place.  They had stopped off in Barcelona after studying in Italy for a month.
• Talked about how random life is
• Went back to the hostel to sleep

Final thoughts about Barcelona:  It was not the trip we were expecting at all.  We didn’t really experience the crazy night life everyone talks about.  Plus my wallet almost got stolen (one of the other guys on the trip did have his taken) and I didn’t get to use my Spanish (though I tried).

Overall great trip to Spain.  I would go back to Alicante in a heartbeat and would definitely visit Barcelona again, but with a more securely fastened purse.

Thanks for Reading!
-Rachel

Remember the Episode of Boy Meets World…

Where Cory and Topanga honeymoon in paradise and decide they never want to leave?  Well, that’s pretty much what I was thinking on our trip to Alicante last weekend.  The best way to relay what happened over the course of the one and half days we spent there is through what our professor fondly refers to as “story time.”

The Story of Cheap Airlines Part 1:

To get the cheapest flights, you sometimes have to go to some extraordinary measures.  For example, flying out of Ryanair may cost just 50 pounds, but it comes with a few stipulations.  One of those stipulations is that you have your boarding pass printed in advance or face a 40 pound surcharge.  Well, I have a theory that technology knows when you’re in a time crunch and decides not to work just to spite you.  Our flat’s computer would not load my ticket, nor would it connect to the printer.  So at 4:30 pm, I ran to our classroom building to print off my boarding pass.  Side note: the bus to get to the airport was to leave at 5:00 pm.  With less than 20 minutes to spare, I speed walk/jog to the nearest tube station and hop on for the 15 minute ride.  Sweaty, but on time, we board the bus, and I promptly pass out for the ride.

The Story of Cheap Airlines Part 2:

Apparently an uncertainty of riding Ryanair is the landing.  This was written out in two ways on our journey.  First, the signage in the plane gave explicit directions as to what to do in case of an emergency.  First thing on the list?  Remove your glasses and dentures.  Noted.  The second thing that seemed strange was the loud applause from some of our fellow passengers upon landing.  Umm, should landing really be applauded?  Shouldn’t that be a given?  Anyway, all’s well that end’s well.  And thankfully, my first Ryanair experience ended well.

The Story of Miguel Jackson:

We successfully hailed a cab.  Then we found out that Michael Jackson died, first in mumbled Spanish, then confirmed by a text from home.  Adrienne, Emily and I will always remember where we were and what we were doing when MJ died.  And I’m okay with it.

The Story of Our Introduction to Alicante:

Upon arrival at my friend and future roommate Xenia’s house, we were greeted by a slew of internationals.  We were introduced to them as the Spaniard, the German and the Irish guy.  They of course had names, but the fact that there were so many different nationalities (all speaking English I might add) was a pretty amazing first impression.  After mourning Michael Jackson’s death for a moment, Xenia asked if we were ready to go out.  We were all up for it, despite it being 1:00 in the morning.  We got ready and were out the door just after 2:00 am.  We didn’t return until 6:00 am.  Luckily they sleep in in Alicante.

The Story of a Sunrise:

After having a relaxing day at the beach, it was time for our next adventure.  We went home and made an amazing meal complete with wine and sangria for 8 euro.  Then, we headed back to the beach to watch fireworks that marked the end of a week-long festival.  Oooo and Ahhh seem to be the universal reaction to such a display.  After the beach, it was time to embark on our second night, or should I say morning, out in Alicante.  The nightlife was amazing, and I don’t think we paid for a thing all night, so needless to say, we enjoyed ourselves.  So much so that when we exited our last bar, the sun was rising over the ocean.  What did we decide to do?  Take a swim of course!

The Story of the Mountain Climb:

There was one thing we all wanted to do on our last day (Xenia’s last day too!) in Alicante, climb to the top of the mountain castle.  We also all came to the conclusion that going to sleep was not an option.  So we got changed, grabbed some churros and chocolate and made the climb.  I think with each step we started to regret our decision.  It was hot, and we were thirsty, not to mention worn out from the previous night’s activities.  But we didn’t falter.  And it was a good thing, because we were welcomed to the top by the most amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea on one side, the city of Alicante and mountains on the other.  I found a spot with what I will always think of as the best view, and didn’t move for about 2o minutes.  It was all a little overwhelming for some reason.  A moment and a sight I hope to never forget.

The Story of Sleep Deprivation:

With no sleep, we packed our things, thanked our hosts and headed to the train to station to board what we hoped would serve as our bed for the next five hours.  The bright lights, uncomfortable chairs and loud cell phone conversationalist meant no sleep unfortunately.  So we arrive in Barcelona running on six hours of sleep out of the last 55.

I think my travel companions would agree when I say it was one of the best trips we’ve ever been on.  We had some of our best laughs, meet some really friendly people and finally got to just relax and have fun.

Thanks for Reading!

Rachel

Things Are Getting International!

I once read that you need three unrelated events to be a trend.  This week, aside from the fact that half of London comes from a different country, I’ve encountered enough international situations to qualify.

First, at work on Tuesday I lunched with two of my coworkers.  One is from France and the other is Finnish.  We were talking about packing lunches (the French don’t understand the concept), and I mentioned that one of my favorite sandwiches to pack is bologna.  Neither of them had any idea what this bologna stuff was.  Try explaining what it is and how it’s made.  It doesn’t paint the prettiest picture.  I told them to Wikipedia it, then realized I’d need to spell it for them.  Here’s what a Wikipedia search would yield: “Bologna sausage is generally made from low-value scraps (trimmings from steaks, roasts or other meat cuts).”  Yum!

Second, on my way home from work on Tuesday, I came across an Iran election protest.  There were hundreds of people lined up near Hyde Park singing and shouting and holding up pictures.  My initial reaction was “London already has free elections, why are they protesting here?”  Then I saw the Iran embassy across the street and felt stupid. 

Third, I leave for Spain today!  I’m most excited for this trip for many reasons.  The Beach. I haven’t been to the ocean since I went to Los Angeles a couple years ago, and it was cold there.  I can’t wait to just lay out on the beach and do nothing all day.  Which reminds me, I need to pick up a good beach read ASAP!  The Sun.  I’ve heard it’s been an unusually warm London summer.  But that doesn’t mean the sun is always out.  And it most certainly doesn’t mean I’m getting a tan.  Plus, 70 degrees does not qualify as a heatwave unless you’re measuring in Celsius.  The Language.  I finally get to put my 10+ years (yes, I’m counting Language Camps) of Spanish experience to practical use!  Hopefully I’ll be able to help the group out a little bit more than I was able to in Paris.

It’s strange to think that when we arrive back in London, our stay here will be halfway through.  Time is flying!

All for now!  Canterbury and Spain posts when I return.

Thanks for Reading!

-Rachel

All I’m Missing is the Accent

We’re almost at the halfway point, and everything has begun to settle in.  That’s my explanation for the lack of posts here (sorry, loyal readers!).  I think we’re all beginning to feel like we belong here, which makes the everyday events a bit less noteworthy in our minds.  I’ve noticed this in many ways as I look back at what has changed since we got here just over a month ago.

1.  Tourists are annoying.  This is the first step to thinking like a native.  They walk slow (yes, slower than me), they stop randomly, they take too long at the tube stations, etc.  Don’t they know that the people that live here have places to go, people to see, fish to fry?

2. Clashing colors are okay.  We’ve all gotten over the sight of men wearing brown shoes with a black suit.  Our teacher has even begun to pull off the trend.  Matching colors is a thing of the past.  The more things seem like they shouldn’t go together, the more they should go together.  I attempted this look today by mixing browns and grays and golds and purples.  I received a complement so that’s a good sign, right?

3. Walking is a luxury.  I love walking.  What used to be a pain in the you know what, has become one of my favorite things to do in London.  On our first day here, I thought the local university was way too far away, same with the pubs our RAs took us to on our “You Haven’t Slept in 36 Hours, But Let’s Go Drink Anyways” pub crawl.  But now, I gladly walk a half an hour to the movie theater or an hour home from work.  I’m going to miss that.

4. Scarves are an appropriate accessory for any outfit.  Dresses, cardigans, v-necks, tank tops, even Royals t-shirts all look better with a scarf on top.

5.  I can live without TV.  Who knew?  I would call myself a connoisseur of television, but somehow I’ve managed to get on without it so far.  Well, I know how.  The internet.  Unfortuantely the time I might have spent watching my favorite TV shows has been channeled into Skype and Facebook time as well as reading about all of the TV shows I’ve been missing.  So don’t worry, I haven’t fallen behind on pop culture.

I’m planning on updating more frequently, and I’m in the midst of writing a Canterbury post that will be worth the wait!

Thanks for Reading!

-Rachel

She Burnt the Quiche!

As my mom once famously did, last night I burnt the quiche.  We had come home after an interesting night including drag queens, the 1930s, polar bears, the rainy streets of Shoreditch and a very long and very tiring bus ride home.  We were all hungry and decided to make some food.  My choice was a frozen quiche.  That quiche burned to a crisp.

Those events capped off what was quite a long and eventful day.  Pam and I were left on our own after Emily and Liz went with some of the others to Italy, and Adrienne spent the day in Brighton with her mom.  Our plan was to get up early to see the Trooping of the Colours in celebration of the Queen’s birthday.  Problem is Pam and I don’t wake up early.

So we missed getting a glimpse of the Queen and Princes, but we didn’t miss out on some excellent food at Borough Market.  Like last weekend’s market, there was an array of fresh produce, fresh-cooked meats, fresh-squeezed juices (noticing a pattern?).  There were piles of paella, baskets of bread and shelves of seafood.  We decided to get something to eat, and I had my first taste of sauerkraut.  I didn’t hate it!  It was pretty good actually, especially paired with a yummy authentic German bratwurst.

Standing in both hemispheres at once at the Prime Meridian.

Since we didn’t really have a plan for the rest of the day, we decided to take a riverboat to Greenwich (brownies and produce from the market in tow).  It was our first time on the Thames, and the weather was beautiful.  Once we arrived, we walked through the park up to the Royal Observatory.  The view from the top of the hill was amazing.  We could see the entire city of London!  Inside the Observatory we saw the official world clock and the prime meridian.  There was also a really cool astronomy exhibit.

Our next stop was the National Maritime Museum.  On our way back down the hill, we noticed two things.  One: it smelled like nature.  This doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but I don’t think our noses were used to it.  Ahhh, fresh air.  Two: there were a lot of kids.  Again, doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but I don’t think we were used to seeing so many families out and about.  The museum was neat I guess.  There were a lot of boats and a lot of information about boats.  That’s honestly all I can remember.

Finding our way home was quite the journey.  After our bus passed us by, we went hunting for another one.  Once aboard, we went to the top and sat right in front of the window.  Bad idea.  The sun was beating right down on us, and I don’t believe there was any air conditioning.  I decided to take a nap.  Luckily, Pam was keeping track of where we were.  An hour later we were back in Central London, but still had a 20 minute tube ride home.  We were exhausted!  But somehow we found the energy to get ready and go out to Shoreditch with a bunch of people from 40 Hogarth.

All for now…

Thanks for Reading!

-Rachel

My Tube Strike Experience

You know the tune, here’s the song:

The wheels on the bus go stop and go, stop and go, stop and go.  The wheels on the bus go stop and go all through the town.

The driver on the bus goes “mind the doors, mind the doors, mind the doors.” The driver on the bus goes “mind the doors” all though the town.

The people on the bus go push and shove, push and shove, push and shove.  The people on the bus go push and shove all through the town.

My heels on the bus go wibble wobble wibble, wibble wobble wibble, wibble wobble wibble.  My heels on the bus go wibble wobble wibble all through the town.

The bell on the bus goes ding ding ding, ding ding ding, ding ding ding, the bell on the bus goes ding ding ding all through the town.

The old man on the bus goes “you’re leaning on the bell, leaning on the bell, leaning on the bell”  The old man on the bus goes “you’re leaning on the bell” all through the town.

The seats on the bus finally open up, finally open up, finally open up.  The seats on the bus finally open up all through the town.

The bus lets me off in the middle of nowhere, middle of nowhere, middle of nowhere.  The bus lets me off in the middle of nowhere all through the town.

I wander through the streets looking for the office, looking for the office, looking for the office.  I wander through the streets looking for the office all through the town.

The rains starts to pour all over me, all over me, all over me.  The rain starts to pour all over me all through the town.

I finally get to work thirty minutes late, thirty minutes late, thirty minutes late.  I finally get to work thirty minutes late all through the town.

-End-

I had plenty of time to think of new words to this nursery song.  The tube strike has affected millions of people throughout London.  And to someone who doesn’t really know the city, it’s a huge pain in the you know what.

Thanks for Reading!

-Rachel

It Was a Great Day for Food

It’s 1:00 in the morning here, and I’m supposed to be writing a paper for my International Issues Reporting class that’s due tomorrow.  But I can’t stop thinking about the amazing roasted pork sandwich I had for lunch today.

Our study abroad advisor told us about this slow food festival (as opposed to fast food) on the Thames.  There were about 40 stands of fresh breads, desserts, cheeses and some of the most delicious smells ever.  The best part: free samples of everything!

My pork sandwich was the best meal I’ve eaten since I’ve been to London.  It also marked the first time I’ve felt full and satisfied. Too bad the festival only comes around once a month.

I’ve discovered two other food related things.  Toast with butter and jelly is my favorite breakfast food.  It’s also the only breakfast food I have here.  And, they sell Doritos here that are just like the ones from the US.  Both of these discoveries on the same day as my delicious pork sandwich.

Food in London is having the best day ever!

Now back to the appetizing subject of international news coverage…

Thanks for Reading!

-Rachel