6 months 11 countries

Last post.
The last 6 months have been the most amazing experiences ever. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and everything exceeded my expectations. traveling and living in Paris has been the best thing for me. I have learned so much and gained so much more. I think the best part of traveling is meeting all the incredible people along the way, the backpackers, the natives- everyone. Only cool people travel and only cooler people travel by themselves! Its been incredible. its an experience ill never fully be able to explain because so much happened to me and each day was a new adventure.

Paris, France
Prague, Chez Republic
Copenhagen, Denmark
Budapest, Hungry
Catalona, Spain
Israel
Jordan
Egypt
Greece
Croatia
Italy

Whens the next trip? And who's with me?

36 hours in Paris

Back in Paris for 36 hours.
This really is the most amazing city, period. People can be rude and its frustrating and difficult but it is an incredible city.
I spent the entire day in Les Maris, which is my absolutely favorite area in Paris. I spent five hours shopping and going into art galleries, it couldn't have been better. And it was the first day of the summer sales so there were a million people but I was able to get a 200 euro dress for 50!
I am staying at old teachers studio with another girl that was on my program this spring. Its amazing that we were both in paris the same time. It was the last night for both of us so, we got dressed up and went to a really nice restaurant (compliments of Cara's dad) and celebrated our last night in europe.
When we got back to the studio my teacher was having a small dinner party there that we joined. I ended up talking to this academic german woman all night, she was pretty interesting and only made me want to go to germany really badly. That's my goal- get to germany within the year... We'll see.
I'm totally going to be in a mild depression upon returning to the states.

italy

Italy really is amazing. I know that this is just the first of many times visiting this country. There is a lot that I didn't get to do that I'm anxious to get back and see. It was really nice to come to italy for the first time with Enza, I felt like I got to know rome, florence and venice really well.
I will never come back in june though, each city (especially Venice) was just flooded with tourist that I found it to be really frustrating.
Spent the last day at the beach, of course. I just can't wait until the next time I can sit by the Mediterranean!

venice

We re staying on the island Lido, which is right off of the main island of venice. Far less tourist, nice beaches and way more italian. It seems like this island is where the rich italians go to vacation and hang out for the summer, funny how all rich people flood to the beach.

Our schedule of the day is based on the world cup games and who is playing. We've found a great outdoor bar to watch the games at. The usa vs ghana game was heartbreaking to say the least.

We spent about 5 hours walking around St. Marks and the classic Venice. It was hot, there were wayyyy too many tourists and I felt completely overwhelmed. Venice is defiantly something to see, there is nothing like it. But after you see it, there's really nothing else. It is merely a vacation spot, but a pretty one.

Its weird being here I have realized that my backpacking days are over, I'm on vacation now. Its great to be on vacation with enza but the adrenaline of backpacking and constantly moving and meeting new people is over, and it makes me sad. Let's hope I can adjust back to the reality of real life in a couple of days.

Paris on tuesday, tampa on thursday... Damn, time is disappearing.

florence: art overload

Dumo. Its so amazing on the outside, so detailed and in pretty colors and right in the middle of the city. We decided that we wanted to go all the way up the dome, all 467 stairs... Great exercise but that's a long way up! The ceiling of the dumo is incredible and walking up we got an amazing view of it. And the view from the roof was so amazing, lots of pictures were taken.

Boboli gardens- the old Medici estate. We spent a great afternoon walking around in the trees.

David- michelangelo is a genius. I was completely blown away by his sculpture and we were there for awhile just looking at the david. It really was amazing.

Uffizi gallery- whoa, so much art. I think I overloaded on the art at the uffizi, my brain couldn't take anymore renaissance art. Highlights were botticelli and caravaggio.

fooooood

Florence food. I think I might have eaten my body weight in food. The hostel had the best breakfast, you can't go wrong with an egg sandwich to start the day.
Then there was the amazing cafe that totally kept us going. Its surprising how such a tiny cup is packed with so much caffeine.
Pizza, pasta, bread, wine, cheese... Its all just so good, where ever you get it the food is amazing.
We had an amazing caprese salad one night- I've never had such good tomatoes.
Wine, its cheap and its good. I don't know anything about wine and I'm not going to pretend I do. I just know I only drink white wine and house white wine in italy is really good.
Gelato. A day wasn't complete without gelato. Strawberry was a favorite as well as mint, whiskey, and cafe.
I'm going to seriously start exercising when I get home.

florence

This city really is incredible. Over the last few days we have really gotten to know florence and have loved our time here. The city is small, no metro so you have to walk everywhere which is great. I can't imagine how much we have walked over the last couple of days. But we did it all. We conquer florence in 4 days.

The ponte vecchio bridge was definitely a highlight. Its a bridge that is full of small jewelry shops. Enza and I spent so much time just starring at the windows of all these places. I knew that a cameo ring was something that I really wanted from italy. Enza helped me look at a million of rings before I decided which one I wanted, just so excited to have my own cameo from italy.

The world cup has also been a big
deciding factor of scheduling our days. I, for some reason am in love with soccer right now. We have met some interesting people watching the games in random pubs and its been a lot of fun. Thank god the states won- that was fun but then italy lost which really sucked, there were a lot of angry italians.

Florence is awesome.

siena

On our way to florence we decided to make a small stop in siena. After a train, bus then another bus that took us around in circles for awhile we ended up in siena.
The city is small and really precious. Very confusing streets that wind around and seem to lead nowhere though. We stayed for awhile in Plazza del Campo which was great to people watch. We watched old italian women walking together with linked arms and small children running around- it was adorable. Also a lot of older people were taking care of their grandchildren. We sat and watched this old man probably in his 70's sharing lunch with this cute little girl and they walked around holding hands. We visited the famous Siena Duomo, which was incredible and stripped. Probably one of my favorite cathedrals I've been in- and I've been to quite a lot over the last couple of months. We had a nice lunch and then was back on the train to florence!
Great day trip!

Things to note from rome

-Enza meeting me, finally!
-Our dutch man
-Enza met Enzo
-The self picture taking woman
-"when in doubt follow the nuns"
-Goal list
-Enza being widely popular with her italian blood
-Me loosing my book and forcing enza into every book store
-Pretty italian shoes
-The cook at the hostel
-fabulous cafe
-too many americans (the most americans I've run into on my travels)
-weird pizza with peppercorn, salmon, and blue cheese
-world cup taking over our lives!
-fathers day signs :)

last day in rome

We had a lot to cover the last day and it was fathers day so we had to figure out something. We got a late start due to a late night of too many bars. It was also raining which just makes everything a little more complicated, thank god for my raincoat.

Spanish Steps- damn, that's a lot of steps... And in the rain I'm glad I didn't fall on my butt. I loved the view of the small streets from the top though.
Trevi fountain- so massive and so many people. We sat there forever and people watch and laughed at everything. Threw a coin in for good luck and took a million pictures.

Football!!
Italy vs New Zeland at the park. Huge crowd, huge screen tv big speakers, so many italian flags- it was crazy. There was a four year old with an air horn behind us that got excited too often. It was fun to be in such a big group watching the match, I'm so into these football games its odd. Italy tied and no body was happy about that.

It was a great last day now onto florence!

vatican city

We had a plan. Get up early and go to the Vatican. I don't remember the last time I was up and out the door at 7:45am, but we were and really excited too. St. Peters opens everyday at 7 and the Museum opens at 9, our plan was to beat the rush.

We got to st.peters around 8:20 and there really wasn't anyone in the piazza and the sun was coming up and it was all very magical. We were able to go into st.peters without waiting in any lines or anything, which was awesome. I was totally blown away walking in and then Enza hits me on the shoulder and says look, and there to the right was the Pieta. I have always wanted to see the Pieta and finally I was standing in front of it. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of art I have every seen and in st. peters, I found it to be really emotional. There weren't a lot of people around so it was even more special just sharing the moment between us. St. Peters is unbelievable and so overwhelming. Everywhere i looked was an alter or a statue or a shrine to a pope, there is no way to see everything fully. The main alter was another highlight, we just stood there in awe for a good while. Also I found the ceiling to be very cool. When we left the basilica there was already a long line outside- beat the rush!

Onto the museum, which already had a huge line even though it just opened. We ended up waiting in line for a hour, behind some crazy spanish girls. We got student tickets for 8 euros (!!) And we split an audio guide to listen when we wanted to. Highlights: the gallery of the tapestries (also the ceiling), the gallery of the maps, Laccon, Belvedere Torso, the Rafael rooms especially The School of Athens (its always really awesome to see something that I've studied in real life, perspectives totally change).
Then after a long wait and many rooms of crazy modern art we were at the Sisten Chapel. I always have pictured in my head what it was going to look like and what kind of room it was going to be but it was nothing like I thought. The room was darker and bigger than I expected and completely crowded with noisy tourists. The guards just kept yelling at people taking pictures or to be quiet. It wasn't the peaceful chapel that I'd imagine. I mainly focused my attention to Michelangelos Last Judgment, which I found to be remarkable. Of course the center painting of Genesis where their fingers almost touch is amazing. I tried my hardest to ignore my surroundings and focus on the art, but I found it hard. The art itself was incredible, but it wasn't the experience I was expecting.

We got lunch and sat in St. Peters piazza, which was packed and then sent postcards to our family from the vatican. I'm really never going to forget the Pieta, its surprising that something that's behind glass and 15 feet away can still be so emotional and breathtaking.

rome: day one with enza!

After waiting all day for enza she finally showed up at the train station at 10 and of course I had a glass of vino waiting for her.

the first day
The colosseumm: whoa. Its so cool. I, surprisingly was really into the colessum. I found it more interesting than the Eiffel tower or the acropolis, maybe because they use to battle lions in there? And it seems to be that the romans were pretty bad ass.

Pantheon: down a small quiet street and there it is the pantheon. They were working on the front so half of it was covered with scaffolding, which sucked. Circle of light inside was pretty cool and we kept calling it the light of god.

Lunch was really nice. Since our hostel gives us breakfast and dinner we were able to go to a restaurant for lunch, I haven't been to a restaurant in probably two months now... So... Sitting down at a restaurant on a side street of rome in the middle of the afternoon was wonderful. They did charge us for water and bread... Not cool.

This city has so much to offer and it really is an incredible place.
I'm so glad that I have my best friend to travel around rome with- we re having too much fun already.

official

I have decided I'm officially a backpacker. I have bruises on both my hip bones from my pack. Hard core.

solo traveler no more

every hostel, every city there are the standard questions
whats your name
where are you from
how long are you traveling for
where have you been
where are you going
whats your favorite city
who are you traveling with
etc etc....

when i tell people where Ive been and that im traveling alone they all give me this strange look. There really arent many solo female travelers (i didnt meet any in jordan or israel) and the fact that im in my early 20s doing this has surprised a lot of people. So far I have loved it. I have met amazing people and then leave them before i get sick of them, its great. I have also done things completly my way not having to go by anyone elses schedule, that freedom is awesome.
Today, everything changes. Enza comes and I couldnt be more excited to travel with my best friend. Itll be a new adventure thats for sure.

ps made it to rome and am amazed.

split croatia

Split is an amazing city. Its an old roman city (of course) so the center of the city is built around roman ruins. The people seem eastern european to me, like very hard working and worn down, but there is also that laid back Mediterranean vibe so its an interesting dynamic. Split is real small with cobblestone that wind around. Its a city that is so small so you can't get lost in but constantly trying to figure out where you are because everything looks the same. Its so nice thought to not have to deal with buses, metros everything I wanted was in real short walking distance.

Market: the outdoor markets here are great. All theses older tough looking woman sit out side again trying to sell their fruit. I got a kilo of cherries from a woman who was just sitting eating a raw potato. There is also a fresh fish market, those woman are badass. They handle those fish without gloves and wipe their hands on their dresses.

The beaches here are not very good. The sand is littered and dirty and its so busy. The people play a weird ball game where they hit this little rubber ball with their hands to one another. The water of course is amazing. I have heard that the islands right off of split have great beaches but I never made it out there.
Night swimming after coming out of a club will be one of my favorite memories of croatia though.

Somehow my life in croatia has been scheduled around the world cup games. I am really getting into the games, and there are always people to talk to about sports so I feel like its good knowledge for me. I have decided that besides the states, the netherlands will be my team. I have meet some great dutch people traveling and they have all been the nicest people. And the netherlands has one of the best teams so they actually have a chance of winning.

Split has been a great place for me to chill out and relax before I begin my journey through italy with enza. It was unexpected but so great. I would love to come back and explore more of croatia, I feel like it could be one of my favorite places.

dumb and retarded

The hostel I have been staying at has a really nice bar that everyone goes to watch the football (soccer) games. Most travelers I have met are Australian so when Australia played Germany the other night it was a huge deal! There were so many people the bar was crowded and really fun. Then, these US Navy boys showed up because they got the night off from their ship. At the time I was talking to a girl from Canada and we introduces ourself to one guy and he looks at the girl from Canada and says: What part of the states are you from. The girl said, oh im from Canada. Then the Navy guy says: oh wow you have really great english. I looked at him and said SHES FROM CANADA! He resopnds by: they speak english in canada? How was i suposed to know that? ..... i just had to walk away.

It only got worst though.

These boys got so drunk and so righteous American ass-holes talking about the war in Afghanistan and how they were so great because they were helping rebuild a country. They just got so drunk and more and more crazy and radical. And of course this just got other people talking about Americans and the war and our politics and that's never a good idea at a bar. I was also the only other American there besides those Navy boys... I have never been so embarrassed about my nationality. Everyone else at the bar knew that I was American because I was there the previous night supporting the football team so they all just kind of looked at me in an apologetic way.

food in greece

i miss the food in greece.
the feta
the fresh fruit- i bought an entire kilo of peaches one day and ate them all
tomatos (!!!!)
feta
gyros - perfect for the budget travler and so so good
feta
the juice- i dont know how greece produces so much great fruit but they do
feta
gyros
baklava
i could live off of greek food for the rest of my life

Croatia

Well,

Im writing this post in the laundry mat, listening to Beyonce with this really nice Croatian girl that runs the mat.

Im in Split, Croatia. It only took me about 36 hours to get here from Greece with a stop in Italy --but already I feel like its totally worth it.


i took a shower and now am washing my clothes- pure joy.


World Cup Game tonigh USA

ferries.... ahhhh....

I have now spent two nights on ferries. I'm over it.
the first night I had to go from Greece to Italy. Then I decided I wanted to go to Croatia (what!?) so had to get on another over night ferry to Croatia...

Last night was the first time that I really felt homesick and was completely ready to be done with this trip.

Im over passport control (Ive been through 3 in the last 24 hours)
feeling dirty- dont even want to say how long its been since i had a shower....
having dirty clothes - hand washing doesnt work on a ferry...
sleeping on ferries (!!)

annnddd when I got to Italy my credit cards didnt work, which is always too stressful.

Corfu

After an all night bus trip I finally made it to Corfu, Greece.

The island is so different from the southern islands, no white houses with blue doors or donkeys. Corfu is also a big island so there is a whole population that lives there, unlike a Ios and Santorini that seemed to be run by the tourists. Since its so far north there is a huge Itallian influnce that really changes the dynamic of Corfu as well. Corfu has the cutest small villages that remind me of a movie or something -older women in kerchifes hanging clothes out to dry and older men just sitting around smoking playing cards. It was great. The first day I was there I got to go around on a scooter and see a lot of the island and the amažing landscape. There is a lot to explore in Corfu, I didnt explore as much as I could because once again I got sucked into the beach and spending wayy too much time out in the sun. I cannot seem to get away from the Med. Sea!!!!


Through my hostel, which really is like summer camp for backpackers, I went on a boating trip. It was awesome. I jumped off cliffs and went into a bat cave and spent all day on a boat, what more could I ask for. I could have eaisly been sucked into spending a week in Corfu but after two nights (which seems to be my limit everywhere) I decided to head to Italy...

what to do what to do...

I came to Greece with no real plan. The only thing I really have planned is to meet enza in rome on the 17th. Its a long time without a plan but its also really fun to not have a schedule.

I thought that I would spend more time in the greek islands but ferrys are more expensive than I thought, and I don't want to travel by myself around the islands. I thought about going to Istanbol, but that is the opposite direction of rome... So I decided after Ios to go back to Athens. In trying to save money I took a slow ferry that took all day long.

I booked a really cheap hostel in Athens and now I know why it was so cheap- it is in an awful location. there is a brothel across the street that did provide some entertainment last night from the roof top bar, but location is everything.
I found a dance studio in greece that I had planned on taking classes there for the next couple of days. I was trying to find the studio and on the map found a short cut that was close to my hostel. Well this shortcut was wayy more than I thought. I started to walk down the street and all of a sudden it starts to get pretty busy. Then somehow I walk into a group of dirty men who are hold syringes and injecting each other with what I would assume is heroin. I just froze, I couldn't move I just stared at them and then this group of people looked up at me. Finally I got myself to move and realized that everyone around me is completely strung out- at noon! I have never been so scared in my entire life. I got out of there as fast as I could but got completely turned around. I finally reached a main street and this well dressed clean cut guy comes up to me and told me I was sexy... That is when I completely lost it and decided that I had to leave athens. I've never felt unsafe traveling by myself until then. As a single woman I don't think I can stay in cheap hostels that are in bad locations, I can't afford that risk. Back at my hostel I fought with the guy to give me back my 13euros for that night, cause I was getting the hell out of there.

After that I really had no plan and more so than ever wanted to take ballet class. I decided that regardless I was going to find the dance studio and take class, just go the safest longest way possible. The dance studio was great, it had big windows that overlooked the acropolis. I never felt so happy to dance and have art back in my life.

I figured it out that I could take a 10pm bus to corfu, which is where I need to be to go to italy so off I go...

spring break mtv style

Santorini is pretty, romantic, and stunning but we were ready for more excitement so I headed off with emily and joci for the island of Ios. The ferry was filled with 20somethings and "tonight's gonna be a good night" by the black eye peas were playing... Let the party begin.

Ios is a small island that gets completely overtaken in the summer by backpackers and Australians. Ios is nicknamed the spring break island, and that it is. Everyone just sits by the pool and on the beach all day and just party's all night. We arrived around noon and nothing was going on but within the hour the beach was packed, it really did look like a mtv spring break party. I stayed at a place right on the beach in a small hut without a real roof, I felt like I was camping and it was only 10euros a night.

Everyone goes into town for the night. So around 1030 we headed into town to get coffee (at a precious coffee shop), eat gyeros, and begin the night. I was glad that I was with a group of girls to party with and dance with all night. It almost would have been impossible to be on the island by myself. Walking back from the town at 5am was quite the adventure... Through small paths with donkeys and sheep on one side and the sea as our guide. I have never in my life seen so many stars. the two girls kept laughing at me because I kept talking about the stars, I don't see very many stars in philly and for sure have never seen that many!

Its a funny place, mainly because it isn't a real place. There really isn't any culture or substance just a non stop party. Every place has a limit, my limit for Ios was two nights. I was worried if I stayed there any longer I would have gotten melanoma or my liver would have given out. It was fun but I came to greece for more than a party and was over the tourist aspect of the entire place.

Santorini

Athens isn't really that exciting its a great city but what makes greece exciting are the islands. I didn't know where or what island to go to but I decided to go to Santorini. Emily (who I bungy jumped with) and her friend, joci were also headed that way.
I took an all day ferry to get there, it was long and slow and really boring. when you get off the boat there are so many people with signs yelling to stay in their rooms and hotels its a little overwhelming. Since I was meeting the two girls there I knew where i was staying but trying to find the sign for the hostel with everyone yelling at me was a little crazy.
I got to the hostel and only cared about getting to the beach. I think I pissed the guy off at the front desk because I really wasn't listening to him. It was so nice though sitting on Perissa beach reading, it was great. I had to buy more sunscreen though since I'm deathly afraid of getting more freckles and it cost me 22 euros! Beach life isn't cheap but so so great.

The next day the two girls and I went on a full excursion of Santorini. We did a tour that took us on this cool old wooden boat to the volcano, hot springs, remote island (that I don't know the name of) and Oia. It was a long day but filled with a lot of fun. The volcano was a little bit of a hike and I had the wrong shoes on so my feet started to hurt but a lot of great pictures were taken of the sea from there and it was my fisrt time on a volcano. There was no lava or smoke... Which was a little disappointing...
The hot spring! It was pretty cool we had to jump off the boat and swim a good 50 yards to the spring. The sea was so cold and of course I screamed when I jumped in. I can't remember the last time I actually swam though so I got tired but also was having a great time. The hot spring was warm and I didn't want to leave.
Then we went to the remote island which was what I picture in my head greece being. Small, white houses with blue doors pretty water view, there were no beaches though just rocks. But it was great there was an old man working on his boat and donkeys chilling and stray cats running around and it was peaceful.
The famous sunsets Oia. Ahh so amazing. The small town is the cutest picturesque town ever. We were there for awhile walking around, going into the shops and eating the most amazing balkava ever! There are so many small expensive villas there with well dressed gorgeous people hanging around, I want to be hanging out with them! I also wanted everyone I know to be in Oia with me watching the sunset because it was so picturesque. Its funny the place is swarmed with people for the sunset and then everyone leaves and it becomes a ghost town. Ahh it was great though.
Santorini has been the first place that I've totally been ok with leaving because I know that ill come back one day.

jumping!!

For my second day in athens I planned on going to the museums to submerge myself in the ancient culture, but everything changed. When I woke up a girl from my hostel, emily, asked me if I wanted to go bungy jumping with her. Probably too quickly I said yes. It was crazy but soon off we were with other guy to go bungy jumping on the corinth canal. We had to take an hour bus to get there but the bus dropped is off right in front of the place. Within 20 mins we had harnesses' on and were on the bridge looking down at the water. I was so scared, I just kept shaking and really didn't know if I could jump. I made emily and this other guy we were with go before me. I watched as both of them counted down and then jumped off. Finally it was my turn.
I went onto the platform and grabbed the instructors shirt and would let go. I had to close my eyes while they were getting everything ready finally everything was ready and I had to walk to the edge which was almost impossible. I made it out there my toes to the edge and put my arms out, then the instructor started counting down. I closed my eyes. 5, 4, 3 I opened my eyes... And started to count 2... 1... And I jumped and screamed my head off. I stopped screaming for a moment and it was incredible, I heard nothing only saw the water and the rocks and it was surprisingly peaceful, the I started to bounce and started to scream again. It was fun swinging down there upside down I felt like I was flying. It was really fun and over too fast. When I got up to the platform I had to sit down because I was still shaking. I'm still shocked that I did it, but I did !

greece greece greece

flying from egypt to athens was really exciting. I looked outside the plane and saw the Mediterranean sea and the greek mountains, it was wonderful I was so happy. Getting into athens and to my hostel from the airport was really easy- it was a nice change from egypt. The first thing I did when I got to athens was find a laundry mat and wash everything. I don't know when the last time I used a machine was! Ahhh clean clothes is such a great feeling.

My hostel is in a perfect spot, right next to the acropolis. the bar on the roof has a perfect view of the acropolis lit up at night, its insane. The first night I was there, a group of us went out from the hostel. All being new to the city, and drinking too much the acropolis was our only guide back to the hostel which was an experience in itself.

I went on the big tour around athens the first full day. I think I am on overload of ancient ruins. I have seen some amazing human wonders of the world that its starting to be hard for me to comprehend any more. I walked all around the acropolis in the middle of the day, but I feel like I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have. I got tons of photos though so at least I can say I've been there.

last night.

I did have a great last night in Cairo.
A big group of us went to a hookah place close to our hotel.
We sat outside drank fresh mango juice and smoked hookah.
It was a great last memory of egypt. I met some cool people and
Was glad that I had a group to travel around with. I think I'm
Going to like being back on my own though.

peace out.

I'm ready to leave Egypt.
I want to wear short skirts again.
Drink tap water
Throw the toilet paper in the toilet
Not get harassed
Not have to argue for every damn thing
I want my stomach to stop hurting!
I want to drink again
I'm ready for athens.

the train ride from egyptian hell.

We flew to meet our cruise ship but for some reason we had to take a train back to cairo. A 16 hour sleeper train. I was kind of looking forward to the train, see the country side - something new. But no no. This train was foul. It was stifling hot when we first got on the train, we were already so sweaty from walking around all day that it was hell. It was so bumpy and rough we were being thrown around all the time.

The bathrooms. Something I will never forget. I walked in, its small and dirty and smells awful. The toilet paper holder is completely rusted and the toilet is dirty and gross and I'm being tossed around as I'm trying to squat and not touch anything. Then I flush. The bottom of the toilet just falls open to the tracks to let whatever is in toilet onto the ground. Raw sewage right there on the train tracks...

A couple of us went into the restaurant car to play cards and try to pass the time. It was so smokey in there it was like one big ash cloud. Two guys in my tour taught me how to play poker. We needed chips or something so I just start pulling out all my random coins I've acquired. So I finally learned how to play poker on a smoked filled train in the middle of egypt with tampa bay bucs cards and five different currencies.

the pen theory

There was one morning that I didn't sign up to go on the excursion so I had the entire morning free. I walked around the local market with my teacher. It was mainly a spice market so the colors and smells of the place were awesome. I love markets I feel like they really show the culture of the country because they are selling what their producing.
We walking along the market and this old beggar woman does this sign with her hand like she's writing. It was odd and we couldn't figure out what she was doing.

Then, a little later, this cute little boy in a bright yellow shirt comes running up to us. He keeps saying something that we don't understand and we think he's just asking for money so we kind of blow him off, but he was determined. I was eating a chocolate bar (that was melting everywhere) I offered that to him, he didn't want it. Finally I tried to really listen to him and realized he was saying pen, black pen. I'm sure to have a black pen in my purse somewhere. I found a cheap pen that hardly works and hold it up to him. His eyes light up and he gets all excited. I had him the pen and he runs off and keeps turning around to wave at me. He was holding up his pen and showing to people, it was so cute. We passed the begger woman again and my teacher gave her a pen, which she put in her pocket and was really happy about as well. I don't know why the pen, there are pens in egypt its not like its a penless country but regardless that little boy was so precious waving at me holding his pen in the air. Why? Why the pen??

curising on the nile...

It was everything I wanted it to be and more. It was unreal to go down the nile and see a bank of palm trees with donkeys and small houses and naked kids running around jumping into the nile and then the desert mountains behind it all. Our boat had a small pool that I spent too much time at getting burnt. The tops of my feet are so tan its ridiculous.

During our 4 night cruise we would go on all day excursions to incredible places. The valley of the kings, luxor temple, edfu temple,al-deir temple, kom ombo temple, and karnak temple. A lot of the people that I was traveling with were studying archeology; they were getting sand and rocks from every place. It was a world wind tour of so many temples and things that I'm overwhelmed. Amazing hieroglyphics and carvings in every temple but all very different so I never felt like I was seeing the same thing a million of times. Its so crazy to think that this stuff is over 4000 years old... Damn! Since its all stone everyone is touching everything and climbing over these ancient ruins- its incredible.

There was one day that was ridiculous hot, like 100 degrees hot... It was painful and there was no escaping the heat we all just sweated all. day. long.

Everyone on the boat was getting sick with weird stomach problems. I kept taking theses weird pills my tour director was giving me. My roommate was out for an entire day- its brutal. The water is completely non drinkable to the point where I'm not brushing my teeth with it. So I'm not quite sure what we're digesting. The locals drink the water like its nothing. I would love to know what the locals think of all the tourists with our big bottles of water and our over sized suitcases that fit more things than they own. The tourist are probably the ones contributing the most to the huge trash problem in Cairo.

hassle and harassment

I wasn't expecting the poverty of this country. Over 50 percent of the country is in complete poverty. Cairo is the dirtiest city I've ever been in, there seems to be a layer of dirt and grit over the whole city. Even some places of the Nile, in Cairo, are completely repulsive. Driving by one area on our way to a restaurant the river was filled with plastic bottles, random trash and even a dead horse.
The people are so desperate for money they just attack the tourists. By the pyramids they would literally pick up people, put them on camels and then the camels would trot away and you would have to pay them to get back to the group. It was crazy. And of course they can spot the americans and only want american money.
No one has messed with me, I think I give off this bitch vibe and they don't approach me but Its remarkable how aggressive they are. I wanted to buy one thing and knew I would have to bargain with the guy. I finally got it down to a reasonable price and took out my wallet to pay for it. Biggest mistake, I had euros in my wallet. When he saw the euros all he wanted was 5 euros, which would be a great deal more than what I was going to pay. Then he tried to give me all this other crap for the 5 euros. Finally I told him Egyptian pounds or nothing and he said "egyptian pounds are worthless, I don't want them" ... No shit.
Even when our boat was docking they were prepared. About 7 rowboats surrounded our cruise boat and they started throwing up dresses and scarf's asking for money, it was insane and hilarious.
Our tour director was telling us about the political situation in egypt and it was really awful. She actually wasn't legally allowed to talk about the current situation to tourist. The people here are so poor and so desperate that its heartbreaking.

wonders of the world.

My first day on the tour. Its nice to have someone tell me what to do and when, but after being by myself its hard to adjust to someone else's schedule.
But still the day was exhausting and it just kept getting amazing. We went to the step pyramid first and all around it. It was great to finally see something I've been staring at in art history books right in front of me. We then were bused to this amazing huge statue of ramsy.
After we all went to this restaurant for lunch. We had no choices for lunch it was just a flat 10 dollar fee. My mom taught me a couple of things; floss my teeth, wear sunscreen, and pack lunch from the hotel breakfast buffet. The restaurant was the most tourist place I've been in, the musicians only played when tourists were walking through and then would stop. It was so expensive for cairo it was ridiculous, they were not going to take advantage of me.

After lunch we went to the big amazing great pyramids! I was really excited I just wanted to see the great pyramids so badly. It was hot but not extremely hot and for some reason there was a nice breeze. It really was incredible standing in the middle of the three great pyramids, it was a great moment. We were able to walk down this funny ladder/ramp and go inside one. It was really cool to see the coffin that once had a mummy in it. I took a million pictures everywhere, but you have to standing in front of the great pyramids!

Cairo

I arrived to the airport totally lost. I had to buy a visa for 15 dollars, which is total bullshit and they only wanted American money. But when I got my bag and was trying to find a taxi this man from the airport put me in an office and all of a sudden I was hiring a car service. It was about 40 egyptian pounds more than a taxi but whatever.
I had about 4 hours to kill before my tour group met me in the hotel so I walked for a good while around cairo. Everyone I talked to before coming to egypt said to be careful and people will want to harass you but still I wasn't ready for all of it. As soon as I got outside a man was trying to talk to me and tell me things about Cairo. I finally had to look at him and say "I want to be alone, go away". But it was great walking around by myself before joining a tour because I really got to experience Cairo (for a bit). I was really shocked about how dirty Cairo is. There are piles and piles of trash everywhere and people just begging for money. I walked through a small market, which was crazy. There seemed to be no organization, people were just sitting on cardboard on the street selling veggies. One man had a wooden wheelbarrow that looked liked it was from the 1700s filled with cucumbers. There were chickens running around and donkeys pulling wheelbarrows around. It was crazy and it was just on some random street close to the hotel. I found a busy place where people were eating so I got the one thing they had- schwarma. It was so good and sooo cheap, less than 2 dollars for a huge sandwich of meat and veggies. I'm glad that I'm joining a tour because that 4 hours by myself in Cairo was exhausting, and I don't trust a damn person here.

final thoughts on Jordan...

This really is the first time I have spent a lot of time in an Arabic culture. Its been a good experience for me and everyone has made me feel so welcome.

On the bus from Aqaba back to Amman we all had to do a security check. Everyone had to get out of the bus with their bags to be searched. The guy looked at me and said "no problem, welcome!" And then he started to check everybody else and their bags.
Riding in the bus I also saw the most amazing sunset ever. It was such a clear day, the sun was just a big red ball setting in this desert landscape- it was wild.

The hotel/hostel that I stayed at in Amman was really great the woman that owns it was the sweetest person ever. She went out of her way to help me and always had tea ready for everyone. Walking the streest of Amman is really a new experience. I get so many looks and stares but still no one has done anything disrespectful, all anyone has said to me is "welcome, welcome" - which really has made me feel welcomed.

There is more to explore in Jordan than what I did and I thought I was going to take a day trip on friday but I decided to stay in, do laundry walk around the fri markets and get ready for my egypt trip.
I was sitting in the common room of the hotel reading, next to me where two older men who looked about 80 but probably only about 60. One man was wearing a long white robe and the other was in pants and a tshirt. The one in the robe offered me a cigarette, I tried telling him that I didn't smoke but he didn't understand so I just took the cigarette. The other man motioned at the backgammon board to see if I wanted to play. I told him I didn't know how to play but he just kept pointing to the board. So I sat down and he knew the english numbers so I was able to learn. Somehow I ended up winning my first game, the man in the robe thought it was so funny and kept laughing at his friend. So I sat with these two men for awhile, smoking, drinking tea and playing backgammon. The man in the white robe had just bought two parrots from the market, someone translated for me saying that he was excited to teach them how to talk when he got home. I asked where they were from and my translator told me Iraq. Its crazy to think that I have friends as soldiers in iraq doing god know what but here I am playing backgammon with these two iraqi men. They were so nice to me (and really good at backgammon), the one in the white robe ended up giving me a pack of cigarettes with "that great american taste" written on the box.

Its another world over here homosexuality is illegal but the men hold hands out of respect, you can't drink the tap water or throw the toilet paper in the toilet, people stop five times a day to pray, the men have their own section in the restaurants. I have heard some amazing stories about the middle east from backpackers and the people who live here. I would love to come back one day and really explore more countries over here. I was so surprised how nice everyone was and how welcomed I felt, there were many times I felt uncomfortable being a woman but never felt in danger. It has been good that I've come here I've felt a little lost at times and really missed israel but I was able to have quite an experience here in Jordan. I'm leaving the country with only 35JDcents and I am so excited to go to Egypt.

In a restaurant in Aqaba

we were the only people there, it was an odd time to go to eat. But right after we ordered a couple with a little 7 month old baby walked in. The man was dressed normally in jeans and a tshirt but the woman was wearing the full burqa. Right away I felt uncomfortable. I tend to get so nervous around these women when you can only see their eyes. The guy I was with and I started talking about how different countries are starting to ban the burqa and why women wear it and so forth. There is so much controversy around the burqa like if the woman wants to wear it or she's forced to, it all makes me uncomfortable. Well the couple and their really cute baby boy sat down right in front of me. The woman took off her veil once she sat down, she was so pretty and so young- she couldn't have been older than I am. She started feeding and playing with the baby, which was the cutest child. Then I started waving and smiling and clapping my hands, and he just laughed and this woman and I started laughing. And we were all watching this little baby try to clap his hands. Then she motioned for me to hold him. So I got up and held the baby and played with him. The woman and I were both laughing at this cute baby. She didn't know any english and I don't know any arabic but we had such a great moment together. As soon as I got out of the restaurant I started crying. I felt so awful for having judged this woman so harshly and how I felt so frighten by her just because how she dressed. She was one of the nicest people I've encountered traveling and I couldn't stop talking about her when she first came into the restaurant. I don't know why she wears the burqa or why she says she does but I do hope that its her decision and not made for her. I still shouldn't have judge her by my western standards and we live two completely different lifestyles but we still able to connect by her baby. It was just a great moment that I had in the restaurant in aqaba.

Aqaba- the red sea.

To get from Petra to Aqaba is only about an hour and half trip so it's really easy. Standing on the beach of Aqaba you can see Israel to your right, Egypt straight ahead and somewhere sorta close by is Saudi Arabia. It's insane. Since it's a beach city I thought that it would be more relaxed with what people wore and a little more westernized or something but I was totally wrong. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt, a scarf, and a loose skirt that came to right above my knees... bad idea. I was walking along the public beach, with a guy but still got so much attention. I was shocked that my knees could bring that much excitment. I had no idea it was that wrong or such a bad idea to be a little casual. No one said anything to me that was inappropriate, it was just the constant looks from all the men.
That being said the public beach isn't someplace that I could swim. The only people I saw swimming were the men and children. Not even the women were swimming like in Tel Aviv. To swim in the red sea I had to pay to go to a private beach about 20mins away by the Jordan Navel base... it was a little crazy. Regardless I was able to swim and snorkle with the fish and coral of the red sea, which was incredible. It was really windy when I went to it was hard to snorkle and I ended up laying in the sun most of the time. I for sure want to come back to the red sea at some point, just not the Jordan section of it. Going to the beach I want to feel comfortable and enjoy being half naked in a bikini. I know I'm in a different culture and I'm trying my best to respect it, it's just starting to get hard having to watch everything that I'm doing.

bedouin gypsy rock people

In Petra since it is completly a tourist spot there are so many people trying to make money. There are the bedouin men that sit in the rocks, totally stoned trying to sell donkey rides. Then there are all these dirty little gypsy kids who run around without shoes on and try to sell a pack of postcards for 1JD. I felt so bad for these kids because their lives probably won't get much better. They get sent out to roast all day in the sun because their families know that tourist feel bad for them and will give them money. They were cute kids and happy to play and run around on the rocks but I couldn't imagine doing that all the time. They are so trained to come up to large groups and say 'one jd, one jd postcard one jd'. A tour guide was telling us that the government kicked out all the gypsies and bedouins about 20 years ago and built this small modern village for them. But they don't want to be there, they want to be in the caves and rocks of Petra so it's this constant battle. I was totally fasinated with this one little boy, who had to be about 10 and how he was climbing all over the rocks. He was so high up, just climbing around it was completely dangerous and no one seemed to mind. If he put his foot in one wrong place he would have fallen 100 feet into rock.
Driving through the desert of Israel and Jordan I've gotten to see a lot of Bedouin camps. I find the Bedouin people to be so fasinating. This group of people that can totally survive out in the harsh conditions of desert. In Israel the camps i saw from the road seemed so rundown and impossible for anyone to live there. There are so many tourist that want to live stay with a Bedouin for a night or two so in Jordan the bedouins are making bank by hosting westerners and giving them camel rides. They do fasinate me i'm not going to go live with one but it would be quite the experience.

i am Indiana Jones.

This backpacking business is a boys club I haven't met one single female traveler over here yet. So for now I guess its me and the boys.

Petra is the main thing that people go to Jordan to see- its one of the seven world wonders and its amazing. I went down there with this guy I met at 630 in the morning It took a good three hours of driving in absolute nothingness to get there. The only people on the bus were tourists because there is nothing else besides Petra. We got the two day pass which I was surprised how expensive it was. I guess since its only tourists they make everything western prices. There's really no way to describe petra. The walk to the main temple is an ally way of the most incredible rock formations ever. And then you reach the big treasury, Indiana jones land, aladdin land- it is just incredible. There is a lot to explore and see. After every climb and turn I kept saying "oh wow". I really didn't know what to expect coming to petra but I was completely blown away. We decided to do the big hike to the monastery building the first day. I'm glad I was with a guy because I don't think I would have done half of what I did if I didn't have someone pushing me and telling me that yes I was going to climb the 800 steps to the building. After that first day my feet hurt, my legs were sore and completely exhausted. But it was worth it and I managed to not get sunburned.

The second day we had a clear mission of going to the high place of sacrifice, the place where they use to sacrifice animals to the gods. Damn was that a hike. 600 stairs of vertical rock. Once we got up to the top the view was amazing. Just so high up looking at the desert mountains. Apparently you can see Israel from there, I'm sure one of those rock mountains was Israel's but they all looked the same. Unlike massada there was a great breeze so I could have stayed forever looking out.

Jordan- Amman

I am in a different world and feel like a total outsider here. I am really in the middle east.
I stayed two nights in Amman the capitol of Jordan and the "modern" city. It is a modern city for jordan but nothing like a western modern city. Since its a muslim culture there isn't any alcohol. Its not illegal its just impossible to find and no one drinks it. They make a non-alcholic beer that some men drink but that's it. Also every woman is completely covered in head scarf's and full dresses; some of the men wear red checkered head scarf's and white robes, but mostly the men are wearing jeans and t-shits. Walking around I made sure I was covered but still I don't think they are use to a single woman in jeans. I never felt endanger or anything just a little uncomfortable at times. Even going two blocks by myself I could feel everyone, the men the women, looking at me. Whenever I could I'd try to get a guy to go with me just to feel a little better. I know nothing is going to happen it just makes me feel more comfortable. I would love to know what the women think of me and what I wear. There are a great deal of women that wear the full veil and dress all in black. For some reason they always make me nervous I guess its because I can't see their face or what their thinking.
Amman also doesn't have any crosswalks and if there is a crosswalk that doesn't mean that the cars will stop. Its blind faith to cross the street.
Amman has a really cool market that is right across the street from my hostel. A lot of fruit and spices so its the most colorful market I ve ever been to. The streets are just trashed with old produce and trash so the entire city looks messy. Ever since I got to israel I haven't had much of an appetite, I think my body is constantly thirsty and doesn't get hungry. But its odd how much I'm not eating. In amman I only ate breakfast which was great yogurt, cucumber, tomatoes, and pita.
There are a couple of old roman ruins in Amman. The big one is the Roman theatre, I climbed to the top of the theatre but it was hard because it was so hot. The city is just ridiculously hot its hard to do anything for too long. There is an old roman bath house that is just guarded by a small wire fence. A guy from my hostel and I just started walking around and climbing on it. Out of nowhere this old man appears and starts showing us around he was really nice didn't speak much english but was so happy to show us. Everyone that I've met in Jordan has been super super nice. The people are just incredible and want to help as much as possible. I didn't really find much else to do in Amman but I also think I was completely heat stricken and couldn't do anything else.

Jordan.

Getting through the airport of Tel Aviv almost had me in a panic attack. I was already so sad to leave and then they searched my bag had me take out everything and go through it. It was scary and annoying. But i finally got on the plane and it was the shortest flight of my life about 40 mins the seatbelt sign didn't even go off. It took 2 hours go to through the airport and only 40mins to get to another country. At the airport I had to buy a visa for 10din, still dont' know what that means but I wasn't happy getting asked a million questions again but I guess it just goes along with traveling in the middle east.

I got a taxi and had them take me to my hotel. I was in such a werid mood last night- slightly depressed to leave Israel, not knowing where I was or what I was going to do in Jordan. transistions are always hard for me. I wasn't ready to leave Israel and it's scary and so new to be in this country by myself.

Israel Tel Aviv

I had so many plans to go to different parts of Israel and do so much but once I got down to the beach I just couldn't leave. I just sat by the beach for two days and partied at night. My poor body hadn't seen the sun in so long even though I was really careful I still got burned so badly. The sea is beautiful and the water is so nice it just became impossible to leave tel aviv to go anywhere else. i was really surprised to see these Muslim women in their full attire swimming in the sea. A lot of them even had shoes on but they were still swimming and laughing. They all swam at this odd part of the water that didn't have a beach and you had to climb down rocks to get to the water. I felt a little under dressed walking around in a bikini but everyone was.

I had so much fun.

It was really hard to leave I made some good friends ate great food drank too much stayed by the water and just loved everything.

I am disapointed in myself that I didn't see Haifa or the Sea of Galilee but I woke up every morning and did such great things there just wasn't enough time.

Israel- Jerusalem

I wasn't there long enough.

I spent two nights in Jerusalem and then three nights in tel aviv and had such a great time.

Jersualem.

When I got there I was extremely overwhelmed. There were so many different men trying to help me and wanting me to stay in their hostels that it really scared me. I knew where I wanted to go and what hostel I was looking for but it was so hard for me to get there because this guy told me he was helping me but really wasn't and it was just a mess for me. Then this little boy who was like 12 reached up my dress and grabed my thigh- i was stunned. I finally found where I wanted to be checked in and changed and started to feel alright. I went out and explored the old city by myself and it's shocking that I didn't get extremely lost through all the small market streets. The markets were so colorful with all the spices and fabrics hanging everywhere. Its such a small ally way that it's really surprising when people come with big carts and push everyone out of the way. After asking a lot of people (who all wanted money) where the western wall was I finally found it. i had to go through a metal dector and there were military men and women everywhere. The big dome rock was shinning bright and I could look down and see the western wall plaza. It was a lot different from what I expected. It was hetic and crazy with tourists and people taking pictures. I am a toursit myself but still I thought it would be a little more peaceful and not a bunch of kids and old people in tour groups. I went down to the wall, the womans side because it is divided by sex, and it was hard to actually get to the wall because there were so many people. I finally did put my piece of paper in the wall and backed away from the wall to show respect since it's a direct line to god. I thought that there was going to be some great reglious revelation or something but there wasn't. I understand the meaning and how much the wall means to the jewish people but it didn't change my life or anything. Then I went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre- whoa that was insane as well. This church is serious. There are 6 different branches of the christian church that make up the Holy Sepulchre since it's where Jesus' tomb is and the rock that his dead body laid on. It was crazy. The line to get to see the inside of the tomb was about 2 hours long and I didn't feel like I needed to actually go inside. People have started to place notes in the cracks of the tomb like at the western wall, which I found intresting. The rock that Jesus laid on was another big deal. Pepole were touching it and rubbing cotton swabs on the rock and then putting them in zip block bags. I thought about rubbing my passport on the rock so Jesus would bless my travels but I didn't want to offend anyone. I got extremely overwhelmed. Too much relgion is hard for me to handle. Everyone in Jerusalem is so religous and so passionate that after seeing the western wall and the Holy Sepuchre I needed a break.

That night I went to Zion Square where there was a famous Israli band playing and a camera crew that looked something like an MTV crew filming the whole thing. Everyone was nuts about it and just so excited. It was fun to be right in the middle of this big fee concert. Later on this guy showed me around the Old City at night which was truly beautiful, there were no tourist, no one yelling at me to buy something the city was quiet and peacful like I wanted. We stopped and sat on a wall that over looked the new city and then the muslims started praying. It was really an incredible moment being in the Old City of Jerusalem at night seeing the whole city and having the praying from the muslims as a background sound. It was really a special night

I spent the whole next day on a tour seeing the dead sea and Masada. Both places were extremely hot, hot, hot. I was happy that I saw those places but damn it was hot. I was surprised that I didn't get sunburned at all! there were incredible views of the desert from masada. It was really fun to float in the dead sea I was with someone i met at the hostel and we had a really fun time running around in the desert.

The second night I was in Jerusalem was actually Jerusalem Day therefore, it was crazy. The traffic was insane everything stopped and people just sang and danced and waved huge Israeli flags around. I went down to the wester wall right before the metal dectors and just watched everyone. there was a band playing and so many people in the plaza and by the wall that it was hard to imagine they had any room at all to dance- but they did. That night for dinner I went to an Arab resturant with two guys from the hostel, it was an incredible huge dinner but it was odd i was the only women there and none of the men spoke to me. If i asked them a question they would answer the guys i was with.

It was a great couple of days in Jerusalem I learned so much but still there is so much to learn about that city. It was overwhelming but I was able to have an amazing experience.

Gaga and Bat sheva

There is a big dance scene in Israel so I was really excited to try to discover it. I was able to take a Gaga dance class before I saw Bat sheva Dance Compnay. The class was unlike anything i've done before it's kind of like improvisation but not. The whole class is taught in Hebrew which i know none of the teacher only said a few things in English just so i could understand something. we had to move our bodies with our skin, then with our flesh, then with our bones it was really crazy. The whole point is to move the entire time and never stop moving. After thirty mins I was sweating like i took a 2 hour ballet class. I'm so glad I was able to take the class I get one more class so hopefully I'll take another one in the morning.
Bat sheva dance company, I was so excited to see them.They are a company that I have wanted to see for a long time and now I get to see them in Israel premiering a new work by Sharon Eyrl. The show didn't start until 9pm that's why I was able to take class before, I"ve never been to a show that started that late I thought for the longest time that i had the wrong time. The theatre was in the same place I took class and really pretty small. It reminded me of a community theatre from back home, i didn't expect to see this amazing dance company in such a small theatre. But the company completely blew me away as I expected. The piece, Bill, was an hour long and totally captivating. I was glad that i took gaga class before I saw the show because it allowed me to understand the company and how they worked. After seeing them I realized that there are so many endless possibilities with the human body and to work and move body should never be limited. they are going to be at the joyce for two weeks in sep so i have to make sure i see them in the states as well.

First Day in Israel

The hotel that i stayed in had a big breakfast so I forced myself to eat as much as possible, I need to store up on nutrition when I can now that I'm on my own. I made a sandwich of honey and put it in my purse for later that day. I got a map, drew where my hostel was and how to get there put my backpack on and walked through Tel Aviv. I stopped at the market on the way which was really great, i love markets they are so colorful and lively. The best market was in Barcelona though. I was temped to buy a bunch of food there but that would me that i would just have to carry it and I wasn't up for that i had enough to carry. After walked through tel aviv for about 45 mins I finally reached my hostel. I was nervous about this hostel from the reviews on hostelworld.com but when i opened the door and Bob Dylan's Tambourine Man was playing I felt alright about it. Tel Aviv is much dirtier than I expected; there's a lot of trash on the street and power cords hanging all around it surprised me. There is also so much traffic that adds a certain level of pollution i'm sure. This man from the hostel showed me around the area and pointed me to the theater where my show is tonight. I'm really excited i'm finally going to see Batsheva dance company!

Flying to Israel

Getting there.

After I got my boarding pass I had to go through a passport control at the Barcelona airport, then as I was boarding the plane the lady looked at me and said "do you have a visa" no i told her then she gave me this weird look and sent me off, that worried me the entire plane ride. Coming from Barcelona to tel Aviv I was the only American on my flight. As soon as I landed in Israel and looked outside and saw the Palm trees my nerves calmed down a bit. For some reason palm trees are my happy tree and always make me feel at home. I got out and there were so many people in the airport i was stunned, it was 12;30 at night I've never seen an airport so busy. Passport control looked like a mess. It was just a big area flooded with people. there were two sections, international and national but other than that there seemed to e no organization. Passport issues always make me nervous, i picked a "line" to stand in even though I was in about three different lines and finally made it up to the front. When I got there the guy asked me my purpose, how long I was staying, if i knew anyone- what was their name, I was extremely honest and just told him Iam here for a week to see the country. Finally he stamped my passport and I was in. I got my bag and tried to look for a taxi, then I realized that I forgot to get Israeli money so I had to go back into the airport where I was harassed by another security guy asking why I wanted to go back into the airport. My parents set me up in a hotel for the first night since I was getting in so late and had no idea about anything. It was really nice of them to do that. Driving to the hotel I was just looking around and trying to see as much as I could, everything seemed so different but really there were the same H&M's all over Europe and big billboard signs you would see anywhere else. We reach the hotel I paid him and didn't tip him, i'm still not sure about the tipping rules here... The hotel was very stark and it kind of scared me to be there by myself. I was just really overwhelmed. I washed my underwear and socks in the tub and then headed to sleep. This is going to be my life now, washing my clothes when I can and sleeping where ever.

Mothers Day

My last day with my parents happened to be Mothers day as well. it was really nice to wake up next to my mother and spend the day with her before I took off. We visited another famous Gaudi building, which was completely amazing. I worried myself sick all day that it was hard for me to eat. I'm just extremely nervous to go to Israel and start this journey by myself. A lot of people wouldn't go here by themselvs and it's kind of crazy. I'm so glad my parents were with me to help me pack and take back my stuff and just overall help me. I don't think I could continue to travel if I didn't see them> they really helped me. My dad taught me how to use my pack, my mother helped me sort out what I should take and I have just my pack and a small purse. I have:
1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 skirts, 2 dresses, 7 tank-tops, 2 bathing-suits, 2 sweaters, 4 shirts, 1 jacket, 1 towel, 1 sweatpants... anddd all my soap/cosmetic stuff as well as some other random shit. But here I go I"m off to Israel.

barcelona.

the last three days in Barcelona have been really great. being with my parents has been a nice vacation, them taking acre of me and telling me where to go is exactly what i needed.

we went into the cathedral of Barcelona which is a huge cathedral in the Gothic district of the city. I was kind of over churches from seeing so many in France but this one was so different. We first had to enter a courtyard where there were swans and palm tress and the stations of the cross. then we went inside- it was so decorated. The Spanish churches are very different from the French ones- i find the Spanish ones less scary. Each station of the cross was way over done. The chapel had such a glorified crucifix, you were only allowed to go in there if you were going to pray and i wasn't so i didn't go in. Catholic churches always make me feel uncomfortable, no matter what i always feel like i'm doing something wrong. We were able go up to the roof and look out to the sea. I'm starting to see a trend in a lot of places in Barcelona have great rooftop areas and all the buildings seem to connect to the outside in some way. On display was a crown, ring and where they keep communion I have never seen so many jewels in my life! big emeralds and diamonds and pearls it was crazy. it became really aparent that the catholic church is what Spain put all there money into.

we spent the entire day on Friday at Gaudi's park in the norther part of Barcelona. What an amazing park! Every place I walked was like exploring something new. There were areas to walk completely in the trees and other places to lay out in the sun.The place originally was someone's estate I can't imagine someone having this park all to themselves. Throughout the park there were so many street musicians so each place had a different feeling completely due to the architecture and the music. there were three guys playing great Spanish guitar out in the main field, to be able to sit and listen to them and see the Mediterranean sea was perfect. This park was fun because there is so much to explore, We were able to walk up to the highest point (which was a big cross) and see all of Barcelona. The park is decorated with a lot of tile work everywhere there is a concrete area is covered with tile. In the sun it gibes an amazing color to the park and makes it like a fairy tale place.

The last night I was in Barcelona we went down to the Gothic district and watched futbol and had a great dinner. Everyone is futbol obsessed it's so crazy. The entire city stopped when the match was on it was crazy. We were lucky that we were able to get a seat in a restaurant where we were able to see the game. There was one girl outside who looked so distressed watching the match, she kept chewing on her hair tie and had this worried look the entire time. I thought that America was obsessed with American football but coming to Barcelona they are really really obsessed!

Goodbye Cadaques

Back in barcelona.

After a day of traveling I'm back in barcelona. We had to take a bus from Cadaques to Figueres then from there take a train to Barcelona. The bus to Figueres is on one small windy road that is through the mountains. We sat in the back of the bus to get a view of the scenery, but that didn't work out for me. I got so motion sick that its a miracle that I didn't throw-up on my dad. My parents kept saying how amazing the snowy mountains from Andoura were but I just sat there trying to keep it together. As soon as we got to Figueres I got off the bus and lied in the grass I felt so much better then. The train ride is about 2 hours and 10euros (the bus is 5euros) so it takes time, and money, to get out to Cadaques but its such an amazing village.

Since Cadaques is so small Americans really don't go there. The time that we were there we were the only Americans around, I guarantee it. As we were leaving a destination wedding party from America was coming but other than that we didn't run into any others. It was nice because I felt like I really got away. So many places I've traveled, even though I'm in a new country I'm with Americans and I meet someone who knows someone else. Also since Cadaques is an old fishing village they aren't at all concerned with American culture I saw one guy working in a restaurant wearing an Obama hat but at least there were no "RIP Michael Jackson" things around. Its nice to know that I can completely escape everything American if I choose. I hope to find more places like Cadaques

It is nice though be back in Barcelona at the same hotel as before, which is such a nice hotel. There is still so much I want to discover about Barcelona.

the wild coat.

the same hike just two very different days.

I'm still not quite sure how my parents convinced me to go hiking two days in a row. On monday I woke up to my balcony windows being thrown open by the wind and rain was coming in. It rained all day monday, but my parents were determined to hike. We went to Port Lligat to go into the national park to explore. Since it was rainy and the dali house was closed we were the only people around. Walking to the mountain path are the slate rocks that act like a staircase to the mountain. It being so rainy only made the rocks really slippery. One wrong step and I would have been sliding down to the rocky coast. I was so concern with where I was stepping that when I finally looked up it was an amazing site. Even through it was raining the water was so peaceful and incredible shades of blue. We were able to get out pretty far on a ledge to look around and down at the coastline. The slate that makes up the coastline is crazy, it seems like it should be in the western united states not by the Mediterranean coast. The rain only made the natural colors of the water more vibrant. We hiked a little more up to the top of one mountains and had a great view overlooking everything. The one thing I really like about hiking is that the air is so clean and it smelled really good from all the mountain flowers. Coming down we sat on the beach and looked at these funny purple jellyfish that were lying eggs around the rocks. The night it only got more rainy and windy.
On tuesday the sun was out and it was a beautiful morning but it turned out to be an extremely windy day. So windy that trees were blown over the next day. My parent again wanted to go hiking up the same path that we did the day before. There were a lot more people wondering around but none were hiking- I think we were the only crazy ones that would hike in the winds. Going up the slate to the path I was worried that I would blow off we had to stay real close to the ground. The winds were so fierce that we couldn't go out and really see the ocean. We were able to get to the top of the mountain but I could lean back and put most of my weight in the wind. It was so damn cold though! I was expecting to be lying by the beach in the sun not hiking a mountain on the cold.

DALI OBSESSED

DALI´S HOUSE PORT LLIGAT


I´m staying in Cadaques but on the same peninsula is Port Lligat where Dali lived. There are a lot of tourist that go to Port Lligat to see the crazy mans house. From Cadaques it´s about a 20 min walk to Port Lligat, but such a great walk! It´s through old parts of the fishing village and up a big hill so you can see the entire world- amazing. The only thing in Port Lligat is Dali´s house and two hotels. When Dali was alive and living there more people came in and were trying to build up the area for summer homes, Dali didn´t like that so he got the Spanish government to make him ambassador of the area therefore, nobody can build on Port Lligat unless the Dali Estate says it´s ok. So, it´s completely unbuilt besides two old hotels and Dali´s house.

Of course Dali´s house is ridiculous. Completely over the top and very bizarre. When his wife died he just got up and left the house so most of the things in the house are completely the way they were when he was living there. There are even two unfinished paintings in his workroom. The house is so cool, it´s a series of old fishing houses put together on the side of the mountain so there are a lot of small stairways and rooms that are connected in interesting ways. Only the bathrooms have doors on them so the whole house is open, which is so nice. He has a couple of outdoor patios and areas that are so cool and so weird. Lot´s of big eggs are placed everywhere. There´s a room outside that has a projector showing movies and an old piano that is built into the wall. The pool is such a weird shape I don´t think anyone actually swam in it, but it leads up to two thrones that Dali and Gala sat on. It is so over the top but so fascinating. And of course the water is beautiful and the view that he has from every room is amazing. Since Dali made Cadaques and Port Lligat famous everywhere you look there is something about Dali. There are big statues and posters and facts about him. This area seems totally Dali obsessed. Between Dali and Gaudi I´m seeing some totally bizarre things.

-- the first thing you see when you walk into Dali´s house. He stuffed all his animals. All the swans that lived outside his house he would stuff when they died, so they are everywhere in his house.

--- Dali and Gala´s bedroom.

Cadaques

I have really enjoyed being in Cadaques. It´s unlike anyplace I´ve been to, the mountains, the cute little white houses that line the shore and the most amazing blue water. The harbor is full of small sailboats (mostly with big french flags on them), and everyone drives mopeds arounds. It use to be an old fishing village but now is a summer place for wealthy people to come to. There are a lot of big houses that are still boarded up and i´m sure in the summer the harbor is full of yachts. I´m glad we´re here on the off season, it´s not too crowded yet. It´s too cold though to swim and be in a bathing suit which I was looking forward to.

My dad kayaked around the harbor while my mother and I walked the whole village. It´s nice to be in such a small village that you can walk the entire thing without being tired. The beaches are made up of rocks and small stones so there isn´t much sand. There is a lot of natural slate that makes great natural staircases all along the shore so you can climb all around the water edge without being in the water. There is only one small church that everyone goes to. Inside the alter is so ornately decorated I would have never expected that this small village would have such a glorious church, but the catholic church is what everyone here believes in and probably gives so much money to. It´s so quite here expect the church bells and when theres a futbol match on...

I´m eating amazing seafood and drinking the best sangria while on the mediterranean, perfect.

Cadeques cost of brava

Cadaques is hard to get to. We had to take a bus from Figerus that stopped a couple of places before going over the mountains to cadeques. There is only one road that goes to cadeques that winds up through the mountains. It was still light out when we were traveling so we were able to see everything. I got nauseous and nervous being on the bus on a tiny road through the mountains. Finally we came down the mountain, the bus stopped and everyone got out. we were in cadeques and really didn't know where we were. It was still light out but about 830 so there weren't many people out. We walked down to the water to the most amazing view. I have never been someplace so beautiful. Its a tiny harbor that the mountains come right down to and this village is built around it. Thankfully we found a hotel sign and walked there. Our room is perfect it faces the water with two balconies. I brought my parents champagne from france so we did a toast before we went out.

figueres

We got off the train with all of our bags in the small city Figueres. I realized real quickly that my parents didn't really have a plan. The only thing that is in Figueres is the Dali Museum, and my parents love Dali so we set out for the museum.

Walking up to the Dali Museum was funny. Out of nowhere you start to see a giant glass egg as you get closer you start to see more weird shit. Outside there is a big statue made of random things and little gold people that line the top of the building. You walk into a court yard before you actually go into the museum that has another bizarre statue involving a cadilac, a boat, a big woman with penis' for nipples and more little gold people. Its very bizarre, my parent and I just sat there and laughed for a good while. The museum itself just gets stranger. The museum has a theatre theme therefore there are lots of interactions between the art and the people. I felt like I was in pee wee hermans house, a fun house, and on some type of physidlic drug. It almost seemed too weird and my attention was so scattered trying to absorb everything that I missed seeing a lot of the art. We spent a good while there seeing everything and then headed to the bus station. We missed the bus to Cadaques by about 5 mins and the next one wasn't for three hours. So we had a lot of time to kill in Figueres.

We walked back to the Dali house and stared at all the eggs that line the building. I think my mother is worried that my dad might line our house with eggs now.
There is something really charming about small cities and how everyone comes out to one event. Figueres is so small so about everyone from the city was out in two different squares. In one square a band was setting up to play; we never actually saw them play. All the little kids were running around and getting balloon animals from a clown. Another square looked like a dance show was about to happen. There were a lot of girls dressed to do flamenco and other kids were dressed like Michaels Jackson. We couldn't stay to see them perform but I'm sure it was an end of the year performance. It was great that they had so many outdoor spaces.

gaudi master of weird architecture

roof from the apartment building

Gaudi gaudi gaudi!

This city is full of architecture of gaudi and its all so crazy. I thought that the holy family church was cool but his apartment building is amazing- I would love to live in a place like that. Function,form , and aesthetics was what he was all about. Every little detail like the doorknobs were designed so well and very unique. My favorite part was going up to the roof. It reminded me of a dr. Seuss book. There were stir cases all around that twisted and turned to lead up to weird smoke stacks that looked like artichokes. From the roof we were able to see the holy family church and the ocean. Hopefully I ll be able to see more Gaudi stuff because its the real dr seuss to me.

apartment building

I showed my parents the prints that I made in print making this past semester. Now I'm worried that my dad is going to try and frame one to put in his office- ill somehow have to stop that before it happens. I have realized that I forgot my computer charger in pairs which really sucks but there's nothing to be done. I really hope it is the only thing I forgot...

barcelona!

Barcelona is so nice.
It is warm and there are palm trees and people speaking spanish and everyone is happy. The main street in barcelona is la rambla its a big open walking street with the best street performers I've ever seen! The costumes that these people had to try and make some money were totally over the top. There were people even selling rabbits and all kinds of birds.
As soon as I got in my parents and I set out for the Gaudi's Cathedral of the Holy Family. Wow. this cathedral is unlike anything I've ever seen. Construction started for this in 1883 and is still being built, completion isn't until 2030! Granted there was a 30 year break during Franco. There is only a small section you can actually go into because of all the construction. We took the elevator all the way to the top and had an amazing view of Barcelona. The weird towers on the Cathedral had different fruits on them and weird animals. It such a bizarre place, it reminded me of a big sand castle. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't see more of the cathedral but I guess ill have to come back in 2030!

We went to the Picasso museum which is on a small side street. I was excited to go but being there I realized that all of Picasso famous pieces are at big museums and most of them I've seen. So the picasso museum wasn't as exciting as I thought it might be. It was still great to see all of his early portraits and drawings.

Also, I have no idea what I'm saying or trying to say... I'm some how combining french and spanish to form some weird language, but they speak catalonian here so I'm really not getting anywhere with communication.

My god are people in barcelona obsessed with football! There was a huge game between Barcelona and italy. Every single person was wearing a Barcelona shirt and just so excited for the game. All the bars were packed and full of excitement. My parents and I were walking to the beach and would peek in at each bar to see a piece of the game. The beach was amazing though it was full moon so it was just beautiful! We walked around a bit and then went to dinner where we could see the match. My dad and I were really into it but we had no idea what was going on. Barcelona ended up winning but loosing... I don't know, I just know that I don't know anything about football.