Friday, July 6, 2012
Change Of Pace
After I posted my blog last night I found a picture of my boy on facebook! I don't think I have ever been so happy! I know he's still alive hahaha Just that little bit of contact can get me through the next few days. So here's the photo...I had to document it cause I'm so proud! Plus, he sure looks like he's having fun ;) Now for some breakfast and then off to Munich!
Day 14 Heidelberg, Germany
Friday.
One more week until I get to talk to my boy! We took off to Rhine valley around 9:30 this morning. The valley is super pretty!! It was apparently created by a glacier and theres a river that runs through. We took a boat tour for an hour. Got some good pictures.
We ate a sit down lunch for once! I got chicken sticks though haha. Also, I feel like I keep getting into trouble in foreign countries. I drank from my water bottle and the waitress started yelling at me in German. I assumed I wasn't suppose to drink my water.
I bought some yummy chocolate. It started to melt so I felt like I just had to eat it all :) we departed from Rhine valley around 2:30 and headed to heidelberg.
We made it into the hotel and then none of us were sure what to do...including our director (study abroads are very different because of directors!) We heard that a little area called altstadt had lots of little things to do. Deanna Tyler and I bought some goodies and hung out in the Starbucks. Then we walked by the river and saw some motor boats.
After contemplating if it was against the rules or not we went for it. It was super fun and oober slow but i thought we made the most of our time. However, I've decided that mean people ruin my day. I need to not care, but the owner made us pay 4 euro extra for being 4 minutes late "that makes me happy!!" He was just a big jerk about it...your boat goes about mph!!!!! Anyway, we headed back to our hotel and it's 9:04 and I'm ready for bed :) happy friday!
Ps. I only have wifi in the lobby so pictures may or may not be uploaded today.
One more week until I get to talk to my boy! We took off to Rhine valley around 9:30 this morning. The valley is super pretty!! It was apparently created by a glacier and theres a river that runs through. We took a boat tour for an hour. Got some good pictures.
We ate a sit down lunch for once! I got chicken sticks though haha. Also, I feel like I keep getting into trouble in foreign countries. I drank from my water bottle and the waitress started yelling at me in German. I assumed I wasn't suppose to drink my water.
I bought some yummy chocolate. It started to melt so I felt like I just had to eat it all :) we departed from Rhine valley around 2:30 and headed to heidelberg.
We made it into the hotel and then none of us were sure what to do...including our director (study abroads are very different because of directors!) We heard that a little area called altstadt had lots of little things to do. Deanna Tyler and I bought some goodies and hung out in the Starbucks. Then we walked by the river and saw some motor boats.
After contemplating if it was against the rules or not we went for it. It was super fun and oober slow but i thought we made the most of our time. However, I've decided that mean people ruin my day. I need to not care, but the owner made us pay 4 euro extra for being 4 minutes late "that makes me happy!!" He was just a big jerk about it...your boat goes about mph!!!!! Anyway, we headed back to our hotel and it's 9:04 and I'm ready for bed :) happy friday!
Ps. I only have wifi in the lobby so pictures may or may not be uploaded today.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Day 13 Cologne, Germany
Thursday.
After waking up in my queen size bed we had the best breakfast yet!! Novotel gets the award so far.
Loaded up the bus around 7:30 and we headed to Cologne! I slept...are you surprised?? Then Erica and I had a silent rave while everyone was sleeping. A lot of the drives remind me of the drive to the beach. Lots of open fields. Very pretty! :) We hit some traffic but we finally made it to Alsco around 11 for our business visit.
The visit was actually pretty cool. They treat us like royalty in central Europe!! Lots of food. Tours of the entire plant. Probably my favorite business so far...still planning on keeping my major though.
After the BV we went to the hotel. Addison and I are roommates for tonight and we collapsed on the bed. A group was meeting to go to the cologne cathedral...I was so tired, but I'm on a study abroad to see things! Not sleep.
We rode the tram for free :) into the city and we ate at this greek place that had a kabap which is what professor godfrey ate all the time on his mission. I was not a huge fan. So I grabbed a Ben and Jerry's. I needed something familiar haha.
Allison and I managed to make our way back to the hotel without a map! I did a quick workout...I need to do more sit-ups and pushups...took a shower and now I'm in bed waiting to Skype my mama. :) looking forward to some of the bigger cities in Germany and to talk to my boy in 8 days!
After waking up in my queen size bed we had the best breakfast yet!! Novotel gets the award so far.
Loaded up the bus around 7:30 and we headed to Cologne! I slept...are you surprised?? Then Erica and I had a silent rave while everyone was sleeping. A lot of the drives remind me of the drive to the beach. Lots of open fields. Very pretty! :) We hit some traffic but we finally made it to Alsco around 11 for our business visit.
The visit was actually pretty cool. They treat us like royalty in central Europe!! Lots of food. Tours of the entire plant. Probably my favorite business so far...still planning on keeping my major though.
After the BV we went to the hotel. Addison and I are roommates for tonight and we collapsed on the bed. A group was meeting to go to the cologne cathedral...I was so tired, but I'm on a study abroad to see things! Not sleep.
We rode the tram for free :) into the city and we ate at this greek place that had a kabap which is what professor godfrey ate all the time on his mission. I was not a huge fan. So I grabbed a Ben and Jerry's. I needed something familiar haha.
Allison and I managed to make our way back to the hotel without a map! I did a quick workout...I need to do more sit-ups and pushups...took a shower and now I'm in bed waiting to Skype my mama. :) looking forward to some of the bigger cities in Germany and to talk to my boy in 8 days!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Day 12 Luxembourg
Wednesday.
Happy fourth America!! I'm so sad I can't be in the states to celebrate but I'm thinking about this wonderful holiday! I'm so proud to be from the states (especially now after experiencing other cultures!) and I'm so proud and excited to be an army wife. Hope everyone has a happy fourth of July and eat lots of hotdogs and hamburgers :)
We started our 7:00 journey with "I'm proud to be an American!" and all the people that wanted to sleep probably want to kill us. The best part...
Jay said, "if only the windows were down!"
Deanna:"then all the machine guns will come out."
Jay:"no, they don't have the right to have guns!" haha
I fell asleep for most of the bus ride. Usually I have the hardest time sleeping I'm anything that's not a bed, but when I sprawl out on the floor of the bus I can! It also helps that I'm probably sleep deprived. I woke up when my fingers started falling asleep.
Caitlin had bought some potato chips and she shared with me and Erica. I turned to Erica and we both decided that we are salt deprived after all the carbs for the past week and a half. Haha
We arrived at the Novotel Hotel around 1:00 and we had to leave for out business visit at 1:15. So we quickly hurried up to our room, which has two queen size beds for just two of us- too bad its only 1 night, changed our clothes and headed to a little market.
I has my first croque monsieur! I don't think it was the best one I could have tried. At least not after Dave described them, but it was still yummy! I also had a chocolate croissant...my fav :)
The business visit was at the Degroof bank and it was super long. They did give us free drinks though! I put a coke bottle in my pocket cause jay was too scared to take another one haha. After we finished playing a few rounds of hang man we went BTTB, made a quick pit stop for pictures, then to the church building.
We had a cheese tasting that was put on by professor Godfrey's sister-in-law. I tried some Munster, Brie, goat, abundance, and Gouda. Don't ask me which ones I liked cause I don't remember which was which.
We headed back to the hotel and made a music video to "I'm proud to be an American" pretty darn funny! It was on a play ground with a see-saw of death! I seriously fell off 4 times. It was a time filler for the night. And we have a group music video to remember this day in Luxembourg! Ps. I love Luxembourg, it needs to get more credit!
Now I'm in my queen size bed watching old videos of Dave. I miss my boy on this American holiday. Just hope he's doing well and can't wait to talk to him in 9 days!!!! Off to Germany tomorrow :)
Happy fourth America!! I'm so sad I can't be in the states to celebrate but I'm thinking about this wonderful holiday! I'm so proud to be from the states (especially now after experiencing other cultures!) and I'm so proud and excited to be an army wife. Hope everyone has a happy fourth of July and eat lots of hotdogs and hamburgers :)
We started our 7:00 journey with "I'm proud to be an American!" and all the people that wanted to sleep probably want to kill us. The best part...
Jay said, "if only the windows were down!"
Deanna:"then all the machine guns will come out."
Jay:"no, they don't have the right to have guns!" haha
I fell asleep for most of the bus ride. Usually I have the hardest time sleeping I'm anything that's not a bed, but when I sprawl out on the floor of the bus I can! It also helps that I'm probably sleep deprived. I woke up when my fingers started falling asleep.
Caitlin had bought some potato chips and she shared with me and Erica. I turned to Erica and we both decided that we are salt deprived after all the carbs for the past week and a half. Haha
We arrived at the Novotel Hotel around 1:00 and we had to leave for out business visit at 1:15. So we quickly hurried up to our room, which has two queen size beds for just two of us- too bad its only 1 night, changed our clothes and headed to a little market.
I has my first croque monsieur! I don't think it was the best one I could have tried. At least not after Dave described them, but it was still yummy! I also had a chocolate croissant...my fav :)
The business visit was at the Degroof bank and it was super long. They did give us free drinks though! I put a coke bottle in my pocket cause jay was too scared to take another one haha. After we finished playing a few rounds of hang man we went BTTB, made a quick pit stop for pictures, then to the church building.
We had a cheese tasting that was put on by professor Godfrey's sister-in-law. I tried some Munster, Brie, goat, abundance, and Gouda. Don't ask me which ones I liked cause I don't remember which was which.
We headed back to the hotel and made a music video to "I'm proud to be an American" pretty darn funny! It was on a play ground with a see-saw of death! I seriously fell off 4 times. It was a time filler for the night. And we have a group music video to remember this day in Luxembourg! Ps. I love Luxembourg, it needs to get more credit!
Now I'm in my queen size bed watching old videos of Dave. I miss my boy on this American holiday. Just hope he's doing well and can't wait to talk to him in 9 days!!!! Off to Germany tomorrow :)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Day 11 Paris
Tuesday
Deanna and I felt pretty crappy this morning so we didn't go with the group to Versailles. Awesome decision. We started our food adventure with the Godfrey's, Patrick, Jeff, and Nate at 12. We slept until 10:30!
Our first stop was a chocolate shop called fouquet. I had a butter caramel and a chocolate covered caramel. Starting small :)
Second stop was pierre herme. The cakes looked flawless! I got a salted caramel macaroon. Melts in your mouth. So worth the 1.95 euro. :)
Third stop was another chocolate shop but it was a little more pricy so I held off for some lunch. We separated from the Godfrey's and headed towards the Latin district again. We stopped to grab some ssndwiches and I got a chicken, lettuce, cashew, and guacamole wrap!! The flavors were good just not wrapped well so I'm going to try when I get home!
We showed Jeff and Nate our favorite ice cream place and yes, Deanna and I got our third cone in 72 hours. We just weren't sure when we'd ever get it again!! (they do have one in new york :D)
This sounds oober lame but we all headed back to the hotel, took some naps, and just hung out for the rest of the night. I repacked my suitcase for our early morning journey to Luxembourg tomorrow! Also took my daily second shower while here in Paris! Haha oh! Deanna Erica and I went to go find a little evening snack and we ended up in the ghetto! We were in Utah mode thinking the city is a grid...wrong! Luckily the metro stops help you navigate but I could have gotten a nice weave and some wigs while I was there! Haha scary, but now we can chuckle about it.
Paris, it has been real. Thank you for being the home to some spectacular landmarks! However, I'm ready to leave and to not feel so dirty every time I walk out of my hotel. Again, im so glad I'm having this experience! It's making me very excited to do lots of traveling with my sweety pie :) 10 days until I get to talk to him! Happy Tuesday!
Deanna and I felt pretty crappy this morning so we didn't go with the group to Versailles. Awesome decision. We started our food adventure with the Godfrey's, Patrick, Jeff, and Nate at 12. We slept until 10:30!
Our first stop was a chocolate shop called fouquet. I had a butter caramel and a chocolate covered caramel. Starting small :)
Second stop was pierre herme. The cakes looked flawless! I got a salted caramel macaroon. Melts in your mouth. So worth the 1.95 euro. :)
Third stop was another chocolate shop but it was a little more pricy so I held off for some lunch. We separated from the Godfrey's and headed towards the Latin district again. We stopped to grab some ssndwiches and I got a chicken, lettuce, cashew, and guacamole wrap!! The flavors were good just not wrapped well so I'm going to try when I get home!
We showed Jeff and Nate our favorite ice cream place and yes, Deanna and I got our third cone in 72 hours. We just weren't sure when we'd ever get it again!! (they do have one in new york :D)
This sounds oober lame but we all headed back to the hotel, took some naps, and just hung out for the rest of the night. I repacked my suitcase for our early morning journey to Luxembourg tomorrow! Also took my daily second shower while here in Paris! Haha oh! Deanna Erica and I went to go find a little evening snack and we ended up in the ghetto! We were in Utah mode thinking the city is a grid...wrong! Luckily the metro stops help you navigate but I could have gotten a nice weave and some wigs while I was there! Haha scary, but now we can chuckle about it.
Paris, it has been real. Thank you for being the home to some spectacular landmarks! However, I'm ready to leave and to not feel so dirty every time I walk out of my hotel. Again, im so glad I'm having this experience! It's making me very excited to do lots of traveling with my sweety pie :) 10 days until I get to talk to him! Happy Tuesday!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Day 10 Paris
Monday.
Slept pretty well last night. Got to wake up around 9:15. Ate some cereal and met Patrick, Erica, and Brandon with Deanna to do some sightseeing. Patricks favorite saying is "I think..." he thinks he knows where it is. He thinks it's this way. Let just say it took awhile to get to the pantheon and the Luxembourg palace and gardens. But when we got there is was worth it. I ate a yummy ham and cheese sandwich that went through me very quickly, still say it was worth it!! (tmi??)
Deanna found the same ice cream place as yesterday!! We had to stop and get another one :) I got speculos, coffee, and tiramisu flavored.
We had just a little bit more time before we were suppose to leave for our business visit, so we found Lafayette..this huge shopping mall. Someone compared it to Walmart...not even close. They have this huge dome top that had pretty stained glass it looked like. Almost closer to a Nordstroms.
We were really low on time we thought so we went back to the hotel to change and I put my head down for 10 min. Much needed. We had to take another metro system called the RER and it seemed really confusing until we got there. We didn't have to buy a new ticket like our professor said. Also, it didn't take an hour like he said it would! We found cisco in Versailles in a half hour so we were an hour early.
Each business visit has just solidified my decision not to be a business major haha. It's too complex for me. And I want to be doing something where I feel like I'm helping someone... not just about making money.
After, Deanna and I went to champs de élysées again and just walked around for a little. I found a Disney store again! I'm just so excited! (165 days until my wedding!) this study abroad has also made me really excited to do all of this traveling with Dave throughout our marriage.
After taking some photos, Deanna bought a pizza and I had a slice just to try it. Its not as heavy as American pizza which was nice. Gross ending: We were on our way back from champs when we saw a guy grab a beer can out of the trash and drink it...then the homeless guys outside our hotel peed in their sleeping bags...or at least that's what it smelled like! It was just an interesting walk home.
Deanna and I randomly craved chocolate after eating some pizza and I think our whole study abroad group thinks we are crazy. I begged Tyler for a cookie and I traded him a back scratch for one. He didn't specify how long...haha
Overall successful day. Happy Monday!!
Slept pretty well last night. Got to wake up around 9:15. Ate some cereal and met Patrick, Erica, and Brandon with Deanna to do some sightseeing. Patricks favorite saying is "I think..." he thinks he knows where it is. He thinks it's this way. Let just say it took awhile to get to the pantheon and the Luxembourg palace and gardens. But when we got there is was worth it. I ate a yummy ham and cheese sandwich that went through me very quickly, still say it was worth it!! (tmi??)
Deanna found the same ice cream place as yesterday!! We had to stop and get another one :) I got speculos, coffee, and tiramisu flavored.
We had just a little bit more time before we were suppose to leave for our business visit, so we found Lafayette..this huge shopping mall. Someone compared it to Walmart...not even close. They have this huge dome top that had pretty stained glass it looked like. Almost closer to a Nordstroms.
We were really low on time we thought so we went back to the hotel to change and I put my head down for 10 min. Much needed. We had to take another metro system called the RER and it seemed really confusing until we got there. We didn't have to buy a new ticket like our professor said. Also, it didn't take an hour like he said it would! We found cisco in Versailles in a half hour so we were an hour early.
Each business visit has just solidified my decision not to be a business major haha. It's too complex for me. And I want to be doing something where I feel like I'm helping someone... not just about making money.
After, Deanna and I went to champs de élysées again and just walked around for a little. I found a Disney store again! I'm just so excited! (165 days until my wedding!) this study abroad has also made me really excited to do all of this traveling with Dave throughout our marriage.
After taking some photos, Deanna bought a pizza and I had a slice just to try it. Its not as heavy as American pizza which was nice. Gross ending: We were on our way back from champs when we saw a guy grab a beer can out of the trash and drink it...then the homeless guys outside our hotel peed in their sleeping bags...or at least that's what it smelled like! It was just an interesting walk home.
Deanna and I randomly craved chocolate after eating some pizza and I think our whole study abroad group thinks we are crazy. I begged Tyler for a cookie and I traded him a back scratch for one. He didn't specify how long...haha
Overall successful day. Happy Monday!!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Day 9 Paris
Sunday.
I slept great last night, but I'm still tired!! Dave and I gave up something until the wedding (I don't even know if he's still doing it haha) but I gave up caffeine. I might have to cave in this month to get through this trip. Because after 9 hours of sleep I'm still falling asleep in sacrament meeting. It didn't help that it was in french and I didn't understand a word. Haha I tried singing in French, but my spanish kicked in and I'm sure I was pronouncing everything wrong. Luckily, Sunday school was in English for a nice break. Then back to French for relief society. They had head sets and translators, but it was hard to get a good signal through the head set.
Professor Godfrey paid for our lunch at a sandwich stand that was actually really yummy! They were paninis and I got a coke. I caved cause I needed caffeine.
Lots of sight seeing after that. First Norte Dame then St. Chapelle then the Louvre. Lots of pictures on facebook.
We were hungry again by this point so we walked around and managed to end up in the latin district. They had this Italian gelato place. So darn good! And they shape the gelato into a flower on your cone. Best part of my day I think. My feet were on fire so we hung out at the cute ice cream shop for awhile before we headed back to the metro.
A lot of people went to this place where you can see the sunset really well, but Deanna and I were ready to head back.
I had a bad experience on the metro today...and let's just say I was beyond happy to finally get to talk to my mama today. I'm not home sick at all. Just needed to make contact with home!!
Sorry for being a little short today. Just ended on a bad note and I'm ready for bed.
I slept great last night, but I'm still tired!! Dave and I gave up something until the wedding (I don't even know if he's still doing it haha) but I gave up caffeine. I might have to cave in this month to get through this trip. Because after 9 hours of sleep I'm still falling asleep in sacrament meeting. It didn't help that it was in french and I didn't understand a word. Haha I tried singing in French, but my spanish kicked in and I'm sure I was pronouncing everything wrong. Luckily, Sunday school was in English for a nice break. Then back to French for relief society. They had head sets and translators, but it was hard to get a good signal through the head set.
Professor Godfrey paid for our lunch at a sandwich stand that was actually really yummy! They were paninis and I got a coke. I caved cause I needed caffeine.
Lots of sight seeing after that. First Norte Dame then St. Chapelle then the Louvre. Lots of pictures on facebook.
We were hungry again by this point so we walked around and managed to end up in the latin district. They had this Italian gelato place. So darn good! And they shape the gelato into a flower on your cone. Best part of my day I think. My feet were on fire so we hung out at the cute ice cream shop for awhile before we headed back to the metro.
A lot of people went to this place where you can see the sunset really well, but Deanna and I were ready to head back.
I had a bad experience on the metro today...and let's just say I was beyond happy to finally get to talk to my mama today. I'm not home sick at all. Just needed to make contact with home!!
Sorry for being a little short today. Just ended on a bad note and I'm ready for bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)