Going Dutch

Oh Amsterdam, you put up a front as if you are just waffles and weed...when really there is so much more right over the bridge.

Our last stop during Eurotrip 2009 was Amsterdam, and we were there for two days. We took the train from Paris to Amsterdam, which was an enjoyable (besides the annoying American students from France two rows up) and scenic 3 hour trip with a short stop in Brussels.

As with Paris, we fell asleep at the hostel around 10pm the first night. I know what your thinking we are crazy college kids with no shame in Holland, what is wrong with us?! I realized I just can't force myself to go out like other people. If I'm dead tired, you won't see me passed out on the bar, I would much rather be in my "cozy" twin hostel bed with a book on the pillow next to me. Feel free to call me a grandma behind my back because sometimes I feel like that. A friend in Rome has said "You can sleep when you're dead"...to this I say "You can sleep when you're tired".

Our hostel was an old converted school house situated on Vondelpark, which is a picturesque area of green grass with constant bike traffic. The most popular mode of transportation in the Netherlands is by bike...and the Dutch mean business when it comes to pedestrians walking in their lanes. On no less than 3 occasions did I almost cause bike related injuries, and I don't think I really want to know the translation of what was being said under the riders breath.

So the next day Martin and I wandered around the square close to our hotel called Leidsplien. There were many different restaurants and shops, as well as several "coffee shops" that Amsterdam is famous for.

A coffee shop is the only place in the Amsterdam is where Marijuana is legally sold. It's sort of like going into your local starbucks, but instead of expertise in coffee, your barista knows exactly what sort of herbal remedy to recommend. Personally I found it a pleasant change from the United States strict policy on "soft" drugs...but that's another topic for another blog. Smoking isn't for me, it never has been, but I think their attitude suggesting there are may worse things you could be doing is one I agree with.

Later we went to the Heineken Experience. There are several of these types of attractions throughout Europe, such as the Guinness Factory. I think this is because the lower drinking age is the perfect target market for these media centric fan experiences. It was really interesting in general and I felt like a true Heineken expect when we left.

We also took a canal cruise around the city later in the day. We met some law students studying abroad from Pepperdine, and I don't think I've heard as many crazy travel stories the whole time I have been in Europe as I did from the three blonde 24 year old's sitting next to us in one hour. I think I should have felt inspired to see more of the world from this conversation, but honestly in made me miss the normality of my friends and family back in New England.

For now this is all I have on Amsterdam, this is one post I hope I can go back and improve when I return to New York. It really was a great city, with an interesting point of view to back up amazing history. All I can say is Holland isn't just windmills anymore, but a forward thinking destination with old world charm.

Paris the City of Love (?)

Next stop on our European vacation was Paris the city of lights. I had heard a lot of mixed things about Paris from other students traveling around Europe, especially that if you don't know French you are looked at like Sarah Palin saying she can see Russia from her backyard. I was definitely pleasantly surprised at how accommodating people were. There wasn't the same friendliness as Spain, but coming from Rome I'm not shocked when people aren't smiling and happy 24/7.

I also loved the French style. Every single girl was dressed impeccably in a wardrobe of black tights, long sweaters, and amazing boots. I wish that I could look 100% put together like the girls of Paris. Looking at everyone it's exactly how you would picture cosmopolitan Europeans strolling around with cigarettes, baguettes, and well behaved children.

Our first day we checked into our hostel "Oops!" which was the first award winning designer hostel in the world. There were many cute features and decorations, but overall it was just like any other hostel we stayed in so far. The first night we were so exhausted from all the traveling I think we may have been in bed before 9pm. It's so hard when you want to cram so much in to such a short time and you are just too physically exhausted to do so.

The next day we decided to do a bike tour around Paris. After doing one in Munich I thought it would be a really cool way to see everything since all the monuments are in a somewhat close area but too far to really walk to. So we did this and overall it was really entertaining and interesting even though I think Martin is cursed for life when it comes to bike riding. We saw Notre Dame which was amazing, as well as many buildings built by Napoleon.

Later that night we went to the Louvre since it's open late until 10pm one night a week. I was a huge nerd and bought the audio tour which was actually really interesting, and explained some of the lesser known works along with their history. I got to see the Mona Lisa (disappointing), Winged Victory (one of my favorites), and the Louvre's amazing collection of Egyptian and Middle Eastern artifacts. They say that if you spent 30 seconds looking at each piece that is housed in the Louvre you would be there for 58 days, which just speaks to how incredibly expansive it is.

Later we went to a club Le Queen down on Champ Elysees which is one of the main streets stretching down from the Arc du Triumph. It was a relatively small dance club, with an owner who had a fondness for giving away Moet. We ended up here for both of our nights out in Parigi due to the unexpected closure of another club we had planned to go on Thursday.

We spent most of the next day wandering around Champ Elysees, window shopping and strolling around Louis Vuitton where Martin will be spending his riches as a famous design manager. My Visa was buring a whole through my pocket, but I was good and realized maybe in the future when there is money in my pocket to back up the credit card.

I also got to experience the Eiffel Tower. It for me was a highlight of my whole trip. I met some other people traveling from Boston (crazy coincidence) and took the elevator ride all the way up to the top level. Since I went at night I had AMAZING views of all the city light and landmarks. It was sort of sad though not being there with any friends or loved ones. Seeing all the couples at the top made me miss that feeling of being able to share that incredible moment with someone who means so much to you. But it was still something I will remember forever and hopefully in the future I will be able to come back and do it all again in the name of love <3.

So in general we had an amazing time in the city of light and love. Paris is unlike anywhere else in the world.

Dear Barcelona, you're crazy, but I think I love you

Oh Barca,

Where even to begin. I think landing at the airport was probably the start of my attraction to this city. When we touched down we were in a futuristic terminal of glass and lights. When I got off the plane the excitement that I already had was reaffirmed by the uniqueness of our surroundings.

We landed the morning of the 23rd and spent the rest of Friday wandering around Las Ramblas and down by the waterfront. Las Ramblas is the main drag of Barcelona with shops, restaurants and bars. There was always so many people there, and it connects to all the side streets with even more to explore in the Gothic neighborhood. Our hostel was in Plaza Real which was an adorable little plaza with palm trees, and a fountain in the middle.

Emma arrived at the hostel around 6pm, and was greeted by the cute love note I wrote her and left at reception. We went to dinner, and were all struggling to keep our eyes open with the Barca lifestyle. So to explain this everyone in Barcelona is superhuman. They someone don't eat dinner until around 10pm, and don't get to the club until literally 2am...I thought it was crazy last call in NY was 4am! Here that's the high point of the night and places don't close until way after dawn. So this first night Emma and I went to small Spanish bar in Barri Gotica, and what was supposed to be a low key night ended up with us taking and catching up until 4. It's so nice to have her abroad at the same time as me! We will be meeting up again in Dublin in a few weeks, so I've been able to see her three times this semester which has definitely been a lifesaver in my want for all things Boston. Park Guell

Saturday we decided to do one of the open air bus tours of Barcelona. Getting on the bus I had scary flashbacks of being harassed in NYC to the big apple tour, and right then I decided this is the single most touristy thing I have done in my entire life. It was so worth the trauma! We saw every major attraction in Barca and got it done in such a more convenient way than we could have on our own. My favorite part of the day was Park Guell, which is a public park that the architect Gaudi designed. I think all the Gaudi architecture was my absolute favorite part of Barcelona, I have never felt more drawn to a certain style of design and architecture. To all of my architecture friends...this is only until you design your fabulous and amazing buildings :). Later that night we went to a club called Razzmatazz. Most ridiculous nightclub I will probably ever go to. There were about seven different mini-clubs inside a huge warehouse...without rambling and going into too much detail it was basically the stereotypical European rave, you would picture in a Eurotrip movie. Walking home at dawn was the end of our amazing Saturday.

Sunday, I had my little dose of travel drama with forgetting to pick up the tickets I had ordered us for the FC Barcelona game. It somehow slipped my mind that NOTHING, and I mean nothing in Europe is open on Sunday. After this minor setback, I took a little hit to the wallet, and we bought new tickets for the game. We went down to Las Ramblas in the morning, and as even more of a downer, Emma had her bag stolen from Starbucks. It was my first real exposure to the crime in Europe that all the guidebooks warn you about. She filed a police report and the rest is history. Luckily her passport was back at the hotel, and it was just "things" that were taken which I guess is how you have to look at it. That afternoon we went to the Picasso museum which was a great showcase of so many works. At the game later that night, Emma and I ended up sitting lower level, using our concert sneaking skills to make it closer to the action.

Monday Martin and I wandered savoring our last day in Espana. We split up and walked around doing some window shopping, and ended the night at two clubs on the beach.

Barcelona was such an amazing city. It's one of the few places that I have been to so far that I can actually see myself living as an expat. The weather, the people, and the city itself were perfect in my eyes. I can't wait to go back in the future.